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__label__wiki	0.744845	0.744845	The Dean's Office Dean's Listers Sanggunian Student Mobility Program SoSS JTA Program SoSS STA Program Student Exchange Outbound Program Undergraduate Majors & Minors ISA RC 46 Porio, Emma E. eporio@ateneo.edu Dr. Emma Porio completed her doctorate in Sociology at the University of Hawaii (UH, Honolulu) on an East-West Center Fellowship grant. While at the University of Hawaii, she taught sociology and gender studies courses at the Department of Sociology and Women's Studies Program. Upon her return to the Philippines in 1989, she taught at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology while doing research at the Institute of Philippine Culture where she initiated two programs: Urban Poor Studies and Coastal Resource Management. She was chairperson of the department from 1999-2001. Under her leadership, the department was chosen by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a Center of Excellence for Sociology. From 1994-97, she coordinated the Global Urban Research Initiative (GURI) for Southeast Asia, a research consortium from 12 subregions, coordinated by the University of Toronto's Center for Urban and Community Studies (CUCS). Under this program, she conducted research in Southeast Asia on urban governance, housing and settlements. Her current research projects include governance and transformation of local power structures (with the Innovations Program in Local Governance, Ash Institute, Harvard) and democratized decentralization, social justice and gender (with the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex). Her publications include Urban Governance and Poverty Alleviation in Southeast Asia (1997), Partnership with the Poor (1991), Pathways to Decentralization (1992) and Children in Drugs in the Philippines (2005). Currently, she chairs the Governing Council of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC), policy-making body of the social science associations in the country. From 1989-1992, she served as the sociology representative to the PSSC Executive Board. while she served as President of the Philippine Sociological Society from 1999-2001. Dr. Porio also sits on the editorial board of the following social science journals: Social Movements (London), Contemporary Politics (Cambridge), Inter-Asia Cultural Studies (Routledge) and Pondicherry Journal (India). She also sits on the executive/advisory board of the following international bodies: International Forum of Researchers on Human Settlements (Rome), International Cooperative Housing Board (Washington, DC), Water Supply and Sanitation Council (Rome), Huairou Commission (New York). She is actively involved in the ff. bodies: Ateneo Library of Women's Writings (Chairperson, 1995-2002; board member 2002-present), the Ateneo Language Learning Center/ALLC (Chairman, 2003-present), Galing Pook Foundation (corporate secretary), National Selection Committee of the Excellence in Local Governance Awards (1995-present), Women';s Development, Productivity, Research Organization (Board of Trustees, 1999-2005), CHED Technical Committees (Chair for Sociology-Anthropology; Interdisciplinary Studies) and the National Research Council of the Philippines (Chair, Anthropology and Linguistics Section). Areas of Specialization: Specializes in development and marginality, urban governance/structures, gender, climate change vulnerability and adaptation/resilience. Professional Association & Recognition: Science Research Fellow, Manila Observatory Courses Taught: SA 21: Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology SA 109: Theories of Development SA 128: Urban Sociology SA 140: Class and Society (for the Casa Bayanihan Program) SA 205: Research Strategies SA 206: Research Techniques SA 253: Urban Society SOC 278/ANTHRO 253: Urban Sociology SOC 290: Social Problems SOC 296/ANTHRO 262: Theories of Development SOC 378: Urban Sociology SOC 379.3: Sociology of the Elite University of Hawaii, PhD Sociology Forthcoming Crafting Anthropological Traditions in the Philippines 2017 Citizen Participation and Decentralization in the Philippines 2016 Prosperity and Inequality in Metro Manila: Reflections on Housing the Poor, Climate Risk, and Governance of Cities 2015 Characterizing Social Vulnerability of Metro Manila Using Principal Component Analysis Directory and Map For Press & Media	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line308
__label__cc	0.50025	0.49975	The climate in Bhutan is extremely varied. This variation in the climatic conditions and average temperature can be attributed to two main factors-the vast differences in altitude present in the country and the influence of North Indian monsoons. Southern Bhutan has a hot and humid subtropical climate that is fairly unchanging throughout the year. Temperatures can vary between 15-30 degrees Celsius (59- 86 degrees Fahrenheit). In the Central parts of the country which consists of temperate and deciduous forests, the climate is more seasonal with warm summers and cool and dry winters. In the far Northern reaches of the kingdom, the weather is much colder during winter. Mountain peaks are perpetually covered in snow and lower parts are still cool in summer owing to the high altitude terrain. The Indian summer monsoon begin from late-June through to late-September and is mostly confined to the southern border region of Bhutan and it brings heavy rain and high humidity. These rains bring between 60 and 90 percent of the western region’s rainfall. Annual precipitation ranges widely in various parts of the country. In the Northern border towards Tibet, the region gets about forty millimeters of precipitation a year which is primarily snow. In the temperate central regions, a yearly average of around 1,000 millimeters is more common, and 7,800 millimeters per year has been registered at some locations in the humid, subtropical south, ensuring the thick tropical forest, or savanna. Thimphu experiences dry winter months (December through February) and almost no precipitation until March, when rainfall averages 20 millimeters a month and increases steadily thereafter to a high of 220 millimeters in August for a total annual rainfall of nearly 650 millimeters. Bhutan’s generally dry spring starts in early March and lasts until mid-April. Summer weather commences in mid-April with occasional showers and continues to late June. The heavier summer rains last from late June through late September which are more monsoonal along the southwest border. Autumn, from late September or early October to late November, follows the rainy season. It is characterized by bright, sunny days and some early snowfalls at higher elevations. From late November until March, winter sets in, with frost throughout much of the country and snowfall common above elevations of 3,000 meters. The winter northeast monsoon brings gale-force winds at the highest altitudes through high mountain passes, giving Bhutan its name – Drukyul, which means Land of the Thunder Dragon in Dzongkha (the native language).	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line312
__label__cc	0.661762	0.338238	Stories from Monday, July 19, 2010 Evelyn Doris McDermit (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Evelyn Doris McDermit, 83, of Elwood died July 15, 2010 at St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood after a brief illness. She was born on July 5, 1927 in Kirklin. She married Harold B. McDermit on July 5, 1947. She worked at Eli Lily for two years before getting married and was a homemaker and farm wife. She was a 1945 graduate of Kirklin High School... Harry E. "Gene" Nelson (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Harry E. "Gene" Nelson, 72, of Reelsville, formerly of Terre Haute, died July 17, 2010 at Union Hospital. He was born the son of Kermit Nelson and Hazel Logsdon Nelson in Clark County. He graduated from Hymera High School in 1957. On Nov. 21, 1974 he married Mary Ann Monninger Nelson, and they have shared every day together. ... Harold R. Alcorn (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Harold Raymond Alcorn, 84, of Bainbridge passed away on Friday, July 16, 2010. An only child, he was born April 28, 1926 to the late Bert L. and Blanche (Shepherd) Alcorn. He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1944. A family man, he spent his lifetime farming, never moving from the property on which he was born. He also retired from Kroger Company after more than 20 years of service... Tina Marie Moore (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Tina Marie Moore, 49, of Greencastle passed away on Saturday, July 17, 2010. Arrangements are pending at Bittles & Hurt Funeral Home. A full obituary notice will appear in Wednesday's edition of the Banner Graphic. Donald L. Francke (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Donald L. Francke, 85, formerly of Greencastle, died Friday, July 16, 2010 at Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Monday at Chandler Funeral Home in Ellettsville, with Masonic service at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Chandler Funeral Home. Burial is at Valhalla Memory Gardens in Bloomington... Putnam Patter for July 19, 2010 (Local News ~ 07/19/10) It's not too late for "Never Too Late" Auditions for "Never Too Late," the final show of the Putnam County Playhouse 2010 season, will be held Monday at 7 p.m. in the rehearsal center of the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. Those planning to audition should come prepared to read from the script. Shelly McFadden is the director... CBCC sings at Parkfest after placing 1st at contest (Local News ~ 07/19/10) GREENCASTLE -- Covered Bridge Country Chorus (CBCC) will be entertaining the crowds at Parkfest Tuesday night from 7 to 8 p.m. at Robe Ann Park. This is the second time the chorus has been asked to participate, and they are thrilled to sing for the community after recently winning first place at the Area 4 Convention and Contests of Harmony, Inc... Shepherd receives 3-year sentence (Local News ~ 07/19/10) GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle man has been given a three-year sentence for a sexual assault against a Putnam County Comprehensive Services consumer. Judge Charles D. Bridges entered a judgement of conviction against Keith A. Shepherd, 33, on a Class D felony charge of sexual battery. Under the terms of a plea agreement, an additional county of Class D felony sexual battery and a Class A misdemeanor charge of public indecency were dismissed... 'All are winners' at 4-H Fair Pretty Baby Contest Sunday (Local News ~ 07/19/10) GREENCASTLE -- With the official opening of the 2010 Putnam County 4-H Fair not coming until the parade later this week, the fairgrounds were already abuzz with action on Saturday and Sunday, with a number of pre-fair events and awards. But of course, the most important question of the weekend wasn't "Who won the queen contest?" It was "Who are the prettiest babies in the county?"... Tina M. Moore (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) Tina M. Moore, 49, of Greencastle passed away on Saturday, July 17, 2010. Tina was born on May 16, 1961 in Putnam County to James Rusty and Edith Overshiner Shoemaker. Tina was a long time employee of Mill Creek Inn of Stilesville, where she worked as a head cook. She spent her last few years as a homemaker, friend and confidante... James W. Braden (Obituary ~ 07/19/10) James W. Braden, 72, of Greencastle passed away on Friday, July 16, 2010. He was born on Oct. 30, 1937 in Putnam County to Edgar Braden and Agnes Torr Braden. He was a 1956 graduate of Greencastle High School. He was a lifelong farmer and had retired from IBM and FB Distro in Greencastle. He was a long-time member of the Greencastle Elks Lodge...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line313
__label__wiki	0.925555	0.925555	'Studs' lead Cavs at 16u West - Jeff Dahn/Perfect Game Posted by California Baseball Academy USA on May 25, 2014 at 2:30am GLENDALE, Ariz. – When asked to size-up the California Baseball Academy (CBA) team he is coaching at this weekend’s 16u PG WWBA West Memorial Day Classic, CBA Cavs head coach Shon Mears first provided a little history. Mears explained that he has been with the Cavs for more than three years, dating back to when the organization was known as the So Cal Cavs. According to Mears, this 16u Cavs team started out with CBA three years ago as a 14u team and practically serves as the Cavs’ flagship team. “This is the group that actually started the program and we have a few studs on the team right now,” Mears said. “We’ve been doing pretty good. The chemistry is right, they’ve been jelling and they know each other. A lot of them play on the same high school baseball teams.” There are some high school tie-ins, to be sure, which in turn lead to “stud” tie-ins. Highly ranked Cavs 2016 catcher Aaron Greenfield, 2016 middle-infielder Jaylon McLaughlin and 2016 first baseman/outfielder Dejuan Johnson all just completed their sophomore years at Westchester High School in Los Angeles. Cavs 2016 catcher/outfielder Jonathan Phelps and 2016 outfielder Hayden Tapert are juniors-to-be at L.A.’s Loyola High School; 2016 second baseman Jackson Kritsch and 2016 right-hander Brian Fornatoto are graduated sophomores from Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks. There is a sense of familiarity with this team, but when really digging deep into the “stud” factor it is best to start with the trio from Westchester High, and also best to start with one young prospect in particular. Greenfield, a 6-foot, 170-pound 15-year-old from Los Angeles, stands at least a head and possibly a shoulder above the rest right now. He came into the 16u PG WWBA West Memorial Day Classic ranked No. 152 in Perfect Game’s national class of 2016 rankings and stands at No. 25 in the national rankings for 2016 catching prospects; he is Nos. 23 and 2 in the same rankings for the state of California. His national ranking is the highest of any prospect in attendance at the 16u PG WWBA West Memorial Day Classic this weekend. Greenfield, who is from Los Angeles, is playing in his fourth Perfect Game tournament with the Cavs and was named to the all-tournament team at both the 2013 14u Perfect Game MLK Championship and the 2014 16u Perfect Game MLK Championship. And he just can’t seem to grab enough of the Arizona sunshine over these last three days he’s spent in the Valley. “It’s fun playing with everybody because there’s a lot of different talent out here and there’s a lot of good pitching,” Greenfield said. “I look at it as a good cultural diversion playing out here. This has been a real fun experience playing for the WWBA (championship); I just love playing the game and staying out here all day. I helped coach the CBA Cavs 2018 team and that’s such a fun experience.” That’s right. In the two hours before he was set to take the field for the CBA Cavs’ 16u team’s third of four pool-play games on the Chicago White Sox side of the Camelback Ranch Complex, he was over on the Los Angeles Dodgers side helping coach a group of eighth-graders. And listening to Greenfield talk, it’s easy to identify where his desire and willingness to teach youngsters comes from. Greenfield told PG he’s been playing baseball since he was 2 years old and credits his mother, Christie Chontos, with encouraging him every step of the way. Chontos is a former collegiate softball and volleyball player. “She’s been pushing me ever since I was a young boy,” he said. And she just may have pushed her son to a level of play neither could have imagined when young Aaron was a toddler. “Aaron Greenfield is a special talent, a 15-year-old Westchester kid,” Mears said. “He’s got an outstanding arm and great plate discipline, and he’s a really special player. I think he’s going to transcend to the next level perfectly. He handles the pitchers very well, he’s very coachable, he loves the game and he loves to learn the game. He’s a real stud, just a real stud.” And on Sunday afternoon he wasn’t the only “stud” Mears had on his roster. It took a collection of talent to lead the CBA Cavs to the Pool H championship with an 8-0 win over AZ Pro 16u out of Phoenix and secure a spot in Monday’s 16u West Memorial Day playoffs regardless of the outcome of their final pool-play game Sunday night against Warriors Baseball Academy 17u. The Cavs previously beat the Angels Select Team Blue from Tempe and the UA Prime out of Aurora, Colo., and won their first three pool-play games by a combined score of 26-3. Greenfield, McLaughlin, Phelps, 2015 outfielder/right-hander Charles Grant-DeBose from Torrance, Calif., and 2016 third baseman Tony Yanez provided the bulk of the Cavs’ offense in those first three games. Greenfield was just 2-for-7 (.286) but his hits were a double and a triple and he drove in four runs. Yanez was 4-for-6 (.667) with two RBI and three runs; Phelps 4-for-7 (.571) with a double, two RBI and two runs; McLaughlin 3-for-7 (.429) with seven runs scored; and Grant-DeBose was 1-for-3 (.333), walked four times and hit by a pitch once, and scored four runs. Five Cavs’ pitchers worked 16 2/3 innings in the first three games and allowed two earned runs (0.84 ERA) on 12 hits while striking out 20 and walking eight. Grant-DeBose allowed only two hits during four shutout innings and struck out seven and walked one. Those performances were right in line with what the CBA Cavs organization hopes its players will achieve. Mears calls CBA “one of the best organizations in California.” It is one that works to develop its young players so that, first, they’re ready to compete at the high school level – which is a very high level, indeed, in California – and, second, at the collegiate or professional level. “And this is one of the best groups I’ve ever had,” Mears said. “I don’t have to babysit them, they know what to do and they know situations. All I have to do is manage the game; these guys are ready to go to the next level.” Mears also felt it was important this group made the trip over to the Phoenix suburbs to compete in this particular Perfect Game tournament. “You’re going to see great talent, and you’re competing against some of the best talent from across the state of Arizona and on into California,” he said. “They’re going to see good pitching and anytime you can see good pitching, get some at-bats and get some good field work, it’s always going to be beneficial to making it to the next level.” As for Greenfield, his whole development process is really just beginning, considering he still has two more seasons of high school baseball remaining. His sophomore season at Westchester was a good one, with MaxPreps.com reporting that he played in 20 games, hit .344 (21-for-61) with three doubles, a triple, a home run, 21 RBI and 11 runs scored. “I’ve been getting better here and there but I still need to take my game to the next level,” Greenfield said. “I still need to get even better.” McLaughlin, Greenfield’s teammate at Westchester, hit .358 (24-for-67) in 22 games, with a pair of doubles, four RBI and 16 runs scored. Greenfield would like to continue to catch simply because he enjoys playing the position so much. If at some point down the line a coach or a scout recommends a position change he wouldn’t fight it, however, because he said, “I’m still playing the game.” “I do like staying tuned into the game and I get to call pitches sometimes,” he said of his love of catching. “I’m just into the game the whole time and I feel like the real leader on the field.” Greenfield will lead the CBA Cavs into Monday morning’s quarterfinal round of the 16u PG WWBA West Memorial Day Classic playoffs at the Goodyear Ballpark Complex with only one expectation. “When I come into a Perfect Game event I always expect my team to go to the playoffs and end up in the championship game. If we lose, it’s a disappointment,” he said. It’s an expectation shared whole-heartedly by his coach. “We expect nothing less than a championship,” Mears said. “This group of kids has been playing together for awhile and they’ve won some big tournament already so they know what the expectations are. Nothing less than a championship is our goal, but if we don’t win it it’s not going to be the end of the world, but we want to win the championship.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line319
__label__wiki	0.774876	0.774876	Costa Rica 16. Juli 2019 Costa Rica Country Report # 6 of 128 Please cite as follows: Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2010 — Costa Rica Country Report. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2009. The central political and economic event in Costa Rica between February 2007 and January 2009 was the struggle to enact the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The agreement would not only include the country in a region-wide commercial zone with its Central American neighbors, the Dominican Republic and the United States, but would also open up key sectors of the economy, including telecommunications and insurance, to private and foreign investment. CAFTA’s opponents believed that the planned reform of 13 domestic laws required in order to implement the treaty’s provisions threatened the country’s social market economy. Despite having organized a four-party legislative majority (the “G-38”), the Oscar Arias administration realized by early 2007 that it was unlikely to win legislative approval of both CAFTA and the related laws. In an unexpected turn of events, President Arias ended up backing a referendum – the country’s first ever – to decide on CAFTA’s fate, and redirected his legislative strategy to secure passage of the accompanying legislation. In October 2007, Costa Rican citizens voted 51.2% to 48.1% (with a turnout of 60% of the electorate) in support of free trade. And, by November 2008, the Legislative Assembly had negotiated passage of the required legal reforms. The opposition Citizens Action Party (Partido Acción Ciudadana, PAC) accepted these results due to the referendum’s result, but did little to expedite the negotiations. Thus, after a multi-year, bruising set of political battles, Costa Rica joined CAFTA on January 2, 2009. Several other important achievements characterize the period under review, and explain why democratic and economic transformation has been notable in Costa Rica. First, economic growth was strong, despite a slowing of the economy in 2008. Second, growth and social programs managed to make the first serious dent in poverty levels in more than a decade. By 2007, households in poverty comprised 16.7% of the population, even though inequality levels rose, and the Gini coefficient increased accordingly from 0.406 (2005) to 0.426 (2007). Third, the government renegotiated the public debt to take advantage of the fall in international interest rates. Along with increasing the effectiveness of tax collection from 12% of GDP in 2001 to 15% in 2008 (despite the absence of fiscal reform), prudent management of new debt obligations in the context of a growing economy helped to reduce the level of public debt to 46.6% of GDP, from slightly more than 60% in 2003. Nonetheless, the debate on CAFTA illustrated the way that the country’s legislative process easily overloads and hampers potential improvements in democratic governance. Though moderate levels of poverty (about 17% of households are poor and 6% extremely poor) and of inequality (the Gini coefficient is 0.426) constrain transformation, the multiple veto players in the Costa Rican political system make it costly to enact publicly endorsed reforms. It is, among other things, the Legislative Assembly’s own rules of procedure (which amplify the power of minorities without imposing costs for repeatedly delaying the legislative process) and overlapping jurisdictions (under which a small number of deputies can ask that the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber reviews the constitutionality of bills and laws) that make it so difficult to effect the compromise necessary to quicken the pace of political and economic transformation in the country. Costa Rica has been a democracy for nearly 50 years. It also has had a competitive political system for more than a century. Before the 1950s, the electorate included virtually the entire male population. Elections were hotly contested and often involved the use of violence and fraud. After decades of election-related conflict, politicians began in 1946 to remove the executive and legislative branches from their roles in election administration. The 1949 Constituent Assembly made an independent court system – the Supreme Tribunal of Elections – responsible for the organization of elections and the tally of the vote. Since the late 1950s (when National Republican Party politicians who lost the 1948 civil war returned from exile and began again to compete for elected offices), Costa Ricans have competed for power in an (almost) “full democracy,” that is, a political system in which all political forces can compete for elected offices and in which the entire adult population is entitled to vote. Since 1958, when the incumbent Party of National Liberation (Partido Liberación National, PLN) reluctantly conceded defeat in the presidential elections, executives and legislators have come to power in quadrennial elections renowned for their openness and fairness. An important exception to this trend was the constitutional prohibition preventing the Costa Rican Communist Party from competing in elections between 1958 and 1966. Weak enforcement of the ban did allow the Communist Party leader to run for office under a different party label in 1970; reform of the constitution eliminated this anti-democratic clause in 1975. After the United States, Costa Rica has had the longest continuous period of stable presidential democracy. Standoffs between the executive and the legislature have never been translated into a presidential assault on the political system itself. The Costa Rican political system uses an innovative constitutional design, devolving important policymaking responsibilities to autonomous institutions whose budgets the executive does not propose and the legislature does not approve. Health care, old-age pensions, monetary policy and electoral governance are among the policy areas not under the direct purview of the two elected branches of government. The constitution calls for an independent judiciary that, since the establishment of the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber in 1989, has become an assertive interpreter of the powers of and boundaries between the branches of government. The 1949 constitution also proscribes the existence of a standing army, the capstone of a decades-long trend of underfunding the military. While Costa Rica is not rich, there is no doubt that, as a country with few natural resources, it has made much of itself in the 20th century. Measured in U.S. dollars at their 1990 value, its GDP per capita grew from $702 in 1940 to $3,227 in 2003. In comparative historical terms, the Costa Rican GDP per capita was virtually at the mean of the 15 smallest Latin American countries in 1950. Fifty years later, its GDP per capita was 50% higher than these 15 economies. In PPP terms, the Costa Rican GDP per capita in 2003 was $9,606. During the second half of the 20th century, development transformed the Costa Rican economy from an exporter of coffee and bananas – which accounted for three-fourths of exports in 1960 – to one exporting a wide variety of non-traditional agricultural products, light manufactures and even sophisticated computer goods. Between the early 1960s and early 1980s, the government pursued import-substitution industrialization (ISI) policies that encouraged the growth of light manufacturing and gradually turned the domestic terms of trade against agriculture, historically the economy’s engine of economic growth. By 1993, coffee and bananas accounted for only a third of all exports, the change amplified by the support of a transnational coalition of exporters, state officials and USAID officials who promoted the development of nontraditional exports in the wake of the 1982 debt default. The 1982 economic collapse changed everything. In the previous decade, successive governments had taken advantage of low interest on foreign loans to finance public works. The breakdown of commerce among member countries in the Central American Common Market also reduced the size of markets for Costa Rica’s protected industries. During the Carazo presidency (1978 – 1982), the public debt soared from 56.2% of GDP in 1980 to 125.2% in 1981, partially as a result of the government’s policy of fixed exchange rates despite burgeoning trade and fiscal deficits. Paying off this massive foreign debt required the adoption of export-led development that neutralized the skirmishes between the left-oriented PLN and its right-of-center adversaries. Costa Rica is now a major tourist destination. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism reached roughly a fifth of total export earnings by 2000. Between 1960 and 1994, exports and imports averaged 66.4% of GDP and this number increased by 10 percentage points by 2005. Even during the heyday of ISI between 1965 and 1982, exports to the Central American Common Market (CACM), all of which erected trade barriers with the rest of the world, constituted less than 18.57% of the country’s international trade. Costa Rica’s contemporary political system is grounded in the 1949 constitution, which was forged in the aftermath of the 1948 civil war. The president and the Legislative Assembly are elected in separate ballots, but serve concurrent four-year terms. Costa Rica is one of a handful of countries that prevents all elected officials from serving consecutive elected terms. The constitution also calls for an independent judiciary, and since 1989, there has been a Constitutional Chamber (“Sala IV”) in the Supreme Court. The state has a large number of autonomous institutes whose budgets do not have to pass through the normal legislative process. The state exercises sovereignty throughout the national territory. There are no violent movements operating in the country, even though Costa Rica is a shipment point for illegal drugs from Colombia to Mexico and the United States. Drug-related violence is not a serious issue in the country. There is a high level of agreement regarding the legitimacy of the nation-state. Citizens complain about the quality of public services and dislike their politicians, but do not support any party or movement seeking to overthrow the state. Though people of Afro-Caribbean descent (mostly in the Caribbean province of Limón) and residents of the two other peripheral provinces (Guanacaste and Puntarenas; there are in total seven provinces) tend to perform relatively poorly on social indicators, there are no movements aimed at secession from the country. The political order is secular. Though Article 75 of the constitution asserts that Costa Rica’s official religion is Roman Catholic, the constitution also grants religious freedom. Nevertheless, Catholic archbishops frequently offer opinions on matters of public concern (e.g., increases in inequality). They also exercise a de facto veto on sensitive public education issues such as sex education. Until several years ago, the Catholic Church also received a subsidy from the central state. However, neither the Catholic Church nor any protestant church calls for an official role for religion in political life. The Costa Rican state is a complex and differentiated set of political institutions. The system functions around a central state based on a separation of powers. The rule of law, as interpreted by the Constitutional Chamber (since 1989), governs the relations between the branches of government including the Supreme Tribunal of Elections (TSE), which has had the status of an independent branch of government since 1975. The decentralized state includes more than 100 institutions, each of which follows a functionally specific mandate (e.g., social security, water provision, poverty alleviation, health care delivery). These institutions typically account for 60% of all public expenditures. There are no constraints on free and fair elections. A free press exists and political authorities and organized groups respect civil rights. Since the 1950s, election management has been exemplary. The 2006 election was no exception, although close results did generate allegations of misconduct. The PLN candidate, Oscar Arias, won the presidency by a margin of less than 1.12%, or 18,147 votes, winning 40.92% of the valid vote (unless a candidate obtains at least 40% of the valid vote, the elections tribunal convenes a runoff election between the first two runners-up). The TSE initially balked at declaring Arias to be the winner in 2006, given the narrowness of the vote margin separating the PLN and PAC candidates. However, after three weeks of recounting votes in the presence of party observers, the evidence suggested that Arias had indeed won. The TSE subsequently rejected 696 petitions to nullify the electoral results (of which the losing PAC presented 681). Even if the allegations regarding the misplacement of unused ballots and related charges had been ruled acceptable, the number of votes thus impugned would not have reduced Arias’ small advantage over PAC candidate Ottón Solís. The October 2007 vote results were also pristine. Several critics pointed out that the absence of campaign finance regulation meant that the government and the private sector had more funds to publicize their support for CAFTA ratification. A careful analysis of the referendum debate by the Programa del Estado de la Nación (available in their 14th Informe) suggests that the TSE ran an honest vote, even if legislation could be tightened in future referendums. Elected rules have the effective power to govern but do not wield unlimited power. The 1949 proscription of a standing military prevents men in uniform (police and national guards) from exercising veto power. Businessmen, the clergy, and the U.S. Embassy each (and in different ways) affect the course of public affairs, but do not exercise an unwritten or uncontested veto in state affairs. No single group or institution can stop a law promulgated by the executive and legislature, provided that the measure’s constitutionality is upheld by the Constitutional Chamber. A complex society and sophisticated state mean that there is no public institution or private interest that dominates political life. Costa Rica’s political landscape offers freedom of organization and of assembly. Most regions have a multiplicity of groups organized at the local level, each of which are free to approach the government or seek to influence public opinion. National-level groups are also free to organize. They often publish their declarations in the press and on the internet, and are free to shape the political process. An important qualification to this claim is that employers successfully impose restrictions on labor unions, as the Programa del Estado de la Nación’s Citizen Audit of the Quality of Democracy Report (chapter 10) shows. Less than 3% of the private-sector labor force belongs to a union (about 10% belong to a “solidarity union,” or one that includes employers and employees). The International Labor Organization has received numerous complaints about the difficulties associated with forming labor unions in Costa Rica. There is freedom of the press. There are seven newspapers. The leading paper, La Nación, does not dominate the media. It publishes critics of its policies in its opinion sections, giving them regular opportunities to contest its editorials. Its columnists do not simply echo the paper’s neoliberal line, and the newspaper does attempt to steer a centrist course in public affairs (in the way The New York Times or The Economist steer moderate courses from their respective sides of the political spectrum). Other newspapers and television news programs also inform the body politic. The universities and a multiplicity of groups (including the Academía de Centroamérica and the Programa del Estado de la Nación, which issues an annual report on the state of the nation, and from which this assessment draws heavily) also contribute facts and opinions that contribute to the intellectual life of what is a fundamentally free society. A real separation of powers is in place, with the constitution, the body of law and judicial rulings structuring the political process. The Legislative Assembly, consisting of 57 deputies, is constitutionally the first branch of government, and its consent is required for the passage of laws. The president does have limited decree powers to confront emergency situations, but decrees have to be approved by the Legislative Assembly within 48 hours. The executive can convene the Assembly and ask it to consider bills during extraordinary sessions, which can last as long as six months of the legislative calendar. The Constitutional Court interprets disagreements over the procedures governing lawmaking. Autonomous institutions, including the Central Bank, are formally independent of the central state apparatus. The separation of powers in Costa Rica is akin to what Bruce Ackerman calls the “new separation of powers.” While Costa Rica is presidential, it does not rely upon a checks and balances version of the separation of powers as do the United States or Mexican systems. Each part of government tends rather to concentrate upon carrying out a specialized function. It behaves more like the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany, which fragments powers among a large number of differentiated institutions and agencies. Costa Rica’s judiciary is independent. Since 1959, the constitution has guaranteed the judiciary no less than 6% of expected central state revenues, which is spent on staffing a large number of courts. In the period under review, there were no reports of other branches of government, state agencies, or informal veto players subordinating the judiciary to their power. Since the 1980s, reformers have passed and strengthened a variety of laws and agencies designed to fight corruption. As a result, corrupt officeholders do face prosecution. A special report to the 11th edition of the Informe del Estado de la Nación (2004) reveals that, since the late 1990s, approximately 50 persons a year have been condemned for crimes against public service. Despite these efforts, corrupt officials do get away with violating the public trust, though it is exceedingly hard to measure the extent of corruption evasion. The aforementioned special report, for example, suggests that state institutions purchase many supplies directly (the exact amount is unknown), without going through the normal (and cumbersome) public bidding process. This is an area rife with corruption, as a country with a small population makes it easier for collusion between the public and private sector. Major cases of corruption also seem to take an extraordinarily long time to process. Two former presidents, Rafael Angel Calderón and Miguel Angel Rodríguez (both of the Social Christian Unity Party (Partido Unidad Social Cristiana, PUSC)), were arrested during 2004 – 2005 and at the time of this writing were still awaiting trial (though no longer under house arrest, they face certain restrictions, including traveling outside of the country). Former PLN President José María Figueres defied the Legislative Assembly’s request to return to the country to answer questions about his consulting work for a major international telecommunications firm. What is clear is that citizens believe their public officials to be corrupt, even if most do not complain about having to grease palms to obtain public services. Surveys conducted in 2006 under the auspices of the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) at Vanderbilt University indicate that 77% of Costa Ricans believe that corruption is somewhat or very generalized among public officials, even though only 19.3% of respondents report experiencing at least one act of corruption in 2006. There are no restrictions on civil rights. Political authorities respect the standard set of individual rights and guarantees. Should citizens have complaints against the state, they can file a complaint with the Ombudsman (Defensoría de los Habitantes) or with the Constitutional Chamber. The Constitutional Chamber accepts writs or complaints from anyone in Costa Rica. Democracy continued to perform well during the period of this review, but there is friction between institutions. Legislative productivity is low; the president and the Legislative Assembly have difficulty reaching agreement on major policy issues. In addition, for most of the present decade, legislative activity has been of poor quality. Enacted laws address central economic, political, and social problems to an increasingly minimal respect. Many of them authorize local governments or national institutions to increase service fees or to raise taxes, while others have created new social rights without creating revenues to fund new state commitments. Even, for example, after the first-ever referendum had resulted in CAFTA’s approval, the Assembly delayed ratification of a parallel set of laws required for the free trade agreement’s implementation until late November 2008. The slowness of the legislative process has been the source of recurring complaints. However, it is important to underscore the fact that both lawmaking and policy implementation follow the rule of law; there are no informal veto players that can block changes in law. Rather, it is the Assembly’s own rules of procedure (which amplify the power of minorities without imposing costs for repeatedly delaying the legislative process) and overlapping jurisdictions (under which a small number of deputies can ask the Constitutional Chamber to review the constitutionality of bills and laws) that amplify ideological differences among parties and thus promote friction between the different parts of government. There are no undemocratic interests or movements in Costa Rica. The refusal to recognize electoral results only generates negative responses from public opinion. Relevant interest groups accept and work within the existing political framework. Since 2002, the party system has stabilized; it remains moderate (though less moderate than it was before the mid-1990s) but is decreasingly socially rooted. It is articulating interests, because citizen disenchantment has led to a major restructuring of the political system (e.g., an increase in instability). However, the system seems increasingly unable to aggregate different points of view into a politically accepted set of policies addressing the country’s major economic and political challenges. The 2006 elections saw the ongoing restructuring of a multiparty system that emerged in the 2002 elections. The previously dominant two parties, the PLN and the PUSC, went from getting more than 90% of the valid vote between 1982 and 1998 to obtaining less than 45% of the vote, with the PLN receiving the lion’s share of the 2006 vote. The PUSC appears to be extinct as a political force; it got less than 4% of the presidential vote, largely due to the spectacle of having two of its former presidents, Calderón (1994 – 1998) and Rodríguez (1998 – 2002), jailed in 2004 facing accusations of influence-peddling and corruption (though as of this writing, neither has yet been convicted of these charges). While the PLN got 43.8% (or 25 of 57) of the legislative seats, the PUSC got 7% (4). The PAC, a center-left offshoot of the PLN, is now the major party in opposition to the PLN. The PAC has 29.83% (17) of the legislative seats. In contrast to their behavior during the Pacheco administration (2002 – 2006), parties have remained cohesive and disciplined in the Assembly. The party system remains moderate (the effective number of parties is 3.3), though not nearly as centripetal as it was before the late 1990s. With the collapse of the PUSC, the PLN has shifted slightly to the right. On the right, the Libertarian Movement (ML) is a tax-cutting, liberal party that both expresses citizen dislike of the old party system and also calls for a dismantling of the Costa Rican welfare state. On the left, the PAC also is an expression of citizen disenchantment with the old party system, mounting a center-left critique of neoliberal economic reforms. As a result, it has been opposed to CAFTA, the central policy initiative at the core of political economic debate in the country. The party system is no longer socially rooted, if we use voter identification as a proxy for social support (parties in Costa Rica were not really anchored in alternative class positions, as they were in much of Europe). The number of independents has more than doubled, from virtually none in 1993 to nearly 32% of the electorate in January 2006, the month before the 2006 elections (after peaking at 46% in August 2005). Public opinion surveys conducted in March and September 2008 by Unimer and La Nación, respectively found that 32% and 44%, of respondents did not identify with any party. Turnout in 2006 was 65%, confirming a downward trend that started in 1998. Between 1953 and 1994, an average of 80% of adults (18 years or older) turned out to vote in quadrennial elections. Costa Rica has a network of close-knit interest groups that are fundamentally cooperative. Business associations do not dominate interest group networks. Ownership of the media is not concentrated. Big financial groups do not dominate the economy, though monopolies or quasi-monopolies dominate many parts of the economy. One private firm (Florida Ice and Farm), for example, has a monopoly of breweries. One cooperative (Dos Pinos) dominates dairy products. Whether liberalizing the telecommunications market (as enacted by law in 2008) will end the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity’s (ICE) domination of telecommunications and electricity distribution remains to be seen. Some groups are somewhat more influential than others. The two largest banks, the Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) and the National Bank of Costa Rica (BNCR), hold a large number of central government bonds, and have implicit guarantees against default. Latinobarómetro surveys indicate that support for democracy has in general been higher than 70% of those surveyed since 1996. The 2008 survey, however, showed that only 67% of Costa Ricans prefer democracy to any other form of government, representing a drop of 16 percentage points since 2007. Recent data from 2008 LAPOP surveys, however, still showed Costa Rica to be in fourth place among Latin American countries, behind Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela. While ideological differentiation has made lawmaking more difficult, there is absolutely no constituency for hard line, anti-systemic political movements in the country. There is a robust but heterogeneous web of autonomous, self-organized groups, associations and organizations in Costa Rica. Concerning social capital, surveys conducted in 2004 under the auspices of the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) at Vanderbilt University indicated that levels of trust in Costa Rica, while not high, were slightly positive (i.e., the percentage of respondents who say they trust others, minus the percentage who say they do not). Using a somewhat different methodology, LAPOP in 2008 ranked Costa Rica in second place, behind Canada and before the United States, and above other Latin American countries. When asked about the confidence they had in the people in their community, almost 38% of those interviewed answered they viewed others as “very trustworthy” – the highest rate in Latin America – and 37% answered they would be “somewhat trustworthy.” Citizen participation in associations in Costa Rica compares favorably with other Latin American countries, both in terms of levels of involvement and types of activity. Development indices suggest that disadvantaged minorities exist in Costa Rica, but that they are not ethnically separate or geographically isolated from the rest of the population. Economic development and anti-poverty programs have significantly reduced the number of the poor since the mid-20th century, when half of the population lived in poverty. The 14th Estado de la Nación en Desarrollo Humano Sostenible reports that the percentage of households in poverty declined from 21.2% in 2005 to 16.7% in 2007. In this case, poverty is defined as a family’s inability to buy a necessary basket of goods, as defined by a profile of a family in 1988 and 1989). Nevertheless, the Gini coefficient increased from 0.406 to 0.426 between 2005 and 2007, because the top decile’s share of the national income grew ever though the incomes of the bottom decile increased faster (38.5% between 2005 and 2007) than those of the top decile (17.8% in the same period). In 2007, the average number of years of schooling completed by the working age population was 8.7. A study by the University of Costa Rica and UNICEF indicates that 41% of 16- and 17-year-olds did not attend school in 2007. -1052.7 Costa Rica has a competitive market economy. The market sets the price of most goods, the currency is easily convertible at several public or private banks, and there is free use and transfer of profits. While setting up a company is not impossible, Costa Rica falls short of offering ideal conditions for starting a business. The 2009 Doing Business Report (published by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation) reveals that in 2008 it took 60 days to start a business in Costa Rica (compared to 71 days in the 2006 report). The country ranks 117th out of 181 countries with respect to the ease of doing business (compared to rank 146 out of 171 in the 2006 report). Costa Rica’s open economy, along with the activity of regulatory agencies, minimizes rent generation by public and private monopolies and oligopolies. In 2007, the Legislative Assembly passed laws to open up the telecommunications and insurance markets, two longstanding public-sector monopolies. Yet the existence of more than 36 regulatory institutions (established between 1990 and 2003), many of which have limited powers and insufficient resources, hinders the state’s anti-monopoly stance. The legacy of a telecommunications monopoly and imperfect competition in the banking sector – to take the two most prominent examples of the concentration of market power – indicates that anti-monopoly policy is inconsistent. There is free trade in Costa Rica, though some observers such as the Heritage Foundation in its Index of Economic Freedom complain about non-tariff barriers, mostly due to slow customs processing procedures. The country has an exceedingly open economy: With the exception of some agricultural products, the average tariff is less than 6%. There are institutional foundations supporting a relatively solid banking system and capital market, each of which meet international standards. Until the 1980s, four state banks dominated commercial banking, one of which (the Anglo-Costa Rican Bank) went bankrupt in the mid-1990s. The three remaining state banks held slightly less than half of all deposits during the period under review, and are still the largest domestic banks. While plagued by critical inefficiencies, they enjoy government guarantees against default. Another 12 private banks hold 22% of deposits, and seven offshore banks hold nearly 14% of deposits. The General Superintendent of Financial Services (created in 1985, though predecessors have existed since 1952) supervises banks. The principal complaint against the banking system is that service charges and interest rates on loans are too high, and that interest rates on bank deposits are low. A study on the financial system for the 12th Informe del Estado de la Nación (2005) contends that, while solid, the banking system is subject to a multiplicity of different regulations that undermine its ability to lend money at competitive rates, especially to small borrowers. Costa Rica has pursued a consistent inflation policy and an appropriate foreign exchange policy. The central bank has done an admirable job of maintaining price stability, particularly given that the central state runs a chronic fiscal deficit (and produces a large, mostly domestically held public debt) and loses money on the bonds it must float to absorb the large amount of foreign exchange that enters the country. While not high or volatile by international standards, the inflation rate has been significant (it was 10.8% in 2007 and the Economist Intelligence Unit estimates that it will be 13.3% in 2008). Beginning in 1982, the central bank developed a crawling peg foreign exchange system as a compromise between a fixed rate and a floating rate. This system worked well enough, because it made monetary action predictable, but it encouraged economic agents to increase prices and thus fueled inflation, as the crawling peg system meant that the prices of tradable goods would be increasing continuously. In October 2006, the central bank opted instead to establish a foreign exchange rate band regime, which allows the colón to float with upper and lower limits. Since then, the colón has tended to gravitate toward the floor price set by the central bank, which has led to a de facto return to a crawling peg system. Wide swings in currency exchange rates and the overappreciation of the domestic currency (there were large influxes of foreign investment in 2007 and 2008) have prompted widespread criticism of the new foreign exchange regime. Costa Rican leaders have pursued a consistent stability policy, even showing some improvement between 2007 and 2009. Although not low, inflation has been held in check, in part due to, oddly enough, prudent management of a large fiscal deficit. Between 2007 and 2008, the central state ran a slight surplus. Official figures indicate that the government ran a surplus of 0.6% in 2007 and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) estimates that it will run a surplus of 0.2% in 2008. Strong real economic growth (7.3% in 2007, and an EIU estimate of 3% in 2008), better tax collection procedures (in 2007, tax receipts reached 15.5% of GDP) and a renegotiation of the public debt helped to improve what has been a far from ideal fiscal balance sheet. In 2007, public debt fell to 46% of GDP, from an average of 54% between 2005 and 2006. Property rights and regulations are well defined in terms of acquisition, benefits, use and sale. Nevertheless, allegations of fraud against the Public Registry (an agency of the Ministry of Justice and Grace) are frequent. Private and public sector companies are both important to Costa Rica’s economy. Until 2008, the state owned the corporations responsible for electricity generation and telecommunications (the ICE) and insurance (the National Institute of Insurance), which together accounted for approximately 8% of GDP. By late 2008, the Assembly approved a collection of laws in support of CAFTA that opened these sectors to competition from new market entrants. State commercial banks still dominate the financial sector, even if they are no longer the only financial institutions operating in Costa Rica. In 2007, the 14th Informe del Estado de la Nación en Desarrollo Humano Sostenible reported that 53.6% of the economically active population participated in a public pension system. In the same year, 61.9% of the economically active population was offered health care insurance. Both figures have been falling since 2000, when the respective figures were 56.8% and 67.1%. Nevertheless, these rates are sufficient to insure more than 90 percent of the population, because most people are related to an economically active person (and because the law requires hospitals and other health care institutions to help any person, whether legally in the country or not, seeking medical assistance). There are no provisions for unemployment benefits, the only major welfare state program not available in Costa Rica. Major anti-poverty programs are run by the Mixed Institute for Social Assistance (IMAS). This institution concentrates on helping Costa Rican families in extreme poverty (approximately 5% of all households). The other 15% of citizens living under the poverty line do not get transfer payments from IMAS, according to 2006 data. There are several institutions designed to compensate for gross social differences. But the social welfare institutions of Costa Rica do not work as well as many would like. Though the rate of households in poverty decreased to 16.7% in 2007 from 21.2% in 2005, the average number of years of education completed is stuck around eight (it was 8.7 years in 2007). Pre-transfer rates of inequality have increased. Women and/or members of ethnic or religious minorities have near-equal access to societal assets such as education and employment, but women earn less than men on average, and the population of African-Jamaican descent in the province of Limón does worse on social indicators than the population at large. In the aggregate, it is more accurate to say that growth of GDP per capita has been “relatively high” rather than “low,” thus meriting a better rating than two years earlier. In 2007, growth of GDP per capita was 5.5% (and real growth of GDP was 7.3%). The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) estimates that real GDP growth was 3% in 2008, which suggests that GDP per capita growth will be around 1% during this year. Inflation was 10.8% in 2007 and the EIU estimates that, more than likely, inflation will have increased to more than 13% in 2008. While GDP growth declined rapidly between January and December 2008, inflation did as well. The budget balance was in surplus during 2007; official figures indicate that this surplus represented 0.6% of GDP during this year. The EIU estimates that it remains in surplus, but that the amount was probably smaller in 2008. The current account had a deficit of 6% in 2007, which was covered by high levels of foreign investment in the country. The official unemployment rate was 4.6% in 2007. Public policy does take environmental concerns into account. A substantial 26% of the national territory consists of protected areas, public or private. Since 2000, the amount of forest cover has been increasing. By 2005, 42% of the country was forested. International bodies consider Costa Rican environmental legislation to be innovative, but it is bureaucratically cumbersome to implement and follow. There is a complex but incomplete set of public and private institutions for basic, secondary and tertiary education. Significant shortcomings exist in the area of research and development. Total spending on education is 8.9% of GDP. Public education spending was 5.9% of GDP in 2005. The 5th Informe del Estado de la Nación indicates that private spending in education is around 3% of GDP. In November 2008, the Legislative Assembly approved the government’s 2009 budget, which contained a rise of 15% in education spending compared to 2008, resulting in a share of 6.2% of expected GDP in 2009. That the average completed years of schooling remains at just 8.7 (2007) suggests that the education system is not doing enough to encourage the young to stay in school. Spending on research and development is low: Ministry of Science and Technology (Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, MICIT) figures suggest that it was only 0.38% in 2003 and 2004, the years for which the latest figures are available. Structural constraints on governance are moderate, even somewhat higher than expected given the relatively small and (at least historically) homogeneous population. Social structural conditions showed signs of both improvement and deterioration in the period under review. That economic growth and anti-poverty programs reduced the decade-long figure of 20% of households living in poverty to 16.7% in 2007 is the best indicator of social progress. Yet, the Gini coefficient increased from 0.406 to 0.426 between 2005 and 2007. Geographically, Costa Rica is surrounded by weak democracies which have become key transit routes for drug trafficking, and are plagued by organized crime. Along with these other states, it is vulnerable to natural disasters like hurricanes. Another source of constraints stems from the political system itself. It has a relatively large number of veto players. The presidency has limited powers over the legislature. A four-year electoral cycle with bans on consecutive reelection for both the president and deputies relegates the chief executive into a lame duck by the end of his third year in office. An independent judiciary with an activist Constitutional Chamber also increases the transaction costs of negotiating legal and constitutional reforms, especially because opposition deputies can and do ask the Chamber to review the constitutionality of bills as well as of laws. A large set of autonomous institutions, the budgets of which do not need legislative approval and which often have independent sources of funding, adds to the complexity of governance. Moreover, the increasing disrepute of the party system means that politicians have less credibility with the electorate than they once enjoyed. Finally, interest groups can easily mobilize in support of or against the government. Bureaucrats, who represent approximately 15% of the labor force, are organized in unions and go on strike when their interests are impacted. There are noteworthy traditions of civil society in existence. There is a plenitude of organizations at both the local and national levels. The national registry lists almost 19,000 civic associations and there are more than 2,800 community associations, according to 2006 data. In addition, informal associations may be three times as numerous as registered civic associations. There are no irreconcilable ethnic, religious or social cleavages. The most important recent debate in contemporary society and politics was on ratification of CAFTA and a collection of related laws to open up protected sectors of the economy to competition. Though a referendum in October 2007 – the first ever in the country’s history – led to the popular ratification of CAFTA, the delay in the approval of the related laws demonstrated how polarizing the struggle over free trade and neoliberal reform remains in Costa Rica. The political leadership is committed to constitutional democracy and a socially responsible market economy, but the complexity of the policy-making process reduces its ability to address a variety of problems necessary to advance these goals. Halfway through its four-year term in office, the Arias administration succeeded in ratifying CAFTA and opening up strategic sectors of the economy to private sector competition, a goal that previous administrations had also pursued and failed to achieve. Costa Rican governments have had limited success in completing structural reforms since the mid-1990s. Progress on reforming tax laws to increase the central state’s share of GDP has stalled. Midway through its term in office, the Arias administration announced that it would not pursue comprehensive tax reform, concentrating instead on ratification of CAFTA and related legislation. Although the Legislative Assembly approved the final bits of the free-trade agreement’s accompanying legislation by late November 2008, it would be inaccurate to credit the Arias administration with too much responsibility for the package’s enactment. Left to its own devices, it is unlikely that the Arias administration would have been able to negotiate legislative approval of these bills. It was the referendum (which supported CAFTA approval by a popular vote of 51.2% to 48.1%, with a turnout of 60% of the electorate), initially opposed by the administration, that ultimately led to the agreement’s passage. An inordinately complex legislative process that empowers minorities, strategic and legal mistakes, and the inability of the Arias administration to negotiate effectively with its critics prolonged approval of the accompanying legislation until November 2008. As a result, the government was forced to request repeated extensions of deadlines for approval of CAFTA and its accompanying legislation. The political leadership does correct mistakes and change failed policies, but frequently remains stuck in the same routines. Evidence for this claim stems from the way the Arias administration failed to assemble a broad legislative coalition to enact several important structural reforms, including tax reform and CAFTA. It relied rather upon deploying its four-party coalition known as the G-38 to obtain legislative approval of CAFTA in 2006 and the beginning of 2007, despite the fact that the complexity of the legislative process allowed treaty opponents to mire the government in agonizingly slow Assembly debates. When a dissident member of the governing PLN party, José Miguel Corrales, sought in early 2007 to organize a citizen referendum to block CAFTA approval, the Arias administration initially opposed the effort to let citizens vote on what had become the central issue of national politics. Once the Arias administration realized that it was unlikely to obtain legislative backing of both CAFTA and the 13 sets of related legal reforms, it decided to hedge its bets by backing a public vote on CAFTA and to redirect its efforts in the Assembly toward seeking approval of the accompanying legislation. The government can make relatively efficient use of available economic and human resources. At the bureaucratic level, the 1951 civil service law is a source both of strength and rigidity. Approximately 56% of public sector workers belong to one of Latin America’s oldest civil services, established in 1954 (the remaining public sector employees labor under special rules in the legislature, judiciary, or autonomous institutions). The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IADB) Network on Public Policy Management and Transparency gives the Costa Rican civil service 58 points out of a potential 100 points on its Bureaucratic Merit Index, the third-best ranking in the region after Brazil (88 points) and Chile (61 points). Yet, it is almost impossible to discipline non-performing bureaucrats. The central state also runs a chronic budget deficit, though it is small and managed adroitly. The government has limited success in coordinating conflicting objectives and interests. The election of Arias in February 2006 helped to increase coordination between the government and its legislative delegation. However, programmatic differences between government and opposition, the Assembly’s own rules of procedure that amplify the power of minorities without imposing costs on them for repeatedly delaying the legislative process, and overlapping jurisdictions (which allow a small number of deputies to ask the Constitutional Chamber to review the constitutionality of bills as well of laws) impair the ability of the executive to coordinate policy-making. Most integrity mechanisms function, though with limited efficacy. The Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) audits the accounts of central and decentralized state agencies. An increasing share of public sector purchases are made without going through the public bidding process, raising troubling questions as to whether public and private sector actors are colluding to violate the public trust. The fact that no one knows the extent of such purchases – not even the CGR – is a cause for concern. Parties must provide reports of their campaign expenditures in order to receive their share of public campaign funds. However, regulation of private campaign expenditures remains lax because parties typically use satellite organizations that can circumvent campaign finance regulations. In late 2004, the Legislative Assembly passed a new Law Against Public Sector Corruption and Illicit Enrichment. All major (and minor) political actors agree on the goal of building and maintaining market-based democracy. However, there is disagreement over certain political and economic reforms. Although all parties support free trade, the PAC (which received a third of the legislative vote and 40% of the presidential vote in the most recent elections) was against CAFTA, because they believed the country could negotiate a better free trade agreement with the United States. The PAC is also wary of liberalizing the telecommunications monopoly, because the ICE has been a relatively successful state corporation, despite widely recognized limitations in its provision of telephone service. The governing PLN backs all of these reforms. There are no relevant anti-democratic actors, such as military or powerful private sector groups. Public sector labor unions are perhaps the only extra-institutional veto player with some influence. They declared their opposition to CAFTA and to telecommunications reform. However, once a majority of citizens had ratified CAFTA, labor unions accepted the results, and by late 2008 acquiesced to the government’s success in obtaining legislative approval for the accompanying legislation. The political leadership has prevented cleavage-based conflicts from escalating. Unlike in the past, the government managed to keep opposition to CAFTA and neoliberal reforms from spiraling into a major confrontation with its opponents. The political leadership listens to, but does not always take into account the views and interests of civil society actors. However, these groups do have opportunities to voice opinions on policy concerns (e.g., the constitution provides for popular initiative in pushing for new laws, and environmental regulations provide for local input on the implementation of new laws). The Arias administration met with a diversity of groups during its first year in office, seeking to build support for its reform agenda. However, left-leaning groups remained wary of the administration, due to their opposition to CAFTA and to the liberalization of telecommunications and insurance monopolies. The political leadership makes use of well-focused international aid for the purpose of political and economic transformation. It has learned from multilateral institutions like the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. As an upper-middle income country, it is becoming harder for Costa Rica to attract the attention of international donors. The international community sees Costa Rica’s government as credible and reliable. The central bank’s ability to effect a smooth transition away from the crawling peg system speaks well of the country’s financial credibility. Delay in the approval of CAFTA and its accompanying legislation doubtlessly impaired credibility with respect to the United States and Costa Rica’s neighbors, and raised questions about the country’s commitment to enact major structural reforms. However, some foreign observers may simply have seen this for what it was: a major policy initiative that a supremely democratic country (with a large number of veto players) was discussing at length. Costa Ricans have always thought of themselves – and, for better and for worse, with a great deal of justification – as an island of stability and development in an isthmus that has experienced a great deal of dictatorship, instability and poverty. This makes many Costa Ricans reluctant to become actively involved in their neighbors’ affairs. Some opposition to CAFTA may, in fact, have stemmed from an unwillingness to sign a trade agreement that the rest of Central America has already approved. Nevertheless, Costa Rica is an important commercial partner in the region; after El Salvador and Guatemala, it is the third-largest exporter of goods and services to Central America. It is a member of some relevant regional associations, including the Organization of American States. Indeed, the prior Secretary General of this group was former President Rodríguez, who was forced to resign soon after taking the post because of involvement in a major corruption scandal. However, Costa Rica is not a member of the Central American Court of Justice or the Central American Parliament, which has generated resentment in the rest of Central America. Costa Rica is a country with impressive achievements during the period of this review, as its high rating from the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) and other international agencies suggest. Its economy grew. Social indicators improved. Sound management led to an important reduction in the public debt. Citizens and their representatives held their first-ever referendum, and passed a package of economic reforms that promotes free trade and liberalizes state-dominated sectors of the economy. Yet, the country could progress even faster on key economic, political and social dimensions. Most indicators do show improvement, but at a pace insufficient for the country to become a developed society. The economic and social problems are evident. Slightly less than a fifth of households live in poverty. Inequality is on the rise (from a Gini coefficient of 0.406 to 0.426 between 2005 and 2007); although the lowest decile of the population witnessed the highest income growth rate between 2005 and 2007 (38.6%), most income gains accrued to upper income groups that had the wealth, education and connections to improve their standard of living. That the working population has an average of 8.7 years of schooling (as of 2007) indicates that many Costa Ricans are unable to compete for the best-paying jobs. In the aggregate, these weaknesses undermine the country’s ability to attract investment in technological and other high-end sectors that generate well-paying jobs. These limitations help explain why the economy is unable to achieve high growth rates over sustained periods of time. Moreover, unless agreements on improving human capital are reached, the rapidly aging society will not be able to fund the welfare entitlements of the estimated 25% of the population that will soon be 60 or older. It would be misleading to claim that approval of the CAFTA package means the political system has overcome its weaknesses in advancing important and relevant democratic and economic transformations. In the first place, without popular approval in a referendum, it is doubtful whether the Legislative Assembly would have approved CAFTA and its accompanying legislation. Political actors have difficulty forging encompassing agreements in the Assembly, in part because even small numbers of deputies can derail passage of laws for which majority support exists. Even though the electorate’s backing of CAFTA effectively ended the debate over free trade and liberalization (because it made opponents of reform legislation into opponents of democratic majorities), opposition deputies still used legislative approval to retard passage of these reforms. In the second place, it took more than a decade to open up the telecommunications and insurance sectors to private sector competition, and approximately five years to review and vote on CAFTA. That the Arias administration gave up its work on other key reform areas (including revamping tax laws, transforming education and improving anti-poverty programs) to enact a free-trade agreement also suggests that the political system does not promote comprehensive solutions to policy problems or even permit the concurrent analysis of related policy problems. These reforms simply took up too much of the political system’s time. As a result, debate about fiscal policy, educational reform and other pressing issues were once again postponed. Perhaps the historic October 2007 referendum suggests that the political system will improve its capacity to settle political disputes, because direct democracy will remind legislators to focus on the voters’ will. It is an open question whether referendums will overcome the limitations of an easily overloaded legislative process. Enacting law will become even more difficult because, as their terms progress, the ability of presidents to fashion legislative agreements weakens. By the third year of their terms in office, Costa Rican executives increasingly become hostage to congressional and political alignments that are focused on picking candidates for the next general election cycle. The slow pace of legislative change suggests that it will not be easy to reform a political system with multiple veto players. Areas ripe for reform include, first, the Legislative Assembly’s own rules of procedure, which amplify the power of minorities without imposing costs for repeatedly frustrating the will of the majority. Second, that fact that small numbers of deputies can ask the Constitutional Chamber to review the constitutionality of bills and laws is used by minorities to delay and ultimately stymie policy change. More ambitious reform proposals would even dismantle legislative term limits, and prevent voters from rewarding or punishing legislators for frustrating the will of the majority. Without these changes, executives will have to deploy their limited resources to strike agreements in important policy areas that can be implemented with a relatively high degree of consensus.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line322
__label__wiki	0.750577	0.750577	Cassiopeia A: A Star Turned Inside Out! These pictures show a star before and after it has had a radical makeover. The 'before' picture on the left is an artist's drawing of where the different ingredients inside a massive star used to be found. These ingredients are called chemical elements. On the right, the 'after' picture is a real space photo of the same star after a massive explosion blew away the star's outer parts. Cassiopeia A Astronomers call an explosion like this a supernova and all of the star material after the explosion is called a supernova remnant. The supernova remnant shown here (in the photo on the right) is called Cassiopeia A, or just Cas A for short. In both pictures the same colors have been used to show the different chemical elements in the star. Before the explosion, astronomers think that the star had lots of the chemical element iron (shown in blue) and sulphur and silicon (shown in green) at its center. But afterwards, these chemical elements were flung towards the outer edges of the star, as shown by the blue and green colors around the outer parts of Cas A in the photo on the right. Basically, the star has turned inside out! Cool fact: Except for objects in our Solar System, Cas A is the most powerful radio station in the night sky, emitting lots of radio signals! Several language translations for this post are available at UNAWE This is a kids' version of Chandra Press Release Cassiopeia A (March 29, 2012) Do you want to learn more about this topic? Visit the Chandra field guide or send us your questions in an email: cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu In cooperation with Space Scoop: Bringing news from across the Universe to children all around the world. Universe Awareness and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Children & Online Privacy	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line328
__label__wiki	0.665205	0.665205	Chess2u » General Topics » Utilization of Squares by Chess Masters Thanks received : 64 Utilization of Squares by Chess Masters on Wed Feb 17, 2016 2:42 am by Cyberdaemon [size=36][ltr]The best squares on the chessboard, according to masters[/ltr][/size] [ltr]Every chess player has a distinct style, but among a few of the world’s best, there are patterns in common. The above maps by Seth Kadish, show where notable players have moved their pieces most frequently during their careers. The players tend to use a chevron in the center of the board, two central squares supported from behind by the two squares outwardly diagonal from those. In a typical game, this positioning would take the form of a pawn in the center supported by a knight. The central squares that are a knight’s move distant are similarly shaded in the maps, showing that players often use these squares in conjunction. The advantage of the player with the white pieces is also clear from the maps, as the masters moved their pieces into the opponent’s half the board much less frequently when playing with black. The group here includes Wilhelm Steinitz, the Austrian champion who established the modern style of play in the nineteenth century, as well as contemporary players, such as Magnus Carlsen, who at 23 is regarded by some as the best player in history. Some differences in style among these players are visible in the maps. Bobby Fischer’s rival Boris Spassky, for example, played defensively as black. Most of this group seems to have preferred queen’s pawn openings to king’s pawn openings as white, with the exception of Steinitz who seemed to use both more or less equally.[/ltr] Re: Utilization of Squares by Chess Masters on Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:24 am by Very interesting, thank you for that, ( plus it is also about Chess ).	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line329
__label__cc	0.613011	0.386989	December 27, 2013 by Cody Villafana Filed under Cody, Reviews Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott Directed by: Ben Stiller (“Tropic Thunder”) Written by: Steve Conrad (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) In “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” Ben Stiller plays the title character, a man with a menial job working in the photo department of Life Magazine. Walter spends much of his time daydreaming about grandiose and heroic scenarios, mostly involving Cheryl, (Kristen Wiig) a co-worker he has a crush on. When the decision comes down to discontinue the hard-copy version of the magazine in favor of an online format, Walter must go on a journey to places he never expected (including inside his own imagination) to try and save his job and the integrity of the magazine. One thing that can be said for “Walter Mitty” is that there is not a lack of ambition from a filmmaking aspect. Acting as both star and director, Stiller uses the budget to his advantage and creates a large scope, complete with big set pieces and visual effects. Regardless of the content, the film can at times be extremely beautiful to look at, especially during the portions shot in the Icelandic mountains. The main issues with “Walter Mitty,” however, lie in the heavy-handed screenplay. The film has a clear message and has no problem whacking you over the head with it, losing any and all subtlety it could have had. One particular message that gets overplayed is the slogan of Life Magazine, which, of course, turns into the film trying to define “the meaning of life.” Not only is this slogan read over and over again, but it is actually visually presented to audiences. In these scenes, text is spread in various ways across the screen in sequences that lacks any sort of restraint. Stiller and screenwriter Steve Conrad (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) toy around with other themes like someone going through an adult midlife crisis and the lack of satisfaction with lifestyles that go along with those moments in someone’s life, but these messages are too obvious and are approached with kid gloves. There’s a few moments of decent comedy throughout the film. Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt has a particularly humorous small role as a representative of the online dating company e-Harmony (one of the many not so subtle instances of product placement throughout the film). Still, “Walter Mitty” is an underwhelming, yet often picturesque tale of a man looking for more out of his life. Stiller and Kristen Wiig, who both bring in the reigns of their usual over the top performances, are both good here but nothing can save a screenplay lacking grace. Tags: 2013, Adam Scott, Ben Stiller, codyreview, Kristen Wiig, Patton Oswalt, Steve Conrad, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line331
__label__cc	0.548382	0.451618	Friday Night Live: Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys June 26 – Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys Winery Sponsor – Geyser Peak Winery Concert Sponsor – Furber Family Since forming in 1988, this band has emerged as one of the world’s most respected practitioners of American roots music, western swing, rockabilly, and traditional country – playing it like they invented it. “I think of us as just a rock and roll band that’s letting the roots show,” says bandleader Big Sandy. Over the last three decades, Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys have kept up a constant cycle of traveling back and forth across the lower 48, then hopping across the pond to Europe and beyond. They bring with them a brand of American music that has earned them an induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, several national television appearances, guest spots on The Grand Ole Opry, and a slew of adoring fans Genre: Rockabilly, Western Swing Website: www.bigsandy.net Electric Music Workshop Friday Night Live: Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line332
__label__wiki	0.906583	0.906583	COHA in the Public Arena Human Rights Press Releases Venezuela Press Release: A Suggestion to President Hugo Chávez–Reevaluate Your Alliances March 7, 2011 March 11, 2011 COHA As strife heated up in Libya by the end of February, rumors surfaced that long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi had fled to Venezuela. While this development later proved to be inaccurate, it is worth mentioning that one of Gaddafi’s former cabinet ministers (now part of the opposition) suggested that the Libyan head of state should leave the country for Caracas in search of asylum. As the situation in Libya deteriorates and the opposition’s military deployment seems to be foundering, Latin American scholars have openly wondered whether Hugo Chávez will offer asylum to his close Saharan ally, and if so, whether the latter will accept. Although Caracas was unusually quiet during the early phases of Libya’s rapidly growing anti-Gaddafi manifestations, Chávez eventually declared his full support for his embattled ally. Chávez’ loyalty to Gaddafi and his rejection of calls for intervention against the Libyan leader by the U.S. may be commendable. However, the Venezuelan leader would be wise to reevaluate the basis and quality of his friendships given the recent bloodshed visited upon Libyan civilians, Gaddafi’s poor human rights record, and his bleak long-term prospects of survival. On March 3, Chávez made a minor departure from his earlier support for Gaddafi when he expressed interest in helping mediate the conflict between the Libyan government and the insurgent regions of the country. Chávez’ vacillation between a hard and soft stance on the justice of Gaddafi’s cause can be interpreted as a turn from a pragmatic to an ideological position. However, the offer to mediate has been rejected by the Libyan opposition as well as members of NATO. The Arab League is still considering the proposal. On March 5, Venezuela’s allies in the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) expressed support for a peace mission, which Chávez now suggests might be led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter or former Cuban President Fidel Castro. Brazil, while not explicitly endorsing the ALBA proposal, has said that it favors a “negotiated solution” over the prospective military action under consideration by the U.S. and its NATO allies. The diplomatic and military situation regarding Libya is becoming more complex by the day. But regardless of the outcome, Chávez’ early comments in support of Gaddafi served to remind the international community that—while he is the author of social visions and some beneficial programs that have served his people well—the Venezuelan leader has a history of joining up with unsavory allies who do not share his humanitarian concerns. Chávez and Gaddafi Chávez has maintained a strong relationship with Gaddafi both personally and at the inter-governmental level for over a decade, and has made numerous diplomatic visits to his counterpart in Tripoli. In 2004, Libya awarded Chávez with its annual Gaddafi International Human Rights Prize for “resisting imperialism.” In addition, Gaddafi named a new soccer stadium near the city of Benghazi after Chávez in 2006. In return, the Venezuelan leader presented Gaddafi with a replica of the sword of South American independence hero Simón Bolivar following the 2009 Africa-South America Summit. Analysts have compared both Chávez and Gaddafi’s attempts to exert greater influence over their respective continents. In December 2004, Christian Science Monitor journalist Mike Ceaser argued that “Chávez’ regional push is similar to an effort by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi in the late 1990s in Africa. The Libyan leader had visions of creating a sort of United States of Africa and spent billions of dollars in oil money to garner the support of African nations. But while the governments gladly received his cash infusions and cheap oil, his vision was never realized.” There is an undeniable parallel between the two leaders’ use of oil profits to achieve greater regional authority. During this period of great popular upheaval throughout North Africa, Chávez is one of few heads of state, joined by Cuba’s Raúl Castro and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, to take the controversial position of backing Gaddafi. The Venezuelan leader has been quoted in the Latin News as stating “[W]e do support the government of Libya, the independence of Libya…we want peace in Libya and we are against the possibility of [foreign] intervention.” Rather than addressing the mounting bloodshed inflicted by pro-Gaddafi forces, Chávez has resorted to his usual rhetoric of criticizing “Yankee hegemony” and its ongoing military involvement in foreign states’ domestic affairs. Chávez’s offer to assemble a so-called “Committee of Peace” to mediate the Libyan crisis has been declined by the Arab League, the international community, and the opposition forces in Libya. Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, former Libyan justice minister and head of the opposition based in Benghazi, argued that he had not been consulted regarding the initiative. Both the U.S. and France rejected the proposal due to their unwillingness to accept any diplomatic accord that leaves Gaddafi in power. It seems Gaddafi may grow more inclined to engage in negations as the looming threat of civil war eats further into oil revenues. Chávez’ Other Controversial Friends Gaddafi is one among several controversial heads of state who enjoys friendly ties with Chávez—Iran, Syria, and Belarus are all close Venezuelan allies. Chávez’ avowed support for these nations is often couched in language declaring a right to political self-determination, and a desire to stand together in resistance to Western dominance. The Venezuelan president opposes any and all economic sanctions levied against Iran to curb its nuclear aspirations. Statements made on all sides show an overall air of bonhomie and Western defiance among the heads of these nations—all which have questionable human rights records. In an October 2010 visit to Venezuela, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made his admiration for Chávez known when he noted that “there are few politicians who are courageous to speak out when it’s necessary…Chávez has projected the image of a resistant Venezuela.” Chávez reinforced the mutual goodwill, stating that the “Arab civilization and our [Latin American] civilization…are being summoned in this new century to play the fundamental role of liberating the world, saving the world from the imperialism and capitalist hegemony that threaten the human species…Syria and Venezuela are at the vanguard of this struggle.” In addition, Chávez enjoys a vibrant friendship with Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian president popularly known as “Europe’s last dictator.” Over the years, Lukashenko has succeeded in crushing opposition groups and remained in power through questionable landslide reelections. In a 2006 visit to Belarus, Chávez clearly liked what he saw in Lukashenko’s government, proclaiming that “we see here a model social state like the one we are beginning to create.” After the heavily disputed December 2010 Belarusian presidential election where Lukashenko won with a dubious 79% of the vote, protests broke out and resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of over 580 individuals. Chávez declared his support for the reelected Lukashenko, describing the electoral victory as “[an] extraordinary day for democracy…Lukashenko knows how to lead the glorious motherland to independence, putting the sacred interests of his people ahead of the narrow-minded intentions of the world powers.” Aside of shared political support, Venezuela and Belarus have joined forces in a number of joint oil-related ventures, including the Petrolera BeloVenezolana partnership under which the two nations will develop two new oilfields in Venezuela. Having Friends in Low Places—Not the Change that Chávez Foreign Policy Needs Chávez has made a career of critiquing Washington, which he defines as “imperialistic and interventionist.” While Chávez’ critiques are often unwelcome in the international community, the targets of his comments are not entirely beyond reproach when it comes to supporting foreign nations with poor human rights records. The U.S. and the EU maintain close ties with several states that can be labeled as repressive—enormous trade exists with China despite the country’s repressive internal policies. Another example would be Washington’s decades-old friendship with the recently-deposed Hosni Mubarak, an alliance based on mutual interests despite a sad history of repression in Egypt. Yet, in the end Washington often makes good on its avowed commitment to human rights throughout the world—the U.S. ultimately changed its policy toward Egypt and called for Mubarak to step down. While a certain level of hypocrisy can undeniably be attached to the U.S. or Venezuela in lauding democracy while maintaining unsavory friendships, Chávez seems to be particularly bold in his support of nations that have been brutally repressive with their populaces—Libya, Iran, and Belarus serving as prime examples. Friends of the Bolivarian revolution have tirelessly urged Chávez to focus more on domestic affairs and tone down his attempts to play a greater role on the world stage. Such requests seem to go unheard as the Venezuelan leader continues to exert greater influence in international affairs and foster alliances against the perceived Western hegemony. It is hard to believe that Chávez could be so blind as to truly believe that an individual like Belarus’ Lukashenko could possibly win with 79% of the popular vote, despite the ensuing nationwide protests. Perhaps Chávez is comparing other such heads of state to himself; the Venezuelan leader remains very popular in his country and may be naïve enough to believe Lukashenko enjoys such a wide margin of political support. Perhaps it could be argued that Chavez is turning a blind eye to the grave human rights concerns in his allies’ countries in order to pursue important geopolitical influence. The U.S. has certainly done the same throughout history by propping up despotic leaders who were sympathetic to U.S. interests. Currently, an opposition in Venezuela is mobilizing to protest Chávez’ support for Gaddafi despite the brutal repression in Libya. Factions of the Venezuelan opposition have cautioned that Chávez is putting Venezuela in the uncomfortable position of being an apologist for governments repudiated by the international community. Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics The suggestion that Gaddafi might choose to flee to Venezuela to seek asylum is not particularly far-fetched, considering Venezuela’s history of harboring ousted politicians. Vladimiro Montesinos, former Peruvian intelligence chief under the Alberto Fujimori dictatorship, fled to Venezuela when Fujimori’s government was crumbling. Chávez publicly claimed ignorance to Montesinos’ whereabouts until international pressure forced the Venezuelan leader to extradite him after hiding for eight months in that country. Although extending asylum to his international brothers-in-arms may sound like a good idea, Chávez’ government will find itself progressively more isolated if it continues down this path. Venezuela’s oil reserves will guarantee business ties with a multitude of nations in need of oil, but Chávez may end up in a scenario of dwindling political allies. Chávez’ offer to play mediator is an interesting sidestep after his initial comments of seemingly unconditional support for Gaddafi. Nevertheless, his diplomatic capital seems to be low considering the rejection of his offer. For a leader like Chávez, whose political career has featured a valid emphasis on South-South cooperation, his choice of allies, and his willingness to defend even those currently committing human rights violations like Libya’s Gaddafi, show a dubious commitment to basic human rights standards. Despite some episodes of blatant authoritarianism in Venezuela, such as censorship of independent TV stations, Chávez has not become the full-scale, oppressive dictator that his foes often characterize him to be. Nevertheless, continued ties with the likes of Belarus’ Lukashenko and Libya’s Gaddafi will inevitably curtail any expansion of Venezuelan diplomatic influence. ← Press Release: Peru’s Disaffiliation with Libya–More Than Meets the Eye Bloodshed in Guatemala as Cartels and Street Gangs Wage War → Netherlands Antilles’ Break Up Continues as Its Geopolitical Importance Mounts April 7, 2009 COHA 3 Reflecting on the Fire in Santa Maria: Who is to Blame: the Law or the People? February 26, 2013 COHA 2 A Thoroughly Un-American Institution June 24, 2009 COHA Comments Off on A Thoroughly Un-American Institution	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line334
__label__wiki	0.945421	0.945421	Blaine Irby Both Case McCoy (left) and David Ash (right) will see significant playing time against Cal in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Dec. 28. (File photo) Photo Credit: Elisabeth Dillon \| Daily Texan Staff Case McCoy David Ash Joe Bergeron Mack Brown Published on December 19, 2011 at 5:34 pm By Christian Corona Ever since Garrett Gilbert was ousted as Texas’ starting quarterback, Case McCoy and David Ash have treated the job like a hot potato. So it’s only fitting that both will see significant playing time against Cal in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Dec. 28. “We’ve got to get settled but we’re in a position right now where we’re going to need both of them,” said head coach Mack Brown, who will not release a depth chart until game day. “We want the kids to compete and make sure the guys that are practicing the hardest and best will be the ones that get to play in the ballgame.” Each has started five games this year with McCoy seemingly solidifying himself as the starter after a spirited effort in a 27-25 win over Texas A&M that included a 25-yard run on the Longhorns’ final drive and no turnovers by the sophomore signal-caller. But McCoy was picked off four times in a loss to Baylor while throwing for 365 yards and three touchdowns, all career-highs. Brown and Bergeron both healthy again The Longhorns churned out 439 rushing yards in a 43-0 win over Kansas behind freshman phenoms Malcolm Brown, who ran for 119 yards and two scores against the Jayhawks, and Joe Bergeron, who ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns. At the time, Texas thought it had finally found an offensive identity. “I thought we were about to be really good,” Brown said. “I haven’t seen us run the ball like that since probably 2004 or 2005. It was just unbelievable to see what happened the next game – a combination of Fozzy going down and the other two backs being banged up.” But Brown and Bergeron each missed three of the next five games as the Longhorns’ running game and offense sputtered down the stretch. They combined to average just three yards per carry over Texas’ last four contests, a timespan that saw the Longhorns run for less than 140 yards per game, 100 fewer than their average during the first eight. “I want to have a dominant running game,” said sophomore guard Mason Walters. “We can do that. And we know that. It’s frustrating that we haven’t been able to do that lately.” Irby not applying for medical redshirt Blaine Irby may have saved his best football for last. After announcing he will not apply for a medical redshirt and a sixth season, Irby will wrap up his college career against Cal in the Holiday Bowl. Irby, whose family is close to Golden Bears head coach Jeff Tedford’s, caught touchdown passes in each of the Longhorns’ last three games, including an acrobatic one-handed snag in the back of the end zone against Baylor. “I’m just moving on with my life and staying healthy, that’s really my main concern,” Irby said. “It’s time for me to walk away from the game being on top and coming out on my own terms.” Offensive guard Mark Buchanan and fullback Jamison Berryhill are also turning down opportunities to appeal for additional eligibility while linebacker and recent graduate Dravannti Johnson will transfer. Irby, who did not play for nearly three full seasons, cited overall soreness and tendonitis in his knees among the reasons he chose to end his Texas career “I don’t want Blaine to walk like I do when he’s 60,” said Brown, who turned 60 this August. “He’s been a miracle. My goal for him would have been to be able to play with his children in the backyard. And then we thought about playing, I said he’d never get to start. And, all of a sudden, he starts and really helps us. He’s gotten accomplished all that he needs to accomplish.” Akina a candidate for Hawaii head coaching job After nearly leaving Austin earlier this year, Duane Akina is flirting with taking another job again. Akina, who has coached the Longhorns secondary for 10 years, accepted a position to be the secondary coach at Arizona in January before coming back to Texas the next month. Now, Akina could be leaving the Forty Acres to become the head coach at Hawai’I, where he coached from 1979-1983. Despite inheriting an inexperienced secondary that lost three players to the NFL, Akina helped the Longhorns boast the Big 12’s best pass defense. “I thought Duane did his best job this year,” said Brown. “[Hawai’i] is home for him and we want him to stay but if he has a chance and if he wants the Hawai’I job, that would be a great opportunity for him.” Brown has no regrets about 2004 lobbying In 2004, Texas ended its regular season with a narrow victory over Texas A&M while Cal squeaked out a win against Southern Mississippi. The Longhorns came into that week ranked No. 5 in the BCS standings while the Golden Bears checked in at No. 4. Mack Brown needed his team to jump Cal in order to earn an automatic BCS bowl berth and strongly advocated for Texas to crack the top four. Sure enough, the Longhorns passed up the Bears and beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl while Cal fell to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. “I would do the exact same thing again,” said Brown. “I think I haven’t taken up for teams that haven’t done well. I wasn’t trying to fight for last year’s team to be in the BCS. I never brought it up because it wasn’t an issue.” Published on December 8, 2011 at 1:54 pm By Double Coverage Staff Quandre Diggs, freshman CB “It actually fits right into my Christmas plans. I usually go out there to spend some time with my nephews and my brother. So it’s going to be a great trip for us.” Blaine Irby, senior TE “I remember going back there in ’07 when we played against Arizona State. They treat the teams real nice, and it is a fun atmosphere. San Diego is a great town, so it should be fun.” Mack Brown, head coach “This will be our fifth trip to the Holiday Bowl, but none of the guys on this team have had a chance to play in one, so I’ve told the kids that this will be one of the best bowl experiences they’ll ever have.” Senior Blaine Irby makes a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone against Baylor Saturday, his third straight game with a touchdown catch. Photo Credit: Lawrence Peart \| Daily Texan Staff Published on December 5, 2011 at 11:28 pm By Trey Scott It’s an odd thing to call a 7-5 season a success — especially at Texas. But, all things considered, this year was one. Think about it. The Longhorns never found a quarterback out of their three candidates. They played 18 true freshmen. The heart of the team was lost for the season with three games left to play and the best receiver and two top running backs were hobbled for the final stretch. Despite all of it, Texas didn’t lose a game it was truly supposed to win — excluding a weird 17-5 loss at Missouri — and won one game it wasn’t supposed to, a 27-25 thriller at Texas A&M. 2011 might not be the great wall the Longhorns wanted to build when they began their brick-by-brick mantra in early August, but it’s better than a mountain of rubble. Let’s take a look back at the best — and worst — moments of one of the more interesting seasons in the Mack Brown era. Best win: Texas 27, A&M 25. One for the record books, and the best game between two mediocre teams that you’ll ever see. Best storyline: The comebacks of Blaine Irby and Fozzy Whittaker were most impressive. Irby’s was the most impressive — the tight end overcame a gruesome knee injury — as he opened camp as the starter and finished his season with a touchdown catch in the final three games, including a one-handed, toe-dragging score in the back of the end zone against Baylor. Whittaker didn’t have to battle through any awful knee injuries — although, sadly, he will soon have to — but shed his label as “injury-prone” and established himself as one of the more dynamic players in the nation, returning kickoffs for touchdowns in consecutive games, along with seven total scores on offense, in just a half a season of action. Best quote: It’s a tie between David Snow’s “I hate everybody” (not named Texas) and Mike Davis’ “We were so high up [at the top deck at DKR during an offseason workout], I could see Shamu.” Hero: Justin Tucker, who became the next famous Texas kicker with a 40-yard boot in the final seconds to beat Texas A&M in the last scheduled game between the two rivals. Runner-up: The Texas defense, which kept the team afloat for most of the season. Worst loss: The 17-5 loss to Mizzou never should have happened. And it was made possible by the crushing loss of Whittaker, who suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the first quarter of the game. If the Longhorns were given a do-over, they’d win that thing in their sleep. That sleepy game in Columbia is the difference between 7-5 and 8-4. Best hire: Manny Diaz, and it’s not even close. Even though it had to go up against elite offenses in Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Baylor, the Texas defense finished the regular season ranked the 14th best in the nation. Best rehire: Duane Akina, who came back to Texas after a month at Arizona in the offseason, has developed his next great crop of defensive backs. Next year will be a very strong one for the Texas secondary. Worst development: The ongoing quarterback saga, which was played out so long that Texas enters 2012 with no answer at the position. Garrett Gilbert gave way to Case McCoy, who gave way to David Ash, who gave way to Jay Leno, who gave way to Conan O’Brien, who gave way to McCoy, who gave way back to Leno. I’m so confused. Goat(s): All involved in the creation and distribution (or lack thereof) of the Longhorn Network. It’s a shame that a TV channel has to overshadow the Longhorns’ efforts on the field and trigger a shift in conference realignments so drastic that the Big 12 lost two 100-year-old rivalries (Texas A&M-UT and Missouri-Kansas), but no column documenting the peaks and valleys of this year can go without mentioning the Longhorn Network. Printed on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 as: Recapping the ups and downs of 2011 Whittaker Published on December 2, 2011 at 11:08 am By Wes Maulsby Quarterback: This one is obvious. Baylor has a Heisman candidate at quarterback with Robert Griffin III. He has passed for 3,678 yards with 72-percent completion. He has led Baylor to eight wins this season, including winning four in a row. He is also dangerous on the ground, with two 100-yard rushing games this season, and is averaging 55 yards per game on the ground. Texas, meanwhile, has been struggling all year at the quarterback position, but it may have finally found an answer. McCoy didn’t have a passing touchdown and only 110 yards through the air, but he made plays when it mattered as he guided Texas to a win over Texas A&M. Baylor has a Heisman candidate in the backfield, and the definite edge at the position. Running Back: Texas peaked here in the two-game span against Texas Tech and Kansas, but has since rushed for 353 yards in three games. The Longhorns got more than 400 against both Texas Tech and Kansas. With the injuries to Fozzy Whittaker, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron, the running game for Texas has sputtered. Baylor averages more than 210 yards per game on the ground and shredded the Red Raiders for 360 yards rushing with Terrence Ganaway rushed for a career-high 246 yards. With all the injuries that Texas has suffered at the position, the advantage has to go to Baylor with Ganaway and Griffin combining for a dangerous ground attack. Receivers: Texas got a much needed boost at this position with Jaxon Shipley returning to the lineup last week against the Aggies. Though he only caught three passes for 34 yards, he threw a touchdown pass to Blaine Irby in the second quarter and provides a much needed play-making presence to a team constantly looking for one. In addition to catching the touchdown pass, Irby has become a key to the offense and has seven catches with two touchdown catches in the last three games. Kendall Wright has been an explosive player all year for the Bears and is their leading receiver. He has 95 catches this for 1,406 yards this season. Baylor has four receivers with at least 35 catches, and three of them have more than 750 yards receiving. Baylor’s receiving corps has playmakers and experience all over the field, while Texas is relying on a true freshman as its primary playmaker. Offensive Line: Baylor is second in the nation in total offense and is in the top 20 in rush offense this season. The Bears have allowed 24 sacks this season and are third in the conference in tackles for loss allowed, having only given up 52 so far this season. The Texas line has allowed 66 tackles for loss this season and has also allowed 24 sacks this season. Both teams can run the ball, but the Bears have been more consistent in recent weeks at running and passing the ball. The Texas line has had its moments, including some dominating short yardage situations against Texas A&M. Both lines have been solid this season, but the Bears have been putting up better numbers and has more experience. Defensive Line: The Texas defensive line has been a force of nature of late and has been dominating Big 12 offensive lines. Texas has 88 tackles for loss on the season, with 64 of those coming in the last five games at a rate of more than 12 per game. Baylor only has 55 tackles for loss on the season and is in near the bottom third of the country in sacks with 17. Alex Okafor lived in the Aggie backfield last week and, though only credited with one tackle, was a primary part of forcing Tannehill into quick throws. Texas’ depth along the line has been a problem for opposing teams. Baylor is No. 102 against the run and has not been able to get into the backfield enough this season. The Texas line is among the best in the country, not just the conference, while Baylor’s line lags in the bottom third in the conference. Linebackers: Emmanuel Acho has been playing at an all-conference level and has 98 tackles so far this season. Alongside him is Keenan Robinson who overcame an injured thumb to haunt Tannehill in the backfield last week on blitzes and rushes, getting to him many times throughout the game. Baylor is led by senior Elliot Coffey, who has 89 tackles this season. Baylor has a poor rush defense, and an even worse pass defense. Baylor’s linebackers have to do a better job of getting into the backfield to break up the play and forcing the backs into the defensive line. Texas’ linebackers have been playing at an all conference level over the past five games and should do significantly better than the Baylor linebackers. Secondary: Against one of the best receiving units in the Big 12, Texas’ defensive backs had their marquee game of the season. With three interceptions, and a pick-six by Carrington Byndom, the Longhorn defensive backs had one of the best games by a secondary unit this season in the Big 12. Texas has the No. 35 pass defense in the nation but is No. 8 in pass efficiency defense. Baylor has one of the worst pass defenses in the conference and is in the bottom third of pass efficiency defense nationally. Even against a Heisman candidate, the Texas pass defense should be stout, and one of the best individual matchups of the game will be Texas’ Byndom against Kendall Wright of Baylor. Special Teams: Baylor is one of the worst kickoff return teams in the nation and is last in the conference. Texas, even without Whittaker, is in the top 15 in kickoff returns nationally and only trails Kansas State in the Big 12. Baylor is significantly better on punt returns, but the advantage still lies with Texas, which is the top punt return team in the conference and No. 7 nationally. Although Baylor’s kicker, Aaron Jones, has made 95 percent of his PATs but is only hitting half of his field goals, missing from all ranges. Texas’ Justin Tucker didn’t have a good day punting the ball against Texas A&M, but he made the game winning, 40-yard field goal as time expired and has been money in the bank for the Longhorns all season. Texas has the superior athletes on special teams and one of the most reliable kickers in the Big 12. Published on November 20, 2011 at 11:40 pm By Austin Laymance Seniors play well The senior class didn’t get the results they wanted in their final home game Saturday, but they performed well individually. Cody Johnson rumbled for a 55-yard gain in the fourth quarter, the longest running play for Texas this season. Tight end Blaine Irby caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Case McCoy on the second drive of the second half to give the Longhorns their first touchdown in more than six quarters. It was Irby’s first score since Sept. 6, 2008 against UTEP, a fitting way to end his home career. Linebacker Emmanuel Acho had a game-high 12 tackles, with one sack and two tackles for loss. Keenan Robinson, playing with an injured right thumb, had eight tackles and one sack. Brown and Bergeron limited Texas had both Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron, its two leading rushers, available for the first time in three weeks. But the Longhorns struggled to run the ball consistently for the second time in as many games. Brown started after missing the last two games and carried 11 times for 33 yards. The freshman lacked the explosion and power he displayed before turf toe sidelined him against Texas Tech and Missouri. Bergeron, back from a hamstring injury, rushed nine times for 40 yards. Bergeron also did not look himself. The Longhorns’ training staff will need to do a great job this week if they hope to have these two ready for Texas A&M on Thursday night. McCoy makes case for start Case McCoy came off the bench in the third quarter in relief of David Ash and promptly led a six-play, 81-yard scoring drive. McCoy found Irby for a 36-yard strike and went three for three on the drive. He was eight of 16 for 80 yards and had zero turnovers to Ash’s two. Ash also mishandled a snap in the first quarter that stalled a possession. The freshman fell to 2-3 as a starter and has six interceptions and no touchdowns during that span. McCoy, meanwhile, has thrown for each of Texas’ last two touchdowns. The sophomore looked more poised on Saturday night and moved the ball more in the second half than Ash has in his last two starts. It’s time to let McCoy play for an entire game, something he’s never done at UT. Senior running back Fozzy Whittaker reacts after a knee injury in the first quarter against Missouri. Whittaker has been ruled out for the season. Photo Credit: The Associated Press Sports writers don’t root for teams, they root for storylines. Something new to write about, some story to tell, something that makes this week different than last week. For most of this season, that storyline was the comeback of Fozzy Whittaker. Injured for most of his career, the fifth-year running back was healthy. He had gotten stronger, faster. He was the consummate teammate. That’s what makes the gruesome knee injury he suffered Saturday against Missouri — one that ends his collegiate career — even harder to stomach. When we first saw Whittaker this year, in July at Big 12 Media Days, we swarmed upon him with questions regarding the much-hyped Malcolm Brown. “Hey, Fozzy, how does Malcolm look? What’s his personality like? Is he ready to put Texas on his back?” Never mind that he had been discounted for somebody four years his junior, Whittaker swallowed his pride and answered everything. Forget that he himself had worked incredibly hard to get in game shape for his final season of football. Those who awaited the arrivals of Brown and Joe Bergeron as the saviors of the Texas offense had ruled out Whittaker. In the weeks leading up to this new season, The Daily Texan crafted a long-winded feature, “The Texan’s 10 Most Important Longhorns.” Whittaker didn’t make the cut. Didn’t even sniff it. To many, it was a matter of time before Fozzy would take a backseat. When he was listed for the Rice game as the starter at tailback, many saw it as simply a courtesy — a few last go-rounds before the talented Brown gives the coaches no choice but to start him. Fast forward a few games, a few 100-yard kickoff returns, lots of touchdowns and total yards and many “Wild Fozzy” formations. Whittaker had indeed conceded the starting job to Brown. Never complained about it. Instead, he became the mentor to the two freshman tailbacks. In the meantime, Whittaker carved out a niche for himself: kick-returning extraordinaire, master of the red zone, leader of the team. After years of idolizing Captain America — Fozzy has a shield, shirts, backpacks, posters — he finally had become a hero of sorts of the football field. “He really has been Captain America,” tight end Blaine Irby said. “He’s been unbelievable this season.” Whittaker was named to the Sports Illustrated’s All-American team at midseason as a kick returner. In a recognition that carries less weight, The Daily Texan pinned him as the team’s Most Valuable Player halfway through the year. His 46.5 kick-return average led the nation a few weeks ago, and his nine touchdowns lead the team. Fate struck an unfair blow. Injuries are as much a part of football as sweeps and power runs, sure, but how unfortunate that it had to happen to the player who was finally healthy, who had battled injuries his entire career. Whittaker’s well-chronicled battle with sprains, tweaks, scrapes and hyperextensions had become a punch line of sorts. He would never be effective, we thought. And he gladly proved us wrong, doing all the things we never thought he’d be able to do and even some things we didn’t expect — Whittaker? Returning kickoffs? For all his hard work, he’ll come through the tunnel next week for Senior Day on crutches. The sad twist to this story reminds one of the collapse of former Texas pitcher Taylor Jungmann this summer. Enjoying the best season in the country, the dominating Jungmann cruised to a 13-0 start before losing the final three games of his career, including a game against Florida in the College World Series in which the Longhorns held a 3-0 lead. Teary-eyed afterwards, Jungmann said he had no idea what had gone so wrong. We know what happened to Whittaker: As has been the case throughout his time here, his body simply betrayed him. It’s another storyline, I suppose. But it sure is a heartbreaking one. Printed on Monday, November 14, 2011 as: Whittaker's career ends with injury Vince Young Published on November 4, 2011 at 11:39 am When he lost his shoe while scoring against UCLA, it seemed like an isolated incident. But when it happened again when Texas faced Iowa State and a third time on a touchdown run against Kansas, it became a trend. “I can’t really explain it,” Malcolm Brown said. “My shoes keep coming off. I guess I need to tie them a little tighter.” Whether he’s got one or two shoes on, Brown has been extremely effective this season. The freshman running back ran for 110 yards and a touchdown in his first career start, a 49-20 Longhorns victory over the Bruins, and never looked back. Brown has topped the century mark in each of the last two games and has a great chance to do it again Saturday when he goes up against a Texas Tech defense that allowed 368 rushing yards to Iowa State last week. “I can’t say enough about Malcolm,” said senior tight end Blaine Irby. “Malcolm’s been doing great this whole year. He’s such a special, special back. Even at a young age, you’d think he’s been in college football for the last three or four years.” Texas is running a run-first offense successfully for the first time since Vince Young played in burnt orange. Attempts to install a productive ground game last season were futile and before that, the Longhorns used its passing game to set up the run. But with Brown in the backfield, Texas has a productive rushing attack once again. “This is what our team is built around,” said senior guard David Snow. “When we had Colt [McCoy], we didn’t really need to run the ball. He was an excellent passer. We just have a good running attack. It helps us control the game.” David Ash had a solid showing against Kansas this past weekend, going 14-of-18 for 145 yards and a two-yard touchdown run. But he’s nowhere near the nearly 15,000 total yards, 132 touchdowns and NCAA-record 45 wins McCoy accumulated. That’s why having a running game that averages 218.9 yards per game this season taking pressure off a passing game featuring a freshman behind center. “The offensive line did a great job making some holes for some really great backs,” Ash said. “We’re getting more physical, playing a tough brand of football and we’re running the ball really well.” The Longhorns ran for 441 yards last weekend, their highest single-game total since 2004’s season opening 65-0 win over North Texas, when they ran for 513. In the 43-0 thumping of Kansas last weekend, Brown and Joe Bergeron became the first pair of freshman running backs to run for more than 100 yards in school history. Texas ran 72 times that game and has ran nearly two-thirds of its offensive plays this year. “You always have to have something you can hang your hat on,” said co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin. “I’ve always been a proponent of a run-first approach. You build your pass game off of that.” Brown, along with the senior Fozzy Whittaker, has done a nice job of setting the tone early in games since we became the starting running back four contests ago. But when a 6-foot-1, 230-pound Bruiser like Bergeron begins bashing heads around in the second half against a defense worn out by Brown and Whittaker, like he did against Kansas to the tune of 136 yards and two touchdowns, it’s almost unfair. “Joe Bergeron is a guy that, during camp, really caught our eye,” Irby said. “He’s a bigger back. Nobody realizes how fast he really is but he showed us last game.” Brown is a particularly polite person, including “sir” in nearly every response to reporters’ questions. But when oncoming tacklers approach him, he’s anything but cordial. He may not know how to properly tie his shoes, but Brown knows how to run the football. Luke Poehlmann was an integral part in Texas' run game against Kansas. He should see extended playing time as Texas hopes to keep its dynamic run game rolling. Bryan Harsin David Snow Luke Poehlmann The Longhorns have a new tight end. A big one. Luke Poehlmann, a 6-foot-7, 295-pound junior, moved from the offensive line to tight end prior to last week’s win over Kansas. With Texas desperately searching for an answer to its blocking woes at that position, Poehlmann proved to be the answer. “That’s what we’re looking for, more push and power off the edge,” said senior left guard David Snow. “He did a great job for us. He pushed off the line and that whole right side got a great push. We’re really excited about it.” Poehlmann sealed the edge, allowing the Longhorns tailbacks to gain a season-high 441 yards rushing against the Jayhawks. Bryan Harsin, the Texas play-caller, decided to move the junior to tight end during the bye week to jump-start the outside running game. “He dominated the 27 plays he was in there,” said head coach Mack Brown. “We’ve got to continue to grow with him.” The decision worked so well that Harsin anticipates Poehlmann seeing more action in his new role over the final five weeks, beginning Saturday against Texas Tech. “That helped us, just having a bigger body out there on the edge in some of those one-on-one blocks,” Harsin said. “I don’t see a reason why we’re not going to use him there again.” But Poehlmann wasn’t a complete stranger to tight end before the move. As a redshirt freshman in 2009, he spent some time at the position in practice — albeit a brief stint. “That didn’t last too long after he was running a couple routes,” said senior tight end Blaine Irby, smiling. “I haven’t seen him catch the ball in a while. Hopefully we’ll get him on a corner route or something.” That could come as soon as this week against the Red Raiders, but don’t expect Poehlmann to become too involved in the passing game. His value is still as a blocker. “He was asking if he could go out the back side (for a pass against KU),” Harsin said. “I don’t think he was quite ready for that yet. But maybe this week.” While Poehlmann’s brief experience at tight end helped ease the transition, his background as an offensive lineman certainly came into play. “He’s a guy that’s been in the trenches, he know exactly what it takes,” said senior running back Fozzy Whittaker, who rushed for 68 yards against KU. “He’s blocked defensive ends all the time. Having him on the edge was a big help for us.” Poehlmann switched his uniform from No. 77 to No. 82 to become an eligible receiver. And though he played a critical role in beating Kansas, he wasn’t immune from a little good-natured ribbing from some of his former lineman this week. “No. 82 is not supposed to be on a guy that big,” said sophomore right guard Mason Walters, half-joking. “But at the same time he fought hard. “He learned the technique early in the week, it’s not something we really knew we were going to do. Luke worked on it all week; keeping his hands inside, running his feet the whole time. He did a great job.” Poehlmann missed the final 10 games of the 2010 season after tearing his ACL against Wyoming, the second game of the year. He saw limited action through the first six games of this season, and jumped at the chance to get more playing time at tight end. “He was really excited about that opportunity and you could tell in the game,” Harsin said. “That vibe just helped across the board, just having him in there.” Texas’ newest tight end just might be the most important one yet. He’s certainly the biggest. Keenan Robinson Published on October 28, 2011 at 10:30 am It doesn’t take long to figure out who Fozzy Whittaker’s favorite super hero is. The red, white and blue shield that hangs above his bed gives it away. It’s Captain America. Whittaker started collecting the Marvel character’s memorabilia when he arrived at Texas in 2007; the same time he began embracing the super hero’s mentality. “It kind of just took over, Whittaker said. “I used to play one of the video games and I always played with Captain America because growing up that’s who I liked, but I never really embraced it. “I did a little research on him and read who he was. The type of patriotism he shows, the kind of character he is. He’s somebody that I wanted to embody.” Whittaker’s taken all that Captain America stands for to heart and emerged as the Longhorns’ team leader this season. The senior tailback leads UT with seven touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving and two on special teams) and is No. 1 in the nation in kick return average (46.5 yards). The do-it-all running back has taken the Texas offense upon his shoulders in his final year as a Longhorn. “He really has been Captain America,” said senior tight end Blaine Irby. “He’s been unbelievable this season. He’s a great leader and I definitely see that Captain America [mentality] kind of following him. “It’s great because you think of Fozzy, and you just think of a running back. And then this year you see him returning kicks in the two biggest games we’ve had and you see him in the quarterback spot playing the wildcat. Fozzy can do it all.” It’s hard to imagine where UT would be without him. “He’s saving the team in some aspects with his play in the kickoff game and on offense,” said senior linebacker Keenan Robinson. “He’s definitely shown up big all season for us.” Like any great super hero, Whittaker has a budding sidekick. He’s taken freshman tailback Malcolm Brown under his wing. “He’s a real great mentor,” said Brown, who leads the team with 516 rushing yards. “One of the coolest guys I’ve met in my life.” Brown said Whittaker’s willingness to share his wisdom and advice caught him off-guard. After all, the rookie wasn’t expecting the veteran to take too kindly to the Longhorns’ newest stud in the backfield. But Captain America is not selfish, so neither is Fozzy. Actually, the Houston native is about as welcoming as it gets. “He’s one of the funniest guys on the team,” Brown said. “You can’t really be around him and not laugh. Even when you’re having some problems, go hang with Fozzy for a little bit and he’ll cheer you up real quick.” Whittaker, though, didn’t always consider Captain America his favorite super hero. “I always liked The Flash just because people said I was fast,” he said. “As I got older, I faded away from The Flash and gravitated towards Captain America.” Now, his memorabilia assortment is too large for him to put a number on. Whittaker’s collection includes: puzzles, tee shirts, pins, action figures, posters, the iconic shield and, of course, his signature Captain America backpack. Even his twitter handle, @CaptnAmerica2, pays homage to the super hero. “I always see him wearing the hat and the shirts and he has the backpack on him everywhere,” Brown said. “I’ve seen him bring his shield before. That’s pretty cool, pretty funny.” But Whittaker’s success this season has a lot to do with staying healthy. The oft-injured back has missed 10 games over the last three years, mainly with knee issues, but is now in the best shape of his career. Major Applewhite, Whittaker’s position coach, said the senior’s experience with injuries have actually helped Whittaker remain healthy this season. “Being around the program a long time, he understands how to take care of his body better,” Applewhite said. “He’s learned the ropes. In terms of, ‘Okay, I can get this treatment now. I can go do this with flexibility. I can go do this in the weight room.’” That knowledge stems from the strong relationship Whittaker forged with Bennie Wylie, the strength and conditioning coach. The two worked tirelessly in the offseason to get Whittaker into prime shape. “I think he’s faster,” Applewhite said. “Probably a step faster.” Yes, Captain America would be proud. Longhorn tight end D.J. Grant, No. 18, moves to make a block against Oklahoma State. Grant and the rest of the tight end corps have played with both flashes of brilliance and streaks of slumps. Photo Credit: Tamir Kalifa \| Daily Texan Staff Published on October 28, 2011 at 9:27 am Texas might as well have wanted posters around its stadium asking for a productive pass-catching tight end. Ever since D.J. Grant erupted for three touchdowns against UCLA, the Longhorns’ tight ends have disappeared. There have been a few Blaine Irby sightings, an occasional Barrett Matthews appearance and even a D.J. Grant resurfacing here and there. But Grant’s six-catch outburst against the Bruins seems like a distant memory as Texas has gotten just 40 yards on five receptions from its tight ends since blowing out UCLA. “Tight ends have been inconsistent,” said head coach Mack Brown. “That worries us because this is a tight end offense. You look at the three tight ends at Stanford and they rush for 446 yards. We feel like we’ve got some guys there that just need to continue to step up and grow.” None of the three tight ends Brown refers to, however, has had six catches or three touchdown grabs in a game. Ever since Grant’s breakout performance, opposing defenses have focused their efforts to the middle of the field in an attempt to force throws closer to the sideline, where receivers roam. As tight ends traverse the middle of the field, they’re being left out now. But with freshman Jaxon Shipley and sophomore Mike Davis being the only productive receivers, Texas could use a tight end to step up as a reliable third option. “Most teams don’t want to give up the middle of the field,” said co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin. “They want to force stuff outside because you have a sideline out there. It’s a chess match back and forth. If we do a good job outside, then they’ve got to do something to take that away and open up the middle of the field.” Another thing that has held tight ends back lately has been the need for them to contribute to the pass protection aspect of the offense. With Oklahoma and Oklahoma State racking up more sacks than anyone in the Big 12 except Texas A&M, Texas needed more tight ends in the trenches, where they have opened up holes in the running game as well. “Our guys are trying to find a consistent blocker,” Brown said. “The receptions have been down the last couple of weeks because we’ve had to keep the tight end in and block because our protection has been iffy at best.” When the Longhorns’ tight ends do get a chance to run routes, they don’t get thrown at often. In Texas’ last three games, tight ends have been targeted 11 times. If the coaches are indeed grooming Ash to be the consistent full-time starter, it may take even longer for tight ends to be productive again with the true freshman learning to go through progressions quicker. “We’re behind him,” Irby said. “I think David is going to keep learning as he keeps experiencing more and more games. Whatever he feels comfortable with, we’re going to do.” Irby, like Grant, has fully recovered from a knee injury that kept him out for two full seasons. He made his first two catches in more than three years against Oklahoma. The senior also took part in a grueling workout run by strength head coach Bennie Wylie, who had players run up and down the steps of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium’s upper deck. Irby, unlike some of his teammates, was fortunate to avoid vomiting on those steps. “[Wylie’s] a crazy man,” Irby said. “It’s a part of our ‘protect the house’ routine. You see the stadium from a completely different perspective when you’re up there. You appreciate the fans that pay to come watch us play football.” Those fans in the nosebleed sections Wylie tried to help his players appreciate have a good chance at watching Texas’ tight ends catch a few passes against Kansas. But don’t be surprised if they go a few weeks before another productive performance.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line340
__label__cc	0.71715	0.28285	2592 results. Displaying 361 through 370. < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 > May 5, 2018 \| Ashleygance \| More on Performance Ashley Gance age 17 performing as an Artists Simply Human Advanced Assistant in the closing… 2018. Ashley will be attending Pace University in New York City this fall to continue her dance education.Read More Dying Swan Ashley Gance age 17 performing dying swan. Ashley is an Advance Artists Simply Human Assistant… the 2018 Tour. She will be attending Pace University Next Fall for Commercial Dance.Read More May 3, 2018 \| brookecox \| More on Performance Contemporary Solo entitled "Grateful". May 2, 2018 \| EllaBella16 \| More on Performance My name is Ella Foster and I am 16 years old. This is my contemporary… choreographed by the amazing Tim Roberts. The piece is called Faun and it is about lost love. @ellamariefosterRead More You Dont' Bring Me Flowers May 1, 2018 \| ejk823 \| More on General Nicole Kelly - prestige academy of dance Esmeralda Variation May 1, 2018 \| RileyC22 \| More on General Riley Elizabeth Erin Campbell performing her Esmeralda variation. Enjoy! :) April 30, 2018 \| Ashleygance \| More on Performance Ashley Gance is a seventeen year old Artist Simply Human Advanced Assistant. Here is a… of her performing her solo at the closing showcase.Read More Gamzatti Temple Variation April 29, 2018 \| egmertens \| More on Ballet Emma Mertens age 15 performing Gamzatti Temple VAriation You Move Away April 27, 2018 \| jmcruz4 \| More on Performance Annalise Hofman performing a contemporary solo Emma Mertens age 16 rehearsing Dulcinea The perfect place to share your love of dance. Show your moves to your friends and family. Have a new piece of choreography to show? Just having fun with your friends in your studio or school? A great class rehearsal? Post your videos on the Dance Spirit Channel. Related Contests	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line341
__label__wiki	0.605842	0.605842	Del Ray, VA Real Estate Del Ray is located in the area northwest of Old Town, Alexandria. A community of communities, Del Ray includes Warwick Village, Saint Elmo, Hume and Mt. Ida. Like North Ridge to the west, the history of Del Ray is rooted in a rural past. Founded in 1894 as a planned community, Del Ray quickly became a bustling streetcar community. While the electric rail lines that brought on the boom have vanished, Del Ray has remained a focal point of the City of Alexandria and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Del Ray is known for its attractive, early 20th century architecture, which gives character to its navigable, gridiron plan. The community's atmosphere lends itself to a genuinely comfortable and homey living experience. Del Ray is a pedestrian's paradise and there is plenty to do for those seeking an active lifestyle. Four Mile Run Park, which connects to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, is located nearby and is an ideal outlet for bikers and runners. Del Ray also offers an eclectic mix of boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops. Del Ray boasts an active community calendar, which enriches the lives of residents and visitors alike. Each year, on the first Saturday in October, the community turns out for Art on the Avenue, an outdoor street festival featuring hundreds of artists, live music and delicious food. Other annual traditions include the Thanksgiving Day, 5 mile "Turkey Trot" Race, a Halloween Parade and the Holiday Tree Lighting. The Del Ray Farmer's Market, which runs year round does not disappoint. It features a great selection of local, seasonal produce as well as a few surprises like cheese, baked goods, and tea stands. Del Ray is the kind of place where one can escape the Washington grind without having to sacrifice a connection to metropolitan urbanity. The Braddock Road Metro is easily accessible for commuters. From west to east, major arteries include Braddock Road, Russell Road, Mt. Vernon Avenue and Route 1. I-395 will bring you directly into Washington, D.C. Reagan National Airport is essentially at your doorstep. Washington-Dulles International Airport: < 30 miles. Baltimore-Washington International Airport: < 40 miles. View all Del Ray Listings SEARCH FOR LISTINGS IN DEL RAY 11 MASON AVENUE E 1815 LESLIE AVENUE 3307 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE B 2915 HOLLY STREET	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line344
__label__wiki	0.641707	0.641707	Eugene V. Debs, labor leader and socialist, sentenced to 10 years for opposing World War I. While in jail Debs received one million votes for president - 1918 (The Bending Cross: A Biography of Eugene V. Debs: Eugene V. Debs was a labor activist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who captured the heart and soul of the nation’s working people. He was brilliant, sincere, compassionate and scrupulously honest. A founder of one of the nation’s first industrial unions, the American Railway Union, he went on to help launch the Industrial Workers of the World—the Wobblies. A man of firm beliefs and dedication, he ran for President of the United States five times under the banner of the Socialist Party, in 1912 earning 6 percent of the popular vote.) Jobless workers march on grocery stores and seize food in Toledo, Ohio – 1932 National Guardsmen fire on “sullen and rebellious” strikers at the Woonsocket (Rhode Island) Rayon plant, killing one and injuring three others. A correspondent said the crowd of about 2,000 “went completely wild with rage.” Word spread, 6,000 more workers arrived at the scene and the city was put under military rule. The governor declared that “there is a Communist uprising and not a textile strike” in the state - 1934 United Rubber Workers formed in Akron, Ohio - 1935 A total of 49 people are killed, 200 injured, in explosion at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Kenvil, N.J. - 1940 New York City’s Union Square, the site of the first Labor Day in 1882, is officially named a national historic landmark. The square has long been a focal point for working class protest and political expression - 1998 - compiled/edited by David Prosten at Union Communication Services.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line345
__label__wiki	0.7081	0.7081	Debbie Andrews Debbie Andrews Personal & Professional Real Estate Services - RE/MAX 2000 Realty - 778 772 9826 email: debbieandrews@remax.net RE/MAX 2000 REALTY #103 - 15127 100 Avenue Surrey, BC V3R 0N9 Phone: 604-583-2000 Mobile: 778-772-9826 Fax: 604-583-7099 Email Debbie RE/MAX Real Estate - Langley We're the Real Estate Leaders. No one in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. RE/MAX at a glance: What began in Denver, Colo., in 1973 as "a pad of paper and a dream" is now a global real estate franchise network that spreads across 39 countries and eight territories, on six continents. Network size The revolutionary RE/MAX Concept of enabling real estate professionals to maximize their business potential has evolved into an organization of more than 100,000 Sales Associates in more than 4,200 offices worldwide. RE/MAX Sales Associates RE/MAX Associates, on average, lead the industry in production, experience, and professional designations. The RE/MAX Balloon logo The red, white and blue RE/MAX Balloon, with its "Above the Crowd!®"slogan, is one of the most recognizable business logos in the world. With nearly 90 RE/MAX Hot Air Balloons around the globe, RE/MAX has the world's largest balloon fleet. An industry leader RE/MAX is the No. 1 real estate organization in Canada and in the United States. The first RE/MAX region outside the United States and Canada was the Caribbean Basin, opened in 1991. It was followed two years later by RE/MAX of Mexico. In 1995, RE/MAX expanded into Southern Africa, Spain, Israel, Italy,and Germany. Since then, RE/MAX regions have become established in across Europe, in Asia, and in Australia. Record RE/MAX production In 1999, RE/MAX Associates were involved in more than 1 million sales transaction sides within a single year in the United States alone – an industry milestone. The audited production figures represent the most transaction sides in a single year ever recorded by any real estate network. The RE/MAX network has repeated the feat ever since. The RE/MAX Concept RE/MAX stands for "real estate maximums." In exchange for paying a management fee and a share of the monthly office overhead, RE/MAX Associates keep the maximum allowed amount of their commissions and receive the many benefits of RE/MAX programs and services. By offering Associates maximum commissions and maximum career freedom, RE/MAX influenced competitors to re-examine and adjust their own policies toward sales agents, thus dramatically changing the industry. As the network grew, renowned for its top producers and quality service to consumers, so did support programs, making RE/MAX a dynamic force in real estate education and technology. The organization was one of the first real estate companies to have its own proprietary television network and one of the first in the industry to develop a site on the World Wide Web. Committed to real estate service In a business environment of mergers and acquisitions, RE/MAX is the only major real estate network still owned and directed by its founders. RE/MAX commitment to its membership has led to an ever-increasing number of accolades from the business community at large, including selection of RE/MAX as the best in the business. In its annual ranking of top franchises, Entrepreneur magazine named RE/MAX the number one real estate services franchise in 2000. On the consumer front, Worth magazine honored RE/MAX in both 1999 and 2000 with its prestigious "Readers' Choice" award as the best real estate brokerage. More than 29 Years Above the Crowd RE/MAX - now an established industry leader - will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the 2003 RE/MAX International Convention. Young in years but mature in experience, RE/MAX looks ahead to even greater development and success in its next quarter century. Community involvement is highly valued at all levels of the RE/MAX organization - from individual Associates to RE/MAX offices, regions, and RE/MAX International. RE/MAX cause marketing and charity fund raising take on many forms: Most recently, RE/MAX has become a national co-sponsor of the Breast Cancer Survivor Recognition Program at Komen Race for the Cure® events. The RE/MAX organization has been the official real estate sponsor of the Children's Miracle Network since 1992. Each year, about 20 charities host fund-raising golf tournaments at Sanctuary, the private course of RE/MAX International co-founders Dave and Gail Liniger. RE/MAX International is the first major sponsor of The Wildlife Experience, a conservation and community center promoting understanding of the natural world and its conservation through art and education. All these venues and more represent the RE/MAX network's commitment to community involvement, serving the public beyond its real estate needs. Point2 Homes Langley ©2008-2019 RE/MAX 2000	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line346
__label__cc	0.696387	0.303613	Allgemein Team DNTC 7. Dezember 2018 No Nuclear Road to Paris New report concludes nuclear power “will play no meaningful role” in averting catastrophic warming Renewable energy pathways are achievable, cost-effective @COP24: Andreas Günther, Tim Judson, Makoma Lekalakala, Günter Hermeyer, Kerstin Rudek, Sascha Gabizon VIDEO RECORDING: https://unfccc-cop24.streamworld.de/webcast/no-nuclear-road-to-paris Katowice, Poland – NEWS ADVISORY – Nuclear power is frequently promoted as a necessary solution to global warming, and a key means to achieve emissions goals. This is a major mistake, according to a new report published by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung-New York City this week. The report, “Nuclear Power and Climate Action: An Assessment for the Future” presents an industrial analysis of nuclear energy to assess its viability as a climate solution. From real and practical evidence, the report concludes that nuclear power is not a viable tool in the climate solutions toolbox, and that nuclear-free paths to phasing out greenhouse gas emissions are necessary, feasible, and cost-effective. The report evaluates the technology from all sides: the potential for building new reactors, the prospects for continuing to operate existing reactors, and the commercialization of so-called “advanced reactor designs” in the mid-century timeframe. Analysis shows that nuclear power may not be available in any meaningful capacity by 2050. Existing reactor fleets in most of the world are already reaching the end of their mechanical lives and will mostly phase out within the critical climate timeframe, and strategies to reduce gas reduction must take this into account. “Those who argue that nuclear power is necessary to reduce GHG emissions are gravely mistaken,” said author of the report Tim Judson, Executive Director of the Nuclear and Information and Resource Service. “The practical realities about nuclear energy show that it is a failed technology, which is on its way out. We have many more effective and promising tools in the climate action toolbox,” continued Judson. “We must not waste time and money on trying to preserve a role for nuclear power, and align energy policies and investments with rapidly transitioning to renewables, efficiency, and carbon-free, nuclear-free climate solutions.” With the immense threats of climate change, it is tempting to overlook other environmental hazards in the effort to address it. That is a mistake with nuclear power especially. Nuclear power has major environmental and social impacts, completely aside from those associated with climate change. With the immense threats of climate change, it is tempting to overlook other environmental hazards in the effort to address it. That is a mistake with nuclear power especially, because its environmental impacts are so severe and long-lasting and so many of them intersect with and compound impacts of global warming as well as issues of climate justice. At every stage of its production, nuclear power. From uranium mining to the production of radioactive wastes, nuclear power pollutes the environment with some of the most dangerous, long-lived contaminants in the world and places undue stress on water resources. “The pursuit of nuclear power in South Africa would have permanently locked us into complicity in putting our country as a radioactive waste zone for centuries,” said Makoma Lekalakala, Director, Earthlife Africa Johnannesburg, and 2018 awardee of the Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa. “By challenging the secret $76 billion agreement between South Africa and Rosatom, we exposed the role of corruption at the highest level of our government. The agreement would have forced South Africans to pay all the costs of a nuclear disaster, contaminated our environment and water with radioactive waste, and made electricity unaffordable for generations,” continued Lekalakala. “We have all of the clean, affordable wind and solar energy we need in South Africa, and overturning the nuclear agreement has put us back on track for a healthy, sustainable future, free of fossil fuels.” Because fossil fuels make up 86% of global energy, decarbonization will require a total transformation of energy systems in most parts of the world. Renewable energies have proven to be the most promising option—complemented by investments in energy efficiency, development of complementary technologies, and integrated reliably and resiliently. Evidence from places like Germany and California shows that nuclear power does not integrate well with renewables and phasing it out is likely to create greater opportunities to accelerate the phaseout of fossil fuels and the transformation of the energy system. “The imperatives of rapidly eliminating greenhouse gas emissions demand greater ambition in the implementation of the Paris Agreement,” said Kerstin Rudek of Bürgerinitiative Umweltschutz Lüchow-Dannenberg of Germany, on behalf of the international Don’t Nuke the Climate Coalition. “Nuclear power has proved too expensive, too slow, and too unreliable to rapidly reduce emissions, and the vast majority of reactors around the world are likely to retire before 2050. Countries must take this into account. Renewable energies have proven to be the most promising option to phase out fossil fuels and nuclear power—complemented by investments in energy efficiency, development of complementary technologies, and integrated reliably and resiliently,” continued Rudek. “A carbon-free, nuclear-free world is possible, but we can’t get there by wasting time, money, and political will on failed technologies and false solutions like nuclear power.” The report includes case studies showing that promotion of nuclear power entails significant climate opportunity costs, wasting time and financial investments that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize energy systems much more rapidly and cost-effectively. For instance, in the United States, the Summer 2 and 3 reactors were cancelled after major cost overruns and construction delays bankrupted their manufacturer, after $9 billion had already been spent. Had utilities invested in energy efficiency and renewables, the report finds, the utilities would have made substantial reductions in emissions and reduced electricity costs for their consumers. Similarly, the state of New York in the US decided in 2016 to subsidize four aging, uneconomical reactors, at a projected cost of $7.6 billion by 2029—three times as much as will be spent to achieve 50% renewable energy standard in 2030. Had New York invested in energy efficiency instead of nuclear, it could achieve greater emissions reductions in 2030, at a cost reduction of $10.6 billion. The report concludes that the primary obstacles to rapidly phasing out fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions are political, not technological or economic. In particular, deceptive interventions by corporations invested in fossil fuels and nuclear energy have engendered inertia and confused the debate by, alternately, denying the reality of global warming and by presenting false solutions. Mitigating the economic and social impacts of climate action by ensuring a just transition for workers and impacted communities is key to charting a clear vision and building and sustaining the political will to accelerate emissions reductions and the phase-out of greenhouse gas emissions. ABOUT the Don’t Nuke the Climate Coalition The Don’t Nuke the Climate Coalition is a network of anti-nuclear organisations and networks from all over the globe that work together to keep nuclear out of the climate agreements and implementation of the Paris treaty. www.dont-nuke-the-climate.org Press Release: Don't Nuke the Climate Statement on COP24 · NIRS Dezember 24, 2018 […] No Nuclear Road to Paris: New report concludes nuclear power “will play no meaningful role” in a… […] Nuclear Power Revealed as “Ambition Killer” at Global Climate Summit – Don't Nuke the Climate Dezember 25, 2018 Kommentare für diesen Beitrag sind geschlossen.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line352
__label__cc	0.505664	0.494336	Sean McKee Sean McKee is an Emmy-nominated composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has written for TV shows and Lee Abrams’ (Co-Founder of XM Radio) ahead of it’s time news channel, TouchVision, creating music representing cultures and styles from around the world to correspond with global news stories. He also worked in Hollywood, pioneering and leading development of technology for film restoration, image processing, 2D to 3D conversion, and VR, and has directed and produced numerous TV shows and music films. McKee is currently working with singer/songwriter Jon Anderson of YES fame, composing an ambitious, exotic concept double album featuring epic length songs, which is nearing completion and expected to be released in 2017.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line357
__label__wiki	0.772676	0.772676	« The University of Richmond Annual Corruption Issue, Part IV: Getting to Universal Anti-Bribery Legislation \| Main \| OECD foreign bribery report demolishes compliance myths » To find terrorism, look for graft By Richard L. Cassin \| Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 10:22AM Last year, 17,958 people were killed in terrorist attacks, 61% more than the previous year. More than 80% of all deaths from terrorist attacks occurred in five of the world's most corrupt countries -- Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria. That's according to the Global Terrorism Index produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace. A copy of the index is here (pdf). The definition of terrorism the institute uses is: “The threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political, economic, religious or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation.” The Global Terrorism Index scores 162 countries, covering 99.6% of the world’s population. "The three main factors associated with terrorism are state sponsored violence such as extra-judicial killings, group grievances, and high levels of criminality," the report said. "High levels of criminality" suggest the prevalence of corruption. The numbers support that. Here are the 20 countries that had the worst terrorism problems last year (worst is first on the list). The rank of each on Transparency International's 2014 corruption perceptions index is in parentheses. 1 Iraq (170) 2 Afghanistan (172) 3 Pakistan (126) 4 Nigeria (136) 5 Syria (159) 6 India (85) 7 Somalia (174) 8 Yemen ((161) 9 Philippines (85) 10 Thailand (85) 11 Russia (136) 12 Kenya (145) 13 Egypt (94) 14 Lebanon (136) 15 Libya (166) 16 Colombia (94) 17 Turkey (64) 18 Democratic Republic of the Congo (154) 19 Sudan (173) 20 South Sudan (171) The 20 countries have an average rank on the corruption perceptions index of 124 (the CPI ranks 175 countries). The five countries accounting for 80% of the world's terrorism -- Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria -- have an average CPI rank of 152. The Global Terrorism Index report said poverty rates, levels of schools attendance, and most economic factors have no association with terrorism. That probably means lawlessness is the key. Most terrorist attacks use explosives. Since 2000, only 5% were suicide attacks, the report said. Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here. tagged Afghanistan, Global Terrorism Index, India, Institute for Economics and Peace, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, Syria, Terrorism, Yemen \|	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line358
__label__cc	0.56458	0.43542	Article Review (1973) - Amyloid Nephropathy of Ostertag with Special Reference to Renal Glomerular Giant Cells Today's post will be my first review/summary of a journal article that is related in some way to fibrinogen amyloidosis. To make these types of posts easier to find in the future I'll be tagging them with "Article Review" and I'll also have links to them in the list of articles on the Resources page. The format of these reviews will certainly evolve over time, and some articles will need more discussion than others. Hopefully I can make them somewhat informative and not too boring. So let's get started and see what happens. Title: Amyloid Nephropathy of Ostertag with Special Reference to Renal Glomerular Giant Cells Authors: Sharon Whelan Weiss, MD and David L. Page, MD (Both from the Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA) Journal: American Journal of Pathology (1973, September) Here's a link to the PDF of this article, if you'd like to follow along: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1904021/pdf/amjpathol00253-0109.pdf This article is the oldest one I have related to fibrinogen amyloidosis, but you won't find the word "fibrinogen" anywhere in the article. So this article is part of what I would consider the history of fibrinogen amyloidosis, before the first fibrinogen mutation was identified in the early 1990s. Here is the abstract: The pathology of an unusual form of nonneuropathic familial amyloidosis is presented. The disease, occurring in two sisters, is similar to a form of familial amyloidosis described by Ostertag in 1950 and is characterized by progressive renal failure and an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Widespread vascular amyloidosis and dense renal glomerular amyloid deposits characterize the disease pathologically. Renal interstitial foam cells and glomerular giant cells were found in the kidneys of one sister. The giant cells, probably of macrophage origin, contain amyloid fibrils within poorly formed non-membrane-bounded cytoplasmic vacuoles. Transitions to well-formed membrane-bounded cytoplasmic vacuoles with nonfibrillar material were also present. It is suggested that these cells function to degrade and resorb amyloid, and that as amyloid is changed to a nonfibrillar state, well-defined membranes can form around the degraded material (Am J Pathol 72:447-460, 1973). Before jumping into the article, let's start by defining some of the terminology used in the title and in the abstract. (I'm not going to define all the medical terms here because there are many terms I still don't understand even after looking up the definition.) Autosomal Dominant: A method of inheritance where an abnormal gene from only one parent is necessary to inherit the condition. Glomerular: Having to do with the glomerulus, which is part of the cortex (outer part) of the kidney. Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is an important indicator of kidney function. Nephropathy: An abnormal state of the kidney. Ostertag: Doctor in Germany who documented familial amyloidosis affecting the kidneys in 1950. Renal: Having to do with the kidneys. The article begins with this sentence: "The familial amyloidoses are unusual forms of systemic amyloidosis and may be divided into neuropathic and nonneuropathic forms." So we know at the time this article was written (1973) that familial forms of amyloidosis had been described and divided into two categories, neuropathic (dealing with the nervous system) and nonneuropathic. But based on the earliest publication dates of the articles listed on the Mutations in Hereditary Amyloidosis web site, it looks like the first genetic mutations for familial amyloidosis were identified in the early 1980s. So although some familial forms had been described, the underlying genetic causes had not been identified. The first paragraph goes on to say two sisters presented with "an unusual form of nonneuropathic familial amyloidosis of a type reported only once before." There is a reference to an article from 1950 authored by a German doctor named Berthold Ostertag, whose name will come up again. So we're dealing with something that was quite rare in 1973, having only been reported in the medical literature once before in 1950. The article then has a paragraph with a technical description of the laboratory methods used to analyze tissue samples. Yes, Congo red staining is mentioned. Each sister's case is then described. Sister #1 The first sister was admitted to a US hospital in October of 1968 at the age of 47 for high blood pressure and persistent edema. At this hospital admission she also had proteinuria as well as very elevated creatinine and BUN levels. She was released from the hospital after two weeks, but was readmitted two months later for high blood pressure and pulmonary edema (fluid on the lungs). Her BUN level was higher and she still had proteinuria. The pulmonary edema responded to therapy, but she stopped producing urine and started peritoneal dialysis in the hospital. Despite the dialysis she continued to decline and died after just under two months in the hospital. Here is some interesting family history on this patient. Her father and her daughter both died of renal disease, and the ages of 42 and 13, respectively. (I know from reading another article that there is a rare fibrinogen mutation that can produce symptoms at a very young age.) The autopsy showed both kidneys were reduced in size, with extensive amyloid deposits (detailed in the article). Amyloid deposits were found to a lesser extent in other organs. The other sister was 52 years old in 1971. Two of her three children have normal renal function, and one child has started to exhibit proteinuria and hematuria (blood in the urine). She (sister #2) started having minimal proteinuria in 1949, proceeding to heavy proteinuria in 1952 (age ~33). 16 years later, in 1968, her creatinine and BUN levels were both elevated, and things gradually got worse over the next two years, including high blood pressure. In July of 1971 she received a kidney transplant and one of her native kidneys was removed at the same time. She died 16 days after the kidney transplant due to Klebsiella pneumonia. The autopsy findings on sister #2 were similar to those of sister #1. The article also describes in detail the findings via electron microscopy of the native kidney that was removed during the kidney transplant. Several pictures of slides are included as well. You need to be familiar with the internal structure of the kidney to fully understand that section. (I am not.) The discussion section of the article compares the case of these two sisters to the patients described by Ostertag in 1950. Ostertag reported on two brothers with similar symptoms who died in their thirties, and this article mentions that based on the involvement of members in three generations of that family it has been suggested that the mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant. The case of these two sisters is similar in terms of symptoms and probable mode of inheritance, and then the article goes into some detail on the differences between the two cases, which may or may not be significant. The last section of the article has the heading "Glomerular Giant Cells" and goes into quite a bit of detail that's way over my head. As mentioned above, I do know the glomerulus is part of the cortex (outer part) of the kidney, and "Glomerular" is the "G" in GFR. Before concluding this post I want to mention two other articles from the 1970s that I do not have, but based on their titles and abstracts they can help shed some light on where things stood with this disease at that time. They are: Title: Amyloid Nephropathy of Ostertag: Report of a kindred Journal: Birth Defects (1974) Abstract: This report describes a kindred with an unusual form of nonneuropathic familial amyloidosis. The disorder is similar to that described by Ostertag in 1950. [Based on information in other articles that refer to this one, this report discusses four patients in three generations. The authors are the same as the 1973 article being reviewed in this post, so these patients are likely from the same kindred (family).] [Update: The following article was reviewed again on 8-30-13.] Title: Familial renal amyloidosis: Case reports, literature review and classification Journal: The American Journal of Medicine (1975, July) Abstract: Three siblings (two brothers and a sister) of Polish origin, presented in late middle age with the features of the nephrotic syndrome and hypertension. Glomerular deposition of amyloid was found in all on renal biopsy. No amyloid was seen on rectal or gingival biopsy. Their mother and a maternal aunt died in middle age with a clinically similar disease. These cases are compared with other forms of hereditary amyloidosis which are briefly reviewed. The hereditary amyloidoses are classified with particular emphasis on neural and renal involvement. [Based on information in other articles that refer to this one, these siblings lived in Canada. They developed high blood pressure and kidney issues at the ages of 42, 52 and 58, and died at the ages of 49, 55 and 60.] So we now know the medical literature on hereditary amyloidosis affecting the kidneys goes back to at least 1950 with one article, and three more articles appeared in the mid 1970s. We can't say for certain whether or not any of these patients had fibrinogen amyloidosis since there are some other familial forms that primarily affect the kidneys, such as apolipoprotein A1 and A2, and lysozyme. There are similarities to fibrinogen amyloidosis, such as the glomerular involvement, but without genetic testing on these patients or their descendants there is no way to know for certain. Since genetic testing wasn't exactly right around the corner in the mid 1970s, we'll have to wait awhile for that. But for now the common symptoms and the progression of the disease are starting to be documented, and the mode of inheritance seems to be autosomal dominant. In the next article review we'll see what happens in the 1980s. Posted by David at 11:17 PM Labels: Article Review, fibrinogen amyloidosis Balloon Angioplasty Number 2 Article Review (1973) - Amyloid Nephropathy of Ost... February 2013 - Ketchup January 17 through 29, 2013 - Not enough dialysis,... January 4 through 16, 2013 - Dry buttons December 17 through December 26 - Another bloody m... December 9 through December 16, 2012 - First Fistu...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line359
__label__cc	0.532507	0.467493	Home fees How to Afford Your Tuition Fees Submitted by Guest on Sat 23/12/17 Some college students regularly donate plasma; others ride a bike to class so they don't need to pay for car insurance. There's really two main schools of thought when it comes to paying for college tuition. One entails getting accepted to school and using student loans to cover all foreseeable expenses, and then there are students who try to ensure that they don't amass debt while getting an education. There are military tuition discounts that you may get just by being enlisted and attending a certain college. If you're looking for guaranteed methods for making your college tuition a little lower, continue to read. Guest's blog Loop Hole Means Retirees on Pension Annuity Incomes get ‘Free’ University Submitted by Guest on Tue 29/01/13 A free degree may sound like a thing of the past in the UK but that is not the case for the majority of the country's retirees. Research has shown that most of Britain's retirees are eligible for student's loans that they will never have to back, and many are taking advantage of this to study for a degree in later life. Prudential Insurance group released figures showing that retirees in 2013 will have an average income of £15,300 per year from their pension annuities payments. This means the majority of retired Britons fall considerably short of the £21,000 threshold that must be exceed before student loan repayments are eligible. With no age limit on tuition fee loans, which are paid directly to the higher education institution that the student is studying at, growing numbers of retirees are choosing to go to university. There is also no requirement on whether the course is taken full time or part time. There is, however, an age limit of 60 years of age on maintenance loans, which are used to cover everyday costs of living, such as rent and food. The Changing Future for International Students in the UK Submitted by Foreign Students on Wed 30/11/11 The landscape of the UK higher education system has gone through a huge process of change over the past year and the effects this change will bring are still largely unknown. One group of students who face increasing uncertainty over their position in the system are foreign students. With international student visas becoming harder to obtain and EU students facing the same increased fees as UK students, many feel that overseas students are being marginalised. A recent study (Patterns and Trends in UK Higher Education) showed that international student numbers have increased hugely in the last decade, but as the new rules are introduced, the real question is whether this trend can continue. Increased Tuition Fees There are a number of issues to be considered when addressing this question. First of all, there is the fact that EU students, just like British students, are facing the new £9,000 a year tuition fees from 2012 onwards. This sudden tripling of the fees will inevitably make European students think twice about coming to study in the UK, especially when there is already more expense and effort involved to study outside of their own country. Foreign Students's blog Student Unrest To Spread Throughout UK After the student protest in London a few weeks ago, more student unrest is expected over the coming fortnight. Campus occupations in both Birmingham and Cambridge have caused disruptions in the last few days, and such action is expected to spread throughout the country in the lead up to the trade union strikes next week. One occupation in Cambridge has already caused higher education minister David Willetts to abandon a speech after he was heckled by an audience of more than a hundred. On Tuesday night, one activist stood up during the minister's speech and read a prepared statement. Other demonstrators repeated the statement sentence by sentence- a common technique used by Occupy activists. The statement read: Latest Student Protest Planned Submitted by Foreign Students on Tue 08/11/11 Thousands of students are expected to hit the streets of London tomorrow in the latest protest against increased tuition fees. Whilst a number of leading academics lend their support, the police are preparing for the possibility of violence. Following last year's announcement that tuition fees are to increase to a maximum of £9,000 a year from 2012, unrest has never been far from the surface. Hundreds of thousands of students have joined marches and protests, most notably in November and December last year when a number of largely peaceful protests erupted in to violence. Academics' Support After several months of little public action, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts has organised a new protest for tomorrow. Up to 10,000 students are expected to gather at the University of London Students' Union before marching to the City- London's financial district. Over 70 academics from institutions across the country have given their backing in an open letter to the Guardian newspaper, stating:	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line365
__label__wiki	0.806032	0.806032	Lawrence of Arabia (Back to title) AUTHOR: Rodney Legg Immortalised in film and his own literary masterpiece, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence remains the most enigmatic hero of the 20th century. Shunning the Prince of Mecca legend he had created, he constantly reinvented himself, by re-entering the ranks in the RAF, then the Tank Corps, and for a third stint developing high-speed launches. His cover was soon blown, inevitably, as he continued to attract headlines. His talent for 'backing into the limelight' continued to his death, which has left its own mystery with contradictory inquest evidence of the accident in which he was thrown from his motorcycle. Rodney Legg relates anecdotes and incidents that portray a colourful life through a kaleidoscope of places in which he lived. From Wales to Oxford and Dorset, from 1923, he was always on the move, both mentally and physically. Interludes range from the New Forest and Epping Forest to Plymouth Sound and Southampton Water. Illustrations draw from a remarkable contemporary archive as well as photographs of the key places across England forever associated with him. Clouds Hill on heathland at Bovington Camp is the shrine to the public Lawrence but a private Lawrence can be found in a mixture of far-flung locations. This handy, pocket-sized, hardback biography provides the ideal introduction in words and pictures to Lawrence, his life and the places where his remarkable spirit can be felt even today. Rodney Legg is a prolific author and historian who has published hundreds of country walks. Nationally he is active in the environmental movement having been chairman of the Open Spaces Society since 1989 and a member of the ruling council of the NationalTrust from 1990 until 2009. Imprint: PiXZ Books. ISBN 978 1 906887 88 9, hardback, 110x155mm, 64 pages. Published May 2010.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line369
__label__wiki	0.589709	0.589709	Every time you block Jack he grows stronger Posted by: Jack Graham 9 years ago What’s the difference between RTD and Moffat? RTD, for all that he’s an atheist, has a fundamentally religious view. I mean that, while he may not have any belief in an actual god, his basic outlook on life (at least as it finds expression in his writing) is religious in tone and is informed by religious mythology. RTD can’t think about concepts like ‘the end of the world’, or ’saving the world’, or ‘regenerating’, or any of this stuff (all very much the bread and butter of pulp fantasy fiction, which is all Who is really) without connecting it, maybe subconsciously, to religious concepts and stories. (Well, he can, but for the purposes of this theory, I’m going to pretend that he can’t. So there.) ‘Bad Wolf’/'Parting of the Ways’, ‘Gridlock’, ‘Voyage of the Damned’, ‘Sound of Drums’/'Last of the Time Lords’ and the other season finales… they’re all soaked in religious language and imagery, in Christian symbolism. And the theme of fiery judgement is never far away, nor is the idea of someone sacrificing themselves to redeem the world. Isn’t ‘The Ark in Space' supposedly his favourite classic story? No wonder. I might also mention the fact that his most Whoish work prior to Who (much more Whoish than either of those kids’ fantasy serials he wrote) was about the second coming of Christ. This isn’t unusual. Douglas Adams was another atheist sci-fi writer obsessed with religion. H.G. Wells, Olaf Stapleton, Arthur C. Clarke… in fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a half-decent sci-fi author who doesn’t spend a large amount of his time thinking and writing about religion in one form or another. Moffat, on the other hand, has no such underlying religious conception. He plays with these concepts on a technical level. He’s much more interested in playing around with plot for its own sake, twisting it around like origami. But there are some problems with this. Firstly, he doesn’t tune into the mythological/religious basis of science-fiction (which is a reiteration of mythology in the secular age of technology). Secondly, he seems to lack any real interest in evil… which is problematic because Doctor Who, like religion (and, incidentally, like Shakespeare), is absolutely obsessed with evil (and not always in a simplistic way). You might be tempted to bring up Jekyll now… but I’ll remind you that, in Moffat’s conception, even Mr Hyde turns out to be an expression of the fierceness and danger inherent in love. Consequently, his stories tend to be about malfunctions. They’re about things going wrong, usually technology. Nanogenes, automatic repair systems on spaceships, etc… but also chronology (any supposedly linear, predictable system, really)… and, when dealing with chronology, he can use that as a way of playing around with plot for its own sake. The problem with playing around with plot for its own sake is that you tend to tie yourself into narrative knots that are very hard to cut through while retaining dramatic values. For all Moffat’s supposed mastery of the time-travel jigsaw plot, the greatest instance of this kind of thing yet found in 2005+ Who is RTD’s deceptively simple trick with the tie in ‘Smith and Jones’. Not because it’s more complicated and twisty than any Moffat bit of “timey wimey” stuff (it clearly isn’t), but because it serves a purpose for both plot and characterization. The real cleverness of it lies in the punning. The Doctor ties the story into a neat little bow with his tie. He goes back to create the confusion that alerted him and Martha to each other in the hospital, simultaneously giving her proof of time travel before she’s even stepped into the TARDIS. In ‘The Big Bang’, Moffat pulls off something similar when he reveals that the peculiar sequence from ‘Flesh and Stone’ actually fits into another story. The scene has genuine dramatic power, despite being a bit of narrative trickery concealed within a time travel macguffin… though the travelling-back-through-Amy’s-timeline thing is cheating really, a bit of baseless gobbledegook, evidently just made up on the fly and inserted into the story to make it possible for the Doctor to save himself via Amy’s memories. Most of the time, however, ‘The Big Bang’ relentlessly undercuts itself with its constant mucking about with chronology. Moffat obviously intends us to be going “oooh, that’s clever!” every few minutes. The most egregious example of this is the stuff about Amelia’s drink. It serves no purpose but showing off. It is, essentially, exactly the same thing as the ‘tie trick’ in ‘Smith and Jones’ but stripped of any plot or character significance. However, it’s also probably the least damaging instance, precisely because it has no import for the plot. When, by contrast, you have vital plot points that turn out to be nothing but trickery (i.e. the future Doctor appearing and, apparently, dying), you are looking at a story that isn’t really a story but is just pretending to be. There is absolutely no reason for that sequence to be in there. There’s no reason why the Doctor couldn’t just come up with his plan and clamber into the Pandorica without first getting shot, going back in time by 12 minutes, whispering to himself and appearing to die. It’s not only gratuitous and artificially complex, it also creates a feeling of the drama being undercut. (In fact, if there’s one single factor that repeatedly neuters the dramatic values throughout the entire 2005+ show, it’s the refusal of the dead to stay dead.) Anyway, the point is that you can do a story in which time (i.e. plot) ties itself into knots and make it interesting as long as the knots are not the whole basis of the story, as long as the story is about something more than that, i.e. ‘Day of the Daleks’, ‘Smith and Jones’, even ‘Blink’ saves itself from being about nothing but sitcom characters caught in plot knots by thinking a bit about what the passage of time really means for people, how it changes them, etc. But when you have a story that, really, is about nothing but plot taken apart and then reconstituted like one of those puzzles with several equally valid solutions… The other thing that Moffat lacks is, as I said, any real interest in evil or malice. He occasionally tries (i.e. Prisoner Zero is rather nasty) but, really, his baddies are usually malfunctioning, runaway systems or predators. He even writes the Cyberman in ‘The Pandorica Opens’ as an empty, unoccupied machine still running on its old programming (i.e. as a malfunctioning, runaway system) and casts his rogues gallery of Who monsters as uniting to save the Universe! The ultimate expression of both of these tendencies (plot knots and no evil) came in ‘The Big Bang’, in which the big enemy, the Doctor’s opponent, was drum roll please just a malfunctioning, runaway plot! RTD’s season finales usually left me underwhelmed… but I can’t help thinking that they were all fundamentally more interesting than Moffat’s first effort at an end-of-season blowout, precisely because they all locked into the legendary, mythic aspect of sci-fi and concerned themselves with the Doctor struggling against galaxy-powered malice. It’s hard not to look at ‘The Big Bang’ and see nothing but a well-crafted exercise in manipulating plot, in pushing plot to the limit of its tolerances within the Who milieu. Admittedly, there are some intimations of a theme concerning the relationships between fairytales, childhood imagination, stories, history and... and something or other. But it's all rather garbled and facile. You'd be much better off just rewatching 'The Mind Robber'. Religious stories rarely make much sense, but they often resonate powerfully. Moffat’s style is more like a labyrinthine whodunit, in which the murder turns out to have just been an accident with a misifiring gun all along. You’d think that, as an atheist, I’d be unhappy with RTD’s religion-soaked stories… but at least they had some political content. You see, one reason why religious stories are so resonant is because they often have strong political themes. The better (earlier) Gospels, for all their frequent deformities and obscenities, are revolutionary tracts that offer a (for the time) radical political message. They were, after all, popular political expressions of a people subjugated by empire. Of course, the concentrated forces that have appropriated, reinterpreted and controlled these stories for centuries have done a good job of stripping them of this context and content. Whether the people running things are scammers or no, successful religions tend to find their first recruits amongst the poor and downtrodden. Religion, as Marx pointed out, is an expression of and protest against very real suffering and alienation. That’s what ‘Gridlock' is about. As well as being a reiteration of mythology, sci-fi is (and always has been) drenched in politics (how could it not, religion being a political ideology?) Look at the foundational texts of science-fiction. Frankenstein is about a scientist who plays God (he creates another man in his own image, endows him with free will and then banishes him to wander alone in a cruel and incomprehensible world) but it is also about the Age of Enlightenment, about the radical new ideas sweeping Western society, about the revolution going on in how society relates to the individual, about the role of education in forming personality, about the ideas of Rousseau, etc. H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine is a satire of the class system, with the workers oppressed for so long that they evolve into troglodytes and the idle rich devolving into helpless children, but is also highly redolent of the Garden of Eden and the serpent. The War of the Worlds is both a critique of British imperialism (casting us as the natives being conquered) and a reiteration of the Christian apocalypse. None of this need surprise us. For centuries, Christianity was the dominant social ideology in Western culture, and was part of the underlying mental grammar of just about everyone in the West. The people who rebelled against the establishment at any time almost always cast their objections in terms of religion. The fiery radical priest John Ball couched his demand for universal equality in terms of the common ancestry of all men from Adam and Eve. The Levellers and the Diggers likewise. The abolitionist movement in both Britain and America did much the same. Protestantism itself began partly as a result of disgust at the corruption and decadence of the Catholic Church, comparing it unfavourably to Christ the pauper. In our own age, it's all too easy to think of dark alliances between political rage and religious ideology... but, lest we get too Sam Harris about this, it's also possible to find alliances between progressive politics and sectors of religion. It's the sigh of the oppressed creature, and sighs can be the expression of murderous rage... or progressive outrage. Anyway. This inherent political dimension to religious storytelling could be precisely why science-fiction (as myth reiteration) is also so concerned with politics. I dunno. Ask a proper scholar and see what she thinks. (Sorry, how silly of me... any scholar of science-fiction will obviously be male.) RTD’s mental connection to this religio-mythic element in sci-fi is probably what causes his stories to be so political. For example: The Master in ‘Sound of Drums’ / ‘Last of the Time Lords’ is not just the Anti-Christ, bringing the tribulation and controlling mankind through their own original sins, he is also a Blairesque opportunist who flashes his fake smile at the TV while using the state apparatus to arrest innocent people and scheme for war. Which I dug. One last remark. There is another Who story involving a bit of timey-wimeyness and a drink. It’s called ‘Warriors’ Gate’. The Doctor walks into the cobwebby, ruined Tharil dining hall and sets right a goblet that was left on its side centuries ago. Later in the story he is taken back to the moment that the Tharils began to lose control of their empire, when they were attacked at the height of their power by the revolution they thought they could dodge forever. Disgusted by their treatment of their slaves, the Doctor pours wine into the very same goblet (but centuries before he first saw and righted it) until … well, until the Tharil’s cup runneth over… and then knocks it over in a gesture of splendid, ironic contempt for their decadence; decadence built on the suffering, servitude, abuse and unrequited labour of those the Tharils call “only people”. It is an amazing moment. It unites plot, theme, myth and politics. It brings home to you the tangled and circular nature of time at the gateway. It connects the past, present and future… but it does this not only in terms of the temporal shenanigans that form the conceptual heart of the story, but also in terms of the story’s political message about the temporary and fragile and brittle nature of all power built on the cruel usage of others. Both RTD and Moffat have done excellent work but… well, they don’t write stories like that any more. sci-fi, steven moffat, timey wimey, rtd, ← The Megropolis 1 Budget - at a glance: Law & Order: Special Sarcasm Unit →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line370
__label__wiki	0.574488	0.574488	Mercedes-Benz Announces Global Partnership with Roger Federer 9:36 PM PST - 6/12/2010 Written By: Mercedes-Benz USA The multiyear deal will cover the use of his image, personal appearances and product placement in a partnership that makes Roger Federer the latest Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador. The agreement coincides with the start of the Mercedes-Benz sponsorship of the US Tennis Open Championship, beginning in August. Since the beginning of 2008, Federer has served as an ambassador for Mercedes-Benz China. Mercedes-Benz has used tennis as a marketing platform for more than 15 years and this partnership looks to extend the brands visibility throughout the sport. "I am delighted that we are adding Roger Federer to the Mercedes-Benz family of sports and celebrity ambassadors on a global level. When it comes to tennis, he is without doubt one of the greatest of all time and he truly has become a global icon..," said Stephen Cannon, Vice President Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. "We are looking forward to working with Roger on a number of initiatives. Much like our own brand, Roger has an impressive and unrivalled history but the best is still yet to come," he added. About Mercedes-Benz USA Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse line-up in the luxury segment with 12 model lines ranging from the sporty C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedans and CL coupes. MBUSA is also responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans in the US. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.mbsprinterusa.com More Mercedes Benz CLS- Class Production Facilities Black Crystal Larte Design customized 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Larte Design U.S. market with the introduction of a specially-tuned performance package for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL... Concept S-Class Coupé provides a clear vision of the future Traditionally the top of the Mercedes-Benz product range is occupied by the grand coupé. The Concept S-Class Coupé provides a clear vision of the next model generation at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt: ... Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Black Series Black Series – a name that resonates with automobile experts and enthusiasts. Following on from the SLK 55 AMG Black Series from 2006, the CLK 63 AMG Black Series (2007), the SL 65 AMG Black Series (2008) and the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series (2011), the fifth exponent sees the Black Series entering a...