pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 119
983k
| source
stringlengths 37
43
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__wiki
| 0.526565
| 0.526565
|
The Sexterminators
Anyone who knows anything about the revolutionaries bent on destroying the West will know that attacking marriage, family, morality, and especially sexual morality, is a key means of doing so. If family can be decimated and sexuality smashed, the radicals know they can easily take a nation.
They attempted this externally of course, as in the Bolshevik Revolution. One of the first things to be done after they took power in 1917 was to move against the family – a symbol of decadent bourgeois morality. Historian Pavel A. Parfentiev gives us the gory details of this war on morality and family:
Laying what later became the ideological groundwork for the post-1917 Communist authorities in Russia, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels are widely known to have entertained largely negative views of the traditional family. According to Marx and Engels, under Communism the “bourgeois” family would have to “disappear,” just as “the capital” would. The practice of parents “exploiting” their children would be abolished, and family education would be replaced by public education.
These ideas were taken up and further radically developed into early post-revolutionary Russian ideology. The new authorities’ first steps were to “liberalize” family relationships—and thus simultaneously to undermine the influence of religious institutions such as the Russian Orthodox Church.
The year 1917 saw the Soviet government passing decrees “On Civil Marriage, Children, and Registries” and “On Dissolution of Marriages.” The decree “On Dissolution of Marriages” granted spouses unconditional freedom to a divorce, performed by a local court, at the desire of either one or both parties. “On Civil Marriage” decreed that all except civil marriage (including religious marriage) would cease to be recognized by the state, while at the same time abolishing all distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. (It should be noted that the sole aim of introducing civil marriages was to undermine religion. Writing in 1922, one Soviet lawyer stressed that “[t]he institution of Registrars was necessitated by the fight against the Church.”
Affirming such moves, the 1918 Family Code introduced a whole new morality, contravening the existing practices of marital and family law. In its provisions for divorce, the new legislation granted spouses rights to separate property and thereby abolished shared, family property. The Code also included vague criteria for deprivation of parental rights. Article 153 stated that “[p]arental rights are exercised exclusively in the interests of the child, with courts invested with the right to deprive the parents thereof in case said rights are exercised improperly.” Article 183 prohibited adoption, replacing it with a system of state-appointed foster caretakers. The Soviets were also the first government to proclaim complete freedom of abortion.
All of these steps were in line with the new authorities’ ideology of considering the family the backbone of the oppression of women. Russian Communists thought the liberation of women required destroying family households and family education for public versions of both, while drawing women en masse into public production. Writing in 1919, Lenin argued that “true liberation of women, true Communism comes about only when and where the masses rise up . . . against . . . small-scale households.”
In his 1920 work The ABC of Communism, Nikolay Bukharin and Yevgeni Preobrazhensky, ideologues of the new order, wrote: “In a bourgeois society, a child is viewed as being exclusively, or at the very least, largely a property of his parents. When parents speak of a child as ‘their daughter, their son,’ it implies not only their parenthood, but also the right to educate their own children. From a Socialist point of view, this right is entirely and completely unfounded. An individual does not belong to itself, but to society – humankind.”
This view is seconded by Lenin, writing in 1920: “We are serious in delivering on our manifesto commitment to transfer the economic and educational functions of the individual household to the society.”
The new ideologues explicitly stated the need to destroy the family. A. M. Kollontay, one of the Communist party’s most active family policy makers, formulated this need in no uncertain terms as far back as 1918: “The family is doomed. It will be destroyed.” N. Bukharin also wrote that “in a Communist society, when private property and oppression of women finally come to an end, so, too, will prostitution and marriage.”
As a natural consequence of the new authorities’ antifamily policy, a rapid disintegration of the family followed. Freedom of divorce led to serial polygamy and prostitution masquerading as marriage. In 1920 Petrograd (now St Petersburg), 41% of marriages lasted only three to six months, 22% less than two months, and 11% less than one month. Open prostitution was rampant.
The number of divorces skyrocketed. While in 1913 there were 0.15 divorces to 1,000 marriages for Russian couples, 1926-1927 saw 11 (almost 100 times more). In 1920 Petrograd 92 marriages out of 1,000 ended in divorce, and in 1926 Moscow it was 477 per 1000. The state widely advocated freedom of sexual relations. One can say with certainty that the period dealt the natural family a devastating blow, one from which Russian family policy is still recovering.
And the cultural Marxists, seeking to overthrow the West from within, adopted the same principles. Consider some of the stated goals of the communists in their attempt to take over America, as enumerated in ex-FBI agent Cleon Skousen’s 1958 book The Naked Communist:
-Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
-Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.
-Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression.
-Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them “censorship” and a violation of free speech and free press.
-Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.
-Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, healthy.”
-Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
-Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
Hmm, no wonder the gender bender revolution of the past few decades sounds so familiar. Destroy the family, undermine parental authority, let human sexuality run amok, and declare war on gender and biology. We see this happening all the time. By now you would have heard of the insanity being pushed at one US university:
Last week, UT’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion released a letter to students reminding them to make the campus as welcoming and inclusive for everyone. This included encouraging them to use a student’s name and the correct pronouns.
“We should not assume someone’s gender by their appearance, nor by what is listed on a roster or in student information systems,” wrote Donna Braquet, Director of the Pride Center.
Braquet asked that in the first weeks of classes, instead of calling roll, professors ask everyone to provide their name and pronouns.
“We are familiar with the singular pronouns she, her, hers and he, him, his, but those are not the only singular pronouns. In fact, there are dozens of gender-neutral pronouns,” Braquet wrote.
A few of the most common singular gender-neutral pronouns are they, them, their (used as singular), ze, hir, hirs, and xe, xem, xyr.
This school, and others, are rightly “At War with Reality” as Fay Voshell notes. She writes:
The office’s Donna Braquet declares: “We should not assume someone’s gender by their appearance, nor by what is listed on a roster or in student information systems. Transgender people and people who do not identify within the gender binary may use a different name than their legal name and pronouns of their gender identity, rather than the pronouns of the sex they were assigned at birth.”
Braquet adds, “…if students and faculty cannot use ze, hir, hirs, xe, xem or xyr, they can also politely ask. “’Oh, nice to meet you, [insert name]. What pronouns should I use?’ is a perfectly fine question to ask.”
Of course, it would be impolite to ask Braquet if ze is out of hir mind. But hir latest declamations might give parents who are thinking of sending their children to the University of Tennessee a bit of a pause? Are they prepared for their kids to come home and announce that the terms “mother” and “father” are inherently offensive and that henceforth parents are “Ne” and “Ve?”
It is tempting to laugh at the crazies. However, the thought pattern behind this newest assault on the English language is distinctly unfunny. The truth is that the drive to eliminate the distinction between male and female has finally reached the stage at which even language itself is to become anarchical – destroyed in the name of absolute “equality.” For the crazies, ensuring incomprehensibility ensures confusion. Confusion then ensures the masses are stupefied. Stupefied masses then become completely malleable and subject to whatever definition the powers that be, usually the almighty State, grant them. Apparently, by “de-sexing” language a mere unit, not a human being who is either male or female, is “born.” The complete smashing of individuation of any sort is the result.
We have seen the Left’s attempt to shift the definition of what it means to be human time and again. The twentieth and now the twenty-first centuries have been rife with imitations and variants of the attempts of the French Revolution to redefine the human being according to the whims of the State, which was to ensure absolute equality. As Robespierre put it, to be a citizen meant that “all privileges, all distinctions, all exceptions must disappear.”
Under communism, equality meant that, so as to create the perfect communist drone, all classes must disappear, all differences among classes must be eradicated. Everyone, without distinction, was to be a “comrade,” equal in all respects. Mao Tse Tung was to imitate the Leninist and Stalinist view of the classless society, enforcing uniformity and regimentation to the point of extinguishing individuality altogether.
But nothing equals the insane attempt by the leftist crazies to completely eliminate the distinction between men and women. Absolutely nothing. If they succeed in their attempt to eradicate the concept of male and female by radicalizing language, the result will be not just a loss of communication. It will be the collapse of society as we know it.
In the long run, perhaps that is what the crazies want. The reality of the world as it really is, divided equally between those who are uniquely men and uniquely women, seems to be too much for them. The existing pattern of society as it has been from time immemorial is not one they wish to adjust to. They cannot live in a world defined by the reality of the distinction between the sexes, so they make the insane attempt to destroy reality.
Disastrously, the attempt to re-create reality invites coercion of the masses who live in and with reality and who know the created order of the universe, including the society in which they live, will not really change according to the wishes of crazies, be they Robespierre, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, or Braquet. Men will remain men; and women will remain women despite attempts to use linguistics as both a tool of denial and a useful weapon for enforcing conformity.
If the insanity continues unchecked and unabated, coercion by the crazies is next. And isn’t coercion always the end game of rabid ideologues? Huge chunks of reality are ignored, and when there are questions about the mental stability of the ideologues, the questions are not only unanswered, but they are not even permitted. Not only is there no permission to protest or question – it follows that force must be applied in order the unreality of the ideologues be maintained.
Alarming? It should be.
It certainly is alarming. But the revolutionaries have been doing this for a century now. When will we wake up and realise an entire group of radical madmen have declared war on everything we value and care about? The moonbattery taking place all around us is not happening by accident.
It is all part of the revolution – the sexterminators are hard at work. We better understand this fast, and respond accordingly.
familyinamerica.org/journals/summer-2013/brief-history-family-policy-russia-1917-2013/#.VeUVf_aqpBc
www.wbir.com/story/news/2015/08/31/gender-neutral-pronouns-criticized–lawmakers-encouraged–ut/71447134/
www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/08/at_war_with_reality.html
By Bill Muehlenberg
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1666
|
__label__wiki
| 0.660953
| 0.660953
|
Episode 067 - Maureen Condic, part III
The conversation involving Dr. Condic, Dr. Giesting and Schmitt turned to the complexities of the nation’s debate about abortion. That debate engages a mix of biological facts (which may or may not be probed in the full context of updated knowledge), personal experiences, and deeply held principles, positions, and emotions including authentic sympathy for the circumstances in which pregnant women find themselves. Although providing scientific insights is a crucial advancement of the debate because people deserve to have comprehensive information, the laying out of certain biological facts alone will not necessarily change minds, Condic said.
In many cases, much of the public presentation of the abortion controversy dividing people is manufactured, but there is room for honest discussion on particular grounds. We each can play a part in adding to human understandings in this controversy. People evolve their judgments on the wide scope of the debate incrementally over time.
But the search for a full overview is complicated; indeed, Dr. Condic referred to difficulties she and her brother Samuel Condic encountered (different vocabularies, etc.) in compiling their book Human Embryos, Human Beings. The book aims to bring together philosophical and biological insights about human life at its beginning. In short, the abortion debate requires us to spend more time in listening to each other, asking questions, probing the basis of people’s stances, and less time in simply lecturing, she said.
Paul talked about his experience with identical twins in his family. Twinning is a complex arena for understanding “who you are,” raising core questions with biological and philosophical implications. Our discussion around the microphone extended to research on the topics of compaction and chimeras. Condic has written a book that delves into the complexities. Untangling Twinning is scheduled for publication this summer.
There are also biological phenomena complicating an understanding of our human nature in sexual terms. There can be complex factors differentiating between one’s genetic sex and one’s hormonal sex, Condic said. A very small segment of the population has genetically compound sexual identities. Intersex disorders can occur in a variety of ways, although in the vast majority of cases questions of a person’s gender identity are not grounded in physical causes, Condic said. Studies in some areas raise questions within the LGBTQ community itself. Among many, endeavors focusing on a “gay gene” that would undergird a statement that “I was born this way” have been diminished by a view that gender identity is fluid or is driven by non-genetic factors.
Episode 066 - Maureen Condic, part II
Our discussion of totipotent, pluripotent, and plenipotent stem cells helped to clarify a complex subject of great importance to many people, such as those who suffer from diseases awaiting therapies capturing the power of these cells. Dr. Maureen Condic, as a pioneer in this field, contributed insights in 2013 by developing the concept of plenipotent cells. See her journal article.
Our discussion also led to a sense of wonderment about the ability of cells to follow such complex paths of development, starting with the organism created when sperm and egg combine. The product and the process can easily be dismissed as a simple mass of cells, or one can recall Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” In this episode, we discussed how it seems viscerally sad that the amazement, which is itself so full of potential, can be lost in everyday discussions of human life.
Related to this, Dr. Condic pointed out that there is an unfortunate lack of philosophical education among many scientists. Here is a blog post from Scientific American discussing synergies between science and philosophy—synergies which are at the core of this podcast’s mission.
We discussed the relevance of the philosophical concepts of form and substance. Here’s a web page explaining those concepts.
This book, written by Dr. Condic and her brother sounds like it is a rare and valuable synthesis of philosophical and biological insights about life: Human Embryos, Human Beings. She noted in our episode that such an extended, on-point synthesis is rare for various reasons, including the need to clarify vocabulary used on both sides of the dialogue, avoiding the risk that we will talk past each other.
She has written another book, this one examining the biological and philosophical issues around human twinning, Untangling Twinning. It is scheduled for publication in the summer of 2019. For now, a computer search using this title yielded, as one of the first finds, a copy of a news release written by TSSM podcast co-host Bill Schmitt and posted at classicaltheism.com.
Episode 065 - Maureen Condic, part I
University of Utah’s information page for Dr. Maureen Condic. She is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy, with an adjunct appointment in Pediatrics. Her research focuses on the role of stem cells in development and regeneration. She has taught human embryology in the University’s Medical School for 20 years.
See Dr. Condic’s biographical summary in the list of speakers at the Society of Catholic Scientists 2019 conference titled, “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” At the conference, this embryologist and specialist in developmental neurobiology delivered the St. Albert Award Lecture: “Human Beings are Defined by Organization.”
Dr. Condic is the 2019 recipient of the St. Albert Award, named for Saint Albert the Great, the Catholic Church’s patron saint of natural scientists. The award is given annually to a Catholic scientist whose life and work give witness to the harmony that exists between the vocation of scientist and the life of faith. See more details about the award, including its previous recipients.
Dr. Condic’s previous awards include the Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award, created in 1973 and presented by the March of Dimes to support a young scientist’s promising new research. The March of Dimes was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, initially to fight polio. Today, the foundation focuses on health problems in babies, especially premature birth, birth defects, and low birth weight. Find context for the program of research support here.
Dr. Condic also has been the recipient of a Scholar Award for research from the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience.
In 2018, she was appointed to the National Science Board. The NSB establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation and serves as advisor to Congress and the President.
She is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which is dedicated to promoting the Catholic Church’s consistent life ethic and supporting research in bioethics and moral theology.
When confronted with alternative views and occasionally accused of being “brainwashed” with a pro-life stance, Dr. Condic says one must ask, what view actually makes more sense of the world? A quote from the episode: “What vision of the world actually accounts for most of the data? In my experience, it’s a Christian vision of the world, and particularly a Catholic vision of the world, that very much endorses precisely the kind of questioning mind that promotes scientific investigation….”
Another key thought from the episode: The information generated in scientific disciplines is so huge, it forces many scientists to make their own fields of specialized inquiry “narrower and narrower.” Also, “they have no time” to give deep consideration to many big questions about life, the world, and the origin of the universe. “Particularly in biology, there’s such an intoxication with success.” Individuals who are indeed brilliant and making remarkable progress for people may become confident that they can answer all the important questions.
Starting at about the 22-minute mark in this episode, Dr. Condic tells the story of an event that changed her life and produced her commitment to public advocacy and public education.“ She saw a need to combat ignorance or oversimplification about scientific advancements and to be “an advocate for patients and knowledge and factual information.”
Dr. Condic also provides a valuable, clear update on parts of the debate about disease treatments using embryonic stem cells as opposed to adult stem cells, with research on the latter having resulted in a huge number of clinical trials and prospects for various treatments. A major new phase of the research has moved on to the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, which do not raise the same ethical issues as embryonic cells.
In presenting the St. Albert Award during the Society of Catholic Scientists conference, president Stephen Barr, Ph.D., pointed out Dr. Condic’s “courageous public defense, on scientific and philosophical grounds, on the human status of human embryos.”
Episode 062 - Jonathan Lunine SCS Conference Preview
We had more insane audio problems on this episode; Paul's audio from Zencastr was unusable. I had to record a new introduction and first question, then splice in our backup recording from Zoom.
Jonathan Lunine is a prominent planetary scientist. He teaches at Cornell and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences; he has won a Urey award and holds a number of other academic distinctions. He worked with the radar and other instruments on the Cassini mission to Saturn and is co-investigator on the Juno mission now in orbit at Jupiter as well as on the MISE instrument for the Europa Clipper mission. He is on the science team for the James Webb Space Telescope, focusing on characterization of extrasolar planets and Kuiper Belt objects.
I opened the interview by asking his side of the story of the beginning of the Society of Catholic Scientists. We discuss its growth so far and how it is reaching the point where hopefully more members will become involved in planning and carrying out activities.
We discussed the overall trajectory of conference themes so far. (Remember, kids, two points may suffice to draw a straight line, but not to define a trend!) The first SCS conference topic was Origins (mostly of the physical universe). The second focused on the Human Mind and Physicalism. This third one zooms out somewhat again and covers humanity more broadly, and touches on two hot-button points:
- If we have all these distinctively human features (consciousness, free will, etc.), is there any way of knowing when in absolute, archeological/geological time those came into existence?
- Given all our biological and electronic capabilities, we can change our own bodies and brains in radical ways, and these capabilities are only going to grow. Where should we stop? What channels should these abilities be directed into, and where do the dikes belong?
Jonathan hopes that the diversity of speakers, not just from different sciences but across the science-facing pieces of the humanities, will become a hallmark of the SCS conferences: a place where badly needed interdisciplinary conversations are fostered. We discuss the difficulties inherent in our siloing, not just of academic disciplines, but of journalism, too.
Once again, SCS conference will happen June 7-9 at the University of Notre Dame. We will be providing bonus episodes during the conference as we discuss the topics and speakers with conference attendees, and will have breakdowns of the conference and speaker interviews rolling out over the ensuing weeks.
Also be sure to check the SCS website for videos of the actual talks!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1667
|
__label__wiki
| 0.859038
| 0.859038
|
Odd Couple Of Norquist, Hamsher Call For Investigation, Rahm's Resignation
Grover Norquist and Jane Hamsher are not often on the same side of anything, beyond both usually being in the Western Hemisphere. Norquist is a leading voice of fiscal conservatism as head of the anti-tax group Americans for Tax Reform; Hamsher is a leading voice of the digital left, whose blog Firedoglake has taken on influence in speaking up for progressives during the health care debate and in pressuring lawmakers through its activist arm, FDL Action.
But the two have united to level serious allegations at White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and demand his resignation.
Hamsher and Norquist coauthored a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder today calling for a Department of Justice investigation of Emanuel for his role on the board of Freddie Mac, alleging that the White House, since Emanuel arrived there, has blocked an investigation of the government-sponsored mortgage lender.
Emanuel served on Freddie Mac's board in 2000-2001, when he quit to run (successfully) for Congress. He has also recently sparked the ire of liberals like Hamsher after it was reported that he pushed for Senate Democratic leaders to compromise with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) on health care reform and jettison an expansion of Medicare from the Senate bill.
See their letter below:
Attorney General of the United States of America
Dear Attorney General Holder:
We write to demand an immediate investigation into the activities of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We believe there is an abundant public record which establishes that the actions of the White House have blocked any investigation into his activities while on the board of Freddie Mac from 2000-2001, and facilitated the cover up of potentially malfeasance until the 10-year statute of limitations has run out.
The purpose of this letter is to connect the dots to establish both the conduct of Mr. Emanuel and those working with him to thwart inquiry, and to support your acting speedily so that the statute of limitations does not run out before the Justice Department is able to empanel a grand jury.
The New York Times reports that the administration is negotiating to double the commitments to Fannie and Freddie for a total of $800 billion by December 31, in order to avoid the congressional approval that would be needed after that date. But there currently is no Inspector General exercising independent oversight of these entities. Acting Inspector General Ed Kelly was stripped of his authority earlier this year by the Justice Department, relying on a loophole in a bill Mr. Emanuel cosponsored and pushed through Congress shortly before he left for the White House. This effectively ended Mr. Kelly's investigation into what happened at Fannie and Freddie.
Since that time, despite multiple warnings by Congress that having no independent Inspector General for a federal agency that oversees $6 trillion in mortgages is a serious oversight, the White House has not appointed one.
We recognize that these are extremely serious accusations, but the stonewalling by Mr. Emanuel and the White House has left us with no other redress. A 2003 report by Freddie Mac's regulator indicated that Freddie Mac executives had informed the board of their intention to misstate the earnings to insure their own bonuses during the time Mr. Emanuel was a director. But the White House refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request from the Chicago Tribune for those board minutes on the grounds that Freddie Mac was a "commercial" entity, even though it was wholly owned by the government at the time the request was made.
If the Treasury approves the $800 billion commitment to Fannie and Freddie by the end of the year, it will mean that under the influence of Rahm Emanuel, the White House is moving a trillion-dollar slush fund into corruption-riddled companies with no oversight in place. This will allow Fannie and Freddie to continue to purchase more toxic assets from banks, acting as a back-door increase of the TARP without congressional approval.
Before the White House commits any more money to Fannie and Freddie, we call on the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department to begin an investigation into the cause of Fannie and Freddie's conservatorship, into Rahm Emanuel's activities on the board of Freddie Mac (including any violations of his fiduciary duties to shareholders), into the decision-making behind the continued vacancy of Fannie and Freddie's Inspector General post, and into potential public corruption by Rahm Emanuel in connection with his time in Congress, in the White House, and on the board of Freddie Mac.
We also call for the immediate appointment of an Inspector General with a complete remit to go after this information.
We both come from differing political ideologies. One of us is the conservative head of a transparency foundation, and the other is the publisher of a liberal political blog. But we make common cause today out of grave concern for the future of our country in the wake of corruption-riddled bailouts. These bailouts continue to rob Main Street to benefit Wall Street, and because that, we together demand the resignation of Mr. Emanuel, a man who has steadfastly worked to obstruct both oversight and inquiry into the matter. Rahm Emanuel's conflicts of interest render him far too compromised to serve as gatekeeper to the President of the United States.
We will lay out the details further below, and are available at your earliest convenience to meet with you directly.
Jane Hamsher Grover Norquist
Firedoglake.com Americans for Tax Reform
Norquist and Hamsher cite a Chicago Tribune story from March reporting that, while Emanuel was there, Freddie Mac's board was encouraged to misstate earnings and that Emanuel benefited from a Freddie Mac fundraiser after he left the board to run for Congress (Freddie Mac was fined by the FEC for illegally hosting fundraisers for politicians, the Tribune reported). The Justice Department possesses board minutes and correspondence from Emanuel's time there, the two say; they also cite the removal of the former Inspector General in charge of overseeing Freddie Mac during the transfer of oversight authorities after Freddie Mac was taken into conservatorship as part of its government bailout.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1670
|
__label__wiki
| 0.897978
| 0.897978
|
Taylor Swift’s Spineless Feminism
The pop superstar endorsed the women’s march in a simple tweet, but after staying remarkably silent during the election, many saw it as opportunism—and far too little, far too late.
Amy Zimmerman
Entertainment Reporter
If I learned anything from Trump’s inauguration and the subsequent Women’s March, it’s that Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston belong together. While hordes of women descended on Washington in pink knit hats and righteous indignation, sparking emotions from hope to confusion to mild annoyance, celebrities attempted to do their part. Their efforts ranged from exemplary—what did we do to deserve you, America Ferrera? –to polarizing, to Lena Dunham. Rihanna put on a pink tutu and dabbed outside of Trump Tower. Ashley Judd put on an uncomfortable accent and did her best spoken word routine. Scarlett Johansson advocated for Planned Parenthood and showed off her amazing haircut. And dozens of celebrities braved the slushy streets of Park City for Sundance’s own edition of the Women’s March.
Celebrities who exercise their political muscles walk a fine line between helpful advocacy and self-serving opportunism. As a collective, they occupy the same uncomfortable space as, say, men at the Women’s March. We recognize that resistance finds strength in numbers, and that these powerful constituents, be they dudes or Hollywood actresses, can shed vital light on crucial issues. Still, there’s something performative about a white dude surrounded by pussy hats, proudly raising his witty poster in the air, patiently waiting for his cookie, praise, Pulitzer prize and/or Academy Award. Of course, cynicism could easily reduce the entire march to much-needed image control. Men know that now is the time to insist that #NotAllMen view women as playthings, PMS-ing nags, or potential pee-pee parties. White women know that they helped elect Donald J. Trump. And celebrities may suspect that they could have done more to push our first female president towards the Oval Office.
With all of the pink posturing on display last weekend, conversation naturally turned towards Taylor Swift, our nation’s most opportunistic celebrity. Taylor has an unrivaled ability to read the room and seize a moment. The country star leveled-up by crossing over to pop music, widening her fan base and earning Swift the title of queen of the tweens. She’s turned Kennedy’s into boyfriends, break-ups into hit singles, and friendships into headlines. Swift’s airtight image control is at once calculating and enviable. On the one hand, she’s a badass black widow, sucking all of the fame (and blood?) out of A-list white boys. To say that Taylor Swift is more famous than all of her exes combined—and that she wears the high-waisted, size two pants in every romantic relationship—is an understatement. On paper, the 27-year-old pop star has earned a spot in the pantheon of terrifying-but-totally-awesome females—Tracy Flick with a better wardrobe, or Regina George with a bigger clique. But strangely enough, Swift has no interest in leaning in to her true potential; instead, she’s resolutely tried to preserve her public image as the sweet, romantic girl next door.
Other than Calvin Harris’s tears and teenagers’ money, Taylor Swift runs on bland feminism and Pinterest-friendly patriotism. Despite the fact that she spent years denying that she was a feminist, Swift’s public image is now centered around her squad of social media-friendly sisters. Nobody loves women more than Taylor Swift—as long as the woman in question isn’t allergic to cats, dating her ex-boyfriend, or Katy Perry. Additionally, no one loves America more than Taylor Swift. Or, at the very least, no one owns more patriotic onesies and red, white, and blue towels than TayTay. The pop star annually displays these two passions, alongside her love of baked goods and giving Ryan Reynolds Stockholm Syndrome at her infamous Fourth of July party.
Given Taylor Swift’s love of ladies, cats, and the U.S.A., one might think she’d have an opinion on America’s own pussy-grabber-in chief. Unfortunately, the pop star’s dedication to female empowerment appears to begin and end at letting Ruby Rose and Lena Dunham share her spotlight. Taylor Swift wasn’t just not with her—she didn’t even know her. The full extent of Swift’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election was a nonpartisan selfie from the polls. Courtesy of the Instagram, we learned that Swift endorses democracy and cold-shoulder blouses. But in terms of candidates, it was impossible to deduce if she’d voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, or Jill freaking Stein.
Asking why Taylor Swift isn’t publicly political is like asking if Meryl Streep is appropriately rated, or if Calvin Harris is sad. As a pretty white girl who has written songs that rely heavily on fiddles, Swift undoubtedly counts a healthy handful of Trump supports among her fan base. In fact, the so-called alt-right has crowned Swift as the Aryan prom queen of their burgeoning neo-Nazi movement. The Daily Stormer—deemed a “neo-Nazi website” by The Southern Poverty Law Center—has published articles like “Taylor Swift, Avatar of European Imperialism,” “Aryan Goddess Taylor Swift: Nazi Avatar of the White European People,” and “Aryan Goddess Taylor Swift accused of Racism for Behaving Like an Ape in a Music Video.” Andrew Anglin, the site’s white supremacist founder, explained that, “Taylor Swift is a pure Aryan goddess, like something out of classical Greek poetry.” She was his queen, and God help anyone that dared to disrespect his queen.
Most celebrities would be infuriated by the insinuation that they were the Eva Braun to a virtual community of racist egg avatars and Pepe’s—especially if they’d been accused of racial insensitivity in the past. But Taylor Swift has always valued apoliticism, even to a fault. Her girl squad has been infamously silent on social issues, with card-carrying members like Selena Gomez earning internet ire for her refusal to discuss Black Lives Matter. Let’s put it this way: Josh Kushner attended the Women’s March, but Karlie Kloss didn’t. While Swift refused to do the bare minimum of sharing her pick for President, she did deign to comment on the march in the most typical Taylor Swift fashion. “So much love, pride, and respect for those who marched” she tweeted. “I’m proud to be a woman today, and every day.”
There’s a craven calculus to winning brownie points without offending your most offensive fans. Unfortunately, the Women’s March offered a loophole for any female celebrity looking to appear engaged. By reducing the political protest to a girl power party, stars could express pride in their gender without pissing off the pro-Trump masses. Of course, this totally erases the spirit of resistance, as well as the intended intersectionality of the action. It’s the social media equivalent of a white female protestor tuning out Janet Mock or Angela Davis’s speech to take a selfie in their fuchsia knitwear. Cutesy sentiments and political palatability are no longer acceptable. If you’re not overtly on board with the resistance, then you’re tacitly chill with being proclaimed an Aryan goddess. If you refuse to denounce your “alt-right” supporters, you risk alienating all of your queer, trans, black, Latino, undocumented, Muslim, and indigenous fans. Taylor Swift’s patriotic one-pieces might transition well to Donald Trump’s America, but her penchant for opting out of the political discourse is already passé.
Trying or pretending to be woke, without displaying any sort of political preference or informed opinion, is almost more offensive than saying nothing at all. Which brings us back, naturally, to Tom Hiddleston.
Just like his ex, Hiddleston recently used a public forum (the Golden Globes) to try and look good, which resulted in one of the most tone-deaf speeches of the night. On an annoyance scale from one to “Welcome to New York,” Hiddleston hit a solid eight with his wide-ranging soliloquy on South Sudan. In an anecdote that can only be described as lengthy, Hiddleston explained that he was “immensely proud” of the fact that his show provided relief to aid workers in the South Sudan. Tom Hiddleston has played many roles, from Thor to Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. He has worn an “I heart T.S. tank top” and lived to tell the tale, and risked hypothermia to be “caught” canoodling on a frigid beach in New England. But he’s never been more convincing than in this new role as self-important dude activist.
In hindsight, this speech proves that HiddleSwift may have been more compatible than we ever thought. Can’t you just picture the face of watered-down feminism and 2017’s proudest white savior, taking a break from swapping spit to congratulate one another on staying so woke?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1673
|
__label__wiki
| 0.889519
| 0.889519
|
The Weekend Roundup: Week Two
by Jonathan Katzman , Nathan Albrinck , Evan Morgan and Danielle Okonta | 4/3/17 2:00am
The men’s lacrosse team dropped a 14-5 decision to Cornell University on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. Attackman Wiley Osborne ’17 paced Dartmouth’s scoring with a hat-trick, his second of the season, as the Big Green fell to 1-7 and 0-2 in conference play.
The Big Red marched out to a 7-0 lead before Osborne netted his first just 1:46 before halftime. A two-goal third quarter brought Dartmouth within six before Cornell added five more in the final quarter to thwart the Big Green’s comeback. Cornell dominated the pace of play throughout the game, outshooting Dartmouth 52-30 and forcing goaltender George Christopher ’20 to make 16 saves, one fewer than his career high.
Timmy Burke ’17 led Dartmouth’s defensive effort with seven ground balls, while Ben Martin ’20 and Jack Korzelius ’18 also tallied goals for the Big Green.
The men returns to action this Saturday for a 1 p.m. faceoff at Yale University.
The women’s lacrosse team fell to visiting Harvard University 17-12 in an Ivy League matchup on Sunday at Scully-Fahey Field. With the loss, Dartmouth falls to 5-4 overall, 0-3 in Ivy League play, with the bulk of this season’s conference matchups remaining.
Despite jumping out to an early 2-1 lead, the Big Green was unable to sustain the early momentum and trailed 9-2 at the half. The two sides traded goals to begin the second half, during which Dartmouth outscored the visitors 10-8, but the Crimson had a response each time the Big Green appeared ready to claw back. Katie Bourque ’20 led Dartmouth’s scoring efforts with four tallies on the afternoon, while the team’s leading scorer Courtney Weisse ’17 added three. Taryn Deck ’17, Campbell Brewer ’19, Kathryn Giroux ’19 and Kierra Sweeney ’19 also found the back of the net in the losing effort.
Kiera Vrindten ’20 got the start in net for Dartmouth and made five saves before being lifted for Charlotte Wahle ’19, who made four stops in relief. Dartmouth was outshot 33-26 and came up with 15 ground balls to Harvard’s 21.
Dartmouth continues conference play this Saturday tilt at No. 9 University of Pennsylvania.
Dartmouth sailors braved blustery weather to compete at three New England regattas this weekend.
At the Dellenbaugh Women’s Trophy, hosted by Brown University, the race report described Saturday as a “cold, very wet, windy and miserable day for sailing.” A building north and northeast wind caused many capsizes on the day, but nevertheless, the sailors managed six total races. No. 13 Dartmouth struggled in the adverse conditions, finishing the day 13th overall. Sunday’s weather was more suited to sailing, but while the temperatures warmed up, the Big Green did not. The A team notched a third and second place finish in its first two races on Sunday, but the B team did no better than 8th as Dartmouth sank to 15th overall.
At the Massachusett’s Institute of Technology’s Lynne Marchiando Trophy, meanwhile, the first day of racing was merely “a brutally cold day with snow, rain, icing” and a northeast breeze. The Big Green’s 11th-ranked coed team roared to an undefeated start on Saturday, besting seven teams in round-robin competition. The 7-0 day included wins over Sailing World’s No. 3 Boston College, No. 7 College of Charleston and No. 9 Bowdoin College. Dartmouth continued to sail away from the field on Sunday. The Big Green fell only to Boston College and Hobart and William Smith Colleges en route to a 12-2 overall victory over the field of 16.
Sunday’s Camel Team Race, hosted by Connecticut College, avoided the bad conditions of Saturday. Dartmouth went 1-4 in both rounds of the regatta, besting teams from the host school and Yale University.
Dartmouth men’s golf traveled to Farmville, Virginia over the weekend to compete in the Manor Invitational. On Saturday, the Big Green finished the first round with a 6-over-par 294, tied for third-best in the 16-team field. Sean Fahey ’17 led the team with a 2-under (70), the lowest individual Dartmouth score in the tournament. In its second round of the day, the Big Green picked up its play, finishing with a 1-over 289 and moving into second place. John Lazor ’19 carded a 1-under-par (71), improving on his first-round score by four strokes.
On Sunday, Dartmouth held onto second place, scoring a 3-over-par 291. Lazor, Ian Kelsey ’18 and Jeff Lang ’17 finished even on day 2 with pars. The University of Rhode Island began the day in third place but surpassed Dartmouth and host Longwood University to win the tournament. Individually, Fahey and Lazor finished tied for 10th.
The team returns to action this weekend at the Irish Creek Invitational in North Carolina.
Over the weekend, the women’s golf team competed in the Harvard Invitational in Osprey, Florida. In the first round on day one, the team got off to a slow start, scoring a tournament-low 321 and falling into eighth place. Isabelle Kane ’18 carded a team-high 7-over-par (79), while Catharine Roddy ’19 finished right behind her with an 8-over-par (80). In the second round of the day, the Big Green improved its play, scoring a 316. Roddy and Kristen Soh ’20 both bested their round one scores by five strokes, finishing with a 3-over-par 75 and 4-over-par 76, respectively.
On day 2, the Big Green further picked up its play, earning a 303 to pass Brown University and finish seventh in the tournament. Soh and Roddy carried their momentum into Sunday, each scoring 2-over-par. Individually, Roddy ended the tournament tied for 13th, the highest finish on the team.
The women will compete at the Hartford Invitational in Connecticut this weekend.
The Dartmouth baseball team opened conference play this past weekend. The team’s schedule originally included doubleheaders at the University of Pennsylvania and at Columbia University, but heavy rainfall in the Philadelphia area postponed the doubleheader against Penn to Monday. A Wednesday game at Quinnipiac University was canceled due to rain and field conditions and will not be rescheduled.
The Big Green swept Columbia on Sunday, 6-2 and 9-2, holding the Lions to four total runs across both games of the doubleheader. On its way to a 6-2 victory in the first game, Dartmouth dominated the early innings, racking up seven hits and five runs in the first four frames. Trevor Johnson ’20, Matt Feinstein ’19 and Michael Ketchmark ’17 each finished with a pair of hits, with Feinstein contributing three RBIs. Michael Danielak ’17 pitched a complete game, his fifth win of the season, giving up two runs on eight hits while striking out eight.
In the second half of the doubleheader, Columbia took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but the Big Green responded with four hits and three runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead and never looked back. Kyle Holbrook ’18 hit a two-run home run and ended the day with two runs and three RBIs. Johnson also contributed a two-run single. The Big Green received a strong start from Cole O’Connor ’19, who improved to 2-1 on the season, allowing two runs over five innings. Michael Parsons ’20 closed out the final four innings, giving up no runs on four hits.
Dartmouth’s softball team played Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania in two doubleheaders this past weekend.
On Saturday, the Big Green fell in two close games to Columbia, losing 4-3 and 6-5. In the first game, Breanna Ethridge ’18 pitched a complete game, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out four. Maddie Damore ’17 contributed a two-run home run, her second of the season, but it was not enough to get the win.
In the second game, the two teams were tied up at five in the sixth, and after a scoreless seventh, the game headed to extra innings. Morgan Ebow ’20 pitched five innings, giving up five runs on 11 hits. Ethridge came in to provide 2.1 innings of relief, but Columbia’s Sommer Gryzbek hit a walk-off solo home run to left-center to complete the sweep.
On Sunday, Dartmouth split a doubleheader against Penn. Dartmouth took the first game, 8-5, with four RBIs coming from Karen Chaw ’17, who contributed a three-run home run and an RBI single. In addition to Chaw, Alyssa Jorgensen ’17 and Damore contributed two hits apiece. Ethridge again pitched a complete game, ceding five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and was rewarded with the win.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Big Green lost a nailbiter in extra innings, 8-7. The first inning saw Dartmouth take an early four-run lead highlighted by a two-run single from Tiffany Dyson ’18. By the end of the third inning, Penn evened the score at four. In the fourth, Dartmouth added two more runs to Penn’s one and looked poised to take the win when Penn’s Jurie Joyner hit a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Dartmouth was able to score in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Lourlin Lara ’18, but it was not enough as Penn tied the game in the bottom of the eighth and Penn’s Sarah Cwiertnia capped off the game with a walk-off RBI single in the ninth. Ebow and Ethridge contributed four and 4.1 innings respectively, and Dartmouth received a strong showing from Morgan Martinelli ’19, who went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
Dartmouth’s men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to New Haven, Connecticut, to compete in Yale University’s Mark Young Invitational this past weekend. Both teams saw many strong performances.
On the women’s side, Julia Valenti ’20 won the pole vault, clearing 3.80 meters/12-05.50 feet in the fewest attempts, and Bridget Douglas ’18 won the javelin with a 38.57-meter/126-06-foot throw. Mary Sieredzinski ’17 placed fifth in the javelin with a 32.75m throw. Also placing well in the field events were Maria Garman ’19, with third in the long jump off a 5.39-meter/17-08.25-foot leap, and Amelia Ali ’19, who placed fourth in the hammer throw (47.94 meters/157-03 feet), fifth in the shot put (12.24 meters/40-02.00 feet) and sixth in the discus throw (36 meters/118-01 feet).
In the men’s field events, Max Cosculluela ’17 tied for first in the pole vault, clearing 5 meters/16-04.75 feet. Hendric Tronsson ’20 won the long jump with a 6.91-meter leap. Benjamin Ose ’19 placed fourth in the pole vault, clearing 4.55m. In the shot put, Ethan Ruh ’20 placed second with a 15.63-meter/51-03.50-foot throw, while Tim Brennan ’17 placed sixth with a 14.94-meter/49-00.25-foot throw. Brennan also placed second in the hammer throw with a 55.80-meter/183-01-foot throw. In the javelin, Parker Whims ’19 and Ose placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with 49.02-meter/160-10-foot and 48.69-meter/159-09-foot throws.
On the track, Miranda Lawson ’17 placed third in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.32 seconds and fourth in the 200-meter dash in 26.72s. Sieredzinski finished right behind Lawson in the 100-meter hurdles in 17.33s. Lauren Archer ’20 placed third in the 1500-meter run, completing the distance in 4:50.15, and Marissa Evans ’18 was fourth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:11.77.
Jack Kerin ’20 won the 800 meters in 2:02.34, and Ben Colello ’18 placed third in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.87 seconds.
Dartmouth’s heavyweight rowing team opened its spring season on Saturday, sweeping its races against both Columbia University and the College of the Holy Cross.
First up was Columbia. Three eights boats and two fours were scheduled to race, but the fours’ races were cancelled due to inclement weather.
The Big Green’s first varsity eights boat handily beat Columbia’s, completing the 2-kilometers in 6:51.5 to the Lion’s 6:58.3. Dartmouth’s second and third varsity boats both won their races, covering the 2-km distance in 6:47.4 and 7:11.5, respectively.
Later in the morning, Dartmouth’s first varsity defeated Holy Cross, 6:58.1 to 7:30.8, while the second and third varsity both defeated the Crusader’s second varsity, 7:15.8 and 7:38.3 to Holy Cross’s 8:16.9.
The women’s rowing team traveled to Cooper River, New Jersey, to kick off its spring season at the Doc Hosea Invitational against some of the best teams in the northeast, including the University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse University, the University of Minnesota and the United States Naval Academy.
In the varsity eight grand final, Dartmouth placed fourth in 6:42.95. Syracuse won the overall race in 6:30.4. Dartmouth’s second varsity placed fifth in 7:00.12 in the second varsity eight grand final. In the fours, Dartmouth won the varsity petite final in 8:02.9, with second place University of Massachusetts, Amherst nearly 20 seconds behind in 8:21.18.
Harvard University got the best of the Big Green men’s and women’s tennis teams after both matches were pushed from Saturday to Sunday.
The men’s team played an energetic Crimson side at the Boss Tennis Center, where Harvard took the 4-1 victory. Dartmouth’s opponent opened by taking the doubles point with wins over David Horneffer ’20 and George Wall ’17 as well as Charlie Broom ’20 and Max Fliegner ’18. Wall evened things up with a 6-0, 6-2 victory in singles, but he would be the only Big Green player to win a match on Sunday. Following Wall’s victory, Eddie Grabill ’18, Ciro Riccardi ’18 and Fliegner fell in straight sets to give the afternoon to Harvard. Broom had taken his match to a third set when it was left incomplete.
The No. 44 women’s tennis team traveled to Cambridge, where it lost its Ivy League opener. The tight 4-3 affair was Dartmouth’s third loss of the season.
The women started strong by taking the doubles point behind winning efforts from Taylor Ng ’17 and Kristina Mathis ’18 (6-2) as well as Racquel Lyn ’20 and Julia Schroeder ’18 (6-3). But Harvard came out swinging in singles, with wins against Chuyang Guan ’20 at No. 6 and Schroeder at No. 4. Wins from Mathis and Lyn and a loss from Jacqueline Crawford ’17 set up a decisive third set between Ng and Harvard’s Erica Oosterhout. Down 5-1 to her Crimson opponent, Ng pulled back to 5-3 before Oosterhout put her and the Big Green away.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1675
|
__label__wiki
| 0.982968
| 0.982968
|
Welcome to The Front Porch
Kim Kuzma
Kim Kuzma’s extensive vocal range and sassy stage presence have earned her a reputation as a dynamic performer.
Her casual often candid conversations with her audience have earned her a loyal and rapidly growing following of fans.