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line372
__label__wiki	0.771506	0.771506	Celebrating Women in Science, Exploration, Adventure and Conservation February 1 - 28, 2019 February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants is celebrating by once again kicking all the men out and hosting amazing women is science, exploration, adventure and exploration. Grab a camera spot in an event for your classrooms or tune in live for any event on YouTube. The Google Hangouts: Emily Calandrelli \| Author and TV Host Camera spots available: 0 Emily is a MIT engineer turned science communicator. She's a host & producer of FOX's Xploration Outer Space, correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World, and author of STEM book series The Ada Lace Adventures. In addition to writing, Emily is a professional speaker and gives talks on the topics of space exploration, scientific literacy and equality. Emily is wildly passionate about space exploration. Through her show, she wants to prove that the space industry is more exciting today than ever before in history. She wants to inspire more females to pursue STEM careers. She believes most young students, especially women and minorities, don't realize how many amazing, creative, and often free opportunities exist for students who pursue STEM majors. Jill Brooks \| Shark Biologist After graduating with a marine biology degree from the University of Bangor in the UK in 2006, Jill took an internship at the Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas. She worked her way to becoming manager of the field station, where she tagged and tracked a variety of shark species, recruited and trained interns, and continues to working with a coastal shark telemetry project on the coast of Florida. She's now a PhD candidate in the Cooke Lab at Carleton University. Explorer Classroom \| Adjany Costa Adjany is a conservationist and ichthyologist working to protect the wildlife and wild spaces of the Okavango River basin from its headwaters in Angola all the way to its delta in Botswana. She currently serves as the assistant director of the Okavango Wilderness Project, an interdisciplinary collaboration between local African researchers and experts, and their international colleagues. Together, they are surveying the area to record its extraordinary biodiversity and collect information on the health of the waters, joining with National Geographic filmmakers, photographers, and writers to document the sights, sounds and progress along the way. Jill Heinerth \| Cave Diver Jill is a world class cave diver and water advocate, join her as she shares diving and water stories from across the country. From the Arctic to the Pacific, Atlantic and Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada actually has four coastlines. Canada’s water geography includes over 200,000 kilometers of coastline, more than any other country in the world. 8 percent of our territory is covered by lakes – more lake area than any other country in the world. We possess 9 percent of the world’s renewable fresh water, yet only half a percent of the global population. It means that there is a lot to explore and experience both above and below the waterline. From sea lions on the west coast to WWII wrecks in the east. From the sea ice of the Northwest Passage to 200-year-old wooden wrecks in the Great Lakes. Learn more at www.UnderwaterCanada.ca. Abigail Fraeman \| NASA Research Scientist Dr. Abigail Fraeman is a research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. She studies rocky bodies across our solar system using orbiting satellites and planetary rovers. Abigail is a member of the Curiosity Mars rover and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter science teams, and is also the deputy project scientist of the Opportunity Mars rover. Tara Keir \| Photographer With her 2019 National Geographic Society grant, Tara, a geographer and photo journalist, is planning to capture the current media narrative representing the rhino poaching crisis as a “war on poaching” with a “war on poachers.” We always hear about the demand for rhino horn and the resulting conflict between anti-poaching units and poachers as a “battle” for rhino, however this narrative overlooks the underlying reason individuals are poaching: to secure livelihood. She will profile individuals on five game reserves within Greater Kruger, South Africa who are identified as “potential informants” to poaching syndicates. And she will create a multi-media portrait art series expanding on the reach of the initial photography series. Virtual Field Trip to Snolab SNOLAB is a world-class science facility located deep underground in the operational Vale Creighton nickel mine, near Sudbury, Ontario in Canada. The combination of great depth and cleanliness that SNOLAB affords allows extremely rare interactions and weak processes to be studied. The science programme at SNOLAB is currently focussed on sub-atomic physics, largely neutrino and dark matter. At 2km, SNOLAB is the deepest clean room facility in the world. Dr. Erica Caden completed her PhD at Drexel University working on the Double Chooz neutrino experiment. As a research scientist, Erica is involved in the neutrino projects at SNOLAB (SNO+ & HALO) as well as science education and outreach activities. For SNO+, she is the detector manager responsible for keeping the experiment running smoothly day to day. Ellen Stofan \| John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Dr. Ellen Stofan has more than 25 years of experience in space administration and planetary science. Before becoming director at the National Air and Space Museum, she was previously Chief Scientist at NASA, serving as the principal advisor to the Administrator on science programs and strategic planning. She held senior scientist positions at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including work on missions exploring Venus, Earth, Mars, and Saturn. She served as chief scientist for the New Millennium Program, and principle investigator on the proposed Titan Mare Explorer. Explorer Classroom \| Lauren Eckert Lauren is a conservation ecologist, adventure enthusiast, and storyteller. An undergraduate career with ecological field experiences around the globe and exposure to the wisdom of local and indigenous communities motivated her to delve into interdisciplinary conservation in ethnoecology, which values local and traditional knowledge systems alongside empirical scientific studies for successful and inclusive conservation. She worked collaboratively with Coastal First Nations to bolster local marine conservation strategies and understand the changes to groundfish populations over the last century in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, Canada. She is a 2015 National Geographic Young Explorer grantee and is part of the 2017 Young Explorer Leadership and Development Program. Diva Amon \| Deep-sea Biologist Diva is a Trinidadian deep-sea biologist who studies what lives in our world's deep oceans, and how we, humans, are impacting it. She is currently undertaking a two-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie research fellowship at the Natural History Museum in London, UK. In 2013, she completed her PhD at the University of Southampton, UK, after which, she spent three years at the University of Hawai’i, USA, researching the largely unknown abyssal fauna of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, an area targeted for deep-sea mining in the Pacific Ocean. Throughout her career, Diva has participated in deep-sea expeditions around the world, exploring and studying previously unknown habitats. She has done a considerable amount of science communication and public engagement, with her work featured on CNN International, National Geographic, BBC World and more. Diva is also a co-founder of the non-profit NGO, SpeSeas, dedicated to marine science, education and advocacy in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. You can find her on Twitter (@DivaAmon) or visit her website (https://divaamon.com/). Sarah Bailey \| Research Scientist Sarah is a Research Scientist with The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, whose work aims to reduce the global transfer of aquatic invasive species. Sarah’s research is focused on big cargo ships, which can move aquatic plants and animals to ports and harbours around the world in their ballast water or on the underwater surfaces of the ship hull. Sarah collects samples of ballast water and biofouling to measure how many live plants and animals are being moved by ships and to test different treatment methods. Sarah has travelled across Canada to complete her research, sailing up the North American Great Lakes, and from Africa to Europe, and to the Canadian Arctic. Her findings are used to make rules that reduce the environmental impact of international shipping activities. Alysa McCall \| Conservation Scientist Alysa is a conservation biologist specializing in polar bears; she is based out of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada but spends every fall and part of every summer in Churchill, Manitoba, sometimes called the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Alysa has been studying Canadian polar bears for seven years, focusing largely on the western Hudson Bay subpopulation, one of the first to show impacts of climate change. She currently works for Polar Bears International, supporting research and directing conservation outreach programs, all with a mission to protect the polar bear and its sea ice home for future generations. Alysa loves speaking to people across the world about polar bears and their unique lifestyle, and is passionate about helping students feel empowered to take action on climate change. Explorer Classroom \| Jenny Adler Jenny is a conservation photographer, cave diver, and National Geographic Explorer. Her work as a photographer is informed by her scientific background, and she uses her imagery to communicate science and conservation. After earning a degree in marine biology at Brown University, she worked as a biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey and got her Ph.D. in interdisciplinary ecology from the University of Florida. She specializes in underwater photography, photojournalism, and science communication. Jenny is a freelance photographer represented by National Geographic Image Collection. Explorer Classroom \| Sarah Pope Sarah's research explores how familiar solution strategies block better ones from being adopted. Sarah received her Doctorat en Psychologie from Aix-Marseille University in France and her PhD in Neuroscience from Georgia State University in the United States. Sarah has worked with chimpanzees for seven years, as well as several other nonhuman primate species including baboons and bonobos. Recently, Sarah assessed baboons' and chimpanzees' responses to a touchscreen task, which measured their abilities to replace a familiar solution strategy with a more creative one. After receiving funding from the National Geographic Society, Sarah recently investigated cross-cultural differences in problem-solving approach between Westerners and the semi-nomadic Himba of northern Namibia. Amanda Cotton \| Underwater Photographer Amanda is a professional photographer specializing in underwater imagery. As an avid scuba diver and ocean enthusiast, her goal is to help the general public embrace the beauty below the waves, in hopes that with awareness comes concern. She has received numerous awards for her photography including several from the International Photographers Awards (IPA), Celebrate The Sea, Underwater Photography Annual Awards, and many others. Her imagery has been published in major publications and news sources worldwide including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, Smithsonian Magazine, Times Publishing, CNN, Scuba Diving Magazine, Sport Diver Magazine, Natural History Magazine, Earthweek, and Science Daily; as well as many international dive industry advertising campaigns. Erin McConnell \| Research Scientist Erin is currently a postdoctoral fellow under the supervision of Prof. Yingfu Li at McMaster University. Her research uses nanoscale technology to solve real world problems. Erin uses a special kind of DNA, the molecule we think of as the containing the “genetic code” to make up our bodies to build tiny technology. She has made sensors and therapeutics for applications ranging from agriculture to human disease. Recently, she was awarded the NSERC and L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science 2018 Supplement, which recognizes research promise, mentorship, and outreach. Erin has been actively involved in science outreach and mentorship for over 10 years. She has also been involved with Girl Guides of Canada for over 25 years. In her spare time, Erin has taken and taught traditional Canadian step dancing, and traditional Celtic (Scottish and Irish) dance. Explorer Classroom \| Ami Vitale Photographer Ami Vitale has traveled to more than 100 countries, bearing witness not only to violence and conflict, but also to surreal beauty and the enduring power of the human spirit. Throughout the years, Ami has lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned a panda suit— keeping true to her belief in the importance of “living the story.” In 2009, after shooting a powerful story on the transport and release of one the world’s last white rhinos, Ami shifted her focus to today’s most compelling wildlife and environmental stories. Her photographs have been commissioned by nearly every international publication and exhibited around the world in museums and galleries. She has been named Magazine photographer of the year in the International Photographer of the Year prize, received the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Reporting and named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographer’s Association, among others. Sonia Rowley \| Research Scientist Dr. Sonia J. Rowley is a research scientist at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), and Applied Research Laboratory (ARL). Sonia has been diving around the globe for 35 years, starting at a young age due to her parents operating the MV Maureen diving vessel in the UK. Her research is focused on the evolutionary relationships within and between the gorgonian (sea fan) coral holobiont and its environment. In 2016, Sonia received the prestigious Sir David Attenborough Award for her field and exploratory research to depths of >150-m/500 ft. using closed circuit rebreather (CCR) technology. She seeks to understand the biological success of gorgonian corals, in particular to their dominance at mesophotic and deeper ocean depths. Join Sonia as she guides us through her research, exploring how researching by the seat of your pants can often be the most rewarding. Tori Linder \| Path of the Panther Tori Linder is the Director of Path of the Panther, an ambitious storytelling effort identifying the land protection and wildlife crossings needed to keep the Everglades connected to North America and save a future for the Florida Panther. She first got mud on her boots (field experience) in Africa. She worked with local governments, indigenous communities and the private sector on a social enterprise model that provided communities benefits for their conservation efforts. From tagging lions and commuting in bush planes to exploring new cultures, it was a fantastic adventure. But Florida kept calling her back. Home needed help, too. Now, Tori is working with colleagues to tell the story of the Florida panther and in turn promote conservation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Whether she’s in murky swamp water or standing a swarm of mosquitos (sometimes both,) Tori’s spreading the word: it’s good for us (you know, humans) to take care of our home. Imogene Cancellare \| Wildlife Biologist Imogene Cancellare is a wildlife biologist and landscape geneticist researching rare and elusive species. She combines field and laboratory techniques to understand carnivore population genetic structure, evolutionary history, and the relationship animals have with the landscape. She has studied wildlife all over the United States, from bears to fishers to newts, and is currently researching range-wide snow leopard genetics for her PhD at the University of Delaware. Imogene uses social media to talk about cool wildlife (which is all of it!) and to help others learn about being successful in careers in wildlife conservation. Outside of her work, she enjoys finding salamanders, taco trucks and coffee shops, and petting dogs. Explorer Classroom \| Andrea Marshall Andrea was the first to complete a PhD on manta rays. She stayed on in Mozambique to spearhead the conservation efforts of these animals along this remote coastline. During this time she co-founded the Marine Megafauna Foundation, an organization dedicated to saving our ocean giants from extinction. As a conservation biologist and principal researcher at MMF, her team focuses predominately on questions related to the effective management and conservation of threatened marine animals. Andrea campaigns globally for the protection of marine giants from whale sharks to manta rays, using her scientific background to formulate plans for their management. Aside from dramatically increasing the level of knowledge on manta rays themselves, Andrea’s discovery of a new giant species of manta ray in 2009 was one of the largest new species to have been described in the last few decades. Mae Dorricott \| Marine Biologist Mae is a young ocean enthusiast and was the 2017 European Our World Underwater Scholarship Society's Rolex Scholar. With an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology and currently studying a Masters in Science communication she was able to embark on a year of world-wide travel, all to do with scuba diving and the oceans! The scholarship enhanced her passion for the seas exposing her to new ways of exploring this environment as well as learning alongside world leaders in marine biology, underwater photography and science communication. Yes, she was able to see some of the most wonderful marine life that many would dream of seeing, but she also saw the many threats facing the oceans. Callie Broaddus \| Photographer and Writer Callie Broaddus is a senior designer at National Geographic Kids, where she has designed and art directed over 100 books on a wide range of topics, including science, space, baby animals, snow leopards, trash, and beyond. She is a member of the Rainforest Trust Council and sits on the board of directors of the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy. As a freelance journalist and photographer, she has covered topics spanning education in the Marshall Islands and rhino conservation in Botswana to local solar legislation and the craft beer boom. She is a dedicated conservationist, and believes that youth empowerment through environmental education is key to fighting the climate and biodiversity crises. Explorer Classroom \| Anusha Shankar Anusha is a National Geographic Explorer and Young Leader, a Lewis and Clark Field Scholar and and a recent PhD graduate from the Graham lab at Stony Brook University, New York. She is broadly interested in how animals manage their energetic needs and studied how hummingbirds budget their energy across a number of field sites in Arizona and Ecuador, especially fascinated by hummingbirds’ strategy of entering a torpid state at night to save energy. She's starting an exciting postdoctoral position at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks to study ground squirrels that hibernate for 9 months of the year and other cool mammals! Gemina Garland-Lewis \| Photographer and Eco-Health Researcher Gemina is a National Geographic Young Explorer Grantee, whose most recent work focused on documenting the stories and images of the last living former whalers in these Azores. Gemina is a photographer, biologist, and explorer with a background in conservation biology, global health, and documentary storytelling, with experience in 29 countries across six continents. Both her research and photography explore the myriad connections between humans, animals, and their shared environments. Past projects include community health and mountain gorilla conservation in East Africa, photoethnographies of the the last living Azorean whalers, ocean microplastics collection, and research on the occupational health of wildlife disease surveillance workers, among others. Danni Washington \| Marine Biologist Miami native with Jamaican roots, Danni is deeply passionate about our oceans and science communications. She dreamed of studying the oceans since she was six years old. At age 21, she co-founded along with her mom, the Big Blue & You - a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and educating youth about marine conservation through the arts and media. For three years, Danni served as an on-camera personality and science filmmaker with Untamed Science and Ocean GEMS. Danni is working as the host of a brand new STEM educational TV Series which features the latest advancements in bio-inspired technology and design called Xploration Nature Knows Best and co-created and produced a new initiative called Sea Youth Rise Up, which is a collaborative effort to elevate the role of youth leadership in ocean conservation policy and advocacy on World Oceans Day. RV Falkor \| Manzanillo, Mexico Join Dr. Samantha Joye and her multi-national team as they explore the biology, geology, chemistry, and microbiology of deep-sea sites in the Gulf of California! This is a very young ocean undergoing changes such as active seafloor spreading, early rifting, and large-scale hydrothermal activity; making it an important site for advancing our understanding of deep ocean hydrothermal ecosystems. Using the ROV SuBastian they'll be diving deep to check out the hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor and the unique marine life that calls these extreme habitats home. This is exciting exploration as the area is largely unmapped and much of the marine life is unknown! Explorer Classroom \| Jess Cramp 2015 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Jessica Cramp is a shark researcher and marine conservationist who is passionate about stopping the over-exploitation of sharks and the degradation of our oceans. She spent time volunteering for a number of marine-related projects in Central America before settling in the Pacific in 2011, furthering her interest in community-based conservation and fisheries. She lives in the Cook Islands where she managed locally-based Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI), where she co-championed a grassroots campaign that rallied overwhelming community and international support that resulted in the 772,204 square mile Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary. She also works for part-time for Oceans 5, which is focused on the creation of marine reserves and reducing illegal fishing, and is the Founder of Sharks Pacific, a non-profit dedicated to shark research, outreach, education and advocacy. Explorer Classroom \| Dalal Hanna Ecologist Dalal Hanna is passionate about helping to solve environmental challenges to foster a more equitable and sustainable future. Currently, she is completing her Ph.D. at McGill University in Canada. She focuses on the diverse ways rivers contribute to human well-being and she aims to use her findings to inform river conservation policy. She has also published research on how anthropogenic noise affects bird song, and on mercury contamination in African freshwater fish. Sharing scientific knowledge is another one of Hanna’s great passions. She is also part of an urban beekeeping collective in Montreal that invites community members to visit hives and learn about pollinators. Dalal is a 2013 National Geographic Young Explorer grantee and is part of the 2017 Young Explorer Leadership and Development Program. Holly O'Donnell \| Zoologist Holly joined WildCRU in 2017 and has been working on an internship for Dr Andrew Loveridge, processing camera trap images of spotted and brown hyaena from the Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme. Her field background is in South America. First in Paraguay with small mammals where she spent seven months looking at population dynamics of mouse opossums in Atlantic forest. She then spent two years working for an NGO in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon, which has been recognised as the most biodiverse area on the planet. She led daily line transect surveys and deployed camera traps for rapid assessment surveys and baseline data collection of medium and large mammals in previously unstudied and remote areas. I learned to track large mammals and spent considerable time observing primates. This summer she took part in an exciting research expedition searching for giant anacondas. Parshati Patel \| Astrophysicist and Science Communicator Dr. Parshati Patel is an astrophysicist and a science communicator. She received her Hons. B.Sc. in Physics and Astronomy from University of Toronto, and M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Astronomy and Planetary Science & Exploration from Western University. Dr. Patel investigates disks around young, massive stars. These stars are more massive than our Sun and are very young i.e. just starting to form a star. As the disks of dust and gas around these stars are a hub for formation of planets, studying these disks help us understand about the planet formation process among variety of stars. During her graduate studies, she realized her passion for science communication and public engagement while working in various astronomy and planetary science outreach programs. She currently works as an Outreach Program Coordinator at the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration at Western University. Jessica Sandoval \| ROV Pilot and Biomimicry Jessica is an avid explorer, biology-enthusiast, and engineer who is passionate about exploring the oceans. For part of the year, she work as a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilot on adventures to the deep sea sampling and learning from the incredible biology and geology of the sea floor. When she's not on the ocean, Jessica is working towards completing her doctorate degree in the field of biomimetics and biomechanics at the University of California, San Diego. Her research includes taking inspiration from fish to design underwater adhesion mechanisms to apply to underwater robotics. This research allows her to combine her passions for biology and engineering to create novel and exciting technologies. Hangout Sign Up	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line374
__label__wiki	0.506672	0.506672	MARINE DRIVE PROJECT TAKES OFF―150,000 JOBS TO BE CREATED President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, last Friday, cut the sod for the construction of a US $1.2 billion Marine Drive Tourism and Investment Project in Accra. The Marine Drive Project, from its construction to the operational stage, is expected to employ some 150,000 people, especially those within the catchment area, boost tourism and increase economic growth. The 10-year project, a Public-Private Partnership, is situated on a total of 248 acres of land. Delivering the keynote address at the sod cutting ceremony, President Akufo-Addo noted that the project had been 60 years in the making and that he was happy that in spite of the many unsuccessful efforts made in the past, it had finally taken off. The President expressed appreciation to all who had, in diverse ways, helped to ensure that the Marine Drive Tourism Enclave became reality, while expressing the hope that the project would be completed on time, that is, within the stipulated construction period. Recounting the pledge in the run-up to the December 2016 elections to develop tourist sites to bring them to world class standards, complete with the requisite amenities if the New Patriotic Party won the elections, President Akufo-Addo said the cutting of the sod for the construction of the Marine Drive Tourism Investment Project was the beginning of the realization of this pledge. The President said many countries all over the world, particularly Ghana's neighbours in West Africa, had made good use of their beachfronts and, as a result, raked in considerable revenue for the development of their communities and countries. He said his administration would replicate Ghana’s neighbours, adding that the architects and planners had ensured that the interests of the public had been factored into the design with a network of well-connected, multi-use public spaces that fitted with the surrounding communities. “The architects, Messrs David Adjaye and Associates, featuring the renowned, world-acclaimed Ghanaian architect, Sir David Adjaye, have also included in this project, a Theme Park, in honour of the founding fathers of our nation, the legendary ‘Big Six’,” he disclosed. “This Park,” the President explained, “will be a monument that will celebrate their contribution towards the liberation of our country from colonialism and foreign domination.” Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line376
__label__wiki	0.808806	0.808806	Internationally recognized veteran broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, and investigative journalist Alex Jones has been featured as a prominent figure of the 9/11 Truth Movement in such publications asThe New York Times, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone Magazine and Popular Mechanics. He has appeared on Good Morning America, The View, 20/20 Downtown, 60 Minutes, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, Fox News, CNN, TalkSport (UK), Russia Today, Channel 4 (UK), A&E, America’s most widely listened to late night radio show, Coast to Coast AM, C-Span, and many other venues. Patrick Beech of the Austin-American Statesman has described Jones as “an absolutely riveting television presence.” A 2011 Rolling Stone article described Jones as “a giant in America’s conspiracy subculture,” with a subsequent in-depth profile adding that he made Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, “sound like tea-sipping NPR hosts on Zoloft.” Many have attributed Jones’ success to him being at the innovative forefront of viral media, a process that began right at the start of his documentary film career with Jones encouraging viewers to make copies of his work to increase distribution and get the word out. “When the history is written of talk broadcasting’s transition from the corporate model of the 20th century to the digital, independent model of the 21st century, he will be considered an early trailblazer.” Jones’ mission is to re-ignite the spirit of 1776 and stand as an example of the fact that one man can build a vocal media platform without the aid of big corporate news networks that only serve to compromise and dilute the core message of freedom and liberty. Jones began his career in Austin, Texas, with a live, call-in format cable access television program. In 1996, he hosted a show dubbed The Final Edition on KJFK, and the following year he debuted his first documentary, America Destroyed By Design. In 1999, he tied with Shannon Burke of KJFK 98.9FM for that year’s “Best Austin Talk Radio Host” poll as voted by The Austin Chronicle readers. Immigration and Our Borders Exposing the Progressives in Government The Progressive Force and the Destruction of the America We Know “Alex Jones is a model for people to create their own media,” --Michael Harrison, editor of the industry trade magazine Talkers Current Events & Media	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line382
__label__wiki	0.89237	0.89237	Home Technology Sources: SoftBank is in talks with investors to add as much as $15B to its Vision Fund, which has invested more than $70B in tech companies in about two years (Bloomberg) Sources: SoftBank is in talks with investors to add as much as $15B to its Vision Fund, which has invested more than $70B in tech companies in about two years (Bloomberg) Bloomberg: Sources: SoftBank is in talks with investors to add as much as $15B to its Vision Fund, which has invested more than $70B in tech companies in about two years — - Vision Fund is considering a variety of ways to raise capital — It's also in preliminary talks for a second Vision Fund	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line387
__label__wiki	0.95407	0.95407	Home Storage Sony Finally Embraces SD Storage Sony Finally Embraces SD Storage By Andy Patrizio \| January 07, 2010 On a relative scale, the news isn't earth-shattering. But in its own way, Sony's announcement today that it will support SD/SDHC and MicroSD cards is indeed big news, given the firm's track record. Sony has for decades marched to its own drummer, and more often than not, failed spectacularly due to one screw up or another. It had the technologically-superior Betamax format but its licensing policies were a huge turn-off and all of the consumer electronics firms went for the inferior VHS. It came out with the MiniDisc in the early 1990s, a potential replacement for Compact Disc if it wasn't for the fact Sony charged almost $20 for blanks. Later in the decade, the industry consortium around DVD came out with a rewritable format called DVD-RW, but Sony insisted on its own format, called DVD+RW, splitting the market. Blu-ray DVD was a rare victory. Once again Sony had the superior technology to HD-DVD but this time it got the industry support it failed to garner with Betamax and Toshiba could not handle the war of attrition. It's been the same in removable storage for consumer devices. While virtually every other consumer electronics maker supported the Secure Digital (SD) card format developed by Toshiba, Panasonic and SanDisk Sony has stuck with its Memory Stick format. It's pricer than SD, not open and not usable outside of Sony products. But today at the Consumer Electronics Show, Sony announced five new SD/SDHC (SD High Capacity) memory cards for digital imaging products, and three new microSD/microSDHC memory cards for mobile phones. All but one are Class 4 cards, which supports up to 4MB/sec transfer rates, making them suitable for high definition recording. "The new cards will complement Sony's existing Memory Stick line, satisfying the needs of a broader range of users, and strengthening Sony's position as a full line media supplier," said Shane Higby, director of the consumer media business at Sony Electronics, in a statement. The full line of SD/SDHC and microSD/microSDHC memory cards will ship this month at prices ranging from $14.99 for the 2GB SD card to $159 for the 32GB SDHC card. It's about time, said Rob Enderle, president of Enderle Group. "The fact Sony is now embracing SD means they are finally stepping back to reality to say it isn't worth the money to disadvantage our own products because we want to support our own standard. They should bite the bullet and accept the inevitable," he told InternetNews.com.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line390
__label__wiki	0.758925	0.758925	Age of Laveraneus On Wednesday, the New York Jets released wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who has spent seven of his nine NFL seasons as one of the Jets go-to receivers. In 105 games with the Jets, 74 as a starter, Coles has 459 receptions (fourth all-time on Jets), 5,941 yards (fifth) and 37 touchdowns (tied fifth). He is one of only two Jets receivers to catch over 90 passes in one season (91 in 2006, Al Toon was the other with 93 in 1988). Any conversation about the Jets best receivers of all time has to include Coles. He fell to the third round of the 2000 draft after being kicked off the Florida State football team due to multiple off-field issues. Joining a rookie class that included Chad Pennington, Sean Ellis, John Abraham, and Anthony Becht (all-first rounder picks) Coles was the 13th receiver taken in the draft, with only Plaxico Burress (eighth overall) having a better career (well, that can be argued now since Plaxico’s November incident). But the one hang-up between player and organization has been about the contract. It’s why Coles left for a two-year sabbatical in Washington, D.C. (as part of a four player Jets exodus to the Redskins) after they offered him a long-term contract, only to be swapped for Santana Moss two seasons later, a trade that would be mutually beneficial. Coles always had a great relationship with Pennington, and was probably the player in the Jets locker room most upset by his release to make room for Brett Favre. That was pretty much a warning sign for his release, as the Jets made it clear they were looking for something different out of the passing game than the Pennington-Coles combo. Coles was never flashy and was never a true deep threat, but he was consistent and a hard worker who always seemed to be underappreciated as a Jet. Fans and pundits alike have been clamoring for improvements in the receiving game, and now we will at least get something different. After watching Larry Fitzgerald dominate for the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs and Santonio Holmes lead the Pittsburgh Steelers on the last drive to win the Super Bowl, everyone wants a new wide receiver to lead them to glory. Expect many bidding wars for Coles, T.J. Housmandzadeh, Drew Bennett, Marvin Harrison, Devery Henderson, and lesser-known receiver like Jabar Gaffney, Amani Toomer, Mark Clayton, Michael Clayton, Miles Austin, and Nate Washington, just to name a few of the free agents. But all of the aforementioned receivers could wind up costing more than they are worth, and none are really a number one receiver. For the Jets, the best route for a receiver will likely be the draft (while they find a pass rusher via free agency) with a rather deep draft class for receivers in 2009 to keep the receiving corps young and relatively cheap. At number 17, top-rated receiver Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech won’t fall even with his ankle injury, so unless the Jets are willing to pay a hefty price to move up, you can forget about him. Two players the Jets will likely look at are Jeremy Maclin of Missouri and Percy Harvin of Florida. Neither one is very tall (Maclin is 6-1 while Harvin is 5-11) but both put up respectable 40-speeds at the Combine (4.46 for Maclin, 4.41 for Harvin) and have been part of spectacular offenses the past few seasons in college. Maclin caught balls from Heisman Trophy nominated quarterback Chase Daniel and Harvin was a main weapon as a pass catcher and rusher for Heisman winner Tim Tebow’s offense. In 2008, Maclin caught 82 passes for 1,260 yards and 13 scores, while Harvin had 40 catches for 644 yards and seven scores while rushing for 659 yards and 10 scores. Maclin would be a better fit for the Jets (Harvin seems like a carbon copy of Leon Washington, which may not be a bad thing to have) to team up with Jerricho Cotchery and youngsters David Clowney and Chansi Stuckey to be a formidable receiving corps along with Dustin Keller at tight end and Washington and Thomas Jones out of the backfield. There is a slight chance Coles comes back for his third tour with the Jets. If he doesn’t get the long-term, high-paying contract on the free-agent market and the Jets don’t find anyone to their liking, a reunion could happen a few months down the road. Keeping Coles and a drafting Maclin would have the Jets set at receiver for years to come. Free agency starts just a few hours from now (about nine hours after this will be posted) as we sit back and watch how the 2009 New York Jets take shape.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line391
__label__wiki	0.564022	0.564022	THE STATIC HERD by Beth Steidle by Matt Pieknik If you’re looking for proof that language naturally carries the mineral ore of poetry within it, turn to Beth Steidle‘s The Static Herd (Calamari Press). Steidle’s new book is prefaced by the etymology of “deer,” a gradual “change in sound and appearance” that possesses such an effortless and effective resonance it’s worth reproducing in full: From Old English deor ‘animal, beast, any sort of wild creature.’ From Proto-Germanic deuzam, ‘animal’ (as opposed to man), and dheusom, ‘creature that breathes.’ Related to Lithuanian dusti (to gasp, to sigh), Lithuanian, dvesti (to exhale, to perish), Russian dusa (breath, spirit), Russian dvochat (to cough), Sanskrit dhvaṁsati (he falls to dust). In the history of the word there is not only a metamorphosis from beast to human, but also a declension, measured in breath, from vigor to the final exhalation. The descent seems too quick, but the deer is a paradoxical creature, both virile stag and vulnerable prey, an emblem of power in one moment, and in the next, a reminder of mortal weakness. Little wonder that Steidle finds valuable raw material in the etymology of the word, and also chooses the animal as the emblem for her meditation on the fall of the patriarch. Fathers have been dying since the beginning; but when it happens to you it is the first, last, and only time it will ever occur. Consequently, it is particular, and as an event, fleeting. Steidle’s father died of cancer last year and the The Static Herd is a condensed record of his last six years, from the cancer’s first detection onward, that works like the quieting solution added to microscope slides in order to slow down protozoans. Under her gaze, the impulses of emotion and memory, which work in an intense but temporary way at such times, are halted long enough to be perceived and analyzed. What results is an examination of the final decline, or more properly, of its duration, as experienced by both parent and child. “The modern death is a process of extension, bred like the long bellies of useless dogs. Of great lengths and infinite strings,” she writes. It lasts a long time, but still needs to be slowed down in order to be processed. Given its territory, The Static Herd could be a lament or a record of a grief observed. But Steidle is not only curious, she’s also hospitable to darkness. “We asked the darkness if it had eaten. We said to the darkness, goodnight ladies and gentlemen.” Consequently, she has produced something altogether more interesting: an elegy that is also an inquiry into how language and images formalize our apprehension of mortality and our understanding of death. Like the deer, it is a paradoxical creature: solemn but humorous, painful but pleasant, and despite its moribund subject, pulsing with vitality. The book is a hybrid of medical examination records and personal recollections resembling a formal report, with text categorized under a series of labels: history, findings, impressions, technique, procedure in detail, operative note, course (of treatment). Spaced throughout are a series of drawings by the author, depicting a deer in decline, as well as an unsettling set of CT scans. Objective findings exist in tension with their subjective counterparts. “There is partial effacement of the sylvian fissure on the left at the level of the basal cisterns. There is mass effect. The appearance is concerning. The sylvian fissure cleaves the world in two. Memories of birth swirl at the base of the trench.” Frequently, clinical language corrupts the narration of subjective experience, mirroring the way that the language of medicine becomes a common element of our discourse when we are in sustained proximity to it, and relying on it to make illness intelligible. Steidle is fascinated by the ways this intelligibility is produced, and The Static Herd shows how terminology and data construct the body, as well as diagnose and treat it, and then in turn measure the material effects produced by this linguistic constrainment. “As the body reduces finitely,” she writes, “the numbers increase exponentially.” The absolute precision that is the goal of scientific language, that is, the aspiration toward a complete correspondence between what happens to a body and how it is described in language, is impossible to fully realize, since it would be dependent on the eradication of language’s constitutive slipperiness. Most of the time we ignore this impossibility, and perhaps no more strongly than when the mortal reality of the body is imminent, but this is a truth that Steidle’s quieting solution suspends, and it’s fascinating to observe her poetic language working in direct antagonism to its aims. At points the scientific language simply breaks down: “There is a. There is. There is. There is no.” Or elsewhere: “There is mass effect. The appearance is concerning.” This is language that searches for its object but never identifies it, that inclines toward meaning without ever producing it. Later, following her father’s diagnosis, under “INDICATIONS FOR PROCEDURE”, she writes: “The patient was presented with the options. The family was presented with the options. Everyone subsumed to what was recommended.” Neither options nor recommendations are delineated, however; the language momentarily admits its own limitation; it is not substitute for the thing itself. “The field guide,” she writes, “is a notoriously useless catalog of images which cannot be matched to their living counterparts.” That we inevitably depend on it anyway, a truth both painful and humorous, is one of Steidle’s core insights, embodied by the CT scans that threaten at points to metastasize the text. They are the distressing visual supplement to the shortcomings of language, even as they also fail to present the real of cancer – a failure perhaps enhanced by their grainy, pixelated nature. In the meantime, Steidle’s subjective impressions not only unsettle meaning, but also temporal linearity and family history. Even as her father declines from deor toward dhvaṁsati, she is still discovering new things about him. The findings are critical. It’s not until she reads an exam report from 2011, three years before his death, that she learns his date of birth. There is mass effect: anarchic life, like an uncontrollable growth, intrudes. Life does not stop for death, nothing slow down in an orderly fashion, and beginnings interrupt endings. “A deer midbirth will run nonetheless,” she writes. And even as she witnesses her father’s decline, she is also reflecting on her own fate, and not just her own decline, but the fate of more life to come. What makes The Static Herd such a potent meditation is this uncommon awareness that even death is fleeting. Her father dies for a long time, and when it comes it is no surprise, undertaken of his own accord. And yet “everything moves away so quickly.” His death occurs just before her birthday, and immediately more births, and more deaths, are already arriving, relegating this momentous one to the past while it is still all too present. She writes: Today, we feast. Tomorrow we belly up with regret. Tomorrow I intend to refuse all things. It’s been proven: the universe is hurtling outward. My brother’s wife puts her own on her stomach and keens. She is losing the baby. I am sitting so close. I suspect but do nothing. You know it’s nothing more than a tadpole at this stage. My love is drowsy when I give it at all. I watch the tablecloth. I wait for cake. I lie down with the hexed dog. It was a birthday party, for god’s sake. The relentless hurtling outward effaces even the permanence of death. “This particular firmament, this particular alignment of tumor and organ will not repeat,” writes Steidle, and it contains a hint of plea: stop hurtling, for just a moment, for something has happened. Someone has died. This is why it is important to try and formalize experience, even though these formalizations eventually dissolve. And this is why we are interested, as Steidle is, in the aim of scientific language: it represents the closest we’re likely to come to snatching something away from the transience of life, including what we usually consider its point of termination. The Static Herd is a necessary reminder that even death, despite its eternal effects, doesn’t last very long. Beth Steidle is a writer, illustrator, and book designer currently living in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has appeared in Drunken Boat, DIAGRAM, Hot Metal Bridge, and several print anthologies. Matt Pieknik bookmongers in Manhattan and writes in Brooklyn, and his writing has recently appeared in The Paris Review Daily and The American Reader. He’s currently at work on a not-quite-sci-fi novella set in vast absence of Detroit. All entries in Book Reviews » Next entry: TALKING TO OURSELVES by Andrés Neuman. Translated by Nick Caistor and Lorenza Garcia. Previous entry: BEDROCK FAITH by Eric Charles May	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line396
__label__wiki	0.742151	0.742151	Sindhanur to Vijayawada Home \| Routes Directory \| Sindhanur to Vijayawada About Sindhanur About Vijayawada Vijayawada is the commercial capital of Andhra Pradesh and is recognized by McKinsey Quarterly as a ‘Global City of the Future.’ Vijayawada is the most central transportation point in the state and is also well connected to the rest of the country with two national highways passing through it. Pandit Nehru Bus Station in Vijayawada is slated to be one of the largest bus stations in Asia while Vijayawada Junction Railway Station is the largest railway junction in the region. The Krishna River flows to the east and west of Vijayawada while the Budameru River holds the north. Fertile agricultural land irrigated by three major canals cover Vijayawada’s central, southwestern and northwestern parts and small to medium-sized hills surround Vijayawada from the northern, northwestern and southwestern sides. The 30,000 acreKondapalli Reserve Forest provides Vijayawada with clean air and the soft wood used to make ‘Kondapalli toys,’ popularized by the celebration of BommalaKoluvu. Vijayawada is well known for the Kanaka Durga temple that beckons busloads of devotees everyday. It is located on top of Indrakeeladri Hill, from where one may enjoy an eagle’s eye perspective of Vijayawada. Ancient epigraphs line the two routes leading to the temple, still retaining ancient stories of religious significance. According to one version of mythology, Vijayawada was GodessDurga’s resting place upon slaying the demon, Durgama. Another version recalls Arjuna receiving his holy weapon, the Pasupatha, on top of this hill. Upon doing so, he built the Kanaka Durga temple, around which the city of Vijayawada would bloom. Other sites of religious significance include the MarkataRajarajeswari Temple; the SubramanyaSwamy Temple; the MahalakshmiAmmaravu Temple; The Narasimha Temple in Mangalagiri; The HazratBal Mosque that displays a holyrelic of the Prophet Mohammed once a year; HinkarThirtha, the region’s largest Jain temple, and the GundalaMatha Shrine that hosts the annual Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, attended by hordes. An escape route from the city life in Vijayawada leads to the 133-acre Bhavani Island located on the Krishna River. Visitors may enjoy boat rides to the island, water sports and stay at a river front resort. The town of Amaravati, 33 kms outside Vijayawada, is the site of Chintapalli, a Buddhist settlement during the reign of Asoka. A massive stupa once stood here, said to be bigger than the ones found in Sanchi. The Archaeological Museum in Amaravati boasts of exhibits dating back to the 3rd century BC. Another site of educational significance, just 8 kms from Vijayawada, is that of the Undavalli Caves that showcase the rock-cut sandstone architecture of the Guptas from as long ago as the 7th century BC. Vijayawada’s 1.2 km Prakasam Barrage built across The Krishna River is the largest of its kind in Asia. It was first constructed in 1855 and reconstructed in 1957. The barrage irrigates over twelve lakh acres of farmland and supplies water to the thermal power plant at Ibrahimpatnam, which powers much of Andhra Pradesh. Other places of general interest in and around Vijayawada include the Mogalarajapuram Caves, with carvings said to be the first of their kind; the hamlet of Kuchpudi, located 60 kms from the city at the birthplace of the age-old Kuchipudi dance form; The historic Victoria Jubilee Museum in Bandar Road; Gandhi Hill with a 50 ft. stupa in memorial of Mahatma Gandhi and the Kondapalli Fort, 16 kms from Vijayawada, which served as a center of commerce for many dynasties and as a training station for the British army.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line399
__label__wiki	0.926634	0.926634	The battleship island press conference in singapore Roughly 400 Korean laborers try to escape from Battleship Island during the Japanese colonial era. “The Battleship Island” is a highly raved about blockbuster even before it was released in the theatres. It was filmed based on a true event which took place towards the end of World War II. In a small island of Hashima, which was nicknamed “Battleship Island”, there is a site of massive coal mine where 400 Koreans lead bleak lives as conscripted laborers. Tensions run high between the Japanese soldiers who maintain the order with shocking cruelty and violence, and the Koreans from all walks of life who were tricked or forced into coming there. Then, just as the island’s dark secrets are revealed, the Koreans plot a dramatic escape. The film is directed by Director Ryoo Seung-Wan, who is known for his subtle humour and unique portrayal of characters in his work. It also features many popular actors such as the veteran Hwang Jung-Min, Hallyu star So Ji-Sub and Song Joong-Ki, a hot star who got really popular among people of all ages after acting as the main cast for the highly crazed over TV drama, Descendants Of The Sun. The production of “The Battleship Island”, which lasted 115 shooting days over a total of 6 months, stands as one of the Korean film industry’s most complex and ambitious projects ever. To promote their movie, the cast dropped by Singapore for a visit on 8th August at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, to hold a press conference and share with us more about the process of filming the movie. With Singapore being their very first stop for the movie promotion, Joong-ki feels very happy to be back in Singapore once again and is very curious as to how the audience will react to the movie, which will be released in Singapore next week. Joong-ki will be playing the role of a soldier once again, like he did previously in the popular drama, Descendants of the Sun, which was well-loved by fans around the world. He will now be playing as a special force soldier that was dispatched by the Korean Division Army. He mentioned that if one counts the number of years he has served in the National Service in Korea, as well as playing the role of the soldier in Descendants of the Sun and Battleship Island, he has been living the life of a soldier for 5 years now, and it has become something natural to him and has grown on him. Joong-Ki also had short hair after his National Service and thus can immerse himself into the character of a soldier. Although he was acting alongside older actors and is the “Maknae” (The youngest member), there was no pressure that was associated with being the youngest and on set as his big brothers (the actors) took very good care of him and gave good advice. He felt that the chemistry amongst the actors was very well balanced, which puts him at ease. Despite it being such a difficult genre to venture into, Director Ryoo chose to take up the challenge of filming this movie as he was very moved by the historical background behind “The Battleship Island” and wanted to share the story with the public. However, he feels that the challenges that they went through were nothing compared to sufferings and atrocities that took place within the island in the past. He also added that the happy pill in the set was Kim Su-An, who played Sohee in the movie, as she has a bright and cheerful character as a child actress and whenever she appears on the set, she makes everyone laugh. The last scene in the movie was of the character So-hee looking afar, and many would wonder why it was made that way. Director Ryoo replied that he could not reveal too much as it would end up spoiling the movie but the ending of the scene transits from one of color to black and white and that also signifies the past, present and the future. The little girl that went through the atrocities of the island and survived and escaped eventually signifies our past, yet also directs us to the future, so she also exemplifies the future. As she stares into the camera, Director Ryoo wanted her eyes to meet the audience as he wanted them to be placed in a situation where they can put themselves into the shoes of the character and look back into the past. Since Director Ryoo doesn’t re-cast a lot of actors in his new movie, Hwang Jung Min mentioned that he is extremely blessed and thankful that he has been casted, and is honoured to be able to retell the product of the history to the public. In reply to how he prepared for his multi-talented character in the movie, he explained that he has been playing the clarinet for years, even before he was casted for the movie, so it was not something new for him, but when it came to Japanese, he memorised the lines without question. Being very experienced in the movie industry, Hwang Jung-Min shared with us the 2 main concerns while filming the movie - the first was that as the set was so real and so massive, it really re-enacted the battleship island many years ago, and he was overwhelmed when he first set foot on the set. The second concern was that by playing the role of a captive and a father, he not only has to worry about his own survival but he had to also ensure his young daughter’s safety and welfare. There were a lot of thoughts that were placed into the movie in these 2 aspects. Charismatic So Ji-Sub played the role of a gangster which raised some concerns as to whether he got injured during filming was posed to him. He assured that there were no major injuries during the filming process as there were a lot of preparation put into filming the action scenes in which he took a month and a half to train. One of his most memorable scenes was the public bath fight scene where he had nothing on except his undergarments. It was the very first real action scene in the movie and a lot of emphasis was placed into re-enacting the real scenario inside the movie. He spent a lot of time with the Director in the process of filming the scenes, yet there were not many NGs in the midst of filming. Hallyu Star So Ji-Sub When it comes to their most memorable scene in the movie, Joong-Ki felt that it was the mass escape sequence towards the end of the movie, not just because of the vast image or cinematography but also because it depicts the sadness, suffering and hardship that the captives and labourers went through in the island. Director Ryoo could not pick a favorite scene but felt that the audience would all have different favorite scenes as they watched the movie, and his would be in-line with theirs. Hwang Jung-min thought the most memorable scene was where his character, Kang-Ok plays with his daughter using the long rubber band string, and also as they sing and play, he holds her high into the air. The scene touched him as within the island, the environment was extremely harsh and yet that scene reminded him of fathers and daughters playing back in their hometown which brings him memories. So Ji-sub’s favourite scene was the ending, where the camera zooms in to So-hee, as it made him feel like the expression on the little girl’s face really expresses the pain, sadness and suffering she went through, as well as hope and the past and the present. Main Cast of 'The Battleship Island' Together with Director Ryoo The movie was about surviving in and escaping from the island, and when asked who had the best survival skills, the cast unanimously agreed that it was Song Joong-ki. So Ji-Sub thinks that it is because Joong-ki is the youngest and he has served his national service not too long ago, so the skills and trainings are still fresh in his mind. Hwang Jung-min mentioned that for the rest of them, a big or aggressive movement can cause pain in them, so it is best to stay put, evoking laughter from the cast. As we all know, Song Joong-Ki will be holding his wedding soon and when asked if he would still act with his fiance, Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki replied that it would be something he has to give a little more thought to, especially since it would be challenging as work is work, thus it would be a little tough to work on the same project together. Charming Song Joong-Ki shooting Hearts After the press conference, the cast also had a meet and greet session at Suntec City, North Atrium on the same day where many fans got to meet their favourite stars and find out more about the highly anticipated movie. Some lucky fans even got to watch the Gala Premiere of The Battleship Island at the Marina Bay Sands, where it was screened for the first time ever in Singapore. If you did not manage to catch the gala premiere, fret not as it will be released in the cinemas really soon! The Battleship Island is launched by tvN movies and will be distributed by Golden Village Pictures and Clover Films in Singapore, on the 17th of August 2017. So be sure to catch it at your nearest cinema when it’s out! Written By: Kylie and KaiLin	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line400
__label__wiki	0.700511	0.700511	News of Maine's Coast and Islands Downeast Institute begins expanding facility on Great Wass Island Alfond, UMaine, bond funding pay for research, residence space An artist's rendering of the new facility planned for Great Wass Island. A $1.8 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation tops off the funding needed to complete a $5.8 million expansion of the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education. The facility is the marine science field station of the University of Maine at Machias and is located on Great Wass Island off Jonesport. Ground breaking for the new laboratory research space and residence hall will be on June 9. “It opens up a lot of opportunities for students at both campuses,” said Dianne Tilton, executive director of the institute, referring to the University of Maine at Machias and in Orono. “The lack of a residence facility for adults and students has been a limiting factor for us,” she said. “We are so far from any place with hotels. We do have a small guest house that can accommodate eight people, but only adults over 21.” Phase 2 of the project includes a fully equipped marine research laboratory and expanded hatchery to provide opportunities for local fishermen and marine entrepreneurs to test new ideas and experiments for enhancing the value of their harvests. The laboratories will provide a variety of conditions, such as flowing seawater and climate controls, as well as a mezzanine that will allow the institute to isolate algae production. The space also will include a conference room, offices, a large touch tank and other support areas. The University of Maine invested $2 million in the project in January with funds awarded by the Maine Marine Jobs Bond. The Next Generation Foundation of Blue Hill provided a $2 million gift at the start of the fundraising. The Harold Alfond Foundation gift was announced March 1 at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockland in March. “The goal is to create the easternmost marine research laboratory and education center in the U.S.,” Tilton said. The Downeast Institute produces commercially important shellfish stock, restoring and creating economic opportunities for fishermen, aquaculturists, and other entrepreneurs in Downeast and coastal Maine. The institute was created in 1987 when clammers and town officials in Washington County became concerned about declines in soft-shell clam harvests. They teamed up with Dr. Brian Beal, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Maine at Machias, and created the Beals Island Regional Shellfish Hatchery. Wild clams were spawned, clam larvae and juveniles were reared on diets of cultured algae, and seed clams were produced for planting on the depleted municipal flats. In 2003, the Downeast Institute moved to Black Duck Cove on Great Wass Island into a 9,600-square-foot building that had been used primarily for temporary storage of lobsters. In 2010, it added a 1,000-square-foot structure for classroom teaching, laboratory research projects, and other non-traditional classroom uses. Today, the institute is engaged in two large scale research projects. One is funded through the National Science Foundation and the University of Maine System through the Maine Economic Improvement Fund–Small Campus Initiative. The project combines translational shellfish research in the laboratory with field projects that have resulted in partnering with two seafood companies: A.C. Inc. in Beals and Cooke Aquaculture in Machiasport. Together they are examining methods to produce commercial quantities of Arctic surfclams and blue mussels. The other project is funded through the University of Maine System and is being conducted in Freeport. The research involves looking at new ways to manage shellfish resources threatened by the recent explosion of the invasive green crab, Carcinus maenas. Maine beach monitoring program to lose EPA funding According to a 2014 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Maine ranked 27 on a list of 30 coastal states for water quality at beaches. Wanda Curtis Deer Isle-Stonington students see big-city life Leaving from Portland, we arrived in D.C. and immediately jumped on the metro train, taking it to the other side of the city where we were welcomed by a couple that summers on Deer Isle. Volunteering to host us for the long weekend, they were excited to offer students a "big city experience." Media, Education & Leadership No need for selfies: Photographer captures islanders in 'We Are Swan's Island' project Whether it's a wedding, reunion or holiday celebration, photographers often struggle to get all the key family members in their shots. Imagine how hard it was for Miranda Battiste to capture the family that is the island's year-round population. Tom Groening	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line403
__label__wiki	0.695305	0.695305	BDS ‘Anti-Normalization’ Is a Mockery of Progressive Values Anti-Israel BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) promoters have long tried to stake out the moral high ground — depicting themselves as the champions of the oppressed, and positioning their movement as being on the right side of history. But the reality is that BDS rarely acknowledges, or works to prevent, harm to Palestinians that is meted out by their own governments and societal extremists. What’s even worse is that BDS leaders often egg on and incite these depredations with an anti-normalization campaign characterized by coercion and strong-arm tactics against peace activists and co-existence groups — along with just about any Palestinian who dares to cross the BDS picket line to cooperate with or even just talk to Israelis. This strategy of anti-normalization, long a mainstay of the BDS movement, originated at the 2001 UN World Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa — an antisemitic hate fest where Jew-hatred became so ugly that the US delegation walked out. Ever since, BDS has opposed any contact between Palestinians and Israelis that fosters dialogue, so as not to “normalize” Israel’s existence. Basically, BDS calls for the boycott of all Israeli-Palestinian projects and programs that don’t sufficiently emphasize Israel’s alleged brutality and wrongdoings. In fact, the only people-to-people engagements that PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) condones are those that support “resistance.” All others are rejected as undermining Palestinian rights and the national struggle. Consider, for example, how the Palestinian Authority (PA), which strictly enforces an anti-normalization policy, reacted several weeks ago to the “heartwarming scenes of coexistence” between young religious Jews and Palestinian revelers dancing together at a wedding in the West Bank village of Deir Qaddis. For Palestinian leaders, ultra-Orthodox Jews from the nearby settlement of Modiin Ilit celebrating at the wedding of the son of village council leader Radi Nasser was unacceptable. It didn’t take long for the PA to sack him, and for the Fatah party, the PA’s largest faction, to condemn Nasser and remove him from its ranks on account of his “harmful behavior” in “the shadow of … threats of normalization between the Arab world and the Israeli occupation.” In response to the bullying, it’s understandable if regrettable that Nasser ended up issuing a heartfelt apology in which he denied inviting the Israeli youngsters, and insisted that he threw them out “as soon as he found out about it” — even though a widely distributed video of the happy circle of men singing and dancing shows that they were actually friends and welcomed guests. According to The New York Times, which covered the case in a front-page story a few days ago, Nasser has now gone into hiding and fears for his life. This shameful incident isn’t the first time that Palestinians have faced recrimination and punishment just for acting in a friendly and neighborly way toward Israeli Jews. Several years ago, outrage was also sparked when the mayor of the West Bank settlement of Efrat invited Palestinians from nearby villages to share a meal with his family during the Sukkot holiday. The PA had the men arrested for “fraternizing with the enemy.” It’s important to appreciate that BDS leaders demand that the PA silence and severely reprimand any Palestinian willing to “normalize” relations with Israelis. Several years ago, on Lebanese TV, Tel Aviv University graduate Omar Barghouti, the founder and now senior official of the BDS National Committee (BNC), an umbrella group that reportedly has ties to terrorist organizations, and Haidar Eid, a member of the BNC Secretariat, castigated the PA for “undoing the standards of the boycott” by allowing left-wing US peace groups, like One Voice, Seeds for Peace, and the Peace Alliance, to operate in the West Bank. Each of these organizations’ stated missions is to bring Israelis and Palestinians together in an effort to create the infrastructure on which peace can be forged. But Barghouti and Eid loathe coexistence groups. In the interview, the two are positively irate that these peacemakers could be allowed to “destroy the boycott campaign.” For Barghouti, Eid, and other anti-normalization activists, this isn’t just talk. For nearly two decades, moderate Palestinians have been relentlessly intimidated, sometimes by having their jobs and even their lives threatened. Khaled Abu Toameh of the Gatestone Institute documents repeated efforts over the years to shut down joint Israeli-Palestinian peace conferences and get-togethers hosted by left-wing NGOs and think tanks. Ironically, the featured lecturers at these events have been well-known “outspoken critics” of Israeli policies. But as Toameh notes, that hasn’t stopped BDS activists from “storming the conference rooms” to chant slogans, disrupt the speeches, and force the speakers to abandon the podiums and the “participants to flee.” In an article for Legal Insurrection, I also highlighted the boycotting of joint Israeli-Palestinian peace initiatives and the bullying of Palestinian peace and human rights activists (other such incidents recently occurred in Ramallah and East Jerusalem). In fact, as I showed, no one and nothing is immune from the pressure and threats. Even the now-defunct annual Jerusalem Hug event, which for nearly a decade used to bring “passionate Jews and Muslims” together with the goal of creating unity and peace, was violently disrupted back in 2016 by “Palestinian anti-normalization activists.” They reportedly threw water on people and “assaulted those present.” Palestinian participants were called “donkeys” and accused of leading Jews to “storm Al-Aqsa,” references to the perennial wild conspiracy theory that Israel has malevolent designs to defile and destroy the mosques on the Temple Mount. When BDS thugs can bust up hugs, you have to wonder about all the other lost opportunities for people-to-people dialogue. How many activities designed to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to build trust, empathy, and mutual understanding never happen on account of BDS/PACBI intimidation? By now it should be obvious that BDS isn’t pro-human rights or pro-social justice. It’s a fundamentally intolerant movement that seeks to delegitimize Israel’s very existence, traffics in antisemitic tropes, and demoralizes Zionist Jews while also suppressing Palestinians who sincerely want peace. Basically, BDS negates everything that the anti-racist left is supposed to stand for. So, progressives who support it are essentially betraying their principles. Miriam F. Elman is Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network, an independent non-profit organization based in Washington, DC that combats BDS and anti-Israel delegitimization, promotes Israel literacy, and advocates for academic freedom and campus free speech. She is on leave from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University Miriam F. Elman, Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network Link to Article: Posted by the Algemeiner Rivlin Honored Guest in South Korea Netanyahu Again Warns Iran and Hezbollah Netanyahu Guest of Egyptian Embassy Celebration Spread the Truth of #Christian Zionism Tweets about "#ChristianZionism"	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line404
__label__cc	0.676898	0.323102	by The Middle Kingdom Traditional Kung Fu School / Thursday, 30 July 2015 / Published in Health, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Yang Style Tai Chi Google+65 Tai chi has different styles (such as Yang, Wu, Hao and Chen) with its own set of principles and methods mainly in terms of tempo, frame size and movement patterns. Yang Tai Chi is named after its founding father, Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872),who passed on this style through several of his descendants. Derived from the Chen tai chi style, it is the most widely practiced style of Tai Chi with millions of practitioners due to its fluid, slow movements that emphasize relaxation and internal energy. Written by The Middle Kingdom Traditional Kung Fu School The Middle Kingdom Traditional Kung Fu offers high quality, all inclusive Kung Fu programs in China. Yang Luchan (1799–1872), the founder of Yang Style Tai Chi. Yang Style Tai Chi Tai chi chuan (generally known as Tai chi) is one of several forms of Chinese internal martial arts that de-emphasize brute force in favour of softness and roundness. Due to its gentle, flowing movements it is often described by practitioners as meditation in motion or moving meditation. The Chinese characters for Tai chi chuan can be translated into the 'Supreme Ultimate Force' which incorporate the Chinese concept of yin-yang (forces that oppose within the body) while qi (life force). Tai chi was originally developed as a martial art and a form of self-defense by the ancient Chinese in the 13th Century. Combining deep breathing and relaxation with self-paced gentle stretching movements, it is now practiced worldwide to reduce stress and other health conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis and back pain especially in people over 65 years old. It is also acclaimed to improve sleep and general mobility. There are numerous variations of this style in China and at least 20 main types in countries like England and America each originating from the approach of a specific master or from a particular Chinese geographic region. Despite this wide variety, the general principles and structural movements are similar. Yang tai chi comprises 37-postures repeated to the left direction or to the right side to create the 108-move set. In general, it involves graceful, structured, gentle and flowing movements while maintaining its martial arts form. There is also a specific yang style of martial arts which may not appear deadly in movement (‘dance-like’) but are not. Tai chi in particular has a wide appeal for all ages and fitness levels due to its low impact and the ability to practice it indoors and outdoors without equipment, individually or in a collective group. Although tai chi is a generally safe form of exercise, it is wise not to overdo the practice and to seek medical advice, for instance, if you are pregnant, have back pain or a hernia. Tai chi aims to foster a relaxed, calm mind and body which can be achieved through precise execution of the exercises. In order to gain the maximum health or traditional benefits of tai chi, it is important that you develop a sense of enemy, breathe naturally, practice preferably in the open and stay relaxed. One Response to “Yang Tai Chi: The Graceful Martial Arts Form” demetrius says : Reply This is my first time visiting your site it’s been really nice reading through the info you have. Thanks.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line407
__label__wiki	0.708864	0.708864	Balfour+Manson LLP Aberdeen Edinburgh 56-66 FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH, EH2 1LS, SCOTLAND Work 0131 200 1200 ED4 EDINBURGH www.balfour-manson.co.uk Aberdeen, Edinburgh Scotland: Private client Charities and not-for-profit Within: Charities and not-for-profit Balfour+Manson LLP is particularly noted for its work with faith organisations, but its clients comprise a broad range of established charities and individuals or groups setting up new charitable organisations. The ‘responsive and technically knowledgeable’ team handles both non-contentious matters (including property, constitution, governance and re-organisations) and contentious work such as regulatory inquiries and investigations. Practice head, Hugh Angus recently advised a number of religious organisations in connection with major reorganisations and charitable status applications for various local churches. Alan Gilfillan (who is rated for his ‘first-class’ knowledge of charity law) advised on the registration of a charity following a merger, as well as on the cessation of a joint charitable venture and constitutional issues relating to the high-profile disaffiliation of a religious community. Clients include the Samaritans and the Scottish National Institution for War Blinded. Legal Developments worldwide The Zero Carbon Bill - a closer look The long-awaited "Zero Carbon Bill" was finally released on 9 May, but despite being greeted by considerable media interest there are a number of significant issues that have yet to come to the fore. - Bell Gully A link tax in New Zealand? A controversial payment to publishers for content in Europe has implications for New Zealand – despite escaping mention in a recent paper that set out the key issues for review for our own copyright laws. News media exemption under the Privacy Act: now a matter of "responsibility"? The role of the news media as the "eyes and ears" of the public, and the corresponding right of such news media to be exempted from the Privacy Act 1993 ( Privacy Act ), is entrenched and well accepted. However, the extent to which the news media exemption applies to non-traditional forms of "news" published by "civilian journalists", such as online commentary and blogs, is a hotly debated subject. Quarterly Update on Trade Defense Cases in Turkey (June 2019) The authority to initiate dumping or subsidy examinations, upon complaint or, where necessary, ex officio , has been given from the Ministry of Economy to the Ministry of Trade ("Ministry"). Within the scope of this authority, the Ministry announces its decisions with the communiqués published on the Official Gazette. - ELIG Gurkaynak Attorneys-at-Law Company Formations - A jurisdictional guide to setting up a business The following article contains the Foreword in the IR Global Virtual Series brochure on 'Company Formations - A jurisdictional guide to setting up a business'. - IR Global Stuarts Hires Caymanian Partner Jonathan McLean Stuarts Walker Hersant Humphries, a leading Cayman Islands law firm, is pleased to announce that Caymanian, Jonathan McLean has been hired as the firm’s newest partner, effective July 2019. - Stuarts Walker Hersant Humphries Presidential Circular on Information and Communication Security Measures Presidential Circular on Information and Communication Security Measures ("Circular") is published in the Official Gazette of July 6, 2019. The aim of the Circular is reducing of security risks and governing measures to be taken to ensure safety of information which is critical to national security and public order. Bär & Karrer Successfully Assisted UEFA Before the Court of Arbitration for Sport The proceedings concerned an appeal filed by the Albanian football club KS Skënderbeu against a decision issued by UEFA. - BÄR & KARRER LTD. Derivatives Margin Bill a step closer to becoming law In an article in February this year, we reported on the introduction into Parliament of the Financial Markets (Derivatives Margin and Benchmarking) Reform Amendment Bill (the Bill ). Climate-related risk highlighted in Reserve Bank Act review The role of the Reserve Bank in assessing and responding to the risks climate change poses to financial stability features in the current consultation on New Zealand's financial policy framework. Inclusion of climate change as part of the wide-ranging review of the Reserve Bank Act is further evidence of the growing trend towards climate-related risk reporting and disclosures.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line408
__label__cc	0.73326	0.26674	This involves tracking the volume of visits, leads, and customers to a website from the individual social channel. Google Analytics[110] is a free tool that shows the behavior and other information, such as demographics and device type used, of website visitors from social networks. This and other commercial offers can aid marketers in choosing the most effective social networks and social media marketing activities. Search engines use complex mathematical algorithms to interpret which websites a user seeks. In this diagram, if each bubble represents a website, programs sometimes called spiders examine which sites link to which other sites, with arrows representing these links. Websites getting more inbound links, or stronger links, are presumed to be more important and what the user is searching for. In this example, since website B is the recipient of numerous inbound links, it ranks more highly in a web search. And the links "carry through", such that website C, even though it only has one inbound link, has an inbound link from a highly popular site (B) while site E does not. Note: Percentages are rounded. When referring to the homepage, a trailing slash after the hostname is optional since it leads to the same content ("https://example.com/" is the same as "https://example.com"). For the path and filename, a trailing slash would be seen as a different URL (signaling either a file or a directory), for example, "https://example.com/fish" is not the same as "https://example.com/fish/". If you are using Responsive Web Design, use meta name="viewport" tag to tell the browser how to adjust the content. If you use Dynamic Serving, use the Vary HTTP header to signal your changes depending on the user-agent. If you are using separate URLs, signal the relationship between two URLs by tag with rel="canonical" and rel="alternate" elements. In December 2009, Google announced it would be using the web search history of all its users in order to populate search results.[33] On June 8, 2010 a new web indexing system called Google Caffeine was announced. Designed to allow users to find news results, forum posts and other content much sooner after publishing than before, Google caffeine was a change to the way Google updated its index in order to make things show up quicker on Google than before. According to Carrie Grimes, the software engineer who announced Caffeine for Google, "Caffeine provides 50 percent fresher results for web searches than our last index..."[34] Google Instant, real-time-search, was introduced in late 2010 in an attempt to make search results more timely and relevant. Historically site administrators have spent months or even years optimizing a website to increase search rankings. With the growth in popularity of social media sites and blogs the leading engines made changes to their algorithms to allow fresh content to rank quickly within the search results.[35] Many blogging software packages automatically nofollow user comments, but those that don't can most likely be manually edited to do this. This advice also goes for other areas of your site that may involve user-generated content, such as guest books, forums, shout-boards, referrer listings, etc. If you're willing to vouch for links added by third parties (for example, if a commenter is trusted on your site), then there's no need to use nofollow on links; however, linking to sites that Google considers spammy can affect the reputation of your own site. The Webmaster Help Center has more tips on avoiding comment spam40, for example by using CAPTCHAs and turning on comment moderation. Another example when the “nofollow" attribute can come handy are widget links. If you are using a third party's widget to enrich the experience of your site and engage users, check if it contains any links that you did not intend to place on your site along with the widget. Some widgets may add links to your site which are not your editorial choice and contain anchor text that you as a webmaster may not control. If removing such unwanted links from the widget is not possible, you can always disable them with “nofollow" attribute. If you create a widget for functionality or content that you provide, make sure to include the nofollow on links in the default code snippet. Let’s say, for example, that you run a construction business that helps with home repairs after natural disasters and you want to advertise that service. The official term for the service is “fire restoration,” but keyword research may indicate that customers in your area search instead for “fire repair” or “repair fire damage to house.” By not optimizing for these two keywords, you’ll lose out on a lot of traffic and potential customers, even if “fire restoration” is technically more correct. More than three billion people in the world are active on the Internet. Over the years, the Internet has continually gained more and more users, jumping from 738 million in 2000 all the way to 3.2 billion in 2015.[9] Roughly 81% of the current population in the United States has some type of social media profile that they engage with frequently.[10] Mobile phone usage is beneficial for social media marketing because of their web browsing capabilities which allow individuals immediate access to social networking sites. Mobile phones have altered the path-to-purchase process by allowing consumers to easily obtain pricing and product information in real time[11]. They have also allowed companies to constantly remind and update their followers. Many companies are now putting QR (Quick Response) codes along with products for individuals to access the company website or online services with their smart phones. Retailers use QR codes to facilitate consumer interaction with brands by linking the code to brand websites, promotions, product information, and any other mobile-enabled content. In addition, Real-time bidding use in the mobile advertising industry is high and rising due to its value for on-the-go web browsing. In 2012, Nexage, a provider of real time bidding in mobile advertising reported a 37% increase in revenue each month. Adfonic, another mobile advertisement publishing platform, reported an increase of 22 billion ad requests that same year.[12] You may not want certain pages of your site crawled because they might not be useful to users if found in a search engine's search results. If you do want to prevent search engines from crawling your pages, Google Search Console has a friendly robots.txt generator to help you create this file. Note that if your site uses subdomains and you wish to have certain pages not crawled on a particular subdomain, you'll have to create a separate robots.txt file for that subdomain. For more information on robots.txt, we suggest this Webmaster Help Center guide on using robots.txt files13. When Googlebot crawls a page, it should see the page the same way an average user does15. For optimal rendering and indexing, always allow Googlebot access to the JavaScript, CSS, and image files used by your website. If your site's robots.txt file disallows crawling of these assets, it directly harms how well our algorithms render and index your content. This can result in suboptimal rankings. In some contexts, the term SEM is used exclusively to mean pay per click advertising,[2] particularly in the commercial advertising and marketing communities which have a vested interest in this narrow definition. Such usage excludes the wider search marketing community that is engaged in other forms of SEM such as search engine optimization and search retargeting. Several customers are turning towards social media to express their appreciation or frustration with brands, product or services. Therefore, marketers can measure the frequency of which customers are discussing their brand and judge how effective their SMM strategies are. In recent studies, 72% of people surveyed expressed that they expected a response to their complaints on Twitter within an hour.[111] Look at your short- and long-term goals to choose whether to focus on organic or paid search (or both). It takes time to improve your organic search rankings, but you can launch a paid search campaign tomorrow. However, there are other considerations: the amount of traffic you need, your budget, and your marketing objectives. Once you’ve reviewed the pros and cons, you can select the search strategy that’s right for you. Unplanned content is an 'in the moment' idea, "a spontaneous, tactical reaction." (Cramer, 2014, p. 6). The content could be trending and not have the time to take the planned content route. The unplanned content is posted sporadically and is not calendar/date/time arranged (Deshpande, 2014).[88][89] Issues with unplanned content revolve around legal issues and whether the message being sent out represents the business/brand accordingly. If a company sends out a Tweet or Facebook message too hurriedly, the company may unintentionally use insensitive language or messaging that could alienate some consumers. For example, celebrity chef Paula Deen was criticized after she made a social media post commenting about HIV-AIDS and South Africa; her message was deemed to be offensive by many observers. The main difference between planned and unplanned is the time to approve the content. Unplanned content must still be approved by marketing managers, but in a much more rapid manner e.g. 1–2 hours or less. Sectors may miss errors because of being hurried. When using unplanned content Brito (2013) says, "be prepared to be reactive and respond to issues when they arise."[87] Brito (2013) writes about having a, "crisis escalation plan", because, "It will happen". The plan involves breaking down the issue into topics and classifying the issue into groups. Colour coding the potential risk "identify and flag potential risks" also helps to organise an issue. The problem can then be handled by the correct team and dissolved more effectively rather than any person at hand trying to solve the situation.[87] Imagine that you've created the definitive Web site on a subject -- we'll use skydiving as an example. Your site is so new that it's not even listed on any SERPs yet, so your first step is to submit your site to search engines like Google and Yahoo. The Web pages on your skydiving site include useful information, exciting photographs and helpful links guiding visitors to other resources. Even with the best information about skydiving on the Web, your site may not crack the top page of results on major search engines. When people search for the term "skydiving," they could end up going to inferior Web sites because yours isn't in the top results. Social media can be used not only as public relations and direct marketing tools but also as communication channels targeting very specific audiences with social media influencers and social media personalities and as effective customer engagement tools.[15] Technologies predating social media, such as broadcast TV and newspapers can also provide advertisers with a fairly targeted audience, given that an ad placed during a sports game broadcast or in the sports section of a newspaper is likely to be read by sports fans. However, social media websites can target niche markets even more precisely. Using digital tools such as Google Adsense, advertisers can target their ads to very specific demographics, such as people who are interested in social entrepreneurship, political activism associated with a particular political party, or video gaming. Google Adsense does this by looking for keywords in social media user's online posts and comments. It would be hard for a TV station or paper-based newspaper to provide ads that are this targeted (though not impossible, as can be seen with "special issue" sections on niche issues, which newspapers can use to sell targeted ads). Webmasters and content providers began optimizing websites for search engines in the mid-1990s, as the first search engines were cataloging the early Web. Initially, all webmasters only needed to submit the address of a page, or URL, to the various engines which would send a "spider" to "crawl" that page, extract links to other pages from it, and return information found on the page to be indexed.[5] The process involves a search engine spider downloading a page and storing it on the search engine's own server. A second program, known as an indexer, extracts information about the page, such as the words it contains, where they are located, and any weight for specific words, as well as all links the page contains. All of this information is then placed into a scheduler for crawling at a later date.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line411
__label__cc	0.710436	0.289564	Keeping The Mother-Son Relationship Healthy Throughout the history of Mankind mother-son relationships have been considered special. Many women say that having a son gives them a sense of completeness. One woman affirmed, “It is as if through him I have found the missing part of me.” Patriarchal societies place greater value on sons. At times ‘male child-centeredness’ can become obsessive. In India, special rituals are held to invoke Divine intervention in granting a son. Sons are required to maintain lineage, to care for parents in their old age and ensure the salvation of souls after death. As such, boys receive preferential treatment, with best of food, health care, education and protection. This ‘son- preference’ has led to extensive female foeticide in several countries, resulting in a skewed sex ratio. Researchers of Richmond University in Virginia found that women develop a set of ‘maternal neurons’ that operate like ‘bad mother’ or ‘good mother’ switches in the brain. These clusters of brain cells created during pregnancy and switched on after birth, are responsible for good or bad parenting. A certain number of neurons have to be switched on for ‘good mothering’ to take place. A team at Yale University uses brain scans to study areas of the brain that drive good or bad mothering. Dr. James Swain says, “We have identified certain areas of the brain where there is a link between neuron activity and measure of ‘adequate’ or ‘inadequate’ parenting.” So far no one has come up with a scientific explanation why a mother loves her son more than her daughter. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his book “The Selfish Gene” suggests that this maternal devotion is a selfish strategy to ensure her genes live on. She knows that after a certain age, she cannot reproduce. So she protects her male offspring as he will eventually spread her gene pool. When a mother has this protective love for her son she becomes fiercely protective of his life, crippling his emotional growth and tying him to her apron strings as ‘Momma’s Boy.’ This tendency has been documented even from Biblical times in the story of Rebekah, who encouraged her favourite son Jacob to steal his brother’s blessing through impersonation. But she had to suffer heartbreak as he was separated from her for many years, to protect him from Esau’s fury. The Greek mother Thetis dipped her son Achilles in the magical River Styx, to make him invulnerable. But of course she left him with an unprotected heel. Just like mother-daughter relationships, close mother-son relationships are important in the early formative years. Infants begin to show distress when separated from their mothers. But every mother should bear in mind that this is only a temporary phase. Physical distancing should start early in the case of a boy because of the erotic potential of such a bond. Mollycoddling is harmful to the emotional health of both mother and son. The Oedipus Complex is a well known phenomenon. It is based on the Greek myth in which Oedipus considers his father a rival for his mother’s love. So he kills him and marries his mother Jocasta. The period between 18 months and three years is when a child becomes aware of his own sexual identity. He develops a concept of himself by exploration of his own body. Between three to five years, libidinal and ego development takes place. This can well be defined as the Oedipus phase, when a child has the desire to possess his mother, and even begins to see his father as an opponent. This is a passing phase, and a wise mother will gradually wean him away from such feelings until he begins to identify with his father. Reasons for a mother’s abnormal feelings: • When a mother has experienced abandonment from her father in her own childhood, she may be overprotective of her son, to compensate for those feelings of abandonment. She wants her son to remain in that oedipal phase for her own fulfillment. Sons cannot be surrogate husbands or fathers; neither are they playthings for her pleasure. There are many great men who have suffered due to this over-protectiveness. Andrew Carnegie’s mother made him promise that he would not marry until she died. It must have been a frustrating experience. He eventually married one year after her death, at the age of 52. Dwight Eisenhower also had an obsessive mother. Once when he was quarantined for Scarlet Fever, she used a ladder to climb up and see her son daily through a window. However, a mother who suffers abandonment from her father in childhood could also experience difficulty in bonding and become abusive to her son. • If a wife’s emotional needs are not fulfilled by her husband either because of his career, or his inconsiderate nature, or due to infidelity, she may turn to her male child. She may shower him with kisses or cuddles or verbal professions of love. This form of ’emotional incest’ seeks to alienate the father from her son’s love. Actual incest is not ruled out. • Single parents either unmarried or widowed, may also show overindulgence and overprotection of their male children, to compensate for the lack of a father. Destructive Effects of such Dysfunctional Relationships: On the Child: 1. Over-dependence on mother leads to stunting of emotional and mental growth. He is unable to face life’s challenges, has behavioural problems and is often considered a ‘sissy.’ The mother does not want her son to grow up and plans to keep their relationship exclusive. 2. Inability to maintain healthy relationships with others. This may even damage his sexuality and destroy his ability to have a happy partnership. He will avoid commitment. If he marries, it may end in divorce due to constant interference by his mother. He will not have the courage to stand up to her and protect his wife from constant bullying by his mother. 3. A manipulative seductive mother and a passive distant father can turn the boy into a homosexual. 4. Smother love can prove to be a dangerous emasculating attachment, rendering the son sexually dysfunctional. On the Mother: 1. A woman who transfers her time and priority to her son will lose out on her husband. There will be a lack of intimacy and many sexual problems. Her husband will begin to look elsewhere for his fulfillment. He might become a workaholic or forge extramarital liaisons or indulge in drinking or gambling. 2. A mother whose life revolves around her son is lulled into a subconscious assurance that he will never leave her. 3. An incestuous relationship may develop. Inappropriate feelings for her son is a form of child abuse and can be demoralizing. How to maintain a healthy mother-son relationship: • Respect your son’s personhood. Treat him with deep respect and help him develop his personality. • Raise your son to be a well balanced human being mentally physically and spiritually. ‘Smother love’ kills. So don’t hold on too tightly. • Define healthy boundaries and know when to physically distance yourself. • Parenting is a joint venture. Fathers must not be excluded from the relationship. They too should be allowed to bond with their sons. Parental responsibilities involve equipping them with strategies for living such as respect for elders, respect for the opposite sex, discipline, love and good example. The aim should be to foster maturity, independence and self reliance in adulthood. • Do not neglect your husband. Take time off from mothering for ‘togetherness’ with him. Talk, care, and be intimate. Let your love for each other grow as you share responsibility for his rearing. • Be a good and worthy role model. Let him learn from you how to respect and treat his wife when married. • Always remember that the child is not your husband. So don’t force adult responsibilities on him. • Change your focus. Use some time to care for the needs of your other children. Find new activities to keep your mind off your son. • Pray and ask God to give you the wisdom to handle your emotions with responsibility and self respect. As the feminist Naomi Lewinsky said, “We shouldn’t need our children. We shouldn’t merge with them except when they are infants. We shouldn’t let our messy feelings leak all over our children’s development. We should raise them to become separate individuals.” Source by Eva Bell What Are the Most Common Types of Community Service Opportunities? Importance of Interactive Advertising	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line414
__label__wiki	0.938488	0.938488	Tewksbury father, 59, killed in crash Tragedy strikes on the day before Father's Day Aaron Curtis, acurtis@lowellsun.com Firefighters stand by the scene of a fatal crash between a motorcycle and a car, pictured at right, on Main Street in Tewksbury on Saturday morning. (Courtesy photo) TEWKSBURY —A 59-year-old Tewksbury man died from injuries he suffered when the motorcycle he was driving struck the side of a car on Main Street about 9 a.m. Saturday, authorities say. The unidentified man was rushed to Lowell General Hospital by ambulance and airlifted by MedFlight to Massachusetts General Hospital, Tewksbury Police Chief Timothy Sheehan said. He was pronounced dead at the Boston-based hospital at 12:36 p.m. "It's the day before Father's Day and the individual who lost his life has children," Sheehan said. "It's absolutely a terrible tragedy and our thoughts, our prayers and our hearts are with this family." The crash took place when traffic stopped to let a 21-year-old Wilmington man, driving a 2009 Chevy Impala, out of the McDonald's parking lot at 1928 Main St., Sheehan said. The 21-year-old was attempting to cross both northbound and southbound lanes to access the parking lot at 1899 Main St. The driver failed to see the Tewksbury man operating his 2003 Harley Davidson south on Main Street, "and the motorcycle struck him broadside," Sheehan said. The Wilmington man was uninjured in the crash, according to Sheehan. The State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit was called to the scene to help investigate the wreck. The road was closed to traffic shortly after the accident occurred, and remained closed until around 11:30 a.m. The registered owner of the Impala lives on Main Street in Tewksbury, the police chief said. Follow Aaron Curtis on Twitter @aselahcurtis	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line415
__label__cc	0.639954	0.360046	N8 Industry Innovation Forum To Focus On Sustainable Food 1st October 2014 By N8 Research Partnership Driving innovations in food security will be top of the agenda this month at the next N8 Industry Innovation Forum event. The Forum, taking place on October 7 and 8, will focus on ‘achieving a sustainable food system’ and brings together leading businesses with research intensive universities, and other key organisations and networks. Topics will include: smart farming methods; efficiency and yield; achieving resilient supply chains; and understanding choice and its impact on health nutrition. The N8 Research Partnership has strong collective research strengths in the field of food security and will be represented at the forum by Pro-Vice Chancellors and leading academic experts from member institutions. They will be joined by 30 invited industry representatives and lead technologists from Innovate UK and research councils. The Industry Innovation Forum is an initiative between the N8 Research Partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Innovate UK, the new name for the Technology Strategy Board, to connect leading businesses with research intensive universities and other key organisations and networks involved in innovation. October’s Forum has been designed to support businesses in accelerating commercialisation and unlocking opportunities in the global food security sector and enable the sharing of current practice interests and ideas. It will help to match practical and technical industry challenges with the best expertise and research capabilities of the N8 and other universities, generating the opportunities for collaboration – potentially between partners from very different sectors. The event will include a dinner on October 7 at the York Hilton hotel and a workshop with facilitated group sessions on October 8 at The Food and Environment Research Agency in York. It follows three highly successful N8 Industry Innovation Forums, which have taken place since 2012; to date, these have focused on Advanced Materials, Active and Healthy Ageing and Industrial Biotechnology and have generated a significant pipeline of collaborative research ideas – many of which are now coming to fruition. Colin Reid, director of the N8 Industry Innovation Forum, said: “Food security is one of the greatest challenges in our increasingly globalised and urbanised world and the need to ensure food production and distribution is sustainable and resilient is an urgent – and crucial – task faced by governments, business and society at large. “By focusing in on ‘achieving a sustainable food system’ the forthcoming Industry Innovation Forum event will help to address these challenges, and brings the N8’s collective expertise in food security to bear in potential future collaborations with commercial businesses and industry bodies. “Exciting, new step-changing innovations can spring from these partnerships and we hope October’s event will foster an active community of collaborators in the field of food security and technology.” Iain Gray, Chief Executive of Innovate UK, the new name for the Technology Strategy Board, said: “Helping businesses to deliver technological solutions to address the global challenges of sustainable food production caused by the impacts of a rising population, the rapid development of emerging economies and shortages of land, water and energy are key parts of Innovate UK’s extensive programme of activity to support innovation in the UK’s agriculture and food sector. “We are therefore delighted to support the N8 Industry Innovation Forum’s initiative. By supporting business-lead innovation and translating new research and technology from some of our leading universities into commercially-viable products and services, it is an exemplar model for driving innovation and growth in the economy.” Together, the N8 Universities have an impressive track record in food science and technology, with more than 370 researchers working on projects in this area and a portfolio of £269 million of research funding over the last six years. Previous: Sarah Jackson To Take Up New Role With The University Of Liverpool Next: N8 Industry Innovation Forum Tackles Challenge Of Food Security	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line416
__label__wiki	0.820537	0.820537	Home Community News Robert Tilearcio: A Hero Among Angels Robert Tilearcio: A Hero Among Angels Jennifer Fauci Remembering a local family man and firefighter Tilearcio belonged to Engine Company 266 in Rockaway Beach, Queens. (Photos courtesy of the Tilearcio family) “I want him remembered as a hero because that’s what he was.” That’s the sentiment that Bobby Tilearcio wants everyone who hears his father’s name to think of. Firefighter Robert Tilearcio passed away on Oct. 25 at the age of 58 from brain cancer. He was the 15th member of the FDNY to pass away from a 9/11 related illness this year. He joined the department on Dec. 12, 1983, and was still assigned to Engine Company 266 in Rockaway Beach, Queens until his death. Although his family is heartbroken over his loss, they treasure every minute spent with him, as a husband, father, person and all-around true hero. The Tilearcio family, from left: Bobby, Tatiana, Tina and Robert “We didn’t have a boring life, that’s for sure,” said Tina, Tilearcio’s widow. “He always found ways to laugh and his dream was to retire and be a comedian. Whether we had money or not, we always had fun.” Bobby, 27, remembers how warm and kind his father was to everyone he came in contact with. “As a firefighter, my dad would talk to all the homeless people outside the firehouse when no one else talked to them,” said Bobby. “He treated everyone with the same amount of respect. He instilled that in me and hopefully I can continue that legacy.” Fireman Robert Tilearcio at Ground Zero Bobby recently took the FDNY test, which his dad had always pushed him to do, and according to his mother, is “in his blood.” “It would be nice to do what my dad did. Even from when I was a kid sliding down the pole at the firehouse and going on runs in the firetruck, I always wanted to help people,” said Bobby. “For 27 years I went back to the firehouse and saw my dad at work. I think being able to support a family and give back to the community is great.” “He was always taking us to amusement parks, skiing, skydiving…he would go skydiving every year in memory of his friend who died on 9/11,” said Tatiana. “He loved roller coasters and loved having fun. I also always looked forward to when he would take me to the firehouse.” “We traveled a lot, even to Poland. My dad taught me a lot, including how to ski. Every time I go skiing I’ll think of him,” said Bobby. “I’ll never forget being on the slopes with my dad and just talking.” On September 11, 2001, while the rest of the world was carrying on with their day, New York City’s strength would be tested. As a member of the FDNY, Tilearcio’s family knew he would be down there helping without even thinking twice of the consequences on his own life. “I was so scared I was going to lose him that day,” said Tina, who picked up her son from Berner Middle School and her daughter from Birch Lane Elementary School. “From the day he got called to help, we didn’t see him for weeks after that. Sometimes he even slept in the city.” “When 9/11 happened, the mood in the house was definitely sad. But we knew our dad was doing a good thing and we hoped he was safe from it,” said Tatiana. “I never thought that 17 years later, it would kill him,” said Bobby. “People don’t realize how many people are sick because they didn’t have the right breathing devices.” After it was made clear that first responders who helped clear Ground Zero of debris and rubble contracted illnesses from the site, Tilearcio fought aggressively to help pass the Zadroga Act, which protects and covers the healthcare and medical bills of all first responders who were exposed to poisonous toxins from their work at Ground Zero. “It was a passion of his,” said Tatiana. “When he first started going to Washington he wasn’t diagnosed. The last time he went he was in a wheelchair but he kept fighting for what he knew needed to happen.” In December 2015, with Tilearcio’s help, the Zadroga Act was extended to 2090, covering healthcare and bills for all those affected. Tilearcio in The National September 11 Memorial & Museum. He stands in front of a photo of a group of firefighters including himself, quenching their thirst with water. When the New York City skyline was forever changed, so was Tilearcio and his fellow FDNY and NYPD brothers. He went back to Ground Zero for the first time in 2010. “We went to the museum as a family 16 years to the day it happened, but when we went back seven years ago, I wrote a postcard and put it on the wall,” said Tina. “I wrote it seeing it through his eyes; that was the title. I observed Robert most of the day and took everything in through him.” Tatiana, who attended Pace University in Manhattan recalls learning more about her father’s heroic time during those dangerous few months. “Every time he came to visit me, we walked around the city and he told me where he slept, who gave him food when he stayed in the city,” she said. Before Tilearcio was laid to rest, he was remembered at a beautiful funeral service at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Massapequa. His family extended their heartfelt gratitude to the community, the parish, family, friends and neighbors who offered their love and support. In lieu of flowers, the Tilearcios asked for donations to be made to FDNY firedupforacure, an organization that fights to “extinguish cancer.” To make a donation on behalf of Tilearcio, visit the Facebook page or call 718-999-0372. “Every person that met him was better off after he left them, that’s how my cousin put it,” said Tatiana of her beloved father. “He impacted people in a positive way, kept their spirits up and always kept them laughing.” Previous articleThe Voting Process In 2017 Next articleOyster Bay Seeks Workforce Reductions Jennifer Fauci is the managing editor of Long Island Weekly, Boulevard and Anton Media Group’s local magazines. Her passion for literature, travel and the arts lend to the unique content in her publications. In her time at Anton, she has received first place in the Folio Awards, second place for the NYPA awards and is the recipient of three PCLI awards. Year In Review: A Look At Massapequa’s Biggest Stories \| Massapequa Observer December 22, 2017 at 3:17 pm […] 11, 2001 extend far beyond that infamous date, when Massapequa resident and FDNY firefighter Robert Tilearcio succumbed to brain cancer, which he contracted due to his heroic role in the tragic events of that […]	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line419
__label__wiki	0.808146	0.808146	Home General Visioning Comes Into Focus Visioning Comes Into Focus Frank Rizzo Eileen Supran of Plainview spoke at length about the parking problems near the Hicksville train station. Moderator Erik Wood of the urban design firm HKS looks on. (Photos by Frank Rizzo) No matter how beautiful the renderings, and entrancing the visions, and clever the concepts, there were two worms in the apple. Traffic and parking. Those are the intractable dilemmas that make the transformation of downtown Hicksville challenging. The Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Initiative’s (DRI) Local Planning Committee (LPC) held its third public meeting on Jan. 18. Dozens of attendees filled the Hicksville Community Center to hear the latest plans for how the hamlet will spend the $10 million grant it won last year as part of the state’s DRI program. Many of the public comments dealt with traffic and parking issues, and it was evident that there were no easy answers. Erik Wood and Cecil Bakalor of the NYC-based HKS architecture and design firm led the presentation. The firm received kudos from LPC members and the public alike for the renderings of possible projects in the downtown, focused on the train station area. The multinational firm has designed three NFL stadiums and has a portfolio of high-priced projects. But whether it’s huge developments or modest ones, the issues are the same, Wood told Anton Media Group: “To create a sense of place where people want to come and at the same time create value in the adjacent private sector.” A tabletop low relief three-dimensional model was the focus of much attention and comment. Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, however, pointed out that it was a very preliminary rendering, and much could change. Click the image to look through the 72-slide presentation shown at the meeting. Many of the LPC members had served on the Downtown Hicksville Revitalization Committee (DHRC). A number of the ideas from that committee’s final plan have been incorporated into the visions that HKS presented. The project has a number of moving parts, and must mesh aims and aspirations that, it was obvious from public comment at the meeting, could conflict with each other. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is spending $121 million to refurbish the train station, the busiest in the LIRR system outside New York City. The MTA is also planning to erect a parking garage to help address the parking shortage. The Town of Oyster Bay will need to change its zoning to comply with the vision of transforming its downtown. And Nassau County is reportedly undertaking a traffic study encompassing the area bordered by the DRI and even beyond. Seen from the air, much of downtown Hicksville is covered by surface parking lots, mainly used by commuters. They are full during weekdays and empty in the evenings. Consolidating these lots into what the DHRC’s final report called “structured parking would free up land for development that can enhance, rather than detract from the surrounding community.” It noted that many downtown businesses don’t have enough parking during business hours, and introduced ideas of how shoppers, commuters and patrons of restaurants/bars in the evenings could share parking. LPC member Phil Heckler said, “One of the things we talked about was recovering some of the land that is now street-level parking. It destroys the appearance and aesthetics of the downtown, and undermines the tax base. To reclaim that land, we always thought we needed some mixed use development with up to 500 units of co-ops and apartments and such.” Private-Public Residents gather around a three-dimensional model of the area encompassed by the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Initiative. To paraphrase the quote made famous in Field of Dreams, “Talk about it, and they will come.” James McCaffrey, deputy commissioner of economic development for Oyster Bay, said that the town reached out to property or business owners interested in locating in the DRI. “There is a limited amount of funding, so as a committee, one of your jobs is to select the best projects that are economically viable and can happen in the next 18-24 months,” he stated, adding that the projects would also need to benefit the larger community. Commented Wood, “The DRI program is very specific in that they would like to have ‘shovel-ready’ projects to invest in. Things that are ready to get started in the next 18 to 24 months, Some of the things we’ve talked about are very important to move Hicksville into the place it wants to be. So the LPC will need to instruct us on how to sort these things.” “The numbers are daunting,” said Dave Kapell, co-chair of the LPC. “Ten million is a lot of money, but it doesn’t go very far on a project of this scale. I know from my experience that it will take a significant amount of time. The challenge here is to identify those activities that will spark everything else to happen.” Wood agreed, saying, “This is a large vision that takes a significant investment and a longer period of time than what the DRI parameters have described.” Words of hope came from co-chair Kapell, the former mayor of Greenport. One of his goals in that North Fork community was to build a public park along the harbor. “We had no idea how to go about it and it took 13 years to do it,” he confessed. Eventually, Greenport tapped 28 different funding sources to build Mitchell Park and Marina. “It totally transformed the village,” said Kapell. “And before we even put a shovel in the ground, just talking about it and planning it, it induced private investment. Hotels and restaurants opened up along side of it.” Kapell went on to say this same synergy could do the same thing for Hicksville. These are the eight private projects that McCaffrey asked the LPC to assess: A boutique hotel on West Cherry Street, between Broadway and Jerusalem Avenue. It would be about 15,000 square feet and have an estimated cost of $15 million. A mixed-use development under the name 99 Hicksville Station Plaza. Proposal for 200 apartments above ground-level retail. Would be erected on Newbridge Road and has an estimated price tag of $20 million. The principals asked for $1.5 million of DRI funding to begin the building task. Oyster Bay Brewery: Would move from its present location in the hamlet of Oyster Bay. Owners propose to spend $1 million, but as of yet do not have access to a property. Trinity Lutheran Church and School. Would expand day care at its current location on West Nicholai Street. Mass Transit Training Facility: Proposed by Nassau County BOCES to train people for positions in mass transportation. Proposed in the West Barclay Street area. Oxygen Therapy Center: A proposed facility of 10,000 square feet dependent on property acquisition. Principals propose to spend $800,00 and are requesting $400,000 from DRI grant. Residential Expansion: Proposal to expand a current 88-unit residential buildings on Broadway. Predicated on buying property on Williams Street. Developers plan to spend $14,7 million. Digital Ballpark: A non-profit is looking to for 10,000-square-foot site to create a space that would have tech-based start-ups and support for aspiring entrepreneurs. All of the $5000,000 cost would come from the DRI funds. A view of the model, with proposed new buildings in light pink. Downtown Focus For both Wood and Bakalor, “decongesting the area” encompassed by the DRI, especially around the train station, was one of the chief aims of their planning focus. “A lot of improvement could be done here,” said Bakalor as a slide showing a photo near the railroad station was put up. “One of the things we feel is very important is to rationalize the access to the station.” The plan calls for buildings that combine retail, commercial and housing, with integrated parking. Walkable areas will figure prominently among the million square feet of development. A series of plazas will be crowned by the expansion of John F. Kennedy Memorial Park from its current .75 acres to 4 acres. These will create the possibilities for festivals and farmers’ markets and other public gatherings. “What you need to revive downtown Hicksville is coverage, a lot of development,” Bakalor observed. LPC Co-Chair Gregory Carman Jr. said, “The concentration or focus has to be dominated by the train area on the station entry drive and new station plaza. Discussions have to happen between the town and the state and the MTA to make this go. So hopefully, the state has a lot of money to offer us (laughter) to make this become a reality.” Bakalor put up a photo taken at the Hicksville train station and commented, “We’ve labeled this slide, ‘Conflict.’ I think that understates it. You have parking. You have people being dropped off. You have people walking to their cars. You have people waiting for people to get off the train. We feel this can be improved tremendously.” He added, “One of the things that’s important here is to capture the million-plus people annually who get off the train, get in their cars and leave Hicksville. What we like about the Barclay proposal is that when they get off the train they have choices of restaurants and bars, of meeting people after work.” The HKS plan envisioned the West Barclay Street area as a destination, with active sidewalks, shops and restaurants and plenty of pedestrians. “It would be improved by putting trees, by putting landscaping and by putting lighting,” Bakalor said. The widening of Broadway (Route 107) and Newbridge Road (Route 106) by the state in the 1960s essentially killed the walkable, downtown character of the hamlet, people noted. The DRI vision called for these roads to become more pedestrian friendly. Of Broadway, Bakalor said, “The big issue is to make it pedestrian friendly. That’s number one. We heard this over and over again. People have to feel comfortable crossing he street. This means crosswalks, pedestrian lights, seating, signage. All the things that make a street feel more like a place than a truck route through the center of [town].” The plan envisions matching what Bakalor calls the existing, historical stores on the east side of the route with four-story buildings on the west side. These new buildings would have retail on the first floor, commercial or start-up firms on the second floor, and two floors of residential housing. “You now have a street that starts to have scale to it,” Bakalor said of the proposal. “It starts to feel more like the old (before road widening) Broadway. You’re never going to get the “old” Broadway, but defining both sides of the street you start to get that.” Bakalor showed slides of other municipalities that in his view proved that successful “main streets” were built up on both sides. “And this is the kind of thing that we heard [in public comment] right from the start,” Bakalor observed. “That there were certain kinds of streets that people preferred and liked the character of (showing a slide of Main Street in Huntington).” One of the key portions of the HKS plan is a series of public spaces that will supplant current drop-off points, as well as the forementioned expansion of JFK Park. The slides tabbed them as Station Plaza and Festival Plaza. Wood said an appropriate next step would be “the extension of the public realm from the Station Plaza eastbound toward JFK Park…something that can get started in the next 12 to 18 months.” The plan calls for changing the perception of JFK Park “from being a median to being an occupiable and effective gathering place for community events many people have mentioned that they would like to see happen here” according to Wood. John Sarcone, an LPC member, thought the reimagined JFK Plaza would help define the downtown. “As a Hicksville resident, one of the first questions you ask is ‘Where do you believe the downtown is?’ And we have different opinions. So, improving JFK Park—which is hard to get to and something that is not utilized—has tremendous potential.” Town of Oyster bay Councilman and LPC member Tony Macagnone liked the idea of the nucleus of public spaces anchored by JFK Plaza. “Let’s get started and let’s give residents something they could have and enjoy,” he stated. “We believe this could have a dramatic effect,” Bakalor said of the proposed park expansion from .75 to 4 acres. “From hearing from the public at hearings they feel it’s not really a park…you can’t get to it. Look at all the [streets] you have to cross.” With modifications to existing public areas, Bakalor went on, JFK Park can be transformed “from being a leftover traffic island to a usable park.” Echoing Wood, Bakalor felt that it would appeal to the [LPC] as to where to make the first move, and start spending the grant money. “It would be a place to do events such as farmers’ markets, and as housing starts to be built, it will be a place that people can use as an amenity,” Bakalor said. Another area of attraction was Nelson Avenue, which starts at Broadway and makes its way south, paralleling Newbridge Road until it ends at Cherry Street. Bakalor loved the bend in the road, saying—as he showed slides of similar streets—that it had the potential for exciting visual possibilities. “Downtown has problems—lots of empty sites, lots of at-grade parking. But one thing Hicksville has are great street blocks [with] incredible bends and odd-shaped blocks,” Bakalor said. “For us, his is an opportunity to do something really special [by reconfiguring Nelson] and making the crossing of Newbridge and Broadway more prominent. It’s an opportunity for [the block] to become the Hicksville destination.” HKS also saw potential in West Barclay Street. Wood called this “one of the big developments. The south side is owned mainly by the town. On the north [side of the street] you have large parcels that are owned by a handful of people. The ability to bring people to the table and collaboratively work toward bringing the character of Barclay into the transformed vision is much more possible on this stretch of Barclay.” Modest investments such as putting streetscapes on this part of the road is not a big deal, Wood said, but full transformation and potential can only come with private sector investment, The private sector will also be more engaged if thew town comes through with favorable zoning changes and density controls. “The level of predictability of what the shape of those buildings and the character of the street [will be] will only encourage such private investment,” Wood pronounced. “[A transformed] Barclay Street can redefine how downtown Hicksville can be thought about.” LPC member and Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker was impressed by the variety of projects interested in the DRI. “Hopefully, it will add more jobs and opportunities for young people right here in Hicksville,” she said. “After many years of struggling and getting no place…I think tonight we see something real start to happen.” Lionel Chitty, former president of the Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Downtown Revitalization Committee that had been studying the problems, wondered if the time frame within which the DRI operates would preclude potential businesses from applying for a share of the grant money. He was told that there would be opportunities. Town of Oyster Bay Councilman Anthony Macagnone (left) and former Hicksville Chamber of Commerce President Lionel Chitty share a light moment during the Jan. 18 meeting of the Local Planning Committee, of which they are members. LPC Members Weigh In Ryan Coyne, one of the committee’s youngest members, was concerned that “Long Island is in danger of losing a lot of its young people. Stats are coming out that people are fleeing because of the rising cost of housing.” That is why he was so supportive of the DRI. “It has tremendous value, to [make] the community stronger for decades to come…and lay the groundwork for a prosperous and successful Hicksville for the next 40 years. I’m really excited about that.” Coyne was also excited about an item on the potential list of projects—the creation of a digital ballpark. He is associated with LaunchPad in nearby Westbury, billed as “a business incubator, startup accelerator, and co-working community.” Coyne praised the potential facility as having “a ripple effect on the surrounding community. The private development of the digital ballpark, combined with better walkability and more housing opportunities will have a tremendous impact on the community.” Linda Armyn said it was important to pay attention to Nelson Avenue because it was to be the center of the desirable mixed use. She added, “I love [enhancing] JFK Park. I’ve talked to people around here and it needs to improve.” Tony Widzinski praised the work of HKS, noting, “When we first started the puzzle there just a bunch of pieces. And what you have presented tonight [gave us] an idea of what downtown Hicksville is going to be. We have different ideas. Everybody was thinking downtown was Broadway. It’s not. It’s Nelson Avenue.” Erik Wood of HKS, an urban design firm and project consultant, was one of the moderators. John Budnick of Massapequa said he remained “interested conceptually in the Hicksville area,” where he was a former community activist. He spent years in the District Attorney’s office, dealing with crimes in the area in focus. He urged that the LPC try to get some kind of police presence in the vicinity of the train station. He also felt a hotel should be a high priority there. Nick Sarandes of Hicksville immediately brought up traffic concerns, ticking off a list of new and future non-DRI affiliated developments he claimed would bring “a massive amount of cars into Hicksville.” “More cars,” he warned, “will undermine these beautiful ideas and conceptions.” Eileen Supran of Plainview put the parking problems front and center, and asked Wood if the shortage of parking was being studied or addressed. Yes, was the answer, and later, McCaffrey stepped up to say the MTA would be building a garage on top of an existing parking lot that would add a net 900 spaces. Supran spoke of the housing developments in Plainview, as well as Hicksville and surrounding areas. A lot of millennial with cars would be flooding the area, she noted. Many would be frequenting the Hicksville train station. “You want young people to stay here,” she pointed out. “A lot of them have to commute to the city to make enough money to sustain a life here…and the LIRR parking situation is getting worse.” Andree Smith complained that “Hicksville has become a giant eyesore (to applause).” She suggested the old Cerro Wire site as a place where a parking lot could be put up. Cheryl Brown detailed a trip to the FedEx office at 25 Newbridge and said, “There is no parking on that whole block. You’re going to put up a park there? Where are people going to park if you put up a park there?” Her parting suggestion was for people to avoid that FedEx office. Rich Pfeifer said he’s been a resident since 1953 “and I’m tired of people dumping on Hicksville,” he said bluntly, calling for a moratorium on building parking spaces. “I know that people from other towns want to come in and commute to the city,” he said. “This is our home. They’re coming to our home to travel out of the area. I might have well open up my garage and have someone park in there (laughter). And now you’re talking about making nice pedestrian crosswalks. That’s going to hold traffic up. It will be backed up to the Northern State.” Wood admitted he had no answers when Pfeifer asked him where the construction equipment would be stored when all the potential construction began. “I like the project,” Pfeifer told Anton Media Group apropos the presentation. “But the traffic…” Wood and More “The program is focused on what intervention could take place in the near term that would enable Hicksville to reach toward its vision,” Wood said after the last public speaker. “None of the things we have shown today have gone down to that level of detail to resolve the issues that some of the people have mentioned. What we’ve been able to do is think through a series of steps which we believe as private developers come forward on the property they own, that the parking can work in tandem with that development. The parking lots that the town currently owns can be increased. Wood believed that with a shared parking strategy involving commuter, retail and residential uses, “there will be ample parking supplied.” As for traffic, he said it would have to wait on the ongoing traffic study. As for the MTA, Wood said, “[It] is interested in increasing the parking spots for the commuters, so being able to employ a shared parking strategy here is going to be absolutely critical in order for this kind of development to take place. And we believe the MTA, from our conversations, is very willing to take that approach, in part because they see the ability to generate [economic] activity in and around their train stations to be of great benefit, not only for their ridership, but for the towns they are within.” In an interview with Anton Media Group, Wood said, “The DRI study is focused on revitalization efforts that could be funded by the DRI program. That’s the lens within which this [planning] is being done.” Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island has been involved with helping to plan a number of downtowns and was part of the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Committee. “You talk to Hicksville residents and business owners and you see consensus for three- or four-story buildings, public spaces and walkability. Everybody wanted that from day one,” he told Anton Media Group. Alexander said he had been a two meetings in Hicksville attended by hundreds of people. A vast majority favored changing the zoning in the downtown area to match the vision of a revitalized Huntington. “Some people are always going to be unhappy, but when you get up to 70 percent support for what you’re trying to do, and hear it again and again, that’s valid,” he observed. “That [downtown] vision has been validated by the community.” Of the DRI planning process, which is funded separately, Alexander noted, “The state is investing serious amounts of resources to planning, [spending] $300,00 to make sure that the $10 million [grant will result in] projects that [comply] with public consensus and market realities.” Previous articleProperty Tax Assessment Grievance Period Ends March 1 Next articlePatriots, Eagles Set For Rematch Frank Rizzo is a journalist at Anton Media Group. With decades of experience in the industry, he is exceptionally equipped to cover local politics, business and other topics that matter to readers.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line420
__label__wiki	0.891401	0.891401	THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO, MRP and Yle shoot the crime drama “Paradise” on the Costa del Sol The series stars the Finnish actress Riitta Havukainen and Malaga-born actor Fran Perea. Cast members also include María Romero, Óscar Zafra and Emilio Palacios, and the Finnish actors Risto Tuorila, Carl-Christian Rundman and Armi Toivanen. THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO, Finnish public television network Yle and MRP Matila Röhr Productions Oy are shooting “Paradise” on the Costa del Sol, a series starring Fran Perea (“The Serranos”, “Luna, el misterio de Calenda”, “La sonata del silencio”, “The Last Circus”) and Riitta Havukainen (“Fakta homma”, “Harjunpää ja heimolaiset”). Filmed in Finnish, Spanish and English, the crime drama is directed by Marja Pyykkö, responsible for police series “Hooked” and “Black Widows”, winner of the prestigious Golden Venla award; and with the collaboration of Matti Laine, author of detective novels and the series “Border Town” and “Bullets”, as head screenwriter. The series, which will be airing at the end of the year in Finland, was filmed in November on location in Finland, and from January on the Costa del Sol. Ran Tellem, Head of International Content Development for THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO and Emmy award winner as executive producer for “Homeland”, collaborated on the development of this dark themed series, consisting of 8 episodes. “Paradise” also features Spanish actors María Romero (“Historias románticas (un poco) cabronas”, “El olivo”), Óscar Zafra (“Querido maestro”, “Victim Nº 8”) and Emilio Palacios (“Servir y proteger”, “La zona”), among others; and the Finnish ones Risto Tuorila, Carl-Christian Rundman and Armi Toivanen, among others. The contrast between the cold north and the sunny south is the backbone of the plot, whose production began last October in the Finnish city of Oulu. It is in this difference between the dark and grey environments of the Nordic country, with its endless nights and very short days, and the sun and light of the Mediterranean, ever-present in the series filmed on the Costa del Sol, where one of the novel features of this fiction lies. After filming in Oulu and the surrounding area, “Paradise” moved to the Costa del Sol, where there is an important Finnish community, founded in Fuengirola at the end of the 60’s and currently consisting of nearly 15,000 Finnish residents, a figure that increases in high season. Filming in Spain began at the end of January and will end on April 10. In addition to sea and sun, the Finnish community have everything they need to feel at home: schools, lawyers and all the services they might need in their native tongue. They have a newspaper published in Finnish, a native Finnish doctor and, if all else fails, there’s a good Finnish undertaker ready to take over. But what happens when Finns start showing up dead, murdered in paradise? Photo: Riitta Havukainen and Fran Perea. ©Ana Belén Fernández	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line421
__label__wiki	0.831564	0.831564	Historic Sites of Manitoba: Western Canada Flour Mills / Purity Flour Mills / Maple Leaf Mills (440 Archibald Street, Winnipeg) In 1905, the Toronto architectural firm of Darling & Pearson collaborated with Winnipeg architect Walter P. Over in the design of a large grain-processing mill for Western Canada Flour Mills, supplementing its existing facilities at Goderich (Ontario) and Brandon. The six-storey brick structure, capped by a sixteen-foot cupola, was one of the tallest structures in St. Boniface, located at 440 Archibald Street, on the east side between Kavanagh and Messier streets. Next to it sat a three-storey brick warehouse where the processed grain was packed and stored prior to shipment. Initially designed to produce 4,000 barrels of flour per day, it would eventually grow into one of the largest grain-processing facilities in Canada. By 1919, the mill produced 5,000 barrels daily and could store 730,000 bushels of grain. Its three shifts of 170 workers, many of them of Polish or Ukrainian descent, kept the mill operating 24 hours a day. Later names under which the mill operated were Purity Flour Mills (1950s) and Maple Leaf Mills. It closed in February 1981 and was sold to an Australian grain company. Although much of the infrastructure was present in 2002, most of it had been demolished by 2005, although the six-storey portion appears to have survived until 2007. Nothing remains at the site today. The original Western Canada Flour Mills building (1905) Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 22 July 1905, page 2. Western Canada Flour Mills (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2015-0095 The former Western Canada Flour Mills (no date) Source: City of Winnipeg Manitoba Business: Western Canada Flour Mills “A mammoth milling plant,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 July 1905, page 2. We thank Murray Peterson for providing additional information used here. This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Robert Hill. Page revised: 24 January 2018	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line424
__label__wiki	0.875435	0.875435	Mental health care in India: Restoring hope and dignity (WHO Feature) Shamma, a school-going child became a victim of bullying, name calling as she was struggling at school to fight off her mental health problem with schizophrenia. Soon her father Mohammad visited a mental health facility in their home state of Gujarat, India, where Shamma able to get the help she so desperately needed. The facility is 1 of just 43 government-funded mental health hospitals, which provide services for an estimated 70 million-plus people living with mental disorders. For every 1 million people, there are just 3 psychiatrists, and even fewer psychologists. In Gujarat state alone, the facility is 1 of 9 that has implemented the Quality Rights Project to improve access to mental health services, while respecting the human rights of the people treated there. Established in 2014, the project is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Gujarat and the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy at the Indian Law Society and is supported by WHO and partners. The project is funded by Grand Challenges Canada, a Canadian government-funded nongovernmental organization. Seeing the person and not the disease Consultant psychiatrist, project coordinator of the Quality Rights Project and coordinator of the Indian Law Society’s Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy, Dr Soumitra Pathare, explained the project was launched to address a range of issues. One challenge was to change the prevailing mind-set among the community that people with mental illness lack the capacity to make meaningful decisions about their lives. “The hardest part of this project is changing the attitudes of health workers and the community towards people with mental illness,” says Dr Pathare. “To provide holistic care, you must see the person and not just their illness. You have to treat them as individuals with hopes and dreams." The Quality Rights Project goes beyond conventional treatment, by advising service users and caregivers on how to access social grants and giving career guidance. Through the project, mental health providers, caregivers and people using the services undergo training on a human rights approach to care. Implementation follows the step-by-step guidance provided in WHO’s Quality Rights Tool Kit, which includes a list of human rights standards that must be applied along with practical tools and training materials for restructuring and improving the mental health facility, and suggestions for evaluating progress. “The Quality Rights project emphasizes recovery by putting individuals’ goals and aspirations to lead fulfilling lives in their community at the forefront,” explains Dr Michelle Funk, Coordinator for the Mental Health Policy and Service Development team at WHO. “By implementing recovery-oriented policies we can help mental health service users’ reintegrate into the community, benefiting the user, the caregiver and broader society,” she adds. Through its focus on human rights, the Quality Rights Project aims to empower those requiring its services. “We now place a lot of emphasis on empowering service users to decide on the type of treatment they wish to receive,” says Dr Ajay Chauhan, State Programme Officer for Mental Health in Gujarat. “They start to feel better about themselves and that choice.” Community support groups In Shamma’s case, the support she receives at the facility through the Quality Rights Project, including via Saathi, a peer support group for caregivers that meets regularly, has provided an invaluable source of hope for both her and the family, according to her father, Mohammad. “I have felt a lot of discrimination in life, but Saathi is a space where people are sharing their difficult experiences,” he says. “There has been a shift in the way I think. I find myself taking more time for my daughter and talking about her life, feelings and needs.” Chinmay Shah, a 36-year-old engineer diagnosed 20 years ago with schizophrenia, attests to the project’s merits. “I am doing much better and am able to work part time,” he says. “I visit Saathi and other facilities providing mental health care services, sharing my experience and advocating for the use of a human rights approach at these facilities. In this way, I can help others going through this.” “It takes a long time to recover, but it is possible.” Source: WHO Features Shamma’s father, Mohammad Yusuf Mansuri has benefited from Saathi, a peer support group for caregivers. Quality Rights Project, India	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line425
__label__wiki	0.972548	0.972548	Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > Three UK Muslims found guilty in airline liquid bomb plot Three UK Muslims found guilty in airline liquid bomb plot http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL819178320080908 Three found guilty in liquid bomb plot Mon Sep 8, 2008 7:27pm BST By Luke Baker LONDON (Reuters) - Three Britons were found guilty on Monday of conspiracy to kill using homemade liquid bombs, but a jury failed to agree that they intended to blow up transatlantic airliners in an al Qaeda-style attack. The verdicts came after a high-profile, five-month trial in which prosecutors had argued that eight co-conspirators planned to smuggle explosives onto half a dozen aircraft at London's Heathrow airport and blow them up midway to North America. After more than 50 hours of deliberation, the 12-person jury was unconvinced by the prosecution's description of a complex airline bomb plot, finding only three of the defendants -- Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain -- guilty of a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit murder. The jury failed to reach a verdict on four other defendants and the eighth was found not guilty on all charges. Sentencing is due to take place later. The trial had been closely watched. Police and secret services described the plot as potentially one of the deadliest ever hatched on British soil. U.S. authorities said it could have killed as many people as the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. After it was uncovered in August 2006, thousands of flights around the world were disrupted and new restrictions were introduced banning passengers from taking liquids on aircraft. The government praised Monday's verdict, but the fact only three of the eight were found guilty, and that the main charge failed to stand up, showed there was doubt in the minds of the jury about the full extent of the plot. "PUBLICITY STUNT" The prosecution had described Ali, 27, as the ringleader of the gang and presented evidence taken from him including a diary that contained what they said was a blueprint for an attack. A memory stick owned by one of the suspects held detailed information about flights from Heathrow to U.S. and Canadian cities, most of them departing between August and October 2006. The bombs would have been made from liquid explosives based on hydrogen peroxide mixed with an organic component such as tang, a substance used to make soft drinks, prosecutors said. While Ali, Sarwar and Hussain admitted planning to carry out an attack, they said it was intended merely to be a publicity stunt designed to draw attention to videos they had made denouncing British and U.S. foreign policy in Iraq. They said they had never intended to attack aircraft. While some of the men were waiting for new passports, the prosecution presented no evidence that a viable bomb had been made, no airline tickets had been bought and there was little to indicate that an attack was imminent. However, seven of the defendants had recorded statements on video laying out plans to commit a suicide attack. Some of those videos shown in court showed the defendants laughing and joking in between takes as they tried to get their lines right. When the trial began, prosecutors said the plot centred on seven flights from Heathrow's Terminal 3, each capable of carrying between 241 and 285 passengers. But recorded conversations between the gang, all British Muslims aged in their 20s, suggested that other terminals and possibly 18 suicide bombers might have been involved. Analysis: How the plan was put together Little did Ahmed Ali and his cohorts know that they were under round-the-clock surveillance while plotting their attacks Sean O'Neill, Crime & Security Editor, Michael Evans, Defence Editor From Times Online (London) September 8, 2008 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4708700.ece Ahmed Abdulla Ali walked into the Walthamstow office of Bairstow Eve estate agents on the morning of July 20, 2006, and collected the keys to his new flat. It had been a good piece of business for the agency: a buyer moving from viewing to completion in a matter of weeks and paying £138,000 cash. Ali explained the urgency - he was splitting up with his wife and needed to find a new place quickly. It was a lie. The truth was that Ali had just returned to London from Pakistan with orders from al-Qaeda to step up preparations for a wave of terrorist attacks in Britain. The top floor flat, at 386a Forest Road, was purchased as the bomb factory, where Ali would put together the liquid devices he had been taught to make by an al-Qaeda explosives expert. What Ali and the men around him did not know was that they were under round-the-clock surveillance by MI5 and SO15, Scotland Yard's Counter-terrorism Command. They were followed wherever they went; every item they bought was logged; the rubbish they threw in park bins was recovered and everyone they met was filmed or photographed. 386a was routinely "burgled" by surveillance teams who planted covert video and audio recording equipment to enable them to see and hear every move the plotters made. Ali had been a target for the security agencies since the autumn of 2005 because of his links to an active circle of extremists in east London which included Muktar Said Ibrahim, the leader of the July 21 bomb gang. Since his teens, Ali had been involved with Tablighi Jamaat, a strict religious movement viewed with suspicion by intelligence agencies around the world. He also travelled frequently to Pakistan, staying for long periods between 2003-06. The MI5 assessment in early 2006 was that Ali was probably a fundraiser and facilitator. But there were deeper concerns. One of his visits coinicided with trips by the 7/7 and 21/7 bombers and a gathering in Waziristan at which the al-Qaeda leadership gathered a group of young British jihadis, the class of 2004, and turned them into suicide bombers. The intelligence agencies took note when, in May 2006, Ali again flew to Pakistan. It proved impossible to keep track of him there but when he returned on June 24, there were dramatic changes in his behaviour - talk of leaving his wife and the sudden purchase of a flat. Ali was seen shopping locally for clamps, drills, syringes, glue and latex gloves. Inside 386a officers found batteries which had been bought in Pakistan, filaments from torch bulb batteries, plastic bottles and large amounts of Tang, a high-sugar drink powder. They also witnessed bombmaking experiments using liquid explosives injected into the bottom of soft drinks bottles. The stepping up of Ali's activity coincided, the prosecution claimed, with the arrival in Britain of Mohammed Gulzar, a Birmingham man who fled to Pakistan in 2002 after he was allegedly involved in a serious offence. Gulzar had left Britain at the same time as his friend Rashid Rauf, who also went to Pakistan. Security officials say Rauf became a key conduit between British radicals and militant groups linked to al-Qaeda. Gulzar arrived in London on a flight from Mauritius on July 18, avoiding identification by using a South African passport in the name of Altaf Ravat, the court heard. He was accompanied by his wife of six weeks, Zora Siddique. Gulzar never visited the Forest Road bomb factory. Instead he lived in spartan conditions at an otherwise empty house in Barking, east London. He became known to the authorities after one of the key plotters, Assad Sarwar, was followed to the house in Barking. Monitoring of his phone logged a high number of calls to Pakistan; one phone had just one number stored, for a contact in Pakistan listed as B. Surveillance officers were able to film one late-night meeting between Gulzar and two of the men convicted - Ali and Sarwar. But the jury in the case rejected the Crown's case that Gulzar was a key emissary of al-Qaeda and found him not guilty of charges of conspiracy to murder. He had denied any involvement. Ali had been researching flights from London to North America, lining up a range of aircraft which would depart Heathrow at regular intervals during one afternoon. Details of the flights were found on a computer memory stick in his possession and investigators became convinced the flights were his target. Ali also appeared to be trying to recruit others to take part in his mission. Six men recorded what the Crown claimed were "martyrdom videos" in the Walthamstow flat. A number of them applied for new passports, allegedly to disguise previous travel to Pakistan. Meanwhile Sarwar, the cell's quartermaster, was scouring the country for bomb making materials. On July 28 alone he made 84 calls to companies around the country inquiring about purchasing chemicals. The investigation team was confident that the plotters could not make a move without being followed and watched, photographed and overheard. One source said: "We burgled the flat every couple of days, we had the place plumbed for sound and video, we knew every move they were making." The feeling among the watchers was that the plot should be allowed to "run" for as long as possible. There were signs that the cell in London had links with other groups elsewhere in the country - including one in the north-west. But the American authorities, who feared that their cities would be the targets for any airborne attacks, were nervous and the White House was keen for the plotters to be arrested. When they were told that the plotters were planning a "dummy run" to test airport security, the Americans took matters into their own hands. They demanded that the Pakistani authorities move to arrest Rashid Rauf, the Briton said to be directing the plot from afar. On the morning of August 9, the Pakistani authorities swooped on Rauf's home in Bahawalpur and detained him. Rauf has since escaped from custody, but in the summer of 2006 his arrest caught British agencies by surprise. A decision was made to arrest the UK-based suspects before they heard news of Rauf's detention. John Reid, then Home Secretary, was called away from watching Celtic play Chelsea in a pre-season friendly to chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee as the arrests began. At 9.43pm, Ali and Sarwar were arrested as they sat on a wall in the car park of Walthamstow Town Hall. Further arrests followed across east London and in High Wycombe throughout the night. Just before midnight, police detained Gulzar in Barking. He insisted his name was Ravat and it was not until DNA and fingerprint results had been obtained that he admitted his real identity. As details of the plot emerged, airports around the world were ordered to implement stringent security checks which paralysed global travel. Yesterday, a British jury rejected the notion of the airline plot and questioned whether those checks were ever necessary. The players in the terror plot (Metropolitan Police/PA) Abdullah Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain, who have been found guilty of conspiracy to murder by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court Sean O'Neill, Crime & Security Editor From Times Online (London) September 8, 2008 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4707712.ece They were British, either born or raised here, with British educations and British habits, accents and mannerisms. But they had learned to hate Britain and had agreed to play their parts in a terrorist operation which, had it succeeded, would have rivalled September 11 in shocking the world. It was part of their indoctrination that they would be lionised in parts of the Muslim world and would emulate the men known to al-Qaeda sympathisers as the "magnificent 19", the 9/11 hijackers. The lead bomber: Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, a married father of a young child, has a degree in computer systems engineering. He was born in east London and lived in Walthamstow where he knew a number of his co-conspirators from sixth form college. In 2004 his first son was born two months prematurely and died in hospital. Ali said the experience left him emotionally devastated. He has a brother who works as a probation officer, another working on the London Underground and a third who is a property developer. He has been religiously devout since he was 15, when he became an adherent of the ultra-orthodox Tablighi Jamaat movement. Ali visited Pakistan extensively and claimed that many of his trips were as a volunteer for an Islamic medical charity. But in reality he was attending training camps and meeting senior figures in militant groups. Ali took the lead role in recruiting the would-be suicide bombers, continually motivating them and sitting with them as they recorded their martyrdom videos in the flat he had bought in Walthamstow. He discussed taking his baby on the bombing mission to reduce his chances of arousing suspicion. Prisoners in Belmarsh jail have described Ali as the "emir" or leader of the east London group with considerable influence over other inmates. The quartermaster: Assad Ali Sarwar, 28, lived with his parents and sister in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. He was a university drop-out and a loner who was unemployed at the time of his arrest. But Sarwar was valuable to the jihadi cause, too valuable to be allowed to die in a suicide mission. He was the man who would distribute the martyrdom videos after the attack and who conducted detailed research on oil refineries and power stations as possible alternative targets for the bombers. He also scoured the country to obtain supplies of hydrogen peroxide for use in bombmaking. Strong concentrations of the chemical became harder to obtain in the wake of the July 2005 bombings in London. Sarwar was born and brought up in High Wycombe, did well at school but dropped out of Brunel University, west London, where he had been studying Earth Sciences. He became involved in religious charities and travelled to Pakistan where he said he met Ali at a refugee camp near the Afghan border. Between 2002-05 he held a variety of jobs as a postman, shelf-stacker at Asda, security guard and IT worker for BT. The lieutenant Tanvir Hussain, 27, claimed he had been a womaniser who drank heavily, used drugs and loved nightclubs but emerged as Ali's loyal lieutenant. He was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, but moved to London with his family when he was six and met Ali while studying A-levels at Waltham Forest College. Hussain later took a business and computers course at Middlesex University and told his trial that as a student he regularly drank and used drugs. By 2003, however, he was a devout Muslim and began to display signs of extremism. One former colleague at St Anne's Hospital, north London, said he became "quite agitated" after the 7/7 attacks in London. Zenda Rogers added: "He said I didn't understand what was going on and they were being persecuted". Terror mastermind Abdulla Ahmed Ali guilty of bombing plot (Metropolitan Police/ PA) Abdulla Ahmed Ali, who was found guilty of conspiring to kill hundreds of people Nico Hines From Times Online (London) September 8, 2008 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4707468.ece A young married father was found guilty today of conspiring to kill hundreds of members of the public in a terrorist bombing campaign. Abdulla Ahmed Ali planned to detonate homemade liquid bombs in attacks on British targets, including at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3. Two other men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder. One of the defendants was found not guilty and the jury was unable to reach a verdict for four other men on trial. But embarrassingly for counter-terrorism police, the jury rejected the main charge made against the men that there was a plot to cause a series of explosions on airliners to rival the 9/11 attacks. Police claimed that the men were planning to use an unusual hydrogen peroxide liquid bomb disguised in soft drink bottles. The case led to the security procedures which have prevented thousands of holidaymakers carrying containers of liquid onto aircraft since 2006. Ali, 27, was the leader of an east London al-Qaeda-inspired terror cell, a jury at Woolwich Crown Court found. He and his co-defendants, Assad Sarwar, 28, and Tanvir Hussain, 27, admitted plotting a series of small-scale headline-grabbing bomb attacks. But the jury rejected Ali's claims he did not plan to kill or hurt anyone in the blasts. It also failed to reach verdicts on Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Waheed Khan, Waheed Zaman and Umar Islam. An eighth man, Mohammed Gulzar, was found not guilty on all counts. The jury of eight men and four women had been deliberating for more than 50 hours at the end of a trial which began in April. Police said the plot was drawn up in Pakistan with detailed instructions passed to Ali during frequent trips to its lawless border region with Afghanistan. Prosecutors said his gang considered national infrastructure targets, including gas terminals and oil refineries. Evidence revealed Canary Wharf, the Bacton gas terminal pipeline, various airports, the electricity grid and internet providers were studied. Surveillance teams watched Ali on his return to Britain as he assembled his terror cell, gathered materials and identified targets. Undercover officers watched the unemployed former shop worker use cash to purchase a £138,000 second-floor flat in Forest Road, Walthamstow. They then planted a secret bug that revealed it was converted into a bomb factory where Ali met others to construct the bombs. The flat was also used as a location for Ali and others to record suicide videos threatening further attacks against the West. In his video, Ali warned the British public to expect "floods of martyr operations" that would leave body parts scattered in the streets. Ali was observed as he used public phone boxes, mobile phones and anonymous e-mail accounts to keep in touch with mystery terrorist organisers in Pakistan. On his arrest, he was found carrying an elaborate and damning blueprint for the plot, scrawled in a battered pocket diary. Airport security arrangements and details of flights, including the seven highlighted services, were discovered on a computer memory stick in another pocket. In his defence, Ali said he wanted to create an internet documentary protesting against British foreign policy in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon. He claimed the apparent suicide video, and those created by five of his co-defendants, were spoofs created to make the documentary more provocative. Ali said the blasts would create a storm of media attention that would propel the video into the spotlight. Despite the jury's scepticism, security officials insist that today's verdict would not lead to an alteration of security measures. High Wycombe terror suspect guilty 5:07pm Monday 8th September 2008 Bucks Free Press (UK) By Oliver Evans » http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/3655234.High_Wycombe_terror_suspect_guilty/ HIGH Wycombe terror suspect Assad Sarwar has been found guilty with two others of plotting to murder. But a jury could not decide whether ringleader Abdullah Ali, 27, Assad Sarwar, 28, of Walton Drive, and Tanvir Hussain, 27, planned to blow up transatlantic passenger jets. A verdict was not reached over High Wycombe co-defendant Umar Islam, 30. They failed to reach verdicts on him and three other suspects who made "martyrdom videos" declaring their willingness to die. The other three are Ibrahim Savant, 27, Arafat Waheed Khan, 27 and Waheed Zaman, 24. An eighth man, Mohammed Gulzar, 26, was acquitted of all charges and was formally discharged. The jury dismissed claims he was an "international terrorist" who came to the UK to supervise the plot. The jury had been deliberating for 56 hours and nine minutes. Surveillance on the alleged bottle bombers began after Ali returned from Pakistan in June 2006. Over the following weeks, Ali and his friend Tanvir Hussain were seen visiting shops to buy tools and drinks bottles for their plot. "Chemist" Assad Sarwar also began buying hydrogen peroxide, the main ingredient for the sophisticated bombs. But it was only when a bug was secretly placed in the gang's bomb factory - an empty flat at Forest Road, Walthamstow - that the full scale of the plot was revealed. Recordings from July 31, 2006, revealed Ali and Hussain talking about flights and holiday destinations in America. They were also allegedly heard counting up the number of bombers - reaching a total of 18. A video camera installed at the bomb factory also showed the pair drilling holes in the base of a drinks bottle. On August 6, 2006, a surveillance officer watched Ali looking at the BAA Heathrow website in an internet cafe. Ali selected seven flights, all leaving from Heathrow Terminal Three, and copied them on to a memory stick. On August 9 the bug at the bomb factory recorded the making of a martyrdom video by 30 year-old convert Umar Islam. Ali was also heard telling Islam that the 'time-frame' was a couple of weeks. Three hours later Ali was arrested meeting chemist Assad Sarwar at nearby Waltham Forest Town Hall. Officers discovered not only the recently-made martyrdom video but also Ali's memory stick containing details of seven highlighted flights. The non-stop transatlantic journeys were to depart Heathrow for New York, Washington, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, Chicago at the same times each day between July and October 2006. Between 241 and 285 passengers would travel on each 777, 767 or 763 jet belonging to Air Canada, United Airlines or American Airlines. Ali was also carrying an address book containing a 'blueprint' for the bombs. It included references to Lucozade and Oasis soft drinks and using colours and Tang fruit concentrate as part of the 'disguise'. The blueprint also suggested the terrorists were planning to smuggle them through security, using condoms and a "dirty mag" to distract the attention of security guards. It later emerged the bombs were a sophisticated new version of the explosives used in both the 7/7 and 21/7 attacks. The 500ml drinks bottles would be filled with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and Tang fruit concentrate. Everyday AA batteries filled with the high-explosive HMTD would be used as detonators to set off the bombs in mid-air. Government scientists were later able to construct a bottle bomb and film its devastating effects. Six of the gang, including Ali, made martyrdom videos declaring their willingness to die for the cause of jihad against the West. Neither Sarwar nor Gulzar made videos but were said by the prosecution to be important figures in the terrorist network. The gang told jurors that they were only making a fake film to 'shock and awe' the British public and force a change in UK foreign policy. Ali also claimed he was only intending to set off a small device and did not intend to kill or injure anyone. But prosecutor Peter Wright QC told Woolwich Crown Court: "These men were actively engaged in a deadly plan designed to bring about what would have been a civilian death toll from an act of terrorism on an almost unprecedented scale." Assad Sarwar Airline bomb trial: Five potential suicide bombers 'still at large' By Duncan Gardham and Gordon Rayner Last Updated: 7:51AM BST 09 Sep 2008 Up to five potential suicide bombers may still be at large in Britain, the security services has admitted after the convictions of three British Muslims accused of plotting the world's biggest terrorist atrocity. The al-Qaeda terrorists planned to cause carnage by detonating liquid-based bombs disguised as soft drinks, and recorded suicide videos in which they promised "body parts" would be scattered on the streets. The police and MI5 believed the extremists wanted to cause an "unprecedented" loss of life with simultaneous suicide attacks on several transatlantic airliners bound for America. The arrest of the gang in 2006 led to permanent restrictions on liquids being carried in hand luggage. But a jury was unable to agree on whether Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Tanvir Hussain had decided on specific targets, and instead they were convicted of conspiracy to murder "persons unknown". Four other men are likely to face a retrial after the jury failed to agree on whether they were part of the plot. Last night, police admitted that up to five would-be bombers may still be on the loose, as a bugged conversation between the plotters in their east London bomb factory revealed they had recruited up to 18 people. To date, only 13 people have been arrested in connection with the plot. Senior officers believe the "key players" have been rounded up, but admit they would be "unwise" to suggest there were no more terrorists connected with the gang. The Daily Telegraph can disclose that police were forced to move in early to arrest the gang after a jittery President Bush put pressure on the Pakistani authorities to arrest their al-Qaeda contact in Pakistan. MI5 - who had been watching Ali since 2004 - had hoped to continue gathering intelligence on the remaining members of the cell, but their hand was forced by the US intervention. The gang had stockpiled enough explosives for 20 detonators and 28, half-litre bottles which were to be disguised in Lucozade or Oasis soft drink bottles. The jury at Woolwich Crown Court was played a surveillance tape in which one member of the gang discussed recruiting 19 bombers, which would have emulated the hijackers who killed almost 3,000 people in the September 11 attacks on America. If the gang had gone ahead with one of the plans they discussed - to blow up passenger jets over North American cities, investigators believe the death toll could have reached nearly 5,000 in the air and perhaps as many again on the ground. Intelligence services also believe the same al-Qaeda commander was behind the July 7, July 21 and liquid bomb plots and that members of all three plots may have met each other in Pakistan. Ali, 27, Sarwar, 28, and Hussain, 27, who have yet to be sentenced, were convicted of conspiracy to murder after earlier admitting conspiracy to cause explosions. As well as researching passenger flights, the men had looked into other possible targets, including the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, nuclear power stations and oil terminals. The jury was unable to reach verdicts on conspiracy to murder charges relating to four other defendants - Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Khan, Waheed Zaman and Umar Islam, who may all now face a retrial. All seven had previously admitted a charge of causing a public nuisance by recording what the prosecution claimed were "suicide videos" in which they promised to bring death and destruction to the West in retaliation for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They claimed the videos were merely a propaganda stunt. Ali said the videos were to be released after bombs were detonated at targets including Heathrow's Terminal 3, which is used by several American airlines. He denied any intention to kill, but the jury rejected his claim. An eighth man, Mohammed Gulzar, was found not guilty on all counts, including conspiracy to murder. The covert investigation into the airline gang came to an end after a top-level meeting involving George Bush and senior staff at the White House, US intelligence sources say. MI5 wanted to wait until tickets had been bought and the plotters had received new passports they had applied for, but their hand was forced by the arrest of their co-conspirator Rashid Rauf in Pakistan. The decision was taken just days after MI5 told American intelligence agencies that a gang of suicide bombers were researching flights and building liquid bombs at a flat in Walthamstow, East London. Police in Britain insist the bombers were only days from launching an operation after they heard the plotters saying they had a "couple of weeks" to go. Ironically Rauf, described as the key link-man with al-Qaeda, escaped from Pakistani custody 16 months after he was detained and remains on the run. It was only after the arrests that investigators pieced together the connections between the airline bombers and the failed bombers of July 21 the year before. Muktar Ibrahim, the leader of the July 21 bombers, had been in telephone contact with Abdulla Ahmed Ali, two months before he launched his attacks. The July 7, July 21 and airlines bombs all share common features and the leaders of all three plots were in Pakistan at the same time in early 2005. In overall command of the three operations, police believe, was Abdul Hadi al-Iraq, said to be al-Qaeda's number three. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2707241/Airline-bomb-trial-Five-potential-suicide-bombers-still-at-large.html	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line430
__label__wiki	0.528126	0.528126	Plan Your Gift Catholic Charities City of Angels Christmas Gala The California Club 538 S Flower St - Los Angeles Catholic Charities’ 2016 City of Angels Christmas Gala will be held on Friday, December 2, at The California Club in downtown Los Angeles. The Gala will honor the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Investees of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, and the Order of St. Gregory the Great. Highlights of the evening will include a special vocal performance of Christmas music by lyric tenor Nathan Granner, who is renowned as a solo and collaborative artist. His buoyant, elegant voice emerges from the stage with a dark mahogany tone and a bright cutting chiaroscuro. Granner’s career is blessed with distinct variety and wild extremes. As an opera singer he has bowed as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte, and Rodolfo in La Bohéme at companies, such as Lyric Opera Kansas City, Opera Theater St. Louis and Tulsa Opera. He was a founding member of The American Tenors. Proceeds from the annual event will benefit the poor children and families served by the community centers of Catholic Charities. For more information about the Christmas Gala, please contact Alexandria Arnold, Chief Development and Communications Officer, at sarnold@ccharities.org.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line433
__label__wiki	0.668757	0.668757	Those who think that only normal people with normal earnings get into debt would be surprised at these 5 celebs. With fame come the big bucks – and the big spends. It’s not just us mere mortals who may struggle with our money… the list of celebrities in debt is a long one. Donald Trump makes it to the top for irony. The most famous real-estate developer in the country has struggled with huge debts since the ‘90s, forcing him to corporate bankruptcy and near personal bankrupt. An economic recession and huge bank loans cost the Taj Mahal Hotel (the flagship of his empire) $1million in debt. Donald was forced into bankruptcy and, in 1992, the Trump Plaza was also forced into bankruptcy. Although he did manage to pay off a staggering $900 million in personal debt by 1994 and recovered somewhat, his empire (Trump Hotels and Casinos) were forced into bankruptcy for the third time. The King of the Ring Mike Tyson may have been a world class fighting machine but he couldn’t easily fight his way out of debt. The boxer earned an astonishing $300million in his career, which he spent on cars, homes, clothing, food and his two pet tigers. He racked up $27 million in debt and owed $13 million in taxes to the US Government at the height of his 400k a month lifestyle. But not even Iron Mike could compete with the most well-known celebrity spender of all time. The late Michael Jackson, who was reportedly $500million in debt. He was rumoured to have spent $6million in a few short hours and spent $20-£30million a year more than he earned. Famously, Jackson was said to have willy-nillying said “I’ll have that, that, that and… have I got that already? I’ll have it anyway,” – and not just on a shop in Asda! MC Hammer’s accountant should have probably pointed at his money and said ‘can’t touch this’. The star’s spending spree was well documented and talked about even after he was clear. He had a $12million estate, gold-plated ‘Hammertime’ gates, nearly 20 expensive cars, 2 swimming, a number of ranches and an impulsive spending lifestyle. He admitted that he had gone through nearly $20million on lavish items and even more through generosity to his friends and family. He filed for bankruptcy in 1996 and was drilled relentlessly by interviewers and TV shows for years to come about his financial state. Even royalty is not unscathed by debt. The Duchess of York (or apparently the Duchess of Debt) has been told the only realistic way to pay off her £5million (and counting) debt crisis is the file bankruptcy. No senior royal has ever been declared bankrupt, and it’s not the first time for the Duchess after facing £4million previously.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line434
__label__wiki	0.596525	0.596525	Mousehole Male Voice Choir Cornwall International 2019: The Competition Wednesday 15th May, 2019 - 10:25pm Competing is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. Each year, the choir takes a vote on whether to participate in music competitions or not. Based on the choir’s success at the 2017 International Festival, the choir agreed to compete in this year’s Festival in the 41 Voices And Over Category. In the run up to the competition, choir practice was treated as a normal event with three songs chosen from our current repertoire. No extra practices were put on, and therefore no additional pressure was felt by the choir. The choir entered the 41 Voices and Over Category where we are competing against seven other choirs for some very prestigious trophies. The three competition pieces of music were Mark Hayes arrangement of “The Impossible Dream” from the musical “Man of La Mancha” made famous by Peter O’Toole’s starring role; the rousing song, “Hunker Down” by Canadian composer Tobin Stokes and Dan Forrest’s arrangement of Charles Wesley’s hymn and choral anthem, “And Can It Be”. The hymn was originally written in 1738 to celebrate his conversion. Due to the large number of entrants in the 40 Voices and Under Category, the competition for Mousehole MVC commenced at 3pm. The choir arrived early and assembled on the lawn outside the newly refurbished Chapter House before being taken inside for some ‘fine tuning’. At 5:00pm the choir were ushered into the cathedral and assembled on stage to face not only a panel of very distinguished judges but also to a Cathedral filled with over a thousand in the audience, no pressure then! Paramount in the choir’s thoughts were the words of one of our previous musical directors, “Our aim is to give a brilliant performance whether a prize be won or not”. The fifteen minutes on stage passed by in a blur, the choir were now off stage and listening to the final two choirs in their category, and then followed an agonising half hour of waiting for the judges deliberations. Our minds were taken off the agony by listening to The City Of Truro Male Choir, under the musical direction of the musically renowned Cornishman, Russell Pascoe. The day so far had run with clockwork precision. Back came the adjudicators, Dr Jakub Martinec artistic director of the National Boychoir of Canada, Timothy Wayne-Wright, Counter-tenor (formally with The King’s Singers) and Christopher Gray, Director of Music at Truro Cathedral. The results were read out, in descending order, and much to our surprise the choir came third in class. The choir were pipped by one point in retaining the best overall Cornish Choir (for the whole International) by the Celtic Male Ensemble, but did achieve best Cornish Choir in their class, for which they received the Pendennis Cup. The judges awarded the choir an overall mark of 83 and were generous in their remarks. For ‘The Impossible Dream’ they felt the choir had “A lovely ‘mp’ sound from the singers that drew the audience in and then a well-paced crescendo, (with) an excellent start.” They then described the choir’s rendition of ‘Hunker Down’, as having “A wonderfully earthy tone which really suited the music. Lovely solos and a gutsy ending. Very well delivered performance, polished sound. BRAVO!” Finally the choir sang ‘And Can It Be’ in which they felt the choir “set a magical atmosphere at the start.” They also felt that it was a “Beautiful repertoire choice”. As always there are things for the choir to improve on and which we will take note of. However it is to our musical teams credit that the choir continue to sing at this level and all the choir members would like to place on record their appreciation and a very big thank you to Steve, David and Annette for enabling us to compete with confidence in the world’s most prestigious male voice competition. Meur ras! (Thanks to Marie Williams and Phil Monckton for the photographs.) All content © 2019 Mousehole Male Voice Choir \| Registered With The Charity Commission - No.271921 Website designed & developed by Design UNLTD	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line436
__label__wiki	0.929299	0.929299	Historic Homes Preserving an Important Part of North Dakota Posted by Kylie Blanchard, Clearwater Communications 10/31/2016 3:41:55 PM This year, North Dakota celebrates its 125th year of statehood, and much of its rich history has been preserved in historic landmarks across the state. However, another important piece of North Dakota’s history remains nestled in many communities that have made a concerted effort to preserve historic homes. According to Lorna Meidinger, architectural historian and National Register coordinator with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, historic homes provide tangible evidence of the past. “If you just stop and think how life was lived even 50 years ago, it was very different,” she says. “With houses you can actually go in and see and feel how that was, instead of just being told about it.” Meidinger says the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, signed into law to preserve historical and archeological sites across the United States, was the starting block for many of the efforts to preserve the state’s historic homes. The law created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks and State Historic Preservation Offices and, today, remains one of the country’s most far reaching pieces of preservation legislation. North Dakota has 1,226 single family homes listed as a part of designated Historic Districts, as well as 72 individual homes on the National Register of Historic Places. To be considered for historic designation, a home must be at least 50 years old and an application process must be completed and approved by the state preservation board as well as the Keeper of the National Historic Register. Many of North Dakota’s designated historic homes are from the early part of the 20th century, says Meidinger. “Most people are more accepting of structures as historic if they are built before World War II,” she notes. “We tend to also recognize the high-style house compared to the plain or worker’s house.” “What we look at is the integrity of the house,” Meidinger continues. “How much does it look like it did when it was built and are there different nuances that point to a certain design or the perfect example of a certain type of architecture? Other houses are listed because of who lived there or something that happened there. In that case, it needs to look like it did at the time of the historical figures or events.” She points to the Former Governors’ Mansion, a state historic site in Bismarck; the Carl Ben Eielson house in Hatton, a 1900 Queen Anne-style home that was the childhood home of the famous pilot and current home to the Hatton-Eielson Museum; and the James Holes House in Fargo, an 1870s Italianate-style house which remains one of the longest-running residential houses in the state, as strong examples of meeting the designation criteria. “People often recognize these types of homes if they are in their neighborhood or if it has been turned into a museum,” Meidinger notes. Features of Historic Homes North Dakota’s historic homes have distinct features, which Meidinger attributes to the state’s “young” age in comparison with other parts of the nation. “North Dakota’s architecture is around a decade later when certain styles of historic homes were being built. Other parts of the country were settled earlier and had schools, architects and the trends from Europe,” she says. “North Dakota’s style is also smaller and plainer because people moving to the state were not as wealthy.” “Homes in every conceivable historic style can be found in communities throughout North Dakota,” says Steve C. Martens, architect and North Dakota State University associate professor and architectural historian. “In historic neighborhoods, styles range from Victorian, Classical Revival, Italianate, Tudor Revival, Colonial, International Style to mid-century Modern.” The style of historic homes reflects the popular taste of the time period, he notes. “This is expressed in ornamentation and details, like roof brackets and window patterns and the way exterior materials are combined. Many North Dakota homes are distinctive because they combine features of more than one style or period.” Martens has researched and written National Register nominations for historic districts in Fargo and Grand Forks, as well as for individual homes. “It is surprising how many homeowners already know interesting things about historic homes that have been passed through generations,” he notes. Martens says most historic homes are still used much as they were when they were designed. “They are single-family residences meticulously maintained and appreciated by families for the care and craft in the way they were originally built. A few historic homes are opened to visitors as house museums or bed and breakfast inns,” he says. “With thoughtful planning, care and workmanship, historic homes can be given new life that appreciates their beauty and displays it for future generations.” The Road to Historic Designation Sherwood and Patsy Gibbs, owners of the Freborg Homestead near Underwood, are currently in the process of applying for the National Register of Historic Places. Following their retirement, they left their residence in Florida and found their way to North Dakota after a year-long motor home tour in search of a homestead to purchase on the Great Plains. After a chance encounter while wintering in Arizona, they learned of the Freborg Homestead. “We fell in love with the place at first sight,” says Sherwood of their first visit in 2007. “When we walked in the door, the house was the same as it was in 1906 with original floors, no altered walls, original molding, wainscoting, and cast-iron cook stove.” The living room also included the original carved front door, stained glass window and crank telephone. Original outbuildings, including a 60-by-45-foot barn, metal grain bin and a three-room wooden grain shed, which was melded with the property’s original upright log cabin, also adorned the property. “We knew the house, barn and other structures had very little modifications over the last 100 years,” says Sherwood. In 2008, the Gibbs began the application process for the National Register of Historic Places, gathering information from the State Historical Society, the McLean County Historical Museum and the descendants of the homestead’s original owner, John Freborg. They sent four drafts of the application to the state, which were returned needing additional information and clarification. In late 2013, they submitted their final 18-page application that went before the State Historic Preservation Board in late April. “The application passed and our property was described as having the highest level of integrity of a recorded homestead in North Dakota,” says Sherwood. “It could be considered one of the best nominations depicting the establishment of an early farm in all of North Dakota.” The application was then reviewed and approved by the head of the State Historic Preservation Office, and now will be sent to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C. The National Register has 45 days to approve it and will notify the state of its decision around 60 days. “It took us five years to get this far, we are very hopeful that it will be returned favorable,” says Sherwood. Although they still have a lot to learn about their property and its preservation, the Gibbs believe their efforts are important. “If no one took the time to preserve, in our case, an early North Dakota farm in its original location with all its original buildings, all we would have in the future is photographs.” “People are sometimes surprised to learn there are literally hundreds of such distinctive and wonderful homes in all parts of the state, ranging from affordable small homes to grandiose homes of the rich and famous,” says Martens. “Some were designed by architects while others are pattern book houses carefully crafted by builders.” Many of North Dakota’s historic homes are showcased in historic districts, neighborhoods approved by the National Register that often adopt local preservation ordinances and create local preservation commissions. The Cathedral Area Historic District in Bismarck was first approved in 1979 and expanded in 1997 and 2010. “Places like the Cathedral Area Historic District help us understand our identity as residents of the community and state,” says Erik Sakariassen, an active resident in the district’s preservation. “These places tell a story of how we lived, where we came from.” Many of the district’s homes were built in the first half of the 20th century when eclectic architectural styles became popular in the United States. “There are excellent examples of Colonial Revival, Tudor, Prairie School, Arts and Crafts, Storybook, Spanish Colonial, American Foursquare, and Craftsman Bungalow,” says Sakariassen. The neighborhood was also home to many notable North Dakotans including John Burke, the state’s first Democrat governor; Bill Langer, former governor and U.S. Senator; George and Stella Mann, owners and publishers of the Bismarck Tribune; and George Will, son of Pioneer Seed company owner Oscar Will. Sakariassen helped create a self-guided tour of the Cathedral Area Historic District, which highlights the former homes of many prominent residents. The neighborhood’s homeowners have played an instrumental role in the preservation of the district, he says. “They have worked with the State Historical Society in restoration and preservation work, and a few have been recipients of small National Park Service grants through the North Dakota Historic Preservation Office.” Sakariassen and his family have lived in a 1937 Cape-Cod style house for the past 25 years, and he says owning a historic home is a learning experience. “Owning a historic home is a labor of love. There are always challenges and it takes special care to preserve a historic home’s character. The house should tell its owners how to live rather than the owner trying to force a modern lifestyle.” Grand Forks is home to four historic districts, two of which are residential. The Near Southside Historic District, listed on January 6, 2005, has 414 contributing houses and five individually listed homes, and the Riverside Historic District, listed November 15, 2007, has 126 contributing homes. The University of North Dakota Historic District is also home to the former President’s House, the Oxford House, which was listed in 1973 as the first home in the city to be built with electricity installed. “The best known houses are individually listed,” says Peg O’Leary, coordinator of the Grand Forks Preservation Commission. This includes the Oxford House as well as the Wheeler House, distinctive in its Italianate style with Gothic detailing. The home was built in 1885 by Dr. Henry M. Wheeler, a founder of an early hospital, the city’s mayor from 1917-1918, and the first owner of an automobile in Grand Forks. “Older homes are beautiful and they tend to be more serene, situated on tree-lined streets that remind us of horse-and-buggy days,” says O’Leary. “These homes also remind us that our founders came to stay. They built substantial homes to prove their investment in Grand Forks.” She notes the city went the extra mile to save historic homes following the 1997 flood. “Many homes that contributed to the Near Southside and Riverside Historic Districts were moved from the wet side of the proposed dike line. All had been flooded but were salvageable, and were moved to lots where previous homes had been destroyed.” Fargo has six National Register Historic Districts as well as four Historic Overlay Districts, which Dawn Mayo, assistant planner for the City of Fargo, says are an extra local effort to preserve the historic integrity of designated neighborhoods. “A Historic Overlay District, with its local regulations, is a type of extra zoning that governs projects that need an exterior building permit,” she notes. She says historic districts have minimal regulations on changes to the home or property. “Historic Overlay Districts are beneficial to cities because they help preserve historic properties and raise awareness of the value of historic properties.” There are 635 houses in Fargo’s Historic Overlay Districts and 372 homes listed in the city’s National Register Districts. Three homes are also individually listed on the National Register and include the Dibley House, a 1906 Classical Revival; the James Holes House; and the Lewis House, an 1899 Classical Revival. “Most of the really notable historic homes are located in the Hawthorne Neighborhood, and the Roberts Mansion is probably the grandest example, a large, yellow brick Victorian Gothic style house with elaborately detailed porches.” “These homes are an irreplaceable part of our heritage, our history and help to create an identity and sense of place for the community where they are located,” says Mayo. Historic Homes in Modern Times Meidinger says there are no laws protecting historic homes in the state, but conditions for preservation and making changes come into play if a homeowner accepts federal funding that is available for homes and businesses on the National Register. “These grants are available when there is federal funding available, and can be used to keep the structure sound through projects like a new roof or brick work.” “In my experience, people are usually interested in taking their home’s rich character into consideration,” says Martens, adding it is important people take the time to build something well, take care of it and make it last. “Popular tastes change as quickly as fads and fashion, so it’s especially gratifying to see people make the sensible investment to restore things like historic woodwork and hardwood floors.” He notes there are also building contractors across the state who understand historic homes, taking appropriate care in working on them. Along with the preservation of historic homes, Meidinger says many historic features are making their way back into modern day buildings. “One of the things we are seeing lately is more styles of siding under gables, like in Victorian homes.” In addition, she says horizontal delineations between floors and projected gables are also historic characteristics that are popular in modern homes. “We don’t have the same craftsmanship and woodwork today, but now they are using different colors to draw attention to details.” Martens says when historic homeowners invest in preservation, it shows in the longevity of the home. “It does require a special kind of love for the beauty and care with which those homes were built. When homeowners invest the time to maintain a home with thoughtfulness, patience and quality materials, that investment can last at least a hundred years, a fact that is clearly demonstrated by wonderful historic homes.” Preservation a Priority in Prairie Style “We are the caretakers of this house,” says Richard Gross of the 1912 Prairie Style home in Bismarck’s Cathedral Area Historic District that he and his wife, Elizabeth, have lived in since the late 1970s. “Two generations of one family cared for it before we purchased it, and we hope another family, who comes after us, fully appreciates its beauty and significance and will preserve it as we have tried to do.” The Gross’s bought the house as a young family themselves, from Betty Byrne, the daughter-in-law of its original owner, Pat Byrne. “We consider it a privilege to be in a house like this and we want to preserve it with love,” says Elizabeth. They have kept much of the home original, including the oak woodwork, art deco light fixtures and stucco, and have strived to also include period pieces through their choice of furniture and decorations. “We have always been drawn to older homes,” says Elizabeth. “When we had the opportunity to buy this house, we didn’t understand the significance of the Prairie Style architecture. It took years for us to understand what this home needed to be its very best.” “We didn’t want a cold, sterile, modern home,” adds Richard. “We wanted a warm home where people felt comfortable.” The home was commissioned in 1909 by Pat Byrne, a bank teller in Bismarck, after he met architect William Gray Purcell. He and his business partner, George Elmslie, of Minneapolis/St. Paul were associates of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and built three houses in Bismarck at this time. The Byrne house was the most expensive, taking three years to complete and totaling $5,000 by the time it was finished in 1912. The home’s Prairie Style of architecture focuses on horizontal lines and the use of natural materials. Richard notes the style is based on a unified vision, which creates a blending of the structure and its surroundings. The hearth, located in the home’s large living room, is built up and prominently placed in the center of the home. Considered the heart of the home, it was constructed with a brick arch above a mantle faced with terracotta tiles. The living room also houses a large built-in bookcase next to the hearth and a built-in bench, also characteristic of the Prairie Style. The rooms flow from the hearth into each other, and from the living room, one walks through a large entry foyer and into the formal dining room, anchored by a large built-in buffet. An intricate letter B is carved into the buffet’s center door, a symbol of the house’s original owners. These distinct features make the home inviting, notes Richard. “Everyone who comes in feels welcomed,” he says. “It’s really grand, but very simple.” The home has been a stop for architects and students of the field, as well as historic societies and tour groups. “People have pointed out things about the architecture that we didn’t know,” says Richard. The Gross’s believe the preservation of their home is important to preserving a piece of the state’s history. “These historical homes are treasures and their history is living,” says Richard. “What little we have left of this history in North Dakota, we ought to do everything we can to keep it and share it with future generations.” As part of the Cathedral Area Historic District, the home is included on the National Register of Historic Places and the State Historic Sites Registry, and is on the Self-Guided Tour of the Cathedral Area.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line438
__label__cc	0.736635	0.263365	Meet Our Team - Nitz Auction 230 Ridgeland Ave., Fremont NE 68026 info@nitzauctions.com The Auction Advantage Jay Nitz, CAI, MPPA President & CEO/Real Estate Broker/Auctioneer jaynitz@nitzauctions.com Jay D. Nitz, CAI,MPPA is President & CEO of Jack Nitz & Associates, Inc. Auctioneers & Land Brokers. He graduated from Cedar Bluffs High School in 1983 and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Southeast Community College from 1983-1986.Read MoreRead Less In 1982, Jay attended the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City, Missouri and received his diploma. In 1986 through 1988, Jay also attended the Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) program and maintains his CAI designation today. This program consists of a 1-week program for 3 years at the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, Indiana. He is also a member of the Nebraska & Iowa Auctioneers Associations and is also a Life Member of the National Auctioneers Association. Jay served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors for the National Auctioneers Association from 2007 to 2010 as well as on the Nebraska Auctioneers Association from 1991-1994. He has conducted various seminars for the National Auctioneers Association & has also assisted in the Election of Officers of the National Auctioneers Association for the past 15 years. Jay has been a licensed Real Estate Broker in the States of Nebraska & Iowa. Jay manages Jack Nitz & Associates Auctioneers & Land Brokers Real Estate Division, specializing in the Sale of Farms, Acreages & Ranches on a Private Treaty Basis and Real Estate at Public Auction. Jay oversees & manages the sale of 50-60 properties per year. Jay manages over 50 Personal Property Auctions for Jack Nitz & Associates Auctioneers, Inc. each year. He is the Chief Auctioneer for all Real Estate Auctions and Personal Property Auctions held by Jack Nitz & Associates Auctioneers & Land Brokers. Jay is the Chief Personal Property Appraiser for the Company as well and specializes in the areas of Heavy Equipment, Trucks & Trailers and Farm Equipment. Jay handles approximately 25-30 Appraisals per year covering from 10 to 400 pieces of equipment per Appraisal. In 2010 Jay obtained his GPPA (Graduate Personal Property Appraiser) designation. MPPA is a designation provided by the NAA to provide auctioneers with custom education & advanced training that enhances their appraisal skills & knowledge. It teaches students the responsibilities of being an appraiser & provides advanced training in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice Guidelines. Jay is a member of the St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska. He is very active in community fund-raising activities, conducting fundraising Auctions for Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Heart Association, and many others. Jay has also participated as an Auctioneer for the Saunders County 4-H Livestock Auction for the last 20 years, and also the Cedar Bluffs Community Auction for the last 20 years, raising money for 10 separate National Charities. Jay’s family includes his wife Vicki of 27 years, twin children Courtney & Justin, ages 27 years. Jay’s wife Vicki serves as a Director of Jack Nitz & Associates, Inc. Auctioneers & Land Brokers and is the Chief Cashier and Bookkeeper for the Company. Jay’s children have and currently are active in the Auction Business and have been since they were both 7 years old. Jack Nitz, CAI Co-Owner/ Auctioneer/ Real Estate Broker jacknitz@omni-tech.net Jack Nitz, CAI, is the co-owner and chairman of the Board at Jack Nitz & Associates, Inc. In 1962, Jack attended the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, IA. He was a 1981 graduate of the Certified Auctioneers Institute, consisting of a one week, three year course held at the University of Indiana.Read MoreRead Less He has been a member of the Nebraska, Iowa and National Auctioneers Association for over 40 years. Jack was awarded “Auctioneer of the Year” in 1992 by the Nebraska Auctioneers Association, he served on the National Auctioneers Association Board of Directors, certified Auctioneers Institute Board of Governors, was co-chairman of the 1991 National Auctioneers Association Convention in Omaha, NE. He served as chairman of the Board and Past President of the Nebraska Auctioneers Association in 2006-2007. He served as a National Board Member 1983-1986 & was on the National Foundation Board 2000-2006. He conducted a National Seminar back in 1995. He has been a member for 37+ years. In 1997, Jack was inducted into the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame, the highest honor an auctioneer can receive from his or her peers. He has also served 2-3 year terms as one of the elected Trustees of the National Auctioneers Foundation Board and chairman of the Museum Hall of History Committee. Jack has been a licensed Real Estate Broker for over 45 years. In 1983 he served as the President of the Fremont Board of Realtors. He has conducted both Real Estate and Personal Property Auctions in Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Minnesota, Arkansas, Illinois, Idaho as well as throughout the state of Nebraska. He has been a longtime member of the Sinai Lutheran Church in Fremont, NE. He served as past Board Member and is currently serving on the Endowment Foundation Committee. Jack is also active in the Shriners and served as the President of the Shriners in 2000. He conducts many fundraising auctions for various programs such as Habitat for Humanity, Ducks Unlimited, Local Community Auctions, The American Heart Association, The Cystic Fibrosis Association & many church Benefits. Jack’s family includes his deceased wife and co-partner, Delores. The had been married for 58 years. They have two children, Jay and Jennie. Jay is the President and CEO of the auction company. Jay and his wife Vicki have twins, Courtney and Justin. Jennie is Jack and Delores daughter. She is married to Ray Rasmussen and they have two children, a son Jeremy and a daughter Piper. Jennie is employed at the Omaha Auto Auction and Ray is a employed at 3M Corp in Valley, NE. Courtney Nitz, CAI Vice President/Professional Fundraising Auctioneer/Auction Manager/Consultant courtney@nitzauctions.com Courtney grew up in the auction industry; at the age of seven she started to participate in the family business and has worked in every aspect of the business from then till now (including flipping burgers in the lunch trailer with her mom and brother). Read MoreRead Less The business was always her focus however she was able to find time for school, fun and part time jobs. She earned her high school degree from Cedar Bluffs and completed coursework at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and Metropolitan Community College for her associates’ degree. She then attended Reppert School of Auctioneering and obtained her auction license. After completing her classes she was asked to be a full time associate at Jack Nitz & Associates. Since 2007 Courtney has achieved many industry designations and honors. She holds the prestigious Certified Auctioneers Institute designation with the NAA (National Auctioneers Association), a designation only 1% of the nation’s auctioneers obtain. She is a very active member of the Nebraska Auctioneers Association (NeAA), Iowa Auctioneers Association (IAA) and National Auctioneers Association (NAA) – serving as Director of the NeAA and as an Ambassador for the NAA. She was honored with the award of “Rookie of the Year” & 1st Runner Up in 2009 & 2nd Runner Up in 2016 at the NeAA Bid Calling Championship. She was also a top 7 finalist in the 2015 International Auctioneer Championship, Women’s Division – the highest level of recognition for an auctioneer. She is a highly accomplished Auctioneer and business woman. Courtney leads the personal property division of Jack Nitz & Associates managing their consignment equipment auctions and collector car auctions as well as the company website. She works side by side with her dad and grandpa booking inventory and auctions, which she feels is an honor in its self. She is obtaining her BAS (Benefit Auctioneer Specialist) designation and travelling across the United States conducting benefit auctions, helping non-profit organizations achieve their goals while helping people who need these organizations to survive. Throughout 2016 and 2017 Courtney will focus on launching a Philanthropic Fundraising division in the family business; she is driven to help nonprofit organizations raise awareness and funding. Courtney enjoys traveling, a great glass of wine and latest in fashion. Vicki Nitz Office Manager/Cashier & Clerk vnitz@omni-tech.net Vicki has been married to Jay for 27 years. She has worked with him in the auction business for 20+ years.Read MoreRead Less She is the office manager and head cashier at all the auctions. She and Jay have a set of twins, Justin and Courtney, which also work in the business. Jay & Vicki reside in rural Cedar Bluffs on the family farm. In her spare time she enjoys selling Longaberger baskets and Mary Kay makeup. Vicki is active in the NAA Auxiliary & served on the Board of Directors for the NAA Auxiliary from 2007-2010. Vicki is also a member of the NeAA Auxiliary. Justin Nitz Load-out & Detail Specialist Justin is Jay and Vicki’s son. He is a 2007 graduate of Cedar Bluffs High School. He has been working for the family business for over 10 years.Read MoreRead Less He loves helping dad and grandpa around the office. Especially loves setting up for auctions and holding items up in the ring on auction day. He now works for the office full-time since he is graduated. Justin loves collecting anything John Deere just like his grandfather. Justin owns & operates JTN Cleaning & Detailing as well. He cleans & details Cars, Trucks, SUV’s, Truck Tractors, RV’s, Campers, Boats, etc. Charles M Dake Although born in Omaha, NE in 1938, Charles was raised on his family farm in Ames, NE. He attended the rural public school near his home for eight years and graduated from North Bend High School Read MoreRead Less Charles met the love of his life while working at Western Electric in Omaha, NE. He and Sharon married in 1963, lived in Fremont, NE and have three children. They moved to a home they built in 1969 on farmland purchased by his grandparents in 1893. They have been married for 51 years. In addition to their three children, they have five wonderful grandchildren and a new grand son-in-law. Farming the home place and owning a Feeder Pig Operation with 180 sows, Charles became interested in how to promote the products he produced. He became a member of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association and Nebraska Corn Growers Association. He held the Office of President of the local Pork Producers Association. He has worked with Dodge County Extension Service and was a leader of a local 4-H Club. Wanting to further his education and his interest Charles attended and graduated from Central Community College with an Applied Science Degree in Agricultural Business. He also obtained his Real Estate Salesperson license in 1981, and Brokers license in 1988. He also attended and graduated from Missouri Auction School. In 1997 Charles started working for Jack Nitz & Associates. He has experience in selling houses and commercial properties but during the 33 years he has held a real estate license he has exclusively sold farms, ranches and acreages. Personal leisure time is limited. It is best spent attending family functions like watching grandchildren participate in sports, weekly family breakfast, social dinners with friends and neighbors. Personal interests and hobbies are tinkering with all his favorite Allis Chalmers tractors and Classic 1966 Pontiac Convertible. Although supposedly retired, Charles is actively involved in Real Estate Sales, Crop Insurance Sales, Farming and the never ending yard work. Charles’s love of the land stems back to his childhood and is his major interest in his real estate sales career. Heather L Klevemann Administrative Assistant/Real Estate Salesperson/Vehicle Title Clerk/Auction Clerk & Cashier heather@nitzauctions.com Heather joined our team in 2005. New to the auction business she immersed herself in learning all aspects of the business realizing the need for a Real Estate licensee to be in the office full time to answer questions and set-up showings prompting her to attend Read MoreRead Less Randall School of Real Estate in Omaha. Heather proudly passed her exam and received her Real Estate Salesperson license in January of 2007. Heather assists in various aspects of the business prior to auctions including inventory, online bidding services, creating catalogs or processing title paperwork; on auction day you will usually see her running to check on something or someone; post auction she assists with payments from online bidders, coordinating shipping/handling and closing out auctions. Heather is married to Hank, mom to Brittni and Aaron. As a family they enjoy camping, biking, taking scenic drives and shooting targets with bow and arrows or shotguns. Heather is an avid reader in almost any genre and appreciates any opportunity to try a new recipe or cook for the holidays. Heather enjoys helping with Real Estate transactions especially at auction! She will show you any listing we have. Pat Shan ahan National Sales Representative pat@nitzauctions.com Pat was born and raised in Saunders County, Nebraska. He currently resides in Prague, NE on the family farm where he grew up. Pat, for many years, was owner/operator of approximately 1800 acres around Saunders County and worked with his brother Dave in dirt construction. You may recognize his name from the trucks he drove around the surrounding counties. Read MoreRead Less Pat graduated from Wahoo Newman High School, after high school he attended UNL for Business Management. In 2004, Pat obtained his GPPA certification – Graduate Personal Property Appraiser – and started appraising farm equipment. He has always been very knowledgeable about old and new trucks and farm equipment, simply because he always has been interested in knowing about that type of equipment. Pat’s experience in the auction industry stems from his employment at an auction company specializing in online equipment auctions; he was their sales representative for nearly 10 years. Pat paused his time in the auction industry when he was offered the Branch Manager position at the Farmer Union Coop. He enjoyed his time at the coop; however, when he was offered the national sales rep position at Jack Nitz & Associates he was ecstatic to get back into the auction industry and accepted the position. Although he is single, Pat is a family man and adores spending time with his family. He has 2 sisters, Lynn & Peg and 1 bothers Dave. Pat also has 2 children, Lexis who is 19 and attending SCC in Beatrice, Nebraska and Mitchell who is 11 and attending David City Elementary. Both kids are active in sports and love the farm life. His family shares a love for NASCAR and NHRA; they enjoy attending car races all around Nebraska. Pat was a former dirt track late model car racer from 2000-2008. You could say he enjoys the adrenaline rush! If you want to talk equipment, current market prices or NASCAR give Pat a call. He is more than happy to do a market analysis on your equipment! Nitz News & Events A Simple Guide to Good Auction Etiquette Our Best References Are Those We Have Sold For (Customer Reviews) How to Buy and Sell Your Trucks and Equipment the “Auction” Way! Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Day! (Click Here) Sign up Below to Receive Notifications on Upcoming Auctions! Real Estate Auction Featuring a 3-Bedroom Home near Aksaraben & UNO 07/20/19 at 10:00 AM CDT 6821 Marcy Street Online Only Restaurant Equipment Auction 07/12/19 at 1:00 PM CDT 3520 S Expressway St Absolute Firearm Auction Featuring over 200 Guns 635 E 1st Street Wahoo, NE 68066 Eastern Nebraska's Large Late Model Truck, Trailer, Farm & Construction Equipment Auction 1710 W 16th Street Residential Real Estate For Sale Spacious Open Ranch in North Bend 640 Locust Street North Bend, NE 68649 5 Bedroom Spacious Home in Omaha, NE 4663 P Street Gorgeous 4 Bed 4 Bath Home in Bellevue, NE 14907 S 24th Ave Bellevue, NE 68123 Jack Nitz & Associates Auctioneers and Land Brokers Fremont, NE 68026-1522 Copyright © 2007 - 2019 \| Jack Nitz & Associates • All Rights Reserved Powered by: AuctionServices.com & IGNITE	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line444
__label__wiki	0.590689	0.590689	Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! That’s the motto of Mame Dennis, one of musical theatre’s all-time greatest heroines, in this brassy, hilarious and touching adaptation of Patrick Dennis’s bestseller, Auntie Mame, starring critically acclaimed and two-time Olivier Award-winner Tracie Bennett. Set in New York City and spanning the Great Depression and World War II, Mame Dennis and her intellectual and arty clique are disrupted when her decreased brother’s 10 year old son Patrick is intrusted into her care. Rather than bow to convention, Mame tries her hand at a number of jobs with comically, disastrous results but preserves with good humour and an irrepressible sense of style. Jerry Herman’s celebrated score includes the rousing title number, plus “Open a New Window,” “If He Walked into My Life,” “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Bosom Buddies” and “That’s How Young I Feel.” With spirit, humour, class and wit, MAME is sure to thrill audiences for generations to come. Starring Olivier award winner Tracie Bennett (She Loves Me, High Society, End of the Rainbow, Hairspray, Blood Brothers, Coronation, Scott & Bailey) and directed by the superb Nick Winston (Director and Choreographer ofThe Royal Variety Performances), this marvellous feel good musical hasn’t been seen on the UK stage in over 50 years. An Aria Entertainment and Hope Mill Theatre production Directed and Choreographed by Nick Winston Starring Tracie Bennett as ‘Mame’ Book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E.Lee Music And Lyrics by Jerry Herman Based on the Novel by Patrick Dennis and the play AUNTIE MAME by Lawrence and Lee Presented by arrangement with Tams Witmark Source:: https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/events/mame/	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line446
__label__wiki	0.962868	0.962868	Home › Top Stories › DAVIS AND GOODWIN ON COOK ISLANDS QUEEN’S REPRESENTATIVE SHORTLIST › DAVIS AND GOODWIN ON COOK ISLANDS QUEEN’S REPRESENTATIVE SHORTLIST By Alex Sword AVARUA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands (June 6, 2000 – Cook Islands News)---Former Prime Minister Sir Thomas Davis or the Democratic Alliance Party President Fred Goodwin could be the Cook Islands’ next Queen’s Representative. Speaking informally after the Queen’s Birthday honors function yesterday in Titikaveka, Prime Minister Dr. Terepai Maoate acknowledged that Papa Tom and Fred Goodwin were among a group of people being considered for the Head of State position. Sir Apenera Short is to retire as Queen Representative later this year, and Dr. Maoate told Cook Islands News the government would make a final decision in a couple of months on his successor. When Dr. Maoate was asked about speculation that he himself may be considering the Queen’s Representative position and opening the way for Deputy Prime Minister Norman George to become prime minister, he smiled broadly and let out a very hearty laugh. Sir Apenera during yesterday’s event at Government House in Turoa, Titikaveka, told those gathered that it was his last Queen’s Birthday awards function. Awards were presented to two of the four local year 2000 New Year’s honors recipients: -- Mr. Nikau Tangaroa JP (Mania Rangitoto Mataiapo) of Rarotonga: an Officer of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the public and community, and -- Mr. Metuaiviivitoa Joseph Herman (Joe Herman) of Mitiaro: a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to education and the community. The two other recipients, from the outer islands, were unable to make yesterday’s function. -- Mr. William Uea of Atiu: a recipient of the British Empire Medal Civil Division (BEM) for services to agriculture, police and the community, and -- Mr. Tangianau Upoko of Mangaia: as a recipient of the British Empire Medal Civil Division (BEM) for services to agriculture and the community. CINews understands that the other two will be presented their awards in the near future. Sir Apenera yesterday, in recognition of his final Queen’s awards address, thanked those for the past years of work in helping to making the Queen’s Birthday celebrations what they were -- the various brass bands, the bouquet girls, caterers, orators and others. He recounted that when he was knighted at Buckingham Palace before the Queen, he presented Her Majesty with a photo album and she was pleasantly surprised with Ms. Agnes Winchester presenting a Queen’s Birthday bouquet for the Queen to Lady Short. Her Majesty said although many Commonwealth countries celebrated the Queen’s Birthday, she never knew of a bouquet being presented on her behalf. Yesterday’s bouquet was presented by Ms. Janice Tuara. Sir Apenera, in closing his address, quipped that he loves making long speeches, but as he gets to the end of his term as QR, "the shorter my speeches get!" * A New Zealand based Cook Islander, Reverend Kimi Henry, was in the New Year’s Queen’s honors list for that country awarded the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for public service. The honor was for his long involvement in the Pacific Islands community in Southland, New Zealand. For additional reports from the Cook Islands News Online, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Newspapers/Cook Islands News Online. AMERICAN SAMOA MAY LOSE $US 2 MILLION IN U.S. CAPITAL FUNDING PNG, 3 National Parliamentarians Involved In Alleged Sex Scandal WEST PAPUANS TO MEET THIS WEEKEND TO ELECT LEADERSHIP GROUP FIJI CONSTRUCTION SLUMP CONTINUES	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line447
__label__cc	0.508215	0.491785	"Is.Man" Ain't As a critic, you never know when you're called upon to do a little genuine news reporting--as Caryn James discovered at St. Ann's Warehouse this weekend reviewing the visiting Dutch play Is.Man by Adelheid Roosen, when lead actor Youssef Sjoerd Idilbi walked off after expressing frustration with a faulty sound system: It always takes a while to know when an exit is unplanned, but the performers left behind were vamping for a little too long: a musician sang and played, and a white-robed dervish who had been sitting quietly in the background got up and started whirling. But you knew Mr. Idilbi was leaving the building when he popped in from the wings wearing street clothes and carrying a plastic bag from Foot Locker. He retrieved something he had left at the rear of the stage and walked away, carrying any hope of a dazzling American debut for Ms. Roosen with him. The playwright herself took over the role, but it wasn’t the same. Yes, when the whirling dervishes and the Foot Locker bags start appearing, you know something's not quite right. Unfortunately for the show, James says Idilbi was the best thing about it. And few dramas currently running, it seems, can boast an onstage moment more delightfully weird. Philip Dunaway said... Yes, and don't you love how St. Ann's AD Susan Feldman tries to insult our intelligence in the same article by stating that the actor was feeling "physically ill"? Oh, so THAT explains it! Nice try, Susie, but if you think your audience is that dense, I don't want to be one of them! Philip Dunaway Tuesday, October 09, 2007 12:55:00 PM But James didn't DO the REPORTING. She said the guy walked off, but she didn't interview him later. Maybe she couldn't, but that was very under-reported imho - and I found the commend on Veiled Monologues kind of paronizing. I haven't seen the show -- maybe she's right - -but why is she assuming that the audience is supposed to be shocked that Muslim women have sex? I very much doubt that is the point. Tuesday, October 09, 2007 1:44:00 PM	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line448
__label__wiki	0.874011	0.874011	Picture of the Day: Starting Over in Jordan Iraqi Christian children attend a session to help young refugees at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Amman, Jordan. To find out how Iraqis are Finding Sanctuary in Jordan, check out the Spring 2015 edition of ONE. (photo: Nader Daoud) Turkish-backed Syrian rebels gesture as they drive down a road in the area of Hallubi, north of Afrin, on 8 March 2018. (photo: Nazeer Al-Khatib/AFP/Getty Images) Eastern Ghouta cut in two as Syrian army seizes ground (The Guardian) Syrian government forces have seized vast swathes of territory from rebels in the opposition-held suburbs of Damascus, effectively dividing the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta in two and further squeezing rebels and the tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside... Pope Francis meets with members of International Migration Commission (Vatican News) Pope Francis on Thursday met members of the International Catholic Migration Commission on the occasion of their Plenary Council. In prepared remarks to members of the Commission in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, Pope Francis expressed his thanks to them for their work carried out in the Church’s name to assist migrants and refugees in great need. The multiple projects initiated on five continents, he said represented “exemplary instances of the four verbs — welcome, defend, promote and integrate”... New U.S. embassy may be in Jerusalem, but not in Israel (The New York Times) In two months, the United States plans to open a new embassy to fulfill President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. There’s just one problem: The embassy may be in Jerusalem, but it may not be fully in Israel... Meet Kuwait’s homegrown priest (The Jordan Times) Dressed in a traditional white Gulf headdress and with two red crosses embroidered on his black clerical robe, Kuwait’s first homegrown priest cuts a unique figure in the predominantly Muslim emirate. The Rev. Emmanuel Benjamin Jacob Gharib, 68, celebrates both the Bible and Gulf Arab culture with his Christian congregation in Kuwait City. In an interview with AFP ahead of the 20th anniversary of his ordination, he stressed the level of acceptance he has felt from fellow Kuwaitis. “Everyone welcomes me wherever I go,” said Father Emmanuel... Picture of the Day: Holding on to Hope in Gaza In this image from 2014, two children greet a visitor to Gaza in the ruins of their neighborhood. Read more about Growing Up in Gaza in the Autumn 2014 edition of ONE. (photo: Shareef Sarhan) In this image from 2016, a volunteer embraces refugee children in a makeshift camp near Idomeni, Greece. The Vatican has called on Catholics and Catholic agencies to counteract the “refusal to welcome” migrants in some countries. (photo: CNS/Nikos Arvanitdis, EPA) Turkey’s Erdogan criticizes UN ceasefire in Syria (The Independent) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised a UN-mandated ceasefire in Syria designed to stop the recent bloodshed in eastern Ghouta while defending his own military’s two-month-old operation against the Kurds in Afrin... Vatican: Church must counteract ‘refusal to welcome’ migrants (CNS) The Catholic Church and Catholic agencies that work with migrants and refugees around the world are called to educate, advocate and seek alternative host countries in the face of a growing “refusal to welcome” newcomers, as the Vatican secretary of state defined the situation... Jordan: Syrian refugees will benefit from regularizing their situation (The Jordan Times) Local organizations have welcomed the Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) announcement of a brand new campaign aimed at regularizing the status of Syrian refugees living informally in the urban areas of Jordan... Report: Most Kerala converts choosing Hinduism (ManoramaOnline.com) If the results of a study published by the Media Research and Development Foundation, Kozhikode are to be believed, maximum number of religious converts in the state chose to embrace Hinduism.... Pope Francis makes donation for first Orthodox monastery in Austria (The Tablet) Pope Francis has donated 100,000 euros (£90,000) towards the first Orthodox monastery that is being built at St Andrä in Austria’s easternmost province of Burgenland... ‘Cycle priest’ gaining attention in India (UCANews.com) On the rugged mud paths of villages and the tarred roads of Rajkot town, people often spot a Catholic priest rushing on his cycle. After almost a decade’s work in Rajkot’s Junagadh parish, Father Vinod Kanatt is now nicknamed “cycle priest” in the diocese managed by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate congregation... A Catholic Missionary with a Hindu Touch Father Jeevan is finding creative ways of preaching the Gospel to his flock in India. (photo: CNEWA) CNEWA’s regional director in India, M.L. Thomas, recently had a chance to visit a mission, in the Diocese of Chanda, where he saw some of the work of a young priest — a convert from Buddhism named Father Jeevan K D. Mr. Thomas writes: Khurkheda is a village mission in the diocese of Chanda where Father Jeevan works. He is an ordained priest from Maharashtra. He has been developing this mission for 20 months. Father Jeeven, looks like a ‘Sanyasi’ [a Hindu religious] and he is staying in a small rented room along with the people in the village. “With CNEWA’s support we had a good beginning,” said Father Jeevan, who lives with few comforts and simple facilities. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you and to the CNEWA organization.” The priest, on the right, lives a simple life among the people in his village. (photo: CNEWA) He is now working in 55 villages and preaches the Gospel. “Every day, we visit a village with our catechists. We travel village to village by motorcycle or by bicycles. Sometimes we rent a jeep for the village visit — especially when there are awareness programs, retreats or Bible conventions in the village. In the village, we visit the families; we listen to their problems and give them the Word of God and the Gospel values. And we teach them to pray every day. Also, we tell them the importance of education for their children and about the cleanliness.” He explained how he has adopted some Hindu traditions to help catechize the peopl — including “Bhajan,” or singing devotional songs before an image of God [Christ]; keeping a fast as a kind of worship for a whole day; and wearing particular colors of saris for worship. Father Jeevan travels from village to village on motorcycle. (photo: CNEWA) But he also emphasizes the importance of Catholic devotions in his mission. “I started my mission with prayers and adoration,” he said. “With the power of the prayers and the adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, people started coming to the church. Many of the people were coming for the prayers and the adoration. And they used to share their problems and difficulties with me. I used to give enough time and listen to their problems and used to pray for them and they were happy and at peace. They used to invite me to their villages and to their families. I was very happy to visit them. I went to many villages visiting poor and sick and the afflicted. I preached the Good News to them.” M.L. Thomas sent along some video, below, showing the creative ways that Father Jeevan has introduced Hindus to the Catholic faith, by incorporating some of their traditions in the liturgies. Picture of the Day: Brush with Holiness Iconographer Ian Knowles works on an icon in his studio in Bethlehem. To learn more about efforts to preserve this ancient form of artistic prayer, read Prayers in Paint in the Summer 2013 edition of ONE. (photo: Nicholas Seeley) Syrian Red Crescent volunteers give medical supplies to civilians on 5 March in Ghouta, Syria. (photo: CNS/Syrian Red Crescent via Reuters) Report of ‘chlorine attack’ on embattled Syrian town (BBC) Medics in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area of Syria say they have been treating people with breathing problems after a suspected chlorine attack. The reports follow government air strikes and shelling just hours after the last UN aid envoy left the enclave following a supposed five-hour truce... Ambassador says Iraq is safe, urges refugees in Lebanon to return home (The Daily Star) Iraq’s ambassador to Lebanon Sunday called on Iraqi refugees in the country to return home “voluntarily” in the near future, citing “safe” conditions in Iraq following the withdrawal of Daesh (ISIS) from much of its territory. Speaking on Radio Liban Sunday, Ambassador Ali Bandar al-Aameri urged “all Iraqi refugees in Lebanon, particularly Christians, to return voluntarily to their country.” He did not specify a timeline for possible return, but promised funding and housing for voluntary returnees... Trump may travel to Jerusalem for embassy opening (The Jerusalem Post) President Donald Trump warmly welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Oval Office on Monday, and said that he may come to Israel in May for the ceremony marking the formal transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem... Saudi Prince invites Coptic leader to Saudi Arabia (Arab News) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman invited Egypt’s Coptic Christians to visit Saudi Arabia after a rare meeting in Cairo’s main cathedral. Speaking to Egyptian media after the visit the head of the Egyptian church, Pope Tawadros II said: “In the name of the Coptic Orthodox church we welcome Prince Mohammed’s visit to his second country Egypt”... Why Greek Catholics of Ukraine seek recognition as a patriarchate (CNA) The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is not a patriarchate, but it would like to be. A request for a recognition of patriarchal status recently came from Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who addressed it in a speech delivered 9 February for the 125th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Josip Sliyi... Report: Vatican confirms canonization of Paul VI set for October (Crux) Adding specificity to what was already known about the impending canonization of Blessed Paul VI in 2018, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope’s top deputy as the Vatican’s Secretary of State, said Tuesday that the sainthood rite will take place in late October at the close of a meeting of the Synod of Bishops, an institution Paul VI himself founded... CNEWA Welcomes Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by Anna Dombrovska During a visit to Canada last week, Bishop Mykhaylo Bubniy speaks to CNEWA staff and the Ukrainian community of Ottawa. (photo: CNEWA) CNEWA last week welcomed Mykhaylo Bubniy, Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Archiepiscopal Exarch of Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Odesa, Archiepiscopal Administrator of Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Crimea and Titular Bishop of Thubursicum-Bure. Religious leaders and members of the Ottawa Ukrainian community were very interested to learn about pastoral life in southern Ukraine. Related: Planting Seeds, Nurturing Faith CNEWA has been supporting the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church since Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union. With the help of its donors, in 2017 CNEWA funded 26 pastoral and humanitarian projects in Ukraine for the amount of $500,000 USD. To find out more about how you can support CNEWA’s work in Ukraine, visit this link. Our Canadian web site has additional information about programs and projects funded by CNEWA. Bishop Mykhaylo Bubniy, left, meets with Carl Hétu CNEWA’s national director in Canada; Father Michael Winn, rector of Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa; and Dr. Andrew Bennett, deacon at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine in Ottawa. (photo: CNEWA) Syriac Patriarch Denounces Statement Regarding Syrian Crisis by Catholic News Service A man is helped out of a damaged building 22 February after attacks in Douma, Syria. (photo: CNS/Bassam Khabieh, Reuters) The patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church denounced a statement issued by the head of the World Council of Churches regarding the situation in Syria, in particular the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. “We are deeply appalled by your statement on Syria,” Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of Antioch wrote the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse-Tveit, general-secretary of the World Council of Churches, regarding the 26 February statement. “You mention 550 victims killed in Eastern Ghouta, including more than 130 children. However, you neglect to mention hundreds of civilians, including many children, killed by the mortars and missiles coming from Eastern Ghouta, especially when most of these mortars have long targeted areas populated by Christians from churches which are members of WCC,” the patriarch, a native of Qamishli, Syria, wrote in the 2 March letter. “Targeting of civilians on all sides should be indeed condemned,” he stressed. However, the patriarch said Rev. Fykse-Tveit’s statement “clearly shows a biased position concerning what is happening in Syria in general, and in Damascus in particular.” “As a council of churches representing its members, including those of us who live in Syria, your statement should have been apolitical, more pastoral and reflecting the position of the great majority of Christians in Syria,” he said. “It is obvious that your information on what is happening in Syria lacks accuracy and objectivity.” The Syriac Orthodox patriarch warned that “such an unbalanced statement will be used as a political tool serving a political vision of Syria’s future that does not necessarily express the views of the majority of the Syrian people, including Christians.” He expressed his hope that the WCC “once again becomes the voice of the suffering churches in Syria” and would “convey to the entire world the reality of what they are going through.” A Place to Pray in Tbilisi Father Mikhael Khachkalian, the only Armenian Catholic priest in Tbilisi, Georgia prepares for the liturgy in the tiny chapel of the Armenian Catholic Center in Tbilisi. To learn more about A Firm Faith in Georgia, check out the Spring 2014 edition of ONE. (photo: Molly Corso)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line450
__label__cc	0.546959	0.453041	Perley Prentiss, MA Perley Prentiss of MA and NY Alias: Parley or Purley Prentice Summer 1999 and Revised 2 May 2001 Update of 2 May 2001: This article has been superceded and replaced by our article on Edwin A. Prentice of NY, NE and NM in our Summer 2001 issue. Parley A. (or P.) Prentiss, b. c. 1805 in MA and a farmer, appears in the 1840 of Canaan, Columbia, NY (Called Parley P. Prentiss) and 1850 census of New Lebanon, Columbia, NY (called Parley A. Prentiss) with his wife, Lodema (or Ann), b. c. 1815 in NY. He would then have been about 45. No children were listed in the census. However, it appears he did have a daughter: Mary Anna Prentiss, b. c. 1833 in Canaan, Columbia, NY. She married Ephraim Smith on 28 Jul 1883 at Williamstown, Berkshire, MA. He was the son of John and Catherine Smith. Her marriage record identifies her father as "Purley Prentiss" and her mother as "Ann." The record also seems to indicate she was previously married to a Mr. "Pasons." Parley may have had another daughter, Marian Prentice, not yet identified, who also appears in the 1850 census of New Lebanon, Columbia, NY. She was b. c. 1833 in NY. The 1850 Columbia Co. census also shows a Charles Prentice, b. about 1824 or 1829 (the date is unclear in the census record) in NY who has not yet been identified and who might be a son of Parley. Parley Prentiss might be the Perley Prentice shown in the MA IGI as marrying Susan E. Ballou on 1 Jun 1835 in Mendon, Worcester, MA. The MA IGI shows a Parley Prentiss, b. c. 1807 in Salem, Essex, MA who is the son of Samuel Prentice and Marion Southwick. Binney's 1883 book, however, shows that Parley as born c. 1812 and marrying Emily Blue and that they had two children: Georgianna born in 1841 and Samual born at an unspecified date. Since no children are shown in the Columbia Co., NY census, that Parley is probably a different person. If you have any information which can help us identify the ancestry and descendants of any of the folks mentioned above, please contact us at dewald@prenticenet.com..	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line452
__label__cc	0.573385	0.426615	Home NEWS Unmet power demand offers prospects Unmet power demand offers prospects PM News Bureau Photo: Illustration only/Wikimedia Commons The unmet demand for electricity in India presents a huge opportunity for off-grid renewable energy solutions, in particular solar home systems and decentralised renewable energy systems. A recently published study by The Climate Group in partnership with Goldman Sachs Center for Environmental Markets expects the market size of the DRE sector in the country to reach $150 million by 2018, largely driven by B2B revenues. The market size for SHSs is estimated to grow 60 per cent annually reaching $200-250 million by 2018, it says, adding that nearly five million SHSs will be sold between 2014 and 2018. SHSs are installed on houses and use photovoltaic cells to provide power to homes located far away from the main grid. DRE systems produce power from renewable energy closer to where it will be used rather than through the utility grid. The study titled ‘The Business Case for Off-Grid Energy in India’ aims to boost entrepreneurial activity and increase private sector investment in the renewable off-grid energy sector. At present, approximately 360 million Indians lack adequate access to grid-electricity and another 20 million households receive less than four hours of electricity per day. Though grid connectivity in the country is expected to improve over the next 10 years, 70-75 million households will still lack access to grid electricity by 2024 at the current rate of grid expansion, urbanisation and population growth. According to the study, India will require energy investment totalling $250 billion over the next five years in order to keep up with the population growth and expand access to off-grid households. Out of the total investment requirement, $100 billion needs to be invested in renewables with 90 per cent investment growth from the private sector, it points out. The study estimates that with financing support 7.2 million under-electrified households in the country will be able to afford a SHS by 2018. In 2014, approximately 518,000 SHS units were sold and the total number of households using SHSs stood at 900,000. At present, there are over 40 established players in the SHS market but most of them sell less than 5,000 units in a year. The off-grid DRE enterprises serve 100,000 households as of today. Out of the 40 key DRE players, most are reliant on subsidies and grant. The DRE companies are currently exploring new types of technology to increase operational efficiency. For commercial viability, it is crucial for DRE companies to have substantial cash flows that can recover the high upfront installation costs. The study identifies the promising off-grid energy business models in India and also highlights the off-grid renewable energy technologies available, key companies, future growth forecasts and potential for social and environmental impact. It seeks greater private sector involvement in the renewable off-grid energy sector supported by governmental policy focus. DRE enterprises electricity in India Off-Grid Energy in India Previous articleGoI clears six highway projects Next articlePower corners major share of contracts in February Statue of Unity: The tallest statue in the world unveiled Sembcorp Energy India bags Award NDA government keeps alive Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line454
__label__wiki	0.929314	0.929314	PBS KIDS 24/7 Station List Life & Culture at PBS PBS Program Contacts Support PBS Support Your Station Producing for PBS Content Priorities Submission Guidelines and Proposal Process PBS Editorial and Standards and Practices PBS Funding Standards and Practices PBS Plus Program Guidelines & Policies - The Red Book Find the latest news from PBS For additional PBS news and information: Visit PBS PressRoom Follow PBS PressRoom on Twitter Follow PBS on Twitter Follow PBS on Facebook View News By Year View News By Topic News & Public Affairs Tweets by @PBS PBS Announces that Ken Burns’s COUNTRY MUSIC Will Premiere September 15, 2019 on PBS Last Updated by PBS Publicity on Johnny Cash at his home in California, 1960. Courtesy of Sony Music Archives 16-Hour Documentary Chronicles History of Country Music — from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and Many More 30-City National Tour Will Precede Broadcast to Spark Conversation About Unique American Art Form and the People Who Created it. Multi-Artist Concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on March 27 PASADENA, CA; FEBRUARY 1, 2019 -- Step back in time and journey through the compelling history of a truly American art form when COUNTRY MUSIC, a new eight-part, 16-hour film directed by Ken Burns, and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey, premieres Sunday, September 15 through Wednesday, September 18, and Sunday, September 22 through Wednesday, September 25 at 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. The first four episodes will stream on station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and PBS apps, timed to the Sunday, September 15premiere and the second four timed to the broadcast of Episode 5 on Sunday, September 22 (each episode will stream for a period of three weeks). PBS Passport members will be able to stream the entire series for a period of six months beginning Sunday, September 15. The documentary, written by Duncan, who also wrote the illustrated companion book (coming from Alfred A. Knopf on September 10), chronicles country music’s early days, from southern Appalachia’s songs of struggle, heartbreak and faith to the rollicking Western swing of Texas, California’s honky-tonks and Nashville’s “Grand Ole Opry.” The film follows the evolution of country music over the course of the 20th century as it eventually emerges to become “America’s music.” COUNTRY MUSIC explores crucial questions –– “What is country music?” and “Where did it come from?”–– while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who created and shaped it — from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well as the times in which they lived. Much like the music itself, the film tells unforgettable stories of hardships and joys shared by everyday people. Trailers for the film are available here. A national campaign exploring the history and music through screenings and discussions will take place in more than 30 markets across the country leading up to the film’s premiere. Kicking off the promotional roadshow is a Country Music bus tour along Tennessee Music Pathways with stops and events with local stations and other partners in Cookeville, Bristol, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, with a special concert at Ryman Auditorium that will be recorded for broadcast later this year. Among the artists participating in the concert, which will include clips from the film, and be produced by Opry Entertainment, PBS, and Florentine Films are: Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Brenda Lee, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Asleep at the Wheel, Holly Williams, and Dwight Yoakam. Bank of America, the corporate underwriter of Burns’s films, is also supporting the concert and the bus tour. “At the heart of every great country music song is a story,” said Ken Burns. “As the songwriter Harlan Howard said, ‘It’s three chords and the truth.’ The common experiences and human emotions speak to each of us about love and loss, about hard times and the chance of redemption. As an art form, country music is also forever revisiting its history, sharing and updating old classics and celebrating its roots, which are, in many ways, foundational to our country itself.” “We discovered that country music isn’t––and never was––one type of music; it actually is many styles,” said Dayton Duncan. “It sprang from diverse roots, and it sprouted many branches. What unites them all is the way the music connects personal stories and elemental experiences with universal themes that every person can relate to. And as it evolved, from the bottom up, it created a special bond between the artists and fans that is unique among all other musical genres.” “As with so many of their films, Ken and Dayton guide us on a journey through history that educates and entertains, providing an intimate look into the creative lives of those women and men who came together to develop an authentic American art form,” said Perry Simon, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. COUNTRY MUSIC digs deep to uncover the roots of the music, including ballads, minstrel music, hymns and the blues, and its early years in the 1920s, when it was called “hillbilly music,” and was recorded for the first time and played across the airwaves on radio station barn dances. It explores how Hollywood B movies instituted the fad of singing cowboys like Gene Autry and shows how the rise of juke joints after World War II changed the musical style by bringing electric and pedal steel guitars to the forefront. The film witnesses the rise of bluegrass music with Bill Monroe and reveals how one of country music’s offspring — rockabilly — evolved into rock and roll in Memphis. Throughout, the documentary focuses on the constant tug of war between the desire to make country music as mainstream as possible and the periodic reflexes to bring it back to its roots. As Burns and Duncan weave together the musical stories, they connect the history of country music to the larger story of America, looking at how artists and songwriting reflected periods of depression, war and cultural upheaval, and how radio and later television impacted the art form. The series also tells the story of how Nashville came to be not only the epicenter of the country music industry, but Music City USA. At the film’s heart are the stories of unforgettable songs and the artists who created them: their emergence from humble beginnings, their musical influences and their breakthrough moments. The film explores the extraordinary connection between country music artists and fans and notes the enduring influence of particular songs and musicians across generations. The narrative ends in the mid-1990s as a young Garth Brooks emerges from a small venue in Nashville to achieve phenomenal success, brings country music to an entirely new level of popularity, and yet shows up to sign autographs for more than 20 hours at the Country Music Association’s Fan Fair. Duncan, Burns and Dunfey spent eight years researching and producing the film, conducting interviews with more than 100 people, including 40 members of the Country Music Hall of Fame (17 of those interviewed have since passed on). Among those storytellers are historian Bill Malone and a wide range of country artists such as Marty Stuart, Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, and Naomi and Wynonna Judd, as well as studio musicians, record producers and others. The film uses more than 3,200 photographs and over two hours of archival footage, including rare and never-before-seen photos and footage of Jimmie Rodgers, Johnny Cash and others. COUNTRY MUSIC boasts nearly 600 music cues over the 16 hours and in the fall of 2019, Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment will release a comprehensive suite of soundtrack music products timed to the PBS broadcast of COUNTRY MUSIC. Alfred A. Knopf, Burn’s longtime publisher, will issue the companion book, COUNTRY MUSIC: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, written by Duncan and with an introduction by Burns. The 464 page work includes over 400 images, many not seen in the film. In addition, there will be a robust interactive website and an educational initiative designed to engage teachers and students through multiple platforms, including PBS LearningMedia. Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation online using #CountryMusicPBS. COUNTRY MUSIC will stream for free and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. PBS station members will be available to view all episodes via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details). COUNTRY MUSIC will be available on Blu-ray and DVD in September 2019 from PBS Distribution at shopPBS.org. The DVD and Blu-ray extras include a preview program, a behind-the-scenes look at how the film was made and material gleaned from the hours of interviews. The series will also be available for digital download. Funding for COUNTRY MUSIC was provided by Bank of America, the Annenberg Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Belmont University, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Rosalind P. Walter and by members of ‘The Better Angels Society,’ including: The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Schwartz/Reisman Foundation, the Pfeil Foundation, Diane and Hal Brierley, John and Catherine Debs, the Fullerton Family Charitable Fund, the Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation, Jay Alix and Una Jackman, Mercedes T. Bass, Fred and Donna Seigel, Gilchrist and Amy Berg, James R. Berdell Foundation, David Bonderman, Deborah P. and Jonathan T. Dawson, Senator Bill and Tracy Frist, Susan and David Kreisman, Rocco and Debby Landesman, Lillian Lovelace, John and Leslie McQuown, the Segal Family Foundation, Michelle Smith. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS. COUNTRY MUSIC is a production of Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, DC. Directed by Ken Burns, written by Dayton Duncan, and produced by Duncan, Julie Dunfey and Burns. PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 90 million people through television and 30 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter. About WETA WETA Washington, DC, is one of the largest producing stations of new content for public television in the United States. WETA productions and co-productions include PBS NewsHour, Washington Week, The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Latino Americans and The Italian Americans; documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including The Civil War, Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, Mark Twain, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea and The Dust Bowl; and productions by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., including Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Seasons Three-Five) and Reconstruction: America After the Civil War. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. The WETA studios and administrative offices are located in Arlington, Virginia. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org. On social media, visit www.facebook.com/wetatvfm on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter. – PBS – Joe DePlasco, DKC Public Relations, 212-981-5125; joe_deplasco@dkcnews.com Carrie Johnson, PBS, 703-739-5129; cjohnson@pbs.org For images and additional up-to-date information on this and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom. How Do Today’s Top Stories Connect to the Past? New ... NO PASSPORT REQUIRED with Marcus Samuelsson Returns for Second Season ... Copyright © 2016 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), All rights reserved. \| Privacy Policy \| Terms of Use \| Marketing Preferences	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line458
__label__cc	0.717943	0.282057	P&PG Is Getting New Leadership Farcaster Published on 06-08-2014 03:00 PM Number of Views: 21742 As many of you know, I've been absent from the site for a while now. I tried many months ago to be the administrator that this site deserves, but the truth is that I just have too many things going on -- and that isn't likely to change any time soon. So, I have decided that it is time for me to step aside as the primary administrator for Pen & Paper Games. Fear not though! In my stead, Matt James will be taking up the mantle of leadership for P&PG. For those of you who aren't familiar with Matt already, he is an award-winning game designer from Washington, DC. His design creds include work for Privateer Press, Paizo, Kobold Press, and Wizards of the Coast. He's also the co-founder of Vorpal Games -- creators of the Red Aegis RPG, and he is the most energetic (borderline manic, really) person I have probably ever had the pleasure of meeting! It is that energy and his extensive network of contacts in the RPG industry that Matt will be bringing to the table to breathe new life into our community. As for myself, I'll still be around in a mostly technical role -- handling the back-end administration of P&PG's web-server and infrastructure support. With that, please welcome Matt James as the new administrator for Pen & Paper Games! Matt James is an award-winning game designer from Washington, DC. He has designed and developed game content for companies such as Privateer Press, Paizo, Kobold Press, and Wizards of the Coast. He is currently the lead developer and co-owner of Vorpal Games--creators of the Red Aegis RPG. Matt is also a disabled combat veteran, having earned the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart during his service in Iraq back in 2005. Otakar - 06-12-2014, 06:04 AM Welcome, Matt. We know you'll do great. Thanks again, Farcaster, for this terrific site and encouraging this very friendly community. nijineko - 06-16-2014, 07:34 PM Thank you for getting a new admin, Farcaster. Let's see what you have, Matt. Thorn - 07-07-2014, 09:33 AM Matt ,Congratulations on your new position here on this sight, may be sucessful. jasonj - 07-20-2014, 01:31 PM Huzzah !! Well met Matt , happy to have you rredmond - 07-29-2014, 12:17 PM --Ron--	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line461
__label__cc	0.601669	0.398331	Pfizer to spend $4.2bn on Anacor Pfizer is spending around $4.2 billion on the purchase of Anacor Pharmaceuticals, thus securing access to the firm's flagship non-steroidal topical PDE4 inhibitor crisaborole. Crisaborole is currently being reviewed by US regulators as a potential treatment for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema), with a decision expected in by January 7 next year 2017. According to Pfizer, the drug could achieve or exceed peak sales of more than $2 billion a year if it makes it to market, given its performance in Phase III trials and sizeable target market; up to 25 million people in the US are thought to suffer from the condition. "We believe the acquisition of Anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, which currently has few safe topical treatments available," noted Albert Bourla, Group President of Pfizer's Global Innovative Pharma and Global Vaccines, Oncology and Consumer Healthcare Businesses. "We believe we are well positioned to maximize crisaborole's commercial potential through our strong relationships with paediatricians and primary care physicians," he said, further explaining Pfizer's strategy behind the move. Anacor also holds the rights to Kerydin, a topical treatment for onychomycosis (toenail fungus) that is distributed and commercialised by Sandoz in the US. Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been agreed by both sets of directors a subsidiary of Pfizer will start a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Anacor common stock for $99.25 per share. Pfizer said it expects to complete the acquisition in the third-quarter 2016. The move comes just days after drug giant signed a $900 million metabolic diseases pact with Wave Life Sciences, and reports that it is one of a few pharmas currently circling US biotech Medivation, in the aftermath of its failed $160-billion deal with Allergan. Pfizer and Allergan confirm merger termination	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line462
__label__wiki	0.723641	0.723641	Riverside Area Residents Association Eastern Gate: Planning Committee ignores City Council’s own policies RARA, in conjunction with Petersfield and Brunswick residents’ groups, has spent many hours in discussions with the City Council about their Eastern Gate development framework. The process began in July 2009, with a first ‘vision’ document agreed in July 2010. In October 2011 the Council adopted the final framework as a Supplementary Planning Document, known as an SPD. This sets guidelines for future development, and should be taken into account as ’emerging policy’ even before adoption. This particular SPD had three important requirements for any future development along the south side of Newmarket Road: * That developments should vary in height between 3 and 5 storeys to avoid long horizontal rooflines. * That through routes across the site should be built to help break down barriers between the communities to north and south of Newmarket Road. * That developments should be set back to allow a continuous line of trees to ‘green’ this approach to the City. Unfortunately, the Planning Committee has chosen to jettison all three requirements by approving a 5 storey residential block with a 90 metre frontage to sit alongside the previously consented Travelodge hotel of a similar height. Together the two buildings will form a continuous 5 storey 180metre long ‘canyon wall’ from the Cambridge Refrigeration Technology (CRT) building to Coldham’s Lane. The Committee also allowed the developer’s proposal to step the west end of the building forward to match the frontage of the CRT building (an ugly concrete block). The alternative, which residents argued for, would have been to maintain the building setback along the full frontage in the expectation that the CRT site will also eventually be redeveloped. This would have allowed tree planting to continue all the way to the natural break of Abbey Street. The Planning Committee also ignored the Council’s Open Spaces Strategy which requires major developments to provide open space. In a block with family accommodation there will not even be a children’s play area. We all feel that our time has been wasted and that we cannot have confidence in a Council that does not attempt to enforce its own policies. We shall be making protests.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line464
__label__wiki	0.86354	0.86354	Rahul describes demonetisation as... Written by : IANS \| Sat, Mar 04, 2017, 04:07 PM New Delhi, March 4: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said the Narendra Modi government's decision to demonetise high-value currency notes was a "fundamental failure of policy design". Gandhi's statement was read out by Congress' legal cell head K.C. Mittal in a party-organised seminar titled "Untold stories of Demonetisation - its impact on Indian Economy" here on Friday as he was busy with other political meetings. "In a country, where most transaction are on cash, and majority of population are without access to banking services, the decision to suddenly remove 86 percent of currency in circulation without adequate preparation and consultation has been a fundamental failure of policy design," said Gandhi. Expressing support for any "credible effort to curb corruption, black money and counterfeit currency" taken by the government, he said: "But we cannot support ill-conceived policies that are devised for political reasons and without understanding the consequences of the majority of the people." Attacking Modi's policy, Gandhi said that "two months after the conclusion of demonetisation drive, the government has failed to provide even estimate of black money unearthed". "Meanwhile black money hoarders continue to flourish, fake currency continues to flourish, and bulk of black money in real estates and other forms remain untouched," he said in his message.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line470
__label__wiki	0.647399	0.647399	poverty eradication and gender justice Watchers publications SW news Echoes in the press Monitoring Commitments Millennium Declaration World Summit for Social Development World Conference on Women SW in the World Global Interactive Map Statistics by country Home » Social Watch Report 2009 - Making finances work: People first » NATIONAL REPORTS Economic growth must be re-directed cambodia2009_eng.pdf SILAKA Gender and Development of Cambodia COMFREL NICFEC NGO Committee on CEDAW Te NGO Forum CEDAC Thida C. Khus After two decades of war, Cambodia is rebuilding its State institutions. Economic growth has been high, but the country needs significant investment in human resources, especially in areas such as education and health. The global economic crisis is having a devastating impact, jeopardizing the realization of some national development programmes. Some NGOs are defending the rights of indigenous peoples, which have been threatened by government land concessions for plantations and development infrastructure. Other NGOs are demanding greater budget transparency. From 1997 to 2007, Cambodia enjoyed an average economic growth of 9.5% annually, including a double-digit increase during 2005-2007. Although the gross domestic product (GDP) continued to climb quickly in the first half of 2008, in the final months of the year the economy was crippled by the global meltdown. The collapse of the local real estate market, along with a slowdown in garment exports and foreign tourism, dragged 2008 growth down to 5.5%. For 2009, the Government has predicted a 6% increase in GDP but international institutions are much gloomier about the country’s prospects. The Asian Development Bank expects 2.5% growth; the International Monetary Fund a meagre 0.5%; and the World Bank predicts a contraction of -1%. Cambodia’s economy relies heavily on tourism, garment exports, construction and agriculture, all industries extremely vulnerable to the global meltdown. Services industries, mainly tourism, have been the main source of income, and the recent decline in foreign visitors--down 2% in January 2009 from a year earlier--is expected to worsen over the next two to three years.1 Cambodia also relies on remittances from exporting labour abroad, primarily to Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea. As of the first quarter of 2009, Thailand and Malaysia had cancelled all imports of labour, and Korea had cut the quota for Cambodian workers for 2009 to 1,000, one-quarter of the 2008 rate.2 Employment has also plunged in the garment industry. By March 2009, 51,000 of 400,000 total jobs had disappeared. More than 90% of the workers laid off were women from rural communities, who typically send much of their income home to support siblings in school. Garment factories are operating at only 40%-50% of capacity, and more than 80 factories have shut down entirely. The Government has given garment manufacturers generous incentives to keep them in business, but has not provided significant support to the garment workers. Unable to survive on a minimum wage too meagre to cover living expenses, many of them have gone home to farm. The cost of food and oil skyrocketed in the first half of 2008, accelerating a rise in the consumer price index (CPI) from 13.7% in January 2008 to 25.7% in May. However prices of basic commodities eased during the second half of the year, and CPI inflation slowly followed, hovering at 13.5% in December. The sudden increase in the global price of rice provided a handsome profit for rice surplus traders, but cut deeply into the food security of 31% of the population3 – nearly 4 million people who do not produce enough rice to meet their own needs.4 People living around Tonle Sap, the country’s major lake, are especially vulnerable, since they had already gone into debt to make ends meet. Last year they had to sell productive assets and pull their children out of school to go to work. The Government has responded with a USD 40 million food emergency programme for vulnerable populations in these provinces. Real estate prices went through the roof from 2005 to 2008, and the Government responded by jacking up the bank security rate, from 8% to 16% (later reduced to 12% as the global financial crisis began to bite) and introduced monetary measures to deter banks from extending credit for property development. Since 2008, real estate in Phnom Penh has been plunging, and is already down 30%-40% from its 2008 peak, causing heavy losses among investors.5 Compared to financial institutions in other parts of the region and in the West, Cambodian banks appear to be functioning quite well. Their interest rates range between 3% and 7%, depending on the amount and duration of the investment. However, some economists have expressed concerns about non-performing loans (those in or close to default), which have reached 3.4% in Cambodia, compared to 5.7% in the Asian Pacific and 1.8% in developed countries,6 as well as about the inadequacy of the infrastructure for extending credit to agribusiness. The challenge to human development Notwithstanding recent socio-economic progress, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. In the decade ending in 2007, the national poverty rate edged down from 34.8% to 30.1%, but given the high and rising levels of inequality and vulnerability, it is likely the food and energy crises of 2008 have set back efforts to alleviate poverty. Due to the weakness of public health services, even families of modest means can fall into poverty when a member gets sick. The Government has introduced programmes to provide free medical care to poor families, but these tend to be inadequate and unreliable. Policy makers have been considering several safety net options for the general population, but none have been implemented. Other development indicators are distressing, especially the maternal mortality rate. According to the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey, it has remained stagnant at a high level: 432 per 10,000 live births in 2000 to 472 per 10,000 in 2005. Five women per day die giving birth, the same number as 9 years ago. Dr. Te Kuy Seang, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Health, declared that his office does not have the funds to implement its plan to increase the number of midwives by 300, from the current 3,000, and build facilities for expectant mothers in rural communities. Girls still experience discrimination within both their families and the public educational system. In 2007, girls made up 47% of the enrolment in primary school, 46% in lower secondary school, 40% in upper secondary school and only 35% in higher education. To address this inequality, the Government and international organizations have been introducing programmes to provide school meals, free boarding for girls, scholarship awards and other incentives for girls, however these programmes have yet to reach the entire population. At projected growth rates for 2009, the likelihood of raising sufficient revenues to finance the planned social programmes appears limited. For a variety of reasons, ranging from natural disasters to inadequate agricultural policies, both the distribution of food and access to it are becoming problems for a significant and growing portion of the population. The Government is providing food to the World Food Programme, which is currently assisting more than 1 million Cambodians. It is also altering the current budget to increase the allocation to the Rural Development Bank for farm credits. So far, however, it has provided little information on how much money will be provided and how it will ensure the benefit of those in need. Indigenous communities and NGO work Government land concessions for rubber plantations have usurped the ancestral land of indigenous communities in the provinces of Stung Treng, Rattanakiri and Mondulkiri. Despite a communal land law passed in 2001, none of these communities were able to register their communal land. The seizure violates these communities’ right to their only source of survival and identity. Plans for hydropower plants are also threatening the livelihood of many indigenous communities across the country, which were not consulted on most of these plans. Local NGOs and international organizations are working with these communities to help them learn about their rights and land ownership legislation. While some civil society organizations are providing information to protect vulnerable populations, others are monitoring land grabbing and dislocations of rural communities that violate human rights. Some NGOs are monitoring the national budget, identifying discrepancies between policy priorities and budget allocations and demanding more transparency. Others are concentrating on building the capacity of civil society organizations to promote citizen engagement in local and national governance. A group of civil society organizations has demanded that oil, gas and mining be managed more effectively to ensure the transparency of revenues and sustainability for future generations. Cambodia is still rebuilding its economic and political institutions, which have been shattered by two decades of war. The country achieved high economic growth but failed to diversify economic investments or make urgently needed investments in education and health services. Despite some slow progress in reducing poverty, a lack of transparency in decision-making and mismanagement of state affairs continue to be issues of concern. 1 Tith Chinda, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, 12 March 2009. 2 Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, via Free Asia Radio, 7 April 2009. 3 Chan Sophal. “Impact of High Food Prices in Cambodia.” Annual Development Review 2008-09. 4 In the nine villages studied by CDRI in 2001 and 2004, up to 65% of households did not cultivate enough rice for their own consumption 5 Cambodia Reality. Seng Bunna, Bunna Reality, 20 March 2009. Reports from Cambodia 2012 - Human and social capacities should be the priority 2009 - Economic growth must be re-directed 2008 - Accountability needed 2004 - The race to meet the Millennium Development Goals 2003 - The long road to poverty eradication 2002 - Towards assimilation into the world economy Human Rights International Treaties ILO Conventions » View detail SPOTLIGHT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2019 IS AVAILABLE IN: Meet Social Watch! Social Watch News Watcher's Publications About Social Watch History of Social Watch	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line471
__label__wiki	0.740365	0.740365	Digital Gaming: NBA and Take-Two to Launch NBA 2K eLeague RMN Digital \| February 10, 2017 \| Consumer, Feature, Games \| No Comments Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, right, joins NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, at the league’s headquarters in New York, N.Y. on Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 as they announce plans to launch the NBA 2K eLeague, a new, professional competitive gaming league. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) announced Thursday their plans to launch the NBA 2K eLeague. It is a new professional competitive gaming league that will bring together the best basketball gamers in the world. This marks the first official eSports league operated by a U.S. professional sports league. Set to debut in 2018, this competitive gaming league will consist of teams operated by actual NBA franchises. The founding teams, each composed of five professional eSports players who will play the game as user-created avatars, will be announced in the coming months. [ Donate – Free Schools for Poor Children ] The NBA 2K eLeague will follow a professional sports league format: competing head-to-head throughout a regular season, participating in a bracketed playoff system, and concluding with a championship matchup. The relationship between NBA and Take-Two dates back to 1999, beginning with the NBA 2K series. The most recent release is NBA 2K17 sports game. Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. Tags:Basketball, eLeague, NBA, Take-Two Seven Critical Tips to Stay Safe in the Cyberspace Web Portal to Monitor Environmental Approvals in India Seven Hot Items in The 7-O-7 Tech Shop Nintendo Offers Free Trial Access to Wii Sports Club Romantic Digital Series: It Started with HELLO Dove Self-Esteem Project Launches 80 Resources on Pinterest Get Going: TomTom Sports Ad Campaign for Wearables	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line472
__label__wiki	0.95662	0.95662	As We Fight Midnight Tornado It isn't up to debate whether or not As We Fight are Denmark's biggest and best metalcore act at the moment. Their previous album "Black Nails & Bloody Wrists" exploded the band onto the international scene with its brutal, Sweden-influenced outtake on metalcore, filled with both growled and screamed vocals. The new effort, "Midnight Tornado", simply picks up where "Black Nails.." left off, clarifying and focusing their sound slightly more. But yet it was still going to be a damn difficult album to review, because what exactly do you say about an album that brings nothing new to an overstretched genre, but still sounds reasonably good regardless? "Where Eagles Turn", "Escaping The Poisoned Hands Of" and "Annihilation" are the highlights of the album. These are the tracks where the Gothenburg-metal/Swedish melodeath influences are clearly visible but don't sound overly forced, and instead fuse together with the generic metalcore riffing and the savage delivery of it all. As We Fight have also grown as a band. They've abandoned the growling for the sake of growling attitude some of their previous songs held in favor of the much more fitting screamo-influenced style that peaked here and there on "Black Nails..". The band also made a good choice by assigning Tue Madsen and Jacob Bredahl to mix and produce the album respectively. The end result is that the album sounds remorseless - the availing ruthless guitar picking, the assaulting screams and the commanding drumming were all recorded in a way that the album sounds like it was meant to be played live, and it indeed is not difficult to imagine the kind of destruction on stage during songs like "Annihilation". "Standing At The Gates Of Failure" has more than just a part of the title in common with the legendary band who brought us "Slaughter Of The Soul" - and if that band rings a bell in your mind, there's no doubt you'll love the song, which is the best representation of how As We Fight sounds like throughout the record. Essentially, all tracks are like this one in one form or another, either they are fast like "This Fuck You Is My Last Goodbye", or even faster like "Slay The Firstborn", but they all have the same elements in common: A ferocious lead guitar either going scales or doing picks, a supporting heavy-as-fuck rhythm guitar, madman like drumming with plenty of blast beats and ear-bleeding screams delivered by the dual vocalists Laurits & Jason. But yet this isn't simply a replay of "Black Nails...". Songs like "Where Eagles Turn" and "Annihilation" demonstrate that the band has grown both artistically and stylistically. They've jumped off from the 'lets be heavy as fuck and growl for the sake of growling' bandwagon and instead show better effort at composing meaningful songs. The band has added much melody to their brutal guitar assaults without losing their harsh edge, and vocalists Laurits and Jason have fine tuned their screams, sounding more confident, and less pure-noise this time around, effectively meaning most of the growling the band had in the past has now moved to the side in favor of the more screamo-influenced style. Whether or not this is a good thing I won't judge, but it certainly adds more ferocity to the songs, that already sound like they were written with the live stage in mind. Essentially, "Midnight Tornado" has pretty much everything the fans of the more brutal side of metalcore like. But this is also where it slightly stumbles, as all songs on the album are so alike, that even after several weeks of listening it's hard to remember which song is which, other than the few highlight songs on the track. It's a good effort and definitely in the right direction, but As We Fight must still add some focus on their studio-sound, as "Midnight Tornado" sounds like the band only recorded the songs so people would know the tracks live. Download: Where Eagles Turn, Standing At The Gates Of Failure For the fans of: At The Gates, Himsa, Parkway Drive, Unearth Listen: Myspace (scroll down to the left for two free downloads) Dockyard1	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line474
__label__wiki	0.981708	0.981708	Saturn & Iron City present: X Ambassadors – Orion Tour Bear Hands, LPX Sun. October 20, 2019 Iron City - Shows KIDinaKORNER/Interscope band X Ambassadors' debut album, "VHS," reflected on the events that shaped the lives of lead vocalist and lyricist Sam Harris and his older brother, keyboardist Casey Harris, growing up in Ithaca, New York. The gold-certified album, which Rolling Stone called "bombastic rock that's as stomping as it is diaristic, leavened by big-tent pop hooks and a hint of hip-hop swagger," debuted at No. 7 on Billboard's Top 200 chart and spawned the platinum-selling "Renegades," which spent 12 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Alternative chart, and the double-platinum "Unsteady." The success of "VHS" sent X Ambassadors on a nearly two-year touring odyssey that found them winning over fans around the world and performing at the Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Life Is Beautiful and Shaky Knees festivals, among others, and establishing themselves as a world-class rock band. X Ambassadors released the impassioned "Ahead of Myself" last fall followed by "Joyful" and "Don't Stay" in early 2018 before embarking ontheir JOYFUL headline tour.The band returned to Ithaca for the second annualCayugaSound Festival this past September. X Ambassadors is currently working on their sophomore album. For more information visitwww.xambassadors.com Bear Hands Bear Hands’ new song, “Back Seat Driver (Spirit Guide)” finds the band and its lead singer, Dylan Rau, stretching out, maturing, and exploring new sonic territory. The track is dynamic and propulsive, butalso reflective and measured, cautious of the impulse to move forward, driven only by momentum. “The song is about free will and finding yourself doing things that you don't feel you are in control of,” says Rau, “being drawn to something and not really knowing why.”Musically, the song is inspired by influences as disparate as M83 and The Who. “I really love the arpeggiated synth work of Pete Townsend,” Rau admits. While writing and recording “Back Seat Driver (Spirit Guide)” Chris Chu of POP ETC, an accomplished songwriter and producer in his own right, served as a spirit guide of sorts. “Chris Chu produced the track and he wrote some instrumentals on it. He wrote guitar parts and helped with the arrangements. Really editing and providing outsider perspective. That really helps.”Founded in NYC, Bear Hands quickly made a name for themselves and paid their dues by playing the boroughs many bars and sweaty DIY venues as well as touring with acts including Foals, Cage The Elephant, and GZA. The band, which includes Rau (vocals guitar, keyboards), Val Loper (bass), and TJ Orscher (drums), are currently working on their fourth full-length release which they plan to release in 2018. LPXis the New York based solo alternative project of Lizzy Plapinger, co-founder of boutique record labelNeon Gold Records(Christine and the Queens,Haim,Charli XCX, Mø,Tove Lo,Marina and the Diamonds) and lead singer of alt pop darlingsMS MR. LPX lives at the apex of where rock and pop collide reveling in the power of the force of their collision. A fully independent artist (self funded, self released, self realized) she’s released two EPs, had 3 songs go #1 at triple J radio in Australia (includingher collaboration withWHATSONOT“Better”), supportedHaimandMøon their respective North American tours, been synced in Greys Anatomy, curated an all female festival in DC withMaggie Rogersand All Things Go called Fall Classic, and most recently toured Australia as part of Falls Festival, among many other accolades.Junk of the Heartis her second EP release (March 2019) and includes singles “Might Not Make it Home” and “Give Up The Ghost.” LPX has been described as “a modern New York City sound if there ever was.” 513 22nd Street S http://ironcitybham.com/	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line477
__label__wiki	0.806183	0.806183	News > World UN chief: Drought-stricken Somalia ‘hangs in the balance’ Thu., May 11, 2017, 7:53 a.m. In this March 30, 2017, file photo, Somalis displaced by a drought arrive at makeshift camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia. (Farah Abdi Warsameh / Associated Press) By Gregory Katz and Cara Anna Associated Press LONDON – British Prime Minster Theresa May and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Thursday for more support for drought-stricken Somalia, with the U.N. chief requesting another $900 million in aid this year. They spoke at a high-level conference to address the Horn of Africa nation’s deepening humanitarian and security crisis. “Somalia now hangs in the balance between peril and potential,” Guterres said. “Here in London we can tip the scales from danger to safety.” He said political stability has improved but the gains are fragile in part because growing food insecurity is affecting millions of Somalis. Guterres said some 439,000 people are at risk of famine and more than 6 million are “severely food insecure.” Somalia is also facing new military interest from the United States, as President Donald Trump has approved expanded operations, including airstrikes, against the extremist group al-Shabab. Aid agencies have expressed concern that the military moves could endanger the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the drought. Pressure is growing on Somalia’s military to assume full responsibility for the country’s security as the 22,000-strong African Union multinational force, AMISOM, that has been supporting the fragile central government plans to leave by the end of 2020. The U.S. military has acknowledged the problem. The AU force will begin withdrawing in 2018, and the head of the U.S. Africa Command, Commander General Thomas Waldhauser, has said that if it leaves before Somalia’s security forces are capable, “large portions of Somalia are at risk of returning to al-Shabab control or potentially allowing ISIS to gain a stronger foothold.” May said the conference is proposing that Somalia’s military be strengthened with regional forces from across the long-fragmented state. The African Union force “simply cannot be expected to carry the burden of Somalia’s security forever,” she said, noting that al-Shabab has tripled its attacks in the capital, Mogadishu. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who was elected in February and also holds U.S. citizenship, has repeatedly vowed to defeat al-Shabab within two years. Somalia also confronts the worst outbreak of cholera in five years, with almost 690 deaths so far this year and cases expected to reach 50,000 by the end of June, the World Health Organization said in a statement Thursday. WHO added that if the current drought situation continues, “famine could soon be a reality.” Charities working to stave off famine in Somalia are urging that the African country’s debts be cancelled. Save the Children chief Keven Watkins said the African country “continues to drift toward an avoidable famine.” He called for “decisive action” including increased help from the World Bank. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis, the vast majority women and children, have been displaced by a drought since November. Published: May 11, 2017, 7:53 a.m. Tags: Britain, drought, famine, hunger, Somalia, United Nations, weather Top stories in World China’s economy growth cools further amid US tariff war Some Iranian women take off hijabs as hard-liners push back … Codebreaker Alan Turing to be face of new British banknote … EU works to save unraveling nuclear agreement with Iran … 2 people dead, dozens of homes damaged in Indonesian quake … Congo tracing contacts of first Ebola case in eastern city …	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line487
__label__wiki	0.759848	0.759848	Area crashes result in injuries Police Fire and Court Volunteer firefighters in the northern part of county had a very busy Friday night handling two crashes that resulted in serious injuries. The first accident involved a pickup truck that overturned on Route 14, one mile north of Ralston, about 9:15 p.m., trapping the female driver in the wreckage for about 10 minutes. Firefighters from Ralston and Hepburn Township extricated the driver through the front windshield and loaded her into an ambulance that took her to a nearby landing zone, where she was placed onto a helicopter and flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Her identity and medical condition were not available Saturday night. About an hour after the first crash, a customized Ford Bronco in which two men and three children were riding struck an embankment and overturned on Little Gap Drive near Route 973 West, about 2 miles west of Quiggleville. The driver, David Meisel, 47, of 485 Little Gap Drive, Cogan Station, stopped and thought he had put the Bronco in park, but it was actually in neutral, Old Lycoming Township police said they were told. He then lost control of the vehicle. Critically injured was passenger Dale Soules, 59, of Williamsport, who was admitted to the intensive care unit at Geisinger. Meisel was expected to seek treatment on his own at the Williamsport Regional Medical Center, police said. The children were not injured. Hepburn Township and Old Lycoming Township firefighters responded to the accident, but due to the remoteness of the crash site, the only way to get Soules to an ambulance was to use an all-terrain vehicle, which drove a quarter mile to reach the injured man. After he was loaded into a basket and placed in the back of the ATV, Soules was driven to a staging area, where an ambulance was waiting to take him to a nearby landing zone, from which a helicopter flew him to Geisinger. In an earlier crash on Friday near Montoursville, charges were pending against a 30-year-old Wyalusing, Bradford County, man after his Pontiac Aztek struck a utility pole on Route 87, 3 miles north of the borough, just before 4 p.m., state police said. The driver, whose identity was not released, was not injured nor were the two children riding in the vehicle. At a later date, the man will be charged with illegal drug possession, recklessly endangering and harassment for allegedly getting combative with an emergency responder who was trying to help him, police said. The driver also could be charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance pending the results of blood tests, a patrol supervisor said Saturday. In one of two crashes on Saturday, one person was injured in an ATV accident in the 2600 block of Highland Lake Road in Shrewsbury Township about 6:45 p.m. The victim was taken by ambulance to a hospital. No injuries reported in a two-car crash at East Penn and South Washington streets in Muncy about 8 p.m. 11 charged for various alleged crimes Eleven people have been charged with various criminal offenses, according to court records. Those charged and the ... 20 people charged with various crimes Twenty people have been charged with various criminal offenses, according to court records. Those charged and the ... Man faces trial on alleged drug deliveries, firearms violations A trial is being scheduled in U.S. Middle District Court for a convicted felon accused of distributing heroin and ... 24 sentenced in Lycoming County Twenty-four people were recently sentenced in Lycoming County Court. Two people were sentenced to state prison. ... Hit and run driver nabbed shortly after crashing into utility pole Few new details emerge in case concerning legs A recent update from Pennsylvania State Police denotes the woman whose legs were found along the north shore (city ...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line495
__label__wiki	0.824134	0.824134	A Quick History of Sydney for Prospective Travelers Copyright 2006 Tom Dinic As the state capital of New South Wales (http://www.visitnsw.com.au) in Australia, Sydney is certainly full of rich history that any traveler would like to discover for themselves. Established in 1788 when Briton Arthur Phillip claimed Australia for England, Sydney has grown to be one of the more famous cities in the world, boasting over four million people for the population. Situated along the Sydney Harbor, Sydney is known as the ‘Harbor City’ in which travelers and residents can enjoy such sights as the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge. A previous host of the Summer Olympics, Sydney is certainly creating a destination for the travelers of today and the future. The indigenous Australians (http://www.dreamtime.net.au) once roamed the lands of Sydney and the surrounding areas for approximately thirty thousand years. And while their numbers dwindled before the arrival of Arthur Phillips, they still inhabited the area and made their homes in the region. In the past, there were three different languages spoken in Sydney: Darug, Dharawal, and Guringai. Many of these languages also have separate dialects for various tribes and clans. These languages are all but gone now, but rock carvings remain to tell the stories of these ancient peoples. In 1770, James Cook was the first to see Australia and note its existence. This led to the British convict settlement as founded by Arthur Phillip. Founded in Sydney Cove, this settlement was named after the British home secretary. A few years later in 1789, a virulent disease spread over the land, killing the indigenous populations—many believe that this was the result of smallpox. By 1820, there were few aborigines left and the period of civilization began: the education and Christianization of the natives. With the leadership of Governor Macquarie, the city of Sydney began to take a more organized form. Roads and wharves were constructed and local development was rapid. People began arriving from Britain and Ireland in order to find a new life for themselves. This influx of people led to some of the first villages and later towns in Sydney. As the era of gold rushes came and went, the development of suburbs and improved transportation also blossomed. The construction of railways and tramways in the nineteenth century aided this rapid development. By the twentieth century, Sydney already had a population of over a million people. While the Great Depression hit Sydney hard, the Harbor Bridge (http://www.sydney.visitorsbureau.com. au/page2-03g.html) was still completed during that time. With the second highest immigrant population of any larger world city, Sydney is an interesting mix of culture and expression. In fact, forty-five percent of the population is said to be migrants of some relation. This makes for a different feeling in the city—one of acceptance and sharing, rather than segregation. This allows Sydney to be an ideal vacation destination for those travelers that want a sense of history and development as well as great weather and nearby activities. Sydney is more than a vacation hotspot; it’s where time has shown that anything can be achieved with patience and hard work.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line499
__label__wiki	0.703639	0.703639	Archives for the Calais Advertiser Newspaper Site Digital Versions Home Local News Quebec Man Sentenced for “Lying and Buying” Firearms in Maine Quebec Man Sentenced for “Lying and Buying” Firearms in Maine Quebec Man Sentenced for “Lying and Buying” Firearms in Maine Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 8:16am Bangor, Maine - United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jeremy Gertsch, 35, of Oka, Quebec, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor, by Chief Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to nearly 16 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for making false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms. Gertsch please guilty to the charges on September 7, 2012. Court records reveal that in January 2011, Gertsch rented a room at a hotel in Augusta, Maine. He then acquired a Maine driver’s license, listing the hotel’s address as his residence. Between January 26 and January 28, 2011, Gertsch used that Maine license to purchase eight handguns from four firearm dealers in the Augusta/Waterville area. Six of the handguns were semi-automatic. On January 29, 2011, Gertsch traveled south to Boston’s South Station where he purchased a one-way ticket to Montreal. Following his indictment on September 23, 2011, Gertsch was arrested in Canada on October 2, 2011 and extradited to the United States where he has remained in custody. The court sentenced him to time served, or just less than 16 months and ordered him to return to Canada and not re-enter the United States without permission from the U.S. Probation Office. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alchool, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line500
__label__wiki	0.940974	0.940974	Ex-NASA Astronaut Is Running For US Senate to Champion "Science And Data" Retired astronaut and Navy veteran Mark Kelly announced his bid for former Senator John McCain's Arizona seat on Tuesday morning with a campaign ad framing him as a data-focused problem-solver. If Kelly prevails in the Democratic primary, he'll face Republican Senator Martha McSally, who was appointed in December by Republican Governor Doug Ducey to fill McCain's seat. In the ad, Kelly presents himself as a team player who would work across partisan divides to address issues like healthcare, wages, job growth, and climate change. He never mentions he's a Democrat. My next mission... #FullSpeedAhead #ForArizona pic.twitter.com/5E36z7aztH — Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) February 12, 2019 "It becomes pretty obvious pretty early when you get into space that we're all kind of in this together," Kelly says at the beginning of the 4.5-minute video. "We've seen this retreat from science and data and facts. And if we don't take these issues seriously we can't solve these problems. We're going to need to bring people together from all parts of the state and all walks of life." He adds that "partisanship and polarization and gerrymandering and corporate money have ruined our politics." Kelly and his wife, former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, have become outspoken gun control advocates in the years since Giffords was shot and nearly killed in a 2011 assassination attempt that killed six and wounded a dozen others. The ad features Giffords' years of recovery and Kelly's role in helping fight for policy change. "What I learned from my wife is how you use policy to improve people's lives," he said. He frames his campaign as a team effort with Giffords. Kelly will likely face a few challengers in the Democratic primary, including a possible run by Representative Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat serving his third term in the House. "I've made no secret of the fact that I'm looking seriously at running for the US Senate in 2020, and that hasn't changed," Gallego said. "I'll be making a final decision and announcement soon." McSally, a former Air Force fighter pilot, lost her 2018 bid for Senate against Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. McSally's current seat was first filled by former Senator Jon Kyl, who was appointed to fill the role after McCain's death in August and stepped down at the end of 2018. This article was originally published by BusinessInsider.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line506
__label__wiki	0.89297	0.89297	Maeda leads Dodgers to historic beginning The Dodgers reached a historic high during Wednesday's 7-0 victory over the Padres, as they became only the second team in Major League history to begin a season with three shutouts. The Dodgers joined the 1963 Cardinals as the only teams to open a season by holding their opponent scoreless for three successive games. Los Angeles pitcher Kenta Maeda hit a home run and tossed six scoreless in his Major League debut as the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep at Petco Park. Los Angeles established a club record with 27 consecutive scoreless innings to begin a season, surpassing the 23 scoreless frames that came to begin the 1974 season. That mark was set against the Padres, who have tied their longest scoring drought. San Diego pitcher Andrew Cashner labored in his first start, needing 94 pitches to get through four innings. He surrendered four runs in the first and allowed five overall on six hits, while striking out five. Leading the Chase: Chase Utley led off the game with a triple to right-center, scoring onJustin Turner's single to trigger a four-run inning off Cashner, with Carl Crawford doubling in a run and Joc Pederson singling home two more. Out at home: Andy Green lost his first replay review as Padres manager in the bottom of the sixth, and in doing so the Friars were denied their first run of the season. On a ground ball to first, Cory Spangenberg broke for home, but was thrown out at the plate. Dodgers catcherA.J. Ellis applied the tag relatively late and high -- but evidently just in time to get Spangenberg. Labels: Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, National League, NL West, San Diego Padres	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line508
__label__cc	0.520263	0.479737	Mission Valley Museum Consortium announces events Last Updated: 8/28/2018 8:00:28 PM \| Arlee/Jocko Valley Museum Visitors can see our beautiful outdoor Veterans’ Memorial and memorabilia from area veterans. There are also Pioneer Day photographs and more. St. Ignatius Mission Church The church is known for its frescoes and murals which were damaged when a 100 year old support beam cracked. Repair of frescoes and murals began after July 9. The most significant damage is at the front right side altar (St. Joseph side) and it will be the first to be repaired. The front sidewalks to the church have been replaced and the stairs leading into the church have been repaired. The roofs of the two original log cabins on site have also been replaced with new cedar shakes. The gift shop in the original Jesuit log cabin is staffed by volunteers. It is open most days from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Fort Connah The Fort Connah Restoration Society will host their annual Fall Open House Rendezvous, which depicts life during the fur trading era of Montana, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9. This is a great opportunity to see the 1847 historic Hudson’s Bay Fort Connah Trading Post come to life. This event is free to the public. Fort Connah is located six miles north of St. Ignatius at mile marker 39 on Highway 93. For general information and trader/demonstrator set-ups, call Al Williams at 406-546-5067. Four Winds Indian Trading Post Come visit the historic Four Winds Indian Trading Post in the original log building that was built in the 1870’s by Duncan McDonald, the son of Angus McDonald, the famous Hudson’s Bay Company fur trader. Shop our large selection of beads, beadwork, craft supplies, moccasins, herbs, Native American books, CDs and artifacts. We are located three miles north of St. Ignatius on Highway 93 and open daily from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana David Webb from Dakota Windsong Flutes is our “First Saturday” artist on Sept. 1. Webb designs and carves his flutes from over 20 different exotic and traditional woods. Enjoy a 15-minute flute concert in the diorama room at the top of the hour from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. David’s flutes and CDs will be available for purchase. Stop by over Labor Day weekend, (Friday, Saturday and Monday), to take advantage of some great discounts in the gift shop. The museum’s season-long raffle continues; raffle items include a Pendleton robe paired with a bronze skull and a Cynthie Fisher print paired with a white buffalo skull. Tickets are three for $10 and seven for $20. The drawing is scheduled for Oct. 6, and the winner does not need to be present to win. The museum and unique gift shop are open Mondays–Saturdays from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Call 406-644-3435 to schedule a group tour. Garden of the Rockies Museum August has been a busy month, but a good one. Our entry in the Pioneer Days parade took first place in the Community Float category. Many thanks to Brad Lee for driving the old truck for us. We’d also like to thank Mary Sale for setting up the loom donated by the Symington family. On Aug. 8, we hosted 23 kids from the Polson and Ronan Boys and Girls Clubs for a tour of the museum and a craft activity. They were an energetic and enjoyable group. Our season is coming to a close at the end of August, but we are already planning additional future displays, including a photo collage of downtown Ronan. The Ronan Senior Center will have its annual rummage sale in the Round Butte gym on Sept. 15. The People’s Center & Museum Native American Awareness Week will be held here at The People’s Center from Sept. 25-27. Area schools are invited to register for participation in crafts, native games, hide tanning and dry meat demonstrations. Call 406-675-0160 for more information, to register, for bookings or appointments. We will end the week with our social powwow. Miracle of America Museum The Miracle of America Museum has had visitors from all 50 states, 50 different countries and seven Canadian provinces so far this year. Items from the museum collection have been loaned to the Port Polson Players for two different productions. Recent additions include rare guns to the WWI and WWII military displays, the photo shop, and the cherry industry display. Various restoration projects are in the works; if any volunteer-minded persons would like to help we’ll see if we can match their interest or expertise to a need. Watch for a museum fundraising yard sale to be held soon next door at Mangels’ Machine Works. Polson Flathead Historical Museum Our last day of the season will be Sunday, Sept. 16, please plan to visit our Pioneer Heritage Museum and see the Flathead Lake Monster before then. New displays include the renovated 1910 homesteaders home interior and remodeling, recently done by Scout Troop 9 of Salem, Oregon. We recently received a 1920s apple press plus a 1910 Singer Treadle Sewing Machine that you can sew on. On Sept. 8, members of the National Stagecoach and Freight Wagon Association will visit us and the Polson High School class of 1968 will hold their reunion at the museum on Sept. 15. Think of us if you are have a gathering that needs a site. We are open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. If you are interested in volunteering at the museum at the front desk welcoming visitors, call 406-250-9699. Arlee St. Ignatius Charlo Pablo Ronan Polson	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line511
__label__wiki	0.9841	0.9841	washingtonpost.com > Sports > Redskins Correction to This Article - A Jan. 27 Sports article incorrectly said that WTOP is an AM radio station. It is an FM station. WILLIAMS: After Four Years and Four Interviews, He's 'Released' Assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams, left, here with defensive line coach Greg Blache, center, and Coach Joe Gibbs, molded the Redskins into the 8th-ranked defense in the NFL. (By Preston Keres -- The Washington Post) Save/Share + Who's Blogging » Links to this article By Jason La Canfora Sunday, January 27, 2008; Page D01 Defensive guru Gregg Williams parted ways with the Washington Redskins yesterday following a meeting with owner Daniel Snyder. Williams, the assistant head coach-defense the past four years, was told the search for a new head coach would go on without him; the Redskins have also granted him permission to interview with other teams, ending his tenure with the franchise. Williams's candidacy, during which he'd interviewed four times, was endorsed by many Redskins players, former coach and team president Joe Gibbs and a large number of the team's fans, hundreds of whom posted angry messages on various Internet message boards backing him for the job and decrying the decision. "Playing for Gregg was great," defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin said. "When I first came here he welcomed me and I'll definitely miss him. I enjoyed playing for him, and, yeah, we wanted him to get the job, but I wish him the best. He'd hold guys accountable for their actions on the field and off the field. That's not riding guys hard, that's called being a professional." The Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams have already asked the Redskins for permission to speak to Williams, league sources said. The Rams considered Williams a strong head coaching candidate in 2005 prior to Williams signing a three-year extension with Washington; Williams is close to Titans head coach Jeff Fisher. Williams, who is owed about $2 million for the year remaining on his contract, declined to comment yesterday. "While Gregg is under contract to the Redskins for the 2008 football season, the Redskins have received and granted requests to other teams to talk to Gregg, and told him he is free to talk to any team he wants about future employment," said Williams's agent, Marvin Demoff. "But at this time he remains under contract to the Redskins." The Redskins referred to Williams and former associate head coach-offense Al Saunders as being "released," and in a statement owner Daniel Snyder thanked them. Snyder declined to speak publicly yesterday. "In particular, during our most difficult time last year, they both helped hold the team together as we kept moving forward," Snyder said in a statement. Williams, who was replaced by former assistant Greg Blache, spoke with Saunders yesterday, league sources said, with both men wishing each other well. Williams's meeting with Snyder yesterday was his first contact with any team official other than Gibbs since last interviewing on Jan. 15, Demoff said. Williams became alarmed Friday when reports on WJLA-7 and WTOP-AM, citing team sources, stated that he was no longer a candidate because he had been disrespectful to Gibbs during the interview process. ESPN had a similar report later Friday night. "I can't believe anyone would even come close to suggesting that I would ever say anything inflammatory or derogatory about Joe Gibbs," Williams said Friday night. Williams has praised Gibbs privately and in public often during his time here. "I can assure you that Joe Gibbs is one of the best people I have ever been around in the world, and one of my favorite people to ever be around," Williams said. "I came here because Joe Gibbs asked me and I feel honored to work with Joe Gibbs. More on washingtonpost.com More Sports News » washingtonpost.com » Related Topics & Web Content » Top 35 Most Viewed	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line518
__label__wiki	0.929054	0.929054	Dwayne Johnson returning for San Andreas sequel Comments Off on Dwayne Johnson returning for San Andreas sequel Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has signed on to film the sequel of San Andreas, his biggest solo blockbuster film to date for New Line. The Hollywood Reporter said that New Line has hired Neil Widener and Gavin James to write the sequel with most of the San Andreas team returning including Johnson, producer Beau Flynn, and director Brad Peyton. The cast of Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario and Paul Giamatti are also expected to return. The plot is still being kept under wraps although the rumors are that it will focus on the infamous Ring of Fire which circles the Pacific Ocean with fault lines and volcanoes and, according to scientists, is home to about 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes. San Andreas grossed over $473 million worldwide last year. Undertaker’s opponent for WrestleMania reportedly set Finn Balor returns to the ring following ankle injury Full trailer for the Fighting With My Family movie out now The full trailer for the Fighting With My Family movie which revolves around Paige and her family has been released. The film features Florence Pugh as Paige, Jack Lowden as her brother Zac and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson playing himself. Lena Headey and Nick… Dwayne Johnson to host Saturday Night Live on the eve of WrestleMania Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? The folks at Saturday Night Live sure do as the former WWE champion has been tapped to host the popular SNL show on March 28, the day before WrestleMania. This will be the fourth time that Johnson will be hosting the show.… The Fate of the Furious with Dwayne Johnson breaks worldwide opening records It seems that fans can’t get enough of the Fast franchise as The Fate of the Furious, the eighth installment of the popular franchise, grossed over half a billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue after just a weekend. The movie, which Dwayne “The Rock”… Finn Balor taking time off from WWE next... Ryan Satin of ProWrestlingSheet.com is reporting that Finn… Ryan Satin of ProWrestlingSheet.com is reporting…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line521
__label__wiki	0.935258	0.935258	Luton Airport Guide Fourth Largest Airport London Luton Airport Guide London Luton Airport was established in 1938 and is UK’s fourth largest and fifth busiest airport. With 1 terminal and 1 runway, the airport operates services to 9 passenger airlines and 5 cargo airlines serving 60 worldwide destinations. With its location in Bedfordshire, Luton Airport is reachable by trains, tubes, buses, coaches, taxis and other vehicles. Luton Airport serves flights operating to European destinations along with charter flights to Asian and North American destinations. Business facilities, lounge access, medical aid, restaurants and shopping, parking options, terminal transfers, information help, facilities for the disabled, accommodation and other facilities in the airport are excellent. Wardown and Stockward Parks and Museums, Wrest Park gardens, St Albans Cathedral, The Chilterns are some of the best attractions close to the airport. National Express, Green Line Coaches, easyBus, First Capital Connect and different local buses operates services from London Luton Airport. First Capital Connect, East midlands trains and some tube operations offer connections to different stations and cities in London. Taxis and cabs operate from the airport to different destinations. http://www.london-luton.co.uk Heathrow Airport Guide, Gatwick Airport Guide, Stansted Airport Guide, London City Airport Guide Journey Date & Time HH 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 MM 00 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Ret. Date Ret. Time Please SelectUK AirportSeaport/HarbourLondon HotelsLondon StationsPostcode/UK ZipPostcode Help (Please select from) (Please select to) Diversions? Passenger Luggage Hand Lugg. Baby Seat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ENTER YOUR DISCOUNT CODE HERE: London Luton Airport To London City Airport \| London Luton Airport To London Gatwick Airport \| London Luton Airport To London Stansted Airport \| London Luton Airport To London Heathrow Airport \| London Gatwick Airport To London Luton Airport \| London Gatwick Airport To London City Airport \| London Gatwick Airport To London Stansted Airport \| London Gatwick Airport To London Heathrow Airport \| London Stansted Airport To London Luton Airport \| London Stansted Airport To London Heathrow Airport \| More Transfers... Home \| About Us \| Our Service \| Our Fleet \| Terms \| Faq \| Account \| Driving Jobs \| Contact Us \| Sitemap Copyright © 2019 TransferDepot	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line522
__label__wiki	0.868693	0.868693	Home \| Archives \| Contact Us Features Local Israel Next Generation Arts/Op-Eds Editorial/Letters Links Obituary/In Memoriam Mahmoud Abbas on a poster in Bethlehem photo by Rhonda Spivak EDITOR'S MUSINGS: WILL ASPECTS OF THE NEW PALESTINIAN MUSEUM IN THE WEST BANK FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE CMHR ? by Rhonda Spivak, June 6, 2013 I think that members of the Winnipeg Jewish community will be interested in following this new story out of Ramallah, which is that Palestinians are building a museum near Bir Zeit university to tell their story. http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/New-Palestinian-museum-safe-place-for-unsafe-ideas-309378. I say this because at some point the CMHR is going to put on an exhibit or exhibits (temporary) relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and chances are that we will be able to get a pretty good idea of the types of things that Palestinians will want to have appear in the CMHR about their lives by looking at the types of exhibits they intend to display in their museum. In an article about the Palestinian Museum done by the Media Line, the following is a description given as to the nature of the exhibits: "The exhibits will include some of the Palestinian nationalistic symbols such as keys that symbolize homes that Israel destroyed or from which Arab families fled. Keys and title deeds are meant to refer to the displacement of people and the right of return claimed by Palestinians. Visual and written material, including photos and other forms of art, will offer a variety of Palestinian stories the curators say will be relevant to Palestinians all over the world." Note that the above description refers to the" right of return claimed by Palestinians" and ' the keys to homes that Israel destroyed." This means that what will be at issue in the Palestinian Museum is the birth of the very existence of the State of Israel. When Palestinians say the "right of return" they are claiming the right to return en masse to pre-67 Israel , and not about returning to a future Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza as part of a two state solution. In the article written by Media Line, the Director and head curator of the Palestinian Museum Jack Perekain explained that the “contemporary side” he speaks of "will be strong on politics, asserting that Palestinian daily life that includes barriers, checkpoints", and I think one can assume that Palestinians in Canada will want this type of exhibit in the CMHR when it deals with their conflict. The Museum is slated to open at the end of 2014, and will start with the Palestinian "Nakba" which is in 1948 when Israel is born. In a you tube video of Persekian, Persekian refers to the Palestinian Museum showing a story of a person through an ordinary object that they have kept with them over a long period of time. He then refers to the classic image of a Palestinian with a key to his home that he had to leave as a result of the Nakba in 1948. What's important here is to note that the focus is on the 1948 war, and the Palestinian right of return. Persekian told AP that he hoped the museum would tell stories not just of Palestinian Muslims and Christians, but also of Jews who lived in what was Britain-administered Palestine before Israel was founded in 1948. The Associated Press reported that the Palestinian Museum "draws attention to the conflicting narratives at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." "For Jews, the establishment of Israel reinforced the homecoming of an exiled people with ties to the Holy Land going back thousands of years. Palestinians refer to the establishment of Israel, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who either fled or were driven from their homes, as their “nakba,” or catastrophe." http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-palestinian-museum-to-draw-attention-to-conflicting-regional-narratives/ Persekian is a curator and producer who lives in Jerusalem and in Sharjah, U.A.E. He is the founding director of Anadiel Gallery, the Al-Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary Art in Jerusalem, and XEIN Productions. Exhibitions he has curated include the Official Palestinian Representation to the São Paulo Bienal (1998), In weiter ferne, so nah, neue palastinensische kunst at Ifa Galleries in Bonn, Stuttgart, and Berlin (2002), Disorientation: Contemporary Arab Artists from the Middle East at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (2003), Reconsidering Palestinian Art in Cuenca, Spain (2006), The Jerusalem Show in Jerusalem (2007 and 2009), and DisOrientation II: The Rise and Fall of Arab Cities, at Abu Dhabi Art (2009). He was chief curator of the 7th Sharjah Biennial (2005) and artistic director of the 8th and 9th Sharjah Biennials (2007 and 2009). He has also directed and produced the Millennium Celebrations in Bethlehem, in 2000 and the Palestinian Cultural Evening at the World Economic Forum in the Dead Sea, Jordan (2004). <<Previous Article Next Article >> Subscribe to the Winnipeg Jewish Review Rhonda Spivak, Editor Publisher: Spivak's Jewish Review Ltd. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor or articles by contributing writers are not necessarily endorsed by Winnipeg Jewish Review. © 2010 Winnipeg Jewish Review. All Rights Reserved. Home \| Features \| Local \| Israel \| Next Generation \| Arts/Op-Eds \| Editorial/Letters \| Links \| Torah Tidbits Archives \| Contact Us \| Privacy Statement \| Sitemap	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line528
__label__cc	0.749974	0.250026	$14M to $52M options mulled by County by Sarah Squires The County Board will take a closer look in January at a question that might cost Winona County taxpayers $51 million. January marks at least one meeting in which the board will invite county leaders to the table to discuss re-situating county services -- including an option for a parking ramp, addition to the current county building on Third Street, and a 120-bed jail facility. The board will consult with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council as well as department heads in January on the topic of the proposed new county campus plans. Aside from preliminary reactions to cost estimates, the board has yet to enter into more detailed discussions about what, and how much, it's willing to consider. Although it hasn't spent much time on the options thus far, the board has expressed willingness to put them all on the table. Board Chair Dave Stoltman mentioned that, with the cost of construction rising, it might be wise to build a shell of a building for growth needs. That shell could be finished over time, as county services grow. "You know you're going to have to deal with the jail at some point, probably sooner than later," said County Administrator Bob Reinert to the board last month. "Maybe it makes sense to do that now." Reinert added that bond rates are good right now, and it would be nice to get some construction started in 2008. The options: This option would include a new 120-bed jail facility located in front of the current Law Enforcement Center, with the current building to be demolished to create surface parking. Two added stories to the current county building on Third Street, along with a five-story addition behind the building, would house all county services. The current Government Center on Main Street would be sold and county services currently leasing space at the Plaza Building would also be moved to the new addition. A four-story parking ramp would be located east of the Third Street campus. This option would not include a new jail, and the Law Enforcement Center would stay as is. Two added stories onto the current Third Street building, along with a five-story addition behind the building, would house all other county services. The Main Street Government Center would be sold and services at the plaza would be moved to the addition. The four-story parking ramp would also be included in this plan. This option only includes the added stories and rear addition onto the Third Street building. The Government Center on Main Street would stay as is. The addition would house the sheriffs and police departments, with dispatch, along with the services currently housed at the Plaza Building. This option also includes the four-story parking ramp. The last option includes only the addition to the Third Street building, moving services from the Plaza space into the addition. Law Enforcement and services located at the Government Center on Main Street would stay as is. Surface parking would be located east of the Third Street building.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line529
__label__cc	0.60399	0.39601	A letter to Wisconsin snow birds and expatriates Everyone knows about the recalls. What everyone doesn’t know, and what people who haven't been around lately might not know, is that they really aren’t recalls. They are what golfers call “mulligans” and what non-golfers know as “do overs.” In Wisconsin, if enough people are dissatisfied with any incumbent who has been in office for at least a year, they can circulate petitions seeking a new election, and if they get the requisite number of signatures, an election will be called. No justification is necessary. This is not an impeachment. This is not a recall. This is a petition for a new election for any and all candidates who want to run including the person who thought he or she was elected for a fixed term. The recall petition for the governor and lieutenant governor are the most prominent. The reason so many people signed it (more than 900,000) had to do with fixing the structural deficit the Democrats left behind and crafting a balanced budget for the next biennium. The fixers were accused of excessiveness or worse to get this done. Thousands protested and a personalized “Recall Walker” movement ensued. This spread to the legislative branch which had approved everything the governor had recommended. Step two of what would blossom into something like recall mania was intended to punish those who lived in reasonably vulnerable districts (a small minority) and who voted to punish the public unions for years of what their victims characterized as bullying. If this had succeeded, it would have put an end to one-party rule. It reduced the Republican majority in the Senate to one vote, but, all the spinning to the contrary notwithstanding, it didn’t succeed. The Democrats contributed to the chaos by trying to stop the legislative process by leaving the state and denying the majority a quorum on crucial issues. This sparked another set of recalls, step three in the “recall” season, of Democrats this time. None of these succeeded. The next wave was another series of state Senate recalls of Republicans which were to be coterminous with the statewide recalls. If they succeed the Democrats in that body will become the majority. The fourth stage of recall fever is threatened but not yet executed. It would be a return to punishing incumbents for their votes or, in this instance, non votes. There was no voting on the mining bill, and Senators Jauch and Schultz, who had fashioned a compromise which nobody voted on either, were threatened with recall for whatever it is they did or didn't do. This recall was distinguished from previous recalls because it was initiated by a special interest group. In effect, it opened up a whole new avenue of populist activity which is intended to influence legislation and legislators who are already under the gun of belligerent outsiders with money and/or rabid members. All of this has led to little progress on the governor's agenda items, which are pretty much the only agenda items that have any prospect of being advanced. The latest bit of mischief threatened to unravel the districting bill in which the Republicans used their dominant majorities to make more legislative districts (and two congressional districts) more favorable to one party (theirs usually) and to further the trend of downgrading the importance of the general elections in as many places as possible. One of the challenges to this legislation went before a panel of federal judges. They found that the redistricting was unacceptable in two small areas. The judges ruled that the Legislature would have to make the repairs the judges wanted before the redistricting act would get their blessing. They sent it back to the authors. The authors, who no longer had a majority in the state Senate due to an unexpected resignation by a Republican state senator, refused to go back into session to do the patch up the court wanted. The newly co-equal Democrats said they would do what the court wanted done and a lot more as well to undo the damage the districting law had done to the number of districts in which they had a chance to prevail. Dysfunction metastasized into paralysis. The court decided to do it themselves. PS: If this isn’t depressing enough, those of you who have computers should go to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s website and read John Byrnes’ great Op-Ed piece of February 11 ("City leadership needs to be brushed back, businessman says")about what dysfunction, inattention, and other shortcomings are doing to Wisconsin’s economic future, and what Steve Walters had to say in "Recall-torn Senate looks undriveable" on March 24 about hardening of the positions and the arteries in the Capitol. Bill Kraus is the Co-Chair of Common Cause in Wisconsin's State Governing Board Desperately seeking solutions Myths, phobias and fantasies Shut out again	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line530
__label__wiki	0.585009	0.585009	Tp_Editing System.E (TES.E) http://www.techno-press.com/ > Volume 1, No. 1 (March 2001) Volume 1, No. 2 (June 2001) Volume 1, No. 3 (September 2001) Volume 1, No. 4 (December 2001) Volume 2, No. 1 (February 2002) Volume 2, No. 2 (April 2002) Volume 2, No. 3 (June 2002) Volume 2, No. 4 (August 2002) Volume 2, No. 5 (October 2002) Volume 2, No. 6 (December 2002) Volume 3, No. 1 (February 2003) Volume 3, No. 2 (April 2003) Volume 3, No. 3 (June 2003) Volume 3, No. 4 (August 2003) Volume 3, No. 5 (October 2003) Volume 3, No. 6 (December 2003) Volume 4, No. 1 (February 2004) Volume 4, No. 2 (April 2004) Volume 4, No. 3 (June 2004) Volume 4, No. 4 (August 2004) Volume 4, No. 5 (October 2004) Volume 4, No. 6 (December 2004) Volume 5, No. 1 (February 2005) Volume 5, No. 2 (April-June 2005) Volume 5, No. 4 (August 2005) Volume 5, No. 5 (October 2005) Volume 5, No. 6 (December 2005) Volume 6, No. 1 (February 2006) Volume 6, No. 2 (April 2006) Volume 6, No. 3 (June 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RC beams considering longitudinal and transversal interlayer slips Jerneja Kolšek, Tomaž Hozjan, Aleš Kroflič, Miran Saje and Igor Planinc Abstract; Full Text (1278K) pages 559-576. DOI: 10.12989/scs.2014.16.6.559 A new mathematical model and its finite element formulation for the non-linear stress-strain analysis of a planar beam strengthened with plates bolted or adhesively bonded to its lateral sides is presented. The connection between the layers is considered to be flexible in both the longitudinal and the transversal direction. The following assumptions are also adopted in the model: for each layer (i.e., the beam and the side plates) the geometrically linear and materially non-linear Bernoulli\'s beam theory is assumed, all of the layers are made of different homogeneous non-linear materials, the debonding of the beam from the side-plates due to, for example, a local buckling of the side plate, is prevented. The suitability of the theory is verified by the comparison of the present numerical results with experimental and numerical results from literature. The mechanical response arising from the theoretical model and its numerical formulation has been found realistic and the numerical model has been proven to be reliable and computationally effective. Finally, the present formulation is employed in the analysis of the effects of two different realizations of strengthening of a characteristic simply supported flexural beam (plates on the sides of the beam versus the tension-face plates). The analysis reveals that side plates efficiently enhance the bearing capacity of the flexural beam and can, in some cases, outperform the tensile-face plates in a lower loss of ductility, especially, if the connection between the beam and the side plates is sufficiently stiff. externally plated beam; side-plated beam; tension-face plated beam; longitudinal and transverse slips; Reissner beam; reinforced concrete beam; numerical model (1)Tomaž Hozjan, Aleš Kroflič, Miran Saje, Igor Planinc University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Jamova 2, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (2) Jerneja Kolšek: ZAG - Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva 12, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Dynamic stiffness analysis of steel-concrete composite beams Jun Li, Qiji Huo, Xiaobin Li, Xiangshao Kong and Weiguo Wu Abstract; Full Text (873K) pages 577-593. DOI: 10.12989/scs.2014.16.6.577 An exact dynamic stiffness method is introduced for investigating the free vibration characteristics of the steel-concrete composite beams consisting of a reinforced concrete slab and a steel beam which are connected by using the stud connectors. The elementary beam theory is used to define the dynamic behaviors of the two beams and the relative transverse deformation of the connectors is included in the formulation. The dynamic stiffness matrix is formulated from the exact analytical solutions of the governing differential equations of the composite beams in undamped free vibration. The application of the derived dynamic stiffness matrix is illustrated to predict the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the steel-concrete composite beams with seven boundary conditions. The present results are compared to the available solutions in the literature whenever possible. steel-concrete composite beams; classical beam theory; free vibration; dynamic stiffness method; analytical models Key Laboratory of High Performance Ship Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Transportation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China. Ballistic behavior of steel sheet subjected to impact and perforation Tomasz Jankowiak, Alexis Rusinek, K.M. Kpenyigba and Raphaël Pesci The paper is reporting some comparisons between experimental and numerical results in terms of failure mode, failure time and ballistic properties of mild steel sheet. Several projectile shapes have been considered to take into account the stress triaxiality effect on the failure mode during impact, penetration and perforation. The initial and residual velocities as well as the failure time have been measured during the tests to estimate more physical quantities. It has to be noticed that the failure time was defined using a High Speed Camera (HSC). Thanks to it, the impact forces (average and maximum level), were analyzed using numerical simulations together with an analytical description coupled to experimental observations. The key point of the model is the consideration of a shape function to define the pulse loading during perforation. impact; perforation; dynamic failure; experiment; simulation; impact force (1) Tomasz Jankowiak: Institute of Structural Engineering, PUT, Poznan, Poland; (2) Alexis Rusinek, K.M. Kpenyigba: LaBPS, National Engineering School of Metz, Metz, France; (3) Raphaël Pesci: LEM3 UMR CNRS 7239, ENSAM-Arts et Métiers ParisTech CER of Metz, Metz, France. Effect of plate properties on shear strength of bolt group in single plate connection Aphinat Ashakul and Kriangkrai Khampa A single plate shear connection, or shear tab, is a very popular shear connection due to its merit in ease of construction and material economy. However, problems in understanding the connection behavior, both in terms of strength and ductility, have been well-documented. Suggestions or design model for single plate connections in AISC Design Manual have been altered several times, with the latest edition settling down to giving designers pre-calculated design strength tables if the connection details agree with given configurations. Results from many full-scale tests and finite element models in the past suggest that shear strength of a bolt group in single plate shear connections might be affected by yield strength of plate material; therefore, this research was aimed to investigate and clarify effects of plate yield strength and thickness on shear strength of the bolt group in the connections, including the validity of using a plate thickness/bolt diameter ratio (tp/db) in design, by using finite element models. More than 20 models have been created by using ABAQUS program with 19.0- and 22.2-mm A325N bolts and A36 and Gr.50 plates with various thicknesses. Results demonstrated that increase of plate thickness or plate yield strength, with the tp/db ratio remained intact, could significantly reduce shear strength of the bolt group in the connection as much as 15 percent. Results also confirmed that the tp/db ratio is a valid indicator to be used for guaranteeing strength sufficiency. Because the actual ratio recommended by AISC Design Manual is tp/db + 1.6 (mm) for connections with a number of bolts less than six and plate yield strength in construction is normally higher than the nominal value used in design, it is proposed that shear strength of a bolt group in single plate connections with a number of bolts equal or greater than seven be reduced by 15 percent and the tp/db ratio be limited to 0.500. ABAQUS; finite element; shear strength of bolt group; single plate shear connection Department of Civil Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand. A study on bending strength of reinforced concrete filled steel tubular beam Alifujiang Xiamuxi, Akira Hasegawa and Akenjiang Tuohuti The mechanical characteristic of reinforced concrete filled steel tubular (RCFT) structures are differed from that of concrete filled tubular steel (CFT) structures because the reinforcement in RCFT largely affects the performance of core concrete such as ductility, strength and toughness, and hence the performance of RCFT should be evaluated differently from CFT. To examine the effect axial reinforcement on bending performance, an investigation on RCFT beams with varying levels of axial reinforcement is performed by the means of numerical parametric study. According to the numerical simulation results with 13 different ratios of axial reinforcement, it is concluded that the reinforcement has obvious effect on bending capacity, and the neutral axis of RCFT is different from CFT, and an evaluation equation in which the effect of axial reinforcement is considered for ultimate bending strength of RCFT is proposed. RCFT; axial reinforcement; numerical simulation; neutral axis; bending strength (1) Alifujiang Xiamuxi, Akenjiang Tuohuti: College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China; (2) Akira Hasegawa: Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Hachinohe Institute of Technology, Hachinohe, Japan. Compression tests of cold-formed channel sections with perforations in the web Young Bong Kwon, Gap Deuk Kim and In Kyu Kwon This paper describes a series of compression tests performed on cold-formed steel channel sections with perforations in the web (thermal studs) fabricated from a galvanized steel plate whose thickness ranged from 1.0 mm to 1.6 mm and nominal yield stress was 295 MPa. The structural behavior and performance of thermal studs undergoing local, distortional, or flexural-torsional buckling were investigated experimentally and analytically. The compression tests indicate that the slits in the web had significant negative effects on the buckling and ultimate strength of thin-walled channel section columns. The compressive strength of perforated thermal studs was estimated using equivalent solid channel sections of reduced thickness instead of the studs. The direct strength method, a newly developed and adopted alternative to the effective width method for designing cold-formed steel sections in the AISI Standard S100 (2004) and AS/NZS 4600 (Standard Australia 2005), was calibrated to the test results for its application to cold-formed channel sections with slits in the web. The results verify that the DSM can predict the ultimate strength of channel section columns with slits in the web by substituting equivalent solid sections of reduced thickness for them. thermal studs; slits; perforations; ultimate strength; equivalent thickness; direct strength method (1) Young Bong Kwon: Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyongsan, 712-749, Korea; (2) Gap Deuk Kim: Department of Steel Research, RIST, Incheon, Korea; (3) In Kyu Kwon: Department of Fire Protection Engineering, Kangwon National University, Samcheok, Korea. Topology optimization of nonlinear single layer domes by a new metaheuristic Saeed Gholizadeh and Hamed Barati The main aim of this study is to propose an efficient meta-heuristic algorithm for topology optimization of geometrically nonlinear single layer domes by serially integration of computational advantages of firefly algorithm (FA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). During the optimization process, the optimum number of rings, the optimum height of crown and tubular section of the member groups are determined considering geometric nonlinear behaviour of the domes. In the proposed algorithm, termed as FA-PSO, in the first stage an optimization process is accomplished using FA to explore the design space then, in the second stage, a local search is performed using PSO around the best solution found by FA. The optimum designs obtained by the proposed algorithm are compared with those reported in the literature and it is demonstrated that the FA-PSO converges to better solutions spending less computational cost emphasizing on the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. optimal design; meta-heuristic; firefly algorithm; lattice dome; geometrical nonlinearity Department of Civil Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Evaluating long-term relaxation of high strength bolts considering coating on slip faying surface Hwan-Seon Nah, Hyeon-Ju Lee and Sung-Mo Choi The initial clamping forces of high strength bolts subjected to different faying surface conditions drop within 500 hours regardless of loading, any other external force or loosening of the nut. This study develops a mathematical model for relaxation confined to creep on a coated faying surface after initial clamping. The quantitative model for estimating relaxation was derived from a regression analysis for the relation between the creep strain of the coated surface and the elapsed time for 744 hours. This study establishes an expected model for estimating the relaxation of bolted joints with diverse coated surfaces. The candidate bolts are dacro-coated tension control bolts, ASTM A490 bolt, and plain tension control bolts. The test parameters were coating thickness, species of coating. As for 96, 128, 168, and 226 μm thick inorganic zinc, when the coating thickness was increased, relaxation after the initial clamping rose to a much higher range from 10% to 18% due to creep of the coating. The amount of relaxation up to 7 days exceeded 85% of the entire relaxation. From this result, the equation for creep strain can be derived from a statistical regression analysis. Based on the acquired creep behavior, it is expected that the clamping force reflecting relaxation after the elapse of constant time can be calculated from the initial clamping force. The manufacturer's recommendation of inorganic zinc on faying surface as 75 μm, appears to be reasonable. slip critical joint; high-strength bolts; relaxation; coating; creep (1) Hwan-Seon Nah, Hyeon-Ju Lee: Smart Energy Lab., Korea Electric Power Corporation Research Institute, 65 Munji-Ro Yusung-Gu, Daejon, 305-380, Korea; (2) Sung-Mo Choi: The University of Seoul, Department of Architectural Engineering, 163 Siripdaero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-743, Korea. Techno-Press: Publishers of international journals and conference proceedings. Copyright © 2019 Techno-Press P.O. Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 34186 Korea, Tel: +82-42-828-7996, Fax : +82-42-828-7997, Email: info@techno-press.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line531
__label__wiki	0.664563	0.664563	Displaying items by tag: Privacy Reforming Consent under PIPEDA (ETHI's Report on PIPEDA Reform - Part I) In February 2018 the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) issued its report based on its hearings into the state of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. The Committee hearings were welcomed by many in Canada’s privacy community who felt that PIPEDA had become obsolete and unworkable as a means of protecting the personal information of Canadians in the hands of the private sector. The report, titled Towards Privacy by Design: Review of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act seems to come to much the same conclusion. ETHI ultimately makes recommendations for a number of changes to PIPEDA, some of which could be quite significant. This blog post is the first in a series that looks at the ETHI Report and its recommendations. It addresses the issue of consent. The enactment of PIPEDA in 2001 introduced a consent-based model for the protection of personal information in the hands of the private sector in Canada. The model has at its core a series of fair information principles that are meant to guide businesses in shaping their collection, use and disclosure of personal information. Consent is a core principle; other principles support consent by ensuring that individuals have adequate and timely notice of the collection of personal information and are informed of the purposes of collection. Unfortunately, the principle of consent has been drastically undermined by advances in technology and by a dramatic increase in the commercial value of personal information. In many cases, personal information is now actual currency and not just the by-product of transactions, changing the very fundamentals of the consent paradigm. In the digital environment, the collection of personal information is also carried out continually. Not only is personal information collected with every digital interaction, it is collected even while people are not specifically interacting with organizations. For example, mobile phones and their myriad apps collect and transmit personal information even while not in use. Increasingly networked and interconnected appliances, entertainment systems, digital assistants and even children’s toys collect and communicate steady streams of data to businesses and their affiliates. These developments have made individual consent somewhat of a joke. There are simply too many collection points and too many privacy policies for consumers to read. Most of these policies are incomprehensible to ordinary individuals; many are entirely too vague when it comes to information use and sharing; and individuals can easily lose sight of consents given months or years previously to apps or devices that are largely forgotten but that nevertheless continuing to harvest personal information in the background. Managing consent in this environment is beyond the reach of most. To add insult to injury, the resignation felt by consumers without meaningful options for consent is often interpreted as a lack of interest in privacy. As new uses (and new markets) for personal information continue to evolve, it is clear that the old model of consent is no longer adequate to serve the important privacy interests of individuals. The ETHI Report acknowledges the challenges faced by the consent model; it heard from many witnesses who identified problems with consent and many who proposed different models or solutions. Ultimately, however, ETHI concludes that “rather than overhauling the consent model, it would be best to make minor adjustments and let the stakeholders – the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), businesses, government, etc. – adapt their practices in order to maintain and enhance meaningful consent.”(at p. 20) The fact that the list of stakeholders does not include the public – those whose personal information and privacy are at stake – is telling. It signals ambivalence about the importance of privacy within the PIPEDA framework. In spite of being an interest hailed by the Supreme Court of Canada as quasi-constitutional in nature, privacy is still not approached by Parliament as a human right. The prevailing legislative view seems to be that PIPEDA is meant to facilitate the exchange of personal information with the private sector; privacy is protected to the extent that it is necessary to support public confidence in such exchanges. The current notion of consent places a significant burden on individuals to manage their own privacy and, by extension, places any blame for oversharing on poor choices. It is a cynically neo-liberal model of regulation in which the individual ultimately must assume responsibility for their actions notwithstanding the fact that the deck has been so completely and utterly stacked against them. The OPC recently issued a report on consent which also recommended the retention of consent as a core principle, but recognized the need to take concrete steps to maintain its integrity. The OPC recommendations included using technological tools, developing more accessible privacy policies, adjusting the level of consent required to the risk of harm, creating no-go zones for the use of personal information, and enhancing privacy protection for children. ETHI’s rather soft recommendations on consent may be premised on an understanding that much of this work will go ahead without legislative change. Among the minor adjustments to consent recommended by ETHI is that PIPEDA be amended to make opt-in consent the default for any use of personal information for secondary purposes. This means that while there might be opt-out consent for the basic services for which a consumer is contracting (in other words, if you provide your name and address for the delivery of an item, it can be assumed you are consenting to the use of the information for that purpose), consumers must agree to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information for secondary or collateral purposes. ETHI’s recommendation also indicates that opt-in consent might eventually become the norm in all circumstances. Such a change may have some benefits. Opt out consent is invidious. Think of social media platform default settings that enable a high level of personal information sharing, leaving consumers to find and adjust these settings if they want greater protection for their privacy. An opt-in consent requirement might be particularly helpful in addressing such problems. Nevertheless, it will not be much use in the context of long, complex (and largely unread) privacy policies. Many such policies ask consumers to consent to a broad range of uses and disclosures of personal information, including secondary purposes described in the broadest of terms. A shift to opt-in consent will not help if agreeing to a standard set of unread terms amounts to opting-in. ETHI also considered whether and how individuals should be able to revoke their consent to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information. The issues are complex. ETHI gave the example of social media, where information shared by an individual might be further disseminated by many others, making it challenging to give effect to a revocation of consent. ETHI recommends that the government “study the issue of revocation of consent in order to clarify the form of revocation required and its legal and practical implications”. ETHI also recommended that the government consider specific rules around consent for minors, as well as the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information. Kids use a wide range of technologies, but may be particularly vulnerable because of a limited awareness of their rights and recourses, as well as of the long-term impacts of personal information improvidently shared in their youth. The issues are complex and worthy of further study. It is important to note, however, that requiring parental consent is not an adequate solution if the basic framework for consent is not addressed. Parents themselves may struggle to understand the technologies and their implications and may be already overwhelmed by multiple long and complex privacy policies. The second part of the ETHI recommendation which speaks to specific rules around the collection, use and disclosure of the personal information of minors may be more helpful in addressing some of the challenges in this area. Just as we have banned some forms of advertising directed at children, we might also choose to ban some kinds of collection or uses of children’s personal information. In terms of enhancing consent, these recommendations are thin on detail and do not provide a great deal of direction. They seem to be informed by a belief that a variety of initiatives to enhance consent through improved privacy policies (including technologically enhanced policies) may suffice. They are also influenced by concerns expressed by business about the importance of maintaining the ‘flexibility’ of the current regime. While there is much that is interesting elsewhere within the ETHI report, the discussion of consent feels incomplete and disappointing. Minor adjustments will not make a major difference. Up next: One of the features of PIPEDA that has proven particularly challenging when it comes to consent is the ever-growing list of exceptions to the consent requirement. In my next post I will consider ETHI’s recommendations that would add to that list, and that also address ‘alternatives’ to consent. Published in Privacy OPC Report on Online Reputation Misses the Mark on the Application of PIPEDA to Search Engines The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has released its Draft Position on Online Reputation. It’s an important issue and one that is of great concern to many Canadians. In the Report, the OPC makes recommendations for legislative change and proposes other measures (education, for example) to better protect online reputation. However, the report has also generated considerable controversy for the position it has taken on how the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act currently applies in this context. In this post I will focus on the Commissioner’s expressed view that PIPEDA applies to search engine activities in a way that would allow Canadians to request the de-indexing of personal information from search engines, with the potential to complain to the Commissioner if these demands are not met. PIPEDA applies to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activity. The Commissioner reasons, in this report, that search engines are engaged in commercial activity, even if search functions are free to consumers. An example is the placement of ads in search results. According to the Commissioner, because search engines can provide search results that contain (or lead to) personal information, these search engines are collecting, using and disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activity. With all due respect, this view seems inconsistent with current case law. In 2010, the Federal Court in State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Canada (Privacy Commissioner) ruled that an insurance company that collected personal information on behalf of an individual it was representing in a law suit was not collecting that information in the course of commercial activity. This was notwithstanding the fact that the insurance company was a commercial business. The Court was of the view that, at essence, the information was being collected on behalf of a private person (the defendant) so that he could defend a legal action (a private and non-commercial matter to which PIPEDA did not apply). Quite tellingly, at para 106, the court stated: “if the primary activity or conduct at hand, in this case the collection of evidence on a plaintiff by an individual defendant in order to mount a defence to a civil tort action, is not a commercial activity contemplated by PIPEDA, then that activity or conduct remains exempt from PIPEDA even if third parties are retained by an individual to carry out that activity or conduct on his or her behalf.” The same reasoning applies to search engines. Yes, Google makes a lot of money, some of which comes from its search engine functions. However, the search engines are there for anyone to use, and the relevant activities, for the purposes of the application of PIPEDA, are those of the users. If a private individual carries out a Google search for his or her own purposes, that activity does not amount to the collection of personal information in the course of commercial activity. If a company does so for its commercial purposes, then that company – and not Google – will have to answer under PIPEDA for the collection, use or disclosure of that personal information. The view that Google is on the hook for all searches is not tenable. It is also problematic for the reasons set out by my colleague Michael Geist in his recent post. I also note with some concern the way in which the “journalistic purposes” exception is treated in the Commissioner’s report. This exception is one of several designed to balance privacy with freedom of expression interests. In this context, the argument is that a search engine facilitates access to information, and is a tool used by anyone carrying out online research. This is true, and for the reasons set out above, PIPEDA does not apply unless that research is carried out in the course of commercial activities to which the statute would apply. Nevertheless, in discussing the exception, the Commissioner states: Some have argued that search engines are nevertheless exempt from PIPEDA because they serve a journalistic or literary function. However, search engines do not distinguish between journalistic/literary material. They return content in search results regardless of whether it is journalistic or literary in nature. We are therefore not convinced that search engines are acting for “journalistic” or “literary” purposes, or at least not exclusively for such purposes as required by paragraph 4(2)(c). What troubles me here is the statement that “search engines do not distinguish between journalistic and literary material”. They don’t need to. The nature of what is sought is not the issue. The issue is the purpose. If an individual uses Google in the course of non-commercial activity, PIPEDA does not apply. If a journalist uses Google for journalistic purposes, PIPEDA does not apply. The nature of the content that is searched is immaterial. The quote goes on to talk about whether search engines act for journalistic or literary purposes – that too is not the point. Search engines are tools. They are used by actors. It is the purposes of those actors that are material, and it is to those actors that PIPEDA will apply – if they are collecting, using or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activity. The Report is open for comment until April 19, 2018. Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has handed down a decision that addresses important issues regarding control over commercially valuable data. The decision results from an appeal of an earlier ruling of the Competition Tribunal regarding the ability of the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) to limit the uses to which its compilation of current and historical property listings in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) can be put. Through its operations, the TREB compiles a vast database of real estate listings. Information is added to the database on an ongoing basis by real estate brokers who contribute data each time a property is listed with them. Real estate agents who are members of TREB in turn receive access to a subset of this data via an electronic feed. They are permitted to make this data available through their individual websites. However, the TREB does not permit all of its data to be shared through this feed; some data is available only through other means such as in-person consultation, or communications of snippets of data via email or fax. The dispute arose after the Competition Commissioner applied to the Competition Tribunal for a ruling as to whether the limits imposed by the TREB on the data available through the electronic feed inhibited the ability of “virtual office websites” (VOWs) to compete with more conventional real estate brokerages. The tribunal ruled that they did, and the matter was appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal. Although the primary focus of the Court’s decision was on the competition issues, it also addressed questions of privacy and copyright law. The Federal Court of Appeal found that the TREB’s practices of restricting available data – including information on the selling price of homes – had anticompetitive effects that limited the range of broker services that were available in the GTA, limited innovation, and had an adverse impact on entry into and expansion of relevant markets. This aspect of the decision highlights how controlling key data in a sector of the economy can amount to anti-competitive behavior. Data are often valuable commercial assets; too much exclusivity over data may, however, pose problems. Understanding the limits of control over data is therefore an important and challenging issue for businesses and regulators alike. The TREB had argued that one of the reasons why it could not provide certain data through its digital feed was because these data were personal information and it had obligations under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act to not disclose this information without appropriate consent. The TREB relied on a finding of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada that the selling price of a home (among those data held back by TREB) was personal information because it could lead to inferences about the individual who sold the house (e.g.: their negotiating skills, the pressure on them to sell, etc.). The Court noted that the TREB already shared the information it collected with its members. Information that was not made available through the digital feed was still available through more conventional methods. In fact, the Court noted that the information was very widely shared. It ruled that the consent provided by individuals to this sharing of information would apply to the sharing of the same information through a digital feed. It stated: “PIPEDA only requires new consent where information is used for a new purpose, not where it is distributed via new methods. The introduction of VOWs is not a new purpose – the purpose remains to provide residential real estate services [. . .].” (at para 165) The Court’s decision was influenced by the fact that the consent form was very broadly worded. Through it, TREB obtained consent to the use and dissemination of the data “during the term of the listing and thereafter.” This conclusion is interesting, as many have argued that the privacy impacts are different depending on how information is shared or disseminated. In other words, it could have a significant impact on privacy if information that is originally shared only on request, is later published on the Internet. Consent to disclosure of the information using one medium might not translate into consent to a much broader disclosure. However, the Court’s decision should be read in the context of both the very broad terms of the consent form and the very significant level of disclosure that was already taking place. The court’s statement that “PIPEDA only requires new consent where information is used for a new purpose, not where it is distributed via new methods” should not be taken to mean that new methods of distribution do not necessarily reflect new purposes that go beyond the original consent. The Federal Court of Appeal also took note of the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision in Royal Bank of Canada v. Trang. In the course of deciding whether to find implied consent to a disclosure of personal information, the Supreme Court of Canada had ruled that while the balance owing on a mortgage was personal information, it was less sensitive than other financial information because the original amount of the mortgage, the rate of interest and the due date for the mortgage were all publicly available information from which an estimate of the amount owing could be derived. The Federal Court of Appeal found that the selling price of a home was similarly capable of being derived from other publicly available data sources and was thus not particularly sensitive personal information. In addition to finding that there would be no breach of PIPEDA, the Federal Court of Appeal seemed to accept the Tribunal’s view that the TREB was using PIPEDA in an attempt to avoid wider sharing of its data, not because of concerns for privacy, but in order to maintain its control over the data. It found that TREBs conduct was “consistent with the conclusion that it considered the consents were sufficiently specific to be compliant with PIPEDA in the electronic distribution of the disputed data on a VOW, and that it drew no distinction between the means of distribution.” (at para 171) Finally, the Competition Tribunal had ruled that the TREB did not have copyright in its compilation of data because the compilation lacked sufficient originality in the selection or arrangement of the underlying data. Copyright in a compilation depends upon this originality in selection or arrangement because facts themselves are in the public domain. The Federal Court of Appeal declined to decide the copyright issue since the finding that the VOW policy was anti-competitive meant that copyright could not be relied upon as a defence. Nevertheless, it addressed the copyright question in obiter (meaning that its comments are merely opinion and not binding precedent). The Federal Court of Appeal noted that the issue of whether there is copyright in a compilation of facts is a “highly contextual and factual determination” (at para 186). The Court of Appeal took note of the Tribunal’s findings that “TREB’s specific compilation of data from real estate listings amounts to a mechanical exercise” (at para 194), and agreed that the threshold for originality was not met. The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the relevance of TREB’s arguments about the ways in which its database was used, noting that “how a “work” is used casts little light on the question of originality.” (at para 195) The Court also found no relevance to the claims made in TREB’s contracts to copyright in its database. Claiming copyright is one thing, establishing it in law is quite another. Note that leave to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada was denied on August 23, 2018. Anomalous Ontario privacy tort decision awards damages for use of image of a jogger on a public path An Ontario small claims court judge has found in favour of a plaintiff who argued that her privacy rights were violated when a two-second video clip of her jogging on a public path was used by the defendant media company in a sales video for a real-estate development client. The plaintiff testified that she had been jogging so as to lose the weight that she had gained after having children. She became aware of the video when a friend drew her attention to it on YouTube, and the image “caused her discomfort and anxiety” (para 5). Judge Leclaire noted that the “image of herself in the video is clearly not the image she wished portrayed publicly”. At the time of the filming, the defendant’s practice was to seek consent to appear in its videos from people who were filmed in private spaces, but not to do so where people were in public places. The defendant’s managing associate testified that if people in public places “see the camera and continue moving, consent is implied.” (at para 9) The judge noted that it was not established how it could be known whether individuals saw the camera. The plaintiff testified that she had seen the camera, and had attempted to shield her face from view; she believed that this demonstrated that she did not wish to be filmed. Although the defendant indicated that the goal was to capture the landscape and not the people, the judge found that “people are present and central to the location and the picture.” (at para 10) The judge found that the photographer deliberately sought to include an image of someone engaging in the activity of jogging alongside the river. Although the defendant argued that it would not be practical to seek consent from the hundreds of people who might be captured in a video of a public space, the judge noted that in the last two years, the defendant company had “tightened up” its approach to seeking consent, and now approached people in public areas prior to filming to seek their consent to appear in any resulting video. The plaintiff argued that there had been a breach of the tort of intrusion upon seclusion, which was first recognized in Ontario by the Ontario Court of Appeal in Jones v. Tsige in 2012. Judge Leclaire stated that the elements of the tort require 1) that the defendant’s actions are intentional or reckless; 2) that there is no lawful justification for the invasion of the plaintiff’s private affairs or concerns; and 3) that the invasion is one that a reasonable person would consider to be “highly offensive causing distress, humiliation or anguish.” (Jones at para 71) Judge Leclaire found that these elements of the tort were made out on the facts before him. The defendant’s conduct in filming the video was clearly intentional. He also found that a reasonable person “would regard the privacy invasion as highly offensive”, noting that “the plaintiff testified as to the distress, humiliation or anguish that it caused her.” (at para 16) Judge Leclaire clearly felt that the defendant had crossed a line in exploiting the plaintiff’s image for its own commercial purposes. Nevertheless, there are several problems with his application of the tort of intrusion upon seclusion. Not only does he meld the objective “reasonable person” test with a subjective test of the plaintiff’s own feelings about what happened, his decision that capturing the image of a person jogging on a public pathway is an intrusion upon seclusion is in marked contrast to the statement of the Ontario Court of Appeal in Jones v. Tsige, that the tort is relatively narrow in scope: A claim for intrusion upon seclusion will arise only for deliberate and significant invasions of personal privacy. Claims from individuals who are sensitive or unusually concerned about their privacy are excluded: it is only intrusions into matters such as one's financial or health records, sexual practises and orientation, employment, diary or private correspondence that, viewed objectively on the reasonable person standard, can be described as highly offensive. (at para 72) Judge Leclaire provides relatively little discussion about how to address the capture of images of individuals carrying out activities in public spaces. Some have suggested that there is simply no privacy in public space, while others have called for a more contextual inquiry. Such an inquiry was absent in this case. Instead, Judge Leclaire relied upon Aubry v. Vice-Versa a decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, even though that decision was squarely based on provisions of Quebec law which have no real equivalent in common law Canada. The right to one’s image is specifically protected by art. 36 of the Quebec Civil Code, which provides that it is an invasion of privacy to use a person’s “name, image, likeness or voice for a purpose other than the legitimate information of the public”. There is no comparable provision in Ontario law, although the use of one’s name, image or likeness in an advertisement might amount to the tort of misappropriation of personality. In fact, with almost no discussion, Judge Leclaire also found that this tort was made out on the facts and awarded $100 for the use of the plaintiff’s image without permission. It is worth noting that the tort of misappropriation of personality has typically required that a person have acquired some sort of marketable value in their personality in order for there to be a misappropriation of that value. Judge Leclair awarded $4000 in damages for the breach of privacy which seems to be an exorbitant amount given the range of damages normally awarded in privacy cases in common law Canada. In this case, the plaintiff was featured in a 2 second clip in a 2 minute video that was taken down within a week of being posted. While there might be some basis to argue that other damage awards to have been too low, this one seems surprisingly high. It is also worth noting that the facts of this case might constitute a breach of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) which governs the collection, use or disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activity. PIPEDA also provides recourse in damages, although the road to the Federal Court is a longer one, and that court has been parsimonious in its awards of damages. Nevertheless, given that Judge Leclaire’s preoccupation seems to be with the unconsented-to use of the plaintiff’s image for commercial purposes, PIPEDA seems like a better fit than the tort of intrusion upon seclusion. Ultimately, this is a surprising decision and seems out of line with a growing body of case law on the tort of intrusion upon seclusion. As a small claims court decision, it will carry little precedential value. The case is therefore perhaps best understood as one involving a person who was jogging at the wrong place at the wrong time, but who sued in the right court at the right time. Nevertheless, it should serve as a warning to those who make commercial use of footage filmed in public spaces; as it reflects a perspective that not all activities in public spaces are ‘public’ in the fullest sense of the word. It highlights as well the increasingly chaotic privacy legal landscape in Canada. Privacy and public transit usage: comments on Metrolinx' revisions to privacy policy Metrolinx is the Ontario government agency that runs the Prestocard service used by public transit authorities in Toronto, Ottawa and several other Ontario municipalities. It ran into some trouble recently after the Toronto Star revealed that the organization shared Prestocard data from its users with police without requiring warrants (judicial authorization). The organization has now published its proposals for revising its privacy policies and is soliciting comment on them. (Note: Metrolink has structured its site so that you can only view one of the three proposed changes at a time and must indicate your satisfaction with it and/or your comments before you can view the next proposal. This is problematic because the changes need to be considered holistically. It is also frankly annoying). The new proposals do not eliminate the sharing of rider information with state authorities without a warrant. Under the new proposals, information will be shared without a warrant in certain exigent circumstances. It will also be shared without a warrant “in other cases, where we are satisfied it will aid in an investigation from which a law enforcement proceeding may be undertaken or is likely to result.” The big change is thus apparently in the clarity of the notice given to users of the sharing – not the sharing itself. This flabby and open-ended language is taken more or less directly from the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), which governs the public sector’s handling of personal information. As a public agency, Metrolinx is subject to FOIPPA. It is important to note that the Act permits (but does not require) government entities to share information with law enforcement in precisely the circumstances outlined in the policy. However, by adapting its policy to what it is permitted to do, rather than to what it should do, Metrolinx is missing two important points. The first is that the initial outrage over its practices was about information sharing without a warrant, and not about poor notice of such practices. The second is that doing a good job of protecting privacy sometimes means aiming for the ceiling and not the floor. Location information is generally highly sensitive information as it can reveal a person’s movements, activities and associations. Police would normally need a warrant to obtain this type of information. It should be noted that police are not relieved of their obligations to obtain warrants when seeking information that raises a reasonable expectation of privacy just because a statute permits the sharing of the information. It would be open to the agency to require that a warrant be obtained prior to sharing sensitive customer location data. It is also important to note that some courts have found that the terms of privacy policies may actually alter the reasonable expectation of privacy – particularly when clear notice is given. In other words, even though we might have a reasonable expectation of privacy in location data about our movements, a privacy policy that tells us clearly that this information is going to be shared with police without a warrant could substantially undermine that expectation of privacy. And all of this happens without any ability on our part to negotiate for terms of service,[1] and in the case of a monopoly service such as public transportation, to choose a different provider. Metrolinx no doubt expects its users to be comforted by the other changes to its policies. It already has some safeguards in place to minimize the information provided to police and to log any requests and responses. They plan to require, in addition, a sign off by the requesting officer and supervisor. Finally, they plan to issue voluntary transparency reports as per the federal government’s Transparency Reporting Guidelines. Transparency reporting is certainly important, as it provides a window onto the frequency with which information sharing takes place. However, these measures do not correct for an upfront willingness to share sensitive personal information without judicial authorization – particularly in cases where there are no exigent circumstances. As we move more rapidly towards sensor-laden smart cities in which the consumption of basic services and the living of our daily lives will leave longer and longer plumes of data exhaust, it is important to reflect not just on who is collecting our data and why, but on the circumstances in which they are willing to share that data with others – including law enforcement officials. The incursions on privacy are many and from all directions. Public transit is a basic municipal service. It is also one that is essential for lower-income residents, including students.