Heard worldwide, Kim’s award winning debut CD Contradictions received rave reviews from critics and fans alike and held the No.1 spot on the HMV Vancouver Indie Sales Charts for over seven and a half months.
The late Walt Grealis, founder of the Canadian Juno Awards (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy’s), called Contradictions, “pretty powerful stuff”.
Voted Canada’s Best Independent Artist in 2001 by fans at canadian-music.com, Kim Kuzma continues to build on her career collaborating with other artists and continuing to produce new music. She has written music for film and co-penned a song for singer Lara Fabian. Kim’s latest studio album was released in the Fall of 2005. Interlaced with the strong, soaring vocals that Kim is best known for, Who You Are is a bold new release from Kuzma. A pulsing collection of remixed pop songs and original dance music, this new album features a remix of Bagdad Café hit Calling You, The Beach Boys’ God Only Knows and Kim’s originals I’d Miss You, Come Along and the bond-esque Price You Pay. Recorded in San Francisco, this new album explores a side of Kim that her fans previously only experienced during her live shows. Humourous, upbeat, daring & sometimes provocative Who You Are is more representative of who Kim truly is.
An absolute hit with the audience! Keep an eye on this name! — Mister Marcus, Bay Area Reporter
Kuzma has performed across Canada, throughout the United States, South America and in Europe. She has shared the stage of the Palace of Fine Arts and The Castro Theatre with the renowned San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and opened for legendary singer Harry Belafonte in the wine country. Mister Marcus, a reporter and critic from the Bay Area calls Kim Kuzma, “An absolute hit with the audience”, and encouraged his readers to, “Keep an eye on this name!”
Jonathan Richardson
Michelle Currie
Letter from J. J. Revere
Restaurant & Piano Bar Schedule
The Front Porch, 9 Shore Road, Ogunquit, ME, 03907, United States(207) 646-4005info@thefrontporchogt.com
Copyright 2019 The Front Porch. All rights reserved.
All prices, events, and items are subject to change without notice
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1676
|
__label__wiki
| 0.979892
| 0.979892
|
'I felt kind of promiscuous': Gemma Arterton on Vita and Virginia
With director Chanya Button, the star has made an ambitious drama about the passionate Bloomsbury love affair. They talk about female desire and the rise in lesbian romances on screen
Claire Armitstead
@carmitstead
Thu 27 Jun 2019 12.56 EDT Last modified on Fri 28 Jun 2019 04.45 EDT
‘I wish I’d read Woolf in my formative years’: actor Gemma Arterton, who plays Vita Sackville-West in the film Vita and Virginia, with the director Chanya Button. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/The Allbright Rathbone members club/The Guardian
Gemma Arterton and Chanya Button are frolicking for the camera in a female-only London club. Behave as if you would normally, orders the photographer. “We could cuddle up,” quips Arterton, “but that would give the wrong impression.” She has just rushed up from Chichester, where she is staying with her boyfriend Rory Keenan, while he performs in a play. It’s a reminder – if any were needed – that both women are busy, busy, busy. They have arrived late, creating a comic road-drama of their own as their respective assistants monitored their cars converging from different directions.
Close friends since Button went to drama school with Arterton’s younger sister, Hannah, they are in London to promote their first professional collaboration, Vita and Virginia. Button is the director, while Arterton not only stars in, but is an executive producer on the film, which documents one of the most famous love affairs of the early 20th century, the one between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West that led to the creation of the gender- and genre-changing novel Orlando.
Based on a 1990s stage play by the actor Dame Eileen Atkins, the film ambitiously marries straight-to-camera monologues from the lovers’ letters and diaries with special effects straight out of Guillermo del Toro. A pulsing electro-beat powers the louche Bloomsbury party scene, while Woolf’s mental and emotional disintegration is signalled by a flock of attacking crows and ivy curling up a lamp-post or thrusting through the floorboards.
“I’m really aware Vita and Virginia is an arthouse film and that enables you to make stronger choices, because you’re not looking for a broad audience,” says Button, whose most recent work, on the forthcoming second world war TV series World on Fire, has shown her what a luxury that is. “Something I’ve returned to very often was the mission statement that Virginia and Leonard Woolf wrote when they started their Hogarth Press: ‘Our object … has been to publish at low prices, short works of merit, in prose or poetry, which could not, because of their merits, appeal to a very large public.’ They broke all the rules and pissed everyone off: they published every great modernist writer we think of as mainstream today.”
If the tension between those lofty ideals and the need to make an impact gives the film itself a certain edgy quality, it is also what brings the lovers together in the first place. Arterton’s Sackville-West is a glittering, hedonistic aristocrat whose literary efforts do nothing to seduce Elizabeth Debicki’s lofty Virginia until Leonard reminds his wife that they could do with a money-spinner. “Don’t forget we’ve got Tom Eliot and Sigmund Freud to sell too.”
The point of the music, explains Button, was to find a modern response to how progressive the women were in their own time. “We listened to everything they were listening to.” She also provided a lengthy reading list that not only included books written by the women themselves but several of the many hundreds written about them. “You’ve always been such a nerd,” Arterton tells her when she gives a particularly knowledgeable answer to a question about literary modernism.
‘Making an arthouse film enables you to make stronger choices’: Vita and Virginia. Photograph: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo
While Button did an English degree at Oxford, and was inspired to go into film by Woolf’s 1926 essay, The Cinema, Arterton didn’t go to university, beginning her film career fresh out of drama school as the head girl of St Trinian’s and moving on to play the Bond girl Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace. “Being from a working-class background, and fluking my way into the middle-class intelligentsia, I still feel like I’m looked down on,” she says, not entirely flippantly.
She began her reading with Orlando and followed it up with Mrs Dalloway, which is the subject of a pointed exchange in the film between Vita and a travelling companion as they chug across North Africa on a train. “Does anything ever actually happen to Mrs Dalloway?” the companion asks. “Not really,” Vita replies, “she just gives a party.” “Golly,” says her friend, “I’m hooked.” Does Arterton herself resonate at all with those sentiments? “I didn’t study Woolf,” she says. “I was introduced to her through this project, which is really sad. I wish I’d read her in my formative years.” But then, she adds brightly, trying the thought on like a debutante modelling a tiara: “I feel like the target audience.”
The Bloomsbury heritage is one with many gatekeepers and among those to have taken umbrage to the film is Virginia Nicholson, the great-niece of Virginia Woolf, who recently aired her grievances in a newspaper tirade. They ranged from the respective heights of the two actors (Debicki towers over Arterton, whereas, in reality, Vita was the taller of the two), to their dining habits (they would never eat in the kitchen), to the representation of her relative as a “‘mad’ prodigy, trembling with hypersensitivity” when Virginia was actually pretty good fun.
Gemma Arterton: ‘I still feel looked down upon.’ Photograph: Piccadilly Pictures/Allstar
One could add that, in covering only the few years of the affair, it edits out Vita’s major achievement as the gardener who created a new way of making, and writing about, gardens out of her disappointment at being booted out of her ancestral home. But at the time, she was mainly a popular novelist. “I think she was desperate for recognition among her peers as a writer, which I don’t think she ever really achieved,” says Arterton. “I read [her 1924 novel] Seducers in Ecuador and it’s not Mrs Dalloway.”
Both director and actor are unrepentant, pointing out that they consulted the various family members at length. “If we’re not allowed to take a view, with all the work we’ve done and all the detailed conversations we’ve had, what chance is there for a student in a classroom to have their own response?” says Button. “I could have made a documentary about her, but I chose to make a film. Art is an opinion and this is art.”
The film quotes Woolf’s famous words on the writing of Orlando: “I can revolutionise biography overnight … the story of a hero who turns into a heroine who turns out to be fiction, which is of course what all biographies are.” This portrait of a poet who changes sex at 30 and lives for centuries was her tribute to Sackville-West and marked the moment when their passionate love affair cooled into friendship.
Tilda Swinton in Orlando. Photograph: Ronald Grant
At the heart of the project is an attempt to find a 21st-century filmic equivalent to Woolf’s early 20th-century stream of consciousness – hence the crows and the ivy. “Madness: what a convenient way to explain away her genius,” says Vita of Virgina. The animations are an attempt to see female creativity and vulnerability through a new lens, explains Button. “She was this blend of brilliance and suffering. She writes in her letters about this sense that she is breaking with reality. What we’ve tried to do is to look at her vulnerability in a new way, because, as a female director, I’m extremely interested in the complexities of femininity. So yes, it’s an attempt to break the rules and create a new language, just like Virginia did when she wrote Orlando.”
It’s not a coincidence that Tilda Swinton also quoted Woolf’s line about the fiction of biography as a key to her own inspiration for Orlando in Sally Potter’s acclaimed 1992 film of the novel. A more recent interrogation of mythologising biography comes in Sally Wainwright’s Gentleman Jack, an eight-part television series about the early 19th-century lesbian Anne Lister. It is the latest in a growing line of lesbian romances that are placing female desire in the mainstream. Is there a significance in the fact that these stories are being told now? “I think we are both looking at compelling, driven relationships from a different era through a contemporary lens, and it’s very important that there’s space for both to be told, and that they talk to each other, but there’s not a quota for female or LGBTQ-driven stories,” says Button.
Suranne Jones as Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack. Photograph: Matt Squire/BBC/Lookout Point/HBO
There is only one sex scene in the film, though it creates an illusion of physical intoxication through the camera’s caress of skin. Button and Arterton both bridle at the word “sapphic” – “It has a negative spin. It’s often used in a scornful way” – while also being aware that the historical limitations of language work both ways. To describe Vita and Virginia as lesbians would be to ignore the fact that they both had happy marriages. “They were bending the institution to their own will,” says Arterton, who remains perplexed by the emotional slipperiness of Vita. “Even in her letters and her other writings she’s very hard to pin down. I think what anchored me was something I connected with at the time of reading the screenplay: I felt kind of promiscuous, and that I couldn’t give my heart away. For me, the key was her line: ‘If you leave me adrift, I will hurt you.’”
For Button, the underlying challenge was how to understand without over-articulating. “A conversation I always start is if Virginia Woolf were to write Orlando today, what pronoun would she use? Would it be they? I’d love to know what she’d do with the grammar and how it would affect her writing. I think she would definitely have explored gender-fluid characters. But it would be wrong to impose a modern perspective on that, just as it would be wrong to use the word bipolar.”
Gemma Arterton: ‘Everyone in the industry knows I'm a pain’
Among the early outings for the film was a screening at Flare, the BFI’s LGBTQ+ film festival. “I was really worried about my mum seeing it and my aunt, who is gay, and all of her friends who are gay,” says Arterton. But she needn’t have worried. “They all came to see it and my mum thought it was really beautiful because you saw these women expressing something, rather than seeing something that was gratuitous. I’d be the first person to condemn anything gratuitous: boobs out and that sort of thing. But it’s important for young people to see something beautiful.”
Button says: “People so far have said they sort of forget it’s between two women. Their relationship was with their own sexuality, as much as with each other.” She adds: “The response I love the most when people have watched the film is when they say: ‘I didn’t know anything about them and now I want to find out more.’”
• Vita and Virginia is released in the UK on 5 July.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1677
|
__label__cc
| 0.690777
| 0.309223
|
Undergraduate Courses.
Bachelor In Acting
"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them" – Aristotle
Course Begins: 16/09/19
When: Full-time
If you have any further questions, enquire and we'll contact you.
At The Lir Academy we believe that students learn best by doing. This three-year, full-time, intensive honours degree will provide each student with all the training necessary to become a professional actor through a series of skills based courses. Acting technique, voice, movement, and singing form the core subjects taught and practiced whilst classes in Dramaturgy and Text Analysis complement this learning.
In order to emulate best practice of our associate drama school (RADA) the course is taught over nine semesters (three per annum) and over three years. Given the practical nature of the course, and the principal objective of training the actor’s body as an instrument as well as the creative imagination, the intensity of the training for actors means that a student can expect to be in class for approximately 35 hours per week and 36 weeks per annum. Additional commitment during production modules will also be required.
The Bachelor in Acting at The Lir is not part of the CAO point’s race. Students are expected to have achieved the minimum matriculation requirements for Trinity College Dublin courses, however, exceptions may be made based on the demonstration of exceptional natural talent at auditions. Further information on the matriculation requirements can be found by clicking here.
The application process for this course opens in October and closes the following February.
Application Process click to
There is an intake of 16 students each year. All eligible candidates who apply before the closing date will receive an audition. Auditions take place in Dublin, Belfast, London and New York.
Audition Procedure
1st Round Audition
2nd Round Audition - Half Day Workshop, 6th and 7th April 2019
Final Round Audition - Full Day Workshop, 27th and 28th April 2019
Full details on the Audition Procedure can be found here
Choosing Your Monologue
A guide to choosing the right monologue can be found here
Auditions outside Dublin
Full details on the Audition procedure if you are auditioning in New York, Belfast or London can be found here
Candidates should feel free to disclose impairment at any time during the audition process if they have not done so on their application form. Disabled applicants who demonstrate talent and potential will be put forward to each stage of the audition process by the panel members who will not concern themselves with the implications the disability may have on subsequent training.The panel will be informed of any disclosed disability on a candidate’s application form unless the candidate has asked for the disability to be kept confidential.
Course Overview click to
In the first year of the course students will take three compulsory modules as follows:
Acting and Text 1
Voice Studies 1
Movement Studies 1
In the second year of the course students will take four compulsory modules as follows:
Ensemble Production
In the third year of the course students will take 8 compulsory modules to include 5 public theatre productions and one short film led by professional directors and designers. Professional development classes and an audition showcase will make up the remaining two modules. These are not assessed but are aimed to bridge the gap between the training of The Lir Academy and the world professional theatre, film, radio and television drama.
Public Productions
In their third year, students will be cast in a range of plays (from the classical and modern repertoires) directed by professional directors, including the Artistic Director. Classes will be in the form of rehearsals for a minimum of 30 hours per week and replicate the working environment of a professional theatre. Support in terms of individual tuition on a diagnostic basis in voice and movement will be provided. Students will rehearse for four weeks, followed by a get-in period of technical and dress rehearsals, and between 7-9 public performances to which directors, agents and the general public are invited to attend. Individual feedback from the Director and the Head of Acting, Voice and Movement, or their appointees will follow in the sixth week of each term. Students will perform in 6 productions over the course of their final year (2 per semester). One of these productions will be a short film shot both on set and location that will receive a public showcase.
Core Skills and Career Preparation
Throughout the final year, classes will take place that will enable students to continue to practice the core skills of voice and movement to help sustain them through the rigours and demands of the production modules. Further classes to enable students to prepare for a professional working life (including the preparation of show reels, CVs, auditions etc.) will be included. Classes will expand on the Acting & Text modules of Year Two relating to professional practice (such as Acting for Screen & Microphone).
Audition Showcase
Towards the end of the academic year students will prepare and rehearse with a professional director a showcase of scenes from a range of dramatic texts and/or songs for public presentation before an audience of agents, artistic directors, casting directors, and producers.
Entry Requirements click to
Candidates must have complete fluency in the English language
The minimum age for admission is 17
Students are expected to have achieved the minimum matriculation requirements for Trinity College Dublin courses, however, exceptions may be made based on the demonstration of exceptional natural talent at auditions.
The standard matriculation requirements are pass grades in English, Mathematics, a language other than English, and a full set of valid subjects for your examination system.
Full details of the specific matriculation requirements for the country you're applying from are available on here
Please note, acceptance onto the course is at the discretion of The Lir Academy. If The Lir feels for whatever reason that a participant is not suitable for the course, he/she will not be accepted. All decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
Fees click to
Students admitted to The Lir Academy will also be admitted to Trinity College Dublin and therefore the fees policy of TCD will apply, as follows:
Free Fees
Tuition fees for EU students who have not previously studied at degree level are paid by the Irish Exchequer. The student pays a Student Contribution fee; €3,000, a Sports Centre Levy; €120 and a USI levy; €8 (2019/20) per year.
If a student is awarded a Local Authority grant, the Student Services Fee will be paid by Local Authority. The Sports Centre and USI Levy must be paid by ALL students.
Criteria for determining eligibility for free fees can be found here.
EU Fees
If an EU student is not eligible for free fees, the total cost is €9,678 (2019/20) per year.
A breakdown of undergraduate EU fees can be found here
Non-EU Fees
If you do not satisfy the criteria for Free Fees or EU Fees then you must pay non-EU Fees; €21,785 (2019/20) regardless of nationality or citizenship. Students classified for fee purposes as non-EU will not be permitted to change their fee status following admission. This fee includes tuition fees, sports centre charge, USI levy and the commencement fee.
A breakdown of undergraduate non-EU fees can be found here
Annual Review of Tuition fees and other charges by Trinity College Dublin
Please note, tuition fees and other charges are subject to annual review by Trinity College Dublin which may result in a fee increase each year. All students (undergraduate and postgraduate, EU & non EU) on courses/programmes of study of more than one year should be aware that tuition fees and other charges (commencement/graduation fee, sports centre charge and USI levy) may be subject to increase annually. The annual revision is approved by Trinity’s Committee and College Board and typically increase by approximately 3% per annum or more in any given year.
The undergraduate EU rate of tuition and student contribution is set by the Department of Education and Skills.
Application Fees and Audition Dates click to
Applications received before Christmas will incur an admin cost of €50.
Applications received after Christmas will incur an admin cost of €75.
Audition dates in January are:
24th Jan, 31st Jan
Audition dates in February are:
12th Feb, 15th Feb, 26th Feb, 27th Feb and 28th Feb.
Audition dates in March are:
1st March and 4th March.
The Lir Academy Bursary click to
The Lir Academy Student Bursary Fund is open to all EU students who have been offered a place on the Undergraduate Bachelor in Acting, Undergraduate Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre or any of the Postgraduate courses at The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Art, or are already studying here.
Students can apply for the bursary once a place has been offered on the course.
Bachelor in Acting Course Handbook 2018- 19 click to
Download the course handbook here
"My years at The Lir Academy have been the best of my life. I have grown not only as an artist but as a person. The training has built up my skills and confidence more than I thought it would and I feel prepared to head out into the world."
Megan McDonnell.
Related to this course...
Foundation Diploma in Acting and Theatre
Short Courses / Acting
Young Actors' Programme - 2 weeks
Enquire about Bachelor In Acting
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1680
|
__label__wiki
| 0.527532
| 0.527532
|
“I am very proud of our team. The effort these guys put in – three games in a week. We scored eight goals in those three games. I think the guys have put in a masterful effort…I was very happy with our team, our effort. Obviously it was a wonderful free kick goal and a great goal by [Andreas] Ivanschitz.”
On Clint Dempsey and Ivanschitz deciding who takes the free kick:
“They talk about it – they are good pros. I think Clint said, ‘I got this one, I feel it.’ That’s when you’re really good at it. The best tandem I ever had was really good saying, ‘You know what, I can feel it today.’ There are days when you feel it and there are days that you don’t, and obviously Clint felt it – it was a tremendous free kick.”
On winning three matches since last Sunday:
“I think it says a lot about our character; it says a lot about the team; it says a lot about the guys, knowing this is the moment [and] this is the time to step up. It also says something about our fitness levels. I think our training was appropriate – we really gave them a chance to recover and do things [to] individualize a lot at training…In terms of character, I think it says a ton.”
On the importance of a home win:
“We talked during the week that we wanted to get a win at home and get a tie there if we can. That puts us through. So we’ve got the win at home part, but we just got to get a result there. If we get a result there we’ll be good.”
On where the club has improved:
“We’re trying to be on the front foot…One of the things we’ve really emphasized from the time we went through the losing streak on is to be better at our free kick defending. Our corner kick defending and our free kick defending has been good. Also, to make use of our set pieces, and that’s where Andreas has helped us. If you look at it, today we had another set piece goal. We had a set piece goal against LA Galaxy, as well. Those are goals that – when games are tight – sometimes make a difference.”
On the offensive gameplan:
“When you’re in the middle of that and there’s all kinds of bodies flying around, you’re trying to make instinct decisions. I am not going to second guess them at this stage. It’s something we work on all the time – we say, ‘Hey when you get this position, let’s make sure we shoot.’ We talked about taking a lot of shots because he is a young goalkeeper. [We wanted] to test him and see how he would respond. I think when we go to Dallas we will shoot a little more.”
On Clint Dempsey’s performance:
“The thing that I was happiest about was the joy and exhilaration I saw in him after he scored the goal in his celebration. He has been extremely focused in this past week, and he’s got his goal right now with this team. For me, nothing Clint does surprises me. I know he is always able to conjure up a goal in key moments.”
On the goal by FC Dallas:
“They did a good job of bottling up [Fabian] Castillo. We tried to make sure that when he got the ball to his feet, not allowing him to turn. I thought Tyrone [Mears] did a good job there. We were attacking on their end of the field and all of a sudden the ball turned over, we got caught in transition, Castillo beat Zach Scott for speed and the rest is what it was. We got caught in transition – we talked at halftime to make sure we don’t get caught on transition, and to make sure that our centerbacks slide over quicker.”
On the attitude of the club:
“They are willing to do anything to help us win. They know it’s playoff time, it’s money time. They really stepped up. You got Clint Dempsey going in and playing the last half hour of the game at left midfield for us…He got up and down and he made things happen. He gives us a difference look. So you can tell that when you walk in [to the locker room] that they are focused. They are concentrated, but they are not a rah-rah group.”
SOUNDERS FC FORWARD CLINT DEMPSEY
On scoring the game-winner:
“It felt good. I haven’t scored on a free kick this year – I’ve hit the post a few times and the keeper made a good save in the Houston game. So it was an important time to get one. It felt good.”
On deciding who would take the free kick:
“You feel confident from taking them in the past. I scored goals when I was in Europe from free kicks in that position. But I was speaking with Ivanschitz and trying to figure it out. He was confident having scored a goal already, and we were just trying to figure out who’s going to take it. I was feeling confident and wanted the opportunity to try to help the team. I was glad to step up and make it count.”
On coming from behind to earn the victory:
“It’s difficult playing three games in one week, especially when you’re a team that’s been hit with the injury bug a lot. You don’t want to concede at home in the playoffs, but at the same time, it took character to be able to fight back from 1-0 down, get the win and give ourselves a chance going into the second leg. We have our work cut out for us, but we give ourselves a better chance by fighting back and getting the result.”
SOUNDERS FC MIDFIEELDER ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ
On Dempsey’s goal and deciding who would take the free kick:
“I just asked him because it’s a good position obviously for a left-footed player but he said, “No, no I will take it” and I’m very happy that he took it. It was a prefect touch, perfect free kick and obviously a very important one for us for sure.”
On if free kicks are discussed before the game:
“No, no. I think in the moment he just felt it was his moment so I let him shoot. There’s no problem even if he missed, no problem. In the first half Pappa took one. We have two to three very good players on set pieces and that’s a very good advantage for us so it’s just how you feel in those moments so I’ll take it, no problem.”
On Dempsey’s shot:
“With this pressure we had, we were 1-0 down in the first game of a two-leg knockout round and a very important one for us and these moments have a lot of pressure, but he’s very experienced and a player who always is up front for a team and with a great commitment today…The second half was very, very good and we fought and fought until the end and that was very important today because Dallas was a very good team tonight.”
SOUNDERS FC GOALKEEPER STEFAN FREI
On coming from behind to win:
“It’s great. We’ve had a lot of games in the last couple weeks and a few injuries, but we knew we needed to get a result here today. Going to Frisco next week is going to be difficult. So going down a goal, I think we showed our maturity and our experience by not panicking, staying patient and crafting some opportunities for ourselves.”
On confidence heading into the second leg:
“Obviously we would have wanted that shutout, because we found out last year how important the away goals rule is. Obviously we have a positive with the win and they have a positive with the away goal. But it was a great response from us. After we get scored on, the only positive we could take is if we got a win. And we did. Now it’s kind of on them to take it to us. They have to open themselves up to try to get a win at their place. Hopefully we can find some spots that they’re going to leave open in the back and take advantage of those situations.”
On continuing to build momentum:
“It comes at the right time for us. We had that slump in the middle, and it was a difficult time. Obviously now in retrospect, you can say that three points here and there would have given us a better seed. But the playoffs are the playoffs, and we all know that anything can happen. So we came in with confidence. Hopefully we can take this momentum with us all the way.”
SOUNDERS FC DEFENDER ZACH SCOTT
On the team’s mindset for the first leg:
“We were hoping to keep them to zero, and that obviously didn’t happen. But we’re of the mindset that we can score on anybody. We just have to play well defensively and keep teams to as few of chances as possible so they don’t get goals. We fully expect to go down to Dallas and play Sounders soccer. We attack and try to win no matter where we go. We’re not going to sit back on a 2-1 lead. We’re going to go to win.”
On depth at various positions coming in handy:
“It’s tremendous. I’m in there after a couple of weeks of not playing. I looked at Chad [Marshall] in warmups and was like, ‘You all right, bud? I know this is your third game in eight days.’ And he’s not the only guy, so we’re looking forward to these next couple of days off, getting healthy and getting back at it.”
On defending FC Dallas’ attacking players:
“With a guy like [Fabian] Castillo, you’re just hanging on for the ride. He’s so good that all you can hope for is to get there quickly and double. Unfortunately on his goal, I thought we were in a position to double, but in hindsight I probably should have taken a couple of steps back and played it as safe as possible. But I thought the guys were tremendous in the second half and we limited their chances.”
COACH OSCAR PAREJA
On the game:
“Very good game, very good game for us. I thought we played excellent today; ended up just giving away two goals. First one I thought was a great play by Andreas [Ivanschitz]. He took advantage of a play we decided during the week that we’re not going to give up and we end up just losing the ball there in the middle and then he took advantage. I thought it was a great play by him. And the second one, it wasn’t a foul, period. It wasn’t a foul and as big as the stage is you cannot give that. It’s incorrect. We played our game. I thought our boys did a fantastic job, especially in the first half. We have a few options and we’re proud. The series is open and we’ll see them in Frisco.”
On Seattle adjusting to FC Dallas’ speed:
“Yeah, I thought in the second half we still got behind them a lot, with Fabian [Castillo] a couple times and with Mikey [Barrios]. I don’t think we made the right decisions in the last third. I thought we could hurt them more. We get in those spaces where we’re dangerous. We were more consistent in the first half; that’s correct. In the second half we still had some chances.”
On the performance of his backline:
“Good game, good. We had a good performance. The first goal as I said, it was a ball that was in our control and we gave it away and after that the play that Andreas made was good and the second goal, the free kick, wasn’t a foul.”
On what is needed to advance after next week’s second leg:
“We have character; this team has character. It has shown during the whole season that we have that and I don’t have any doubt that we will get a result there.”
15-year-old Tacoma Defiance soccer phenom Danny Levya
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer: "It's nice to be home, but it is a long season."
Tacoma City Council approves resolution in support of new soccer stadium
By Craig Hill
A resolution supporting the construction of a Tacoma soccer stadium was passed unanimously on Tuesday night by the Tacoma City Council.
MORE SOUNDERS INSIDER
Seahawks icons Mike Holmgren and Curt Warner headline 2017 state Hall of Fame class
Sounders Insider
Sounders fall 2-0 to NYCFC before 47,537
Sounders announce plans for Pride Day Saturday
Sounders react to 2-0 loss at NY Red Bulls
Sounders U-23 home twice this weekend
Sounders visit Salt Lake in next round of Open Cup
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1681
|
__label__wiki
| 0.528356
| 0.528356
|
Milk substitutes short on Vitamin D: Study
Mon., Oct. 20, 2014timer1 min. read
TORONTO—A new study has found that children who drink non-dairy milk products such as rice, almond or soy milk may have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than those who drink cow’s milk.
Study lead Dr. Jonathon Maguire says researchers found that kids who drank only non-dairy milk were more than twice as likely to be vitamin D-deficient as children who drank only cow’s milk.
Maguire, a pediatrician and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, says that among children who drank non-cow’s milk, every additional cup of a non-dairy milk was associated with a five per cent drop in vitamin D levels per month.
More on thestar.com
Reality check: Are fruit and vegetable juices a healthy alternative to the real thing?
What are those ‘natural and artificial flavours’ in your food?
Vitamin D — the sunshine vitamin — is found in fortified cow’s milk, fish and some other foods, and plays a critical role in bone development. Low levels of vitamin D can cause bone weakness and, in severe cases, potentially bone-deforming rickets.
In North America, every 100 millilitres of cow’s milk must be fortified with 40 international units of vitamin D. Adding vitamin D to non-dairy milks is voluntary, but many commercial plant-based milk products are fortified.
The study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says non-cow’s milk is becoming increasingly popular because of perceived health benefits, milk allergies or lactose intolerance.
“It is difficult for consumers to tell how much vitamin D is in non-cow’s milk,” said Dr. Maguire. “Caregivers need to be aware of the amount of vitamin D, calcium and other nutrients in alternative milk beverages so they can make informed choices for their children.”
The study of more than 3,800 children aged one to six found 87 per cent drank predominantly cow’s milk, while 13 per cent drank non-cow’s milk.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1685
|
__label__wiki
| 0.957075
| 0.957075
|
Star honours savvy student journalists
By Raveena AulakhStaff reporter
Fri., May 29, 2009timer2 min. read
Last week, Karizza Sanchez was accepted to Ryerson University's journalism program.
Yesterday, she won a Toronto Star High School Newspaper Award for Critical Writing.
"It's been one great surprise after another," said Sanchez, a student at Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School.
She was one of dozens of students whose work was recognized at the 14th annual awards, given yesterday at the Star's press centre in Vaughan. The awards recognize and encourage excellence in high school journalism.
This year, 740 entries were received – one of the largest responses ever – from high school students across the province. Students applied in 22 categories. The most popular were opinion writing, short feature writing and reporting.
John Cruickshank, publisher of the Star, called the students' work outstanding.
"No subject was too tough to tackle, from racial discrimination to violence in high schools to the environment," he said.
Cruickshank also announced the first Toronto Star Teacher Award. Readers can nominate a teacher by explaining in 250 to 500 words why he or she deserves recognition.
Star reporter Brett Popplewell spoke to the students about his 10-year journey from columnist with his high school newspaper to journalist with the Star.
"Don't let people tell you newspapers are dead," he said. "People have been spinning that line since the advent of radio, but we're still here."
As ecstatic students accepted awards, their peers applauded, but the loudest round of clapping and hooting was for Pippin Lee, of Riverdale Collegiate Institute, who took three photography awards.
Caitlin Snider, 16, a student at Elmira District Secondary School in Waterloo Region, won the Brad Henderson Award, named after a long-time Star journalist who died of cancer last year. The award is given to a student with outstanding journalistic potential. Henderson's son, Daniel, awarded the prize.
"He did everything you can imagine at the Star," Daniel said of his father. "You guys represent the next wave of journalistic excellence. Integrity is one of the most important things in this career path. Getting the story right, making something of the story you've been told is one of the most important things you can do."
Snider, who is interested in graphic arts and design, talked about her school paper later. "It (the paper) matters a lot to me. I like that people listen to your opinions and you can learn about so many things."
Jarvis Collegiate's Jarvis Jargon, a past winner, took the top prize this year among newspapers produced for a credit course. Second place in that category went to the Howler, from Westmount Collegiate in Thornhill.
In the best volunteer newspaper category, first prize went to the staff of the Planet from Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School, in Scarborough. Off the Wall, from Pope John Paul II Secondary, also in Scarborough, was the runner-up.
Sarawanan Ravindran, of W.A. Porter Collegiate Institute in Toronto, won the award for best electronic newspaper, while Henry Fung, Kevin Kang and Katherine Chung, of Glenforest Secondary School in Mississauga, won second prize in the same category.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1686
|
__label__wiki
| 0.828903
| 0.828903
|
< Back to New South Wales Homepage
Garie Beach NSW, Australia
Garie Beach is a beach located in the Royal National Park, on the outskirts of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. There are two theories of the origins of the name. Garie is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘sleepy’. The name could also be a deviation of the name of a bushranger called Geaty, who camped here. It was a beautiful place. And still is. Garie Beach is accessible via Garie Road, and has a carpark. It has no barbecue but has toilets, a surf safety centre, a kiosk and a picnic area. A youth hostel was previously located nearby Garie beach, however burnt down in December 2010. It is still undecided as to whether it will be rebuilt or not.
More on Australia
Garie Beach has some of the best surfing waves in Sydney and is a very popular family beach destination. The Garie Surf Life Saving Club will provide an essential community service in helping to keep the public safe at the beach. Garie is home to the Garie Boardriders Club. Garie Boardriders has an active membership of just over 100 member on average and has been continually running as a boardriders club since 1978. The club’s books now have over 500 members on them and a lot of older members are returning to compete in the senior and masters divisions.
Garie Boardriders is affiliated with the Surfing Illawarra, Surfing NSW and Surfing Australia. Garie’s members have competed up to Australia Titles level as well as a couple who competed at APSA and more recently ACC level.
Visit Australia, Information Guide
Places of Interest in Victoria, Australia
Places of Interest in South Australia
Places of Interest in Queensland Australia
Places of Interest in Western Australia
Places of Interest in the Northern Territory
Places of Interest in New South Wales
Places of Interest in Tasmania
History of Australia
Public Holidays in Australia
Emergency Contacts in Australia
Driving Laws in Australia
Festivals in Australia
Outdoor activities in Australia
Tours of Australia
Australian Cuisine
Places to Stay in Australia
Australia Childrens Quiz
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1689
|
__label__wiki
| 0.963038
| 0.963038
|
Study: Aliens Living Among Us
By Judy Skatssoon
ABC Science Online
Aliens may be living among us, say two scientists who argue we may even carry some alien genes.
Australian researchers Paul Davies and Charles Lineweaver outline their hypothesis in the latest issue of the journal Astrobiology.
They say the aliens in question are likely to be primitive microbes that sprang up some four billion years ago.
At this time, the Earth was being buffeted by a hail of meteors and giant asteroids during what's known as the Archaean bombardment.
Alternately, microbial life forms may have arrived on Earth from space and unobtrusively coexisted with us.
Davies, of the Australian Center for Astrobiology at Sydney's Macquarie University, admitted the theory was speculative, but said some of these microbes may have survived undetected to this day.
He said statistics indicate there's a 95 percent chance of life on other Earth-like planets, a figure that he extrapolates to Earth itself.
"I think it's a possibility (there are aliens among us)," he said. "The basic idea is that if life is as easy to form as many astrobiologists suppose, then surely it should be formed more than once on Earth.
"From what we know about the early record of life on Earth, it happened pretty fast, once conditions became suitable.
"It's fairly easy to then work out the probability that if life began here on Earth, which is the most Earth-like planet there is, there's about a 95 percent chance that it would have done it more than once, maybe twice, three times. Who knows?"
Davies said the bombardment of the planet may have resulted in a series of "stop-go" experiments, in which life arose and was annihilated by successive bombardments.
But some pockets of life may have survived the bombardment, and today may lurk far beneath the Earth's surface, or in deep ocean hydrothermal vents, high in the atmosphere or in contaminated lakes.
They may even be in solar orbit or they may have colonized Mars, Davies said. They may even exist right under our noses but may be so foreign to us that we are failing to detect them.
"We have the technology to look for them, we just haven't bothered to look," he said. "Alien microbes are likely to be missed or discarded in even the most general microbial analysis."
They may also have properties that don't reveal them to be living things, he said, or they could be lying around dormant, waiting for the right conditions to spring to life.
"For all these reasons we could be surrounded by living, dormant or dead alien microbes without being aware of it," he said.
We may even be part alien ourselves, Davies suggested. He said some early switching of genetic material may have occurred between our ancestors and the alien life forms that may also have called the Earth home billions of years ago.
"It is conceivable that remnants of alternative biochemical systems have become incorporated in extant organisms," he said. "We could imagine that there would have been a mingling of different types of life. There may have been some swapping and mixing around of components of separate genuses."
He said the relatively recent discovery of archaea, tiny microbes that look like bacteria, but have an entirely different genetic makeup, suggests the "microbial world has many hidden surprises, one of which may be alien life."
"Our conclusion is that alien microbes could exist on Earth today and have remained undetected by our best efforts," he said.
Australian researcher Wilfred Walsh, who lectures in extraterrestrial life at the University of New South Wales, said Davies' theory is not impossible.
He said the suggestion that life formed readily, rather than being a rare one-off fluke, helps explain the mystery of why it arose so quickly, as soon as conditions allowed.
"It's certainly a bit puzzling why life managed to originate so quickly after the Earth calmed down," he said.
"Either it was able to form quickly on Earth or it arrived from elsewhere. There may be life on Earth that partly originated off the Earth, together with some that originated on the Earth."
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1690
|
__label__wiki
| 0.630408
| 0.630408
|
Orders of the Day — Civil Defence (Grant) Bill
Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 7:49 pm on 28th November 2001.
Peter Luff Opposition Whip (Commons) 7:49 pm, 28th November 2001
Civil defence is something that we all hope that we never need, but we understand that if we do, it must work, and work well. Certainly New York's emergency services worked well in the aftermath of 11 September, and I join the Minister in paying tribute to all those who work in the British blue light emergency services. We are well served, and sometimes we take them too much for granted.
People who are called to emergencies are contemporary heroes, but their heroism will work only if there is proper co-ordination behind the scenes to ensure that their services are delivered in the right way at the right time and are the right response to particular circumstances. That is why the Bill is so important.
The Bill is an emergency response to an uncontested court action, as my hon. Friend Mr. Collins said. I do not much like it. I am not saying that cash limiting is wrong—quite the opposite—but when one is considering how to restructure the funding for any national or local government service, it must be done against an intellectually consistent and honest background.
The Government are reviewing all such legislation and that will provide an intellectually honest and coherent background for a proper review of the financial arrangements that support it, and that is the right way to proceed. One should start with the intellectual analysis, and move on to finance, rather than the knee-jerk reaction of rushing through a Bill whose only effect, as my hon. Friend said, will be to cut the expenditure available for co-ordination at a crucial time in our nation's history.
There are two reasons for opposing the Bill: the fact that the legislation is being reviewed and the fact that the world has become a more dangerous and uncertain place since the Bill was published. We all know that the origins of civil defence lie in concerns about the cold war, but our enemies are now more complex, subtle, sophisticated and, indeed, numerous. Foot and mouth disease is but the latest. We must also deal with flooding, which I shall discuss in detail later.
There are long-standing hazards resulting from industrial processes. I have three tier 1 COMAH—control of major accident hazard—sites in or near my constituency that cause the emergency planning authorities of Worcestershire a great deal of concern. The sites are well managed, but the authorities need to keep a careful eye on them and plan properly for responses to anything that may happen. Of course, there is also the question of the post- 11 September world, which has featured heavily in speeches so far. Far from getting better, the civil defence front is getting worse and more complex. Hon. Members have mentioned the fuel crisis, and there was the millennium bug. Who knows what scientific disaster we will have to confront next?
My hon. Friend spoke about the hundreds of billions of dollars voted by Congress for civil defence purposes in the United States. I was struck by the fact that, while we have cut £10 million from civil defence expenditure for the understandable reasons that have been set out, the national Federal Emergency Management Agency in the United States co-ordinates emergency responses to natural or man-made disasters with an annual budget of $300 million. It has access to contingency funds of $2 billion, 2,900 staff and more than 4,000 reservists. That is a sign that that country takes civil defence seriously.
We know that we need fundamental change, and the review has rightly begun. I cannot remember who launched it, because I am so confused about where responsibility for the subject lies, but someone in the Government deserves credit for doing so in August, before the events of 11 September heightened the need to act. I am delighted that the Government say in the discussion document on which we were invited to comment by the end of last month that greater consistency is needed in the delivery of emergency planning. They are considering precisely the legislative changes that, in principle, the House should welcome.
I am also delighted that the Government are seeking views on funding arrangements, proposing that civil defence arrangements should be supported through the standard spending assessment alongside other locally delivered services, rather than being put in a special pigeonhole. That may be a sensible way to proceed. I understand that the responses to the document have been very favourable, giving the Government a clear mandate and consensus on which to proceed. All that is very encouraging, so why this grubby little Bill now?
The chief emergency planning officers of the west midlands region discussed the Bill at one of their regular liaison meetings. Not one of them felt that it was needed, especially in view of the review of legislation, so what does it do? As my hon. Friend said, it cuts expenditure, but it does so highly capriciously. The explanatory note is a model of obscurantism, and just the sort of explanatory note that, we are learning, is a non- explanatory note. Let me offer my own version:
"This Bill gives the designated Minister the power to vary the Civil Defence Grant, payable to grant receiving Local Authorities on an annual basis, at will. Under its provisions, he will be enabled to use different criteria in determining the amount of grant to be paid to different authorities across the country.
Further, the grant could be held back and not paid for an indefinite number of years after that to which the grant applies. In the intervening period, the amount previously determined could retrospectively be altered.
In order to ensure almost complete uncertainty for local authorities, he will be given the power to decide arbitrarily that the grant payable to any particular authority will be reduced to zero from the original determination and this could be announced at any time, even after the grant period has started, leaving local authorities without any resource to carry out their Civil Defence functions."
Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 28 November 2001, c1040)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1691
|
__label__wiki
| 0.947355
| 0.947355
|
June 14th, 2019 by Mike Pare in Breaking News
Brian Rothenberg, United Auto Workers spokesman, speaks with the media after unionization fails for workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant during a press conference at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Friday, June 14, 2019 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Unionization failed with 833 against to 776 for representation.
Photo by Erin O. Smith
Updated at 10:46 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019, with more information.
Gallery: UAW loses at VW
The United Auto Workers on Friday lost another vote of blue-collar workers at Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant as anti-union employees fought off a fierce bid to organize the factory.
The vote, 833 against the union to 776 for the UAW, was closer than the 2014 effort but still fell short.
Some 51.8% of workers voted against the union, while 48.2% supported the UAW. In the 2014 election, the margin was 53.2% against the union and 46.8% for the UAW.
Anti-union workers had said they didn't need the Detroit-based UAW to speak for them when they already have a voice at the plant. They criticized the UAW for the ongoing federal corruption probe of the union in Michigan and for what they felt were unfair attacks by the UAW and its supporters against the automaker.
Mary Morrison, an eight-year employee in quality control, said the union simply wasn't needed and that "I don't want it in the door."
Pro-union VW workers had eyed the opportunity to bargain with the company over issues such as health and safety, working conditions, paid time off, and the bolstering of retirement plans.
The result comes after an onslaught of TV, radio, print and digital advertising that flooded the area over the past few weeks. The array of ads sought to gain the support of the some 1,700 VW production and skilled trades workers eligible to vote in the election.
Some 93% of the eligible employees voted during the election, according to VW. A total of 1,609 votes were cast during the three-day voting period from Wednesday through Friday.
Frank Fischer, president and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said the employees have spoken.
"Pending certification of the results by the National Labor Relations Board and a legal review of the election, Volkswagen will respect the decision of the majority," said Fischer. "We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with elected officials and business leaders in Tennessee."
After the vote, the UAW challenged the process of trying to form a union at the auto plant, calling on Congress to take a comprehensive look at the country's labor laws and National Labor Relations Board rules.
"Clearly Volkswagen was able to delay bargaining with maintenance [workers] and ultimately this vote among all production and maintenance workers through legal games until they could undermine the vote," said Brian Rothenberg, a UAW International spokesman.
By law, VW workers will have to wait one year before deciding next steps.
The Chattanooga VW plant assembles the Passat midsize sedan and Atlas SUV, employing about 3,500 people. This week's vote was the third union election in five years at the factory.
In 2014, the UAW lost an election by a margin of 712-626. About a year later, a smaller group of just maintenance workers approved the union by a vote of 108-44.
But the company refused to bargain with the unit, saying it wanted a vote of all production and maintenance workers. Last month, the union disavowed the smaller group and the NLRB approved the union's petition for the new election.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee had said he planned to "take what happens and move forward. I mean, we'll take the situation we have and work forward to make sure that Volkswagen remains an important piece of who we are and that force is developed in a way that helps them to continue to expand."
Some Hamilton County state legislators had said that a union win would make it harder to gain approval of future incentive packages for VW.
According to the NLRB, any party may file objections to the conduct of the election or to behavior affecting the results within seven days.
Chattanooga labor attorney Dan Gilmore noted that in 2014, the UAW had objected to comments made by then-U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and former Gov. Bill Haslam.
Volkswagen said during this year's campaign that it would remain "neutral," adding that it could "achieve more for the company and its team by continuing an open dialogue as we have done successfully so far."
The union has been trying to reverse decades of attrition within its ranks. The UAW has only about a fourth of the membership it had in 1979 when the UAW had more than 1.5 million members.
Last year, the UAW lost more than 35,000 members, a 9 percent decrease, the Detroit News said, citing documents filed with the U.S. Department of Labor.
The union said in the filing it had 395,703 members in 2018, down from 430,871 it had in 2017. Last year was the first time in nine years the union shrank its membership since its ranks reached a low of 355,191 in 2009 during the depths of the Great Recession.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story erroneously reported the number of votes against the union as 863 and the amount of workers at the plant as 1,659. Those numbers have been corrected to 833 and 1,609, respectively.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1696
|
__label__wiki
| 0.926361
| 0.926361
|
11 still hospitalized, 1 critical, after Jerusalem bombing
Police yet to identify victim in life-threatening condition, are examining the possibility that he was the bomber
By Judah Ari Gross 19 April 2016, 12:03 pm 1 Edit
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's military correspondent.
Israeli security forces and forensics technicians investigate the scene of a bus explosion in southern Jerusalem on April 18, 2016. (Thomas Coex/AFP)
One man wounded in a bus bombing in southern Jerusalem Monday remained in life-threatening condition a day later, while 11 others were still hospitalized.
Police had yet to identify the man who was seriously injured in the blast and were investigating the possibility that he was the bomber, a spokesperson said.
However, she said, “All of the details and circumstances are still being checked and investigated.”
A Jerusalem court put the details of the investigation and the identities of suspects under a gag order.
The man suffered severe burns and extensive injuries to the limbs, according to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where he is being treated.
Firefighters and rescue personnel at the scene of a bus bombing in Jerusalem, on April 18, 2016, leaving at least 21 people injured. (Nati Shohat/FLash90)
He underwent surgery on Monday night, and was unconscious and intubated in the Jerusalem hospital’s intensive care unit on Tuesday morning, the medical center’s spokesperson Shoham Rubio said.
“He is in unstable and life-threatening condition,” she said.
He was apparently closest to the blast, which accounted for both the severity of his injuries and the police suspicion that the attack was an attempted suicide bombing.
The 21 victims of the bombing were taken to three hospitals in the capital on Monday, but 11 of them were quickly released home.
Eden Dadon, a 15-year-old resident of Jerusalem, also remained unconscious and intubated in moderate condition on Tuesday morning, her mother Racheli said.
The two had been riding the bus together at the time of the attack.
“Everything was dark and smoky. I looked for my daughter and she was all burned,” Racheli Dadon told reporters. “After the explosion I collapsed. Her face was all black, you couldn’t see her.”
Two moderately injured victims who underwent surgery remained in Shaare Zedek Medical Center, though they were stable, conscious and capable of breathing on their own, Rubio said.
Three lightly wounded victims also stayed in the hospital through Tuesday morning, she added.
In Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem, six victims were still being treated. Four of them were in moderate condition, and the other two lightly injured.
Firefighters look on as two buses burn in Jerusalem. Police launched an investigation into the incident, April 18, 2016. (Israel Police)
The number 12 bus exploded on Moshe Baram Street in the Talpiot neighborhood of the capital at approximately 5:45 p.m., also setting another bus and a passing car on fire.
There was uncertainty at first over whether the explosion was the result of a terror attack or a mechanical malfunction. After a preliminary investigation, Jerusalem Police Chief Yoram Halevy confirmed the blast was caused by a small explosive device, apparently placed in the back portion of the bus.
“When a bomb explodes on a bus, it is a terror attack,” Halevy said, adding it was unclear if the bomber had been on the bus at the time of the blast.
The terror attack broke weeks of relative calm in the city after a six-month wave of Palestinian stabbings, shootings and vehicular attacks seemed to be subsiding, and raised fears of a return to a type of violence not seen in Jerusalem for years. The second intifada terror wave between 2000 and 2005 saw Jerusalem frequently targeted by suicide bombers on buses and in restaurants.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast by any terrorist groups or individuals, though several Palestinian terror groups praised the bombing in statements.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking Monday night, said Israel would “settle the score” with those responsible for the bombing.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem
bus bombing
Israel Police
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1698
|
__label__cc
| 0.619067
| 0.380933
|
Report: DPWH to start work on 2 major projects to ease EDSA traffic
Expected to be finished as early as mid-2016
The Department of Public Works and Highways will reportedly start construction on two projects that it hopes will ease traffic on EDSA.
According to GMANetwork.com, the first project is the Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project Phase VI, which refers to the construction of two two-level interchanges. One will be the EDSA-North Avenue-West Avenue interchange, which will start at the end of the Quezon Avenue flyover and end at the Dario Bridge in Muñoz, and two is the Mindanao Avenue interchange, which will begin on Congressional Avenue in Muñoz and end on Mindanao Avenue. The total cost of the project, which is said to include the construction of a third interchange, will cost P4.01 billion.
The second project is the construction of the Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue underpass in Makati City, which we first reported in October. Expected to cost P1.27 billion, the 600m tunnel will traverse the length of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue between the intersections of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.
The report added that both projects are expected to be finished as early as mid-2016 to as late as the first quarter of 2017.
Mazda to show off aftermarket accessories for all-new MX-5
DPWH,
EDSA traffic,
Metro Manila traffic,
flyover,
Department of Public Works and Highways,
underpass
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1700
|
__label__cc
| 0.643583
| 0.356417
|
LETTER: Those who saw Marshall perform are better for it
Sep 5, 2018 at 10:21 PM Sep 5, 2018 at 10:21 PM
Editor's note: The writer's name and hometown were inadvertently left off of a letter to the editor in Wednesday's paper. The letter is reprinted below.
Those who saw Marshall
perform are better for it
Thanks very much to Mark Hughes Cobb and The Tuscaloosa News for the excellent front-page article on Aug. 29 relating to the late Jack Marshall.
At the height of the popularity of all-night singings, the Blackwood Brothers would come to Decatur, just north of my hometown of Hartselle, every three months along with the Statesmen Quartet and other groups. I began attending these singings even before I could be licensed to drive, sometimes taking the bus and at others hitchhiking.
I have every recording made by the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, always my favorite group, while Jack Marshall was the pianist.
About the only thing Mr. Cobb didn't mention relating to Mr. Marshall's career in gospel music was that he was also a recorded vocalist. My record collection includes Jack Marshall singing "Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)" in the late 1950s. Truly, Jack Marshall did "let the sunshine in" wherever he went, and all of us who saw his public performances are much better for having been there.
Bill Stewart, Northport
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1701
|
__label__wiki
| 0.690462
| 0.690462
|
"POW! program: "3 startups win with their innovative water-related solutions
The POW! emPowering Opportunities in Water competition, introduced in 2015 by Veolia in North America, the Water Council and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), aims to encourage the emergence of new ideas focusing on sustainable development and resilience in the water sector. Three US companies were selected. They will receive financial support and assistance from Veolia and water experts in order to develop their innovations.
The three winning companies are:
Nano Gas Technologies, Inc., in Deerfield, Illinois, has invented a technology that optimizes the water recycling process in the oil and gas industry with the use of nanobubbles of oxygen.
Nutrient Recovery & Upcycling, LLC in Madison, Wisconsin, has developed a technology for recovering nutrients from wastewater.
WAVVE flux Inc., in Houston, uses a biodegradable gel made from food waste to extract heavy metals and nutrients from the water.
“The driving force behind Pow! program is to connect the entrepreneurial ecosystem with the needs of society, the environment and our clients,” explained Philip Abraham, senior vice president of Veolia’s Research and Innovation. “By giving the winners access to markets, pilot sites, and experts, Veolia and its two partners can contribute to global improvements in how we manage water.”
”Veolia’s advancement of the new Pow! program demonstrates the company’s commitment to foster and strengthen innovative startups that are focused on speeding up the development of the next generation of water technology solutions,” said Dean Amhaus, president and CEO of The Water Council.
Mark Hogan, CEO of WEDC, concluded, “We look forward to working with these three competition winners to bring new innovations to market.”
Know more:
> Sur l’expertise de Veolia dans l’eau
> Press release 02/25/16: National competition selects three winners to advance water entrepreneurship, resiliency and sustainability
> POW ! (emPowering Opportunities in Water)
> Water Council : www.inwisconsin.com
> Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) : www.inwisconsin.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1703
|
__label__cc
| 0.618763
| 0.381237
|
Wärtsilä engines and propulsion solutions to power two new fishing trawlers
By Milton Stuards, Aug 7, 2017 / Vessels
The technology group Wärtsilä has been contracted to provide the engines and the complete propulsion package, including the propulsion control system for two new fishing trawlers being built for Murmansk, Russia based Nord Pilgrim Ltd. The ships are to be constructed at the PJSC Vyborg shipyard in Russia. The orders with Wärtsilä were booked in June, 2017.
The 80 metres long trawlers will be reinforced to Ice3 class, thereby enabling them to extend their fishing operations in the Barents Sea and North Atlantic. Because of the challenging conditions, the reliability and efficiency of the propulsion arrangement were considered a key factor in the award of the contracts to Wärtsilä. Furthermore, the Wärtsilä engines are compliant with the IMO’s current Tier II regulations.
Caption: rendering of the fishing trawler to be built at the PJSC Vyborg shipyard in Russia - Image courtesy of Wärtsilä
“For vessels with just a single main engine and one propeller operating in remote and difficult waters, nothing can be allowed to go wrong. For this reason, we are proud that Wärtsilä was chosen to supply the propulsion machinery. It is a clear endorsement of the proven reliability of this technology. The fact that we are supplying the full package allows us greater control over the complete driveline,” says Alexander Staritsyn, General Manager – Europe & Africa, Marine Solutions, Wärtsilä Corporation.
“Nord Pilgrim’s current fleet already uses a number of Wärtsilä solutions, and we have worked with Wärtsilä on other successful projects. We are, therefore, very confident that their engines and equipment are the right choice for these vessels,” says Alexander Solovyev, Director, PJSC Vyborg.
Wärtsilä’s full scope of supply is for each ship one 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 main engine, one Wärtsilä gearbox, one Wärtsilä controllable pitch propeller system, one transverse thrusters system, and a Wärtsilä ProTouch propulsion control system. Auxiliary generating power will be supplied by one 6-cylinder and one 4-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 Auxpac engine. The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard in March 2018 and January 2019.
The gearbox has integrated hydraulics, which increases its reliability while also reducing the space needed. This arrangement facilitates easier installation and commissioning. The Wärtsilä ProTouch system features an award winning control panel.
Wärtsilä has years of experience in supplying products, systems and solutions for vessels working in extreme environmental conditions. Furthermore, the company has service support facilities in Murmansk.
Source: Wärtsilä
Tags: Wärtsilä, contract, engines, propulsion, fishing trawler, Nord Pilgrim, Murmansk
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1705
|
__label__cc
| 0.641255
| 0.358745
|
2 definition by Christopher Olsen
Someone who, in submitting an urban dictionary entry, doesn't quite get the concept that you are trying to define something, not make an argument in favor of it or write a commercial for it.
"The guy who wrote that entry for his home state is a moron."
#jerk #idiot #numbskull #jackass #stupid #nincompoop #dumbass #dummy #dimwit #ignoramus
by Christopher Olsen October 13, 2006
Buy a moron mug!
A musical instrument using steel or gut strings which are picked or strummed. The defining charactaristic of a banjo is that the body of the instrument is essentially a tightened drum head, which gives the banjo its distinct tambre.
There are many different types of banjos, but the most popular, or at least well-known is the 5-string banjo, which is played most commonly in American Folk, Country, Western, and Bluegrass music. The 5-string is usually played by individually plucking the strings in a fast, rhythmic, "rolling" motion using individual finger picks.
Other common varieties are the Tenor Banjo, which has only 4 strings and is tuned in 5ths like a mandolin or a cello. Similar to the Tenor banjo is the Plectrum Banjo, which also has four strings but is tuned slightly differently.
The Tenor and Plectrum Banjo are more commonly found in early Jazz music, and were usually just strummed rather than picked, much like a rhythm guitar. Plectrum and tenor banjoes were quite common in popular music during the later half of the 19th century until around the mid-1930's. They are now considered more of a specialty or novelty instrument and are not often seen outside of nostalgic jazz bands.
There is also the Banjo Ukulele, which is a very small banjo that is tuned like a ukulele, the long-neck banjo, which is similar to the regular 5-string, but has a much longer neck (big surprise), and the 6-string banjo, which is basically the neck of a 6-string guitar and the drumhead body of a banjo.
Because of the banjo's common appearance in folk music (mostly the 5-string banjo), especially in bluegrass and music which originated in mostly rural or undeveloped parts of the united states, especially the more mountainous parts of the southeastern United States, it has become a symbol of the (arguably well-deserved) stereotypes associated with those parts of the country, such as being unhygenic, backwards, ignorant, simple, inbred, incestuous, and bigoted. The banjo has long been associated with hillbillies. The infamous 1972 motion picture "Deliverance" played a large part in galvinizing the banjo's association with the uneducated, inbred, redneck hillbilly with a scene featuring a boy (or growth-stunted young man) who appears to possibly be the product of incestuous union. The "boy" does not appear to be able to speak or communicate, in fact hardly seems capable of having facial expressions, but is an absolute savant at playing the 5-string banjo.
Because the many variants of the Banjo have been largely present in antiquated or venerated styles of music, mainly those of American origin, the banjo is also associated with being old-fashioned.
"Oh, Susanna, now don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee."
"Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah strummin' on the old Banjo."
"That guy's so inbred, all he can do is play the banjo."
#banjo #bluegrass #folk #jazz #dixieland #hillbilly #old-timey #old-timer #hick #country #inbred
Buy a Banjo mug!
privacy dmca remove help
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1706
|
__label__cc
| 0.712906
| 0.287094
|
Pauline Cove
A view of camp from across Pauline Cove. The cove offers protection from the rougher waves of the Beaufort Sea, and as such was an ideal base for the 1890’s whalers to moor their ships.
Tent shelters
Shelters made of driftwood protect campers against strong winds during storms. There is nothing better than going to sleep listening to the creaking of the ice, the calls of seabirds and the occasional breathing of a whale.
Mission house
A ringed seal drifts by the abandoned mission house on the edge of camp. Built by Anglican missionaries in the early 1900’s, the derelict building is now home to a colony of black guillemots and fitted with nestboxes where the birds can breed.
Thunderstorms are relatively rare in the Arctic, but may become more frequent with climate change causing warmer air temperatures in the summer. It was a rather exciting night sleeping in the wooden tent shelters with the lightning flashing overhead!
Ice house
A snowy owl sits on a century-old ice house. The whalers living on the island at the end of the 19th century blasted holes in the frozen ground to store food. Now, with rapidly degrading permafrost, only one house remains standing, and has recently become too unsafe to access.
Fox and mission house
Foxes are curious creatures who do not hesitate to venture into urban areas - or into camp! This particular fox became a daily visitor and could often be seen hunting for voles near the abandoned Anglican mission house.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1709
|
__label__wiki
| 0.634727
| 0.634727
|
Welcome to Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island
To get here, you probably chartered a bush plane or a helicopter from Inuvik, the nearest major town in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Or perhaps you navigated the sinuous meanderings of the Mackenzie River Delta and braved the waves of the Beaufort Sea to arrive by boat. If you are lucky, you may have spotted a pod of beluga whales - not to be confused with debris of floating sea ice - on your final approach.
Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island is a territorial park off the north coast of the Yukon Territory in the Canadian Arctic. Just around one hundred square kilometers in extent, the island is nonetheless home to a rich Arctic fauna and flora. And for a remote place without any permanent settlement, the island also has a fascinating history of human occupancy.
Natural history of Qikiqtaruk
Qikiqtaruk is made from frozen sediments that were once pushed and piled up by an ice sheet. After the Ice Age, the sea level rose, breaking the connection to the mainland and creating the island. A 3-km wide strait separates Qikiqtaruk from the Yukon north coast, which means that good swimmers like bears and caribou can go back and forth as they please, although other animals such as muskoxen can only get to the island while there is sea ice. This means that the island’s population fluctuate from year to year depending on how many animals get stranded there in the summer!
The shallow, nutrient-rich waters around the island attract marine wildlife such as beluga and bowhead whales, several species of seals, and sea birds like black guillemots and eider ducks. Visit the Wildlife gallery to meet more of the inhabitants of the island!
Human heritage
The territorial park of Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island was established in 1987 by the Yukon Government to preserve the island’s natural environment and significant cultural heritage.
The island lies within the traditional grounds of the Inuvialuit, whose presence dates back at least a thousand years. “Qikiqtaruk” simply means “island” in Inuvialuktun. Today, the park is still a hunting ground for the Inuvialuit, and a place to teach youth traditional customs.
Qikiqtaruk was first described to the European world in 1826 by the famously ill-fated Admiral Franklin during one of his Arctic exploration trips. Franklin named the island Herschel after the scientists and astronomers William Herschel and his sister Caroline.
At the end of the 19th century, American and European whalers came to Qikiqtaruk to hunt for bowhead whales, and the population of the island rose to 1,500 - 2,000 people for a brief period. However, the unsustainable harvest of whales meant that the trade went down quickly, and a decade later most whalers had left. Around that time, the Canadian Mounted Police established a station to increase the national presence in the Arctic. The fur trade continued for a while, but this dwindled down, too, and the Hudson Bay Company left in 1937. The police left in 1964, putting an end to year-round occupation of the island. Nowadays, the island receives small groups of Inuvialuit, park conservation officers, tourists, and scientists, mostly in the summer. Visit the Camp gallery for a tour!
The Pauline Cove settlement on Qikiqtaruk often gets flooded when sea level rises during a storm.
A changing island
The environment of Qikiqtaruk is changing rapidly: the Arctic is warming around twice as fast as the rest of the planet, and consequences are already felt there. The rich wildlife, varied habitat types, and special geomorphology of the island make it a prime location to study environmental change. Qikiqtaruk is a living laboratory where researchers, in collaboration with the parks rangers and the Yukon government, monitor long-term changes in the landscape, from shifts in the abundance of certain plants to rates of coastal erosion.
Climate change also threatens the human heritage of the site. Some of the historical buildings have already been moved to prevent them being lost at sea. The Inuvialuit and whalers grave sites on the coast are also at risk.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1710
|
__label__wiki
| 0.875243
| 0.875243
|
Choi Min Soo
최민수
Choe Min Su
Choi Min Soo is an award-winning, veteran South Korean actor who comes from a family of celebrated actors. He was born on March 27, 1962, to Choi Moo Ryong, a popular actor, and Kang Hyo Shil, an actress. His maternal grandparents are Jeon Ok, a celebrated actress, and Kang Hong Sik, an actor, film director and singer during the Japanese occupation. His grandparents were the first married couple in Korean entertainment history. Kang Hong Sik and his daughter, Kang Hyo Son, moved to North Korea, where Kang Hyo Son also became a famous actress. Choi Min Soo made his acting debut in the 1985 short film “Eye.” He won Best New Actor at the 11th Golden Cinematography Awards in 1987 for his work in “Long Journey & Tunnel,” the first of many acting awards of his prolific career. Some of his award-winning roles include the television dramas “Sandglass” (1995) and “Pride and Prejudice” (2014) and the films “Terrorist” (1995) and “Libera Me” (2000). He also has appeared in the recent popular dramas “The Man Who Dies to Live” (2017) and “Lawless Lawyer” (2018). Choi Min Soo met June Elizabeth Kang in 1993 at the international Miss Korea Beauty Pageant, where Kang competed as Miss Canada. Choi Min Soo proposed to her within three hours of meeting her, and they were married in 1994.
Mar 27, 1962 (age 57)
Fan Channel
Man Who Dies to Live
Kim Dong Hee, Jung Da Bin, Nam Yoon Soo, And More Confirmed To Lead New Netflix Drama
Choi Min Soo Denies Allegations Of Retaliatory Driving During 1st Trial
Choi Min Soo’s Agency Gives Details On Retaliatory Driving Controversy
Choi Min Soo Indicted For Retaliatory Driving And Other Charges + Agency Responds
Watch: Choi Min Soo Plays Intense Prank On “Master In The House” Cast
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1712
|
__label__cc
| 0.635822
| 0.364178
|
Violinist.com - Violin Blogs - Laurie Niles - Blog Entry
Mark O'Connor 'Appalachian Christmas' CD giveaway, one more left!
Hear those sleigh bells ringing? Well if you haven't yet, you probably will soon. Here is one new album by a violinist, in the hopes that you'll find some good music this holiday season.
We've all heard of Copland's "Appalachian Spring"; well, violinist Mark O'Connor's "An Appalachian Christmas" is an entirely different concept! I expected a lot of bluegrass arrangements of Christmas tunes-gone-fiddle from this fiddler extraordinaire, but Mark has actually teamed up with many different musicians and offers a multi-genre mix of both holiday and non-holiday tunes, including both instrumental and vocal numbers. A few duets with RenŽe Fleming lean toward a classical sound (including spare, violin-vocal arrangement of "Amazing Grace" that is one of the most effective moments in the album ). The album also includes a rather electric-sounding "Sleigh Ride"; a duet with James Taylor called "Ol' Blue"; a peaceful "Slumber My Darling" with Alison Krauss, Edgar Meyer and Yo-Yo Ma; and a slow-moving duet with mandolinist Chris Thile called "One Winter's Night." My favorite moments are when Mark fiddles out, such as in the introduction to "Winter Wonderland" with vocalist Jane Monheit. The album concludes with Mark's signature composition, Appalachia Waltz.
Our first winner was Danielle Martin of Seneca, South Carolina, and our second winner was Stephanie Munoz of Chuluota, Florida. There's one more chance to win, and we'll keep this up through Sunday. To enter, please go to our contest page.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1713
|
__label__wiki
| 0.906802
| 0.906802
|
Black Dyke Band at Morley Town Hall
Music, Sat 18 Jan 2020
Black Dyke Band
Leeds Best of Brass 2019/20: Black Dyke Band
In 1816 Peter Wharton founded a brass and reed band in the Yorkshire village of Queenshead – later to become Queensbury. John Foster, apart from being the founder of Black Dyke Mills, played French Horn in this band. It has been said on many occasions that Black Dyke was formed from it; however, this is not strictly true, as Peter Whartons band went out of existence through loss of members. In 1833 a new band was formed named ‘Queenshead Band’, which may well have contained players from the former band. It is reported that this band reached its zenith from 1838 to 1843, at which time it consisted of 18 musicians.
Black Dyke Band is the most recorded band in the world with over 350 recordings and growing every year. It is also the most successful contesting band in the world having won the European Championship thirteen times, most recently in 2015, the British Open no fewer than 30 times (most recently 2014) and the National Championship of Great Britain 23 times (most recently 2014). In 2009, and again in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the band became Champion Band at the English National Championship and were named English National Champion in 2014 by virtue of having won the National Brass Band Championship in October 2014. The band are the current Yorkshire Champion, having secured an unprecedented hat trick of wins 2016, 17 and 18.
Sat 18 Jan 2020 19:30 to 00:00
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1715
|
__label__wiki
| 0.982589
| 0.982589
|
State Dept.: At Least 16 Americans Affected by 'Incidents' in Cuba
The U.S. flag waves outside the newly opened U.S. Embassy, overlooking Havana's seaside boulevard, the Malecon in Cuba, Aug. 14, 2015.
WASHINGTON - Mysterious "incidents" caused physical symptoms in at least 16 Americans linked to the U.S. embassy in Cuba, the State Department said on Thursday, in what media reports have described as an "acoustic attack."
The State Department earlier this month said Americans serving at the U.S. embassy in Havana had experienced physical symptoms caused by unspecified "incidents" starting as far back as late 2016.
A U.S. government official said in August that several colleagues at the U.S. embassy in Havana were evacuated back to the United States for hearing problems and other symptoms. Some subsequently got hearing aids, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Thursday that 16 or more U.S. government employees and family members based in Cuba had experienced symptoms of some sort, a number that was previously not known.
"We can confirm that at least 16 ... members of our embassy community have experienced some kinds of symptoms," Nauert said.
Those affected received medical care in the United States and Cuba, and some of those who experienced symptoms have decided to remain in Havana, Nauert said.
CBS reported this week that Americans and Canadians working in Cuba had been diagnosed with hearing loss, nausea, headaches and balance disorders and conditions as serious as mild traumatic brain injury and damage to the central nervous system.
Citing a source familiar with the incidents, CBS said officials are investigating whether the diplomats were targets of some form of sonic attack directed at their homes.
"The incidents are no longer occurring," Nauert said.
Cuba has denied involvement in the incidents, and said this month that it is investigating the U.S. allegations. The State Department has not blamed Cuba for the attacks, but did ask two Cuban diplomats to leave Washington in May.
Canadian Diplomat in Cuba Joins US Officials in Suffering From Hearing Loss
Canada's consular affairs office said Thursday that one of its diplomats in Cuba was suffering from the same mysterious hearing loss that apparently forced several U.S. diplomats to leave Havana. Global Affairs Canada gave no details. But a spokeswoman said officials "are aware of unusual symptoms affecting Canadian and U.S. diplomatic personnel…
Tillerson Says Diplomats in Havana Suffered 'Health Attacks'
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that U.S. diplomats in Havana had been the victims of "health attacks" that left them with hearing loss — the most definitive U.S. statement yet on a series of mysterious incidents that have puzzled longtime observers of U.S.-Cuban relations.His comments came two days after the State Department issued a vaguely worded statement saying there had been "incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms." U.S. officials…
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1717
|
__label__wiki
| 0.926836
| 0.926836
|
New US Supreme Court Justice Pledges to Be 'Independent and Impartial'
By Steve Herman
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh speaks before his ceremonial public swearing-in as U.S. President Donald Trump and Kavanaugh's wife, Ashley, and daughters Liza and Margaret look on in the East Room of the White House in Washingto
WHITE HOUSE - The newest member of the United States Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, after a bruising confirmation process in the Senate that bitterly divided the nation, is vowing to hear every case with respect and an open mind.
"Every American can be assured that I will be an independent and impartial justice," Kavanaugh said in the White House East Room after a ceremonial swearing-in ahead of his first day on the bench Tuesday.
The other eight members of the highest court, a number of Republican senators crucial to the confirmation process and President Donald Trump watched Monday as retired Justice Anthony Kennedy administered the judicial oath to Kavanaugh.
"The Senate confirmation process was contentious and emotional. That is now over," declared Kavanaugh.
President Donald Trump, from left, with Justice Br
President Donald Trump, from left, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh and retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, speaks during the ceremonial swearing-in ceremony of Kavanaugh as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Oct. 8, 2018.
Kavanaugh added that the Supreme Court "is not a partisan or political institution," promising to "always be a team player on a team of nine."
Kavanaugh also announced that all four of his law clerks will be women — "a first in the history of the Supreme Court."
Minutes earlier, Trump alluded to the fierce Democratic Party opposition to the federal circuit court judge he had nominated to the bench who was accused of sexual misconduct in his youth.
The allegation by Christine Blasey Ford, now a university professor in California, nearly derailed Kavanaugh's confirmation. Kavanaugh denied the accusation.
"On behalf of our nation, I want to apologize to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure," Trump said. "You, sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent."
The FBI probe into the allegations was not a criminal investigation, however, and its report offered no conclusion of guilt or innocence.
Kavanaugh was officially sworn in Saturday, just after the Senate narrowly confirmed him by a vote of 50-48, to the lifetime seat on the country's highest court.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justices, from left,
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justices, from left, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer watch from the front row as Brett Kavanaugh takes his ceremonial oath of office while participating in a ceremonial public swearing-in in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Oct. 8, 2018.
Hours before Monday evening's White House event, Trump accused opposition Democrats of already plotting to remove Kavanaugh from the bench.
Kavanaugh was "caught up in a hoax set up by the Democrats," Trump told reporters, without elaborating. "And now they want to impeach him."
The president, speaking before boarding the Marine One helicopter on the White House south lawn, predicted the attack on Kavanaugh would cost the opposition party in next month's midterm congressional elections.
"The American public has seen this charade, and it was a disgrace. And I think it's really going to show you something come November 6," when the midterms are held, Trump added.
Trump and his fellow Republicans are hoping the confirmation of the 53-year-old conservative jurist will energize their supporters in the midterm voting when political control of Congress is at stake.
The ranking member of the House judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, has said his party would investigate the sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh if the Democrats reclaim the majority in the chamber.
Cory Booker of New Jersey, who sits on the senate's judiciary committee, was asked Sunday in Iowa by Yahoo News about the prospects of a Kavanaugh impeachment.
"The reality is, right now, Republicans control the House and the Senate, and there's no way to do even an investigation unless we flip one of the houses," replied Booker, a Democrat seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2020. "So, I think even before you start focusing on questions about his truthfulness before a Senate committee, you've got to focus on the urgency of the work over the next 30 days, and that's where my focus is."
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks during the I
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks during the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Fall Gala in Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 6, 2018.
Other prominent Democrats indicate they have no immediate intention of pursuing an impeachment of Kavanaugh.
Senator Chris Coons of Delaware called impeachment talk "premature," while House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said it "would not be my plan" to impeach the justice.
Only one U.S. supreme court justice has ever been impeached — Samuel Chase, in 1804, who was acquitted by the Senate.
When Trump ran for the presidency in 2016, he vowed to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court, disclosing a list of possible candidates. With Kavanaugh's ascent to the nine-member high court, Trump now has filled two vacancies on the court from his list, including Neil Gorsuch last year.
Three weeks preceding the confirmation vote, Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a suburban Washington house party more than three decades ago when both were teenagers.
"I thought it was one of the most disgraceful performances I've ever seen," Trump said Monday of the Democrats' fight against Kavanaugh, who replaces Kennedy, a conservative jurist who often cast the deciding swing vote on ideologically divisive issues, upholding abortion and gay rights and the use of affirmative action aiding racial minorities in college admissions.
Independent court analysts, however, predict Kavanaugh is likely to concur with more conservative interpretations of the law, given a solid 5-4 ideological edge on the court to those who lean to the right.
Trump Stages Ceremonial Swearing-in for Kavanaugh
U.S. President Donald Trump, basking in the Senate confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, on Monday staged a ceremonial swearing-in for him at the White House.“I want to apologize to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the pain and suffering you were forced to endure,” Trump said when introducing Kavanaugh. “Under historic scrutiny you were proven innocent," he added, referring to an FBI investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct…
Amid Kavanaugh Fallout, Book Looks at Presidents, Justices
Mired in the Korean War, President Harry Truman began plotting a federal government takeover of American steel companies to head off a strike. Before he followed through with his plan, he secretly asked Chief Justice Fred Vinson, his close friend and poker buddy, how the Supreme Court might react. Vinson told his friend not to worry, and Truman proceeded with the takeover. A few months later, the Supreme Court found his actions unconstitutional. The…
Analysis: Kavanaugh Fight Sharpens the Stakes for Midterms
The bitter battle over Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court has exacerbated the nation’s political divide and left many Americans emotionally raw. It’s also given new definition to the high stakes of November’s election. Until now, the fight for control of Congress has largely been viewed as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s first two years in office. But the turmoil surrounding Kavanaugh has transformed the midterms into…
White House Bureau Chief
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1718
|
__label__wiki
| 0.895408
| 0.895408
|
Ranking Britney Spears’s Best MTV VMA Performances
by Patricia Garcia
There was once a time when Britney Spears was the undisputed queen of the MTV VMAs. For a few years in the late ’90s and early ’00s, the teen pop star delivered a series of performances so good, it’s basically impossible to choose a favorite. Remember the time she stripped down to that rhinestone nude bodysuit? Or her kiss with Madonna? And what about that year with the snake?
This Sunday, after a nine-year hiatus—Britney’s last VMA stint was in 2007, and memorable for all the wrong reasons—the pop star will once again take the stage. In anticipation of her triumphant return, we asked Vogue.com Video Content Creator/Britney obsessive Bardia Zeinali, who once costarred with Spears in a McDonald’s commercial (he was an extra; she was “supersweet”), to revisit performances past. Below, his thoughts.
britney spears VMA's
The Year She Performed with ’NSync, 1999
“I don’t care too much about this one, since it’s the least produced of the bunch. It was cool at the time because it was her and ’NSync onstage and this was before she and Justin had come out with their relationship. It had always been rumored they were together, but it wasn’t until next year that they sat together that it was official. Her abs were amazing, though. Her look is so that time; it really reflects that era.”
The Year with the Striptease, 2000
“This one is iconic; she's like a god in this. I recorded it on VHS and would watch it over and over again religiously. She was 18! This was the first time we saw her doing this type of choreography, too. There’s a serious talent going on here. It’s not like today; she's just not leaning over and shaking her ass. She’s doing this intense choreography that requires skill and physique. It was also the beginning of her hairography.
The whole outfit here is also incredible. When she's in that tuxedo and then takes it off, she's shedding her image and coming into her sexuality. Even the staging and the props were super minimal—it was all about her.”
The Year with the Snake, 2001
“This was extremely significant because it was the world premiere of ‘I’m a Slave 4 U.’ There had been a commercial with Jamie Foxx where they played 15 seconds of the song, but that was it. The production value was so much bigger this time around too. There’s a real live tiger in the cage with her! And the choreography—I learned it all and still know how to do it. The snake was just so over the top; honestly, it is one of the most iconic VMA moments of all time. When you think of the VMAs, you think of Britney with a snake wrapped around her neck. It’s funny because all of those animals onstage with her, that would definitely not fly in 2016.”
The Year She Kissed Madonna, 2003
“This was her first performance post–Justin Timberlake breakup. You also see all the young Hollywood girls in the audience (Paris, Lindsay) before they became really big. My jaw dropped the first time I saw this because nothing was announced in advance. We had no idea who was performing. And then you hear Britney’s voice and she lifts that veil. And then Madonna shows up and then they kiss! And then Missy Elliott pops up!
It’s also interesting because this was during Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” phase and there was a lot of backlash from the media after this performance that they weren't great role models and that they were oversexualized. But looking back at it, I find it weirdly feminist and empowering. Plus, Britney and Christina had been pitted against each other during their entire careers and Madonna had been accused of being threatened by them and then all three do this show together and they just rock it. It was legendary and timeless. I bought every tabloid cover with Britney on it the next day. When they kissed and they cut to Justin’s reaction and missed Christina’s part of the kiss? That just showed the cultural significance of Britney at the time. It was her stage. The VMA is Britney’s stage forever.”
The Year of the Failed Comeback, 2007
“I could cry. I may have cried at some point too when I first watched this. ‘Gimme More’ is actually my favorite Britney Spears song of all. But it was difficult to see this performance. It came after she shaved her head and everything else she was going through. It was supposed to be her comeback and it was going to prove that she was fine, that she was only going through a bad time and she had overcome it. And then this happened. We grew up with her, she was a very important artist for a lot of kids and to see her go through that trauma; it was devastating.
That performance was also really dark. The lyrics kept saying ‘gimme more’ and you had all these people touching her onstage—it felt like she was being violated. We all wanted more and she had nothing more to give. She was fulfilling her duties as an entertainer, but you could tell she didn’t want to be there; she wasn’t supposed to be there. I think that opener set a really bad tone for the rest of the awards. That was the year the VMAs died.”
What can we expect for 2016?
“I think that she’s looking her best, and she seems to be in a really happy place. She’s making great music again; it doesn't seem forced or contrived. There's soul in her songs again, which is exciting because she’s going to have soul in her performance, too, hopefully. She’s going to go up there and show everyone why she is the VMAs. If anyone has the potential to bring them back, it’s her.”
In This Story:MTV VMAs 2018
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1719
|
__label__wiki
| 0.828059
| 0.828059
|
Indians minor league pitcher Lara injured in accident
Nov 26, 2007 at 12:01 AM Nov 26, 2007 at 11:30 AM
Indians minor-league pitcher Juan Lara was seriously injured Saturday night in an auto accident in the Dominican Republic.
Team spokesman Bart Swain said Lara’s injuries were considered “life-threatening,” but could not release specific details of those injuries. Lino Diaz, Cleveland’s director of Latin American operations, was to travel to the Dominican Republic today.
Swain said Lara was driving home from a winter league game in San Pedro de Macoris and was stopped at an intersection when his car was hit broadside by a motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed. The driver of the motorcycle and his passenger were both killed instantly.
The 26-year-old left-hander pitched in one game for the Indians in 2007, allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings.
He spent most of the season at Triple-A Buffalo, where he was 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA and two saves in 52 appearances. Lara struck out 50 in 58 innings.
Lara had demonstrated some promise in 2006, when he was called up in September and pitched in nine games for the Indians (0-0, 1.80 ERA) after beginning the season at Double-A Akron. Left-handers were 1-for-11 against him in those nine appearances.
He came to spring training with a chance to make the big-league roster, but the Indians were fortunate to have two capable left-handers, Aaron Fultz and Rafael Perez, in their bullpen this season.
The Indians signed Lara as a free agent in May of 1999. He pitched three seasons in the Dominican Summer League before joining rookie-league Single-A Burlington (N.C.) in 2002.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail andy.call@cantonrep.com.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1723
|
__label__wiki
| 0.637118
| 0.637118
|
Program To Use Intervention, Support To Tackle Gun Violence In Indianapolis
By Jill Sheridan • Jun 19, 2019
Listen to the broadcast version of this story
Indianapolis’s criminal homicide rate has been on the rise in recent years. The majority of deaths are from gunshots and young black men are more likely to be killed. The city recently announced the adoption of a program to reduce the number of gun related deaths.
The Gun Violence Intervention strategy works to identify individual people most at risk of being shot or shooting someone. Those people will get intervention, mentorship and support.
Rena Allen, a community leader with the non-profit group Faith in Indiana, says the city will also hire two new peacekeepers to connect directly with at-risk juveniles.
"Where they are engaging the community to be able and take them out of the street life and so they can go into a more productive life," says Allen.
READ MORE: Indianapolis Adds Two 'Peacemakers' To Violence Prevention Effort
Faith in Indiana has been advocating for this program for the past few years. Allen says there will also be training from those using the strategy in other cities.
"The national experts will be able to come in and be able to train our people and fully implement this strategy to reduce gun violence in the black and brown community," says Allen.
The city’s police department and public health and safety arms will work together with the community.
Indiana’s firearm mortality rate is higher than the national average.
gun related deaths
Gun Violence Intervention
Rena Allen
Faith In Indiana
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1724
|
__label__wiki
| 0.947059
| 0.947059
|
WebMD Health News
Spinal Implants 'Very Promising' for Paralysis
By Valerie Finholm
Oct.1, 2018 -- The phones have been ringing off the hook at the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation since the news broke that an electronic device put into the spinal cord of several paraplegic patients allowed them to take steps.
“People are wanting to know how they can sign up,” says Susan Howley, executive vice president of research for the nonprofit started by Christopher Reeve, the late film star paralyzed in a horseback riding accident. “So many of them are desperate. The wisdom was simply these people were hardwired at injury, and no matter what we did, it wouldn’t improve on ability to function. This is saying all is not lost.”
Howley and several other researchers stressed that the findings – announced last week by researchers at the Mayo Clinic, UCLA, and the University of Louisville -- while promising, are preliminary.
“It needs to be kept in perspective,” she says, “These were a limited number of case studies, not large clinical trials. But it’s safe to say the findings are very promising.”
Technology Plus Intense Therapy
In the studies, separate teams of researchers produced similar results by surgically implanting an electrical stimulator in paraplegic patients below the injury. This sent a signal to the damaged spinal cord, awakening dormant nerves to receive the signal to move.
The procedures were done along with intense physical rehab. Three out of five paraplegic patients involved in the studies were able to step with a walker after years of being unable to move from the point of their injury down.
The results disprove the accepted wisdom that a spinal injury means a lifetime of paralysis. “We used to think that all of the neurons below the lesion level had died,” Howley says, but the case studies show “some of them may be asleep.”
The studies that made news add additional evidence that people with clinically complete paralysis can take steps with the help of technology, says Monica Perez, PhD, a professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami.
Studies in 2015 and 2016 showed that by using brain-machine signals -- sent to an electrical stimulator worn externally, or exoskeleton -- it was possible to cause muscle activity that allowed some patients to take steps after a lot of training.
The new studies add to evidence that epidural stimulation, via an implant on the covering of the spinal cord, is a therapy that could change the lives of paralyzed people who were once told that they had no hope of recovery.
From a scientific point of view, Perez says, the studies also increase awareness about the need for scientists to work harder to understand how to better involve remaining nerve connections, even when an injury happened years ago.
Stephen Estes, PhD, a post-doctorate fellow and clinical research scientist at Shepherd Center, a nonprofit rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta, expressed cautious optimism about the new findings.
“It’s a very small sample size,” he says. “The next step is to do this in larger patient populations.”
He noted that it took over a year of intensive physical therapy for those who succeeded in stepping.
“From a rehab standpoint, and unfortunately from an insurance standpoint, having individuals get that in a normal setting is quite a hurdle; it’s a lot of time and a lot of resources.”
“It’s an important step, for sure,” he says. “But there’s always a risk of inflating it too quickly.”
Improved Quality of Life
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, there are about 17,700 new spinal cord injuries every year, mostly caused by vehicle crashes, followed closely by falls.
The average age of injury has increased from 29 in the 1970s to 43 today, something Howley attributes to aging baby boomers.
Howley says that while the announcement focused on the ability of paraplegic people to walk, the more important findings have to do with the way any movement affects a paralyzed person’s quality of life.
“When we stand and bear weight, we have better blood circulation, our skin is healthier, and there are fewer chances for pressure sores, skin breakdowns, and bladder infections,” she says.
Giving paralyzed people control over these functions improves their health and gives them more independence.
“Their injury is not destiny,” she says.
The importance of the research findings would not be lost on Christopher Reeve, who died in 2004 at the age of 52 from an infection caused by a bedsore. He had been a quadriplegic for the last 9 years of his life -- and always said he hoped to walk again.
“He would say: ‘I told you so,’ ” Howley says. “He really understood the capacity for science to deliver on its promises.”
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on September 28, 2018
Susan Howley, executive vice president of research, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Short Hills, NJ.
Monica Perez, PhD, professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
Stephen Estes, PhD, clinical research scientist, Shepherd Center, Atlanta.
National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
MS Brain Fog? Tips to Help You Think Clearly
10 Early Signs of Alzheimer's
How to Keep Your Mind Sharp With MS
Is It MS or Am I Having a Stroke?
Medical Marijuana: How It's Used
Treating and Preventing Migraines
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1726
|
__label__wiki
| 0.858945
| 0.858945
|
California storms to dump up to 7 feet of snow, force evacuations
By Andrew Hay
Reuters• January 15, 2019
Jan 15 (Reuters) - Big Pacific storms are set to dump up to seven feet (2.1 meters) of snow in California's Sierra Nevada mountains and several inches of rain elsewhere in the state, forcing evacuations in areas at risk to mudslides.