[2]Transit users deserve more robust privacy protections. [1] A recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal does seem to consider that the inability to negotiate for terms of service should be taken into account when assessing the impact of those terms on the reasonable expectation of privacy. See: R. v. Orlandis-Habsburgo. [2] Some universities and colleges have U-Pass agreements which require students to pay additional fees in exchange for Prestocard passes. Universities and colleges should, on behalf of their students, be insisting on more robust privacy. Ontario Court of Appeal finds high school girls have no reasonable expectation of privacy in surreptitious filming of their breasts by teacher at school In the 2010-2011 school year, a teacher at a London, Ontario high school used a pen camera to make surreptitious video recordings of female students, with a particular emphasis on their cleavage and breasts. A colleague noticed his activity and reported it to the principal, who confiscated the pen camera and called the police. The police found 19 videos on the camera’s memory card, featuring 30 different individuals, 27 of whom were female. A warrant was obtained a week later to search the teacher’s home – the police found nothing beyond a computer mysteriously missing its hard drive. The teacher was ultimately charged with voyeurism. The offense of voyeurism requires that there be a surreptitious observation (recorded or not) of a “person who is in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy”. It also requires that the “observation or recording is done for a sexual purpose” (Criminal Code, s. 162(1)(c)). The trial judge had found that the students had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the circumstances, but he inexplicably found that the Crown had not met its burden of showing, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the recordings of their cleavage and breasts was done for a sexual purpose. He stated: “While a conclusion that the accused was photographing the student’s [sic] cleavage for a sexual purpose is most likely, there may be other inferences to be drawn that detract from the only rationale [sic] conclusion required to ground a conviction for voyeurism.” (Trial Decision at para 77) He did not provide any information about what those other inferences might conceivably be. On appeal, the Crown argued that the trial judge had erred in finding that the filming was not done for a sexual purpose. All of the appellate judges agreed that the judge had indeed erred. The majority noted that the trial judge had failed to identify any other possible inferences in his reasons. They also noted that his description of the teacher’s behavior as “morally repugnant” was “inconsistent with the trial judge’s conclusion that the videos might not have been taken for a sexual purpose.” (Court of Appeal decision at para 47) The majority noted that “[t]his was an overwhelming case of videos focused on young women’s breasts and cleavage” (at para 53), and they concluded that there was no reasonable inference other than that the videos were taken for a sexual purpose. Clearly, the teacher was not checking for skin cancer. However, the accused had appealed the trial judge’s finding that the students had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The majority of the Court of Appeal agreed, leading to the overall appeal of his acquittal being dismissed. The majority’s reasoning is disturbing, and has implications for privacy more broadly. In determining what a ‘reasonable expectation of privacy’ entailed, the majority relied on a definition of privacy from the Oxford English Dictionary. That learned non-legal tome defines privacy as “a state in which one is not observed or disturbed by other people; the state of being free from public attention.” (at para 93). From this, the majority concluded that location was a key component of privacy. They stated: “A person expects privacy in places where the person can exclude others, such as one’s home or office, or a washroom. It is a place where a person feels confident that they are not being observed.” (at para 94) The majority accepted that there might be some situations in which a person has an expectation of privacy in a public setting, but these would be limited. They gave the example of upskirting as one “where a woman in a public place had a reasonable expectation of privacy that no one would look under her skirt” (at para 96). Essentially, the tent of a woman’s skirt is a private place within a public one. The trial judge had found a reasonable expectation of privacy in the circumstances on the basis that a student would expect that a teacher would not “breach their relationship of trust by surreptitiously recording them without there consent.” (at para 103). According to the majority, this conflated the reasonable expectation of privacy with the act of surreptitious recording. They stated: “Clearly students expect that a teacher will not secretly observe or record them for a sexual purpose at school. However, that expectation arises from the nature of the required relationship between students and teachers, not from an expectation of privacy.” (at para 105) This approach ignores the fact that the nature of the relationship is part of the context in which the reasonableness of the expectation of privacy must be assessed. The majority flattened the concept of reasonable expectation of privacy to one consideration – location. They stated that “if a person is in a public place, fully clothed and not engaged in toileting or sexual activity, they will normally not be in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy.” (at para 108) Justice Huscroft, in dissent is rightly critical of this impoverished understanding of the reasonable expectation of privacy. He began by situating privacy in its contemporary and technological context: “Technological developments challenge our ability to protect privacy: much that was once private because it was inaccessible is now easily accessible and capable of being shared widely.” (at para 116). He observed that “whether a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy is a normative or evaluative question rather than a descriptive or predictive one. It is concerned with identifying a person’s legitimate interests and determining whether they should be given priority over competing interests. To say that a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in some set of circumstances is to conclude that his or her interest in privacy should be prioritized over other interests.” (at para 117) Justice Huscroft was critical of the majority’s focus on location as a means of determining reasonable expectations of privacy. He found that the majority’s approach – defining spaces where privacy could reasonably be expected – was both over and under-inclusive. He noted that there are public places in which people have an expectation of privacy, even if that expectation is attenuated. He gave the example of a woman breastfeeding in public. He stated: “Privacy expectations need not be understood in an all-or-nothing fashion. In my view, there is a reasonable expectation that she will not be visually recorded surreptitiously for a sexual purpose. She has a reasonable expectation of privacy at least to this extent.” (at para 125) Justice Huscroft also noted that the majority’s approach was over-inclusive, in that while a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in their home, it might be diminished if they stood in front of an open window. While location is relevant to the privacy analysis, it should not be determinative. Justice Huscroft found that the question to be answered in this case was “should high school students expect that their personal and sexual integrity will be protected while they are at school?” (at para 131). He noted that schools were not fully public in the sense that school officials controlled access to the buildings. While the school in question had 24-hour video surveillance, the cameras did not focus on particular students or particular body parts. No access was permitted to the recordings for personal use. The school board had a policy in place that prohibited teachers from making the types of recordings made in this case. All of these factors contributed to the students’ reasonable expectation of privacy. He wrote: No doubt, students will be seen by other students, school employees and officials while they are at school. But this does not mean that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy. In my view, the students' interest in privacy is entitled to priority over the interests of anyone who would seek to compromise their personal and sexual integrity while they are at school. They have a reasonable expectation of privacy at least to this extent, and that is sufficient to resolve this case. (at para 133) Justice Huscroft observed that the majority’s approach that requires the reasonable expectation of privacy to be considered outside of the particular context in which persons find themselves would unduly limit the scope of the voyeurism offence. This case provides an ugly and unfortunate window on what women can expect from the law when it comes to voyeurism and other related offenses. In the course of his reasons, the trial judge stated that ““[i]t may be that a female student’s mode of attire may attract a debate about appropriate reactions of those who observe such a person leading up to whether there is unwarranted and disrespectful ogling” (Trial decision, at para 46). The issue is not just about public space, it is about the publicness of women’s bodies. The accused was acquitted at trial because of the trial judge’s baffling conclusion that the teacher might have had some motive – other than a sexual one – in making the recordings of female students’ breasts and cleavage. Although the Court of Appeal corrected this error, the majority found that female students at high school do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when it comes to having their breasts surreptitiously filmed by their teachers (who are not allowed, under school board policies, to engage in such activities). The majority fixates on location as the heart of the reasonable expectation of privacy, eschewing a more nuanced approach that would consider those things that actually inform our expectations of privacy. Wednesday, 06 September 2017 11:09 Privacy, surveillance and long-term care facilities The long-term care context is one where privacy interests of employees can come into conflict with the interests of residents and their families. Recent reported cases of abuse in long-term care homes captured on video camera only serve to highlight the tensions regarding workplace surveillance. A June 2017 decision of the Quebec Court of Appeal, Vigi Santé ltée c. Syndicat québécois des employées et employés de service section locale 298 (FTQ), considers the workplace privacy issues in a context where cameras were installed by the family members of a resident and not by the care facility. The facts of the case were fairly straightforward. The camera was installed by the family of a resident of a long term care facility, but not because of any concerns about potential abuse. Two of the resident’s children live abroad and the camera provided them with a means of maintaining contact with their mother. The camera could be used in conjunction with Skype, and one of the resident’s children present in Quebec regularly used Skype to receive updates about his mother from the private personal care person they also paid to be with their mother for part of the day, six days a week. The camera provided a live feed but did not record images. The operators of the long-term care facility did not have access to the feed. The employees of the facility were informed of the presence of the camera and none objected to it. The privately hired personal care worker was often present when staff provided care, and the court noted that there were no complaints about the presence of this companion. The family never complained about the services provided to the resident; in fact, they indicated that they were very satisfied. The resident had been in two other facilities prior to moving to this one; similar cameras had been used in those facilities. The employees’ union challenged the installation of the video, and two questions were submitted to an arbitrator for determination. The first question was whether the employer could permit the family members of a resident to install a camera in the resident’s room for the sole purpose of allowing family members to see the resident. The second was whether the employer could permit family members to install a camera in the room of a resident with the goal of overseeing the activities of employee caregivers. The arbitrator had ruled that, as far as employees were concerned, in both cases the camera was a surveillance camera. He went on to find that the employer had no justification in the circumstances for carrying out surveillance on its employees. Judicial review of this decision was sought, and a judge of the Quebec Superior court confirmed the decision. It was appealed to the Court of Appeal. Under the principles of judicial review, an arbitrator’s decision can only be overturned if it is unreasonable. The Court of Appeal split on this issue with the majority finding the decision to have been unreasonable. The majority emphasized that the arbitrator had found that the family’s motivation for installing the camera was not to carry out surveillance on the staff, and also highlighted the fact that none of the staff had complained about the presence of the camera. Although the majority agreed that the privacy guarantees of the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms protected employees against unjustified workplace surveillance by their employer, they found that the camera installed by the family for the purpose of maintaining contact with a loved one did not constitute employee surveillance. Further, it was not carried out by the employer. They noted in particular the fact that the images were not recorded and the feed was not accessible to the employer. The majority criticized the arbitrator for characterizing the family’s decision to install the camera as being motivated by a disproportionate concern (“une inquietude démesurée”) over their mother’s well-being, because there was no evidence of any mistreatment. The majoirty cited jurisprudence to support its view that a camera that captured activities of workers was not necessarily a surveillance camera. It noted several Quebec arbitration cases where arbitrators determined that cameras installed by employers to provide security or to protect against industrial espionage were permissible, notwithstanding the fact that they also captured the activities of employees. Any surveillance of employees was incidental to a different and legitimate objective of the employer. The majority went further, noting that in this case, the issue was whether an individual (or their family) had a right to install a camera in their own living space. For the majority, it was significant that the care home was the resident’s permanent living space because she had lost her ability to live on her own. The camera allowed her to remain in greater contact with her loved ones, including two children who lived abroad. They considered that the family’s choice in this matter had to be given its due weight, and found that the arbitrator should have ruled, in answer to the first question, that the employer could permit the installation of a camera, by family members, for the goal of permitting the family members to maintain contact with a resident. The second question related to the rights of family members to install cameras with the goal of carrying out surveillance on caregivers. The majority declined to answer this question on because the facts did not provide a sufficient context on which to base a decision. The Court noted that the answer would depend on circumstances which might include whether there had already been complaints or reported concerns, the nature and extent of notice provided to employees, and so on. Justice Giroux, in dissent, found that it was reasonable for the arbitrator to have characterized the camera as a surveillance camera. The arbitrator had noted that the camera was placed in such a way as to allow for a continuous view of all care provided by employees to the resident. The resolution was good enough to identify them, and in some cases to hear them. While there was no recording of the feed, it was possible to create still photographs through screen capture. The arbitrator had also turned his attention to the special nature of the care home, noting that it was a home to residents but at the same time was a workplace for the employees. The workplace was governed by a collective agreement, and disputes about working conditions were meant to be resolved by an arbitrator, meaning that courts should exercise deference in review. The arbitrator had found that by permitting the installation of the camera by the family of the resident, the employer had adopted as its own the family’s reasons for doing so, and was responsible for establishing that the level of surveillance was consistent with the Quebec Charter. The arbitrator had found that the family members had demonstrated a disproportionate level of concern, and that this could not be a basis for permitting workplace surveillance. He concluded that in his view the decision of the arbitrator should have been upheld. Ontario Court of Appeal revists reasonable expectation of privacy in electricity consumption records In R. v. Orlandis-Habsburgo the Ontario Court of Appeal revisited the Supreme Court of Canada decisions in R. v. Spencer, R. v. Gomboc, and R. v. Plant. The case involved the routine sharing of energy consumption data between an electricity provider and the police. Horizon Utilities Corp. (Horizon) had a practice of regularly reviewing its customers’ energy consumption records, including monthly consumption figures as well as patterns of consumption throughout the day. When Horizon encountered data suggestive of marijuana grow operations, they would send it to the police. This is what occurred in Orlandis-Habsburgo. The police responded by requesting and obtaining additional information from Horizon. They then conducted observations of the accused’s premises. The police used a combination of data provided by Horizon and their own observation data to obtain a search warrant which ultimately led to charges against the accused, who were convicted at trial. The defendants appealed their convictions, arguing that their rights under s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms had been infringed when the police obtained data from Horizon without a warrant. The trial judge had dismissed these arguments, finding that the data were not part of the “biographical core” of the defendants’ personal information, and that they therefore had no reasonable expectation of privacy in them. Further, he ruled that given the constellation of applicable laws and regulations, as well as Horizon’s terms of service, it was reasonable for Horizon to share the data with the police. The Court of Appeal disagreed, finding that the appellants’ Charter rights had been infringed. The decision is interesting because of its careful reading of the rather problematic decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Gomboc. Nevertheless, although the decision creates important space for privacy rights in the face of ubiquitous data collection and close collaboration between utility companies and the police, the Court of Appeal’s approach is highly contextual and fact-dependent. A crucial fact in this case is that the police and Horizon had an ongoing relationship when it came to the sharing of customer data. Horizon regularly provided data to the police, sometimes on its own initiative and sometimes at the request of the police. It provided data about suspect residences as well as data about other customers for comparison purposes. Writing for the unanimous court, Justice Doherty noted that until the proceedings in this case commenced, Horizon had never refused a request from the police for information. He found that this established that the police and Horizon were working in tandem; this was important, since it distinguished the situation from one where a company or whistleblower took specific data to the police with concerns that it revealed a crime had been committed. The Court began its Charter analysis by considering whether the appellants had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the energy consumption data. The earlier Supreme Court of Canada decisions in Plant and Gomboc both dealt with data obtained by police from utility companies without a warrant. In Plant, the Court had found that the data revealed almost nothing about the lifestyle or activities of the accused, leading to the conclusion that there was no reasonable expectation of privacy. In Gomboc, the Court was divided and issued three separate opinions. This led to some dispute as to whether there was a reasonable expectation of privacy in the data. In Orlandis-Habsburgo, the Crown argued that seven out of nine judges in Gomboc had concluded that there was no reasonable expectation of privacy in electricity consumption data. By contrast, the appellants argued that five of the nine judges in Gomboc had found that there was a reasonable expectation of privacy in such data. The trial judge had sided with the Crown, but the Court of Appeal found otherwise. Justice Doherty noted that all of the judges in Gomboc considered the same factors in assessing the reasonable expectation of privacy: “the nature of the information obtained by the police, the place from which the information was obtained, and the relationship between the customer/accused and the service provider.” (at para 58) He found that seven of the judges in Gomboc had decided the reasonable expectation of privacy issue on the basis of the relationship between the accused and the utility company. At the same time, five of the justices had found that the data was of a kind that had the potential to reveal personal activities taking place in the home. He noted that: “In coming to that conclusion, the five judges looked beyond the data itself to the reasonable inferences available from the data and what those inferences could say about activities within the home.” (at para 66) He noted that this was the approach taken by the unanimous Supreme Court in R. v. Spencer, a decision handed down after the trial judge had reached his decision in Orlandis-Habsburgo. He also observed that the relationship between the customer and the service provider in Orlandis-Habsburgo was different in significant respects from that in Gomboc, allowing the two cases to be distinguished. In Gomboc, a provincial regulation provided that information from utility companies could be shared with the police unless customers explicitly requested to opt-out of such information sharing. No such regulation existed in this case. Justice Doherty adopted the four criteria set out in Spencer for assessing the reasonable expectation of privacy. There are: “(1) the subject matter of the alleged search; (2) the claimant's interest in the subject matter; (3) the claimant's subjective expectation of privacy in the subject matter; and (4) whether this subjective expectation of privacy was objectively reasonable, having regard to the totality of the circumstances.” (Spencer, at para 18) On the issue of the subject matter of the search, the Court found that the energy consumption data included “both the raw data and the inferences that can be drawn from that data about the activity in the residence.” (at para 75) Because the data and inferences were about a person’s home, the Court found that this factor favoured a finding of a reasonable expectation of privacy. With respect to the interest of the appellants in the data, the Court found that they had no exclusive rights to these data – the energy company had a right to use the data for a variety of internal purposes. The Court described these data as being “subject to a complicated and interlocking myriad of contractual, legislative and regulatory provisions” (at para 80), which had the effect of significantly qualifying (but not negating) any expectation of privacy. Justice Doherty found that the appellants had a subjective expectation of privacy with respect to any activities carried out in their home, and he also found that this expectation of privacy was objectively reasonable. In this respect, he noted that although there were different documents in place that related to the extent to which Horizon could share data with the police, “one must bear in mind that none are the product of a negotiated bargain between Horizon and its customers.” (at para 84) The field of energy provision is highly regulated, and the court noted that “[t]he provisions in the documents to which the customers are a party, permitting Horizon to disclose data to the police, cannot be viewed as a ‘consent’ by the customer, amounting to a waiver of any s. 8 claim the customer might have in the information.” (at para 84) That being said, the Court also cautioned against taking any of the terms of the documents to mean that there was a reasonable expectation of privacy. Justice Doherty noted that “The ultimate question is not the scope of disclosure of personal information contemplated by the terms of the documents, but rather what the community should legitimately expect in terms of personal privacy in the circumstances.” (at para 85) He therefore described the terms of these documents as relevant, but not determinative. The documents at issue included terms imposed on the utility by the Ontario Energy Board. Under these terms, Horizon is barred from using customer information for purposes other than those for which it was obtained without the customer’s consent. While there is an exception to the consent requirement where the information is “required to be disclosed. . . for law enforcement purposes”, Justice Doherty noted that in this case the police had, at most, requested disclosure – at no point was the information required to be disclosed. He found that the terms of the licence distinguished this case from Gomboc and supported a finding of a reasonable expectation of privacy in the data. The Court also looked at the Distribution System Code (DSC) which permits disclosure to police of “possible unauthorized energy use”. However, Justice Doherty noted that this term was not defined, and no information was provided in the document as to when it was appropriate to contact police. He found this provision unhelpful in assessing the reasonable expectation of privacy. The Court found the Conditions of Service to be similarly unhelpful. By contrast, the privacy policy provided that the company would protect its customers’ personal information, and explicitly set out the circumstances in which it might disclose information to third parties. One of these was a provision for disclosure “to personas as permitted or required by Applicable Law”. Those applicable laws included the provincial Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) Justice Doherty looked to the Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation of PIPEDA in Spencer. He found that the exception in PIPEDA that permitted disclosure of information to law enforcement could only occur with “lawful authority” and that “[t]he informal information-sharing arrangement between Horizon and the police described in the evidence is inconsistent with both the terms of Horizon’s licence and the disclosure provisions in PIPEDA.” (at para 104) He also found that it did not amount to “lawful authority” for a request for information. The respondents argued that s. 32(g) of MFIPPA provided a basis for disclosure. This provision permits disclosures to law enforcement agencies without referencing any need for “lawful authority”. However, Justice Doherty noted that, like PIPEDA, MFIPPA has as its primary goal the protection of personal information. He stated: “That purpose cannot be entirely negated by an overly broad and literal reading of the provisions that create exceptions to the confidentiality requirement.” (at para 106) He noted that while s. 32(g) provides an entity with discretion to release information in appropriate circumstances, the exercise of this discretion requires “an independent and informed judgment” (at para 107) in relation to a specific request for information. The provision could not support the kind of informal, ongoing data-sharing relationship that existed between Horizon and the police. Similarly, the court found that the disclosure could not be justified under the exception in s. 7(3)(d)(i) of PIPEDA that allowed a company to disclose information where it had “reasonable grounds to believe that the information relates to . . . a contravention of the laws of Canada”. While Justice Doherty conceded that such disclosures might be possible, in the circumstances, Horizon “did not make any independent decision to disclose information based on its conclusion that reasonable grounds existed to believe that the appellants were engaged in criminal activity.” (at para 110) It simply passed along data that it thought might be of interest to the police. Although the Court of Appeal concluded that there was a reasonable expectation of privacy in the energy consumption data, and that the search was unreasonable, it ultimately found that the admission of the evidence would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute. As a result, the convictions were upheld. The court cited, in support of its conclusion that the trial judge had reached his decision prior to the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Spencer, and that the error in the judge’s approach was only evident after reading Spencer. Interlocutory decision addresses scraping of publicly accessible data Skirmishes over right to freely access and use “publicly available” data hosted by internet platform companies have led to an interesting decision from the U.S. District Court from the Northern District of California. The decision is on a motion for an interlocutory injunction, so it does not decide the merits of the competing claims. Nevertheless, it provides insight into a set of issues that are likely only to increase in importance as these rich troves of data are mined by competitors, opportunistic businesses, big data giants, researchers and civil society actors. The parties in hiQ Labs Inc. v LinkedIn Corp. are companies whose business models are based upon career-related personal information provided by professionals. LinkedIn offers a professional networking platform to over 500 million users, and it is easily the leading company in its space. hiQ, for its part, is a data analytics company with two main products aimed at enterprises. The first is “Keeper”, a product which informs corporations about which of their employees are at greatest risk of being poached by other companies. The second is “Skill Mapper” which provides businesses with summaries of the skills of their employees. For both of its products hiQ relies on data that it scrapes from LinkedIn’s publicly accessible web pages. Data featured on LinkedIn’s site are provided by users who create accounts and populate their profiles with a broad range of information about their background and skills. LinkedIn members have some control over the extent to which their information will be shared by others. They can choose to limit access to their profile information to only their close contacts or to an expanded list of contacts. Alternatively, they can provide access to all other members of LinkedIn. They also have the option to make their profiles entirely public. These public profiles are searchable by search engines such as Google. It is the data in the fully public profiles that is scraped and used by hiQ. hiQ is not the only company that scrapes data from LinkedIn as part of an independent business model. In fact, LinkedIn has only recently attempted to take legal action against a large number of users of its data. hiQ was just one of many companies that received a cease and desist letter from LinkedIn. Because being cut off from the LinkedIn data would effectively decimate its business, hiQ responded by seeking a declaration from the California court that its activities were legal. The recent decision from the court is in relation to hiQ’s request for an interlocutory injunction that will allow it to continue to access the LinkedIn data pending resolution of the substantive legal issues raised by both sides. hiQ argued that in moving against its data scraping activities, LinkedIn engaged in unfair business practices, and violated its free speech rights under the California constitution. LinkedIn, for its part, argued that hiQ’s data scraping activities violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), as well as the digital locks provisions Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) (although these latter claims do not feature in the decision on the interlocutory injunction). Like other platform companies, access to and use of LinkedIn’s site is governed by website Terms of Service (TOS). These TOS prohibit data scraping. When LinkedIn demanded that hiQ cease scraping data from its site, it also implemented technological protection measures to prevent access by hiQ to its data. LinkedIn’s claims under the CFAA and the DMCA are based largely on the circumvention of these technological barriers by hiQ. The court ultimately granted the injunction barring LinkedIn from limiting hiQ’s access to its publicly available data pending the resolution of the issues in the case. In doing so, it expressed its doubts that the CFAA applied to hiQ’s activity, noting that if it did, it would “profoundly impact open access to the Internet.” It also found that attempts by LinkedIn to block hiQ’s access might be in breach of state law as anti-competitive behavior. In reaching its decision, the court had some interesting things to say about the importance of access to publicly accessible data, and the privacy rights of those who provided the data. These issues are highlighted in the discussion below. In deciding whether to grant an interlocutory injunction, a court must assess both the possibility of irreparable harm and the balance of convenience as between the parties. In this case, the court found that denying hiQ access to LinkedIn data would essentially put it out of business – causing it irreparable harm. LinkedIn argued that it was imperative that it be allowed to protect its data because of its users’ privacy interests. While hiQ only scraped data from public profiles, LinkedIn argued that even those users with public profiles had privacy interests. I noted that 50 million of its users with public profiles had selected its “Do Not Broadcast” feature which prevents profile updates from being broadcast to a user’s connections. LinkedIn described this as a privacy feature that would essentially be circumvented by routine data scraping. The court was not convinced. In the first place, it found that there might be many reasons besides privacy concerns that motivated users to choose “do not broadcast”. It gave as an example the concern by users that their connections not be spammed by endless notifications. The Court also noted that LinkedIn had its own service for professional recruiters that kept them apprised of updates even from users who had implemented “Do Not Broadcast”. The court dismissed arguments by LinkedIn that this was different because users had consented to such sharing in their privacy policy. The court stated: “It is unlikely, however, that most users’ actual privacy expectations are shaped by the fine print of a privacy policy buried in the User Agreement that likely few, if any, users have actually read.” [Emphasis in original] This is interesting, because the court discounts the relevance of a privacy policy in informing users’ expectations of privacy. Essentially, the court finds that users who make their profiles public have no real expectation of privacy in the information. LinkedIn could therefore not rely on its users’ privacy interests to justify its actions. In assessing whether the parties raised serious questions going to the merits of the case, the court considered LinkedIn’s arguments about the CFAA. The CFAA essentially criminalizes intentional access to a computer without authorization, or in a way that exceeds the authorization provided, with the result that information is obtained. The question, therefore, was whether hiQ’s continued access to the LinkedIn site after LinkedIn expressly revoked any permission and tried to bar its access, was a violation of the CFAA. The court dismissed the cases cited by LinkedIn in support of its position, noting that these cases involved unauthorized access to password protected sites as opposed to accessing publicly available information. The court observed that the CFAA was enacted largely to deal with the problem of computer hacking. It noted that if the application of the law was extended to publicly accessible websites it would greatly expand the scope of the legislation with serious consequences. The court noted that this would mean that “merely viewing a website in contravention of a unilateral directive from a private company would be a crime.” [Emphasis in original] It went on to note that “The potential for such exercise of power over access to publicly viewable information by a private entity weaponized by the potential of criminal sanctions is deeply concerning.” The court placed great emphasis on the importance of an open internet. It noted that “LinkedIn, here, essentially seeks to prohibit hiQ from viewing a sign publicly visible to all”. It clearly preferred an interpretation of the CFAA that would be limited to unauthorized access to a computer system through some form of “authentication gateway”. The court also found that hiQ raised serious questions that LinkedIn’s behavior might fall afoul of competition laws in California. It noted that LinkedIn is in a dominant position in the field of professional networking, and that it might be leveraging its position to get a “competitively unjustified advantage in a different market.” It also accepted that it was possible that LinkedIn was denying its competitors access to an essential facility that it controls. The court was not convinced by hiQ’s arguments that the technological barriers erected by LinkedIn violated the free speech guarantees in the California Constitution. Nevertheless, it found that on balance the public interest favoured the granting of the injunction to hiQ pending the outcome of litigation on the merits. This dispute is extremely interesting and worth following. There are a growing number of platforms that host vast stores of publicly accessible data, and these data are often relied upon by upstart businesses (as well as established big data companies, researchers, and civil society) for a broad range of purposes. The extent to which a platform company can control its publicly accessible data is an important one, and one which, as the California court points out, will have important public policy ramifications. The related privacy issues – where the data is also personal information – are also important and interesting. These latter issues may be treated differently in different jurisdictions depending upon the applicable data protection laws. Supreme Court of Canada to Hear Case on Aggregate Personal Health Data in Tobacco Litigation The Supreme Court of Canada has just granted leave to appeal a decision of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in a case involving evidentiary issues in the province’s law suit to recover health care costs from the tobacco industry. The law suit was brought under the Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act – a law passed specifically for the purpose of recovering health care costs from the industry. The case raises interesting issues regarding the balance between privacy rights and fairness in litigation; it also touches on issues or re-identification risk in aggregate health care data. Under the B.C. statute, the province has two options for recovering health care costs. It can recover actual costs for particular identified individuals, or it can recover costs on an aggregate basis “for a population of insured persons as a result of exposure to a type of tobacco product.” (s. 2(1)) The province chose the second option. Under s. 2(5) of the Act, if this route is chosen, the province is not required to identify specific individuals or to establish tobacco-related illnesses with respect to those individuals. Further, the health records of specific individuals need not be provided as part of the litigation. However, if aggregate data is relied upon, the court retains the right to “order discovery of a statistically meaningful sample” of the records, and can issue “directions concerning the nature, level of detail and type of information to be disclosed.” The court must nevertheless ensure that the identities of the specific individuals to whom the data pertain are not disclosed. The province generated aggregate statistical data regarding costs from its databases of health care services provided to insured persons, and indicated its intention to rely upon this data to prove its case. The defendant tobacco companies sought access to the data relied upon by the province. The province declined to provide the data directly. Instead it arranged for a limited form of access through third party intermediaries, which included Statistics Canada employees. Although some of the defendants accepted this approach, Philip Morris International (PMI) did not. It argued that it was entitled to access the data itself in order to assess the reliability and accuracy of the province’s analyses. Both the court at first instance and the B.C. Court of Appeal ultimately sided with PMI. The B.C. Information and Privacy Commissioner, who intervened in the appeal before the B.C. Court, argued that “the interpretation of a statutory provision aimed at protecting personal privacy must be approached in light of the importance of protection of privacy as a fundamental value in Canadian society” (at para 25 of the BCCA decision). He maintained that the court should rely upon the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) in interpreting the Tobacco Act, and that FIPPA required the terms “personal information” and “record” to be given a broad interpretation. The Court of Appeal summarily rejected this argument, stating that “FIPPA does not limit the information available by law to a party to a proceeding (s. 3(2)) and has no role in the interpretation of s. 2(5)(b).” (at para 25) The Court of Appeal noted that the Tobacco Act provided two routes for the province to establish damages, one that required consideration of individual health records and one that did not. It chose the second route, which means that in general terms, individual health records are not compellable. The province argued that their decision to choose this route was motivated by a desire to protect the privacy of affected individuals. The Information and Privacy Commissioner argued that a requirement to disclose the aggregate data “has privacy implications for millions of insured persons who are not involved as litigants in the underlying action.” (at para 28) The Court of Appeal noted, however, that the legislation established the ‘playing field’ on which the litigation would take place and that there was no indication that this playing field was not intended to be even. It observed that the legislation does not make privacy a “paramount concern” (at para 31) since it did provide the province with the option to choose a route that would involve consideration of thousands of specific records. Had this route been chosen, the Court noted, “all of the individualized persons’ health care records would be subject to discovery and disclosure notwithstanding any privacy concerns that such disclosure might raise.” (at para 31) With an aggregate action, the focus is not on individualized health care records. Section 2(5)(b) protects the privacy of individuals if such a route is chosen, and prevents “the aggregate action from becoming bogged down with “individual forms of discovery” in which the defendants could demand voluminous records of thousands or millions of people.” (at para 34) However, the Court noted that in following this route, the province will rely upon the data generated from its databases to establish both causation and damage. This makes the databases highly relevant to the litigation. The Court noted that s. 2(5)(b) “is not intended to block the discovery of the cumulative data contained in the databases, which data is essential to prove causation and damages.” (at para 35) The Court ruled that the anonymized data on which the province would base its analyses would pose “no realistic threat to personal privacy.” (at para 36) Further, the defendants would be bound not to disclose the information provided to them as part of the litigation-related implied undertaking. The Court also observed that the identity of the specific individuals would be of no interest to the defendants, making it highly unlikely any attempts at re-identification would be made. The Court of Appeal was particularly concerned about the unfairness that might result if “The only data available to the defendants would be the data the Province offers up on restrictive terms, or the data the Province’s testifying experts eventually choose to rely on in their reports.” (at para 37) It found that fairness required that the databases be produced. It should be noted that in reaching its decision, the B.C. Court of Appeal declined to follow a judgment from the New Brunswick Supreme Court in a very similar case under nearly identical legislation. In Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of New Brunswick v. Rothmans Inc., the judge had dismissed an application by the defendant tobacco companies for the production of anonymized health care data in the same circumstances. The judge in that case had access to the decision of the B.C. Supreme Court which had ordered production of the databases, but had declined to follow that decision on the basis that the anonymization of the data would not be sufficient to protect privacy, and that the database was “a document containing information that relates to the provision of health care benefits for “particular individuals””. (BCCA decision at para 20) In declining to follow the New Brunswick decision, the B.C. Court of Appeal observed that the New Brunswick judge had relied entirely on the privacy provisions and “did not attempt to read the provisions in the New Brunswick Act as a harmonious whole.” (at para 39) The New Brunswick Court of Appeal declined leave to appeal. With two conflicting decisions from two different provinces, the matter is now heading to the Supreme Court of Canada.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line532
__label__cc	0.509457	0.490543	Home / Movie / Netflix is planning a sequel to “death note” Netflix is planning a sequel to “death note” A couple of days ago the “death note” opened in front of the audience and now collects in its pages the names of critics, has left unflattering reviews of the film. And by the way, a lot. Beautiful, but empty. Too much but not enough. These words ambiguous cues are flying in the direction of the Director adaptation of the cult manga by Adam Wingard. He, however, hoped that the project will be sequels: In the end, there are plenty of places to explore along with light. And ultimately, it’s the story of the almost complete fall of this character. It was sort of a beginning or an origin story. Of course, there are many areas for development, and we present how to use it. I hope that people will watch it, and Netflix will order a sequel. They are definitely ready. They just need people who will watch it. In addition, Wingard said that the film was originally designed as a serial: We left it open to continue. When I first came to Netflix, I said at least two parts or maybe three, warning that it will be an origin story. Of course, we designed the film so that it was self-sufficient. There is no guarantee the sequels. They need to earn. In its own way I really like that the film ends on such a difficult for all the characters. This is a rather unconventional ending for any kinokomiksa and I love it. But did the crowd? Wingard has earned the right to sequels or ruined material? What do you say? Maniac vs the addict: a review of the movie “death note” Tags death netflix planning sequel	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line536
__label__wiki	0.774141	0.774141	Home / Incident / Resonant road accident with his son Shufrych: new details Resonant road accident with his son Shufrych: new details 27.08.2017 Incident 90 Views Eyewitnesses say that after the accident the driver of the Bentley has changed with the passenger seats. Metropolitan police began to investigate “an accident in which suffered pedestrians.” This is stated in the message of Department of communication of the police of Kiev in Facebook. “The Metropolitan police establish the circumstances of the accident, which injured pedestrian. Man with injuries was taken to hospital”, – is spoken in the message. The accident was at about 22:30 on 26 August in the Pechersk district of Kiev. At the crosswalk the car “Bentley” hit a man. “It is established that at the time of accident in salon of a foreign car with a driver, born in 1994, was his companion. It is also known that the car does not belong to the driver, and was leased,” the police said. There’s also a note that “the driver is cooperating with the investigation, his passport attached to the materials of the criminal proceedings”. At the same time, the police did not call the name of the driver of “Bentley”. Witnesses also noted that after the accident the driver of the Bentley has changed with the passenger seats. In addition, it became known that the first aid was rendered by the son of the chief Rabbi of Ukraine. Tags Accident details resonant shufrych Human right activists: Banning Russian athletes on the principle of collective responsibility is unacceptable as violating the right to a fair trial The people of Kiev explained why not repair some of the streets Under the Dnieper, the police got into a fatal accident On the outskirts of Kiev caught the bus A car moving in the direction of Vyshgorod. On Friday, may 24, on the outskirts …	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line537
__label__cc	0.62739	0.37261	General #U2eiTour 2018 "Plenty of good seats still available..." (Misc. ramblings on prices, scalping, and the economy of live shows) By nbayer, December 5, 2017 in General #U2eiTour 2018 nbayer 3 LocationMilwaukee, Wisconsin The market for concert tickets has always fascinated me as a microcosm of the supply and demand economy. Plus, as an avid music and sports fan, I wanted to understand how this economy worked, in order to optimize the opportunity to get the best seats possible without paying too high a premium. Given all the hand wringing over the E+I tour tickets, I thought I would share a few misc. ramblings on the topic here... For many decades, many top artists undervalued tickets to their own shows. Whether you think the price set is "fair" or not, in the abstract, doesn't change the fact that that artists were leaving money on the table. If they sold a $30 seat, and it got resold for $150, then the true value of that ticket was paid to someone other than the artist. Someone else profited off their "art." Whenever there was an disparity in the "face" ticket value and its true value, a market would spring up to profit of off the difference. Back in the old days, when was young, "scalpers" used to pay people to drive to different, out of the way Ticketmaster locations far from the venue where the show was to be played, and buy as many tickets as they could. Now, there is two ways to look at this. Some artists make a conscious decision to leave value on the table because they believe many of their core fans can't afford to pay the "true value," or shouldn't have to stretch and pay the "true value" from a scalper. This is the Pearl Jam approach. Verified fan club members pick up their tickets on site at the venue, and there is no resale on the best seats, which go to the fan club members. Just as important, the band handles tours itself, rather than signing with an outside vendor like Live Nation. The other way to look at it, is to funnel the actual "true value" of the ticket to the artist. The basic principle is to beat the "scalpers" at their own game. In other words, price the tickets from the outset at their "true value." This is essentially what Live Nation (I specifically say "Live Nation" and not the band. Discussed below further...) has attempted to do here. The tour management companies for other big acts, like the Rolling Stones, have done this unapologetically for years. The risk in such an approach is attempting to guess what the actual "true value" is, before the tickets have actually gone on sale. In the free market, with "scalped" tickets freely available, that equilibrium occurs naturally. But here Live Nation had to guess. It ultimately decided that the ticket prices we have all seen for the E+I tour represent what the market will readily bear. I think it is learning that their estimation may have been... a tad off.... Take a quick look at tickets in various markets, and especially in markets where a second show was added. I'll take Chicago, since that is one I bought tickets for. Make sure you eliminate the "certified resale" tickets, and limit it to "regular" tickets. Plenty of good seats still available for night one. I'm almost embarrassed for the band on night two. It looks like half the venue is still for sale, and NOT through the second hand market. Something has got to give there, and I doubt it will be a cancelled show. I predict it will be reduced tickets to increase attendance. To save face, Ticketmaster may switch them over to the "verified resale" section so it looks like someone else already paid face value and took the loss, but one way or another, U2 can't afford to play to a half full venue. If you are going to Chicago 2, there is no incentive to buy a ticket right now. Wait until they go down, and snag it later. It won't sell out either way. My next point relates to how little control the band likely has over ticket prices. I'm going to make some assumptions here, because I obviously don't have the Live Nation/U2 contract available to me, but I think I am right... My understanding is that before U2 360 the band signed a 10+ year contract with Live Nation. My belief is that Live Nation guarantees a set amount of money to the band per show. In exchange, Live Nation handles logistics, booking venues, and setting ticket prices. Any profit above the guaranteed amount plus expenses goes to Live Nation. And as you all know, putting on a U2 show isn't cheap. One thing I've always admired about the band is that it tries to reach the top row in the back of the arena just as much as the front row. (I wrote a review here of the U2 360 show titled "No One Else Tries This Hard.") But of course, U2's set pieces cost an exorbitant amount of money. And the contract requires the band to perform a certain number of shows over the lifetime of the contract, be it in arenas or stadiums. (I'm convinced contractual obligations had at least something to do with the Joshua Tree tour, as Songs of Experience was delayed so long, but that is another topic for another day.) There obviously is pressure for the band to deliver on Live Nation's behalf. I believe that has translated into certain songs (i.e. "hits") in the U2 catalog never leaving the setlist, but again, that is a topic for another time and place... But the point is, I don't believe the band has any control over ticket prices. Here are a few things to consider about the secondary market... First, I hear people complain all the time about "tickets being on sale on 'X' web site before even the pre-sales." Here is the truth: they don't actually have those tickets yet. There are people that essentially sell ticket "futures." Once the get an order for a ticket, they then attempt to go on the secondary market themselves and buy a comparable ticket to the one they sold to fulfill the order. They make money off the difference. I bet there are some here you have bought tickets on such sites only to get the "we cannot fulfill your order" email. Another thing to keep in mind is that because a ticket is advertised on a secondary market for a set price, does not mean in any way that it will sell for that amount. There also needs to be a distinction between a professional resale site, and the guy who puts $2,500 worth of tickets on his credit card and thinks he is going to get rich. When the credit card bill comes due 30 days later, and he can't pay the bill, dumping the tickets fast becomes a bigger incentive than paying 18% interest on a credit card. (Check Craigslist about 30 days after the general on sale date. Deals to be had...) Professional resale sites, on the other hand, make money by dealing in volume. And to sights such as Stub Hub, the actual price that the ticket changes hand for is somewhat irrelevant to them. The reason is that they make money off the transaction itself. Much of the transaction fees are the same regardless of the ticket price. I hope that helps put into perspective what I think we are witnessing: U2 fans being used as guinea pigs in Live Nation's experiment to try to beat the scalpers at their own game and sell, from the start, tickets at their full market value. But music is like sports; much emotion and feeling, less practical sense. Spending $300 or $1000 on concert or sporting event is a decision made with the heart, not the head or wallet. But ultimately, music is art, is it not? And I would argue that taking the Pearl Jam approach and leaving money on the table, handling their own tours, and hitting the road with a low key set, which allows keeping the focus on the music and varying wildly the set lists, has created a fiercely loyal fan base that has compensated the band very very well. Further, that fan base will continue to do so for many years to come. I hope U2's deal with LIve Nation hasn't damaged its relationship with its own base... At some point, the market will only bear what it will bear... passenger789 2 Well explained Nbayer & pretty close to the truth, I have read a few industry articles & this is the state of the star & mega star concert industry today, well done! hicksong 6 Nice post, thoroughly enjoyed it. All I can say is.... someone fucked up big time..... big time ! JCF 116 LocationNew England Thanks for writing this out. It gives me a different (and less cynical) perspective on the high ticket prices. U2FanInVT 14 LocationVermont (USA) Great write up. 17 hours ago, hicksong said: As far as the prices go, maybe not. If they can sell say 50% of the seats at these crazy high prices, then lower the price some over the next five months before the show (maybe even have a couple price reductions throughout the five months), they may make out better than if they just started out at the lower end prices. I am guessing once there is a price drop, people will go back and buy the tickets (and I am sure it will piss off some fans that already paid the higher price). I can't imagine a U2 show not selling out. As the price drops, I think they will all sell out. 1 hour ago, U2FanInVT said: I am guessing once there is a price drop, people will go back and buy the tickets (and I am sure it will piss off some fans that already paid the higher price). Yes, there would definitely be an uproar, I would think that would be messy to sort out . I can't imagine U2 not selling out indoors as well. 504jumper 37 LocationSan Francisco, California 36 minutes ago, hicksong said: Agreed. The ones who suffer the most are the fans, especially the ones who live modestly, like myself. The "scalpers" are a lot of things, but they are not dumb. Over the years, the band/mgmt./ticket vendors have tried different things to outsmart them and each time the "scalpers" adjusted to the new measures that were put in place. I waited in line--overnight--for Zoo TV tickets way back in late '91/early '92 and knew for a fact that there were guys in the line who were hired by scalpers to buy the maximum amount of tickets they could. They all carried cash and one of them was stupid enough to admit why he was there. And I remember distinctly him and his buddies with stacks of tickets. It bothers me (a little) to this day. This may be capitalism at its most basic form, but its seems unfair. The one with most money/personnel/resources is the one most likely to--in this case--buy tickets. Fast forward 25 years and technology has made it so much easier for this same type of thing to happen. LV/TM tried do outsmart the scalpers and where it failed is in the execution. The strategy might have been good, but by the time it came to put plan into action, the outcome was far below expectations. They cannot admit this because their Verified Fan system doesn't apply only to U2. And they can probably say that they have also thwarted the scalpers to a certain degree, but how that can be measured is for someone smarter than me. In regards to U2 tickets dropping in price, hopefully they will so that those who are pinching their pennies can afford to go. And yes, I also agree that I have not seen the band not sell out. The last time I saw them playing to anything less than a full house was PopMart '97. I remember during the Great Recession, I saw both shows of their 360 Tour in Anaheim, and even the nosebleeds seats were occupied. @nbayer that was a great piece. I know that business-side of a U2 tour is more complex than my simplistic understanding of it. Thanks again. vertigojds 102 NBayer - I think a lot of your observations about the mechanics of ticket sales are correct. Where I disagree, and this may be more of an opinion disagreement than a factual dispute, is in this section: On 12/5/2017 at 4:18 PM, nbayer said: My next point relates to how little control the band likely has over ticket prices. I'm going to make some assumptions here, because I obviously don't have the Live Nation/U2 contract available to me, but I think I am right... My understanding is that before U2 360 the band signed a 10+ year contract with Live Nation. Now, on the whole, that may be true. But no one put a gun to U2's head and said "sign this deal" - they took a deal that offered them an obscene amount of money, as is their right. But I also think that they are responsible for what is done in their name. The prices are outrageous. Perhaps they didn't set them on their own, but they sold their business to a company that did. I just don't think it's reasonable to say that U2 are basically innocent bystanders in this, and that poor Live Nation just needs to do anything it can to earn back its investment. I don't mean to put words in your mouth and I don't mean to suggest that you're cool with all of this. But I think ultimately U2 are responsible for the deals they sign, and what they allow people to do in their name. If they had never, ever made statements about respecting their audience, if they hadn't talked in the past about wanting to keep prices low, if they hadn't made fun of other bands who charged high prices, etc., etc., it wouldn't bother me in the same way. There are performers I like, Sting for instance, who has never made a secret of the fact that he wants to be paid a lot of money for what he does. He never talks about wanting any kind of fairness for fans or reasonable prices or anything. So when he charges his high prices, it doesn't feel like hypocrisy. Even on this tour, information on pricing before the tickets went onsale wasn't easy to come by and was often inaccurate. There's a seating chart from Atlanta that's been making the rounds, on the Atlanta venue's official website, and it lists which sections are what prices. The problem is, it's comically inaccurate. It insists, for instance, that the top price on the upper level is $175. However, when tickets actually went on sale, it became apparent that the majority of sections marked as $175 were actually $330. Who benefits from this misrepresentation? Not the fans. We're denied the opportunity to make informed decisions about what tickets we're willing to buy and how to spend our money. And I would argue that taking the Pearl Jam approach and leaving money on the table, handling their own tours, and hitting the road with a low key set, which allows keeping the focus on the music and varying wildly the set lists, has created a fiercely loyal fan base that has compensated the band very very well. Further, that fan base will continue to do so for many years to come. I hope U2's deal with LIve Nation hasn't damaged its relationship with its own base... At some point, the market will only bear what it will bear... I think this deal, and specifically how this tour has been handled (after the questionable handling of the 2015 tour) has left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. I am not seeing every single show I could possibly see on this tour, and that's the first time in twenty years that I can say that. The tickets were too expensive, and the value being offered wasn't there. On the 2015 tour, with the same setup, there were plenty of tickets in the $100 price range that offered a full view of both the stage and the screen. On this tour, there are no tickets at that price level that offer that view. My $100 upper level seats from 2015 have been reclassified as $175 tickets on this tour. My $100 lower level side stage/behind the stage seat from last tour has been reclassified to a $330 ticket on this tour. Just think about that. In the past, when U2 added technology to their shows, even as recently as the 2015 tour, the point of the technology seemed to be to bring the show to all seats, even seats which traditionally weren't considered good. That upper level $100 ticket I had in 2015, it seemed overpriced before the show, but I was pleasantly surprised that with the screen and the double stages, it was a far better ticket than an upper level ticket normally would be. So what happened between then and now to justify charging $75 extra? It seems that the approach has flipped from "Let's use technology to make the seats in the back better for fans" to "Let's use technology so we can charge more." After an entire career of approaching things from the former point of view, it's a bit shocking to see this reversal. I think it's one thing to charge a super high price for what are obviously and undeniably incredible seats. People paying $330 a ticket should have every confidence that they're getting some of the very best seating in the house, but that's not what's happening here. Make the seats that are closest to the stage and with the best view of the screen, the best 5% or 10% of tickets, charge $330 for those and no one will complain. But $330 for a high row of the upper level far away from the main stage? How is that remotely close to being worth the same as a lower level ticket near the main stage and with a full view of the screen? I'm kinda relieved that those high priced, far away tickets aren't selling. The sales are way off on this tour compared to what they should be, and I hope that everyone involved in planning and pricing this tour looks at what's going on and adjusts for next time. If prices are going to continue to consistently rise, with no relation to inflation and no recognition of the relative crappiness of some of what they're charging these prices for, there are many of us who won't be able to afford to attend next time. cmooreNC 3 LocationNashville, TN USA I can't argue with the statements made in the original post other than the comment about the setlist. I'm sure the band has retained full artistic control over their shows, such that they're the ones deciding what songs they're playing. Other than that, I'd say your general discussion about pricing is pretty spot on. Biggest mistake they're making in the whole scenario, though, is that they continue to price GA tickets well BELOW what the market is willing to pay. I'm pretty sure that this is a band decision, not a Live Nation decision. That forces some of the tickets for seats into the higher price ranges where the market is saying that they shouldn't be, as they're not selling. To have tickets on the floor priced at $76-$80 while everything comparable around them (basically the whole lower level, except for limited view areas where the ticket holders can't see the screens) is priced at $330 or more clearly indicates that these tickets are priced way too low. Those tickets, then, become the ones the resellers most want, as they present the greatest opportunity for good profit margins for their original "investments." Thus the immediate situation where demand (both by real fans and by resellers) outstrips the available supply straight out of the gate at the onsale. If GA's were priced at face values of $200-$250 initially, this problem wouldn't occur and probably all of at least the upper level seats could have been priced more reasonably. Would there have been bitching and moaning from the diehard fans that are used to getting floor tickets at prices below Fair Market Value? Sure. But we wouldn't have been seeing what's going on now ---- overpriced uppers going unsold and diehard fans bitching and moaning because the only way they can get GA tickets is on the resale market at prices that are roughly 200-400% above "face" (where they should have been priced to begin with). The end result is a scenario where the band is "trying to have it's cake and eat it too," because their shows are now overpriced in a lot of areas (making sure that the artist is not "leaving money on the table," as the original post describes) and yet still under priced for the tickets (GA floor tix) that get attendees closest to the stage and band (with the exception of the Red Zone tickets). What we're seeing is proof that you can't do both. Either you price your tickets such that the resale market has some opportunity for re-sellers to potentially make a profit, or you price everything high enough that re-sellers are really taking a risk when they speculate on their ticket "investments" by buying ticket inventory that is pretty much priced at market to begin with. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out by the time the shows occur. At the outset there clearly were some pricing mistakes made. In my opinion the biggest is the continued "under market value" pricing of GA tickets and that can't be corrected, as those tickets are all sold. As for the rest of the unsold inventory, yes, there will definitely be price adjustments taking place - whether "disguised" or obvious - or there will be empty seats at many of these shows. I doubt the latter will be allowed to happen. Just for kicks I looked at Ticketmaster and the first 2 shows on the tour. I like it when you can see the available seats on the map represented by blue dots. Lots of Blue dots.... cmooreNC makes a compelling argument and I agree. As nbayer has stated, the business side of this issue will be the driving force behind ticket prices—everyone has to make money otherwise there is little reason to do it. The band has always set the bar for a great show and I’m sure we all are grateful. They have a huge following and consquently, created a huge demand for their tickets. The result is skyrocketing prices, which for some of us are now out of reach. So how do they keep prices at a level that most of us could afford and out of the hands of scalpers and still make money? I like the idea of U2 subscribers being able to pre-pay for their tickets, thus locking them up and whatever is left is available to the general public. I’d like to add that pre-paid tickets would be sold through U2’s site and verified by Technical Support—and yes, these folks would have to be trained much better—and sufficient time be given before tickets go on sale the the general public. I’d give two months to Subscriber Sales to allow enough time to resolve any issues—including scalping—and that would still leave four months time for the General Sale. In addition, these tickets would be coded in a particular way so that they could not be scalped. Trading tickets would be allowed. Obviously, the TS staff and infrastrure would need to be improved so that any type of anomalies could identified. For example, the staff should be able to “see” large amounts of tickets going to a small pool locations, which would trigger an alert. I can’t be sure if this will result in significant price reductions, but for the time being let’s just say that allowing fans the first true crack at tickets is the impetus, which is why the majority of us became Subscribers in the first place. If the band needed to raise membership fees by a small amount ($5 - $10), I’d be okay with it. But that increase would assure me access to the pre-sale and would be outside of Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s control. No lottery, no selection process. Membership should have its privileges. I’ve got two months to decide on whether or not to buy tickets, after that I join the horde. To address the disparity between “under valued seats” versus over-valued ones, the price of the GA tickets would probably have to rise. This would hopefully reduce the demand in the resale market (it wouldn’t eliminate it). In addition, the “nosebleeds” and any partial view seats would fall. The leveling in price might make it bit more palatable for ticket-buyers. Finally, this would probably take some money off of the table from LN/TM. But I believe the band has the clout to negotitate better terms. Ideally, this would give more control to the band/mgmt and perhaps this might have been a responsibility they chose to relinquish. But if I were on the management team, I’d strongly suggest taking over (at least the pre-sale part) given the lackluster performance by TM. It wasn’t great during I+E 2015 or 360. So continue to partner with an organization that doesn’t have to improve hurts everyone. Sure, tickets will still sell if they don’t. But something better should be done for the fans who have “paid for the privilege”. Granted, I am spit-balling here and I’m sure there are holes to be poked through my ideas. Yet I am willing to pay a little more to get more. Edited December 9, 2017 by 504jumper Eliminating scalping would be really easy to do if that was the goal. No one can scalp an airline tickets. Airline tickets can only be used by the people that buy them. If you can't use an airline ticket, you can return it or exchange it (usually for a fee), but you can't give it away or sell it. All they need to do is move to a system that treats concert tickets the same as airline tickets. This is essentially what Credit Card Entry is designed to do. The problem with CCE generally comes to inconsistent enforcement of the previously published rules, which creates wiggle room for scalpers to operate. Remove the loopholes by following the rules, and the system works. Add some of the good ideas from Ed Sheeran's Verified Fan presale and that'll help too. Here's how you'd eliminate scalping completely: 1. All customers must use a credit card to purchase tickets. The credit card must be a permanent card that has the buyer's name on it. 2. When the buyer arrives at the concert, he/she must present the credit card used to purchase the ticket, along with a matching photo ID. If the buyer does not have both of those items, they cannot enter. 3. All customers must agree during the check-out process that they will not attempt to resell the tickets or violate the posted rules about purchasing in any way, and that they agree that their purchase will be forfeited if they break this agreement. 4. In the event of an extenuating circumstance that prevents the buyer from being able to attend the show, they may return the tickets to Ticketmaster for a refund minus the ticketing fees. (Or, Ticketmaster could agree to list the ticket at face value, and offer a refund only if Ticketmaster is able to resell the ticket at face value.) This should be a one-time option that would then lock the buyer out of purchasing tickets to that show again. The point is, this should be for fans who genuinely can't make the show and not an opportunity to make every purchase easily exchangeable. Steps 1 & 2 are already how credit card entry works. The problems come when the rules aren't enforced. The rules clearly state that you may not use a disposable credit card (because those don't have names on them). Some scalpers do this anyway. Some merchants already have the ability to detect whether the card payment they're receiving is from a prepaid card or a real card, so it shouldn't be an issue for Ticketmaster to cancel any purchases made with those kinds of cards. The problem is that they don't. Since the credit card doesn't have a name on it, the credit card literally cannot match any photo ID. Venues should turn those people away. The problem is that sometimes they don't. Step up to 100% enforcement of both of those things and it's a game-changer. Step 3 is what Ed Sheeran's Verified Fan sale required buyers to do. By agreeing to those terms, that makes it very easy for Ticketmaster to enforce their rules, because in purchasing the ticket, you've clearly and explicitly agreed to those terms. Sheeran's management recently canceled 10,000 tickets purchased by scalpers to a London concert in violation of those terms. U2's management would need to start doing the same. There's nothing in existence like Step 4 today, and it's not strictly required, but I do think it would be the decent thing to do. In the State Of New York, Credit Card Entry is illegal, which means that they can't do this. But CCE is legal in the other 49 states, and there's no reason why these things couldn't be implemented today. Indeed, U2 used CCE for parts of their 2015 and 2017 tours. The problem is that it was implemented poorly, with loopholes that punished fans who had emergencies that prevented them from attending, but rewarded scalpers by not enforcing the rules that credit cards must be permanent and not disposable and that photo IDs must match. If you're a scalper and those rules go into effect, your business is done. Even if you were able to buy tickets to shows, no one other than you could use them. Scalpers make their money by buying and selling tickets that they have no intention of using, often for venues far away from their physical location. How is a scalper going to make money with a ticket that's in his name only, that only he can redeem, and that can't be transferred or given away? There is absolutely no reason that this system could not used now, if the goal was to eliminate scalping. I am starting to question whether that is the goal. Scalping does help the promoter by ensuring that tickets sell out regardless of actual demand, and pushes up demand by artificially limiting the ticket supply. Additionally, there are laws in most states that limit how much tickets may be resold for. These are almost never enforced. In a lot of places, the limit is anywhere from as little as $5 over face value to 20% over face value. The law that applies isn't the law of the state you live in, but the state where the event takes place. People are free to do what they want because they know that the laws aren't going to be enforced. But imagine if. for example, Stubhub was forced into compliance with these laws. It would be pretty simple for a company like Stubhub to have the different resale restrictions programmed in. For instance, if the show is in a state that only allows tickets to be sold for $10 over face value, Stubhub could use software that didn't allow a ticket to be listed for more than $10 over the face value. Of course, Stubhub makes its money on commission so they won't do that unless they're forced to. But if Stubhub is facilitating illegal resale transactions, which in many cases they are, why shouldn't law enforcement go after them and force them to stop? Why should Stubhub be allowed to build a business where their primary source of revenue comes from encouraging people to do things that are against the law? U2 - as band members - may have interest in reducing or eliminating scalping, but they don't run their touring business. Live Nation does. Live Nation has a very strong incentive not to discourage scalping. Live Nation paid an above market rate for U2's touring business that in reality is probably above and beyond what a reasonable rate was. As a result, they have had to increase tickets by unprecedented margins to recover this money. Every ticket purchased by a scalper at full price helps them get to that goal. I also do not accept the premise that the band must get every possible dollar that they could get for a ticket. I do not accept the idea that all things in life must be priced at "what the market will bear". There are already plenty of things in life where this principle doesn't apply. Why should the worst actors in this - the scalpers who violate local resale laws, who contribute nothing to society by standing between the artist and the fan but offering nothing in return of value - be the ones who set the prices? Ed Sheeran seems to have the method to keep tickets in the hands of the fans. I noticed there are no “resale tickets” on the Ticketmaster site for his upcoming tour. Pretty impressive. EDIT : upon further looking..... Ed Sheeran tickets ARE available via secondary scalper sites, the fact that there are no tickets via the "Official Ticketmaster Resale" avenue is a healthy nod to an artist's attempt to curb the availability of tickets from secondary scalpers....... still the scalpers are keen to adapt and prevail. Edited December 11, 2017 by hicksong You said, in the beginning of your post, that the artist wanted the money the scalpers were getting, or something of the sort. That is exactly what a good friend who manages a box office in Milwaukee says to me. He started in ticketing 35 years ago and watched it all happen. He pretty much called it. "You watch; sooner or later the performers are gonna want what the scalpers get and why shouldn't they? It's their intellectual property and talent that precipitates the revenue. Why should some opportunistic jerk on the street get it?". I hated hearing that, but knew he was right. I am a rabid Pearl Jam fan. I get high off Pearl Jam too. It is a completely different experience, as you said. They keep the price lower and it's all about the setlist and playing it live. There are no bells and whistles. I love both approaches because I love the music. If Pearl Jam was really expensive...I'd still try to go no matter. It's a question of how much something is worth to the person buying the ticket. You said this too. Thank you. I only know what I've heard from ticket people. You added a lot between the lines. It sucks what's happened, but it makes sense. Few people now buy the albums/cds. Sadly, most of us are the few that buy the cds and albums and we get stuck paying for the difference in that as well. One good thing in all of this is that everyone makes union wages and has insurance and is able to live a decent life. That costs a huge amount of money that a lot of people forget. I'd have less respect for any band if I found out its employees were only making fifteen bucks an hour. It's expensive to put on any type of show. Yours is one of the best posts I've ever read in these forums. Thanks for sharing all this with us. Edited December 11, 2017 by Manohlive On 12/9/2017 at 4:50 PM, vertigojds said: This is essentially what Credit Card Entry is designed to do. I think that too. I just read that the problem with CC only is people who do not have plastic get shut out of the show. Many people do not have plastic, even if it's a debit card. They have a set income and plastic causes too many problems. No matter how it gets approached, it sucks because people are greedy and don't even care about the music. It's easy $$$. That is why I love watching their asking price go way way down the days before a show. I love it when they take a hit and lose money. On 12/8/2017 at 6:48 PM, 504jumper said: I like the idea of U2 subscribers being able to pre-pay for their tickets, thus locking them up and whatever is left is available to the general public. I’d like to add that pre-paid tickets would be sold through U2’s site and verified by Technical Support—and yes, these folks would have to be trained much better—and sufficient time be given before tickets go on sale the the general public. I’d give two months to Subscriber Sales to allow enough time to resolve any issues—including scalping—and that would still leave four months time for the General Sale. Wouldn't that be problematic as well? How can a band announce a tour these days and not have a public onsale for four months? I'm not sure that would work. I love the idea, but I don't think people will wait four months or even two to buy tickets. For many people it's about being at the hip thing and the show doesn't really matter that much to them. My theory is they are the annoying ones always talking!!! We would wait, but would the majority of the concert goers who want a selfie at U2 or to hear the old hits just once wait? Also, wouldn't that give the scalpers months to figure out their strategy for each show individually? How would we know if more shows are going to be announced? There would be a tour and tickets would take four to eight months to go on sale for two shows in the same market. Am I understanding you correctly? I love the idea of going back to Propaganda mail service or whatever it would be. I think there might only be new problems. People are greedy. That will never change. They always find a way to pursue the $$$. What I was thinking was, say the tour begins on June 1st. Pre-sale tickets go on sale December 1st six months prior. From December 1st to January 31st, only U2 Subscribers will be allowed to buy tickets. The idea being letting Subscribers more than just a few days to try and get tickets. They would still get codes and pay with a credit card. Then on February 1st, tickets go on sale to the general public. I believe that the people that are not Subscribers, will wait two months for the General Sale. The last U2 show that I attended, that wasn’t sold out, was PopMart ’97. I think the demand for them is high, even for the folks “who want a selfie at U2 or hear the old hits”. I sat next to a group of folks who were probably the kind who just wanted to be at the “hip thing” for JT ’17. They talked—even shouted—during the beginning of the show (about work stuff), then finally shut up. I had Club Level seats, which weren’t cheap ($335 each), and wondered if these tech guys were going talk all night. If they were, I was going to say something—politely. Fortunately, they remembered they were at an awesome rock show and I didn’t. And yes, maybe 2 months would give the scalpers more time to strategize on how to get as many tickets as they could, and this would screw the people who buy during the General Sale. But the Subscribers would already have their tickets. So, if one truly wanted to beat the scalpers and the bots and whoever else, they should become a Subscriber. Yes, they would have to pay the membership fee, but they would definitely get to the buy tickets during the Pre-Sale if they wanted. I always thought the band added shows after seeing how quickly the first group of shows sold out. Here in the SF Bay Area, I know that a second show is usually added. They did that for i+e ‘15, Vertigo ‘05 and Elevation ‘01. It could be that they arenas sold out quickly—consequently giving good reason to add a second show—and the stadiums shows did not (only 1 show for JT ’17 & 360 ’11). So I’d say, why not just announce two shows at the outset? The fanbase is pretty big here and they would sell out both shows easily. Again, I know that there are flaws in my ideas and there must be a wisdom in announcing a tour, and then adding shows as time progresses. Yet, I believe the band will sell out their shows no matter what, so why not take better care of the folks who have paid for the opportunity? I would totally be willing to go back to the Propaganda days and agree that it probably isn’t tenable. Greed is always the monkey-wrench that screws up the works. 17 hours ago, Manohlive said: I like this idea, too. What I noticed at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca. was that the devices the staff were using took several seconds for each CC holder. They worked as quickly as they could, but swiping the card and waiting to the tickets to print, took time. This caused a bottleneck that got much worse as time went on. We were near the front of the line (about 50 ahead of us) at around 3:00 pm. By 5:00 pm there were several hundred people behind us and this was just one line. We watched the lines from the Club Level and it was bad. There were ticket holders who didn't get in until after the band took the stage. This sucked if they had GAs. But, I'm all for doing everything humanly possible to thwart the scalpers. Edited December 11, 2017 by 504jumper I get the impression that the “intent” was there but I am not sure if that was the “goal”, too many loopholes for scalpers to sneak through. I like everything you said in your post, seems reasonable to me, things could have played out very differently if that was the “goal”. For me I think it’s more a pricing issue, too expensive a ticket to go and watch tv at a live show. Nice post ! On 12/11/2017 at 1:45 AM, Manohlive said: Eliminating scalping would be really easy to do if that was the goal Also, I was lucky to get 2 GA for Philly, these are physical tickets in my hands, so at this point there is nothing in place to stop me from selling these, I wouldn’t do such a thing because I am a fan and want to see the show. Just saying I could, know what I mean ? Ilovebono 0 On 12/8/2017 at 11:06 AM, cmooreNC said: I think that too. I just read that the problem with CC only is people who do not have plastic get shut out of the show. But, isn't that already happening now? For example - every single major concert I've bought tickets to for the past years, including every arena and stadium show, has stated on the Ticketmaster page that tickets are not available for sale at the box office on the first day of the sale. Most of these type of shows either sell out completely in the first day, or all of the best seats are gone the first day. So if you're someone who needs to go down to the box office and pay with cash in the first place, you've probably been out of luck for some time. Is that completely fair? No, but I don't think CCE changes that equation significantly. On 12/12/2017 at 9:19 AM, hicksong said: I get the impression that the “intent” was there but I am not sure if that was the “goal”, too many loopholes for scalpers to sneak through. It's really surprising to me how many more loopholes there are on this tour compared to the last tour. On 12/11/2017 at 1:30 PM, 504jumper said: like this idea, too. What I noticed at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca. was that the devices the staff were using took several seconds for each CC holder. They worked as quickly as they could, but swiping the card and waiting to the tickets to print, took time. Ultimately, though, I think this could be fixed and made more efficient. I've been to two credit card entry venues before (I live in New York State, where it is illegal, so it's only when I travel for a show that I experience it). I did CCE for the U2 shows in East Rutherford and Philadelphia in 2017. It worked like a charm for me. For the Philadelphia show, I had GA and had been in line all day, and the CCE process didn't appear to slow down that line. They scanned our credit cards and checked IDs while we were in line, long before the doors actually opened. For the East Rutherford show, I had seats, and I simply walked up to the gate, swiped my card, showed my ID, and was let in. It was honestly the shortest line that I've ever had at that venue. Undoubtedly, the people using the devices need both training and practice on them, and the venue probably needs to ensure that all available gates are being used which may mean hiring a few extra ticket takers than they normally would for a regular "rip the ticket" type event. But, as ticket buyers, we're routinely charged ticketing fees of $20 or higher for each ticket, and at many venues, charged an additional $5 "venue management" or "facility" fee. We're being charged through the nose on fees, and the money from those fees should be used for stuff like this. If Ticketmaster wants to charge over $20 extra for fees, they can use some of that money to ensure that the venue can handle redeeming the tickets that they've sold. If each venue wants to charge $5 extra, they can use some of that money to ensure that the venue is properly staffed and that the entry process is smooth. I know I'm here complaining a bunch, and I worry I may give the impression that I hate everything, all the time, and that's really not true. But it's just immensely frustrating to me how going to a live concert used to be my favorite activity in the world, but all of these different little things keep getting in the way of just being able to go and have a good time. I don't think anybody is saying that the artist or the venue don't deserve to be paid for their performance or facility, but for how expensive the tickets are to begin with, and then all of the fees added, I feel like we as ticket buyers have done our part, and we're not getting the quality of experience that those dollars should buy. 2 hours ago, vertigojds said: I agree. Most of these types of issues could be fixed with a better staff, or at the very least better training. The question is: who is responsible for that, TM or the venue? From what I've heard, TM is notoriously cheap in regards to staffing at the lower levels. I always thought that all of those fees paid for stuff like that. But my guess is, they are probably finding areas where that can cut costs and that is one of them. Some of the staff is okay, but I got the feeling many of them were new at it. I will also venture a guess and say that they probably have a lot of turnover, which again creates training issues. And I'm right there with you in the fact that going to a live concert was one of the best things in the world. In my youth, I went to as many as I could afford. Now, I'm down to one band. They are my favorite and I've been a fan for a very long time. So it is a little sad to know that this awesome experience can be marred extraneous things like pre-sale fiascos, inadequate staffing and downright ineptitude. I've long accepted the rising costs of tickets (ZOO TV was $27.50 for me) and thankfully, I make more money now to afford it. I personally think the fees charged should be enough to hire a better team to manage properly to prevent delays/bottlenecks/etc., but what do I know? But, as ticket buyers, we're routinely charged ticketing fees of $20 or higher for each ticket, and at many venues, charged an additional $5 "venue management" or "facility" fee. This is something that I find unjust. The mighty “Ticketmaster fee” , this is greed at its best, bastards.... On 12/12/2017 at 9:37 AM, Ilovebono said: I can't argue with the statements made in the original post other than the comment about the setlist. I'm sure the band has retained full artistic control over their shows, such that they're the ones deciding what songs they're playing. One clarification about my set list comment... I agree that the band does retain artistic control over their set. However, as a practical matter, there is no way the contract with Live Nation doesn't influence the type of show they play. Why? Because Live Nation doesn't back the brinks truck up and dump gobs of money unless you sell out arenas and stadiums. Doing that requires that you play your hits. I would argue what we have seen since the Vertigo Tour is a pretty straightforward formula: 6-7 songs of the album being toured with, and then a staple of remaining hits that are constant, and only a few slots for something out of the ordinary. With JT, it was that album plus basically the same hits used over and over again. And on the 360 tour, by the last leg, that was basically a greatest hits show with very little off of NLOTH. Vertigo was the last tour with wildly varying openers and set lists. Heck, they even routinely plucked guitar players out of the crowd to play impromptu covers. My favorite recent tours have been Vertigo and Innnocene/Experience, but I digress... Not that this has anything to do with the recent prices, or make them more affordable for any individual fan, remember that early in their career, the band spent a ton on elaborate touring sets while also making a conscious decision to eat much of that cost to keep ticket prices low. Zoo TV had to cost a fortune. If i recall, my pretty decent tickets to both the indoor and outdoor legs was less than thirty bucks. Pop-Mart was equally expensive. I'm not suggesting that they are hurting financially, but I think that historical context should be understood as well. Finally, this is way off topic, but I'll throw it in anyway.... I finally received my free CD's from my concert tix purchases yesterday, and I am now more excited to see this show than I've been about any show for quite some time. The Little Things That Give You Away blew my away when the closed with it in Dublin this summer. Now after getting to hear the studio version, its as good as anything the band has ever done. And Get Out of Your Own way is an earworm I just can't stop humming. This is brilliant stuff. I'm hoping we get what we got on the Zoo TV tour, which opened with I think the first 8 songs of Achtung Baby. The band had the best album on the planet and knew it. I hope we get that again... Edited December 14, 2017 by nbayer	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line538
__label__wiki	0.860121	0.860121	Midland Are ‘as Surprised as Anybody’ That Their Music Works Both Commercially and Critically For Midland, taking a break from touring to attend the 2018 CMA Awards meant a chance to come up for air and reflect on the magnitude of the industry's recognition of their music. "It's our first time being nominated. We're super grateful for it," frontman Mark Wystrach explained to The Boot and other media outlets in advance of the ceremony, at which the trio was up for Vocal Group of the Year, New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year. "We've had our heads down, just really focusing on the task at hand, with a full touring schedule and working on the second album. It's been kinda crazy. We're gonna clock some 280 days away from home." Wystrach adds that he and his bandmates, Jess Carson and Cameron Duddy, didn't necessarily expect to find both critical and commercial success while making their particular brand of country music. "When something like this happens and you get nominated, it causes you to pause a little bit and reflect on everything that's happened," he goes on to say. "We're as surprised as anybody else that it's working on a commercial level and a critical level. Yeah, we're really proud of it, and having fun." Midland's moment of reflection will be short-lived, however: They recently announced that their Electric Rodeo Tour will extend into 2019, and have plans to perform a particularly memorable show in Music City. "We're headlining the Ryman, which, for us, is probably one of the most spectacular things that's happened in our career so far," Wystrach admits. "To get asked to come and perform at the Mother Church is an incredible honor, but to get to come in and do your own show there, that's really special." However, when they're off the road, their plans are significantly less glamorous. "[The first thing I do when I get home is] check my bed to see if my cat p--sed on it," Wystrach admits. NEXT: Midland Play Every Show Like It's a Honky-Tonk Source: Midland Are ‘as Surprised as Anybody’ That Their Music Works Both Commercially and Critically Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Midland	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line540
__label__cc	0.725429	0.274571	Ginny Clayton Saturday, August 27, 2011 24 comments I've always wanted to see a ghost. I don't know what I would do if I actually saw one, but since I was young I have been fascinated with the idea of actually seeing, with my own eyes, an apparition of a spirit entity. My friends who have seen such things assure me it's not all it's cracked up to be and it would scare the living crap out of me. I expect they are correct. So maybe it's a good thing that I don't "see dead people" on the regular. However, I have had a few odd experiences that I cannot explain. I thought I would use tarot to shed some light on these strange experiences. I have a shadow cat. I have had this "companion" for a long time and cannot remember when I first began noticing its presence. All I know is that it tends to simply be in my home, wherever my home may be, and its appearance is incredibly random. I never told anyone about the "cat" because I value being seen as a sane individual and partly figured it might be a figment of my imagination anyway. This "cat" will move about my home, under furniture, around corners, and rub against me. I will usually only see it out of the corner of my eye as it walks behind the sofa, under the table, or around the corner into the next room. I feel very comforted when I see it, it makes me smile both inside and out, like a real cat companion would. I do not know its gender, if it has one, nor its name. I see it as a black cat, but that could be because it is shadowy. I didn't mention any of this to my boyfriend, Mike, when we moved in together. Why would I? I mean, it's all in my mind, right? That is, until he spoke up one night and said, "I saw a cat in the apartment today." I stared at him. "We don't have a cat," I said, stating the obvious. "I know, silly. It wasn't a cat, really, but I saw a cat kind of slink under that table over there and into our bedroom. It was weird." "Oh. That's my cat." I tried to sound nonchalant. "And you were planning to tell me about this when?" he eyed me. "Never. But now that you've seen it." I shrugged. I was acting quite cool about it but in reality I was amazed that someone else had seen my cat. Mike is very empathic, but I didn't think he'd actually see my cat. Now I'm not so embarrassed about it because his seeing it validates that I am not imagining it. I was talking about my cat to a friend while my daughter was in the room. She had never heard me talk about it before, and her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. I thought she was thinking her mom had gone mad. "What?" I asked. "Well, you never told me that before," she said. "I don't parade my insanity before my children," I laughed. "Well, because one night I was semi-sleeping and I felt a cat jump on my bed. I thought it was Cinnamon (our real cat), but when I reached out to pet him, there was nothing there." "Really? Wow. Ok, yeah, that was probably my cat. I wish you had told me because it wasn't until Mike told me he saw it that I realized it wasn't all in my head." I really wish I knew why this cat has hung around me for so long and if there is a particular spiritual significance other than companionship for its presence. Some have told me it is my "familiar" but I'm not into witchcraft or anything like that. Is there any reason a non-witch would have a familiar? And I have no control over when it shows up. It's not like I can call it and it appears. It shows up very randomly of its own accord. I asked tarot to tell me about the cat: The 6 of Swords is a transitional card having to do with moving and traveling, but because it is of the Swords suit, we focus more on the state of mind which prompts the progression from moving from a rather unhealthy state to a more peaceful frame of mind. Two elements are featured prominently in this card: air and water. The wooden boat suggests earth as well, though it is designed to float on the emotional water. The implication here is that it is a time when one can evaluate one's thought process and one's emotions without being engulfed by the attending emotions, safe and grounded in an earthen vessel. The ferryman is a guide to this process. So could the cat be a manifestation of a guide that assists in my life transitions? I love that the Strength kitty showed up. It's definitely feline. Offering a kind of peaceful strength in times when its needed. It may also suggest that the unassuming kitty may be a lot more powerful than I think. The Moon may suggest I'm crazy and seeing illusions and imagining things, which I thought was true, but since both my partner and my daughter have validated my sightings, I'm more inclined to think the Moon is pointing to the spiritual feminine and the shapeshifting qualities of such an "animal." There is an otherworldly aura to the Moon, a card of spiritual and subconscious depth and intuition. The light of the moon is a shadowy guide through the night, so again it feels like it's saying the cat is an intuitive guide. Another weird and very disturbing sighting of something I have no name or explanation for happened randomly one evening when Mike and I were driving to a friend's home across town. It was dusk, but we didn't need the headlights on just yet. Our friends lived in an apartment complex behind a large cemetery, so Mike, who was driving, took a shortcut on the road that runs through the cemetery. He was driving slowly as one does in a cemetery, like 15 mph or something. I was gazing out the passenger side window at the headstones and saw a..."creature" walking between the graves and down a slight hill. It looked odd so I sat up straight and looked closer. It was as large as a Great Dane but its hind end was higher than its front, much as a human might be postured if down on hands and feet, but its gait was smooth and comfortable as opposed to a human trying to awkwardly travel that way. It was covered in gray, shaggy, medium length fur. It's muzzle was elongated, and its head quite large. This was no dog or wolf nor was it a deer, as some have suggested. It did not appear to notice us and it casually walked on in the opposite direction that we were driving. "What was THAT!" I exclaimed and looked over at Mike. When I looked back at the creature it had disappeared. Mike didn't see it but he saw the look on my face and heard the slight panic in my voice. He has no doubt that I saw something very unusual given my reaction. I described what I saw in as much detail as I could, and I was seriously shaken. "I wish you had seen it," I said. "I didn't need to see it, I saw your face after you saw it," he answered. Upon arriving home that evening I tried to research what I might have seen. The closest description is of a Black Dog or Barghest, but I am not sure. I drew three cards on my graveyard sighting and this is the result: The Tower suggests the shock I felt and still feel at seeing the creature. It was entirely unexpected, I wasn't on any sort of paranormal exploration nor did I remotely expect to encounter anything out of the ordinary. Judgement is rather eerie here with the image of the graves and the formerly dead rising out of them. Did I encounter an otherworldly or undead being? The angel, too, suggests a spirit guardian of sorts and these types of mythical dogs have a reputation of being "guardians of the corpse-ways" and are, according to the stories, often sighted in cemeteries. Angels are also messengers, but I don't know, even four years since, what message this sighting was supposed to have brought. The 9 of Pentacles gives an assurance that all is well, however, no need to be frightened, I am safe and secure and well-grounded -- i.e., not crazy. I'm glad tarot, at least, defends my sanity. I'd love to hear others' views on these weird experiences. Any insights? Feel free to share your own strange experiences and any readings you've done on them.