The first storm moved over Southern California on Tuesday, with rainfall of up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) expected in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and up to 4.5 inches (11.4) in the Santa Monica Mountains, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.
Police in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties ordered evacuations from areas damaged by last year's wildfires because of the risk heavy rain would trigger mud and debris flows on charred hillsides.
Significant road closures and travel delays were possible in the Los Angeles area given risks of flash flooding and rockslides, the NWS reported.
An even bigger storm was brewing out at sea and set to hit the coast on Wednesday, Accuweather reported.
Areas north of Santa Barbara were likely to see up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) of rain. As much as seven feet of snow was possible over 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
"The big one is still out in the middle of the Pacific," said AccuWeather meteorologist John Gresiak. "It's a very powerful storm."
The weather is a boon for California's farmers and ski areas, given most of the state is recovering from years of drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
The wild weather is the result of moisture-laden winds from the Pacific known as "atmospheric rivers."
The first storm will reach the U.S. Midwest and Northeast on Thursday and Friday, gathering more moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The second storm will hit the central and eastern United States through the weekend, Gresiak said. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; editing by Bill Tarrant and Grant McCool)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1732
|
__label__wiki
| 0.53091
| 0.53091
|
The Complete Soundtrack Playlist Has Been Released For NBA 2K17
u4nba Date: Aug/13/16 15:21:54 Views: 350
2K Sports is currently gearing up for the release of NBA2K17. Within the procedure of moving out the game, they have currently launch the complete soundtrack playlist for that game. The full soundtrack for NBA2K17 is available to look at, and to tune in to on Spotify.
According to the news release, the soundtrack was curated Noah “40” Shebib, by Imagine Dragons, and Grimes. In addition, it suggests that “The new soundtrack may feature music across all genres including hip-hop, stone and choice with tunes from JAY-Z, Potential, Action Bronson, The Web, The 1975, Santigold, and more.” Surprisingly, they don’t note Drake, that has two songs to the soundtrack, “Hype” and “Pop Style.”
There's a great deal of hip-hop on the soundtrack, but they blend it up. Not all newer tunes “Rosa Parks” is on there. Even the song that is Santigold is ” which was introduced as a single in 2008, “Creator. Naturally, Santigold is awesome, so who cares? The JAY-Z collection is definitely an unusual one, because they went with “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love),” but a live edition of MTV Unplugged, possibly because in this type he doesn’t use a gay slur. He does nevertheless declare “males shouldn’t be jealous that’s a female quality but one considers NBA2K17 would rather you not focus on that.
Video-game soundtracks are extraordinarily critical, provided once you enjoy with the sport how much you will notice these melodies. It can fit a damper on the gameplay experience should you aren’t in to the soundtrack. While it will be cool if there have been more tracks like Grimes’ while in the blend, if you like that type of material, why not a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack is more your issue.
"NBA 2K17" falls on September 20 later in 2016 for Xbox 360, ps3, Xbox One, ps 4. and if you want get cheap nba 2k17 mt coins you can come to our site www.u4nba.com.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1735
|
__label__wiki
| 0.720344
| 0.720344
|
Archives & Collections
UHHM Headphones
Universal Hip Hop Museum / News and Press / In the News / Building the world’s largest collection of hip-hop memorabilia, one piece at a time
04 10. 2018
Building the world’s largest collection of hip-hop memorabilia, one piece at a time
In In the News
The definitive history of hip-hop doesn’t lie in the Bronx—at least not yet. For now, it’s sitting in rows of boxes inside a fine art storage facility in Newark, N.J.
That’s where the principal archive for the Bronx’s soon-to-come Universal Hip-Hop Museum is being stored until construction is finished on the project’s nearly 60,000 square-foot facility just north of the 145th Street Bridge. With a core formed from the vast collection of hip-hop legend and historian Claude “Paradise” Gray, it’s likely already the largest stockpile of hip-hop memorabilia in existence and is only growing as the museum’s 2022 opening date approaches.
Hip Hop History
For all other inquiries contact info@uhhm.org
© Universal Hip Hop Museum. All rights reserved.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1737
|
__label__wiki
| 0.971027
| 0.971027
|
Princess Chelsea - The Loneliest Girl Tour - Cancelled
Sat Nov 17th, 2018
Blue Smoke,
UTR Presents
* Cancelled
Retro-futurist pop artist PRINCESS CHELSEA
Announces
The Loneliest Girl
New Zealand album tour:
Friday October 26 - Hollywood Avondale - Auckland
Saturday October 27 - Sawmill Café - Leigh
Saturday November 10 - San Fran - Wellington
Saturday November 17 - Blue Smoke - Christchurch * Cancelled
The Loneliest Girl NZ tour will be the first time Princess Chelsea has performed to New Zealand audiences in three years. It sees Chelsea and her band return home after an extensive Planet Earth circuit of the U.K, Europe and Korea.
“I’ve got some new band members, which is pretty cool,” she says and we have spent the last three months tightening our live set before touring the album ..
Back in June, Princess Chelsea gave us a glimpse into her latest musical outing in the form of new song ‘I Love My Boyfriend’. A deceptively clever 60s garage rock song discussing an internal struggle with monogamy.
“a DIY pop song that subverts the rules” - NOISEY UK
The video was self - directed and edited by Chelsea.
The Loneliest Girl was recorded by Chelsea between 2016 and 2017 in her home studio in West Auckland, New Zealand with production assistance from label-mate Jonathan Bree. Chelsea’s trademark arrangements featuring classic 80s Synths (Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50), ambient guitars, and orchestral instruments are all here but are presented in a more refined and simple manner than on her previous releases.
The album examines the loneliness and ultimately the artistic satisfaction a strong work ethic can bring, the result of which is this eclectic collection of pop songs. As a studio based artist Chelsea was conscious of not wanting to fall too deep into a production hole for her third album and wanted to more than ever before capture moments of inspiration, madness and spontaneity on record.
A classically trained pianist, Nikkel lent her talents to self-professed circus punk act Teen Wolf in the mid-2000s, and later in the touring lineup of indie pop outfit the Brunettes. When she wasnt performing, she worked as a composer for a local recording studio, all the while refining her songwriting and production skills. Her full-length debut as Princess Chelsea, Lil Golden Book, was released in late 2011 by New Zealand label Lil Chief, and included the viral YouTube hit Cigarette Duet (nearly 41 million views and counting). The album was a collection of songs about her youth presented with innocent melodies and baroque arrangements to create a musical fairy tale. The juxtaposition of her simple arrangements, childlike delivery and cynical wit is a signifiant and defining characteristic of her music.
She followed up with a synth-heavy sci-fi opera about a future world rendered helpless in the face of depression brought on by technology, The Great Cybernetic Depression was released by Lil Chief and Flying Nun in June 2015. She also released a surprise album of covers called Aftertouch, featuring covers by Nirvana, The Beatles, Interpol, Lucinda Williams and Marianne Faithfull.
Stylistically The Loneliest Girl moves away the more uniform synth sounds of The Great Cybernetic Depression to more eclectic territory similar to her first release Lil’ Golden Book and certainly sounds like a record made by a lover of pop music across all genres from 60s girl groups to 80s power ballads, and late 80s acid house to 90s pop. Like her earlier work, adult issues are presented in a humorous and sometimes childlike manner, and this juxtaposition rather than softening the blow makes jarring social commentary hit harder.
facebook.com/wonderfulpr...
princesschelsea.lilchief...
alternative, princess chelsea
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1738
|
__label__wiki
| 0.581602
| 0.581602
|
Home > List of families > Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae > Sesbania > macrantha
Sesbania macrantha Welw. ex E. Phillips & Hutch.
var. levis J.B. Gillett
We have few details about this taxon; if you can provide any information, photos or reliable records, please contact one of the site authors. Email addresses are given on the home page.
Images: None on this site.
Derivation of specific name: macrantha: large-flowered
Worldwide distribution:
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): N,C,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces):
Growth form(s):
Brummitt, R.K., Harder, D.K., Lewis, G.P., Lock, J.M., Polhill, R.M. and Verdcourt, B. (2007). Leguminosae Subfamily Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(3) Pages 231 - 233.
Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Page 41. as Sesbania macrantha
Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 226.
Other sources of information about Sesbania macrantha var. levis:
Flora of Malawi: Sesbania macrantha var. levis
Flora of Mozambique: Sesbania macrantha var. levis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Sesbania macrantha var. levis
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Sesbania macrantha var. levis
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Sesbania macrantha
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Sesbania macrantha
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Sesbania macrantha
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Sesbania macrantha
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Sesbania macrantha
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Sesbania macrantha
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Sesbania macrantha
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Sesbania macrantha
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Sesbania macrantha
Ispot Southern Africa: Sesbania macrantha
JSTOR Plant Science: Sesbania macrantha
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Sesbania macrantha
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Sesbania macrantha
The Plant List (version 1.1): Sesbania macrantha
Tropicos: Sesbania macrantha
Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2019). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Sesbania macrantha var. levis.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1740
|
__label__wiki
| 0.803626
| 0.803626
|
Past Events by Series
Past Events by Genre
Past Events by Department
Past Events by Season
CFA Blog
CFA E-Mail Newsletter
Creative Campus
Navaratri Festival
In the Galleries
Art Talks
Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery - Current Exhibitions
Davison Art Center
College of East Asian Studies Gallery at Mansfield Freeman Center
Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance
Lodging and Restaurants
About the CFA
Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts to receive National Endowment for the Arts grant to support performance, residency by Netta Yerushalmy in October 2019
Netta Yerushalmy: "Paramodernities." Photo by Maria Baranova.
Click here to download high resolution version.
Middletown, Conn.—National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has announced that Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts is one of the 977 nonprofit organizations nationwide approved to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Center for the Arts is recommended for a $15,000 grant to support the presentation and residency activities of dance artist Netta Yerushalmy, who will perform the work "Paramodernities" on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 7:30pm in the CFA Theater.
“These awards, reaching every corner of the United States, are a testament to the artistic richness and diversity in our country,” said Mary Anne Carter. “Organizations such as Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts are giving people in their community the opportunity to learn, create, and be inspired.”
"Support from the National Endowment for the Arts is central to our ability to fulfill our mission to be a vibrant center for dance in the state, and to bring contemporary dance to audiences who might not otherwise be able to access it," said Sarah Curran, Director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University. "We are grateful for the vote of confidence that this grant implies."
The Performing Arts Series at the Center for the Arts, entering its 9th season at Wesleyan University in 2019-2020, features cutting-edge choreography, world-renowned dance companies, and companies pushing the boundaries of the art form, as well as a wide array of world-class musicians, and groundbreaking theater performances and discussions. Past dance companies that have been featured on the Performing Arts Series include Camille A. Brown and Dancers, CONTRA-TIEMPO, Darrell Jones, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, Le Patin Libre, Raphael Xavier, Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group, and Urban Bush Women.
The NEA has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. Art Works is the NEA's principal grantmaking program. The agency received 1,592 Art Works applications for this round of grantmaking, and will award 977 grants in this category.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.
For more information about the National Endowment for the Arts, please visit click here.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1742
|
__label__wiki
| 0.736893
| 0.736893
|
Photo by: MANDEL NGAN,BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
This combination of pictures created on November 07, 2016 shows Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Sioux City, Iowa on November 6, 2016 and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Detroit, Michigan on November 4, 2016.
2016 U.S. election left PTSD symptoms in some young people, study says
A professor at San Francisco State University found that the presidential election was a 'traumatic experience' for at least 25 percent of young adults.
Author: Adrianna Rodríguez
Published: 9:46 PM EST November 5, 2018
Updated: 10:02 PM EST November 5, 2018
Many were stressed out by the divisive U.S. presidential election in 2016, but a new study says that it may have been more traumatic.
The study was led by San Francisco State University professor Melissa Hagan, who found that the election had a “severe impact” on young people, and in some cases, may have even caused symptoms that are most often seen in people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“What we were interested in seeing was, did the election for some people constitute a traumatic experience? And we found that it did for 25 percent of young adults,” Hagan said.
More than 750 students that were enrolled in psychology courses at Arizona State University were surveyed in January and February 2017. The students filled out a psychological assessment called the Impact of Event Scale. The scale was used to gauge if these students were impacted by the election in a way that it could possibly lead to diagnosable post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 25 percent of young people that were found to have had a traumatic experience showed “clinically significant” levels of stress. These stress levels were comparable to that of mass shooting witnesses seven months after the event.
The study impacted certain groups more than others. Race, gender, political affiliation and religion all played larger roles in the results. According to the study, females scored about 45 percent higher than males, and Democrats scored more than two and half times higher than Republicans.
Researchers from the study believe that one factor that may have made the election so stressful was the sheer surprise – many were not expecting for Donald Trump to be elected president. They also say that the contentious conversation surrounding the lection maybe have also contributed to the stress.
“There was a lot of discourse around race, identity and what makes a valuable American. I think that really heightened stress for a lot of people,” Hagan said.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1743
|
__label__wiki
| 0.910895
| 0.910895
|
Diocese of Cleveland installs 11th Catholic Bishop - PHOTOS
Bishop Nelson Perez now becomes the leader of nearly 700,000 Catholics in Northeast Ohio.
Author: Andrew Horansky
Published: 5:56 PM EDT September 5, 2017
Updated: 9:32 PM EDT September 5, 2017
“Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo,” which translates to “We are the Body of Christ,” was sung Tuesday as Bishop Nelson Perez greeted Catholics inside Saint John’s Cathedral in downtown Cleveland.
During his installation mass, Perez became the diocese’ 11th bishop and the first of Latin descent.
He used his time at the pulpit to pray for victims in Texas and to praise Ohio’s Catholic and cultural history.
“You come here from many countries, each with the beauty of your language and culture,” he said.
The bishop also made clear that he has no clear plan for diocese.
“It would really be presumptive of me, actually arrogant of me to come here with a plan of my own,” he said. “I have been sent here to become a part of you, not the other way around.”
PHOTOS | Nelson Perez becomes 11th Bishop of Cleveland
But he did call for healing, following a sex abuse scandal in the church he described as a “scourge.”
Bishop Perez apologizes for the "scourge" of sexual abuse in the last 15 years of the Church, declaring it must "never happen again." @wkyc pic.twitter.com/YAeEv1ulOw
— Tyler Carey (@TC_CLE) September 5, 2017
He also said he wants a church that takes initiative to meet people “where they are” and that he looks forward to connecting with young people.
“I simply can’t wait to meet you,” he said, “To share in your dynamism, in the excitement in your lives and your hope for your future.”
Ceremonies such as this only happen a few times in a generation, as celebrants included Bishops Pilla, Lennon and Thomas.
Bishop Perez now becomes the leader of nearly 700,000 Catholics in Northeast Ohio.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1748
|
__label__wiki
| 0.915829
| 0.915829
|
Home About Films Experiences Clients Team Press Contact
HomeAboutFilmsExperiencesClientsTeamPressContact
WE POSITIVE STORYTELL CURRENT ISSUES BY CHAMPIONING FEMALE HEROES.
We go higher
When Delaney Colaio was nearly three years old, she lost her father and two uncles in the 9/11 attacks. After being asked in 2017 to deliver a victim’s statement at Guantanamo Bay against the men accused of the attacks, Delaney realized that she was not comfortable speaking on behalf of the 3,050 other kids who lost parents who she never knew, and began her journey to meet them for the first time. As filming progressed with more than fifty 9/11 Kids filmed, so did the world: Manchester. Las Vegas. Parkland. Delaney recognized how deeply connected survivors of trauma are, and in doing so, has taken a stand to ignite a global community of others holding candles of hope and activism. From the surviving loved ones of victims from the attacks of September 11th, Newtown, Orlando, Manchester, Las Vegas, and Parkland, comes HIGHER, a documentary that is a master class in resilience, teaching us the healing power of community and our shared need to belong.
Benefitting Tuesday’s Children
Protect her
Women Rising is the founding partner, director, and producer of ProtectHer. With the belief that in order to safeguard the dorm rooms, we have to activate the influence of the locker rooms, ProtectHer is a first of its kind sexual assault prevention program focused on male athletes. The four-part film series is made up of a feature length documentary and three short companion pieces, accompanied by a companion educational curriculum. The program is available for license to schools and universities and delivered via a protected, proprietary digital platform.
Benefitting The White House's It's On Us Campaign
A BRAVE HEART: THE LIZZIE VELASQUEZ STORY
As producers of A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story, Women Rising oversaw every aspect of the film. Born with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight, Lizzie was bullied in school and online as she discovered a video labeling her “The Ugliest Woman in the World”. Lizzie’s story proves that there is life on the other side of bullying and that self-worth and compassion are essential on that journey. With a world premiere at SXSW, the film went on to win 10 festival awards and qualified for the Academy Award, turning Lizzie into a national hero along the way.
Benefitting The Megan Meier Foundation
TIGHTLY WOUND
Women Rising is proud to be a producer on this brave and personal award-winning animated film about a woman’s experience dealing with chronic pelvic pain. Directed by Shelby Hadden, Tightly Wound was inspired by her own powerful essay featured in Cosmopolitan, Bustle, and The Mighty. Awarded “Project of the Week” and “Project of the Month” on Indiewire, Tightly Wound is playing in festivals around the world in 2018.
What It's Like to Not Be Able to Have Sex | Iris
Benefitting The International Pelvic Pain Society
TRI DELTA: Our Kind of Kind
Women Rising was asked to write, direct, and produce a short film to announce their new inclusion policy stating that anyone who identifies as female can be considered for membership. The positioning we wrote for the piece, Our Kind of Kind, has become the new hallmark for the members around the world.
LIZZIE’S FILM, EVERYONE’S STORY
Women Rising produced and directed an original two-part series titled “Lizzie’s Film, Everyone’s Story”, for Condé Nast Entertainment and Glamour.com. In the series, Lizzie hosts a Girl’s Night with 5 Glamour readers and discusses topics brought up in her film A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story - such as Bullying and Meanness, Female Empowerment, and The True Meaning of Beauty.
© 2018 Women Rising
Home | About | Films | Experience | Press | Contact
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1750
|
__label__wiki
| 0.851259
| 0.851259
|
The shelter, formerly known as Inn Out of the Cold, will now…
The shelter, formerly known as Inn Out of the Cold, will now be known as The INN of Woodstock
By Heather Rivers
More from By Heather Rivers
Published on: April 30, 2018 | Last Updated: April 30, 2018 10:27 AM EDT
It was the middle of a hot summer night when Darryl Watson was woken by a phone call from the Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church.
Watson, co-ordinator of the seasonal homeless shelter, was told there was a man sleeping along the fence line of the church’s graveyard.
He slept just steps away from the church’s basement that housed the shelter formerly known as Inn Out of the Cold.
The homeless man had nowhere to go because the shelter only operated from November to April.
And shelters in other communities often turned away people from Oxford because they only wanted to provide service to those who lived in their own region.
Watson, who fed the man and provided him with shelter, said he is pleased there will finally be a place for people to sleep even during the warmer months.
Last week Oxford county council passed a motion that will boost funding to the shelter from around $90,000 to $150,000, allowing the shelter to operate on a year-round basis.
“I feel it is something that is really needed,” said Watson, co-ordinator of the shelter that has been renamed The INN of Woodstock. “We will continue to help people all year round.
“Homelessness is not a seasonal issue.”
With about 12 people per night, numbers have steadily gone up at the shelter and Watson attributes the rise to a lack of affordable housing in the region.
One person, despite working full-time, stayed at The INN for five months because he couldn’t find a place to live.
The average price for a one bedroom apartment in Oxford County is just over $900 a month, which is one of the highest in the region.
Watson said another trend is that they are also seeing more and more women in the shelter, when agencies such as Domestic Abuse Services Oxford (DASO) become full.
“It’s not just us,” he said. “We have a housing crisis across the community.”
The shelter also provides access to addiction services through a partnership with the Cynthia Anne Centre, as well as other agencies such as the Oxford County Community Health Centre.
Open at 7:30 p.m. every night, dinner is donated by local restaurants such as Swiss Chalet, Montana’s, Kelseys, East Side Marios and Boston Pizza.
“A big thank-you to them because they will continue to help us year round,” Watson said.
Watson also wanted to thank Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church for the continued support and use of their basement, which they have renovated and have continued to renovate over the years.
“Old St. Paul’s works well with Operation Sharing,” he said.
Watson said that while the increase in funding is welcome, it only covers the expense of salaries.
Donations from the community are what keep the shelter going.
For more information on how to donate call 519-537-0336.
HRivers@postmedia.com
Bringing diversity to council
Choose among a variety of subscription packages and stay up to date with convenient home delivery and our on the go digital e-edition.
VIEW MY OPTIONS
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1751
|
__label__wiki
| 0.867897
| 0.867897
|
Deloitte appoints new Midlands practice senior partner
Deloitte has announced today the appointment of a new practice senior partner for the Midlands.
Jane Whitlock, an assurance and advisory partner in the firm’s Birmingham office, will officially take over from Pauline Biddle on 01 November 2018, who will step down from the role to concentrate on her recently appointed position as managing partner for regions and to continue in her role on the board of Deloitte North West Europe.
Jane has worked in Birmingham for over 25 years, joining the firm after graduating from Warwick University and was promoted to partner in 2004. Working with some of the firm’s most prestigious clients including National Grid, Boots and Severn Trent, Jane currently leads Deloitte’s corporate audit team in the Midlands.
Over the past three years the Midlands practice has gone from strength-to-strength under Pauline’s guidance, seeing the promotion of 16 partners and numerous directors, increasing headcount to over 750 people and transforming it into the top performing region outside of London and the South East.
With a clear focus on talent, Jane will continue to grow both the Birmingham and Nottingham offices as well as making an impact that matters through Deloitte’s ‘One Million Futures’ social impact strategy.
“I am absolutely thrilled to take on the role of Midlands practice senior partner. The Midlands is a great place to do business and build careers,” says Jane Whitlock, Deloitte’s new practice senior partner in the Midlands.
“The future is really exciting, both for the firm and the region. The potential of HS2 coupled with the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the decision for Birmingham to be a pilot for 5G can only further the region’s reputation of a place where people want to work, live and stay.
“I have a real passion for mentoring top talent, and firmly believe that we can make Deloitte Midlands the best place to work in the region. We have already taken great strides to achieve this. For the past two years we have topped the regional partner promotion list within the firm and revenue continues to grow year-on-year,” says Whitlock.
The transition to practice senior partner will see Jane work closely with Pauline over the next few weeks as she hands over the reins.
“Although I am stepping down, I am a Midlands partner and very supportive of the strategy Jane will be implementing over the next few years. She shares my passion for realising talent and making an impact that matters in the region,” says Pauline Biddle, managing partner for regions.
“I am delighted for Jane as she has built an enviable reputation amongst her clients, colleagues and peers which made her a very strong, natural choice and I don’t doubt that the Midlands practice will continue to thrive under her leadership.”
Outside of work Jane spends most of her time with her young family and is an audit committee member for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In this press release references to “Deloitte” are references to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”) a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of DTTL and its member firms.
Deloitte LLP is a subsidiary of Deloitte NWE LLP, which is a member firm of DTTL, and is among the UK's leading professional services firms.
The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.
For more information, please visit www.deloitte.co.uk
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
Key contact
Heather Kirkman
hkirkman@deloitte.co.uk
Heather is Senior Marketing Manager for Deloitte in the Midlands. During 18 years in marketing Heather has delivered PR, event-management, internal communications, advertising and sponsorship programm... More
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1757
|
__label__wiki
| 0.50095
| 0.50095
|
Tag: middle class
Piggies, markets
A can of worms, wrapped in a puzzle, buried inside an enigma, with a little pink flag sticking up, the only thing visible, while the sound of one hand clapping faintly echoes in the background
By the time the subject of the movie finally comes up, we’d already spent half an hour discussing the ossification of our own culture. We talk about how New York City, the place in which Gray set his first five films, has changed so drastically since the mid 1990s; Gray says the Brooklyn of Little Odessa “is totally gone,” and that, while the 1920s tenements in The Immigrant are still there, they now tower above John Varvatos boutiques. Gray specifies that he’s less interested in romanticizing the crime-ridden city of the past than questioning what’s led to the kind of environment in which, he says, one of his friends seems to be the only person actually living in his apartment building on Central Park West, not using it as an investment.
The fundamental issue on Gray’s mind when we talk is how capitalism impacts our priorities as human beings. Saddled with student debt from the moment we set foot in a university, our ability to “study for the sake of learning” is over; instead, we’re “forced to become budding capitalists.” It’s a critique that received major airtime during Bernie Sanders’s campaign, and Gray’s clearly given it some serious thought. “We haven’t figured out a way to monetize integrity, and when you can’t monetize integrity, and you can’t incentivize integrity and incentivize individuality, and you pray at the god of the market, you get a very strange beast that almost consumes itself,” Gray says. “It’s almost like everyone is beholden to this market god, and nobody knows what to do.”
All in one place, this short article has it all. Best of luck to Gray with the The Lost City of Z.
On Bullshit
One week from the election, disagreement as political argument has taken a very wide arc around the truth:
Why should we remain beholden to facts? They are, as etymology tells us, not some sort of raw material that we simply find, but rather are the sort of thing that must be actively made — or, to use the Latin past participle, factum. Propagandists, whether Jesuit, Bolshevik, or Rovean, are those people who understand that facts, or at least social facts, are the result of human activity, in part the activity of inserting new ways of thinking and talking into the public realm — and that when this is done effectively, the public, sometimes, can come to a new understanding of the truth.
This, again, is not what Trump is doing. He is a mere bullshitter, and what comes out of his mouth has more to do with pathologies of personality than with any real vision of how the world, or America, ought to be brought into line with some super-empirical truth to which he alone has access.
Trumpism is, however, being helped along by master propagandists who understand very well that, by treating facts as something to be actively made, one may eventually change the way truth is understood. (Let us not, here, consider the specter of social constructionism, of whether changing the way truth is understood is the same thing as “creating a new truth.”) The activists of the so-called alt-right have been working for years to change public discourse through a concerted campaign of internet trolling. Their goal has been the creation of “meme magic,” that moment when an idea that they have promoted online makes the leap from virtuality to reality.
Also, ensorcelled. Image: A Burial at Ornans, by Gustave Courbet, 1851
No, not that one – but I love that one. This one, directed at Earthlings, named for our universe’s cultural heart and designed to avoid the worst:
the Paris climate agreement had passed a critical milestone toward adoption. At a UN General Assembly meeting in New York this morning, 31 nations officially signed onto the accord, making it very likely that the deal will enter legal force this year.
You may remember that the Paris agreement—an international pledge to limit us to 2 degrees Celsius of global warming, by weaning every nation off fossil fuels—was adopted at an international summit in December 2015. But before it can go into effect, it needs to be formally ratified by 55 countries that together account for 55 percent of global carbon emissions.
The accord received a major boost earlier this month, when the United States and China, two carbon behemoths that together account for nearly forty percent of global emissions, jointly announced their intention to ratify the deal. Before today, 27 other nations that collectively represent some 2 to 3 percent of global emissions had also signed on.
This is the tipping point we were looking for, to try to put off that other one. So many other wires have been tripped in setting off the renewable energy cascade, we might as well formalize the shift. Many difficulties still afoot and Team Fossil is going to fight even harder, but this is continued progress to be promoted and echoed.
What does the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo mean?
For the better part of a century, the southern US border was open, more or less, and people moved back and forth as need or desire dictated. From our friends at Balloon Juice, two maps and a few more words:
You’ll notice that on both the map prepared for the negotiations of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Rural Health Information’s map of Hispanic or Latino population of the US based on the 2010 Census that the area that the US would get from Mexico in 1848 is still where the largest percentage of the Hispanic or Latino population of the US live. This doesn’t count south Florida, which has a different historic pattern of Hispanic settlement. What the patterns of settlement shown on the maps show us is that the border was moved on the map, but the pattern of settlement remained largely unchanged.
Reckoning with the reality of steady demographics in this vast region despite changing borders or enforcement regimes is a prerequisite to sustainable immigration policy. It will come as a great surprise to many people that we can have a population that loves the land even if they call it something different and/or the name changes from time to time. I know: shocking.
Green My Card
Nobody goes there anymore – it’s too crowded:
In just the first quarter, more than 252,000 U.S. residents applied to become naturalized citizens, a 28 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Besides the 41 percent increase in Florida, gains were registered in swing states: about 6,000 applications in Pennsylvania, 3,000 in Nevada, 4,000 in North Carolina and 3,000 in Colorado. There are 8.8 million permanent residents living in the U.S. eligible for citizenship, of whom 2.7 million are from Mexico, according to government estimates.
8 million, and the election won’t even be that close. This development is an unadulterated good – not just that all these people are becoming naturalized – that’s more of a civic responsibility on their part. But that in-migration is so strong, and especially with people who already take the responsibility side of citizenship seriously enough to not be afraid of the scary rhetoric and are actually moved to become a part of the solution. In sports parlance, we’re having a strong draft this year.
Via Washington Monthly.
Income inequality slowing growth
Right. Water is wet. Mud, muddy. Dirt, still dirty. In other news, when people don’t have money to buy things, people that make things aren’t able to sell things. This model is fully scalable to the global economy:
Think of an economy as a large network of individuals and firms who make and use things, interact and exchange with one another. Any party can, in principle, transact with any other, buying and selling, the only constraint being the budget of the buyer. Economists have studied network models of this sort — called random exchange economies — to explore how normal trading activity might (or might not) make an economy approach equilibrium.
Now some European physicists have used such a model to examine a different question: How does a significant change in inequality affect the overall level of exchange? Their study makes use of some fairly abstruse mathematics coming from physics, developed precisely for messy network problems of this kind. What they find is troubling, although not all that surprising — rising inequality tends to undermine exchange.
The reason is quite simple. As inequality gets more pronounced, a larger fraction of the population faces more stringent budget constraints, and the spectrum of possible economic interactions open to them narrows. Fewer people have the wherewithal to engage in economic activity. This mathematical economy actually demonstrates a sharp transition, akin to the abrupt freezing of a liquid, as the level of inequality exceeds a certain threshold. Worryingly, the wealth distribution in the U.S. over the past few decades has been moving ever closer to this critical edge.
When will it sink in that you don’t have to be a dirty socialist or believe that everyone should have exactly the same income (and color VW in the garage) to understand that beyond some point, income inequality becomes poison for the entire system. Capitalism can’t work without broad participation, without a diversity of exchange, without the possibility that people may rise into the sphere of [at least] middle class consumption. The 1% idea is not just rhetoric; it’s unhealthy economically as well as politically.
The Oscars’ Lack of Diversity
Not exactly a punchy title but… my own reaction to the monochromatic handing out of the little gold guys doesn’t feel so cheeky.
Is it the lack of good movies with stars of color? Decent roles for any other than white actors? The more questions you attempt to formulate, the more perverse this choosy reality seems. I will agree that it is positive that consensus seems to be congealing around the fact that something is wrong with this picture these pictures. But still, why is it that in 2016 only white actors are being recognized for their efforts in mass-marketed motion pictures? Even writing that sounds intentional and stupid.
Are we putting too much on the Academy?
“We absolutely are. This is not really about the Academy. The Academy is a reflection and a symptom of a very deep problem in Hollywood and, I would say, in American popular culture generally. I am fortunate enough to do a lot of my work in Los Angeles. I go to many meetings at studios in L.A. and you see, by and large the decision makers at the top of departments and organizations are almost uniformly white and largely male as well. The demographics are not the only story. The key there is not just the color of people sitting behind important desks, it’s the thought process. It’s what are deemed important stories. It’s what are deemed merely entertaining stories. I think when ‘Straight Outta Compton’ was green-lit and produced, people saw it only as an entertaining movie, not as an important movie because it was only about a hip-hop group. As opposed to seeing it as telling a story about a defining chapter in recent American history, which it actually does. It’s not just about hip-hop, which is important in and of itself, but it’s about the Rodney King riots, racial conflict and police brutality and all of these things make it important. Same with ‘Creed’.”
SMH, as the kids say (walking out of the theatre).
Grey Lady Blushes, Again
This will not get enough attention, but the source pollution problem at the New York Times, as Cholly Pierce so precisely put it, is a devious issue of national proportions:
As is now obvious, somebody fed the paper bad information on San Bernardino murderess Tashfeen Malik’s social media habits. It was said that she was posting jihadist screeds on Facebook. The Times hyped the scoop by stating pretty clearly that the government—and the administration running it—slipped up. It was the inspiration for endless bloviating about how “political correctness is killing people” at Tuesday night’s Republican debate. Then comes FBI director James Comey to say that, no, there were no public Facebook posts that the government missed because there weren’t any at all.
More than a few people have noted that two of the three reporters who were fed this story also had their bylines on the notorious (and thoroughly debunked) piece about how the FBI had launched a “criminal inquiry” into Hillary Rodham Clinton’s alleged mishandling of classified materials in her e-mails.
Of the Clinton emails non-story, she wasn’t a target, it wasn’t a criminal referral and the emails weren’t classified. Other than that, great story! And the thing is, even pointing out this makes one sound like an HRC apologist, but nevermind.
The broader issue is, this is the problem if we’re only going to allow ourselves one national paper. The purchase of the major Las Vegas daily by its hometown casino magnate-cum-Republican kingmaker is further symptomatic of this self-replicating double-bind. The news as business, scandal as profit generator, reporters trained in the finer arts of the same and quaint rules of journalism secure under glass at the few J-schools left all equal an untenable republic. Remember: No Checks = No Balances.
Old Times There
Is New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta a microcosm of environmental catastrophe? If you are paid per word, it may be more remunerative to try to describe why it isn’t:
Extensive studies done after Katrina verified what lifelong residents of southeastern Louisiana already knew: Unless the rapidly disappearing wetlands are made healthy again, restoring the natural defense, New Orleans will soon lay naked against the sea (see satellite image, below).
So, how does one reengineer the entire Mississippi River delta—one of the largest in the world—on which New Orleans lies?
Three international engineering and design teams have reached a startling answer: leave the mouth of the Mississippi River to die. Let the badly failing wetlands there completely wither away, becoming open water, so that the upper parts of the delta closer to the city can be saved. The teams, winners of the Changing Course Design Competition, revealed their detailed plans on August 20. Graphics from each plan are below.
Scientists worldwide agree that the delta’s wetlands disintegrated because we humans built long levees—high, continuous ridges of earth covered by grass or rocks—along the entire length of the lower Mississippi River. The leveed river rims the southern boundary of New Orleans and continues another 40 serpentine miles until it reaches the gulf. The levees, erected almost exclusively by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, prevented regular floods from harming farms, industries and towns along the river’s course. However those floods also would have supplied the brackish marshes with massive quantities of silt and freshwater, which are necessary for their survival.
Good grief. Emphasis mine because they mean that so literally, when we throw around all kind of colorful euphemisms to describe and debate I guess after a while we return to original meanings again. What the miles of levees have wrought, let now engineering decisions and new diversion structures put asunder. Or let the delta die. May 1,000 new songs be written, though immaculate recordings and an army of busking crooners still won’t dull the pain of the [algal] bloom.
Via LGM.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1762
|
__label__cc
| 0.723917
| 0.276083
|
Traditional advertising techniques include print and television advertising. The Internet has already overtaken television as the largest advertising market.[90] Web sites often include the banner or pop-up ads. Social networking sites don't always have ads. In exchange, products have entire pages and are able to interact with users. Television commercials often end with a spokesperson asking viewers to check out the product website for more information. While briefly popular, print ads included QR codes on them. These QR codes can be scanned by cell phones and computers, sending viewers to the product website. Advertising is beginning to move viewers from the traditional outlets to the electronic ones.[citation needed]
Many brands are now heavily using this mobile app to boost their marketing strategy. Instagram can be used to gain the necessary momentum needed to capture the attention of the market segment that has an interest in the product offering or services.[54] As Instagram is supported by Apple and android system, it can be easily accessed by smartphone users. Moreover, it can be accessed by the Internet as well. Thus, the marketers see it as a potential platform to expand their brands exposure to the public, especially the younger target group. On top of this, marketers do not only use social media for traditional Internet advertising, but they also encourage users to create attention for a certain brand. This generally creates an opportunity for greater brand exposure.[55] Furthermore, marketers are also using the platform to drive social shopping and inspire people to collect and share pictures of their favorite products. Many big names have already jumped on board: Starbucks, MTV, Nike, Marc Jacobs, and Red Bull are a few examples of multinationals that adopted the mobile photo app early. Fashion blogger Danielle Bernstein, who goes by @weworewhat on Instagram, collaborated with Harper's Bazaar to do a piece on how brands are using Instagram to market their products, and how bloggers make money from it. Bernstein, who currently has one and a half million followers on Instagram, and whose "outfit of the day" photos on Snapchat get tens of thousands of screenshots, explained that for a lot of her sponsored posts, she must feature the brand in a certain number of posts, and often cannot wear a competitor's product in the same picture. According to Harper's Bazaar, industry estimates say that brands are spending more than $1 billion per year on consumer-generated advertising.[56] Founder of Instagram Kevin Systrom even went to Paris Fashion week, going to couture shows and meeting with designers to learn more about how style bloggers, editors, and designers are currently dominating much of the content on his application.[57]
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a world leader in research, teaching and public engagement, distinguished by the breadth of its programs, broad academic excellence, and internationally renowned faculty and alumni. Illinois serves the world by creating knowledge, preparing students for lives of impact, and finding solutions to critical societal needs.
Mobile devices have become increasingly popular, where 5.7 billion people are using them worldwide [13]. This has played a role in the way consumers interact with media and has many further implications for TV ratings, advertising, mobile commerce, and more. Mobile media consumption such as mobile audio streaming or mobile video are on the rise – In the United States, more than 100 million users are projected to access online video content via mobile device. Mobile video revenue consists of pay-per-view downloads, advertising and subscriptions. As of 2013, worldwide mobile phone Internet user penetration was 73.4%. In 2017, figures suggest that more than 90% of Internet users will access online content through their phones.[14]
Next, consider your audience and the overall mood for your production. Are you targeting a small audience that will appreciate the newest, underground hip-hop track, or do you need something that will appeal to many demographics? Are you creating a practical product tutorial or an upbeat event recap? Be sure to choose music that enhances the overall tone of your video.
Professional cameras, like DSLRs, give you fine control over the manual settings of shooting video and allow you achieve the shallow depth of field (background out of focus) that people rave about. While they're primarily used for photography, DSLRs are incredibly small, work great in low light situations, and pair with a wide range of lenses — making them perfect for video. However, DSLRs do require some training (and additional purchases) of lenses.
Search engines are a powerful channel for connecting with new audiences. Companies like Google and Bing look to connect their customers with the best user experience possible. Step one of a strong SEO strategy is to make sure that your website content and products are the best that they can be. Step 2 is to communicate that user experience information to search engines so that you rank in the right place. SEO is competitive and has a reputation of being a black art. Here’s how to get started the right way. Get Started
In 2012 during Hurricane Sandy, Gap sent out a tweet to its followers telling them to stay safe but encouraged them to shop online and offered free shipping. The tweet was deemed insensitive, and Gap eventually took it down and apologized.[96] Numerous additional online marketing mishap examples exist. Examples include a YouTube video of a Domino's Pizza employee violating health code standards, which went viral on the Internet and later resulted in felony charges against two employees.[93][97] A Twitter hashtag posted by McDonald's in 2012 attracting attention due to numerous complaints and negative events customers experienced at the chain store; and a 2011 tweet posted by a Chrysler Group employee that no one in Detroit knows how to drive.[98] When the Link REIT opened a Facebook page to recommend old-style restaurants, the page was flooded by furious comments criticizing the REIT for having forced a lot of restaurants and stores to shut down; it had to terminate its campaign early amid further deterioration of its corporate image.[99]
Join Guy Kawasaki (author, The Art of Social Media), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day), Chris Brogan (co-author, The Impact Equation), Jay Baer (author, Youtility), Ann Handley (author, Everybody Writes), Michael Stelzner (author, Launch), Michael Hyatt (author, Platform), Laura Fitton (co-author, Twitter for Dummies), Joe Pulizzi (author, Epic Content Marketing), Mark Schaefer (author, Social Media Explained), Cliff Ravenscraft, Nichole Kelly, Ted Rubin, Chalene Johnson, Darren Rowse, Joel Comm, Kim Garst, Martin Shervington, Marcus Sheridan, Gini Dietrich, Pat Flynn, John Jantsch, Andrea Vahl and Brian Clark—just to name a few.
There are endless platforms for video marketing. YouTube, broadcast television, video boards and street marketing, you name it. The possibilities are endless. With a smartphone, consumers can access online video anytime, anywhere. The same is not true with traditional, paper marketing. With video, you can reach your audience wherever they are in a cost-effective way.
What if you could move things around, re-arrange your homepage, or add something new? Whether you want to make some adjustments to your website or create a completely custom design from scratch, True North Social Los Angeles can help. We can create a bespoke design tailored to your business strategy, making your operations more efficient while boosting sales.
Affiliate marketing - Affiliate marketing is perceived to not be considered a safe, reliable and easy means of marketing through online platform. This is due to a lack of reliability in terms of affiliates that can produce the demanded number of new customers. As a result of this risk and bad affiliates it leaves the brand prone to exploitation in terms of claiming commission that isn't honestly acquired. Legal means may offer some protection against this, yet there are limitations in recovering any losses or investment. Despite this, affiliate marketing allows the brand to market towards smaller publishers, and websites with smaller traffic. Brands that choose to use this marketing often should beware of such risks involved and look to associate with affiliates in which rules are laid down between the parties involved to assure and minimize the risk involved.[47]
An omni-channel approach not only benefits consumers but also benefits business bottom line: Research suggests that customers spend more than double when purchasing through an omni-channel retailer as opposed to a single-channel retailer, and are often more loyal. This could be due to the ease of purchase and the wider availability of products.[24]
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1765
|
__label__wiki
| 0.94242
| 0.94242
|
HMAS Kuttabul, the RAN accommodation ship sunk by a Japanese torpedo in Sydney Harbour on 31 May/1 June 1942. [AWM 012427]
The Japanese first attacked the Australian mainland on 19 February 1942 when they launched a devastating air raid on Darwin in the Northern Territory. Two weeks later, more aircraft attacked Broome in Western Australia killing about 70 people. By the end of September 1943, Japanese pilots had flown 97 air raids against towns and bases in northern Australia. On 31 May 1942, the war came to the east coast when three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour. In June 1942 a submarine lightly shelled the eastern suburbs in Sydney and then Newcastle. Japanese submarines also attacked coastal shipping, causing the loss of some 60 lives and 29,000 tons of shipping during the two months after the midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour.
Image of handwritten poem in Japanese by Mrs Matsuo. [AWM 3DRL/7999]
Journey's end for a mother
Lieutenant Kieu Matsuo was the commander of the midget submarine from 'the mother sub', I-22. He and his crewman had shot themselves to avoid capture. Their bodies and those of two other submariners were recovered from the submarines and cremated with full naval honours and their ashes were returned to Japan. The Japanese Ambassador, Mr Tatsuo Kawai, and his staff, who had been trapped in Canberra since the outbreak of the war, were offered their return passage to Japan in an exchange of Allied and Japanese diplomats. Ambassador Kawai carried the submariners' ashes back to Japan. In 1968 Mrs Matsuo travelled to Australia to see where her son had died. During her visit she presented a number of gifts, including this handwritten poem, to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
I nurtured my son just as I grew precious flowers
So that he could dedicate himself to the Emperor.
Now that the storm has passed
And all the cherry blossoms have blown away,
The garden looks very deserted.
Lieutenant Matsuo's mother wrote this poem to commemorate her son's death in the midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour on 31 May/ 1 June 1942. [This translation was provided by the Australia-Japan Research Project at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra]
The grave of Stoker Jack Albert Gardner, Royal Australian Naval Reserve. [DVA]
Stoker Jack Albert Gardner, Royal Australian Naval Reserve, was 23 years old when he died. Jack was serving in HMAS Kuttabul on the night of 31 May/1 June 1942 when the ship was hit by a torpedo from the Japanese midget submarine from I-22. He was buried in the RAN section at Rookwood Cemetery together with other shipmates who died during the attack.
Darwin, 19 February 1942, Ray Honisett, 1984 [Oil on canvas 122x182.8cm. AWM ART 28520]
The Roll of Honour lists the names of the 21 seamen (and officers) who died on board HMAS Kuttabul during the night of 31 May/1 June 1942. [DVA]
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1766
|
__label__wiki
| 0.841756
| 0.841756
|
Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit
Archaeological Monitoring
Archaeological Assessments
Archaeological Excavation
Visual Impact Assessment
Archaeological Surveys
M3 Motorway Archaeological Contract
Archaeological Excavation at Portumna Castle
Archaeology on The M4 Motorway
Impact Assessment at St Cianans Duleek, Co Meath
Excavations continue at Mellifont
Archaeologists from ACS continue their excavations in the cloister at Mellifont Abbey. Features exposed to date include the elaborate drainage or water management system which is currently being excavated and recorded. The remains of the later mill have also been exposed and a burial in the east ambulatory is due for excavation. Mellifont Abbey was founded by St Malachy in 1142 and was the first Cistercian abbey to be built in Ireland. The abbey is located on the banks of the river Mattock, a tributary of the Boyne some 7 miles from Drogheda. The abbey imported it's formal style of architecture from the abbeys of the same order in Europe. It was founded, or endowed, by Donough O'Carroll, prince of Oirgiallach, the present Oriel in 1142 AD at the solicitation of St. Malachy, archbishop of Armagh. The abbey was consecrated in 1157 and from this humble beginnings the Cistercian community spread out throughout Ireland founding other abbeys throughout the country with Mellifont being the model on which these abbeys were based.
The most significant remains at Mellifont Abbey are the chapter house, the Lavabo where the monks would have washed their hands before meals and the impressive Gateway. The other parts of the Abbey are gone but small walls remain making it possible to make out how the Abbey would have looked.
The site was excavated in the 1950s by Liam de Paor and the results published in the proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. The present phase of excavations are concentrated in the ambulatories (cloister walk) on all four sides of the cloister and the area to the west and north of the abbey buildings. During de Paors excavations, the medieval drainage system was exposed along the west ambulatory. The present phase of excavations have exposed the full extent of the drainage system on all four sides and has shown them all to be interconnected. Work will continue at the site for a number of weeks.
© 2016 Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ireland.
Drogheda – Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. Phone - 041-9883396, Mobile - 087-9802232. Email - info@acsu.ie
Dublin – 13 Upper Baggot Street, 2nd Floor, Dublin 4. Phone - 01-2530983, Mobile 087-9802232. Email - info@acsu.ie
Belfast - Suite 545, 21 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JJ. Phone +44 (0)28 9189 7967. Email - info@acsu.ie
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1769
|
__label__wiki
| 0.795308
| 0.795308
|
Archive for Change
Films of home, place & change from Newcastle's West End
Pendower
Scotswood
Old Benwell Village
Delaval
North Benwell
Scotswood Road
South Benwell
Rye Hill
Scotswood Regeneration Site
Currently underway, the regeneration of the 60-hectare Scotswood site is due to be completed by 2026.
Artist Impression of the area
Demolision of Delaval Gardens 2010
Scotswood Redevelopment Area
This decade will see big changes in the built landscape of Scotswood. At the beginning of 2010, many of the houses and buildings that had been compulsory purchased during the 90’s were still standing empty, often attracting vandalism and keeping surrounding property prices rock-bottom.
However, after 10 years of economic wrangling between private & public investors, an agreement was finally struck between three builders (Barrett Homes, Yuill Homes and Keepmoat Homes) and Newcastle City Council to form the New Tyne West Development Company (NTWDC). Groundworks have started on a 60-hectare site extending along Armstrong Road down to the River Tyne.
The proposed plans have brought about mixed feelings from local residents, many of whom have remained in Scotswood in defiance of the demolition carried out around them, determined to campaign for and witness the rebuilding of their neighbourhood. Whilst there is a feeling of relief that some redevelopment has finally begun, many people are concerned that the plans will price out the existing populace and be aimed at attracting only a new demographic of residents. Despite reassurances from the NTWDC, after being left for so long in a state of limbo, there is an understandable wariness between residents and developers.
The redevelopment outlines plans for 1,800 mixed tenure homes, improvements to local parks, transport systems and amenities to be realised over the next 15 years.
However, further demolition will happen before re-building can begin. Scotswood Support Centre, locally nicknamed ‘The Pink Palace’: Scotswood Area Strategy’s base for over 10 years is due for demolition. The Strategy has refurbished a number of derelict shops across the road from the Pink Palace, adding to the existing Scotswood Diner to create a shop, post office and creche, as well as offices and space for the centre’s existing youth work.
Here as well as elsewhere in the west end, the national economic crisis has hit many long-running community organisations hard, forcing people to make difficult decisions about employment and much needed resources such as local activities and services.
Save Scotswood Campaign
© West Newcastle Picture History Collection
Save Scotswood Campaign, protest at Newcastle Civic Centre
Evening Chronicle
Armstrong rd & Deleval, 2001
Armstrong Rd 2001
Armstrong rd, 2006
By the end of the 20th century, few traces remained of the variety of manufacturing industries that used to fill the land above the Tyne. It was possible to cycle or walk along the riverbanks and even to fish in the river – unimaginable 20 years earlier. Instead of the former heavy industries, there were miles of warehouses, retailing outfits and office developments. These looked better than the dirty old factories but they provided only a fraction of the jobs previously to be found along the riverside.
The area was still relatively deprived and bore the scars of the years of social and economic deprivation and unrest. However for the most part the serious problems that had manifested themselves during the high unemployment years of the 1980s and 1990s began to recede, as improved policing combined with a better economic environment and greater opportunities for young people took effect.
However, the beginning of the decade was to bring a bombshell. The City Council launched its ‘Going for Growth’ strategy, which set out a vision for Newcastle as a “competitive, cosmopolitan and cohesive capital”.
This strategy envisaged the demolition of over 7,000 homes, most of them in the inner west. Most of Scotswood and large parts of Benwell were deemed “unviable”. Going for Growth was seen as a brave and visionary plan for the city, which over a 20 year period would tackle the social and economic problems of its most deprived areas by removing them wholesale and replacing them “mixed communities”. The plan was not just about housing – it also included ideas for improving shopping and community facilities, building better schools, and creating new employment opportunities and transport links.
Going for Growth prompted outrage from many local residents who did not consider that losing their cherished homes was a reasonable price to pay for what they saw as merely paper plans. In many neighbourhoods, residents organised against the demolition proposals, with some measure of success. The plans to demolish part of the North Benwell terraces to create space for a new shopping centre were dropped, for example, and ultimately the final number of houses cleared was considerably less than in the initial plan. However, the main plan to clear a large area of Scotswood and West Benwell in order to create a big empty site for a new “world class” housing development went ahead, despite prolonged and vigorous campaigns by local residents.
The original Going for Growth masterplan envisaged the first 1,000 new homes being built in Scotswood and West Benwell in 2006. However the legal and planning processes involved in large-scale housing clearance took a great deal longer than the council had reckoned. For several years, Scotswood and West Benwell were peppered with empty sites, partially cleared streets of housing, and rows of boarded-up homes. Dereliction was everywhere, but there were few signs of the promised “urban renaissance”.
The large-scale new building plans also failed to materialise on the scale envisaged by the City Council. The masterplan had envisaged a big increase in the number of homes in the inner west, mainly through the creation of a “World Class Urban Village” in Scotswood and West Benwell with up to 3,000 new houses. This was criticised by the government and the Audit Commission as unrealistic, and watered down to a more limited scale. The unpopular ‘Going for Growth’ label was also dropped.
Unlike previous regeneration initiatives which had built or improved housing in the area, the 2000s regeneration strategy had to be led by the private sector. Part of the grand plan was to hold a major Housing Expo in Scotswood to kick-start the regeneration by attracting developers. The Housing Expo was to be “an international demonstration of the best current ideas and approaches to urban living”. The model had been used elsewhere in Europe, but this would be a UK first – and the first set within existing communities. The intention was to hold the Expo in 2008, but the timetable kept slipping until finally the idea was abandoned altogether in the context of the national economic recession.
Throughout this whole depressing period, committed community activists continued to invest time and effort in helping to shape the plans and working in other practical ways towards the aim of creating a better quality of life in their local communities.
By the end of the decade, there was little to show in terms of a housing renaissance, although Scotswood did by this time have a brand new Academy on a former housing site. This replaced the former Westgate Community College.
Ten years after the launch of Going for Growth the last of the condemned homes in Scotswood and West Benwell were still to be demolished, and the area was blighted by empty sites, empty houses and empty shops.
The Pink Palace Youth Club, Armstrong Rd
The Pink Palace, Armstrong Rd
For the west end of Newcastle, the key moment of the decade was the so-called “riots” of September 1991. Suddenly the area – inevitably christened the “wild west” – was national news. Three nights of large-scale disorder and criminal damage on the streets created a reputation for serious crime and social problems that the area has found it hard to shake off. For years afterwards the media continued to be obsessed with the riots and their legacy, even though life in the west end eventually settled down to normality again by the end of the decade as a result of a combination of more effective policing and the beginnings of an improvement in the economic situation.
The other big event in 1991 was the advent of City Challenge. This was a national government initiative with £37.5 million to spend over a five year period in defined areas with the aim of “regenerating” them. It was around this time that the word “regeneration” – previously mainly associated with spiritual growth or Star Trek – began to be widely used by policy-makers to describe measures to improve aspects of life in rundown or disadvantaged areas. Most west end residents associate the word with housing demolition, but it is used to cover all sorts of different policies aimed at particular geographical areas.
Newcastle’s City Challenge programme covered most of the inner west neighbourhoods, and its generous budget enabled many local voluntary organisations to survive and new ones to be set up through the lean years of the 1990s. This meant that, despite continued high unemployment and associated social problems, life for many in the local communities was perhaps better than it would have been otherwise.
City Challenge was not the only government initiative to bring money into the west end during the 1990s. Even before the City Challenge programme had come to an end, the Single Regeneration Budget arrived. Again, this targeted specific geographical areas. There was an SRB programme called ‘Reviving the Heart of the West End’ which targeted North and South Benwell and High Cross, and another which targeted Scotswood, as well as some themed programmes that covered a wider area.
One of the features of these local regeneration initiatives was that they were required to involve the community in a formal way. Many local community activists devoted an enormous amount of time to helping to manage these initiatives, engaging in consultation processes meant to shape priorities and spending, and helping to publicise the programmes. Although experiences varied, the level of commitment to working to improve the quality of life in their areas was widespread across the inner west.
Newcastle by 1991 had one of the worst male unemployment rates of any English city – only Liverpool, Manchester and Knowsley were worse. By the same year the police were officially admitting that the west end of Newcastle was one of the highest crime areas in the country. The problems of poverty, unemployment, crime and disorder that had reached crisis levels during the 1980s continued to affect particular neighbourhoods more or less severely.
The Buddle Road Estate had to be almost completely demolished following years of increasing dereliction and decline. This was despite a successful campaign by the tenants association which achieved a major investment of several million pounds in housing and environmental improvements – much of which was destroyed almost as soon as it was built.
Even more alarming perhaps, areas which had previously been stable and popular, and relatively untroubled by the problems that affected neighbourhoods such as South Benwell, Scotswood and the North Benwell terraces, began to enter a dramatic decline – the long-established “garden suburb” Pendower Estate was one such.
Many residents chose, or were forced through harassment or other problems, to leave the area during this period. Others however stayed to fight for a better life for their communities. The ‘Scotswood Area Strategy’, for example, was set up in 1990 by local residents from across Scotswood who had first come together to campaign against the rising tide of crime that was blighting their lives.
Residents felt that Scotswood had reached a crisis point, and that the dimensions of its problems were so great that only a comprehensive effort, tackling all the major problems at the same time, could hope to bring about real improvements. In other words, they wanted a strategy for Scotswood not just a bit of help here and there. Just as importantly, they argued that, while it was the council’s responsibility to take action, local people should take a leading role in deciding priorities and choosing how money should be spent because it was they who experienced the consequences of that action.
The Strategy’s work during the 1990s was instrumental in shaping policy and investment in the area, and led on a local level to the establishment of the Support Centre (known locally as the Pink Palace) in a former co-op building on Armstrong Road.
Elswick Works Occupation, Film Still 1980s
Scotswood Swimming baths, 1980s
Armstrong Road, 1980s
Scotswood library 1983
The 1980s saw the closure of the Vickers Elswick works after more than 130 years of continuous production. When the factory closed in 1982, tank production was transferred from there to a new factory on the Scotswood site which employed only a small fraction of the previous workforce.
The decline was not caused by loss of demand for the products or the skills of the workforce but was the result of a strategy of disinvestment by the company from its UK plants and development overseas. This was compounded by the introduction of new computer-based technologies during this period which could replace the work of hundreds of skilled workers with some expensive machinery worked by a handful of operatives. The workforce fought to keep the factories open and retain the jobs, arguing that existing skills and equipment could be used for profitable and more socially-useful purposes such as making medical equipment, but they were ultimately unsuccessful.
The demise of the Vickers factories also changed the landscape of the west end. Despite the severe and continuous decline of its industrial base since the war, the West Newcastle riverfront had still been dominated physically by heavy industry until the 1980s. A visitor driving along Scotswood Road might have been unaware of the presence of a river behind the miles of factories. This was to change drastically during the 1980s as one closure followed another. The Vickers Elswick site was cleared and replaced by a modern Business Park with tree-lined avenues and walkways along the riverside. One effect of this, together with a major programme to clean up the formerly sewage-filled Tyne, was that people began to fish in the river once again.
A new Conservative government brought in a set of new policies to revive areas like Benwell and Scotswood. There were Enterprise Zones – watered-down versions of free trade areas, loosely modelled on the experience of places such as Hong Kong. The idea was that, freed from ‘burdens’ such as planning regulations and rates, the private sector would bloom and expand, creating new wealth and jobs. Then there were Urban Development Corporations which invested huge amounts of public money into assembling land and preparing infrastructure in order to stimulate private sector business activity. The west end of Newcastle had both of these, but jobs continued to disappear, unemployment continued to grow, and social problems multiplied. The local problems of industrial decline were exacerbated by a national recession and central government economic policies predicated on the belief that unemployment was reasonable price to pay for bringing down inflation.
There were changes on the housing front also. The government was keen to increase owner occupation and to reduce the scale of council housing. This was to be achieved partly through the introduction of the “right to buy” which meant in practice that the more popular council estates became increasingly privately owned, whereas the least popular remained largely in council ownership. This led to a situation of increasing ghettoisation, where those with fewest resources and least choice were concentrated together in particular areas. Among the worst affected were those estates in Benwell and Scotswood at the bottom of the banks with relatively poor access to shops, transport and other facilities. South Benwell and Lower Scotswood were especially badly affected, as their high levels of unemployment of almost 60% attested. Difficult economic circumstances produced serious social problems, and the area as a whole became beset by growing levels of crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour and other difficulties.
The problems were by no means confined to council estates. Benwell and Scotswood had many areas of owner occupation and of mixed tenure, and many of these began to be affected by spiralling problems of crime, anti-social behaviour and void housing, often linked with a rise in irresponsible or downright criminal private landlordism.
One of the private estates that began to show signs of serious problems towards the end of the decade was the showcase Low Delaval Estate. This had been the city’s first example of a block sell-off of council housing. The entire estate had been sold to a private developer at a token price, and the developer was given a large government grant to refurbish the flats to be sold on for low-cost owner occupation. After a short honeymoon period during which prices rose rapidly in line with house price inflation, many of the new owner occupiers found themselves trapped in negative equity or unable to sell at all at an adequate price as the housing market declined. Despite restrictive conditions in the leases, many sold to private landlords. The resulting influx of private tenants with anti-social or even criminal tendencies led to a vicious cycle of falling house prices, worsening living conditions, and rising levels of void properties.
Such situations were repeated across many parts of Benwell and Scotswood, and the area as a whole was increasingly affected by worsening crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, which the police and the council appeared unable to tackle effectively. This in turn led to more and more people trying to move out of the area, leaving behind them growing levels of void housing and despair.
Throughout all this, in most neighbourhoods, determined groups of community activists worked hard to protect and improve their communities and to try to reverse the deterioration of the area.
Armstrong Road 1978
View of Benwell & Scotswood across River Tyne, 1977
Demolition, Deleval Estate 1978
©: Jimmy Forsyth
1977, Joan Street area which later became Benwell nature park
Large-scale housing demolition was still in full swing as the 1970s began.
One of the streets depicted in the 1971 film ‘Get Carter’ (Frank Street) fell to the bulldozers shortly after being filmed. However as the decade progressed, there was shift towards a new policy of improving homes where feasible, rather than resorting to wholesale demolition, and a significant part of the old terraces was saved.
Many active residents associations sprang up in this period to defend the homes that could be saved, and to fight for more sensitive re-housing policies for those whose homes were destroyed. As people were re-located on the new housing estates such as Buddle Road, they often took their experience of community organising with them and set up new tenants associations in their new communities. In the terraced areas that remained, new residents associations were also set up. Their main aim was to ensure better living conditions in these older housing areas by fighting for housing and environmental improvements.
The redevelopment schemes of the 1960s and 1970s also had an impact on the patterns of shopping and social life. In particular, Scotswood Road was transformed from a busy street of shops, pubs and churches at the heart of a dense residential area into a sterile through route intended to enable vehicles to travel into and out of the city centre as efficiently as possible). Further north, on Adelaide Terrace, many of the existing shops were demolished to make way for a new concrete shopping centre. This was labelled a white elephant almost as soon as it opened and, after remaining more than half empty for years, was eventually demolished in the 1990s.
Meanwhile the rate of job loss continued to accelerate. By the mid-1970s, employment at the Vickers factories along the West Newcastle riverside had fallen to little more than 3,000 – less than 16% of the previous wartime figure. The Vickers Scotswood works closed altogether in 1979, despite a lengthy campaign by the workforce, supported by their colleagues in the other two local Vickers factories – Vickers Elswick and Michells.
This story can be repeated for other factories in and around the area. The 1970s were particularly disastrous years for local employment. During the last two years of the decade, for example, almost 1,500 jobs were lost from the eleven biggest local employers – representing a decline of 22% – and two of these eleven had closed altogether. Not only were thousands of workers thrown on the scrapheap during these years but the rising generation were left in many cases to face long-term unemployment or dead-end jobs.
One of the factory closures during the 1970s was the famous sanitaryware makers Adamsez, whose toilets adorned bathrooms across the nation. Adamsez had been a family firm until the 1960s when it was sold to new owners who appeared to want to keep it as a going concern. Prior to the sale, a new managing director had been brought in to knock the company into shape for a profitable sale. He sacked 40% of the workforce in a brutal manner. The new owners, who were from the booming fringe financial world of the 1970s, turned out to be interested in quick results rather than investing in the company to update its equipment and processes. When it failed to perform as hoped, they closed it down in 1975 with the loss of 170 jobs.
It is not surprising that by the early 1970s Benwell and Scotswood had been officially classified as an area of deprivation by being allocated a local Community Development Project (CDP) as part of a national programme which was Britain’s first and only poverty programme and its answer to America’s War on Poverty. The Benwell CDP was given five years to research the causes of poverty locally, and to try out ways of tackling this at a local level. The Project’s research showed that the social and economic problems of the area were rooted in de-industrialisation: too many jobs were disappearing from the area and most jobs were in the low-wage, low-skill service sector.
Following the CDP, the west end of Newcastle has experienced a long series of special national initiatives. These have gone under a string of different names – urban policy, inner city policy and most recently regeneration policy – all of which have tried to tackle the bigger problems of poverty and industrial decline by putting in limited amounts of money at a local level.
Benwell and Scotswood benefited from the Inner City Partnership programme, which started later in the 1970s and continued for over a decade. This was was an annual fund which financed many of the community-based voluntary organisations still active in the west end today, and therefore has had a significant and enduring impact on the community infrastructure of the area. In many cases, it provided the resources to allow local ideas developed by local people to be put into practice.
The community of Scotswood has a long history of community action, self-help and voluntary work. It was Scotswood residents who set up the first credit union in the morth east, for example. The original Scotswood Tenants Association campaigned vociferously in the 1970s for improvements to the estate, and later ran the Tenants Hut which provided a lunch club, children’s activities and other community facilities. Fergusons Lane Tenants Association was set up later on to represent residents from the upper part of the estate. It set up its own premises, which are still in operation today as the Fergusons Lane Hut, providing a community meeting place and also volunteer-run activities and services for almost a hundred older people a week from across the west end.
Building Cruddas Park Flats
Park Road Demolition,1963
Local Studies Newcastle Library
Scotswood Road Compulsary Purchase Order 1962
Blaydon Races Centenary 1962
Clara Street, 1967
During the 1960s, much of Benwell was transformed as the bulldozers advanced. Clearance of the long terraces that stretched from Adelaide Terrace south to the industrial area along the riverside began during the 1960s, demolishing the houses in phases starting from the lower end where the property tended to be of poorer quality and making its way up towards High Cross which was scheduled to be cleared later in the 1970s.
This period is closely associated in popular memory with the figure of T Dan Smith, the Labour politician who was leader of Newcastle City Council from 1960. Smith initiated a series of slum housing clearances in the city that saw large amounts of money and effort placed on housing redevelopments that experimented with new building methods that would produce more units of housing at lower cost. The Cruddas Park flats are a product of such redevelopments. Smith also had grand plans for the city centre, such as an urban motorway, a rapid transit system and a new library, and he authorised the demolition of a large part of the city centre to create a new shopping centre. Nevertheless, he is mainly remembered today for his criminal activities, after being imprisoned for corruption in the 1970s. It is easy to over-estimate Smith’s significance in the history of Newcastle, however. He led the council for only five years, and many of the decisions and actions popularly associated with him were actually carried out by his successors. Smith died in 1993 still protesting his innocence.
Pendower Commercial school 1953
The postwar years were to see the area’s local industrial base enter a terminal decline.The number of people employed at the Vickers-Armstrong works fell once more until, by the 1960s, employment was down to 7,000 compared to the war-time high of 18,500. This was part of a wider pattern of job loss; between 1964-1971, for example, 2,200 mechanical engineering jobs were lost in Benwell – a 39% reduction.
This period also saw the start of a huge programme of housing clearance intended to solve Newcastle’s terrible slum housing problem. The city had the worst record of poor housing in England outside London. Much of the worst housing was in the west end. Some parts of Benwell, such as Noble Street and adjacent streets, were demolished as early as the 1950s and new housing built on the cleared sites.
It is tempting to romanticise the past, and bemoan the loss of the old housing as the destruction of strong and proud communities. Undeniably some of the houses that were knocked down in the mass slum clearance programmes of the postwar decades were of good quality and could have been refurbished rather than demolished. In some cases, houses were demolished for planning reasons rather than because they were genuinely slums. However there were also without doubt many thousands of substandard homes lacking in basic amenities which were beyond reasonable repair. Stories abound of tenements with several families sharing one tap and an outside toilet, or of damp, cramped terrace flats without electricity, hot water or inside toilets. These are paralleled by accounts of the delight experienced by families moving into new homes with bathrooms and gardens for the first time.
Most people agree that a price was paid in the form of a weakening of community – although it is hard to separate the effects of physical redevelopment from wider social factors such as the increase in women taking paid employment and the decline of the extended family.
Women workers at Vickers-Armstrong Factory
Scotswood 1949
© West Newcastle Picture Collection
War had always been good for business at the West Newcastle works of Vickers-Armstrong. The Second World War was no exception, and employment shot up to 18,500 as the demand for tanks, shells and guns rose again. Women were encouraged to join the workforce in order to free up men to serve in the armed forces.
Home life was also affected by the war. Benwell and Scotswood were seen as at risk of bombing because of their proximity to the armaments factories on the riverside. Thousands of local children were evacuated, some with their mothers and some alone. Many returned after a short time either because of homesickness or because families decided that they preferred being together despite the potential dangers. For those children who remained in the area, education was badly disrupted as schools closed altogether or only opened part-time.
Air raid shelters were built in an effort to protect the resident population, and schools had their own shelters and carried out regular air raid drills. Residents in areas like Pendower where the houses had gardens were given Anderson shelters where they could go during bombing alerts. Many of these were still there, functioning as garden sheds, decades later.
Despite repeated efforts to bomb Vickers and the other shipyards and factories along the riverside, Benwell and Scotswood actually got off quite lightly. Very few of the bombs hit their targets and there was limited damage to local factories or homes. There were civilian casualties but nothing like the losses suffered in London and other cities. In fact, during the later stages of the war, evacuees from the south were being sent to the west end of Newcastle to escape the Blitz.
One of the most famous incidents to occur during the war in this area was the snapping off of the top of the spire of St James’ Church by a stray barrage balloon. Many older residents remember seeing the resulting heap of stones and slates scattered across the road, where it remained for some time.
At the end of the war, life in the west end gradually returned to pre-war normality. The children and families who had been evacuated to the countryside to escape the air-raids returned to their homes. Just as had happened during the First World War, the women who had been brought in to work at the armaments factories and in other ‘men’s jobs’ were pushed out again, and encouraged to take up roles as full-time housewives and mothers. Men and women returned from the armed forces, the Land Army, and other services, and took their place in civilian life once more.
Chapel Terrace, 1935
Chapel Terrace Compulsary Purchase Order 1934
Ferguson Lane Development 1934
The 1930s saw a further big growth of council housing locally, with the building of the Scotswood and Fergusons Lane estates.
The push to provide council housing had continued through the interwar years, but the vision of building homes for heroes faded and was replaced by a focus on building more homes for less money. The new estates in Scotswood were built under a less generous government funding scheme governed by lower quality standards. They were meant primarily as a replacement for the slums demolished as a result of city centre clearance programmes.
These interwar years saw the development of tenants associations on the local council estates as residents got together to push for repairs, environmental improvements and community facilities. Residents on Pendower finally got their own community hall in the 1930s, purpose-built on the recreation ground in the middle of the estate. Here they ran a full programme of social activities for all ages.
Throughout these years, the local economy remained depressed, and many families struggled to cope with poverty and unemployment. It took another war to revive the area’s fortunes once more.
Buddle Road, 1920
Benwell Lane, 1928
After the war was over, the economic fortunes of the area slumped. Tyneside as a whole suffered badly in the great depression.
The traditional industries of West Newcastle, such as heavy engineering, coal and steel, were seriously affected, and unemployment and poverty became more widespread. In retrospect it can be seen that an underlying cause of these problems was the endemic failure of much of British industry to re-invest adequately and maintain its competitive edge.
One of the high profile casualties locally was Spencer’s Steelworks in Newburn, which shut in 1926 with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs. There were also a number of company mergers during this period, and several well known names disappeared. Armstrong’s merged with Vickers in 1927 to become Vickers-Armstrong.
The area also suffered in other ways. This period witnessed the worst mining tragedy of its history in 1925 when a major disaster at the Montagu Pit in Scotswood claimed 38 lives. Most of the victims are buried at Elswick cemetery.
On the positive side, the inter-war years saw the building of the first council estates in the area, providing homes for thousands of families who had previously been dependent on private landlords and often lived in appallingly cramped and unhygienic conditions.
Pendower Estate was built in the 1920s as part of a national crash building programme to provide “homes fit for heroes” after the First World War. The City Council saw this as an opportunity to provide local families with generously designed, good quality homes with gardens at affordable rents. They chose a garden suburb model for Pendower which they hoped would offer the best aspects of a traditional English village.
Benwell Tram Terminus, Adelaide Terrace, 1910
Children in the West End, 1910
Roberts Street Party, 1918
©: West Newcastle Picture History Collection
By the First World War, Armstrong’s factories employed an all-time peak of 20,000 workers. Women were drawn into the factories during this period to do jobs formerly the preserve of men – but once the fighting was over the women were out of work again.
Although local industries were making healthy profits, local people did not always share in this prosperity. Poverty was common in Benwell and Scotswood mainly as a result of low wages and irregular work. Many children went barefoot, and the poorest families relied on meals provided by the council or charities. People lived in fear of the poor law and the workhouse. There was no free healthcare, and infectious diseases were rife, often claiming many lives at a very young age.
The First World War was a boom time for employment but it was also a time of great loss and sadness for local people. Many Benwell and Scotswood men died as a result of a war which cost an estimated 37 million lives in total. The Benwell war memorial, which is located inside St James’ Church, records the names of all those local people who lost their lives as a result of the war.
Canning Street School 1911
Chapel Terrace 1905
Bridge Cresent, 1905
The first part of the 20th century was a time of growth for Benwell and Scotswood. Armstrong’s, which dominated employment locally, was booming and new homes were springing up across the area.
However the growing population needed more than just housing; Scotswood Road was a lively thoroughfare packed with pubs, shops and churches, and Adelaide Terrace had also developed into a busy shopping area. Hodgkin Park had opened in 1899 in West Benwell, and in 1908 the Carnegie Library opened in Atkinson Road.
Several new schools – including Canning Street, Atkinson Road and Denton Road – were also provided to meet the needs of the large numbers of children now living in the area.Local people also had their own organisations – the churches, trade unions, co-operative guilds and others – which were the backbone of social and community life in the area.
Benwell Village 1900
The West End of Newcastle has for years, been a place of constant flux. In the last century the economic climate of the area has changed dramatically, from a booming industrial zone at the beginning of the 20th Century, to the decline and unemployment of post war years stretching through to present day.
At the same time, the urban landscape has fluctuated and shifted-from slum clearances to mass council housing projects, privatisation schemes to high-rise tower block developments, interspersed with large-scale demolition, dispersal and ‘regeneration’ schemes.
However, amongst all the changes, one thing is certain- the area has a rich history of people coming together, forming strong roots, identities and community structures.
INDUSTRIAL ROOTS
The area is best known for the huge Armstrong’s engineering works, first set up in 1847 at Elswick, and eventually extending some three miles along the riverfront. However the area had an important industrial history prior to this. The availability of coal and the river attracted key industries such as glass, iron and lead manufacture as well as glue works, brick makers, paper factories and others. This is why most of the big houses and mansions were higher up the slopes, away from the noise and dirt of the riverside industry.
The Elswick Works originally built hydraulic machinery, but soon branched out into manufacturing bridges and then into armaments.
The company grew rapidly, and in 1866 Armstrong’s came to an agreement with the shipbuilders Michells of Walker to develop naval work jointly, and later the two companies merged. In 1884 a shipyard was opened at the Elswick site concentrating mainly on building warships. The works now had the capacity to build and equip an entire warship from raw material to finished product.
Armstrong’s became the most successful exporter of warships in the world. Customers included Austro-Hungary, Japan, China, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Turkey, as well as Britain.
The Elswick Works now occupied 50 acres. It was at one time the biggest employer in Newcastle. By 1863, 3,800 people worked there, and by 1895 it employed 11,000. When there was a full order book, the workforce sometimes rose to 13,000.
In 1899 Armstrong built a second armaments works at Scotswood. One of its main products was locomotives. Armstrong’s factories now dominated the riverfront, and also dominated employment locally. A variety of other industries. also ran along the banks of the Tyne, making the river inaccessible to local residents.
GROWTH OF A COMMUNITY
By the mid-19th century Tyneside was in the throes of an industrial revolution. The growing industries needed workers, and they came in their thousands – from nearby rural areas and from Ireland, Cornwall and other places further afield.
The population of Tyneside grew tenfold during the 19th century. The west end of Newcastle became a boom town. The population of Elswick increased from 3,500 to 59,000 between 1851 and 1901, while Benwell’s grew from 1,272 to 18,512 during the same fifty year period.
The second half of the 19th century saw thousands of new homes spring up across Benwell. By the start of the 20th century, most of South Benwell between Adelaide Terrace and the river was filled up with long rows of terraced housing, and residential development was rapidly extending across the northern part of the area also creating the densely built-up neighbourhoods of High Cross and North Benwell. These homes were for the ordinary working people who were needed to keep the factories and mines going, and also for the growing mass of white-collar workers who staffed the city’s burgeoning commercial and retail industries.
The new housing was of variable quality. In general, the poorest housing was to be found lower down the banks near the factories, and the better quality homes were higher up.
This period also saw an exodus of the rich families from their big houses and mansions, bound for more peaceful rural areas away from the encroaching urbanisation.
Jimmy Forsyth
Community Spaces
Carnegie Building A Community Hub
The Carnegie Building was originally opened as a public library in 1908. The centre is now a social enterprise and is home to a number of initiatives and services which offer a wide range of community focused activities.
Staff and members central to the development of the building share the story of its history and highlight it’s value as a central community hub.
Made as part of Archive for Change film-training workshop.
Stories from Caroline & Maria Street
[Audio Only]
During the 1990′s the Benwell terraces became notorious for crime & social disorder. Whilst many people moved away, some stayed and chose to tackle the problems head-on. In this audio piece, Carol & Joanie recall the initiatives they developed as community activists, including street parties, residents groups and informal youth work; working tirelessly to improve the social and built environment of their neighbourhood.
A Slideshow about Jimmy Forsyth by Des Walton - Part 2
Following on from Part 1, local historian and archivist Des Walton puts on a slideshow about his friend and well-renown photographer Jimmy Forsyth, who rose to fame through his compelling images of Newcastle street-life, focusing on Jimmy’s life, photography & legacy in the west end.
Closure of small shops in Benwell 1979
Short news report on the closure of many of Benwell’s small independent shops as a result of the development of a large shopping centre, with interviews from local community workers.
Billy Richardson's memories of Northbourne Street
2010s / 2000s
Billy started taking photos at 13 when his dad bought him a 35mm camera. Years later when Billy heard his street was going to be demolished he started photographing it and moved into filmmaking, capturing the changing landscape of Northbourne & James Street day by day. In this film he tells us about his dedication to his project and why it means so much to him.
Rye Hill Streets 1967
In this short extract, a local priest acts as our guide on a tour of the Rye Hill area.
Silent Footage
Scotswood / Elswick
Des Walton was a local historian and archivist who worked in Newcastle Libraries for over 50 years and initiated the West Newcastle Picture History Collection, a fantastic volunteer-run photographic archive based at the West End Library.
In this film, Des, retired but still passionate about local history, puts on a slideshow about his friend and well-renown photographer Jimmy Forsyth, who rose to fame through his compelling images of Newcastle street-life, focusing on his life, photography & legacy in the west end.
Scotswood: Then, Now, Next
The Pink Ladies girls’ group based at Scotswood Area Strategy reflect on their experiences of growing up in Scotswood and their hopes for the future and compare this to older generations’ experiences. As well as conducting the interviews, the girls created the imagery by filming in their neighbourhood and mixing this footage with archive film of the area.
The Works: Jimmy Forsyth
Renown local photographer Jimmy Forsyth talks about his feelings about the demolition of Scotswood Road, and meets with politician T Dan Smith to discuss their individual takes on the subject.
Young people from Scotswood talk about local unemployment & education issues, against the backdrop of the Thatcher era.
Produced by Swing Bridge Video, extract from ‘Youth TV’ 1981
Works Convenor : Jim Murray
Short extract from a longer film documenting the history of Vickers-Armstrong factory. In this extract works convenor Jim Murray talks about the politics surrounding the decline and the economic and social effects the closure will have on the local area.
Made by Trade Films
The Road to Blaydon - Part 2
A beautiful Tyne Tees production unearthed from the NRFTA, this half hour programme chronicles the regeneration of Scotswood Road from the point of view of residents and small business’ affected by the changes. Interspersed with some dry comedy moments from the Tyne Tees Studio this film shows the flip-side to the glossy media frontage of early regeneration schemes, all to an epic Blaydon-Races inspired soundtrack!
West End News : Rehousing Benwell
Amateur footage from Benwell residents documenting the clearance programme in their area, exploring Maughan Street, Clara Street, Rachel Street, Maria Street and the Pipetrack; terrace streets that have since been demolished.
Ted Clark - Working Life
South Benwell / Rye Hill / Elswick
Ted Clark worked as an electrician during the regeneration of Elswick & Benwell in the 1960′s.
In this reflective piece he talks about practical issues relating to the construction of the properties he worked on, and poses a number of questions about why they were so short lived.
Staying Here
This short-documentary is the product of a close collaboration with residents of the area of Scotswood, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Over the last 10 years the area has been the subject of a series of radical regeneration schemes, which involved mass demolition and clearances of many of its neighborhoods. This film looks at the landscape and the people of Scotswood today, and their efforts to be involved in the regeneration process. Developed for Campaign Trail, funded by NFM.
Councilors take part in Scotswood Road redevelopment
1966 news footage depicting local councilors enthusiastically ‘helping’ with the redevelopment of Scotswood Road
Noble Street Flats
Short silent clip showing living conditions in Elswick’s Noble Street flats.
Built in the 1960′s the flats became notorious for poor living conditions and social problems, and were demolished by the 80′s.
Vickers-Armstrongs (engineers) Ltd. (Tour)
Silent tour of the different departments of Vickers-Armstrongs, showcasing different machines and workers activities
West End Aged Poor Outing
North Benwell / South Benwell
Silent footage from 1923 documenting an outing to Benton for the ‘West End Aged Poor’. Skipping & tug-of-war for the brave & young at heart, and plenty cups of tea for everyone!
Vickers-Armstrong Factory in Wartime
Excerpts from a Vickers-Armstrong production showing the armaments factory’s peaks and troughs during the First and Second World Wars.
An interview with Jackie Haq & Liz Franklin
Jackie and Liz are community activists who have been instrumental in setting up a stream of successful campaigns and community projects since the late 70′s. In this interview they talk about their experience of taking action to improve life on Scotswood estates in the late 70′s and 80′s and how it compares to the present governments calls for ‘the Big Society’.
Journeys Home
2010s / 1970s / 1960s
Short poetic film made with former Benwell resident Yvonne Young, reflecting on her childhood memories and emotional relationship with the area.
Based on a piece of text written and read by Yvonne.
Demonstration & Demolition
Nicky & Steve Riches lived in Denton Gardens during the 1990s when ‘Going for Growth’ was introduced – a radical urban planning scheme that affected both the west end and east end of Newcastle. In this interview, they outline the politics of Going for Growth and the impact it had on their home, family and community.
Pendower Generations
Archive for Change worked with the Girls Group at Pendower Good Neighbour Project to create a wonderful film about the estate. Through a series of workshops the girls learnt how to use video & sound equipment and developed interview techniques. The film weaves together a collection of interviews from four generations of Pendower residents recounting life, memories and histories of Pendower, the UK’s first council estate, from the 1930′s to 2011.
Knitting Together
Old Benwell Village / South Benwell
Building the Community Cafe
A short film about the story of Scotswood Diner- a community built and run Cafe on Armstrong Road. The film begins with a news report from 1998, the year that Greggs Bakery, one of the last remaining shops in the area closed down, and covers the story of how the community took it over and developed it into to the brilliant community cafe that it is today.
Scotswood Area Strategy - The Pinky Returns
Amina Francis from Scotswood Area Strategy (SAS), talks about the on-going regeneration of Scotswood, the recent demolition of ‘The Pink Palace’ – the Strategy’s original home for over 10yrs – and their move to their new premisis. It also looks at how the Council’s cutbacks are affecting the areas & SAS.
Made as part of an Archive for Change film training workshop.
Model Houses and Flats for New Scotswood Estate
Silent film footage of architectural models of the proposed Scotswood Estate, 1964.
One of those things we do awfully well
The massive Vickers-Armstrong Factory on the banks of the River Tyne was founded on William Armstrong’s innovation in arms manufacturing. During the world wars this was a thriving but deadly source of economic growth for Tyneside, This extract highlights the global implications of maintaining this regional industry.
Tyne Tees Television.
Benwell Nature Park
A short film extract about the origins of Benwell Nature Park, a small urban nature reserve developed on the site of demolished housing in the 1980′s.
Save Scotswood Works Campaign
Scotswood / Scotswood Road
A boat journey down the River Tyne is interspersed with footage of the struggle to save Scotswood Works, the giant factory set along the riverbank that employed thousands of local workers until the 1980s.
Filmed by Newcastle-based collective Amber Films.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1773
|
__label__wiki
| 0.665877
| 0.665877
|
home > education > colleges > kentucky colleges
College Profile: Thomas More College
Thomas More College may refer to: In Australia: St Thomas More College (Queensland) in Sunnybank Hills, Queensland
Thomas More College (South Australia) in Salisbury Downs, South Australia In Canada: St. Thomas More Collegiate in British Columbia
St. Thomas More College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan In South Africa: Thomas More College (South Africa) in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal In the United Kingdom: St Thomas More Catholic College in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire In the USA: Thomas More College (Kentucky) in Crestview Hills, Kentucky
Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire
College of Saint Thomas More in Fort Worth, Texas
Thomas More College, a former women's college of Fordham University
333 Thomas More Parkway
Crestview Hills, KY
Other Names TMC
Relgious Affiliation Roman Catholic
Thomas More College Website
1,790 Student Body Size Yes On-Campus Housing
965 Fall Admissions
Degrees and Certifications
Bachelor of Business Administration (Bachelor Degree)
In the fall of 1993, Thomas More College introduced an accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration degree for working professionals. Since then, nearly 2,000 students have enrolled in the Thomas More Accelerated Program (TAP). TAP students may complete their BBA in as little as 24 months, depending upon their previous college experience. BBA concentrations are available in Personal Finance, Marketing and Management.
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other.
Business Teacher Education.
Speech and Rhetorical Studies.
Pre-Law Studies.
Education, Other.
Data Processing and Data Processing Technology/Technician.
Social Studies Teacher Education.
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist.
Fine/Studio Arts, General.
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching.
Gerontology.
Question and Answer about "Thomas More College"
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1774
|
__label__cc
| 0.731145
| 0.268855
|
From the Royal Pavilion in the Regency era to Mods and Rockers in the 1960s to the present day annual Brighton Festival, Brighton is a vibrant centre for the creative arts, popular culture and heritage with an international reputation.
The University of Brighton plays a major role at the centre of that culture. It is one of the founding and leading institutions for research in Design History with professors who are world authorities and research that includes international design, feminist art curation, self and identity, the photography of scenes of conflict and postcolonial collecting and representation.
Scholarship at all levels aims to understand local and global societies through the culture of designed objects and environments and the meaning of material things. Together with their students, staff foster an active scholarly environment at Brighton, offering a range of courses from the innovative, career-focussed undergraduate suite to a far-reaching and influential PhD programme.
Enhanced by significant partnerships, nationally and internationally, notably with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Brighton fosters research within and around its own Design Archives, and provides a scholarly home for ventures such as Screen Archive South East and the Research Collective for Dress and Textile History.
See our graduate show handbook with details of final year dissertations
Join us on our History of Art and Design twitter feed and our History of Art and Design blog
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1776
|
__label__cc
| 0.741318
| 0.258682
|
invites / greetings
print /
Al Ain Oasis
Nikken – Crescent Moon, Rising Sun
Year of Zayed Book
Wahat Al Karama
UNESCO Courier
The UNESCO Courier is the main magazine published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Started in 1948, the magazine has changed a great deal over the years, both in content and in form.