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line547
__label__wiki	0.958605	0.958605	Artist of the Week: Camila Cabello Following her mega hit 'Havana', the former Fifth Harmony member is once again ruling music charts all around the world with her Shawn Mendes collaboration 'Senorita'. AceShowbiz - Even though it's only been a few years since Camila Cabello decided to embark on a solo career, she keeps making hits after hits. Following her mega hit single "Havana", the Cuban songstress is once again ruling music charts all around the world with her new collaborative single with Shawn Mendes entitled "Senorita". Making its way out June 21 through Island Records, the song topped the charts in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Malaysia, New Zealand and Switzerland among others. It additionally debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Furthermore, the Latin duet rocketed to No. 1 on Spotify's Global chart upon its release and broke the record for the biggest single-day debut of a male/female duet ever. Its music video accompaniment itself garnered 50 million views on YouTube within 48 hours. Talking about how the collaboration came to happen in an interview, Camilla remembered that it took them eight months to create the song while Shawn jokingly said that it took him "10 months to convince Camila to sing this with me." Aside from promoting their duet, Camila is currently busy working on her sophomore album, which still doesn't have a title or a release date. Last month, she took to her social media to tease a snippet of the new song. Meanwhile, Louis Bell, who has worked with the former Fifth Harmony member, said that he wanted to give the second album a "more mature progression." He said in an interview, "It's all about what's going on in her life, relationship-wise, everything. All of that stuff is going to factor into the whole theme of the album." On the other hand, Brian Lee said, "She knows all these indie bands; she could do an indie record. Her depth of what she knows musically is bigger than mine. She could do whatever she wants." Hailey Baldwin Shares Emotional Post to Celebrate 1 Year Since Being Engaged to Justin Bieber Terry Crews Pitches Self as King Triton for 'The Little Mermaid' Camila Cabello Gushes Over 'Normal' Shawn Mendes Amid Dating Rumors Camila Cabello Is a Blonde Femme Fatale in 'Find U Again' Music Video Camila Cabello Begs Fans to Stop Sending Hateful Messages After Matthew Hussey Split Camila Cabello Calls It Quits With BF Matthew Hussey After 1 Year of Dating	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line548
__label__cc	0.733318	0.266682	Fear of the Unkown “People travel to far away places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home.” -Dagobert D. Runes We all know the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Well Israel was the most accurate definition of this saying for us. All of our preconceived notions and perception of the country portrayed by North American media were so far from reality. When we landed in the city of Tel Aviv the sun was setting as we caught an Israel Railways train from the airport into the city. When we got off at our station we had another 2.5km to get to our apartment, which we apprehensively opted to walk rather than grab a cab. Very quickly we began to feel safe. No one was offering us drugs, like in Lisbon. No one was selling ripped of merchandise on street corners, like in Naples. No one was following us or staring at us and everyone just looked like everyday normal folk. We began to wonder why we had been so nervous to land in this country. After finding our apartment, we grabbed a late night bite on a heated patio at a hipster restaurant called Diego San. The food was a fusion of flavours from around the world and the vibe was chill. A great place to spend our first night! We only had two days in Tel Aviv and therefore had to make the most of our time. We began our exploration in the ancient part of the city, known as Jaffa, which is home to one of the oldest known ports in the world; mentioned in a number of Biblical stories. This suburb of the city has been beautifully restored to appear the way it would have thousands of years ago, although now it is filled with cute cafes and ritzy artisan shops. For those who prefer a bargain, there is a massive flea market which winds through several blocks in the city and offers shoppers a unique array of vintage items for purchase. We were in our glory and wished we had more room in our packs to buy everything in sight. We wrapped up our time in Jaffa with a traditional Israeli lunch at a restaurant that I don’t even have the name of, because it was only in Hebrew with no English translation. We ordered two chicken shawarma meals and were asked if we wanted salad with our meals. We said yes, thinking we would be receiving lettuce and other veggies in a bowl with dressing. Instead we received two massive pitas and 14 various dips and prepared veggies: baba ganoush, tabouli, pickled carrots, pickled beats and some of the most incredible hummus in the world. It was the most delectable “salad” we had ever had. Jaffa stands out as the cultural and historical centre of Tel Aviv, a city that is mainly very urban and modernized. We spent hours wandering along the vast stretch of beach-front promenade that runs from the north end of the city all the way to the south. The beaches are lined with five star hotels, fancy restaurants and trendy bars. We were tempted by the surf board, paddle board and parasailing rentals, but after long days of touring the city we decided to just chill on the beach and swim instead. In addition to the endless beaches and thriving metropolis, Tel Aviv is home to the best city park we have ever seen, HaYarkon Park. The entire parks stretches 8km in length, from east to west, in the north end of the city. With limited time to spend in the park, we decided to explore the various gardens: tropical, rock, cactus and rose. We then wandered along the Yarkon River where we were passed by runners and bikers on their respective paved paths. If we had more time we would have explored everything else HaYarkon had to offer: a water park, a hot air balloon ride, an aviary, a petting zoo, numerous lakes and ponds and two concert venues. Residents of Tel Aviv are truly privileged to have such an incredible and well equipped green space in the heart of their city. What drew us to add Israel to our itinerary in the first place, was our fascination with the capital city of Jerusalem. Believed to be the Holy Land for various opposing religions, we decided long ago that we had to see this ancient city for ourselves. Jerusalem is divided into two areas: the Old City and the New City. The Old City is surrounded by a 30ft sandstone wall and is divided up into various religious quarters. Within the walls of the Old City many secular landmarks, churches, synagogs and temples can be found. Although we are not religious people, having been raised Catholic, the stories had been engrained in me from a young age. It was so compelling to see sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall and to walk the Via Dolorosa, which is the path of the Stations of the Cross. Besides the religious sites, the Old City has been overrun with tour offices, kitschy restaurants and tacky souvenir shops, which was distracting from the importance of the city and caused many sites to loose their meaning. We hate tourist traps at the best of times, but experiencing them in the Old City of Jerusalem was somewhat disheartening. We were much more drawn to the New City, which is extremely clean, quaint and just as alluring, with such a diverse population of people. One minute we would walk past two Ethiopian nuns in their veils and traditional garb. The next people we’d pass would be a Hasidic Jewish couple, conservatively dressed in dark colours and Jewish head coverings: the man in a black wide-brimmed hat, the women in a head scarf . The couple would be followed by an off-duty Israeli soldier, in full uniform, with an AK47 slung over his shoulder. We would listen intently to the voices of Hebrew, Arabic and many other languages and dialects being spoken all around us. We had the good fortune of meeting some fantastic Israeli people while we were in Jerusalem who were delighted to teach us so much about the culture, military and civil disputes. Every day was a new lesson and we were captivated beyond belief. From Jerusalem we took a day trip, using the Egged bus line, to the ancient fortress of Masada and the incredible Dead Sea. Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by Herod the Great between 31 and 37 BCE on the plateau of a mountain overlooking the Judaean Desert with the Dead Sea in the distance. Upon arrival at Masada visitors are given the option to hike up the mountain or take the cable car and, of course, we opted to hike. The fortress was the site of an epic battle between Jewish radicals and the Romans, known as the Siege of Masada. It holds a great amount of importance to the Israeli people, and is the site of the swearing-in ceremony for all Israeli soldiers at the start of their mandatory military service, where they state in unison, “Masada shall not fall again.” After working up a sweat at Masada, we ventured to the Dead Sea, which has been receding for many years and will soon be gone for good. When we arrived at Ein Gedi beach, which is the only paved pathway access to the entire south end of the sea, the reception area was riddled with tourists and the prices were astronomical to simply walk their path to the water. Feeling angered at the prospect of being completely ripped off, and wanting a more authentic and private experience, we blazed our own trail to the sea, dodging massive sinkholes and avoiding unstable ground along the way. Needless to say, it was not the safest of options, as the ground beneath our feet could have given way at any step to another sinkhole below, but the results of our perseverance were well worth the risk. Stepping foot into the crystal clear emerald waters of the lowest point on Earth was like stepping into a postcard. The immense amount of salt from the sea covers everything in sight, including the beach itself, which is not sand but pure white salt. The buoyant feeling when floating on top of the water as a result of the density of the salt water, is like nothing else we have ever experienced. The greasy feeling that the salt left on our skin and the stinging pains of the salt in any cuts or scrapes, were the only downfall of the experience. We felt so grateful to have been able to visit this uniquely wondrous place before it disappears altogether. Our last night in Jerusalem was New Years Eve, or as the Israeli’s call it, Silvester. Jeff had done some research and booked us in at The Eucalyptus, which had rave reviews online and is well known for using fresh local ingredients and serving Biblical Israeli cuisine. We decided to treat ourselves to a few bottles of wine and the King Solomon Feast, a tasting menu of about 15 courses of the most incredible and interesting food we have ever had. The tasting menu offered us the opportunity to try the chef’s signature dishes as well as some fan favourites of the restaurant. Our four-hour dinner ended with a casual champagne toast, as New Years is not a popular celebration in Jerusalem. We reminisced about memories and experiences of 2015 and hopes for a fulfilling and healthy year ahead. It was the perfect way to wrap up our time in Jerusalem.. By the end of our short week in the Middle Eastern country of Israel, we were in no way ready to leave. Having entered this place with fear and apprehension, we were astounded and elated to be leaving it with contentment and fond memories. We have learned to no longer form opinion based on media portrayal nor will we be be afraid of the unknown, as we have discovered one of our favourite places in the world and we are now more enlightened travellers for doing so. Next stop…India… By lbolingbroke4 Comments 4 thoughts on “Fear of the Unkown” Loved reading this post! Sounds like visiting Israel was an incredible experience. Can’t wait to hear about your travels through India. It is a fantastic country with many hidden gems. Love the pictures, can’t wait for the next post, love you guys. Love reading your adventures! What a way to bring in 2016 being half way around the world! Can’t wait to hear your next post! Christianne says: One of my favourite posts so far! Sounds and looks like it is asbolutely breathtaking- love hearing how your perspectives were completely changed. Also, wouldnt mind getting my hands on the Israeli version of salad- sounds delicious! Love you guys! xoxo ← Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride Patience, Tolerance & Gratitude →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line550
__label__wiki	0.604465	0.604465	Boat Buyer's Guide Boat Seller's Guide Sunseeker Apache 45 boats for sale 3 Boats Available Currency $ - AUD - Australian Dollar $ - US Dollar $ - Canadian Dollar € - Euro £ - British Pound $ - Australian Dollar Kr - Swedish Krona Kč - Czech Koruna Ft - Hungarian Forint zł - Polish Złoty kr - Norwegian Krone kr - Danish Krone Fr. - Swiss Franc руб. - Russian Ruble $ - New Zealand Dollar Sort Sort Order Relevance Length (longest to shortest) Length (shortest to longest) Price (highest to lowest) Price (lowest to highest) Make (A to Z) Make (Z to A) Year (new to old) Year (old to new) Date Listed (new to old) Date Listed (old to new) Sponsored Boats Sunseeker Apache 45 Seller mm-yachting Mallorca Seller Sunseeker Ibiza Spanien, Spain Seller Blu Yachting top renovated Sunseeker Apache 45, technical and optical as new !!! You may have entered incorrect information or the server is temporarily down. Please reload this page and try again later. Make: Sunseeker Model: Apache 45 Filter Boats By $50000 - $100000 $100000 - $200000 Any 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 Any 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 to From my location up to Overnight Cruising Browse all Classes Browse all Countries Length (longest to shortest) Length (shortest to longest) Year (new to old) Year (old to new) Date Listed (new to old) Date Listed (old to new) Apache 45 Bowrider (1) Motor Yacht (1) About boats.com Glossary of Boating Terms Follow boats.com boats.com, 1221 Brickell Avenue, 23rd Floor, Miami, FL 33131, USA. boats.com is part of the Boats Group Network. Copyright © 1999-2019 Boats Group. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line559
__label__cc	0.749822	0.250178	Termination for Cause (Part 3) Posted on March 30, 2017 by auroraroschen The main purpose of middle managers, in my opinion, is to lead, guide, motivate and coach their direct reports. Vision casting is the job of senior management, and doing the day-to-day operational work is the role of individual contributors. Middle managers so focused on becoming visionary leaders that they don’t invest in their staff are a bane to organizations, as are micromanaging middle managers who who create a disconnect from their staff with their meddling. My team at work has recurring meetings with our primary vendor every Tuesday from 7:00AM until 9:00AM. Every week, we spent two hours talking through status updates for each of the various projects on which we collaborate. If an employee were to resign and this was her last Tuesday team meeting (hypothetically speaking, of course), this would be a great time for her manager to give a small speech or simple public farewell thanking said employee for her eight years of service. Did this hypothetical manager publicly thank this hypothetical employee during her final group meeting? No. Has she privately wished me well? No. Did she even take the opportunity to let everyone know it was my last meeting? Yes. But all she said was, “This is Aurora’s last time to join this meeting, so if you have any questions, now is the time to ask them for purposes of transition. No? Okay. Then we can go ahead and end the meeting. The rest of us will talk next week.” Thankfully, one of the vendor representatives inadvertently shamed my boss by interjecting and saying how very nice it’s been to work with me for the past two years and that he wishes me all the best. The vendor initiated this comment. Not my boss. Not even one of my teammates. A vendor who lives in Germany and just dials in to the meeting, who had no responsibility to step into this leadership role and bid me a fond farewell – he was the one who did what my own boss could not. I wasn’t expecting my boss to take me out to a goodbye lunch or goodbye coffee (in fact, I preferred that she didn’t), but I did think my boss would at least give lip service to her managerial responsibilities. On Wednesday mornings, we have another team call, but this one is purely internal with no vendors admitted. Thinking she may have learned from the way the vendor shamed her in the Tuesday call, I figured my boss may at least thank me for my service during this gathering of just our four immediate teammates. No. She didn’t. And I realized that, in order to be shamed by the vendor’s behavior, she would have had to be socially adept enough to realize that there was shame to be had. Fortunately, some of my other coworkers are thoughtful and clued in to the social niceties of fond farewells. However, though most of my coworkers are friendlier and more attentive than my boss, several of them struggled a bit with the whole social intelligence thing, too. A surprising number of my colleagues who normally have no trouble booking meetings and conference calls seemed to suddenly forget that we have visibility to each other’s Outlook calendars. Conversations like this one happened an unfathomable number of times: I appreciated that my colleagues wanted to meet up for one last coffee, and I know they were probably just being informal and talking out the scheduling rather than looking at my Outlook calendar to book a formal meeting, but the number of times I had this same kind of conversation made me wish people would just check my calendar so I didn’t have to tell eight different people per day that I was out of office Wednesday, already had lunch plans Monday, was in back-to-back meetings Tuesday morning but was free at time X, Y or Z. But the catch up coffees and lunches were nice. And in just a few days now, I’m about to be really free – with no Outlook calendar or vendor meetings or team meetings or anything. I can’t wait! This entry was posted in Corporate America and tagged boss, bye, career, coffee, goodbye, job, leadership, lunch, management, middle management, office, organization, resignation, team, termination, work by auroraroschen. Bookmark the permalink. 9 thoughts on “Termination for Cause (Part 3)” Salvageable on March 31, 2017 at 8:27 am said: I’m glad the vendor said some kind things. I’m not surprised your manager missed the boat. Forty or fifty years ago, someone named Laurence Peter wrote a book called The Peter Principle, describing what was wrong (and evidently still is) with American business. The premise was that, in a typical American business, people who do well in their job are rewarded with a promotion to a higher position. This continues to happen until they reach a job they can’t handle. At that point, where they are incompetent, there are no more rewards, no more promotions. The result is that most businesses are rife with people stuck in jobs they cannot handle. I don’t have enough information to know what your manager did well in her previous position, but I sense that she is probably stuck in her current position, and miserable to boot. Good for you to escape this type of company. (Sorry that you’ve been stuck there eight years, but in the future you will probably look back and realize what you learned from it all.) J. auroraroschen on March 31, 2017 at 12:38 pm said: YES! This is exactly what I see around me – although, from my perspective, almost every single person who has been promoted to a “job they can’t handle” is someone who would be a brilliant subject matter expert and individual contributor but was promoted to a management role, despite the fact that they have absolutely no leadership skills, no emotional intelligence and a complete inability to manage people well. Salvageable on April 3, 2017 at 8:28 am said: There is something to be said for the idea that people need to know what they company is doing from the inside before they become managers. But skill in management is vital also, as you have perceived. Perhaps every seven years a large company should shut down for a month and assess its structure and personnel, putting workers where they are best suited without regard for promotions, demotions, rewards, or punishments. J. auroraroschen on April 14, 2017 at 8:14 am said: I definitely think something like this needs to be implemented – especially at major companies where people slip through the cracks. Ally on March 31, 2017 at 9:56 am said: I’m so happy for you and your new adventure! 🙂 Thanks, Ally!!!!!!!! 😀 😀 😀 bensbitterblog on March 31, 2017 at 3:29 pm said: I swear that lady is going out of her way to make you miserable from the time you started being under her management (management being a loose term) to the time you leave. Hopefully, she doesn’t get her claws in you after you leave. Ugghh. auroraroschen on March 31, 2017 at 3:32 pm said: Since I’m completely changing careers and industries, I can’t imagine she would be at all involved in my life after I leave the company. I didn’t include her name on any of my applications or list her as a reference anywhere; I always used my prior supervisor, who has agreed to be my reference going forward! Now that is awesome. I know they are always asking me for at least two or three references. But I’m glad you got your previous supervisor to be your reference. I’m sure he misses you.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line561
__label__wiki	0.599678	0.599678	JK Rowling v. Fan, or Fan v. JK Rowling? Home · Fandom · JK Rowling v. Fan, or Fan v. JK Rowling? It may have come to your attention that JK Rowling, author of Harry Potter, etc, has gotten into some kind of legal stew with a fan. I’ve only been following it peripherally, myself, and I’ve been unable to decide who’s side to come down on, partly because, from the reportage, I haven’t been able to work out exactly what’s going on. Now, though, I’ve had a bit of a look at the whole thing. The situation as it stands seems to be that a fan, Steven Van Anders, who’s been running an online Harry Potter resource, has hooked up with a publisher called RDR and published a hardcopy lexicon trading on the success of the website. And Rowling and Warner Brothers have taken them to court. From what I can tell, the major issues in the case are copyright related. Rowling and WB’s lawyers have claimed Van Anders’ book copies Rowling’s work directly, to a degree of up to 90%. In return, RDR’s lawyers are trying for a Fair Usage claim, which allows limited use of copyright material without permission from the copyright holders. The major issue according to fans and interested members of the public, however, is the question of whether Rowling, as one of the richest women in Britain and clearly in the position of power when it comes to publishing rights, has done herself any favours by suing a small press, and by extension, one of her own fans. On the one hand, she’s well within her rights to litigate against someone who infringes on her copyright. On the other, she comes off looking a wee bit controlling, maybe even tight-fisted. But the whole situation has generated quite a bit of ill-will and anxiety, with fans wondering whether this lawsuit will open the floodgates for paranoid authors to sue online fansites or fanfiction authors, and what kind of future fandoms will have. There’s a strong argument that the proliferation of fan material, which by definition is often in breach of copyright, can only enhance and strengthen an author’s fanbase, thus boosting the economic value of the work. Rowling is famous for (and because of) her rabid fans, and, let’s face it, she’s been ignoring or even endorsing the massive network of fans, fanfiction, web resources and online artworks that obsessively catalogue and reinvent what is essentially her intellectual property. Perhaps that’s why there’s been a mini-backlash now that she’s finally put her foot down. It’s hard to know what Van Anders’ intent was (malicious moneymaker, or just a dope?), but what happens in the apparently unlikely event that RDR wins? Will authors who don’t make as much money as Rowling, and who don’t have the weight of the Warner Brothers conglomerate behind them, have to take steps to protect against copyright infringement? Will this then arbitrarily prevent fans from harmlessly copying and reinventing material, thus stunting the author’s potential fanbase? Booksquare has weighed in on the debate, discussing the merits of suing your readers, and the kind of ill-will and future suppression of fandoms that could potentially come out of it. In the comments on the post, debate continues, with some very interesting points for and against, by readers who have been following the case much closer than me. By AWM Team, , AWM Team The Australian Writer’s Marketplace is Australia and New Zealand’s only guide to the writing industry. While providing submission and contact details for the print media and publishing industry.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line562
__label__cc	0.519067	0.480933	« S J A Turney and A Year of Ravens Name that character! » Ruth Downie and 'A Year of Ravens' Today, in this last ‘Ravens’ post I’m welcoming Ruth Downie, author and good friend of Roma Nova. We met in August 2013 on The Wonder of Rome blog hop (her post intriguingly called ‘First drown your ape’) and she enlightened us more about Roman medical practice in October 2014 in this post about historical truth and donkey poo. Ruth was also kind enough to endorse AURELIA. Ruth read too much Jane Austen at university, emerged with an English degree and a plan to get married and live happily ever after. She says she’s still working on it. She won the Fay Weldon section of the BBC’s End of Story competition in 2004. The first book in her crime series featuring Roman Army medic Ruso was a New York Times bestseller under the title ‘Medicus’. It was published as ‘Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls,’ in the UK, where The Times recommended it as one of their ‘Seven best thrillers for Christmas’. The sixth in the series, ‘Tabula Rasa,’ came out in 2014. Ruth is currently working on the next book and also spends several weeks every summer wielding an archaeological trowel in search of inspiration. Ruth has made grumpy, tough, but kind-hearted Ruso such a real character I’m surprised he isn’t listed in the Roman army rolls! I can’t wait for the next in the Ruso series (no pressure, Ruth), but in the meantime, she’s been collaborating with six other authors – E. (Eliza) Knight, Russell Whitfield, Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, S.J.A.Turney and Vicky Alvear Shecter – to produce seven stories set during Boudica’s revolt in Britain 60/61 AD. Britannia: land of mist and magic clinging to the western edge of the Roman Empire. A red-haired queen named Boudica led her people in a desperate rebellion against the might of Rome, an epic struggle destined to consume heroes and cowards, young and old, Roman and Briton. A Year of Ravens is a novel in seven parts, overlapping stories of warriors and peacemakers, queens and slaves, Romans and Britons who cross paths during Boudica’s epic rebellion. But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens? First of all, I have to say how much I enjoyed A Year of Ravens. These are not just weasel words – it’s a five star book, no question. Congratulations to Ruth on Ria’s story; it was very poignant and I enjoyed the view ‘from below’. I rather think she made the best king’s daughter of them all… As with others in this series of interviews, I asked Ruth some pertinent (possibly impertinent) questions about this project… Why does Boudicca have an enduring attraction? As a Briton myself it’s tempting to fall back on the cliché that we all love a heroic failure, but I think it’s deeper than that. Deeper, too, than just respect for a brave woman. Underlying Boudica’s story is a question that’s still relevant today: What do you do in the face of tyranny? Could she have made different choices? The extra lure for writers, I think, is that we only know about her through the words of her conquerors. There must have been another version of events, and that leaves a huge space for the imagination. Were the group of authors self-selected or chosen? And how did you find working together? I was invited to fill a gap in the group, and have only ‘met’ the other writers via the Internet – which I have to admit feels a bit weird, since our characters know each other very well indeed. Luckily, the core group had already figured out how to coordinate everything during their first book, and everyone was very welcoming, so it wasn’t hard to slot in. As the project’s gone along I’ve grown increasingly in awe of the skills the rest of the team have to offer – not just writing and editing, which you might expect, but all the other jobs that need to be done to get a book out there. Every time something came up, somebody turned out either to know how to do it or to know somebody who did. Real professionals! What do you think is in it for the reader having such a diversity of author styles? I’m hoping readers will get the best of all of us. For example, I’m fascinated by the question of how ordinary Britons would have survived under the constant pressure of the Roman occupation, but I wouldn’t have a clue how to write a big battle scene. Fortunately there are people in the team who are brilliant at them, as readers will find out. Will there be another book focusing on a different event? I guess that’ll depend on the people who read this one… Publication date was 17 November and you can order A Year of Ravens from Amazon UK and Amazon US now. Ruth very kindly hosted the Roma Nova box set on her blog. Read more about her Ruso series on her website. Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS and SUCCESSIO. The fourth book, AURELIA and the Roma Nova box set are now out. Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines… December 10th, 2015 \| Tags: Books, Boudica, Celts, collaboration, historical, revolt, Rome \| Category: AURELIA, Authors, Guests, Romans, Women's history	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line563
__label__wiki	0.551715	0.551715	Главная База знаний "Allbest" Государство и право Fight against corruption in Ukraine as the precondition for introduction of visa-free regime with the European Union - подобные работы Fight against corruption in Ukraine as the precondition for introduction of visa-free regime with the European Union The launch of e-declaration on 15 August 2016 is an essential is the final commitment of Ukraine to obtain the free visa regime. In general, for effective implementation of anti-corruption policy in Ukraine should be introduced a systematic approach. посмотреть текст работы "Fight against corruption in Ukraine as the precondition for introduction of visa-free regime with the European Union" скачать работу "Fight against corruption in Ukraine as the precondition for introduction of visa-free regime with the European Union" (статья) 1. Types of political regimes and their characteristics The political regime: concept, signs, main approaches to the study. The social conditionality and functions of the political system in society. Characteristic of authoritarian, totalitarian, democratic regimes. Features of the political regime in Ukraine. 2. Health care reform: what should be done for building a fully-fledged health system in Ukraine Medicine in Ukraine. Health care reform: what doctors and patients should expect from. National strategy of health care reform. Changing the distribution of funds. Decentralization. The introduction of health insurance. Public-private partnership (PPP). эссе, добавлен 21.09.2015 3. The system of government in the Ukraine Like many other countries, the Constitution of Ukraine defines three branches of government – the legislative, the executive and the judicial. President also has the power, although it is not a branch, but it is the highest official in the country. 4. The state apparatus of Ukraine Characteristics of the state apparatus Ukraine: the concept, content and features, fundamental principles of organization and operation of state apparatus. Structure of the state apparatus and its correlation with the mechanism of state. 5. The problem of "Fulfilment of the Minsk agreements by Ukraine" The violation of the Minsk agreements achieved in the result of the Minsk process by Russia and latter’s interpretation of the agreements as imposing the obligations of fulfilment exclusively on Ukraine. Steps to implement of the Minsk agreements. 6. New democratic constitutionalism in Ukraine: problems of development Development in Ukraine of democratic, social, lawful state according to the constitutional development. The feature of the new democratic constitutionalism. Constitutionalism - introduction of the system of government based on the current Constitution. 7. Revisiting the issue on the extraterritorial effect of the russian law and the international law The article covers the issue of specific breaches of international law provisions owed to Ukraine by Russia. The article also examines problems in the application of international law by Russia. In the course of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. 8. Modern problems and prospects of development of local self-management in Ukraine Study of the problems of local government in Ukraine. Analysis of its budgetary support, personnel policy, administrative-territorial structure. The priority of reform of local self-management. The constitution of Palestine: "the state in development". 9. System and structure of the constitutional law of Ukraine: theoretic and methodological aspects The characteristics and structure of constitutional law of Ukraine, factors affecting its formation and development, the current trend. Reform and the direction of change of the legal branch of the state. Principles of functioning of constitutional law. 10. The concept of european citizenship in treatment of the court of the European Union The steady legal connection of the person with the state, expressing in aggregate of legal rights and duties. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992. Establishment of the European Economic Community. Increase of the number of rights given to the citizens.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line564
__label__wiki	0.503918	0.503918	Spreading Islam’s Influence in the United States Articles: June 25, 2013 Quietly spreading Islam’s influence in the United States, the Islamist Prime Minister of Turkey, recently paid Americans a visit. He came to survey the site of his government’s new project – a $100 million mosque located near this nation’s seat of government in Washington, D.C. As human rights abuses have been unleashed against protesters in cities across Turkey, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan, says he wants to promote Islamist values here in the U.S. Considering that Turkey’s Islamic value system has lead to the arrest of 4 Americans and 7 other foreign nationals for exercising their inherent free speech rights, the Turk’s value system hardly seems worthy of pursuit. Then of course, there is the on-going persecution of Christians, Jews, and other religious minorities by the Turkish government. It is a centuries old problem in Turkey that includes the genocide of the Armenian population in the last century – a crime against humanity that the Turkish government refuses to acknowledge. Turkey suggests that Turks are a tolerant people and therefore the Armenian massacres would be an “impossibility.” Likewise, eye-witness accounts of those massacres are treated as an insult against the “Turkishness,” of Turkey. The photo image found on my Facebook post is of an Armenian woman with children. Armenian families were rounded up and forced on death marches into the desert without food or water as Turkish authorities drove them out of the country. Click here to view more on the Armenian Genocide. Then too, there are those Greek Orthodox Christians who following World War I, were transferred to Greece under the terms of the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey. (By the way, speaking of population exchanges, why does Israel not exchange those persecuted Jews living in Muslim Arab countries for Muslim Arabs (Palestinians) living and terrorizing Jews in Israel?) Today, Turkey’s government continues to support terrorism against innocents by serving as an advocate for HAMAS, the Islamic Resistance Movement, a terrorist organization in Gaza that seeks the annihilation of the people of Israel. Indeed, HAMAS openly rejects a peaceful settlement with the Jewish state. Furthermore, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan, encourages HAMAS’s recalcitrance by refusing efforts to end the flow of weapons from Turkish groups to HAMAS or to call for an end to HAMAS terrorism. Strategic Solutions recommends the following: • The immediate release of all 11 foreign nationals including four Americans, two British citizens, two French nationals, one Indian, one German, and one Greek, from Turkish custody; • A call by Turkey’s Prime Minister to its ally HAMAS to end all terrorism and specifically against Israel, an important U.S. strategic ally; and, • An immediate end to Turkish persecution of religious minorities despite the fact that Muslims represent 99% of the Turkish population. The safety and security of minority religious groups must be protected. These conditions should be met before any construction of the Turkish government’s mosque just outside the nation’s capital.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line570
__label__wiki	0.933021	0.933021	Johnny Flores, an undergraduate majoring in journalism and minoring in sports media, at USCs Dedeaux Field. Photo by: Olivia Mowry Budding sports reporter uses internships to guide his path Updated September 27, 2018 5:22 p.m. Johnny Flores’ journey to USC Annenberg started in the rural farmlands of the Coachella Valley, where his grandfather tilled the fields well into his 70s. While the schools near his home were not well-funded, Flores ’19 had the opportunity to attend a prestigious high school several miles away. “That was a huge culture shock for me,” he said. “There’s a great divide between the haves and have-nots. The western side of Palm Desert is more affluent, but I acclimated quickly and took advantage of the resources made available to me,” Flores said. A guidance counselor encouraged him to think about college; a school trip to Princeton University cemented his field of study once he got there. A two-week journalism workshop at the Ivy League university introduced Flores to investigative news reporting, feature writing and film and sports reporting. But it was his interview with Mitch Henderson, head coach of the men’s basketball team, that left the strongest impression on him. While he was an avid sports fan from an early age, Flores didn’t know until after this interview was over that sports writing was something he wanted to do for a career. “Interviewing Henderson confirmed that this was a tangible dream,” Flores said. “I felt I could use my strength as a bilingual reporter to reach broader audiences and connect with Spanish-speaking athletes.” When it came time to apply to universities, USC was at the top of his list. Once Flores got to USC, he started taking advantage of the many internship opportunities available for USC Annenberg students. One of his first assignments was for his hometown newspaper, The Desert Sun, where he worked as a sports reporter. “Growing up, I read The Desert Sun almost daily. In high school, I would see my classmates featured in the sports section; to be able to write about sports and work with many of the reporters I grew up reading is something I will never forget,” he said. Over the next two years, Flores returned to the Sun as a digital intern and reporter, refining his writing skills. “I remember chasing down Major League Baseball players for quotes and meeting on-the-rise athletes and championship-winning soccer players,” he said. In addition to the Sun, Flores interned on the digital team for USA Today Sports and participated in the New York Maymester in his sophomore year. During the Maymester experience, he had the chance to visit the Major League Baseball (MLB) Network, where he was exposed to live broadcasts, behind-the-scenes coverage and an “inside-the-studio” perspective. This past summer, he participated in a two-week fellowship at The New York Times, where he served as a copy editor and worked alongside seasoned editors. He learned how to edit stories, found ways to streamline content and worked with writers on crafting tone. “I became part of the newsroom,” Flores said. “I was in the heart of New York City, working on tight deadlines and learning valuable leadership skills that come with editing. It was invigorating.” After the two weeks were over, Flores allowed himself a short break before starting his second internship of the summer, this time at Yahoo Sports, where he was hired as a digital social media intern. Here, Flores developed another set of skills where he was able to exercise his creativity as a journalist and push visual stories through various media. He not only helped curate MLB’s social platforms, he posted the content regularly to Yahoo Sports’ handles. Through these tasks, he learned the importance of elevating a brand’s voice so that it resonates with its audience and stands out among competitors. “I normally follow several MLB games a night and would routinely suggest content to our writers,” he said. This inspired adding search-friendly headlines and creating photo galleries and video, which he was able to monitor to see which content generated clicks and engagement. As Flores enters his senior year, he said he truly appreciates how USC Annenberg has taught him to turn theory into practice. “My journalism skills were refined at the internships over the years,” he said, “but the internships would not be possible without the academic skills learned in my courses. From multiplatform editing, reporting, and social media journalism, I am more than confident in my ability to join the workforce immediately after graduation.” Flores was recently asked to return to Yahoo Sports as a freelance social media editor, reporting for the MLB.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line572
__label__wiki	0.678672	0.678672	News»Published Manuel Castells on social media, protests in Brazil Greg Asciutto Updated July 7, 2015 12:06 p.m. University Professor Manuel Castells spoke with Brazil’s Folha de S. Paulo concerning the country's ongoing civil unrest. “Brazil’s main problem is not economic, but political,” said Castells, who stated that the Brazilian National Congress should be disbanded in wake of the protests. “In its present state Congress is incapable of reforming itself. It should be dissolved, to make way for a constituent process of democratic reform.” According to Castells, social media is responsible for the development of these demonstrations. “In our kind of society - the network society - social networks are the public space in which social movements are formed,” he said. “It is from there that the movements can occupy public space and then come to infiltrate public institutions.” Read the full interview here. Manuel Castells is University Professor and the Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society. He is Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and holds joint appointments in the Department of Sociology, in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and in the School of International Relations. Alain Touraine visits USC Annenberg for lecture on new book USC Annenberg Faculty, Alumni to Take On LA Times Festival of Books Forum on Charlie Hebdo Sparks Conversation about Freedom of Expression Quoted: Week of December 1, 2014 Reconceptualizing Development In The Global Information Age Travelogue: Annenberg Students in São Paulo What’s Next for USC Annenberg PhD Graduates? Kaplan: Why United States should "Be Brazil" Professor Castells hosts discussions on new documentary “DNA Dreams” and the technology of journalism’s future	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line573
__label__wiki	0.549559	0.549559	Proof of an External World G.E. Moore, Proceedings of the British Academy 25 (1939), pp.273-300. Go Feb 14, 2019 It is a matter of some importance and also a matter which falls properly within the province of philosophy, to discuss the question what sort of proof, if any, can be given of ‘the existence of things outside of us’. And to discuss this question was my object when I began to write the present lecture. But I may say at once that, as you will find, I have only, at most, succeeded in saying a very small part of what ought to be said about it. Intuition and Common Sense G. E. Moore Skeptical Theism: New Essays Trent Dougherty and Justin P. McBrayer, eds. (Oxford University Press: 2014), 368 pages. Go Sep 03, 2014 Given that we meet evils in every quarter of the world, could it be governed by an all-good and all-powerful deity? Whilst some philosophers argue that the problem of evil is strong evidence for atheism, others claim that all of the evils in our world can be explained as requirements for deeper goods. On the other hand, skeptical theists believe in God, but struggle with the task of explaining the role of evils in our world. Skeptical theism tackles the problem of evil by proposing a limited skepticism about the purposes of God, and our abilities to determine whether any given instance is truly an example of gratuitous evil. This collection of 22 original essays presents cutting-edge work on skeptical theistic responses to the problem of evil and the persistent objections that such responses invite. Divided into four sections, the volume discusses the epistemology of sceptical theism, conditions of reasonable epistemic access, the implications for theism, and the implications for morality. Protagoras on Knowledge of God The Great Sophists in Periclean Athens, Jacqueline de Romily and Janet Lloyd (Oxford University Press: 1998), p. 104. Eusebius tells us that it was the opening sentence of Protagoras’ treatise on the Gods, and it is attested by numerous citations. It runs as follows: “About the gods, I am not able to know whether they exist or do not exist, nor what they are like in form; for the factors preventing knowledge are many: the obscurity of the subject, and the shortness of human life.” The last words have sometimes been omitted, but they are important. They indicate the ground upon which Protagoras took up his position and the nature of his agnosticism. All that mattered to him was what could be known; and the Greek word (eidenai) that is used twice in this sentence means, precisely, knowledge: not belief, not faith. Religious Knowledge Bill Maher on Religious Certitude "Bill Maher vs. the 'talking snake'", by Andrew O'Hehir at Salon.com (October 2, 2008). I don’t use the word “atheist” about myself, because I think it mirrors the certitude I’m so opposed to in religion. What I say in the film is that I don’t know. I don’t know what happens when you die, and all the religious people who claim they do know are being ridiculous. I know that they don’t know any more than I do. They do not have special powers that I don’t possess. When they speak about the afterlife with such certainty and so many specifics, it just makes me laugh. People can tell you, “Oh yes, when you get to Paradise there are 72 virgins, not 70, not 75.” Or they say, “Jesus will be there sitting at the right hand of the Father, wearing a white robe with red piping. There will be three angels playing trumpets.” Well, how do you know this? It’s just so preposterous. So, yes, I would like to say to the atheists and agnostics, the people who I call rationalists, let’s stop ceding the moral high ground to the people who believe in the talking snake. Let’s have our voices heard and be in the debate. Our Kind of Skepticism Dr. Trevor in Evenings with the Skeptics: Free Discussion on Free thinkers, pp. 34-5. I come lastly to a third type of intellect, in which Twofold Truth presents itself in a moderate and altogether commendable shape; in which the disparity is not so much antagonistic as complementary, and the result of its functions is not disunion and hostility so much as a broad comprehensive solidarity. For our purpose we may call intellects of this class ‘dual-sighted’ or ‘two- eyed.’ … This ‘double-sighted man’ is by no means the synonym of the nickname common in Puritan history, ‘Mr. Facing-both-ways.’ It rather implies the possession of faculties which enable the observer to see every object in the solid, substantial manner, in the full relief, and with the true perspective that pertain essentially to all double vision. It is the instinctive power and tendency to discern a specific object or a given truth not merely as it is in itself or in one of its prima facie aspects, but in its completeness as a whole and relatively to all its surroundings. We see this quality in the artist who simultaneously with the perception of an object also sees all its different phases as well as its relations to surrounding objects; or again in the general who apprehends by a single glance of his mental vision all the characteristics, bad as well as good, of a given position or military movement. So the philosophers I speak of catch every truth or doctrine, not in its simple and uniform, but in its complex biform or multiform aspect. They are men to whom every affirmation suggests, if only as a possibility, a negative; who intuitively meet every dogmatic pronouncement with an objection, just as a painter infers shadow from light. These are the men who in my judgment have rendered the best service to the progress of knowledge by their comprehensive vision, their cautious Skeptical attitude, their fearless criticism. … Both/And 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian Guy P. Harrison (Prometheus Books: March 19, 2013), 350 pages. Written in a respectful and conversational style, this unique book is designed to promote constructive dialogue and foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. The author, a skeptic and journalist, asks basic questions about Christian belief. What is the born-again experience? Why would God want to sacrifice his only son for the world? Do miracles really happen? How reliable is the Bible? What is the rapture? Why isn’t everyone a Christian? Each question is followed by commentary and analysis that is skeptical and tough but never argumentative or condescending. Christians will find the book useful as a basis for developing their apologetics, while skeptics will welcome Harrison’s probing rational analysis of religious claims. ~ Publisher’s Description Anti-Religion Twofold Truth John Owen, Evenings with the Skeptics: Free Discussion on Free thinkers, Vol. II: Christian Skepticism (Longmans, Green & Co: 1881), pp.3-52. This is a long but exceptionally eloquent and learned dialogue between a group of thoughtful friends in the late 19th century. Dr. Trevor poses the question “whether what is demonstrably true in one subject or from one point of view can be false in another or from a different standpoint?” Their dialogue bookends Trevor’s formal paper, where he argues that whatever may be the case in reality, at least within our own deliberations, “we cannot without the most gratuitous mental suicide allow the subjective co-existence of antagonistic convictions both claiming to be true at the same time”. Trevor begins by noting the severe limits of our knowledge. “The thinker rightly regards himself and his knowledge as a small islet in the immeasurable ocean of the unknown.” He unsparingly traces a history of the ecclesiastic autocracy of theological dogma until reason got its foot in the door and began an insurrection, asserting itself against the “Roman” church as the singular arbiter of truth. Nonetheless, he argues, the phenomenon of competing considerations is not just a byproduct of religious authority, but rather an inescapable aspect of being human, coming at us from many angles: “the Known and the Unknown, individual man and collective humanity, Intellect and Emotion”. Trevor therefore commends the thinker who has “double vision”, the ability to see and integrate various sources of evidence, who is always reticent and reflective, even in conviction. Though it requires treading through some rather dense prose, the discussion of these “Christian skeptics” is a feast of language and thought. At times it captures the spirit of Afterall.net better than I ever could have in my own words. ~ Nate Faith + Reason The Sacredness of Questioning Everything David Dark (Zondervan: Mar. 2009), 272 pages. Questions make new worlds possible, asserts author Dark (The Gospel According to America), a key premise in this thought-provoking meander of reflections on, and challenges for, living an engaged life of authentic Christianity. The well-read author draws insight and inspiration from a broad range of sources — Shakespeare, Ursula Le Guin, Johnny Cash and James Joyce — in calling into question the status quo, received history and conventional theology. Dark brings to his writing the kind of energy, offbeat enthusiasm and commitment to relevance that must make his high school English classes exciting places for inquiry and exploration. That each page yokes keen observation to practical application with wisdom and compassion inclines the reader to forgive the book’s bewildering organization and abstruse section headings. Questions for further conversation at the end of each chapter will be useful for groups eager to put Dark’s appeals into action. The author’s passion for social justice, clarity about the sacred obligation of taking nothing at face value and confidence that unsettling questions yield rich rewards for both individuals and communities is convincing and moving. ~ Publishers Weekly Religulous: Uncut Reflections director Larry Charles, writer Bill Maher (Thousand Words: 2008), 101 min. Go Nov 16, 2008 If you consider a wide sampling of the reactions to Bill Maher’s and Larry Charles’ Religulous, two distinct themes emerge. On the one hand, reviewers consistently note that the filmmakers were deliberately manipulative in their survey of religion: in whom they chose to interview and feature, in asking baited questions, and finally, in their merciless splicing and dicing in the editing room. And so, not surprisingly, religious people come off as goofy, gullible, and worse. On the other hand, a number of reviewers note what they take to be an earnest search by Maher to understand people of faith. As Maher puts it himself at the outset, his quest is to understand how otherwise intelligent and rational people can continue to believe in fantasies like talking snakes and a virgin birth. It’s a worthwhile question, and there are moments in the film when Maher displays some genuine curiosity about it. Nonetheless, these two observations about Religulous are incompatible. And regrettably, by the end, it is clear that Maher and Charles set out not on a quest for understanding, but rather to proof-text their presumptions. Religulous is funny enough, and at times thought provoking. On the whole, however, Religulous is a “mockumentary”. A hit-piece. It is a quest that begins with a predetermined destination in mind and manages to arrive there by scrupulously avoiding any detours that might have derailed the script. Nathan B Jacobson Oxford Handbook of Skepticism John Greco (Oxford University Press, USA : September 22, 2008), 624 pages. In the history of philosophical thought, few themes loom as large as skepticism. Skepticism has been the most visible and important part of debates about knowledge. Skepticism at its most basic questions our cognitive achievements, challenges our ability to obtain reliable knowledge; casting doubt on our attempts to seek and understand the truth about everything from ethics, to other minds, religious belief, and even the underlying structure of matter and reality. Since Descartes, the defense of knowledge against skepticism has been one of the primary tasks not just of epistemology but philosophy itself. The Oxford Handbook of Skepticism features twenty-six newly commissioned chapters by top figures in the field. Part One contains articles explaining important kinds of skeptical reasoning. Part Two focuses on responses to skeptical arguments. Part Three concentrates on important contemporary issues revolving around skepticism. As the first volume of its kind, the articles make significant contributions to the debate on skepticism. ~ Product Description Bill Maher on Trying to Make Faith Reasonable This is the idea that people have in their heads, that somehow you can have a person who sounds very rational and can hold his own in a conversation about whether religion is silly or not. And I just disagree with that premise. If you’re defending the story I just described, you are going to come out sounding ridiculous no matter who you are and no matter how intelligent you are. We interviewed Francis Collins in the film. He’s the man who mapped the human genome, he’s a brilliant scientist. But he says some pretty cuckoo things, some things that are just factually wrong and make him look foolish. I said, “We don’t even know for sure whether Jesus lived,” and he said, “We have eyewitness accounts.” I said, “No, every scholar agrees that the gospels were written from 40 to 70 years after Jesus died.” And he said, “Well, that’s close.” That’s close to an eyewitness account? Forty years after somebody dies, 2,000 years ago? This idea that there’s somebody out there who can make a case for this and make it sound reasonable, that just doesn’t exist. Tim Keller on Doubt and Doubting Doubts The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (Dutton: Feb 2008), pp. xvi-xvii. Go Feb 01, 2008 A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection. ¶ Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts — not only their own but their friends’ and neighbors’. It is no longer sufficient to hold beliefs just because you inherited them. Only if you struggle long and hard with objections to your faith will you be able to provide the grounds for your beliefs to skeptics, including yourself, that are plausible rather than ridiculous or offensive. And, just as important for our current situation, such a process will lead you, even after you come to a position of strong faith, to respect and understand those who doubt. Christopher Hitchens on Scientific Naturalism god is not Great, Christopher Hitchens (Twelve Books: 2007), p4. And here is the point, about myself and my co-thinkers. Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursut of ideas for their own sake. We do not hold our convictions dogmatically: the disagreement between Professor Stephen Jay Gould and Professor Richard Dawkins, concerning “punctuated evolution” and the unfilled gaps in post-Darwinian theory, is quite wide as well as quite deep, but we shall resolve it by evidence and reasoning and not by mutual excommunication. Skepticism: An Anthology Richard H. Popkin and Jose R. Maia Neto, eds. (Prometheus: May 2007), 576 pages. This anthology contains the principal texts of the skeptical tradition from its origins in antiquity to contemporary philosophy. Selections include the writings of both well-known and lesser-known but influential philosophers of the Western tradition who either advanced skeptical views or dealt with skeptical issues for other philosophical or religious purposes. An introduction on the origins, kinds, and significance of philosophical skepticism puts the various readings in the context of the history of Western philosophy. The editors have also added brief discussions of each philosopher and text included in the anthology, plus a selected bibliography, which lists the main secondary literature on ancient, modern, and contemporary skepticism. This collection is ideal for introductory philosophy courses and courses on intellectual history, or for any reader interested in an influential school of thought, which challenges the nature of philosophy itself. Philosophical Skepticism: From Plato to Rorty Charles Landesman and Roblin Meeks, eds. (Wiley-Blackwell: Oct 29, 2002), 376 pages. Philosophical Skepticism provides a selection of texts drawn from the skeptical tradition of Western philosophy as well as texts written by opponents of skepticism. Taken together with the historical introduction by Landesman and Meeks, these texts clearly illustrate the profound influence that skeptical stances have had on the nature of philosophical inquiry. 1) Draws a selection of texts from the skeptical tradition of Western philosophy as well as texts written by opponents of skepticism. 2) Spans centuries of skeptical and anti-skeptical arguments, from Socrates to Rorty. 3) Includes essays by Plato, Cicero, Diogenes Laertius, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Kierkegaard, Russell, Quine, Nagel, and many others. Why People Believe Weird Things Michael Shermer (Holt Paperbacks, Revised & Enlarged Edition: Sep 1, 2002), 384 pages. In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science. Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them. ~ Book Description Naturalism and Scientism On Pascal Douglas Groothuis (Wadsworth: June 2002), 96 pages. Go Jun 01, 2002 On Pascal, like other titles in the Wadsworth Philosopher’s Series, offers a concise, yet comprehensive, introduction to this philosopher’s most important ideas. Presenting the most important insights of well over a hundred seminal philosophers in both the Eastern and Western traditions, the Wadsworth Philosophers Series contains volumes written by scholars noted for their excellence in teaching and for their well-versed comprehension of each featured philosopher’s major works and contributions. These titles have proven valuable in a number of ways. Serving as standalone texts when tackling a philosophers’ original sources or as helpful resources for focusing philosophy students’ engagements with these philosopher’s often conceptually daunting works, these titles have also gained extraordinary popularity with a lay readership and quite often serve as “refreshers” for philosophy instructors. ~ Publisher’s Description Skepticism and the Veil of Perception Michael Huemer (Rowman & Littlefield: Jul 17, 2001), 232 pages. Since Descartes, one of the central questions of Western philosophy has been that of how we know that the objects we seem to perceive are real. Philosophical skeptics claim that we know no such thing. Representationalists claim that we can gain such knowledge only by inference, by showing that the hypothesis of a real world is the best explanation for the kind of sensations and mental images we experience. Both accept the doctrine of a ‘veil of perception’: that perception can only give us direct awareness of images or representations of objects, not the external objects themselves. In contrast, Huemer develops a theory of perceptual awareness in which perception gives us direct awareness of real objects, not mental representations, and we have non-inferential knowledge of the properties of these objects. Further, Huemer confronts the four main arguments for philosophical skepticism, showing that they are powerless against this kind of theory of perceptual knowledge. Can Theists Really Think? Clipped by Nathan Jacobson Jeffrey Jay Lowder, founder of the Internet Infidels, offers a welcome clarification of the term ‘feethinker,’ in his article, “Is ‘Freethinker’ Synonymous with ‘Nontheist?‘” He ultimately agrees with Bertrand Russell that what defines a freethinker is not the content of his beliefs, but because “after careful thought, he finds a balance of evidence in their favor.” In principle, then, Lowder concedes that a theist could be a freethinker. His unremarkable conclusion is noteworthy because it demurs from the pervasive opinion of many skeptics that the defining characteristic of religious people is their unthinking credulity. Consider, by way of contrast, the Freedom from Religion Foundation’s ‘nontract’ (sic), “What Is A Freethinker?” Still, Lowder rejects the possibility that an Evangelical Christian could be a freethinker. Considering Lowder’s familiarity with the recent flowering of excellent Christian scholarship, especially in philosophy, his denial of Christian “free thinking” is, in the end, a bit puzzling. Reason and Logic Paul C. Vitz on Freud "The Psychology of Atheism" in Truth Journal Freud makes another strange claim, namely that the oldest and most urgent wishes of mankind are for the loving protecting guidance of a powerful loving Father, for divine Providence. However, if these wishes were as strong and ancient as he claims, one would expect pre-Christian religion to have strongly emphasized God as a benevolent father. In general, this was far from the case for the pagan religion of the Mediterranean world-and, for example, is still not the case for such popular religions as Buddhism and for much of Hinduism. Indeed, Judaism and most especially Christianity are in many respects distinctive in the emphasis on God as a loving Father. Kim Walker on Loss of Faith "Atheism in the Third Millennium", The Secular Web (January 2, 2000) It’s a familiar story now. Young Christian was born into a God-fearing household. He learned to read from an illustrated children’s Bible (one of those with the sex and nastiness carefully bowdlerised). He went to a Christian school. He joined a Christian group in college. He got into an argument with an atheist and found his knowledge of the Bible wanting. He set out to study the Bible in greater depth, so he could answer the atheist’s objections all the better. He found the Bible hopelessly flawed and suffered a crisis of faith. He went to his church so his faith might be restored, but found no convincing answers for his questions. He left the church, convinced that there was something wrong with him, which made him unable to believe and left him eternally damned. He discovered that there was life after religion, and that it wasn’t all bad, and that there are more things in heaven and earth than his priest ever told him about. Now he calls himself an atheist. Faith of the Fatherless Paul C. Vitz (Spence: October 15, 1999), 200 pages. Starting with Freud’s “projection theory” of religion-that belief in God is merely a product of man’s desire for security. Vitz argues that psychoanalysis actually provides a more satisfying explanation for atheism. Disappointment in one’s earthly father, whether through death, absence, or mistreatment, frequently leads to a rejection of God. A biographical survey of influential atheists of the past four centuries shows that this “defective father hypothesis” provides a consistent explanation of the “intense atheism” of these thinkers. A survey of the leading intellectual defenders of Christianity over the same period confirms the hypothesis, finding few defective fathers. Professor Vitz concludes with an intriguing comparison of male and female atheists and a consideration of other psychological factors that can contribute to atheism. Professor Vitz does not argue that atheism is psychologically determined. Each man, whatever his experiences, ultimately chooses to accept God or reject him. Yet the cavalier attribution of religious faith to irrational, psychological needs is so prevalent that an exposition of the psychological factors predisposing one to atheism is necessary. ~ Book Description Skepticism: A Contemporary Reader Keith DeRose and Ted A. Warfield, eds. (Oxford University Press: Jan 28, 1999), 320 pages. Recently, new life has been breathed into the ancient philosophical topic of skepticism. The subject of some of the best and most provocative work in contemporary philosophy, skepticism has been addressed not only by top epistemologists but also by several of the world’s finest philosophers who are most known for their work in other areas of the discipline. Skepticism: A Contemporary Reader brings together the most important recent contributions to the discussion of skepticism. Covering major approaches to the skeptical problem, it features essays by Anthony Brueckner, Keith DeRose, Fred Dretske, Graeme Forbes, Christopher Hill, David Lewis, Thomas Nagel, Robert Nozick, Hilary Putnam, Ernest Sosa, Gail Stine, Barry Stroud, Peter Unger, and Ted Warfield. The book opens with a thorough introduction that outlines the skeptical problem, explains the dominant responses to skepticism, and discusses the strengths, weaknesses, and unresolved issues of each response, providing undergraduate students and nonphilosophers with the background and context necessary to understand the essays. Skepticism: A Contemporary Reader serves as an ideal text for courses in epistemology and skepticism and will also appeal to professional philosophers and interested general readers. Thomas Nagel on Nonrational Rationality The Last Word (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), pp. 115-6. Suppose you become convinced that all your choices, decisions, and conclusions were determined by rationally arbitrary features of your psychological makeup or by external manipulation, and then tried to ask yourself what, in the light of this information, you should do or believe. There would really be no way to answer the question. Because the arbitrary causal control of which you had become convinced would apply to whatever you said or decided. You could not simultaneously believe this about yourself and try to make a free, rational choice. Not only that, but if the very belief in the causal system of control was itself a product of what you thought to be reasoning, then it too would lose its status as a belief freely arrived at, and your attitude toward it would have to change. ¶ Doubt about your own rationality is unstable; it leaves you really with nothing to think. So although the hypothesis of nonrational control seems a contingent possibility, it is no more possible to entertain it with regard to yourself than it is to consider the possibility that you are not thinking. I have never known how to respond to this conundrum. The Demon-Haunted World Carl Sagan (Ballantine Books: Feb 25, 1997), 480 pages. Eminent Cornell astronomer and bestselling author Sagan debunks the paranormal and the unexplained in a study that will reassure hardcore skeptics but may leave others unsatisfied. To him, purported UFO encounters and alien abductions are products of gullibility, hallucination, misidentification, hoax and therapists’ pressure; some alleged encounters, he suggests, may screen memories of sexual abuse. He labels as hoaxes the crop circles, complex pictograms that appear in southern England’s wheat and barley fields, and he dismisses as a natural formation the Sphinx-like humanoid face incised on a mesa on Mars, first photographed by a Viking orbiter spacecraft in 1976 and considered by some scientists to be the engineered artifact of an alien civilization. In a passionate plea for scientific literacy, Sagan deftly debunks the myth of Atlantis, Filipino psychic surgeons and mediums such as J.Z. Knight, who claims to be in touch with a 35,000-year-old entity called Ramtha. He also brands as superstition ghosts, angels, fairies, demons, astrology, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and religious apparitions. ~ Publishers Weekly	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line575
__label__cc	0.703169	0.296831	An interview with Groovy Lee Today I have Groovy Lee on ARCBookblog, a lady who gives me TV envy, because my big screen clearly isn’t big enough. Before I get too upset about that, here’s Groovy to tell us all a bit about herself. I was born in the deep south where the number four has two syllables. I somehow did not acquire that distinct Southern accent, but I am accustomed to expressions of “Yall”, “Ain’t”, and when I’m really mad–“Ain’t gonna!”. I’m also addicted to bottled tea and cooking shows; I crochet and collect crystal. My best friend and Queen is my daughter who gets a foot massage from me after a long day:) My most favorite time of the year is tennis season. When the French Open, Wimbledon, and The US Open are airing, you can look for me, but you won’t find me. Unless you know where my 53″ television set is. Even then approach me with all the care you would a Grizzly–exactly, you wouldn’t! My daughter is prohibited from communicating with me unless it’s a code 10 emergency; And even then I’ll direct her to the neighbor for help–just kidding, she knows how to dial 911 I write Romantic/Suspense, Suspense, and wholesome, passionate Romances that deal with matters of the heart. No sexually graphic stories or one night stands. I write about love, not lust. If my stories bring a smile to just one person’s heart, then I’ve done my job. That’s what it’s all about. One of my books, Cause She’s A Good Girl, was featured on a popular Nashville Morning Show, Talk of The Town, and given a highly recommended by BookWoman. I’m still smiling at that:) Thanks to all of you who have added me to their list of authors they are fans of. I’m so honored! And I love when people friend me:) I’m not a big fan of Facebook or Twitter, but I invite you all to email me with your suggestions or questions. You can contact me here on Goodreads or atreyhu@att.net. Thank you for your time and Good Reading! http://www.groovylee.com/ Now that we have the bio portion of this interview out of the way, it’s time for the questions. Me – Is writing a full-time occupation, or do you have a job that keeps you from it? Groovy – I’m so blessed to be able to write full-time. Me – What aspect of publishing do you find the easiest? Groovy – Pushing that button that turns your manuscript into a bona-fide book. Everything else is hard work, but a joy. Me – What do you find the most difficult? Groovy – I’m sure I’m giving the same answer as everyone else, but it’s the promoting part I find the hardest. I’m an introvert. Selling my work or me as an author is not easy. I wish there was a red button to push where all of your fans were waiting. Wishful thinking—right? Me – What is your perfect writing environment. Groovy – When I’m beginning a story on paper, it’s upstairs on my bed while Perry Mason is on TV; when it’s time to work in front of my computer, it’s when no one is home and there’s quiet. Me – Do you have a process you follow when writing a book? Groovy – Not really. I just write down what my characters tell me to. Me – Would you rather be critically successful or financially successful? Groovy – That’s a good question. I think critically successful. I want the whole world to love reading my books. The financial success will come automatically when they purchase them. Me – If you could pick 1 celebrity to read your book and give an opinion on it, who would it be? Groovy – At first it was Prince. But now that he’s no longer with us, it’s Oprah. Because if she likes it, so will her millions of followers. Me – Do you find it easy to avoid being distracted when you sit down to write? Groovy – It depends on what stage of writing I’m in. If it’s the beginning stage, no; but if I’m trying to edit, yes. I need quiet to get the flow of the story and make sure the scenes are coming together. Me – If you have published already, what has been the most successful technique/site/opportunity for you in terms of getting either exposure or sales? Groovy – So far for me, it’s Goodreads. I’m active on a lot of forums, and my books get a lot of exposure there. Me – Last but not least, and something a little fun, what is your favourite animal, and why? Groovy – Let’s see—Dogs are extremely smart and loyal; horses are THE most beautiful animals; there’s a Hawk that flies around my house, and he’s absolutely breath-taking; Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite shows. Each species come in all sorts of colors and sizes, so I can’t pick a favorite, sorry. If you’d like to know more about Groovy you can check out the following links A Body Resurrected Sixteen year-old Mira is an Egyptian girl who lives a quiet life in her small village in Lower Egypt 3303 B.C.E. But two visitors from the planet Aut are about to change that. The first “flying metal” that whips across the sky carries a murderous plague by the name of Demen. The second one that follows, brings a bounty-hunter named Weir. Against her father’s wishes, Mira becomes Weir’s accomplice in his mission to apprehend Demen before another woman dies by his hands. But there’s a problem: Demen is now a powerful Pharaoh in the city of Sharkura. Will apprehending him cost Weir and Mira their lives? Almay, California, USA, twenty-first century: Tina Leggs oversees the artifacts and exhibits of the Graham-Arlee museum. She has no idea that the mummy exhibit that’s drawing huge crowds, is the same Demen that her ancestor, Mira, bravely faced centuries ago. Demen is no longer a powerful Pharaoh. Now, he’s nothing more than a museum exhibit since he was discovered in the Valley of the Kings. But a rare occurrence will give him life once more. And his desire to kill the misery known as woman is as strong as ever. Enter Q, a second bounty-hunter sent from Aut to capture him. Like Mira, Tina has been cast into the role of ally to this handsome visitor. Amid the destruction Demen is causing, and the risk to their lives to stop him, they realize their deep love for one another. But, will she leave her family on Earth for the sake of that love? blog, Indie books, Uncategorized A Body Resurrected, alien, bounty hunter, demon, Egypt, Groovy Lee, indie author, Interview, pharoah, romance, sci-fi, space, suspense, Valley of the Kings A review of Harry Potter 2 Anti-social vs social media.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line578
__label__wiki	0.80459	0.80459	Letter from California: A tale of two states with something in common Posted at 11:02 pm on May 18, 2014 by sknowles California and Massachusetts are separated by over 2,555 miles. However, they share much in common when it comes to protecting their children. If you live in Massachusetts, you may be very familiar by now with the Justina Pelletier case. Briefly, Justina, a 15-year-old Connecticut resident, diagnosed by Boston’s Tufts Medical Center with Mitochondrial Disease, a rare genetic muscle wasting condition, after she was referred by Tufts to Boston Children’s Hospital in February 2013, when she became ill with the flu while in Boston with her family. Justina’s doctor at Tufts wanted Justina to be seen by a specialist at BCH because of the complications that Mitochondrial Disease can produce and suggested that the parents take her there. Once at BCH, Justina was seen by a psychologist on staff, instead of the specialist she had come to see. The hospital then determined that Justina should be taken off of the medications previously prescribed by her Tufts’ doctor following her psychological assessment. The BCH psychologist concluded that Justina suffered from a psychological disorder rather than a medical issue. When the parents objected to the psychological diagnosis and wanted to discharge their daughter in order to seek a second opinion, the Department of Children and Families was called and the parents lost custody of Justina, first in an emergency decree and then formally in court a few days later. Justina’s removal from her parents’ custody was based on a claim of “medical abuse.” In other words, it was alleged that the parents were essentially making Justina believe that she was ill by treating her for a medical issue rather than treating her for a psychological disorder. In a report filed in April 2013, BCH justified their decision in contacting DCF, by reporting that, “Due to concerns regarding Justina’s regressive behavior changes around her family, the multiple medical procedures and care episodes she has been through…and both parents’ resistance towards recommended treatment plans for Justina…a child protection team was convened.” BCH told him that Mitochondrial Disease does not exist, said Lou Pelletier, Justina’s father. “Instead they said she has Somatoform Disorder, which is essentially a stress-related mental problem.” Then, under the care of BCH, Pelletier has watched her daughter suffer. “They said she had been misdiagnosed, overmedicated and forced to undergo unnecessary procedures,” he said. “It was as though they were accusing us of needlessly harming our daughter.” Pelletier said Massachusetts DCF has never visited his home, but that Connecticut DCF investigated them and found nothing wrong. Initially, the family was under a gag order and prohibited from talking to anyone about their case, he said. Recently, however, Lou Pelletier broke his silence in order to save his daughter. The Pelletiers’ battle to regain custody of their daughter is ongoing. Photographs of a once figure skating Justina have turned into a wheelchair bound adolescent, who according to reports, has not received an education while in custody, has not been allowed to exercise her religious beliefs, and has not been allowed to have contact with her parents without supervision, typically, for only an hour per week. The California agency sworn to protect children in its custody is called Child Protective Services. CPS was in the news not too long ago. Like the Massachusetts’ DCF case involving Justina Pelletier, California CPS removed a child from its parents’ custody when the parents sought to obtain a second medical opinion. In April 2013, the Nikolayev family, Russian immigrants living in Sacramento, California, took their five-month-old son, Sammy, to a local hospital because of flu symptoms. Anna Nikolayev complained when she saw a nurse giving her son antibiotics and became concerned. Sammy suffers from a heart murmur and had been seeing a doctor about his condition since birth at the same local hospital. The doctors eventually placed baby Sammy in ICU to monitor his condition but, after a couple of days the doctors began talking about performing heart surgery. “If we got the one mistake after another, I don’t want to have my baby have surgery in the hospital where I don’t feel safe,” Anna said. After telling the doctors that she wanted a second opinion, the Nikolayev family removed their child without a proper discharge and took him to another hospital, Kaiser Permanente, she said. “The police showed up there. They saw that the baby was fine,” Anna said. “They told us that Sutter was telling them so much bad stuff that they thought that this baby is dying on our arms.” The doctor treating Sammy wrote in medical records: “I do not have concern for the safety of the child at home with his parents.” The parents subsequently took Sammy home and hoped that was the end of the issue. The following day, CPS showed up unannounced at the Nikolayev’s house and the father, Alex Nikolayev, said he was physically attacked. “I was pushed against the building, smacked down. I said, ‘Am I being placed under arrest?’ He smacked me down onto the ground, yelled out, ‘I think I got the keys to the house,'” he said. Upon entering the house, a Sacramento police officer, according to the videotaped incident: “I’m going to grab your baby, and don’t resist, and don’t fight me, OK?” Anna had thought to set up a camera the day before in the event CPS or the police decided to make a visit to their home. Baby Sammy was subsequently placed in CPS custody. While the Pelletiers’ child was not forcibly removed from her parents, as was claimed in the Nikolayev case, though Justina is not allowed to leave the hospital, the reasons given for the removal of the children into a protective agency’s custody is very similar. Both parents sought a second medical opinion after disagreeing with a hospital’s diagnosis and both parents subsequently lost custody of their child. Some believe that cases such as the Pelletiers’ and the Nikolayevs’ happen far too often because the state receives financial reward. Sammy Nikolayev has been returned to his family, other notable CPS custody cases in California, like the case involving Ruby Dillon’s daughter, where tThe mother alleged during her divorce that the couple’s daughter had been molested by the girl’s father. CPS gave custody of their daughter to her father, have remained unresolved. Justina Pelletier was recently moved from a facility in Massachusetts, where she was being housed, to a Massachusetts’ owned facility in Connecticut, where she awaits a permanent return to her family. Deanna Fogarty, a California woman, who recently was awarded approximately $11 million for her lawsuit against CPS alleged that her daughters were removed when social workers lied in order to justify their removal. Fogarty believes that the system is a “system of lies.” Fogarty said she believes that children are removed so often by CPS for the financial reward. “I would submit that the massive funding tied to the removal of a child has caused Child Protective Services to morph into a mechanism for financial gain,” she said. “Money has fundamentally shifted this agency’s objective from one of protector to that of the perpetrator and with it the tendency for this agency to abuse its power with regularity. Legislative reform and accountability is vital when it comes to an agency endowed with so much power and responsibility.” Presumably, Massachusetts DCF is also continuing to benefit financially by having Justina in their custody and control since February 2013. California has taken steps to ensure that instances like the Nikolayev, Dillon, and Fogarty cases never happen again by introducing legislative reform and accountability. Earlier this year, Republican California Assemblyman, Tim Donnelly, introduced Assembly Bill 1828, “Sammy’s Law” named after baby Sammy Nikolayev. The bill if passed, would reform how CPS operates by requiring a video and audio recording of all interactions between CPS social workers and the families, including interviews and removal proceedings. Massachusetts may want to consider following in the footsteps of California by introducing similar legislation in their state to hold DCF accountable for its’ actions, not only in the Pelletier case, but in future cases in which families believe they have lost custody of their children without proper legal justification. Author's Bio: sknowles https://bearingarms.com/author/sknowles/	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line580
__label__cc	0.710886	0.289114	It’s Official – George Harrison “The Apple Years 1968-1975” Posted on September 3, 2014 by beatlesblogger The George Harrison and The Beatles official sites have finally gone public, announcing for certain and in detail the news that Dhani Harrison leaked on social media at the end of July. The full details of the new box set The Apple Years 1968-75 have been placed on both websites and information has been emailed to subscribers. It will be released in just under three weeks time on September 22 (September 23 in the US). There’s also a stylish video to accompany the news: In the video you can catch a glimpse of how the box and each of the six CDs and DVD will be packaged – although it goes by fairly quickly! The information on the website confirms that there will be six albums and a DVD, and says that the box set will contain eight discs in all – meaning seven CDs and one DVD. That is confirmation that All Things Must Pass will be on two CD’s, just like the 2001 re-issue. However, it will contain a miniaturised version of the poster which was included in the original triple-LP release. Complete track lists are available, including for the first time what will be on the DVD, which will be (for the time being) exclusive to The Apple Years box set: • George Harrison – The Apple Years Feature (2014) • All Things Must Pass (bonus feature in 2001 album package) • The Concert for Bangladesh EPK (2005) Produced by Olivia Harrison and Jonathan Clyde • Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) (video from Live In Japan, 1991) • Miss O’Dell (alternative version from 2006 deluxe edition of Living In The Material World) • Sue Me Sue You Blues (acoustic demo version from 2006 deluxe edition of Living In The Material World) • Living In The Material World (feature from 2006 deluxe edition of Living In The Material World) • Ding Dong, Ding Dong (original promo video, 1974) • Dark Horse (original promotional clip, 1974) This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Apple Records, Beatles, Beatles Collecting, box set, George Harrison, The Apple Years by beatlesblogger. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0007.json.gz/line581

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