After an interlude of five years, UNESCO commissioned Abjad to completely redesign the magazine that would be available in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Our approach was to make it visually attractive and original, with a fresh and innovative graphic spirit in order to communicate the content in a creative manner.
Noor Dubai Annual Report 2015
Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre Brochure
Al Sadu Activity Guide
As part on the Intangible Cultural Heritage series, this activity guide allows children to learn about Al Sadu; the traditional technique of weaving the hair of camels and the wool of goats and sheep into fabric for blankets, carpets, pillows, tents and the decoration of camel saddles and belts.
The guide discusses it’s history, the craft, tools, used, oral traditions and its successful registration as authentic UAE heritage in the “Urgent Safeguarding List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at UNESCO”.
These have been highlighted by focusing on illustrations.
Villa515
Tola Media Kit
Four new illustrations have recently been added to the Tola Perfumery collection; the languid reclining odalisque of Misqaal, the mysterious and pensive Masha.
Sprout is a multi-brand store that offers organic clothing and natural living essentials for children. Keeping in line with brand’s environmentally conscious strategy, the branding in essence is minimal in its use of color and graphic elements.
Al Ayala Activity Guide
As part of the Tangible Heritage series, this activity guide educates children about Al Ayala; a traditional performing art. The activity guide follows a humble style of illustration targeting children. Teaching them the heritage of the UAE, we have used interactive elements to engage and capture their attention, also, to learn more about the culture using different mediums.
Maryam Omaira – AW15
Inspired by installation art, Maryam Omaira’s collection uses non-traditional designs and optical illusion to evoke subjective feelings and a deeper experience on the part of the viewer. The accompanying copy is poetic, highly evocative with just the right amount of ambiguity. The copy is presented as if the collection is an artwork with a label, which one typically finds in a museum. Each piece is given a name, media used, and a short description.
Abjad designed the 2011 annual report for Noor Dubai Foundation, an initiative with a vision of a world free from preventable forms of blindness.
Maryam Omaira – SS16
This copy was inspired by the confident vitality manifested in the collection. Emphasizing on the highly feminine and sophisticated, meanwhile preserving the subtleness and classic sensibilities. Each piece comprises a tailored mock magazine column name, followed by an inclusive, assuring message, which serves as the personified voice of the collection.
Multaqa Zayed National Museum
Abjad Design Studio was briefed to design a series books for Multaqa Zayed National Museum, which recounts the story of the development of the country through the life and achievements of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE.
Hadarah
Abjad was asked to photograph the collection and design a catalogue book for Hadarah’s sophisticated perfume line. ‘Hadarah’ is the Arabic word for civilization, which is captured in the erudite inspired scents.
Abjad was asked to create the visual identity of the niche Emirati perfume, Tola. The identity is simple yet contemporary with an avant-garde touch. Part of the branding included this digital illustration style reminiscent of Art Deco posters from the 1920s and 30s.
RTA –Road Transport Authority
Abjad designed the 2013 annual report for the Road Transport Authority in Dubai. RTA is responsible for planning and providing the requirements of transport, roads & traffic in the Emirate of Dubai.
Roseleaf Cafe
Abjad designed the 2013 annual report for Noor Dubai Foundation, an initiative with a vision of a world free from preventable forms of blindness. This year’s report focused on light, prims, and reflections; all relevant to the physics of vision.
Abjad designed the 2012 annual report for Noor Dubai Foundation, an initiative with a vision of a world free from preventable forms of blindness. This year’s report focused on the element of growth, which is visible in the foundation’s untiring efforts throughout the year.
© 2019 Abjad Design LLC
Request a qoute
request a quote and we'll get back to you within two working days!
Brief Project Description
Your information will not be shared with any 3rd party members under any circumstances
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1777
|
__label__wiki
| 0.791338
| 0.791338
|
What really happened?! a review 29 years after revolution!
[FREE IRAN Project] In The Spirit Of Cyrus The Great Forum Index -> News Briefs & Discussion
Toofaan
Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: What really happened?! a review 29 years after revolution!
Many stories have been told and "people" have talked a lot about "hidden hands" behind Islamic revolution and today, there are probably not many Iranians with least information about the events in Iran especially during the months and days before Islamic revolution who still claim the system was replaced through a true revolution! From these stories, the version that comes from an insider of provisional revolutionary government headed by Mr. Bazargan, might be an interesting one as the person who is telling the story, has been closely involved with some parts of the revolution that ordinary Iranians have never heard about or have no news of that!
All of us probably have heard stories about how Jimmy Carter betrayed Iran for this or that reason and how American and British Ambassadors did this and that and many many other stories about how radio BBC and others instigated unrest through their propaganda systems! We have heard all of that! And they were all brushed aside, by true believers of "Islamic Revolution", as baseless theories which made up by supporters of previous regime to deny the reality of "Revolution" which was infront of the eyes of the world to see. The world saw that how millions of Iranians marched on the streets chanting "death to shah" and milions of Iranians received Khomeini with open arms when he came back to Iran. Millions of Iranians listened to him when he spoke in "Behesht Zahra" grave yard to mark the start of his reign.
Almost 30 years have passed from those days of anarchy and revolution which everythinjg seemed to be happening in a surreal world and after hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of damages to our nation, we can now read listen to the words of old revolutionaries on how all of these started.
Mr. Abbas Amirentezam is well known as the longest held political prisoner of Islamic regime who was arrested less than a year after Islamic Revolution on the charges of espionage for the United States and other charges but he was never formally convicted in any court. He spent more than 25 years of his life in prisons of Islamic Republic.
Mr. Amirentezam Has spoken with Ms. Fariba Amini in an interview which was published by Iranianvoice.org in year 2006 and sometime before that in Iranian.com. In his interview, Mr. Amirentezam has spoken about his extensive research about the events which resulted in the revolution which himself, like many others, became a victim of and said he will be writing about all in his book. In parts of thi interview we read:
At times in history while important events take place, as during the Vietnam war, negotiations between different parties of a conflict occurs behind the scene. In Iran, at that time, while many people believed that they were struggling against the Shah's army or for the downfall of the monarchy, there were politicians who were doing their own negotiations with U.S. officials and some European governments. Mr. Bazargan, as the head of the NMM was also involved in such negotiations and had appointed me to conduct diplomatic talks with certain foreign embassies in Iran; this had been approved by Mr. Bazargan himself and the Revolutionary Council. In fact I would report to the council which was held at the house of Ayatollah Moussavi Ardebili. To my dismay, this open and candid negotiation was later used to discredit me as a spy and accuse me of working against Iran's national security. We were only trying to prevent further chaos and instability.Again going back to your third question I must emphasize on the following point: In accordance with diplomatic protocol, as Iran's ambassador to Sweden, I had several meetings with the US ambassador.These very candid meetings were dismissed by those who took over the US embassy as a sign that I am an agent. In the documents from the "Nest of Spies" which were a basis for the accusations against me and miswritten it is stated that: "I have always repeated that any relations between Iran and other countries should be based upon mutual respect and non-interference in Iran's affairs and respect for Iran's total sovereignty." Whereas it states and underlined in a different form saying that " Entezam from his days as a student in Berkeley always pointed out to America's 25 year influence in Iran and always reiterated that all relations between Iran and other countries (US-China and Russia) should be in accordance with mutual understanding and in acceptance of the Islamic regime and its national sovereignty (from page 88 of the Documents seized at the American Embassy No. 10). You can clearly see that even from their own account, these are the words of someone who is a patriot and not a spy!"In the early fall of 1978, just before the beginning of the revolutionary Islamic movement, Mr. Bazargan, who was the head of Nehzat Azadi (Freedom Movement), got in touch, through Mr. Mohammad Tavassoli Janati, with the U.S. embassy, Mr. Stample, an American diplomat in Iran, and the U.S. ambassador, Mr. Sullivan. I saw Mr. Bazargan in the summer of that year; he was walking in Shemiran near Zaaferanieh (in the northern part of Tehran). We sat near a creek (jouyeh Abe) for three hours. I asked him what was going on and he responded that he did not know. My question was not whether or not there was a movement against the Shah. Instead, my real question was who was behind it? He did not know. He somewhat understood the big picture. When I asked him what was to be done, he responded that if I really wanted to know, I should close down my office and go to see him at his office. I had three companies, located in the AF building. I also had an American secretary, a wonderful woman. On the advice of Mr. Bazargan, I closed down the office for the next few days. But my secretaries started translating news about Iran from the foreign press, which we made copies of.Around the 29 of Azar (December 1978), Mr. Bazargan asked me to take over the political office of the organization which Mr. Tavassoli had been in charge of. At around the same time, a human rights delegation comprised of Mr. Stample, Richard Cottam, Ramsey Clarke (now representing Saddam Hussein), and a minister, whose name I don't recall, came to Iran. Mr. Bazargan, who was also the head of the human rights committee in Iran, asked me to go meet with them.Accompanied by Dr. Asghar Haj Seyed Javadi, Ahmad Haj seyed Javadi, and Mr. Abdol Karim Lahidgi, I went to meet with the human rights delegation. When the meeting was over, Richard Cottam asked me if I was the same person who had handed a letter to Richard Nixon (vice president at the time) in 1953 (shortly after the coup) when he was in Iran. Indeed it had been me. The letter had been written as a response to the U.S. government for their involvement in the coup and the toppling of the Mossadegh government. On behalf of the National resistance movement, I had volunteered, to present the letter through Richard Cottam. After the meeting he told me to meet with Mr. Stample regularly and tell him of human rights abuses under the Shah. I informed Mr. Bazargan and members of the Revolutionary Council about Mr. Cottam's request. They all agreed and approved the matter. We met five or six times which continued until Richard Cottam left Iran. Unfortunately, I found out later that he was an official at the CIA. This was what occurred at our meeting with Cottam in 1978 shortly before the revolution. I was on call three nights a week. It was during one of these late nights that Mr. Sullivan, came to see the prime minister's office to see Mr. Bazargan who was not present. I was given a letter informing me that an office of theirs (operating under the Khalidj company) had apparently been taken over by some revolutionaries. American embassy personnel had been taken into custody, some passports had been confiscated, and the premise had been ransacked. It was midnight when I called Mr. Bazargan and woke him up. I asked him what we were to do. He replied: "Do whatever you can." Unfortunately, we did not have a military or security unit at that time. A few dozen incompetent militant hooligans had taken over many of the ministries so there was no viable security apparatus after the revolution. These men were essentially running the show. I called Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani and I told him who I was and asked for his help. He informed me that there was virtually no one to turn to. I then called General Imanian the head of air force. He told me that he had six people and he could spare three of them. We took care of the immediate problem and returned the passports to their rightful owners.In the morning, Sullivan and Stample came to see me and again gave me a letter which addressed me warmly as "Dear Mr. A. E." They thanked me for my assistance in the matter. This letter was in fact the basis for my arrest, with the most incriminating aspect being that the U.S. ambassador had addressed me as "Dear"! They claimed that the use of this specific word implied that the U.S. officials had close ties to me and considered me one of their own!
And regarding the reasons behind his imprisonment he says:
Another case was when in the fall of 1979 Mr. Bazargan called me to Tehran; I had been in Sweden doing some consultation on certain issues. I went to Tehran for a few days. During the evenings, my friends would invite me to their house. At one of these gatherings, there were about forty or fifty people. The room was abuzz with discussion of events taking place in the country. Everybody was anxious. Mr. Ahmad Madani* was there, I pray for his health, and many other prominent men, along with several women and children. It was an informal gathering that quickly turned into an evening of political dialogue. Everyone began to harshly condemn the actions of the provisional government. They thought that whatever was happening were our decision, as well as Mr. Bazargan's. All I could do was listen as I did not feel that it was appropriate to speak in front of people I did not know. At night when I came back home, I thought to myself, how can we resolve this situation? They were troubling times and we needed a resolution. I thought that I would invite the main core of the Nehzat Moghavemat Melli(National Resistance Movement) and ask for their advice to see how we could get out of this standstill. Consequently, about twenty people came to Mr. Anvari's house. I did not tell Mr. Bazargan about this meeting, nor did I inform anyone else. I simply consulted with them about what I had heard and seen at different gatherings. Every person in the meeting made a suggestion which was not accepted by the majority. At the end I proposed the idea of abolishing the Majlis Khebregan(Assembly of Experts) which was put to vote and accepted by the majority. In early spring of 1979, Iranian people had authorized the provisional government to do three things:1) To write a new constitution2) To form a constituent assembly as opposed to an assembly of experts, and3) To have this new constitution ratified within one month through a referendum. What the assembly of experts had done was to change the people's mandate for the provisional government. This meant that they had thrown away our proposals and written their own for the draft of the Constitution. Members of the assembly of experts wrote the Islamic constitution. What was supposed to happen however, was that under the existing law the Majlis Moassesan (constituent assembly) ought to have been formed consisting of three hundred representatives. Yet since there was not enough time and a great amount of mistrust, we we all agreed unanimously that we would present this idea in a public referendum. The assembly of experts should be dissolved. Most of those present at this meeting were ministers in the Bazargan government. I told them that I was not a lawyer by profession so those who were familiar with the law should write this amendment to the constitution and present it. They sat through the evening until morning and constructed the amendment which stated that the Assembly of Experts should be dissolved, while our proposal is presented to the Iranian people for final approval. This was completed when in the morning it was presented to Mr. Bazargan.This proposal was given to the provisional government and 18 of the 22 ministers accepted it. When the amendment was presented to Mr. Khomeini, he dismissed it and called it a conspiratorial act. When I returned to Sweden, I had a copy of it with me which I left at the embassy. After the US Embassy takeover, when I was recalled to Tehran, the students, followers of Imam's line who attacked the Iranian Embassy in Sweden, found the document and brought it to Tehran. They realized that it was I who had originally submitted the proposal. And this was the basis for all the rest of the accusations against me. In essence, this was the Islamic Republic and Mr. Khomeini's revenge against me, because of my suggestion for dissolving the Assembly of Experts.
The most interesting part to me is when he responds to the question that if everything were pre-planned according to him?:
There comes a time when conditions are ripe for change. In prison, you have all the time to read and reflect. I tried to examine all the events in world history as compared to our own. Up until 1979, the Shah had consolidated all of the power within himself. But if the time had not been right, and all the events had not been properly aligned, Mr. Khomeini would not have been brought from Najaf, taken to Neauphle-le-Chateau in France, given full access to international media, and then brought to Iran. So, in more ways than one, this was the exact right moment for the subsequent events to occur. Savak burned buildings and created the chaos and internal strife necessary to take the Shah down. Consequently, our people became innocent victims of this well planned out charade.There were three Texas Commerce Instrument employees in Ghassr prison. They invited a bunch of hooligans to create chaos and incited people to come to the streets, open the prisons, thus letting criminals out. What began with a few hundred people quickly turned into massive and wide scale demonstrations.
And about how he reached the conclusion about involvement of foreign elements in downfal of Bazargan government:
With ample time in prison, I had the opportunity to review many history books. Thus, I came to the conclusion that many decisions were made more than fifty years ago.The Truman administration had concluded that in order to destroy the Soviet Union without going into war, seeing that both nations had the bomb, and avoiding a global nuclear catastrophe, they would use other plans. They had a 50 year plan to get rid of the Soviet Union without actually engaging in war. I am convinced, just like Zbigniew Brzezinski and Noam Chomsky, that what took place in 1979 in Iran, the rest of the events in the Middle East- the Iran-Iraq war, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait were part of this planwhich eventually led to the destruction of the Soviet Union. The result was the re-distribution of the world and the Middle East. The rest of my thoughts and analyses, which are elaborated on, are in my book.
I must say that I share many of Mr. Amirentezam's views expressed in this interview which although not clearly explaining the nature of involvement of foreign elements but confirms claims of many (including late Shah himself) who saw a manipulative hand behind all those events while they were all paralysed and unable to do anything to stop
that hand!
here is the source of interview: http://www.iranianvoice.org/article1693.html
I will post my next article on reviewing chronology of "Islamic Revolution" and the effects of relations between Iranian government, United States government and oil companies under this topic in different segments.
Dear Toofan:
I am sure Mr. Amirentezam, is citing historical events in detail, which I am not privy to. However, when he says "Savak burnt buildings & created chaos", it sounds to me very much like when they said Savak set Cinema Rex on fire. And later we found out who the true culprit was. Savak was running for their life, unless they became part of the revolution.
My personal feeling (& I could be wrong), is it didn't take 50 years, true they were trying to stop Soviet's expansionism, and a theocracy was ideal for Jimmy the idiot. This is my personal belief that Jimmy & the Brits were the real players + bunch of ideologues (calling themselves Roshanfekran!!) and their blind followers....
Dear blank,
Mr. Amirentezam's interview is conducted more than 25 years after Islamic Revolution and I am certain he was aware of the facts regarding involvment of Islamic revolutionaries in fire of Cinema Rex. I believe Mr. Amirentezam is talking about Savak's buildings and I suspect that he is aware of things that ordinary people like you and I do not have access to! In those chaotic days, many buildings were set on fire which in some cases, seemed totally idiotic because it compromised a lot of information which were possible to be discovered in there! Savak was definitely infiltrated by elemnts which were working hand in hand with those who wanted to "change" things in Iran! General Fardoust, a close personal friend of Shah and the highest authority in Ianian inteligence system was a CIA agent and was in contact with so called revolutionaries! Poor Shah did not know anything about how his closest friend betrayed him even till he died! Dismantling the Soviet Union is only part of it, The main objective is complete control over the whole world and they are not alone in this! Things are much much deeper and wider to cover only one issue! Using the sources and information that I have in my access, I am going to try to continue under this topic to shed light on those events as much as I can.
"There comes a time when conditions are ripe for change. In prison, you have all the time to read and reflect. I tried to examine all the events in world history as compared to our own. Up until 1979, the Shah had consolidated all of the power within himself. But if the time had not been right, and all the events had not been properly aligned, Mr. Khomeini would not have been brought from Najaf, taken to Neauphle-le-Chateau in France, given full access to international media, and then brought to Iran. So, in more ways than one, this was the exact right moment for the subsequent events to occur. Savak burned buildings and created the chaos and internal strife necessary to take the Shah down. Consequently, our people became innocent victims of this well planned out charade.There were three Texas Commerce Instrument employees in Ghassr prison. They invited a bunch of hooligans to create chaos and incited people to come to the streets, open the prisons, thus letting criminals out. What began with a few hundred people quickly turned into massive and wide scale demonstrations."
You are right, I think he may be talking about those elements of revolutionaries that were inside Savak and in reality were working for the ragheads and "Roshanfekran".
And I know all about Hussain Fardoust, someday I hope he will be tried for treason.
I have no doubt that corruption within Savak was not limited to Fardoust and he had other lower rank elements knowingly or unknowingly helping him and so called revolutionaries. as far as Fardoust himself, he is dead but I hope more information could be found (other than his memoir) about his role in all of these!
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:52 pm Post subject: A review of Islamic Revolution
A review of Islamic Revolution
We are approaching anniversary of an extra ordinary event in the history of our nation, which had a profound effect over the lives of every single Iranian in one way or another even if we had no contribution to it. I remember those days that when traveling on the roads, from one place to another, we would encounter mobs of people with clubs in their hands while blocking the road asking you to say �death to shah� so they let you go! Then they put a picture of Khomeini on the windshield of your car after getting what they wanted and before you run into another group of them a bit further. It was a truly unusual scene to see and live in those days in a country, which was considered an �island of stability� in a troubled region, not much earlier!
When about a year before that, I heard about some demonstrations and clashes between students and police around Tehran University for the first time, I took the news with a grain of salt. I was very familiar with how the news, traditionally, traveled with so much of exaggeration, while living and working far away from Capital in a small industrial town. Sometime before that, I had heard about �fazaaye baaze siyaasi� or �open political atmosphere� that late Shah had mentioned a few times in his speeches and was broadcasted in news programs during the previous couple of years. But I did not know this would require violent demonstration and clash with police to show it! I thought that open atmosphere would result in activating people who were willing to have a role in political affairs of the nation and would end all those bickering about how everything was pre-planned by others and �we� could not change anything!
A few years earlier in 1975, foundation of �Rastaakhiz Party� that everyone had to become a member of, by late Shah had opened door for critics to denounce single party, single leader dictatorship. Shah himself seemed to believe that Rastaakhiz, would bring new and pure forces into play and inject new blood into veins of Iranian political body that had become too comfortable with leaving everything to be done by Shah himself. The trick did not work and all it did was a superficial change to appearance of Iranian political body with same people and same names. The hand over of position of Prime Minister to Jamshid Amouzegar after more than 13 years of late Hoveyda�s government, made no difference towards �open political atmosphere� in the eyes of those who saw the hands of Shah behind every political activity. At the same time, a true political opposition that could provide a viable alternative to the situation was missing or failed to present itself to the society within available opportunities.
No doubt that bitterness and distrust of some political forces towards late Shah because of memories from previous couple of decades, were still at work and affecting the political atmosphere of the nation. Majority of Iranians in every sector of society seemed to be comfortably keeping their own status of being mere audiences to the events in those days. Papers were reporting the news and publishing articles, which indicated different atmosphere in the society while skeptics, held their position and considered everything as a show by government and Savak to identify and arrest opposing elements! Political environment showed some change and new people seemed to show interest and courage in getting involved and test the waters of new political order, but the change was not coming fast enough to satisfy growing demands, mainly by intellectual community, for more drastic changes. Complaints against corruption in government were publicly discussed and reported by the media but no one seemed to believe the sincerity of reports and the justice system to resolve any of the issues. Many people looked at the trials as just another show and the rumors about many thousands of political prisoners were circled around to prove the point!
Strikes that were mostly initiated under influence and inspiration of some groups who considered themselves defenders of workers rights against injustice of �capitalist world�, spread from one work place to another and, it seemed that it had turned into a fashionable thing to do. In many cases, the demands did not really reflect a true economic problem other than just taking advantage of the newly practiced liberal atmosphere of the country to bring some �change� but it was not clear to many that, what particular �change� was needed and what that �change� would result in. Later on, demand for freeing political prisoners became part of the agenda in the strikes, which by then, it had taken most of the country. In one of these days, an article was published in Iranian media blaming Khomeini for instigating and stirring the unrest in the society and trying to take advantage of newly achieved political liberties to advance his backward agenda. In this article the background of Khomeini has been brought into focus through using his original family name �Hendi� which some of his relatives have not changed to this very day.
A violent demonstration by clerics and theological students in Ghom followed the next day hence, the clash with police forces. Right after that, rumors flew far and wide through out the country about a big number of deaths and injuries in Ghom�s demonstration, which was supposedly committed by government forces when trying to disperse demonstrators. This became a staring point for �Islamic Revolution�.
From that point on, Khomeini was a dominant figure in all opposition activities and he ordered his supporters to commemorate the dead in a week and then in 40 days as per Iranians traditions to pay respect to those who had died. This kind of demonstration became a daily affair almost all over the country and every time, rumors of clashes and killings followed. Khomeini and his followers seemed to have taken the center stage and became the main force behind the events which were speeding up in an unusual manner and leaving everyone confused while pushing them aside to become mere audiences of those events and demonstrations by Islamic fanatics! Burning of theatres, vandalizing liquor shops and music stores became a trademark of Islamic fanatics that showed to be working on a predefined agenda and according to precise instructions and in a very organized fashion. Islamic Revolution had started!
Toofaan wrote:
as far as Fardoust himself, he is dead but I hope more information could be found (other than his memoir) about his role in all of these!
Thanks for the info. I have never seen a picture of him, & didn't know he was dead! I am very curious about his life & wanted to know what happened to him, after the revolution. If he was working for the CIA, maybe he was brought to the US, and was under their protection.
He is an enigma! in addition to other things....
Cinema Rexa and Black Friday
Burning of Cinema Rex in Abadan that resulted in murder of more than 400 innocent people became another turning point event in the process of �Islamic Revolution�. Through out all these months, Iranian police and security forces were mysteriously absent and did not show any seriously active role in bringing the situation under control. Burning of Cinema Rex was quickly turned into a propaganda issue against government and Islamic revolutionaries successfully discredited the government by claiming that the action was done by SAVAK . One of my cousins who, used to work for NIOC (National Iranian Oil Company) as an ambulance driver, had friendship with cinema manager (who also worked for NIOC) and other staffs in the cinema. He usually got to see all the movies for free and, was inside the Cinema Rex that night talking to one of his friends who, was in charge of controlling tickets and checking and collecting the amount of sale at the end of night. Tickets have been sold out for the last show that day as it usually did for that movie and, except him and the operator of the projector no one was there. Their conversation dragged a few minutes beyond the starting time of the movie and his friend told him that he wanted to go inside the theatre and watch the movie and he had to lock the main door which was already closed, from inside, before going. This was nothing unusual and it was for not letting outsiders in without a ticket and when tickets were sold out and theatre was full. He invited my cousin to join him but he declined and said he had to go home.
My cousin left after his friend opened the main door, near the ticket kiosk in the hallway where they were talking, for him to leave. His father�s house, where he lived, was in one of alleys from Khaghani Avenue, which was not that far and he usually walked there. About an hour later, when he arrived, after seeing some other friends on his way to home and chatting with them a little, he noticed unusual crowd in the alley for that time of the night. Asked neighbiors what�s going on and someone told him that Cinema Rex was on fire! �I was there a moment ago, this is not true�, he replied. But, other neighbors, who had heard about that, confirmed the news. He told me that he ran back to the cinema and saw it with his own eyes. Except some smoke coming from rooftop, there was not much of evidence of fire. He saw the police and spoke with some of them who did not let anyone to get close to the scene. His friend died that night and his other friend, the cinema manager, a totally innocent man who, was not even present there that night, was executed by Islamic regime after the revolution.
Islamic revolutionaries later spread the rumor about SAVAK burning the Cinema Rex and blamed head of police, General Ramzi for failing to save people�s lives while claiming that he locked the door from outside so that the terrorists do not escape! In those days, it seemed that any negative propaganda against government was quickly absorbed and accepted by most people and government�s agencies confusion and failures had greatest contribution to make these propagandas work easier and faster.
After that incident, situation in the whole country became worse and government�s officials had hard time enforcing their own authority and taking charge of the situation in order to conduct proper investigation and find true murderers. PM Amouzegar resigned and, Jafar Sharif Emaami, a known freemason with religious family ties, formed another government. Coming of Sharif Emami in that sensitive situation was a surprise to many who were aware of his past as a person who took advantage of his own status in government to take commission of a contract for construction of Shiraz petrochemical plant.
It was not long after that when Iraqi government declared that they have someone in their custody who, had claimed that he had set fire on the Cinema. The news was quickly spread all over the country and that person was soon handed over to Iranian authorities but he was found to be a mentally disorder patient who was not capable of such actions. Case was not resolved and one more time, government was accused by Islamic demonstrators of having a hand in that horrible crime. After �revolution�, the real culprit behind Cinema Rex fire disclosed the true story about that criminal act which was planned and committed with the help of some of the important figures of Islamic Revolution in those days. After that trial, Islamic regime executed a few innocent people alongside Takbe-alizadeh, the person who set the fire and was known to Islamic revolutionaries from beginning, to close the case.
Among the activities of Sharif Emami�s short-lived government was introduction of martial law in Tehran less than a month after taking over. Dr. Manoucheh Ganji, a minister in Sharif Emami�s cabinet, in his book �Defying the Iranian Revolution�, speaks about what happened in that day. He says:
"On 7 September 1978, I had barely returned from Geneva at 9:30 P.M. from what turned to be my last U.N. Human Rights Committee meeting when my wife told me at the airport that the prime minister had convened an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers and I should be there. I arrived forty minutes later to discover the unprecedented presence at the council of all the military commanders, the heads of police, SAVAK, and the gendarmerie. The prime minister told me that all present had decided on the immediate introduction of martial law in most cities, but the question they were discussing was when to announce it to the people: the same evening on the radio on the twelve o'clock news or early the next morning at 6:00 AM. That same evening, someone from inside the meeting leaked the information. Was there an informer around the table? There certainly was. A huge demonstration took place around Jaleh Square towards east of Tehran at around 5:30 AM to protest establishment of the martial law, the martial law that still remained undeclared! Official figures admitted to 168 casualties; the organizers claimed 2000 to 3000. September 8 was coined by revolutionaries as "Black Friday""
So-called �Black Friday� became a huge subject of propaganda against Shah and Iranian government and it was followed with a lot of myths which all turned to be false shortly after revolution. A bit further in the book, Mr. Ganji continues:
"Numerous documents have revealed in the aftermath of that day the clerics had arranged for sharpshooters with automatic machine guns to occupy strategic places around the square. They needed open confrontation and more blood to be shed. The presence at that time in Iran of several hundred Palestinian (PLO) guerrilla has been confirmed since then. Many reliable sources even refer to their mission in Iran as agitating and initiating shootings by soldiers, similar to the one that occurred that Friday...... I vividly recall General Gholam-Ali Oveisi's statement the day after Black Friday at the meeting of National Security Council. He said:
'I swear to god and my soldier's honor that their sharpshooters started the firing into the crowd and towards the soldiers. Since yesterday I have more than thirty soldier family who are in mourning in Tehran alone. They also belong to this country. You have declared martial law, forced me to bring my soldiers into the streets and then his Majesty has tied our hands from behind. We have strict order not to shoot under any circumstances, even in self-defense. They allowed only to shoot in the air. Our police is not equipped with tear gas canisters and with modern riot control equipment. The U.S. and other friendly western countries have decided not to sell them to us. You have thrown us into the ring and then tied our hands from behind. The army is being used like a scarecrow. The people are using bad language at my soldiers. They want to provoke them into scuffle and action. How long do you think this situation can last? Which one of you is willing to come and console the families of my soldiers who have lost a dear one these days? What tangible benefits their families going to receive? Why should they continue to serve in these circumstances? Aren't they human beings?'"
and again a bit further in same book Mr. Ganji quotes General Moghamd, the head of SAVAK, as saying: "We have information that the Communists and the religious groups are distributing ammunition among their supporters. Demonstrations are becoming more violent every day"
In fact, despite declaration of martial law, one could see and obtain almost any kind of hand guns or rifles in unlikely places in those days! Selling guns on the street corners side by side with revolutionary books of all kinds, with very nice and clean print and fine papers, had become a good business for some people while no one knew where exactly they were coming from. I remember once on the road from a town to another, near a village with some midway relaxation coffee shops and restaurants, I made a stop to take a look at a huge collection of guns and rifles spread on the ground by different sellers who seemed to be in competition with each other! I looked at a few hand guns and automatic rifles and when I asked the seller if they have more, while shooting smoke out of his mouth, he made a meaningful smile and said anything you want! I had never seen so many guns in one place before except in the barrack when I was doing my mandatory military service years before that!
About a month later, based on request from Iranian government, Khomeini was forced to leave Iraq for Kuwait after he refused to agree with demand by Iraqi government to stop his political activities. Kuwaiti government did not allow Khomeini to enter their country. Khomeini was also denied re-entry to Iraq and had no place to go in the middle of desert. At this time, Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi, who was informed of the situation, contacted Richard Cottam, a long time friend and an agent of CIA to get help in resolving this issue so he could take Khomeini to Paris. According to Gary Sick of US Department of State in his book �All Fall Down�, Richard Cottam contacted him and asked for a favor and he agreed to make some arrangements about this matter. Dr. Yazdi could take care of problem with the help of influential friends and led Khomeini back to Baghdad and from there, to Paris, where his friend Ghotb-Zaadeh had a place ready for them. A few days later, Islamic fanatic followers of Khomeini burned a mosque in Kerman to add another story to their list of stories, which were commonly blamed on Shah, the government and Savak.
In those months many events were happening mysteriously and among them were disappearance of some of obscure elements from within the government, were most puzzling but not widely noticed. Mr. Hushang Ansary, head of National Iranian Oil Company was among those people who left the country for United States, very quietly after a visit to Kharg island a few months earlier, in order to take care of his own �health�.
I remember this matter was brought up later on in a meeting which a group of us had with military governor of Khuzestan, late General Buqrat Jafarian, in order to reach an agreement for ending the strike in our portion of NIPC (National Iranian Petrochemical Company). The poor General had no clue that Hushang Ansari had fled the country while he was in charge of the province that had direct relation with NIOC and related companies. He was a little uncomfortable when we told him of this and made a short pause and went silent for a short moment before continuing! That meeting of course ended with no conclusive result but when after about 8-9 hours, we returned to our little town, a big crowd was waiting for us right at the entrance! They were all our colleagues who had gathered there as they had become worried about our delay. One of them told me that we wanted to tell government that we were ready to go to work if they let all of you came back without harm!
During our meeting with Governor, I realized that how we were all played with by some mysterious forces which seemed to be in control through invisible tools. I felt embarrassed in presence of such honorable person who was trying his best to run one of the most important parts of the country in such crucial times and yet he was so humble with such important duty that he was assigned to. He told us that he would relay our concerns to Shah directly because he was in direct contact with him as his personal adjutant. There was a direct phone to Shah on his table and he was pointing at it when he said that. The General begged us to tell our colleagues to go back to work and stressed that he was ready to meet us anytime we had any concerns. Our answer was that we convey the message and decision should be made collectively. In fact we were just wasting his time without having any genuine concern or reason for our strike, which seemed to have reached us like an infectious disease that we had no control over it! The strike in our complex alone was costing loss of around $5 millions worth of different industrial and agricultural products a day at that time.
Combining these two particular events of meeting with Governor and reaction of the colleagues to our delay, made me think that, things were more complicated than they appeared and someone in high places does not want this situation to end at this time yet. Otherwise, it was not very hard to enforce ending the strikes with minimal action by government law enforcing divisions. Late General Jafarian was killed in helicopter crash the day after revolution while on his way to Tehran with a few other officers and this incident was added to trail of mysterious events during Islamic revolution days! Dr. Manouchehr Ganji in his book has mentioned that General Jafarian has been part of the group which was formed by General Badrei for a military coup to take the control of the country.
Imposition of martial law had made no difference and Mr. Sharif Emami was forced to resign as situation worsened with more frequent demonstrations by Islamic fanatics. Appointment of a high-ranking military man, General Azhari, as prime minister made no difference in the situation either. Country was swirling down in chaos uncontrollably and vandalizing different banks and businesses of people with the justification of their link with this or that government agency was order of the day for Islamic revolutionaries and anarchists. A sense of confusion seemed to have taken the whole nation and government attempts to bring situation under control did not have any effect. Most of the nation�s work force was in strike and country was moving towards complete bankruptcy after a few months of widespread unrest that had brought all industrial productions to a halt.
Through out the last few turbulent months before the Islamic revolution of 1979, organized religious masses were regularly demonstrating against government with different excuses and religious characteristics of demonstrations were evident in all their activities. Representatives of Khomeini were freely traveling from one place to another and giving lectures in mosques and other places while echoing messages of Khomeini to people to continue their activities against government. These representatives of Khomeini openly used offensive language and all kinds of unfounded accusations against government, Shah and members of royal family as part of their speeches to display their own courage while facing no reaction by any government agencies. Secular portion of the movement had been forced out of the scene entirely and their leaders had turned into just another bunch of Khomeini�s followers while repeating his rhetoric with different words and leaving everything up to Khomeini.
Coming of new PM, Dr. Bakhtiar, a former ally of Dr. Mossadegh, created some hopes for positive change and avoiding further chaos in the country. His immediate actions in freeing political prisoners, which turned to be a few hundreds instead of tens of thousands, and closure of a portion of SAVAK that was responsible for internal security and monitoring internal opposition were seen by many as signs that things would be moving in right direction from that point on. The initial hopes turned to be false after Bakhtiar�s former allies turned their back on him and expelled him from National Front for accepting to become Prime Minister of the Shah. Bakhtiar declared that he will not leave his stronghold of Iranian constitution and expressed regret about decision made by his former allies while warning about replacement of one dictatorship with another one, which was worse than the first.
Shah left the country after months of turmoil and many Iranians celebrated his departure with joy. Daily papers published with the largest headline in the first page that I have ever seen: Shah went! A couple of weeks later, Khomeini returned to the country and was received by hundreds of thousands including secular opposition figures who were waiting for him in the airport but did not get a chance to see him at that time as Khomeini ignored all and proceeded towards Behesht Zahra grave yard to deliver his first speech. Khomeini declared that his intention was to create Islamic government but Bakhtiar told media that he will not tolerate another government for the country besides his own without knowing that his army commanders were in negotiation with opponents, through mediation of General Huyser, a high ranking American officer and second in command of NATO forces, to transfer the power.
Through out all those events, majority of Iranian population remained indifferent and chose to play the role of being merely audience to what was unfolding while a noisy minority of not more than a couple of millions in the whole country, took the streets and forced its intentions on the nation to put the country on a backward path. By the time that ordinary secular Iranians had decided to make themselves heard half way in the ruling days of Prime Minister Bakhtiar and in support of constitution, it was already too late. Head of Iranian army, General Ghara-baghi, had decided to abandon support for Bakhtiar�s government, as per advice of General Huyser, and take an impartial position in the battle between revolutionaries and the government. General Ghara-baghi advised PM Bakhtiar of this decision later in the day after the impartiality of the army had been declared through radio broadcast. Dr. Bakhtiar was completely disappointed after hearing this and asked General Gharabaghi: impartiality between whom and whom? Between �law� and �anti-law�? Between �Iranian� and �anti-Iranian�? At this point, Prime Minister Bakhtiar was left with no real power to enforce his decisions while revolutionaries were emboldened by declaration of the army�s impartiality and, certain that they would not face a serious resistance to their actions for taking over all institutions of the government.
In fact, despite statement of General Ghara-baghi that the decision about declaration of impartiality of army has been made by a council of all top ranking officers, many of those top officers were caught off-guard when Islamic revolutionaries rushed into the streets under order of Khomeini to take over the government. General Rahimi, the governor of Capital during martial law who was arrested by Islamic revolutionaries shortly afterwards, was among these officers. Later in the night, in an interview with revolutionaries that was being broadcasted on TV, General Rahimi insisted that people should respect the martial law and go back to their homes but revolutionaries told him that the government had fallen to revolutionaries and he should be obeying Khomeini now. General Mehdi Rahimi refused to obey and was executed a couple of days later on Feb the 15th/1979 after his arms were brutally cut by revolutionaries. Many other army officers were executed during following days and weeks simply because they were committed to their oath to serve their nation.
The obvious intervention of foreign elements like General Huyser and Ambassadors of United States and Britain in the affairs of the nation in final months and plenty of documents from US government which have been declassified recently, all indicate that a major role was played by those external factors in setting the direction of events of 1978-1979 in Iran. But questions remain that why the United States government would change their friendly policies towards a staunch ally, which had special importance in the region, for its strategic location in the south of Soviet Union, that was considered greatest threat to western interests? Who decided about the change of policy and when? How the change in policy was implemented and what elements were at work? Did Iranian government and late Shah himself know about this? Was it possible to avoid the revolution, which had such huge negative and disastrous impact, not only on Iran, but also on the region and the world? Did those who decided for such change of policy achieve their goals or not?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject: Revolutionary Forces
Revolutionary Forces
Going back to the days of Islamic revolution, one of the events which ignited the final quarrel between Islamic revolutionaries and government forces resulting in in crumbling of Dr. Bakhtiar's government was audience of a group of Iranian Air force technicians with Khomeini in his residence to show solidarity with new leader. Many people believe that this event had been planned by Islamic revolutionaries and with some of their own supporters dressed in uniforms in order to break the spirit of army which was the sole component in keeping the country together in those days. That event resulted in a clash between Royal Guards and air force technicians which wanted to find those who were involved. Islamic revolutionaries and anarchists took advantage of the situation and rushed to the location of confrontation. Royal Guards found themselves face to face with armed civilians from one side and armed air force technicians from another side. This became the final battle between revolutionaries and government loyal forces resulting in many casualties from both sides before ending with fall of government.
Another event happened in those days which was not very common in those days and not many people might have noticed that. An article was published in three segments in Ferdowsi weekly magazine by Dr. Mehdi Bahar in which, he had analyzed the nature and role of active forces behind revolutionary movement at that time. Dr. Bahar had identified three different forces which included armed leftist groups (ie: fadaian khalgh and mojahedin khalgh), nationalists and religious fanatics that was symbolysed by Khomeini himself. In that article, Dr. Bahar introduced Khomeini as dominant force with an agenda which was clearly explained in his book named "kashef-ol ghota". This book was not known to most people at that time and later after the revolution, it was published with its real name, "velayate faghih". The true picture of Islamic regime was drawn in that book that went unnoticed by many from Iranian opposition and intellectual community. Those who found the seriousness of the situation and tried to warn others were either unheard by excited population or dismissed as propagators of SAVAK and CIA.
This was what one would see as an outsider to the revolution which included almost everyone in Iran except those who were around Khomeini or were in close contact with his crew inside the country. About 10 years after the revolution, a book was published outside the country by a former member of Khomeini's original security team who had defected to a European country, which confirmed the initial suspicion about that fake parade. This, of course, has not been the only docuement to explain some of mysterious events in those days which had caused a lot of confusion for government and the people. A lot of information is now available which indicate how a nation was misled with misinformation, lies and dirty trickery by a group of power hungry fanatics and their supporters among interested foreign elements.from one side and irresponsible and clueless opposition groups and their leaders from another side. But what really happened? What was going on behind the scenes of Islamic revolution?
Shortly after revoltuion in the beginning days, a story broke out about a well known mullah, Mohammad Montazeri, son of ayatullah Montazeri who was considered number 2 figure of Islamic revolution at that time. Mohammad Montazeri with a group of armed bandits rushed to Tehran airport and loaded unknown amount of valuables from Iranian museums into a plane and flew to Libya.Other than a group in the circle around Khomeini himself, no one knew what was the reason for such behavior and why valuable items from Iranian museums should be flown to Lybia. This issue has partly come to light after it became clear that, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh had received a sum of $16 millions from Ghadhafi of Libya to fund the revolutionary activities inside Iran. The plane load of artifacts were to return the favor made by Ghadhafi. Coincidently, Billy Carter, the younger brother of President Carter, was in Libya at that time and had very close relations with Ghadhafi. Billy Carter was later questioned by congress for receiving more than $200000 from Ghadhafi to represent his government interests in United States. Apparently that has been an unusual issue which had come to the attention of congress especially in relation with someone like Billy Carter who did not have such brilliant financial record either.
Hussein Broujerdi used to be one of the fanatic and stauch supporters of Khomeini since early days who had participated directly in many of the criminal activities of Islamic revolutionaries. He has spoken freely to Mr. Bahram Choobineh about his activities during the years of working with Islamic regime, after he defected to a European country. Confessions of Mr. Broujerdi which has been published by Mr. Choobineh, has shed light on some events like the fire in Cinema Rex of Abadan that costed hundreds of lives. Some of the stories which have been told by this insider of Islamic movement have chilling details that reflect the dept of cruelty and inhumanity of the group of people who were just after ruling power under guise of religion. Mr. Broujerdi's confessions confirms some of original suspicions about some of mysteries in Islamic revolution and resulted in unsuccessful assassination atempts on his life according to himself. Another insider of Islamic regime who has provided some valuable information on the background and roles of some of most important elements in Islamic revolution has been Mr. Shafizadeh who provided personal security to different leaders of Islamic revolution including Khomeini himself.
Declassified documents of State Department and CIA, as always, can provide us with a good amount of information up to certain point but will be enough to help us come up with realistic conclusion about the events which changed the destiny of our nation for ever.
Before getting into details of any of these, one more time, I have to emphasize that, although overwhelming number of elements have been at work to move Iran on the path of revolution for certain purposes which varied from one element to another, the most determining element has been the role of internal secular opposition and ignorance of the people themselves towards their own future and their lack of awareness about their current situation.
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:08 am Post subject:
Activities of Islamic groups like "Fadaian Islam" (or devotees of Islam) against Iranian government goes back to the days of Kadjar dynasty in which they assassinated Naser-ol-din shah of Kadjar through directions and teachings of seyyed Jamal-o-din Asadabadi (or Afghani), who was also known for his attempts to create a establishment with Islamic ideology in Egypt called Islamic Unity Front, in order to unite all Islamic nations. Seyyed Jamal was a mysterious character who had visited manyt places in and out of the region and had also spent some time in England where he became familiar and stayed with important British figures there.
Even though seyyed Jamal was not successful in Egypt but, he managed to create the foundation of a movement through his students which was later established by Hassan al-Banna and became known as "Muslim Brotherhood" while "Fadaian Islam" practically started with him as a mentor. Fadian Islam carried out many other assassinations through out their history which one of them was assassination of Hassanali Mansour, a technocrat who became Prime Minister in Iran before late Amir-Abbas Hoveyda.
Another Islamic group which was founded more recently in Iran was "Motalefeh" which was made mainly by bazaris and Islamic clerics form which most of them were from Tehran and Isfahan region. This group proved to be more deadly and radical in their views and actions than others. In their first known violent move in cooperation with "Fadian Islam", Motalefeh killed ayatollah Shamsabadi through one of their supporters, Mehdi Hashemi, around Isfahan. This murder was carried out over differences between two groups of clerics regarding a book called "shahid-e javid" (or "Immortal Martyr") which was denounced by ayatollah Shamsabadi while Khomeini and his staunch followers including ayatollah Montazari had praised it. "Immortal Martyr" was a new version of Imam Hussein's story written by a cleric from Qum and speaking against that was considered as opposition to Khomeini whom some of high ranking mullahs were trying to promote as universal leader of Shi'ite sect.
"Immortal Martyr" promoted violent revolt of imam Hussein against Yazid as a doctrine for worldwide struggle against injustice which later became subject of teaching by people like Dr. Shariati in his books and places like "Husseiniye Ershad". Ayatollah Shamsabadi had openly argued against it as a tool to create difference in Islamic world and put Shi'ites against Sunnis. He was condemned to death by a group of mullahs and non-mullah supporters of Khomeini who had participation in creation of Islamic Republic later on. This event took place in 1976 and Mehdi Hashemi, brother of ayatollah Montazeri's son in law was arrested shortly afterwards and jailed to be freed during revolution days in 1979. Mehdi Hashemi who was a wealthy farmer was also involved in drug trades and had done a lot more for Islamic revolution and Islamic movement in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria prior to this event. He was the connection between Ghtobzadeh and internal elements of Islamic movement and flow of money from bazaaris to Khomeini was mostly through him. Hashemi's arrest by SAVAK did not lead to any more arrest which indicate either a soft approach on this issue (for whatever reason) by SAVAK or lack of will to move in that direction because otherwise, many people who were involved in making the original decision about that murder would end up in cage instead of plotting for revolution a couple of years later.
While the grounds for Islamic revolution was being prepared by supporters of Khomeini in Iran which also had infiltrated the government agencies, relations between Iran and western nations with leadership of United States, despite apparent sincere and public exchanges, was not in greatest shape because of disagreements over the issue of oil. Declassified documents of communications between different US government divisions clearly indicate a double face policy regarding oil dispute between Iranian government and oil consortium. In these documents we can see how US government always advised Iranians that they have no control over the oil companies while expressed concern that lack of cooperation between Iranian government and oil companies may cause deterioration of relation with United States and other western nations! United States even rejected the suggestion by Shah to buy Iranian oil directly at cheaper price in exchange for US products in order to make sure there will be no balance of payments with the excuse that these matters should be done through private contractors according to US laws while they had same arrangements with Canada and Venezuela at same exact time!
Multiple documents reveal that United States also had great concerns over close relations between Iran and Soviet Union and had warned Iranian government over that while ignoring Iranian government's information regarding upcoming "changes" in Afghanistan and possible take over of that country by a Soviet friendly government. Iran's negative position towards the situation in Bahrain regarding replacement of British forces by Americans in 1972 and insisting on the role of Iran and Saudi Arabia in taking the security of the Persian Gulf in their own hands was viewed with suspicion even after Shah expressed his agreement of keeping a small presence of American forces as a deterrent in the face of heavy activities of Soviet Union in Indian Ocean. US government was aware that their strategic national and security interests in Iran had been effectively used as a balancing factor by Iranian government against Iran's relation with Soviet Union and to push for more support from United States. While US government took advantage of the information provided to them about the region through Shah, the increasing influence of Iranian government which became more evident as time passed, and also ambitions of Shah to make Iran a regional power and an important element in politics of the world through use of the wealth earned from selling oil, was not very pleasant to them.
After US government terminated their military grants to Iran in 1964, Iran continued its dependence to US military equipments for its military expansion programs which was to support industrialization of the nation as far as security and also to enforce Iran's international rights and guarantee her territorial integrity in case of any aggression by surrounding nations. Total military purchases of Iran from United States was about $11.2 billion from year 1950 to year 1979 from which about $10.7 billion was delivered and from that about $1.4 billion was part of US military grants to Iranian government. Most of the military purchases were based on credit with an interest of 6.25% while the rest was paid for in hard cash. During the years that Iran was making those military purchases, the economic growth continued to be one of the highest in the world ranging from 8% to 12%, which indicate a healthy economy.
During these years, Shah continued to press oil consortium for more revenue to satisfy the funding needed for different development programs and expansion of military might while western observers and politicians always raised concerns over the speed of development programs and the magnitude of military purchases. Increasing presence of Soviet Union in Iran through economic agreement over steel mill project and also purchase of military equipments from them which, required contact between Iranian military officers with Soviets, caused some worries for US officials. US government became concerned about compromising the security of the secrets of their advanced military technology that Shah had requested for, or at least, they expressed such concerns even if it was just an excuse for grievance.
Through out those years, while US government tried to use the policy of "carrot and stick" to exert control over Iranian government by linking the availability of their military aid requested by Shah to cooperation of Iranian government with consortium, they found themselves in a situation that same policy was played on them through "independent foreign policy" of Iran under which Iranian government implemented their diversification policies in the field of military and economy. Shah in his communications with US officials always stressed that Iran was counting on friendship of US government in case if Soviet Union aggression against Iran but he insisted that it would not be wise for Iran to depend on US to come to his assistance for example if Iraqi government decided to make some problems for Iran. In response to what he would do if US did not or was not able to help Iran in case of Soviets aggression, Shah said that he would use the policy of "scorched territory" if Iranian forces could not deter the enemy, if he had to.
There is ample amount of documents to suggest that international oil consortium used security of flow of oil from Persian Gulf as an element of pressure especially on Iranian government through western nations, to curb their demands for increasing revenue from oil. NATO with 90% of its oil consumption coming from Persian gulf was one of the most important interested parties as far as continuous and secure flow of oil from Persian Gulf. US government predicted the demand for oil in western world, including NATO, would grow quickly in future and showed a great deal of sensitivity towards the negotiation between Iranian government and oil companies with a tendency to support the oil companies. During these years, the question of "change" in Iranian government and future of Iran after Shah became an issue of concern for US government and a comprehensive intelligence research was initiated to study the possible outcomes if Shah disappeared and in one occasion, in 1971, US state department asks American embassy in Tehran to clarify what would happen if Shah was assassinated or died of a sickness.
Multiple and comprehensive intelligence reports by American embassy and CIA in Tehran provided US government with detailed information about the mood of society especially, the young generation towards current conditions in the country. These reports indicated increasing tendency towards religious sentiments among young Iranians while emphasizing incompatibility of �democracy� with current level of understanding of the concept among them. University students were mentioned as a symbol of this change in mood towards a more religious society. From what we can see in the reports, the intelligence study has been mostly conducted in Capital City of Tehran and in a part of this report we read:
�A constant theme in the desires of involved youth is for a more "democratic" state. However, they are not able to specify what this implies for Iran, other than generalized statements about greater "freedom" and openness. Democracy is an alien concept in Iranian history; it is a western invention that, without considerable change and adaptation, is not really relevant to the needs of Iran. However, the young people of the country see the affluence and freedom of their western peers and believe that the adoption of a similar political system will result in the same perquisites in Iran.�
A bit further in the report we read about growing Islamic sentiments among youth who prefer �traditional� way of living and �consider women just an object of beauty which, belongs to bed� that has been clarified earlier in the same report:
�There has been a noticeable and unexpected growth of .interest in religion
among a small segment of the youth of Iran, especially those studying and
teaching in the Universities. The Islamic students union is strong on all
university campuses and attendance at the Tehran University Mosque is
continually increasing.
The increased interest in religion is basically conservative in nature and a reaction against Westernization, rather than a positive renaissance of religion on the campuses. A small number of students have also embraced religious orthodoxy as a means of criticizing the Shah and 1-1 4.s method of rule in Iran. Criticisms of the Shah which might be unacceptable in a secular context, can often be voiced under cover of an interest in strengthening the role of religion in Iranian life.
The vicissitudes of Western technology and the inroads made by Western culture have led many students to turn to religious conservatism and orthodoxy as a reaction against the trials of modernization and urbanization. Consequently, the growth of religious consciousness is not expected to lead to renewed interest in a Pan-Islamic movement among Iranian students or faculty. Not only does the usual Sunni-.Shi f ite split militate against the growth of Pan-Islamism in Iran, but the basically conservative, inward-looking, anti foreign basis for the revival of interest in religion in Iran among the young educated classes precludes the new interest from becoming a positive force for modernization or change in the country.
It is necessary to re-emphasize that this growth of interest is on a small scale and affects � an extremely limited percentage of the student body. It is interesting, however, as an indication of one of the possible paths reaction against Westernization and modernization can take in the Iranian society.�
It is obvious by now that the �possible path� for the society which, was noticed by American intelligence among Iranian youth on a �small scale� became the actual path which, ruined not only the future of our nation, but also became a menace for the region to create a rush for western conventional armament so that during years of 1990 to 1994, a third of conventional arms produced in the world to be sold to three countries of Persian Gulf (Kuwait, UAE and Saudi) with a value of $67 billions. The report looks at the implications for foreign policy of United States:
�IMPLICATIONS FOR U. S. FOREIGN POLICY
The attitudes of Iranian youth are important to our policy toward Iran
because there is every indication that these attitudes will persist even
as youth grows older. Even those who join the system and appear to be co-opted often have in fact, submerged rather than abandoned their earlier feelings. The attitudes which this report has discussed at length may be summarized for the present purpose as follows:
1. Acceptance of or resignation to the present situation, for the time being.
2. A strong yearning for . democratization, civil liberties, and a general opening and freeing of Iranian life.
3. A desire among a substantial portion of Iranian youth not to see the
Pahlavi dynasty - with its present power .... continue after the present Shah, even though the concept of a Monarch who reigns but does not rule, has broader acceptance.
4. A powerful urge for greater national self-respect, independence, and realization of identify. If, as is our premise here, we must have a greater sensitivity to these feelings , whether open or covert, in Iran's future leaders , our assets in so doing are the admiration of young Iran for American ideals and democracy and for the openness, vitality, and dynamism of our society and our national life. Our hindrances are the very close identification of the United States with the Shah and with both the structure and the methods of his rule.
There is no noticeable feeling among young, urban Iranians that the United States encourages, or even approves in principle of, democratization in Iran. Instead there is a general feeling, that the United States prizes democracy for itself, but regards Iranians as a people unable to implement democracy, and in any case finds a totalitarian regime in Iran easier to work with or to manipulate. A number of possible events in Iran including the actual achievement of gradual democratization, could bring to positions of real power persons who had acquired these attitudes toward the United States in their youth. It is therefore imperative that we attack the bases of these attitudes wherever possible.�
As it can be seen from these few paragraphs, according to this report, Iranian society is not compatible with democracy for it is a �western invention� and has no relevance to the �needs of Iran� but in conclusion, it complains because Iranians can see through it! Through out history of relations between Iran and United States, especially during Kennedy era, US government has been putting a lot of stress on reform and even, in one occasion, insist on appointment of Dr. Amini as Prime Minister in order to carry out required reforms. But at the same time, US politicians did not agree with Shah�s argument about introduction of democracy in Iranian society in a slower pace and after educational and social reforms matured, while in this intelligence report they talk about �gradual democratization� which is unclear how. One may think that the authors of such intelligence reports are either extremely confused or trying hard to distort the truth about some issues.
In the same report, the �circles� of Iranian elite and how people got into this circle has been thoroughly studied and educated Iranians who were absorbed in this circle after their return from western nations in order to participate in the process of progress are labeled �opportunist� because they just integrated themselves in the system and thought of nothing but making money. In one report in 1972 Khomeini is compared with religious leaders of Constitutional revolution by stating that, the religious leaders of Constitutional revolution supported the reforms to limit the power of Shah in 1906 and Khomeini opposed the reforms that increased the power of Shah in 1960. The year 1960 of course seems to be incorrect as the actual confrontation between Khomeini and Iranian government over the suggested reforms by Shah happened in 1963.
From this statement, one may think that the reforms were about increasing the role and power of monarch through legal means and creation of new laws but in reality, all the articles of reform were related to social and welfare issues to help the move towards equal spread of wealth, health and education in the society and getting Iranian women more involved in the politics of the nation. It is interesting to know that internal opposition to Shah (mainly Tudeh party and Jebhe Melli) were trying to discredit these reforms as a show with no real effect which had been ordered by Washington because Kennedy administration was pressing the Shah for social reforms while US government, in their secret communications, considered them a tool to increase Shah�s power that Khomeini was opposed to! Portraying Khomeini like a true revolutionary champion for the cause of justice who attempts to fight the power of a dictatorial monarch is not limited to this document.
A couple of years earlier, American embassy in a report after death of Ayatollah Hakim in 1970, shows a lot of interest in the role of Iranian government in keeping Khomeini away from becoming the leader of Shi�ite world while, according to the embassy, he enjoys strong support among �Ulama� and �bazaaris�. It is unclear how American embassy has come up with that conclusion at that time while activities on behalf of Khomeini in bazaar was not evident until a few years later near late 1970�s. Even today, �Iran studies� book in the library of US congress (http://countrystudies.us/iran/) is propagating the same kind of information about Khomeini�s status among Iranians in early 1970�s:
�Khomeini, in exile in Iraq, continued to issue antigovernment statements, to attack the shah personally, and to organize supporters. In a series of lectures delivered to his students in An Najaf in 1969 and 1970 and later published in book form under the title of Velayat-e Faqih (The Vice Regency of the Islamic Jurist), he argued that monarchy was a form of government abhorrent to Islam, that true Muslims must strive for the establishment of an Islamic state, and that the leadership of the state belonged by right to the faqih, or Islamic jurist. A network of clerics worked for Khomeini in Iran, returning from periods of imprisonment and exile to continue their activities. Increasing internal difficulties in the early 1970s gradually won Khomeini a growing number of followers.�
Dr. Musa Al-Musavi-Esfahani, the son of grand Ayatollah Musavi-Esfahani and an Ayatollah himself, had spent a lot of time with Khomeini while in Najaf. In his interviews with Shahla Haeri in Harvard Oral History Project of Iran, Ayatollah Musavi-Esfahani says that Khomeini�s older son, Mustafa insisted on keeping his father away from politics through controlling all his meetings with those who came to visit him. Dr. Musavi-Esfahani has explained how Khomeini was later dragged back into political activities after Mustafa died. He claims that the people who were interested in this matter included Ahmad Khomeini and Mohammad Montazeri who was in contact with Libyan government. This issue raises another question about the death of Mustafa, which Mr. Musavi-Esfahani believes has been inspired by Ahmad Khomeini himself. Later in revolution days, it became clearer that both Mohammad Montazeri and Ahmad Khomeini had close relations with Sadiq Ghtobzadeh who was also in contact with Libyans and had received financial assistance from Libyans for his revolution!
This will remind us about the main and fundamental question on what mysterious force was at work to gradually pave the way for Khomeini to move to center stage even in presence of someone like Ayatollah Khoee who was the official �Pishva� of Shi�ite (as American Embassy refers to it)? From the murder of Ayatollah Shamsabadi and his family members to death of Mustafa Khomeini to disappearance of Musa Sadr in Libya and forcing Khomeini out of Iraq to go to Paris, there must have been a lot of �coincidences� involved in span of a few years to brew a �Islamic Revolution�.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject:
Comparison of Khomeini with Constitutional revolution leaders in 1972! Was another revolution underway?!
This images will be removed in a week.
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject: Part of US Ambassador's report in 1972 in response to a requ
Part of US Ambassador's report in 1972 in response to a request by State Department after celebration of 2500 years of Iranian monarchy.
A variety of issues are discussed in this report which includes detailed information about Iranian military strength and also about views of Shah regarding presence of American forces in Persian Gulf which has been one of the sources of tension in Iran-U.S. relations.
The "red" underline is done by myself in the last image
These images will be removed in a week.
Main article will be continued after this
Thanks to my good friend, Liberator, I will be able to keep the images up for indefinite period of time but in the meantime, if these images are causing a problem for loading the page please let me know so I can replace them with the URLs. I will post more images later.
In a recent interview with VOA, Hossein Faraji, a former staff of Iranian National Radio and TV who worked as member of Persian broadcasting service in �Deutsche Welle� of Germany, spoke about Sadegh Ghotbzadeh. Mr. Hossein Faraji said that he knew Ghotbzadeh from school years when they were classmates and was surprised when he called Paris one day to speak to someone named �haji Sadegh� and the person who spoke to him turned to be no one but Sadegh Ghtobzadeh, a friend from school days. Mr. Faraji had been given mission by his office in Germany to go to Paris and see the Khomeini�s camp up close and prepare a report. He was invited by Ghotbzadeh to go to Paris and, when he went there, he could see that Ghotbzadeh was the most influential person in the circle of people around Khomeini in Paris and everyone came to him if there was any issue.
Let�s leave Ghtobzadeh here as we will be talking about him a lot more but for now, let�s go back a few years to look at the source of some issues which had severe effect on Iran-US relations so that the idea of an �alternative� solution to Iran�s �problems� became very attractive for American governments of both parties.
Growing needs for funding different development plans after initial success of the 1963 reforms under name of �White Revolution�, had created an urge to find new resources and more capital to support such growth. Some people claim that late Shah was �inspired� by American government during J.F. Kennedy to implement such reforms but this is very far from truth. While American administrations, including Kennedy�s, have always had certain demands from Shah in the name of �reform� but there has never been a blue print for such reforms other than recommending use of certain people (i.e.: late Dr. Amini) to form the government. During Amini�s government, Mr. Arsanjani, the minister of agriculture initiated a land reform program, which faced strong resistance by big Landowners and caused a lot of problems for the government. At the same time mishandling of educational system by Mr. Derakhshesh, minister of education, had caused a lot of problems in the country resulting in widespread dissatisfaction with government, that was growing very fast.
Absence of the parliament, which was dissolved by Dr. Amini in the beginning of his government as a precondition for him to form the government, had created a chaotic condition with large deficit and increasing unemployment and other problems, that was getting out of control quickly. As a result, Dr. Amini was dismissed and Asadollah Alam replaced him. About a year later, Shah introduced his own reform with 6 articles which became known as white revolution later. The reform bill was put to referendum and approved by the people. A few months later Khomeini declared his opposition to the reforms and confrontation of Khomeini�s followers with government began.
As reforms moved forward, the government came under more pressure to find new resources to fund different plans. US government which apparently supported reform programs was not willing to provide any more funding even during Dr. Amini�s government. Iran had no choice but to push for more revenue from oil companies and this matter became increasingly annoying to US government. Even though they told Iranian government that they did not have any control over oil companies but continuously advised Iranian government to exercise moderation in their negotiations and requests from oil companies to avoid any issues because otherwise Iran�s relations with the US government would be affected! From the other side, while refusing to accept Iranian oil through a government to government deal, they advised Iran not to seek such solution with others either because they won�t be able to market their own oil so Iran had no choice but to sell its oil through the oil consortium.
The oil problem in relation between Iranian and US governments was so severe sometimes that in one case even a possible �showdown� with Iranian government, over its request for $1 billion verses $900 millions which consortium had accepted, was debated in state department! Iranian government of course was not aware of this matter while counting heavily on friendship of United States and its leaders but they finally got what they wanted and even more. In year 1971, Henry Kissinger, the National Security Advisor to President Nixon, had a conversation with the Shah that was reported by American embassy as follows (which shows the degree of trust that Shah had in Americans):
�Dr. Kissinger asked whether the Shah felt the people of the Near East needed to fear some sort of US-Soviet deal that would work to their disadvantage. The Shah said he did not feel so because the US is not the kind of nation to sell out its friends.�
This conversation happened during the times which Iranian government was vigorously working to increase its revenue from oil exports for funding ambitious industrial developments and expansion and modernization of its military. Intense negotiation with oil consortium had caused even some unfriendly exchanges between Shah and US embassy over the concerns of United States regarding supply of oil to NATO and European allies. United States government always stressed on continuous flow of oil to the allies and more importantly, the NATO and at the same time recommended that development plans to be implemented in slower pace to avoid �issues�.
Shah had his own reasons not to comply with that request while pressing Americans for more advanced military equipments but from the communication documents of US government, it was obvious that this story could not continue for long.
p.s. a couple of minor superficial mistakes in the article was corrected which will have no effect over the substance. My apologies.
[FREE IRAN Project] In The Spirit Of Cyrus The Great Forum Index -> News Briefs & Discussion All times are GMT - 4 Hours
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1778
|
__label__wiki
| 0.911611
| 0.911611
|
Tooth, Sir Robert Lucas Lucas- (1844–1915)
by Martha Rutledge
This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976
Sir Robert Lucas Lucas- Tooth (1844-1915), brewer, was born on 7 December 1844 in Sydney, eldest son of Edwin Tooth and his wife Sarah, née Lucas. He was educated in England at Eton and in 1863 rowed in the college eight. In December he returned to Sydney, joined R. and F. Tooth & Co. and became active in the management of the Kent Brewery; in 1868 he became a partner. He had bought the Kameruka estate near Bega from his uncle Frederick in 1864; between 1868 and 1871 it shrank from 75,000 acres (30,352 ha) of leasehold to 22,000 acres (8903 ha) of freehold land. He put into practice there his own humanitarian social ideas, providing his tenant farmers with six-roomed cottages, a school, a church designed by Edmund Blacket, a meeting-hall, store and post office. He planted English trees on a large scale, built an ornamental lake, kept an aviary of golden pheasants and liberated all kinds of game: pheasants, quails, hares and foxes. He gradually changed from grazing Durham and Shorthorn cattle to dairying, founded a fine Jersey herd from imported stock, evolved a matured cheddar cheese and was the first in the colony to make Edam cheeses. Kameruka became a 'transplanted segment of the English countryside'. With his uncles Frederick and Robert and others he was a partner in Tooth and Cran in business ventures in Queensland. In Sydney on 2 January 1873 he married his cousin Helen, daughter of Frederick Tooth.
In December 1879 Tooth contested a by-election for East Sydney. He strongly supported Denominational schools and castigated the government's new excise on colonial beer, which he believed would 'press lightly on the rich man and heavily on the labouring classes' and lead to the extinction of native industries. He was not elected, despite the support of Archbishop Vaughan and John McElhone and the assistance of two bands, and free beer and transport on polling day. However, next December he won the Monaro seat in the Legislative Assembly. He rarely voted but generally supported the Parkes-Robertson ministry and in 1883 served on the Elections and Qualifications Committee.
A member of the Union Club from 1867, Tooth built Eridge Park at Bowral in the late 1870s; the house was lined with barley husks; in 1883 he laid down a coursing track there and planted gorse and blackberries to protect the hares. In 1882 he built a castellated Gothic mansion at Darling Point, with a ballroom larger than that at Government House, and named it Swifts after the family home in Kent. He was awarded a silver medal for his services as a Canadian commissioner at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879-80. In 1881-90 he was a director of the Bank of New South Wales and in 1894-1907 served on its London board and was sometime chairman. A permanent committee-man of the Industrial Blind Society in the 1880s, he was a large shareholder in the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. and a director in 1888-89. In 1888 Tooth & Co. Ltd became a public company; holding 10,000 shares he was managing director until 21 October 1889.
That year Tooth took his family to England to be educated; he settled there but paid frequent visits to Australia, particularly to Kameruka. He leased a house in Queen's Gate, London, and in 1909 bought Holme Lacy, an estate near Hereford. He was a member of the Carlton and Junior Carlton clubs and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 1895, as a Conservative, he was defeated for a Leicestershire seat in the House of Commons. In 1902 he gave £10,000 to the King Edward's Hospital Fund for London, and was a member of the management committee of King Edward's Horse (the King's Overseas Dominions Regiment). In 1904 by royal licence he took the name and arms of Lucas-Tooth and in 1906 was created a baronet in recognition of his services to the empire. Soon afterwards he gave £50,000 to promote the physical and moral training of boys, and endowed a scholarship in Sydney for Anglican theological students to attend Oxford or Cambridge universities for three years. On the outbreak of World War I he gave £10,000 to Lady Dudley's fund to set up the 'Australian Voluntary Hospital' at the front and was chairman of its London committee of management.
Lucas-Tooth died of cerebral haemorrhage at Holme Lacy on 19 February 1915. He was survived by his wife, three daughters and youngest son who succeeded him but was killed in action in 1918; his two elder sons had been killed in the war in 1914. His estate was sworn for probate at over £905,000 in New South Wales and over £276,000 in England. In 1920 King George V re-created the baronetcy for the eldest son of Lucas-Tooth's eldest daughter Beatrice, wife of Major Hugh Warrand; he became Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth.
Tooth & Co. Ltd, The First Hundred Years (Syd, 1935)
G. N. Griffiths, Some Houses and People of New South Wales (Syd, 1949)
B. Ryan, ‘Kameruka Estate, New South Wales, 1864-1964’, New Zealand Geographer, 20 (1964) no 2
Sydney Morning Herald, 16-18 Dec 1879, 22 Feb 1915
Bulletin, 19 Aug 1882
Times (London), 11 Aug 1914
Australian Financial Review, 31 Mar 1967.
Tooth, Edwin (father)
Tooth, Robert (uncle)
Tooth, Frederick (uncle)
Stephen, Alice Jane (cousin)
Mitchell, James Sutherland (business partner)
Martha Rutledge, 'Tooth, Sir Robert Lucas Lucas- (1844–1915)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tooth-sir-robert-lucas-lucas--4732/text7853, published first in hardcopy 1976, accessed online 17 July 2019.
This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976
View the front pages for Volume 6
Lucas-Tooth, Robert Lucas
Holme Lacy, Hereford district, Herefordshire, England
benefactor (general)
dairy products manufacturer
grazier (cattle)
Member of Lower House
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1779
|
__label__cc
| 0.657242
| 0.342758
|
I’m constantly noticing signs that I’m getting old*. All the Red Sox rookies are younger than me, I think the kids these days are degenerates, and WBRU’s “retro lunch” is completely comprised of singles that I distinctly remember being “screamers of the week” (new music). And today I ran across a good one:
Greg, he writes letters, and burns his CDs, they say you were something in those formative years.
That’s a line from Tori Amos’s “Pretty Good Year” on Under The Pink (wow, I just listened to that cd all the way through. So, so good.) First, I remember listening to that album in junior high school, which I’m pretty sure was in fact a lifetime or two ago. Second, and hopefully more interesting to you than the musical taste of a 13 year old, is the fact that “burning cds” has a completely different meaning nowadays. The line in that song almost conveys the opposite of what Tori was going for there. Crazy.
* I’m 26, so yes, I realize I’m coming off as a brat to anyone born earlier than the late 70s. Sorry.
So I was thinking about posting on Mondays about whatever I’ve been listening to most over the the previous week. That was Sunday. Now it’s Wednesday, and I’ve spent the last 2 days meaning to write about how amazing Sufjan Stevens is, and how his album Illinois has been by far the most played playlist in my iTunes for the past year. But how to say that without gushing and sounding stupid, ay, there’s the rub.
Fortunately for all of us, it came to my attention today that my favorite band released their new album this week: In With the Out Crowd [iTunes Music Store link]. Using some iTMS credits from Christmas, I bought it this afternoon and have been giving it a first listen. Except for two friends, one of whom is in his annual “off the face of the earth” period, I don’t know anyone else who really likes LTJ, so I won’t go into a review (also, I suck at “reviews”). But, if you’ve got some extra cash sitting around, or on the off chance you want to feel like you’re getting to know Bil better, give this album a listen. It’s definitely a good time.
Music Mondays: New Less Than Jake!!
I miss Billy’s site. I still check it every day. It’s turning into a ghosttown…just like the OLD WEST!!!!!
Anyhoo, i probably should write more, but i’m at work, and, while that wouldn’t normally stop me, i just can’t think of anything else to say.
I just wanted to say hi. So, Hi!
I do have a little business to take care of with you Rhode Islanders. I’m coming back to Rhody tonight to visit my family, and bought some Iron & Wine tickets for his show at Lupos on Saturday night. Being excited that after 3 years of living in NY, there is FINALLY a good show in Providence on a weekend that i come home, i instantly bought some tickets – just as my friend Erin told me her boyfriend had some extra tickets for me. So here’s where you, dear C4H readers, come in. Would anyone be willing to buy 1, 2 or all 3 of my tickets? I’ll take off the Ticketmaster surcharge and go straight face value – $25. They should be worth every penny, i’ve never heard a complaint from anyone that has seen him play.
If you don’t know who Iron & Wine is, you’ve heard him, as i’m sure most of you have seen Garden State – he sings the Postal service cover in the movie – Such Great Heights.
So, if you’re interested, email me at Wehavethecat@hotmail.com
oh, and….I Love You.
Hello?? Anyone There?
I’m a sucker for horns anyway, but this song by the Decemberists is wonderfully infectious. Made me rush right out and get the album Picaresque (hooray for vocabulary rock. See also Pavement and Bad Religion), which I’m getting into between TV shows and hive-painting. Good stuff.
The question I have is why haven’t Mike or Nightwing told us about these guys yet? Anyway, in the rich Cry for Help tradition of reprinting the words to songs with topical lyrics:
Sixteen Military wives,
thirty-two softly focused, brightly colored eyes.
Staring at the natural tan
Of thirty-two gently clenching, wrinkled, little hands
Seventeen company men,
Out of which only twelve will make it back again.
Sargeant sends a letter to
Five military wives as tears drip down
From ten little eyes
Cheer them on to their rivals
Because America can and America can’t say no
And America does if America says it’s so.
And the anchor person on TV goes:
“La di da di da”
Fifteen celebrity minds,
Leading their fifteen sordid, wretched, checkered lives.
Will they find the solution in time,
Using their fifteen crispy, moderate-liberal minds?
Eighteen Academy chairs,
Out of which only seven really even care.
Doling out a garland to five celebrity minds,
they’re humbly taken by surprise.
“La di da di da di diddy diddy da.
Fourteen cannibal kings,
Wondering blithely what the dinner bell will bring.
Fifteen celebrity minds
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives.
And the anchorperson on TV goes la di da di da.
Sixteen Military Wives
I also have been listening to Motion City Soundtrack’s I Am the Movie which has made me realize I have no idea whether or not it’s good. All this emo-crossover stuff has ruined everything. Usually I just wait until Nightwing gets around to sorting it out for me (I can wait, I have about 300 songs on my iPod that I’ve honestly never listened to once). So if MCS sucks and proves I am lame, well, sorry, I didn’t know.
Also I can’t really tell the difference anymore between emo and what is considered new alternative music (that’s “new” as in 2004-2005, not a new genre). I was at my dad’s house the other day clicking through his newly installed Cox Digital Crack Cable music channels (“hey Billy, I’m in the 21st century now!“), and the alternative station was all-emo. I haven’t checked in with WBRU in a long time, so could it be that today’s middle school kids will look back on this stuff as the most important music of their lives? I shudder to think. (Yes, I’m sure my 13 year old self was pitied by hair band aficionados.)
(And another aside: I thought “Motion City Soundtrack” was definitely an 80’s band. Listening to the sample of “The Future Freaks Me Out” on iTunes only reassured me, but then there was a line about Will and Grace. It’s a weird world out there.)
One More On Music
It’s practically 2006, but here is my much anticipated (by Bil) best of 2004 music list. At first when I looked back I thought that 2004 was a great year for music. Upon further examination I realized that 2004 actually was a misstep – what actually increased was my love for music. I hope that my musical appetite continues to grow this year, but I also hope that 2005 brings a few more mind-blowingly good discs.
10.) The Thermals – Fuckin A (Punknews.org review) – 30 minutes of lo-fi garage rock that isn’t trendy, pretentious, or any of the other annoying things that usually get associated with lo-fi garage rock. Fast rock songs that bleed into each other so well that you will probably just press play when the album ends and start the whole thing again. Nothing new here, but still very refreshing.
9.) The Good Life – Album Of The Year (Pitchfork Review) – You either like Tim Kasher, or you don’t. If you like him, this is a thick moody ride that you should check out. This album isn’t number 9 because of the gimmicky 12 songs = 12 months of a failed relationship motif – it’s here because every time I listen to it the story becomes clearer and the characters become more lifelike. It’s one of those albums that create pictures in my head.
8.) The Living End – Modern ARTillery (Punknews.org Review) – I don’t have much to say about this one. If you put out a pop-punk CD in 2004 that isn’t a steaming pile of dog shit, then you have my attention. The Living End is a great band and Modern ARTillery sees them refining their sound, reaching out, and experimenting. This is one of those albums that is as good on shuffle as it is in order.
7.) The Life Aquatic – Soundtrack – (Pitchfork Review) – What the hell is a soundtrack doing on this list? Well for one, as a soundtrack this disk is pretty much perfect. The original compositions hold up outside of the film, the Portuguese Bowie covers are good enough to deserve their own disk, and I’m now staring to realize how great old David Bowie and Devo songs are. That�s one hell of a multi-tasker.
6.) Death From Above 1979 – I’m a Woman, You’re a Machine (Punknews.org Review) – How can I put this nicely? This album will rape you. Dirty, sex fueled dance/noise punk that just won’t let go. Did I mention that this is only a 2 man act playing drums, keys and bass? The best songs on this album are songs that you will want to hear right away when they finish. It’s like sex in so many ways…
5.) Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (Pitchfork Review) – This year I have a lot of respect for a ‘grower’ – an album that is at first underwhelming, but gets better every time you hear it. This is one of two big growers on this list. Ghost is an enigmatic marathon with self gratifying guitar solos, songs breaking the 10 minute mark alongside short pop songs, and extended periods of ambient noise. That being said, it�s a great CD. And if you have the good fortune to see Wilco live this year this disc will take on new meaning. These songs rock balls live.
4.) Blood Brothers – Crimes (Punknews.org Review) – As far as I can see, there are only two types of people left in the music scene – people who get the Blood Brothers and people who don’t. Sadly the majority of the world falls into the don’t category. Let’s me take a second to speak frankly. If you don’t like these guys, then I don’t like you. ‘Crimes’ is what your kids will be listening to in 2025. Dual vocals so high pitched that will make Alvin, Simon and Theodore will cover their ears. Songs that stop and start on a dime, finding structure in their complete lack of structure. Lyrics that sound like they were cribbed from the journal of a madman. It ain’t easy listening, but if you have the ears for it this is an incredibly rewarding album. A departure for the Blood Brothers that only hints at the ground these guys will cover over the next few years.
3.) Say Anything – …Is A Real Boy (Punknews.org Review) – As I mentioned above, if you put out a good pop punk CD in 2004, then you have my attention. This one is about as good as it gets. Originally conceived as a rock opera, ‘Real Boy’ is one of the most clever concept albums to hit in years. It’s an anti emo rant consisting of songs that tread on every existing emo clich�. Retarded song titles, John Cusack References, the acoustic love song, New Found glory type pop hooks, songs about girls, mentioning love and death in the same sentence (in a concentration camp love song, I shit you not). Sure this shit has been done before, but never so well, never so angry and never so tongue-in-cheek. Did I mention that aside from drums, one 20 year old kid wrote and recorded every note on this? Highlights include amazing sing along gang vocals, and ‘Admit It!’ a 5+ min rant going after stuck up indie kids across the U.S. This could easily have been #1. Highly suggested.
2.) The Arcade Fire – Funeral (Pitchfork Review) – This is the other ‘grower’ – I have spun this thing hundreds of times by now and every time I hear it, it gets better. It’s a CD that tells a vivid story, and each listen reveals a new layer brining more details to light. This one also brings up another important pattern this year, bands who want to sound like The Talking Heads. Aside from those two general leanings, this disc is really difficult to classify – it’s loaded with tons of creative instrumentation (most band members are multi-instrumentalists), and songs that shift from dark and cryptic to bright and dancy (often within seconds). ‘Funeral’ is also dripping with emotion without it feeling forced, or dare I say ’emo’. A great discovery for those who don’t mind music that feels like literature.
1.) Modest Mouse – Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Punknews.org Review) – I doubt that this CD will hold up as well as ‘Funeral’ in the future (I expect “Funeral’ to grow to be one of my favorite albums of all time), but I can’t deny Modest Mouse of the top spot this year. ‘Good News’ is a great album – eccentric, diverse, and fun as all hell. It’s a wonderful thing when an artist embraces major label production values and comes out better because of it. What could have been a slick, over-produced misstep arrived on store shelves as a wonderful next step for Brock and company. Here great production values emphasize what was already amazing about the sound of this band. Plus, ‘Float On’ is one of the greatest singles released in my lifetime. This CD is greater than the sum of its parts – it finally forced me to fully explore the Modest Mouse back catalog, which is a gift in and of itself. What is more important here is that this CD was a huge commercial success. The fact that a band like Modest Mouse can get airtime says something really good for rock music over the next few years. I’m looking forward to it.
Worth Noting – Black Keys – Rubber Factory, Bad Religion – The Empire Strikes First, Jimmy Eat World – Futures.
Guilty Pleasure of the Year – My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Please don’t tell anyone).
CDs that I wish I caught in 2003 – Lucero – That Much Further West, Bear Vs. Shark – Right Now You’re In The Best Of Hands
As always � everyone is highly encouraged to comment with their own personal top 10.
The Best Albums of 2004
Check out the video for “We Will Become Silhouettes”. [from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess, no less -bil]
I’m in love with Jenny Lewis. Her and the chick that sings with Broken Social Scene. If you don’t know Broken Social Scene; run, don’t walk to the record store and buy “You Forgot It In People”
There, i said it.
Also, i’m going to a few concerts in the next week. A band called Say Hi To Your Mom on friday night, and Bright Eyes next thursday. Maybe i’ll take pictures and post about my experiences…maybe.
Since we’re voting today I thought it would be a good time to mention that The Presidents of the United States of America have a new album out and it’s got my vote.
I heard the single “Some Postman” on the radio a few weeks ago, and now that song makes me want to jump around the house every time I hear it (Em has witnessed this, actually). The whole album has a really fun, pop-rock vibe, channeling at times OK Go, the Aquabats, and They Might Be Giants. And it’s quirky in a delightful way, moreso than their bizarre (but excellent) self titled album from 1996 (“millions of peaches, peaches for free…”).
Check it out, it’ll get you back in ass kicking mood after chilling out with the Garden State soundtrack.
Reelecting the Presidents
Weezer recorded some great pop songs back in the day. That’s reason enough to dig the band, but that doesn’t tell the whole story on my enjoyment and devotion to Weezer. I continue to follow Weezer even as their recent albums lag, because of their enigmatic frontman, Rivers Cuomo. Sure he has the typical rock star trappings – he’s insane, he wants to lead the biggest band in the world yet yearns to lead a private life, and he defies logic in every single choice he makes – but it is the way he does things that keeps me interested. Cuomo has drastic shifts in style and purpose that occur so fast, following along with him is like being high while on a roller coaster.
I could provide examples, but no one could do it better than the man himself. Recently posted on River’s myspace page (which is widely agreed to actually be created and maintained by the actual Rivers Cuomo) is his recent readmission letter to Harvard. It is a wickedly interesting look into the mind of a man who I consider to be one of the more important musicians of our generation. I hope to someday be as eccentric as Mr. Cuomo.
I’m off to wash my ham sandwiches with Jules Verne. Eng Gah!
Notes From A Tortured Genius
One of my standard comedic lines is “Music is the soundtrack to my life”. It’s meant to be funny, but at this point I have said it so much that it is starting to have real meaning.
Less than Jake, my favorite band in the world, released a handful of songs from their upcoming b-sides album today. I have been pretty forthcoming about my dissapointment with “Anthem”, their last album. I’m proud to be able to say that these b-sides smoke almost everything off of “Anthem”. It’s quite ironic really – “B Is For B-Sides” is 12 songs that were recorded during the “Anthem” sessions and left off the album. The point here? I love music. Hearing these songs at the beginning of my workday completely shaped my mood for the rest of the day. I was giddy like a school boy thinking about the fact that these songs reminded me of “Hello Rockview” era LTJ.
Just like most die hard less than jake fanatics, I also have become a Wilco fan as of late. I really respect that a band that shouldn’t be internet savy has been consistantly shaping the face of digital music. After getting dropped by their record label, the put “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” online and the album was a huge commercial success because of it when it was eventually released. Now with “A Ghost Is Born” they streamed the entire CD months before release. This works for them for two reasons. 1.) They have faith in their fans – and trust that they will buy the final copy. 2.) They included an amazing enhancement on the CD so that the hardcopy is a worthy investment. Buy “Ghost” and get a quicktime stream of a full 130 minute live show recorded on June 12th 2004 (how’s that for a quick turnaround?). I saw Wilco on this same tour and can tell you that this is the best CD enhancement ever – Wilco is jaw droppingly good live.
Rock and roll happens to real people too. My good friends in local not-ska-anymore band “Monty’s Fan Club” head out today on their biggest national tour so far. Tonight they play their first ever gig at CBGBs and then they are off to Cali to play on the remainder of this years Warped Tour. Fucking cool huh? I used to help them load in and then wreck all their shows. They will be keeping a road journal along the way – follow along, won’t you?
Picked up a great CD with a great title yesterday. “Fucking A” by The Thermals. Peep it – it rocks.
Anyone looking for something to do in RI this weekend? I will be kicking it live in a special one off Friday night Unexpected Company show at 8:18 at the Warwick Museum of Art. We will be grilling dogs and burgers, making people laugh, and generally starting the holiday weekend off right.
I’m in a fantastic fucking mood.
Spinning Disks Are Important To Me
Before the thread gets too far down, I wanted to link some of the things mentioned in the comments.
Matt recommends Music Plasma. Search for a band you know you like and it gives you a 3D representation of other bands that are similar, or inspired by, your band. It also shows, by size, how influential a given band is. Really neat idea, but a little skimpy on obscure and new bands.
Mike says check out All Music Guide, which is pretty comprehensive, too.
And Cotuit points out that the new version of iTunes Music Store has iMixes, letting you see what people you share musical taste with are listening to.
I just downloaded the new Bad Religion album because it’s not coming out until next month and I don’t feel like waiting any more. Why did you tell me about this two months ago?! I have about $30 sitting in my iTunes account that I gladly would have spent on this album, but TOO MUCH WAITING!
A common complaint about the current state of music albums is that people don’t want to pay $15 for a couple of good songs. I’m not sure if this is a true complaint or just another justification for illegal downloading, though it’s probably a valid point. When I was in high school I used to blow my paycheck buying cds from current one-hit wonders, but it never seemed to bother me.
What made me think of this is all the talk about iTunes and digital music jukeboxes changing the way we listen to music. I don’t think it’s really changed my listening habits at all. I still generally listen to entire cds of an artist, and I’m not content to just download a few songs of an album, even if I’m not paying for it. Also I’ve noticed that, of the old cds that I’ve ripped into my library, I don’t delete the songs that I am less than enthusiastic about. Maybe it’s because I have an ample hard drive, but I’d just feel weird only having 4 tracks out of 15.
iTunes has made it nice and easy to listen to my entire collection all shuffled up (and the new version’s Party Shuffle makes it even better), but other than that it’s been more of a time saver (no switching discs) rather than a revolution.
Maybe I’m just in the murky middle of those who like music so much that they distinguish between many levels of song quality and those who only have time to listen to their favorite songs. Am I alone in this? Have any of you had your music world turned upside down in the past few years?
iTunes Revolution?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1782
|
__label__wiki
| 0.808138
| 0.808138
|
Tag Archive: Josh Turner
Big Cactus Country Radio and Alison Hebert “News from Nashville” – The Grand Ole Opry Show Celebrates 89 Years!
Filed Under: General Interest
Oct.03, 2014
Hello! My name is Alison. I’ve been passionate about country music since I was very young. I got to know music by following styles – rock, southern rock and the country music styles of today – and by cruising through the USA. I’ve also bought a lot of CDs! In recent years, I started broadcasting the “Les News de Nashville” on the Big Cactus Country presented by my friend Johnny Da Piedade. You can read my blog post on the Big Cactus Country site as well as here on the HorizonVU Music Blog and SHOP!
Big Cactus Country Radio Show!!! The best of American Country presented by Johnny Da Piedade and Alison Hebert! The BCC is a syndicated radio Show presented by Johnny Da Piedade and Alison Hebert broadcast weekly more than 250 times. The BCC network is 120 affiliated radio stations in France, Reunion Island, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec and more.
On 10 and 11 October this year, Music City, Nashville, Tennessee in the USA, will celebrate a big event, the 89th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry Show. For this event, many artists will be present …including Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood, Craig Morgan, country pop trio Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner, and Brad Paisley. The short list is very long !!
Brad Paisley © 2013 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
It all started in this beautiful red building, a former church made of wood, which is now the emblem of true traditional Country Music. In 1925, George D. Hay broadcast over a radio station, WSM. Soon he was joined by violinist Jimmy Thompson and together they launched a show called “WSM Barn Dance”. With the tag “We dance in the barn” the program was broadcast live. The show aired on the “WSM” radio.
On October 2, 1954, the young Elvis Presley made his first and only appearance. WSM which still exists today, was the first country radio station to broadcast its programs over AM. with its powerful 50,000-watt transmitter, emissions could be heard almost anywhere in the USA and beyond; north to Canada and south to Mexico. The Grand Ole Opry Show has become an institution and many large names in music have been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
George Hamilton IV
The legendary George Jones, The Everly Brothers, Patsy Cline, George Hamilton IV, more recently Trace Adkins, Martina McBride. … Paradox marking Hank Williams, who is none other than the Father of Country Music, was expelled from the Grand Ole Opry in 1952, a year before his death because of his alcohol problems.
A victim of its huge success, in 1974, the Grand Opry show left the legendary Ryman Auditorium and moved to a larger and more modern the Grand Ole Opry House located outside the city center. But in the aftermath of major floods that severely hit Nashville in May 2010, the Grand Ole Opry House was completely submerged by water. It is thanks to this natural disaster, the Ryman Auditorium came back to life again as the Grand Ole Opry. Now renovated, the legendary venue and exceptional show is waiting for you! So if you go to Nashville soon, make reservations at the Grand Ole Opry! Note the dates of October 10 and 11 for the 89th anniversary!
Tags: Alison Hebert, Belgium, Big Cactus Country Radio, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Craig Morgan, Elvis Presley, France, George Hamilton IV, George Jones, Grand Ole Opry, Hank Williams, HorizonVU Music, Johnny Da Piedade, Josh Turner, News from Nashville, Patsy Cline, Quebec, Rascal Flatts, Reunion Island, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Switzerland, THe Everly Brothers, Trace Adkins
Big Cactus Country Radio and Alison Hebert “News from Nashville” – Country Night Gstaad, A Colorful Festival!
Sep.23, 2014
Team News Nashville visited Switzerland last weekend during the 26th edition of the Country Night Gstaad!
The festival was packed with an audience ccoming from all over Europe, attracted by a beautiful poster, the choice of the organizer Marcel Bach, who has put together a program “High Color” in the terms of the American artistic artistic plateau.
THe night featured one of the masters of bluegrass music, Ricky Skaggs, singer Kellie Pickler and the talented Josh Turner. Accompanied by top musicians Mister Ricky Skaggs offered us, as usual, an excellent performance, drawing here and there on the register of classic Traditional Bluegrass withthe inevitable “Uncle Pen” or taking from the Country 80s with some major hits like “Heartbroke” and “Highway 40 Blues.” Ricky Skaggs has announced that he will release a new album entitled “Hearts Like Ours” to be released September 30. Kellie Pickler brought a a very mice surprise!
Kellie sang his hits interpreted as New Country, but she also performed the true traditional country music with good times from the repertoire of her idols like Tammy Wynette. She perfectly imitated the voice of the title Tammy on “Stand By Your Man.”
Kellie ignited the audience with a great version of the famous very rock’n’roll tinged title of the legendary George Jones “White Lightning,” . She also performed covers of Loretta Lynn, Pam Tillis (“Someone somewere Tonight”) and finally, a cover of the legendary Patsy Cline and “Crazy” sung “a cappella,” which was not an easy task ! A very moving show with anecdotes that Kellie Pickler told us throughout the concert. Above all the audience was pleasantly surprised by the talent of excellent musicians and the undeniable vocal power of Kellie Pickler, very impressive!
Then finally came the highly anticipated artist Josh Turner, the top of the poster for the 2014 Country Night. Josh Turner also gave a superb, extremely well-rehearsed performance,including “American” and numerous music videos. The performance was impeccable, so perfect it was like listening to a CD.
We were fortunate to discover a preview of the new single which arrives this week on American radio waves but also on iTunes, entitled “Lay Low,” a title that will appear on a new album, but we still do not know the name and release date. Josh Turner has not lost his way, but for a while he became commercial reminding us repeatedly of the address of his website www.joshtuner.com,
mentioning the name of its sponsor “Ariat” which is just another brand of boots and not to forget the release of his first book “Man Stuff” In short, the pure direct sales Live! As you can see, the 27th edition of the Country Night Gstaad was a real success!
Tags: Alison Hebert, Big Cactus Country, Country Night Gstaad, HorizonVU Music, Johnny Da Piedade, Josh Turner, Kellie Pickler, Marcel Bach, News from Nashville, Ricky Skaggs
Big Cactus Country Radio and Alison Hebert “News from Nashville” – Country Night Gstaad!
If you are fans of country music, a beautiful presentation of solid gold American artists awaits you in September in Switzerland.
Starting with the presence of the Country Man, baritone Josh Turner, the program also includes the talented Kellie Pickler and the legendary virtuoso musician with an inimitable voice, Ricky Skaggs
Swiss Highwaymen
not to mention a Helvetian group that bears its name: the Swiss Highwaymen. That’s what awaits you if you walk into the 27th edition of the prestigious Country Night Gstaad in Switzerland, which takes place over three days, from September 12 to 14. It’s organized as is true every year by Mr Marcel Bach !!
Marcel Bach
For those who do not know Josh Turner, he is known for his dazzling vocal potential, perfect baritone and hits “Long Black Train,” “Would You Go With me “or the “Why Do not We Just Dance” song “! Recently, the musical career of Josh has been very quiet because in recent months he has focused on writing, telling his personal, and of course, his artistic life. The book is entitled “Man Stuff: Thoughts On Faith, Family and Fatherhood” and it is already available!
You will find more More information at http://www.countrynight-gstaad.ch
Tags: Alison Hebert, Belgium, Big Cactus Country, Country Night Gstaad, France, HorizonVU Music, Johnny Da Piedade, Josh Turner, Kellie Pickler, Marcel Bach, News from Nashville, Quebec, Reunion Island, Ricky Skaggs, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Swiss Highwaymen, Switzerland
Big Cactus Country Radio and Alison Hebert “News from Nashville” – Albums Coming Soon!
This week don’t miss the release of the fourth studio album by singer Kellie Pickler entitled “The Woman I Am” including her latest single “Little Bit Gypsy” and “Someone Somewhere Tonight.”
Regarding the top 3 best-selling albums in USA,the latest installment of the cowboy and business man, Toby Keith, came in third with ” Drinks After Work” released on October 29.
In the second position is the young singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett, with his excellent debut album “It Goes Like This” which also appeared on October 29.
In first place, we have the redneck Duck Dynasty, i.e., the real stars of the show American reality with their first Christmas album “Duck the Halls A Robertson Family Christmas” in which we find the king George Strait, as well as Luke Bryan, Josh Turner and singer Alison Krauss!
Duck Dynasty appeared at the CMA Awards ceremony, alongside Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley – total success!
Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Duck Dynasty
Tags: Alison Hebert, Alison Krauss, Belgium, Big Cactus Country Radio Show, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Duck Dynasty, France, George Strait, HorizonVU Music, Josh Turner, Kellie Pickler, Luke Bryan, ohnny Da Piedade, Quebec, Reunion Island, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Switzerland, Thomas Rhett, Toby Keith
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1789
|
__label__wiki
| 0.537463
| 0.537463
|
Tears Are Always Empirical: Producing Emotional Responses With Movies
Recently, an article on Smithsonian.com[1] discussed the cinematic catalysts scientists have used to study emotion in people. Specifically, it mentioned “The Champ,” a 1979 remake about a boxer and his young son. In the climactic scene, the son (Ricky Schroder) sobs over his father’s (Jon Voight) dead body after a particularly ravaging match. A 1995 study[2] by Robert Levenson and James Gross claims that this clip is the best at eliciting the single emotion of sadness in study participants.
Levenson and Gross narrowed a batch of 250 titles down to 16 that elicit responses of amusement, anger, contentment, disgust, fear, neutral, sadness, and surprise (two films for each emotion). A key criterion was that the films had to discretely evoke their respective emotions—a requirement that made pinpointing the scenes difficult. For instance, a scene in “Kramer Versus Kramer” in which the protagonist’s young son falls and must be rushed to the hospital caused nearly equal intensities of fear and sadness. The pivotal scene in “The Champ,” on the other hand, evoked sadness almost exclusively.
Other “winners?” For amusement, the fake orgasm scene in “When Harry Met Sally” beat out “Robin Williams Live;” for fear, a scene from “The Shining” evoked more discrete fear than the basement scene in “The Silence of the Lambs.” The runner-up for sadness was the mother’s death in “Bambi,” a scene that many might contend is even more distressing than the climax of “The Champ.”
How about you? What experiences have you had using films as a catalyst in conducting research? And, from your own experience, what other films do you think would perform well at stirring up particular emotions in research participants?
[1] Chin, R. (2011, July 21). The saddest movie in the world. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com
[2] Gross, J. J., & Levenson, R. W. (1995). Emotion elicitation using films. Cognition and Emotion, 9, 87-108.
emotional response, movies
Social/Emotional Evaluations: Unraveling the ED/SM Dilemma Part 2
Last week, we presented the first part of a two-part series on unraveling the ED/SM dilemma. This week, we talk to the experts on how to use various assessments to evaluate emotional disturbance and social maladjustment. Catch up on last week's blog here. School staff members often have difficulties when it comes to assessing a student who may have emotional disturbance (ED), and getting hard data to back up the decision can be just as difficult. PAR spoke with experts in the field about the use of various instruments that have proven to be useful in gathering the hard data needed in order to make an informed decision about ED eligibility. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) Peter K. Isquith, PhD, is a practicing developmental school neuropsychologist and instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He’s the coauthor of the BRIEF2, the new BRIEF2 Interpretive Guide, and the Tasks of Executive Control (TEC). PAR: Why would it be helpful to include a measure of executive functioning in the assessment of a student being evaluated for an ED eligibility? PI: In general, ...
I laughed until I cried: Study explores the reasons for contradictory emotional responses
A nervous laugh when someone has tripped and fallen, or tearful congratulations to the happy couple at a wedding: Many of us can remember an event when a seemingly inappropriate emotional response emerged, unbidden, at exactly the wrong moment. Screaming—normally a sign of acute distress—is common among teenagers at a concert when their idol steps onto the stage. And in the presence of an adorable baby, some people respond by growling or pinching the baby’s cheeks. Oriana Aragon, a post-doctoral associate in the department of psychology at Yale University, wanted to learn more about this common but often misunderstood phenomenon, and especially about the psychological purpose it might serve. Her findings were published in the March 2015 issue of the journal Psychological Science. Aragon and her colleagues conducted a series of experiments in which they exposed subjects to highly emotional stimuli—for example, a reunion between loved ones or a beautiful, vulnerable baby—and then measured the subjects’ responses. The researchers conclude that negative responses to positive stimuli may be a way for people who are overwhelmed by an emotion to regulate ...
Social/Emotional Evaluations: Unraveling the ED/SM Dilemma
This is the first part in a two-part series. Come back next week to learn more from our experts and authors. Katherine is an 8 year old who attends public school. Following a traumatic event, she began to insist on wearing a helmet to school and during class. When school personnel requested she remove the helmet, she adamantly refused, expressing fear that the ceiling would fall and they would all be killed. Her grades have dropped considerably, and she is having problems socializing with peers. Her mother reports similar disruptions at home. Katherine’s grades have dropped to Ds and Fs, and her behavior has become disruptive in class. She cries frequently and has most recently expressed a desire to stay home from school. Jeremy is a fifth grader who currently receives special education services under the category of emotional disturbance (ED) and other health impaired (OHI). One year after his initial ED diagnosis, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His original ED eligibility was based on violent behavior in kindergarten and first grade. Once it became evident that his ...
Life with Bipolar Disorder through the Eyes of Dr. Mark Vonnegut
“The reason creativity and craziness go together is that if you’re just plain crazy without being able to sing or dance or write good poems, no one is going to want to have babies with you. Your genes will fall by the wayside. Who but a brazen crazy person would go one-on-one with blank paper or canvas armed with nothing but ideas?” Author Mark Vonnegut poses this question in the first chapter of his book, Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So. In this intimate and sometimes comic memoir, Vonnegut goes one-on-one with his past and present struggles with bipolar disorder, his family history, and his qualms with the medical field. His medical background and first-hand experiences provide readers with an eye-opening portrayal of life with mental illness. In order to understand his own disorder, Vonnegut looks at his family’s history as far back as his paternal great-grandfather. He ventures into his childhood, endearingly poking fun at his not-yet-famous father’s eccentricities and struggles as “the world’s worst car salesman who couldn’t get a job teaching English at Cape Cod ...
PAR Celebrates Kay Cunningham's Retirement:
At the end of this year, Kay Cunningham will be retiring after 26 years at PAR. Kay joined PAR in 1991 and is retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer. Kay has been an integral member of the PAR team and will be leaving a lasting impression on everyone who had the honor to work with her. This is the second part in a series where we will be sharing stories, memories, and well wishes as we send Kay on to her next chapter. Kay is an incredible person, and a wonderful leader. I was able to work closer with her when she took over as supervisor of the sales team. I am not sure Kay knows how much we valued her direction, but she offered a new perspective to the team, which put us on the path to a great sales year. She was always helpful, kind and generous of her time and she did all that with a great sense of humor. I feel fortunate and grateful to have had her support and encouragement. You will be missed, ...
We Are All People With Ability
In 1987, Ronald Reagan declared the month of March as National Disabilities Awareness Month. It serves as a formal time to recognize the efforts, struggles, and initiatives surrounding people with disabilities. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, thus officially giving legal rights to those with disabilities regarding workplace discrimination. According to The Arc, whose mission is to protect the rights of human beings with intellectual and developmental disabilities, at least 4.6 million Americans have a disability. The Arc advocates in many ways for those with disabilities, including shaping public policy, providing services like employment programs and residential support, and preserving and protecting rights through education and activism. Triangle is a nonprofit organization in Malden, Massachusetts, that “empowers people with disabilities to enjoy rich, fulfilling lives.” Together with the Accessible Icon Project, they are working to transform the original International Symbol of Access into something more visually representative of today’s individuals with disabilities. The new image conjures up words like “active, abled, engaged, ready for action, determined, and motivated…which helps provoke discussion on how we view disabilities and people ...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1790
|
__label__cc
| 0.653785
| 0.346215
|
Retirement Threat #1: how do you replace Scott Niedermayer?
(Author’s Note: I HAVE NO NEWS IN THIS POST. I figured I’d best say that up front.) So with Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne both threatening to retire 'on top of the world', I thought I’d spend today looking at Scott’s on-ice contribution, and deal with Teemu's in a separate post.
Over the course of the regular season and playoffs, the captain played over 2,800 minutes, nearly 400 more than the next highest Duck skater. He led Anaheim defensemen in even-strength minutes, power play minutes, and shorthanded minutes, and total scoring, as well. He was also Anaheim’s top-paid player ($6.75 M/year on a deal that has two more years on it), a Norris finalist, and the Conn Smythe winner to boot.
To help measure his on-ice contribution, though, here are the 5 defensemen signed for next year, and their combined regular-season and playoff totals from last year:
Even-Strength:
ES min
ES +/hr
ES –/hr
ES +/–/hr
Beauchemin
O’Donnell
Pronger
Huskins
What’s staggering here is really the difference in productivity of Chris Pronger from pretty much everyone else (even his regular defense partner Sean O’Donnell). The best goals-for, the best goals-against, and the best differential, all while playing comparable minutes to Niedermayer. I don’t want to knock the captain’s productivity, but Scott is clearly outshined on these metrics.
Power Play:
PP min
PP +/hr
PP –/hr
PP +/–/hr
On the power play, only three defensemen played any significant minutes, and certainly Niedermayer's presence was a huge part. One thing about Niedermayer: he's got a very below-average shot from the blueline, but made himself really useful as a high screen / rover. Again, though, Pronger is the star in terms of net production.
Penalty Kill:
SH min
SH +/hr
SH –/hr
SH +/–/hr
Note that these numbers are inclusive of 4-on-5 and 3-on-5 situations, which partially explains why Niedermayer's production looks bad here. Even so, though, his numbers pale again against Pronger's, who also was a fixture on 2-man disadvantages.
Bottom line: Even though Scott is outshined in the production metrics by Pronger, he still plays a huge role minutes-wise and leadership-wise, and his salary is quite favorable compared to other top-earning defensemen. Should Scott announce his retirement, the Ducks definitely need to figure out who their captain will be, and also find a way to replace his minutes for a pretty similar cost. Unfortunately, I really doubt this can be accomplished with one $6 - $7 M defenseman in today's high-priced market (it doesn’t buy you what it used to); this really is the main reason why I’d really prefer Scott to play out his existing contract.
A key question that still needs to be answered will be the production of defenseman Francois Beauchemin, who has played pretty much his entire 2-year NHL career with Scotty as his partner. Certainly the early play of Frenchie has been promising, but it is somewhat easy to look good when you’ve got the smoothest skater in the league leading your rushes and still covering your back.
If Niedermayer does choose to retire, though, I would guess the best way to go about replacing him would be pretty much to build a traditional blueline around the other Norris finalist, Pronger. Rather than have two defensive pairs play nearly all the minutes, the resulting defense would probably have to spread minutes to the third pairing a lot more evenly, so probably Niedermayer would be best replaced by two capable $3M defensemen, preferably not UFAs signed on July 1st, though—those signings usually signify an overcommitment.
Anyway, Scott’s decision is probably the one key thing I’m keeping my eye on this offseason—I don’t think the Ducks are in horrible trouble either way, but definitely there will have to be a huge strategy adjustment if he leaves. Based on the minutes he plays, I would say he’s a tougher hurdle to replace than Selanne, but we’ll be taking a look at that in a later post.
Posted by Earl Sleek at 8:10 AM 9 comments
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Analysis, Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin, Kent Huskins, Retirement, Scott Niedermayer, Sean O'Donnell
Fine, Search Engine Abusers. You win.
So, this being the most boring week of the year, and with little else to do, I figure I'd look over the ol' blog stats. As usual, the strangest numbers come from the keyword analysis, basically the search engine stats. So far, in 27 days of June, this blog was discovered by:
26 searches for "chris pronger skeletor"
OK man, you win. The best I can offer you is the photo to the left.
50 searches for "hedstrom ducks"
This guy appears to be more desperate. You know, the Ducks never faced a must-win game in any round these playoffs, but if they did, I was going to write a post called "Sleek's Bad Idea":
In 2003, after the second round of the playoffs, Anaheim forward Patrick Kjellberg ditched the team mid-playoffs to return to Sweden. The Mighty Ducks responded with three straight shutouts.
In 2006, late in the first round of the playoffs, Anaheim forward Jonathan Hedstrom ditched the team mid-playoffs to return to Sweden. The Mighty Ducks responded with three straight shutouts.
So if it was a do-or-die scenario, as tough as it would be, Sammy Pahlsson would have to ditch the team and head for Sweden; three straight shutouts would be certain to follow. Of course, with Pahlsson being my favorite player, I'd have to blame Brian Burke for not carrying another Swedish forward just for this sort of emergency.
And finally, 68 searches for "mathieu garon salary"
OK, Kings fan(s), we get it. We all know L.A.'s goaltending was desperately bad last year, but you gotta relax on that search engine trigger finger or you'll go crazy. Per nhlnumbers.com, Garon's salary last season was $1.216 M, but he's an unrestricted free agent come July 1st.
So relax, Kings. Your only worry should be two more years of Dan Cloutier at $3.1 M.
Posted by Earl Sleek at 5:29 PM 4 comments
Tags: Chris Pronger, Dan Cloutier, Mathieu Garon, Sweden
A message from Gatorade Canada
Man, I'm such a sucker and a sell-out. Apparently all you need for some good BoC coverage is to send me a congratulatory e-mail, and a note that you are trying to network through hockey blogs. But even though I am a pushover for faint praise, I think the site below is interesting in discussing hydration issues for goaltenders and other athletes, and how J.S. Giguere was able to proactively improve his game stamina.
Hi Earl,
I’m contacting you on behalf of Gatorade Canada – I work for their public relations agency. As the resident Anaheim blogger on Battle of California (congratulations on winning the Cup!) I thought you may be interested in blogging about JS Giguere’s work with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) to tackle his hydration issues.
In the past, Giguere has suffered from cramping and exhaustion which often affected his game, before the 2006/07 season he saw a Gatorade television commercial about a runner who suffered from similar problems. Giguere contacted the GSSI to see if they could offer solutions that could improve his performance. At the GSSI, Giguere participated in rigorous sweat tests and hydration analysis, and they gave him tips to help him overcome his dehydration and perform a Stanley Cup winning season.
An online news release is at www.gatorade.ca/en/giguere. You can find facts, quotes, photos, videos and logos to share on your blog, if you think your readers would be interested.
I’d also love to know what you think about this news release format, as we built it for bloggers like you to make it easy to share the story.
PS - If you’d prefer not receive news from our agency or Gatorade, just let me know, and we won’t contact you again.
So if you're thirsty, feel free to check it out, and remember: Stay hydrated this summer. As Giguere says: “No matter what sport you’re in, I think hydration is the number one priority you should focus on, along with healthy eating. It gives you energy and helps you recover quickly for the next game.”
Posted by Earl Sleek at 9:25 AM 12 comments
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, J.S. Giguere
A Vignette and Other Musings
Lombardi!
(Rudy Kelly is sitting in front of his television, sipping a glass of white wine and watching the draft. His roommate Matt, a Ducks fan, enters.)
Matt: Hey, how’s it going?
Rudy: Pretty much as expected, Kane, Van Riemsdyk and Turris. The Kings are up next. Don’t you love the draft?
Matt: No, the Ducks are good and just won the Stanley Cup, so I don’t give a fuck about the draft.
Rudy: …Fuck you. Wait, here’s the Kings!
Co-Director of Scouting Michael Futa: With the 4th pick in the NHL draft the Kings select, from the Seattle Thunderbirds, Thomas Hickey.
Matt (Laughing): Who the fuck is Thomas Hickey?
(Rudy does not say anything but instead grabs the bottle of wine by the neck and starts drinking.)
And….Scene!
Okay, so I was a little melodramatic when I heard who the Kings drafted. To be honest, I hadn’t really read too much on the guys that were rated below #10 because the Kings were drafting 4th. At first I was shocked and pissed and ready to kick someone’s ass (read: Lombardi’s), but with the benefit of hindsight I have come to accept the move. I wish Lombardi would have traded down and then drafted Hickey (and according to the Columbus Dispatch it almost happened), but if he felt he was the right guy then I guess we’ll just have trust him.
You're not helping me by looking like that, Hickey.
There’s no sense in grading a draft right after it has happened, but right now the Kings are taking a beating in early public opinion. I liked the Kings' two 2nd round picks, Oscar Moller (who seems to play like Cammalleri) and Wayne Simmonds (who’s a big guy and not afraid to drop the gloves), but the legacy of this draft will be determined by Hickey. (You can go here and read about the rest of the Kings’ draft picks.) Sometimes GMs can get so enamored with an idea of how they’ll draft that they forget to think about who they’ll draft. I hope Lombardi wasn’t sure he was going to get Hickey in the middle of the first round and then panicked when nothing developed and just took him 4th, but that’s what some people think happened. I don’t know; only time will tell.
Kings fans have shown a surprising (for us, anyway) amount of patience with Dean Lombardi so far in his tenure, but Lombardi has really hitched his star to the progress of Thomas Hickey. I like Lombardi and still think he’s on the right track, but, like in San Jose, there’s a possibility that he won’t be around to see his plan come to fruition. If Hickey stalls in his development, the vultures are going to be out and the Kings may be in the market for a new GM.
(Also, one of the conspirators who attempted to capture George Washington in 1776 was named Thomas Hickey. His was the 1st military execution in New York. This is not encouraging.)
In completely unrelated news, I’m taking a trip. The aforementioned Matt and I are taking a hajj to our personal Mecca: the Hockey Hall of Fame. We’re driving, so we’re going to be gone about 2 weeks or so and will be hitting up Denver and Pittsburgh along the way. We'll be in Toronto a few days and then head back through Canada and check out the Stampede on the way. I haven’t been to the Great White North since I was a kid, so I’m looking forward to seeing all the mountains, the culture, and the denim. Let me know if there's anything I have to see and if there's anything I should know about Canadians.
If Canadians don't all dress like this I'll be very disappointed.
This means I’ll be missing the exciting opening to Free Agency season, so I’m disappointed about that, but I’ll be back for the rest of the summer. Go Kings, and I’ll see all of you hosers in aboot two and a half weeks. (Man, Canada is going to hate me.)
Posted by RudyKelly at 2:09 PM 9 comments
Tags: Dean Lombardi, Entry Draft, Los Angeles Kings
Non-Hockey: RIP Rod Beck
I'm sure many San Jose Sharks fans are also San Francisco Giants fans, and if you followed the team in the 90s, you know that Rod Beck was part of that transition between the Will Clark days and the Barry Bonds (pre-roid rage) days. Even though it's been more than a decade since he threw for the Giants, it's pretty hard to forget his monster 'stache and mullet blowing in the wind or his hearty fist pump when he'd K a guy out to close out the 9th.
It's no secret that Beck lived a pretty hard lifestyle and it's sad that some of his contemporaries are still playing while he's just passed. Bay Area sports fans, take a moment and have a sip of your favorite drink in honor of Beck -- I'm sure he'd want it that way.
Posted by Mike Chen at 12:27 PM 0 comments
Tags: Non-hockey, San Francisco Giants
Doug squashes Patrick Marleau rumors
For everyone who thinks a Patrick Marleau deal is imminent, please stop the ridiculous rumor-mongering (similar to anyone who thinks Vinnie Lecavalier, Brad Richards, or Martin St. Louis are leaving Tampa). From the Ottawa Sun via Kukla:
San Jose GM Doug Wilson said he's not trying to trade C Patrick Marleau, but admits he's had conversations. "If teams are going to call, it's my job to listen," said Wilson. "I would think that's a compliment to us that people would want our players. But I'm not trying to trade Marleau."
Yeah, that leaves the door slightly ajar, but he's just saying the politically correct thing. Doug's said nothing but positive things about Marleau and calls him one of his most reliable players. He also says that Marleau's talked things over with Ron Wilson and says that he's not worried about his captain at all.
So seriously folks, stop trying to get rid of him.
Posted by Mike Chen at 11:12 AM 9 comments
Tags: Doug Wilson, Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
Ducks Draft Day: Lots of little news
Well, lots of random items to cover this Saturday, so let's get to it:
Ducks draft C Logan MacMillan with the 19th overall pick (link).
Burke traded the 16th pick to Minnesota for the 19th and 42nd. I'm as always unsure what to think about the draft: sure it's important but it's tough to measure draft day success. Good luck, kid.
Ducks re-sign D Sean O'Donnell and D Kent Huskins for two years each (link).
This is really good news, as now a majority of the blueline will be back. Both were soon-to-be cup-winning UFAs, and came back for a cheaper combined price, which is good to hear. O'Donnell, who made $1.52 M last year, took a discount and will make $1.25 M per year. Huskins, who made $450k last year, will make $600k this year and $650 the next.
Of course, this would turn out to be FANTASTIC news if Scott decided to play another year or two, because he allows the other blueliners to play less difficult minutes. I'm hoping that the re-signings of these two and Giguere might prompt him to stay.
Ducks trade C Tim Brent to Pittsburgh for C Stephen Dixon (link).
Tim Brent played 15 games for the Ducks this year, mostly in place of an injured Todd Marchant, and was on the ice for 1 goal-for and 6 goals-against.
(Added 3:30) Ducks trade F Ryan Shannon to Vancouver for W Jason King and a conditional pick (link).
Ryan Shannon played 64 games for the Ducks this year, also mostly in a 4th line setting, and was on the ice for 19 goals-for and 21 goals-against. King has played the last three years in Sweden, and signed a contract with the Iserlohn Roosters of the German League last week, so I'm unsure whether to expect him to be available this year.
And while talking about trades in general, I do expect Brian Burke to move G Ilya Bryzgalov, but I'm not sure if Duck fans should get super-excited about the return. After watching both Toskala and Vokoun get moved for draft picks and salary relief, I'm not that sure about the market for goalies (although Breezy has less salary issues). We will see what Burke manages to do.
Earl answers his mail.
And finally, just for kicks, I'll take a stab at one of the anonymous comments: what would earl do if the ducks sign kariya?
The graphic to the right was one I made back in 2003 when both Kariya and Selanne turned their backs on Anaheim and signed for severe discounts to try to win a Cup in Colorado. It remains the one reason why I can't fully apologize to Edmonton fans for stealing Pronger--the same thing had happened to us three years before.
That said, unlike most Duck fans, I have never booed Kariya. Last summer, he was #2 on my list of the 10 best players to wear the Disney duck logo, and I wouldn't really have a problem if he returned (although I get the sense that Nashville, after ditching Vokoun, Timonen, and Hartnell, are preparing to re-sign Kariya).
But I got one stipulation: Kariya, want to ditch your team and sign with a contender? Fine, I won't have a problem, provided you take a salary of $1.2 M, the same price you took in Denver. Sorry, dude. Karmic Justice.
Posted by Earl Sleek at 11:03 AM 6 comments
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Brian Burke, Entry Draft, Kent Huskins, offseason, Paul Kariya, Sean O'Donnell
Draft Day: Feel the Excitement!
The day Kings’ fans have been looking forward to since the regular season ended is finally here. Draft day. The day when legends are made and spirits broken. I know I woke up with a little bounce in my step. A lot of people like to denigrate this great sport of ours, but I feel no shame in saying that draft day is one of my favorite days of the year. It's like Valentine's Day (but without me crying as much). Rejoice, hockey fans.
Of course, I can't say that my spirits weren't dampened a little bit by today's news that the Sharks traded Vesa Toskala. The Sharks and Ducks are supposed to be getting worse while the Kings get better, but with the Sharks possessing a first-round pick now (and the Lightning giving up a #1 pick to the Ducks for Shane fucking O'Brien), it looks like the Kings are going to be #3 in California for a little while longer.
No matter, though; today's draft day, and I'm still excited. I have a feeling the Kings will do something shocking tonight during the draft. It just seems like it's their turn to set the hockey world abuzz. But first, I wanted to ask a question: how the hell is Greg Oden only one year older than Kyle Turris? I mean, look at them:
I mean come on, Oden’s like 50 and Turris looks like he’s 12.
Anyway, the Kings continue to mystify your noble correspondent, because I have absolutely no idea what they are going to do. It is especially difficult because what the Kings do is dependant on what the three teams picking ahead of them decide. As I am wont to do, I’ll post a few scenarios that are plausible and then my bullshit idea.
The Kings Play it Safe
The Kings hold onto their pick and draft Karl Alzner, the top-rated defenseman in this year’s draft. This is more of a need pick, as it is not believed that Alzner is the 4th best prospect in the draft. However, it would fill a hole in the Kings’ system and give them a solid defensive prospect that could eventually be paired with Jack Johnson. I have a problem with this idea because it seems like the Kings would be wasting a top draft pick on a player that could be picked later. I’m not against drafting for need, but it seems foolish to do so this early in the draft. If you’re just going to play it safe, you might as well trade down. Which brings me to…
The Kings Trade Down
Rumors abound that a number of teams are looking to trade down, including the Vancouver Canucks (who currently sit at 25). As I mentioned before, the Kings have a pretty elite farm system and it could be argued that they don’t really need to improve it. They would be better off improving the current team with a younger, NHL-ready player that could step in immediately. Maybe the Kings could wrangle someone like Kevin Bieksa or Alex Burrows and the #25 pick from the Canucks in exchange for the #4 pick and one of the Kings' many other picks in this year’s draft. The problem with this idea is that there’s always the risk the Kings would miss out on a great talent by giving up a pick this early in the draft. I don’t think I could bear to watch Jakub Voracek or James Van Riemsdyk light up the Kings knowing that they could have been on the team. This brings up my next point…
The Kings Take the Best Player Available
This is my favorite option. I think the Kings would best be served by just taking the best forward they can, depending on who’s taken earlier. I personally think that the best player available in this draft is Alexei Cherepanov, the ultra-talented winger from Russia. I know there are knocks on him, but that’s what makes him so intriguing to me. The Kings could potentially be getting the best player in the draft without having to move up. Here's a video of Cherepanov's exploits in Russia (where he set a record for goals by a 17 year-old):
I know my fellow Kings fans are wary of developing another inconsistent winger from Russia named Alex, but his talent is just too great to pass up. If the Kings draft Cherepanov, I think it would send a clear message to the rest of the league that the Kings are going to do whatever it takes to get better.
I’m going to wait until Monday and then give a run-down of who the Kings drafted, so I hope to see you guys again then. Here's a list of prospects as rated by TSN to reference through the first round tonight. I’m not going to the Kings’ draft party (I have a feeling blogging about the Kings is sad enough), but I’ll be having my own little draft party at my apartment. (It’s not so much a party as me drinking alone, but that’s just semantics.) Have a good time tonight. This is the time of the year when every team gets better; enjoy it.
Posted by RudyKelly at 12:48 PM 7 comments
Report: Toskala to Toronto
...for three draft picks according to Toronto's Fan590. Not sure what the full package is. More details to come...
Update: The Jersey Curse kills Mark Bell. He's part of the package according to Fan590. Salary dump, anyone?
Update 2: John Ferguson Jr.'s on the Fan590. He says the deal is not done and it's premature. Don't know if that means specifics are still being worked on or if paperwork just needs to be filed. I wouldn't be surprised if they're still hammering out the draft picks.
Update 3: Ok, it looks like it's Toskala/Bell for 1st (13th overall), 2nd, and 4th round picks. This clears up about $4 million in cap space. Will offer a full analysis later.
Anyone want to buy a Mark Bell jersey?
Update 4: I did some cap number crunching and assuming the Craig Rivet deal is done for $3.5 a year, the Sharks currently stand at $35 million with Scott Hannan, Bill Guerin, and Mark Smith all unsigned. You figure that Devin Setoguchi will come in at the rookie max plus bonuses, so let's say that it's at about $37 million for now. I don't think the Sharks will push the cap, but I could see them spending to $45 million. Does that mean they'll push for Sheldon Souray or Brian Rafalski to fill out the blueline? A group of Rivet, Kyle McLaren, Christian Ehrhoff, Matt Carle, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic definitely lacks punch.
Posted by Mike Chen at 9:34 AM 9 comments
Tags: Mark Bell, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trades, Vesa Toskala
Four more years of Jiggy
Ah, looks as if my favorite J.S. Giguere graphic will get a lot more play around here (and not from the Kings' guys).
TSN reports a four year, $24 M extension, and I gotta tell you, I'm pretty pleased with the result. There's still a lot of unknowns for the Ducks, but based on my gut feel, I like both the term and the salary on this deal (I had it in my mind that anything less than $6.5 M per year was a good signing).
Thanks, Giguere. We may never know what he passed up by signing this contract today and not waiting for a desperate team on July 1st, but I gotta think he would have landed somewhere upwards of $7 M per year, and he probably could have landed something in the 6-year range. Hooray for ambiguous savings!
So, what does this mean for the future of Ilya Bryzgalov? Stay tuned for further episodes of the Brian Burke show throughout the summer...
Posted by Earl Sleek at 2:51 PM 10 comments
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Brian Burke, J.S. Giguere, offseason
Doug Wilson interview & article
A little while back, I asked Sharks fans to send me their questions for my interview with Doug Wilson. The article is now up at FoxSports.com and the raw interview transcript is available at my blog. Nothing too earth shattering, but at least Doug gives very thorough answers.
Tags: Doug Wilson, San Jose Sharks
Ducks Offseason: What the hell do I know?
You know, I’d like to write a really good post this time of year that kind of lays out what the Ducks’ gameplan is for the offseason, but quite frankly, there’s just too many unknown factors at this point to say anything definitively. So I thought I'd just lay out all the questions I don't know the answer to, and then give a few closing thoughts at the end.
Is Scott Niedermayer retiring? TSN reports that the Ducks' captain, fresh off a Norris finalist season (79 gp, 15 - 54 - 69 pts, +6, 34 PP pts) and a Conn Smythe postseason (21 gp, 3 - 8 - 11 pts, +2, 3 PP pts), is contemplating retirement, despite two more years on his contract. Rob Niedermayer has two years left on his contract, as well.
Is Teemu Selanne retiring, and if not, how much will be his base salary? This was more expected, even though Selanne had a tremendous season for the Ducks (82 gp, 48 - 46 - 94 pts, +26, 48 PP pts) and a capable playoffs as well (21 gp, 5 - 10 - 15 pts, +1, 6 PP pts). Selanne led the western conference in goals and the entire league in power play goals. Last year, Selanne signed a one-year deal that was for $3.75 M plus bonuses, and I'm guessing it amounted to something like $6 M, though this is a ballpark figure.
Did Dustin Penner sign a 3-year, $7 M contract? That's been the rumor floating the message boards, but I have not seen any official confirmation. The $2.33 M average would be a significant raise for the kid, as he played for league minimum ($450 k) last year. I'd say the raise is fair—he did pot 29 regular season goals in his "rookie" year.
How NHL-ready is Bobby Ryan? I barely pay any attention to prospects and minor league scoring, but I do know that this kid was the first pick Brian Burke made as a GM in the pick right behind Sidney Crosby. Should the Ducks be saving a spot on the roster for him this year?
Who is Jonas Hiller and why does he have Bryzgalov nervous? Sidearm Delivery provides a translation for Bryzgalov's quote in Sports Express: "I am sure that either I or Giguere will be leaving the club soon, since Anaheim have signed a strong Swiss keeper, Jonas Hiller. Giguere had a nice season, and I think Anaheim can sign him." Maybe another way to ask this question is: How set are the Ducks in net, even without Giguere?
What is the salary cap next year? This doesn't matter so much to the Ducks as spenders, necessarily, but it will impact the number of bidders for J.S. Giguere. While the Ducks do have exclusive negotiating rights with Giguere through June, it does feel kind of a meaningless edge; I doubt Giguere signs anywhere before this cap figure is finally released.
What will the Ducks' budget look like next year? The Ducks last year stayed well below the salary cap, thanks to a bevy of underpaid players. This year Beauchemin, Pahlsson, and Moen will get modest raises while Penner gets a significant one. Next summer Getzlaf and Perry figure to get significant raises, also. All that said, though, the Ducks enjoyed 12 extra home sellouts this spring, 4 of which were series-clinching games. Last summer they also renamed the team and redesigned the uniforms, coercing fans into purchasing all new gear. And by winning the cup, they'll benefit from champion merchandise revenue as well. By my eyes it had to be a monster year for the Ducks revenue-wise; how much of that will make its way into next year's payroll?
So, after all that, what's the right price for Giguere? Giguere went 36-10-8 in the regular season with a 2.26 GAA and a .918 sv%. In the playoffs he went 13-4 with a 1.97 GAA and a .922 sv%. And in terms of top goalie talent in the free agency pool, he's it. Giguere has indicated a preference toward staying in Anaheim, and for sure the fans love him, but what's the most that Brian Burke should be prepared to pay?
Pin the price tag on the goalie
Sleek's thoughts: Even if the Ducks lose Selanne, Niedermayer, and Giguere in the coming weeks, there is a benefit in losing 3 of the 4 highest-paid players on the team: replacement money. Using the $6 M estimate for Selanne, there would be nearly $17 M freed up to help patch the holes, and that's certainly enough money to pay some difference-makers.
At first I was worried that if Selanne and Niedermayer didn't come to a decision by July 1st, the Ducks would be in trouble missing out on first-day free agents. But then I remembered back to July 1st last year, and all the silly deals being handed out on that day, and I reconsidered. Even if there are holes that need to be filled, replacement money needn't be spent frivolously on expensive free agents. Given the choice, I'd rather see Burke fill those holes by trading with cap-tight teams.
Bottom line: there's too many unknowns here for me to do anything but "wait and see", but suffice to say I'm not that worried about the future just yet. Every one of Anaheim's potential "problems" comes with its own multi-million dollar "solution". That said, I really hope Scott in particular decides to stay, as his $6.75 M salary is looking pretty sweet compared with more recent UFA-defenseman signings (Blake, Redden, Jovanovski, Timonen), and I would like to remain spoiled by the Niedermayer-Pronger show for another year at least.
They say that Scott's got nothing left to win in hockey, but I can think of one thing he's never done. He's never won back-to-back Cups; that's gotta have some appeal, right Scott?
Posted by Earl Sleek at 12:30 AM 13 comments
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, J.S. Giguere, Jonas Hiller, offseason, Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne
The State of the Farm System, Part II
Right Wing: Right wing is probably the trickiest of the forward positions in terms of depth, but that’s alleviated by the plethora of young talent already up with the big club. Mike Cammealleri has ended up being a better player than many are willing to give him credit for and Dustin Brown made important strides in his development last season (especially after Kopitar got injured). Down on the farm the top prospect is Lauri Tukonen, the Kings’ top draft pick in 2004. Tukonen was a celebrity in his native Finland when he started playing in the men’s league as a 15 year-old and ended up becoming the youngest player to ever play for Team Finland in the World Championships. Lately, however, Tukonen has not really produced offensively, although his defensive ability is supposedly excellent. Tukonen is only 20 right now, so the Kings still have time for him to develop, but his penchant for getting injured is a little disconcerting. (He has played about 60 games each of the past two seasons in the AHL.) With Cammalleri’s contract situation looking combustible, I would feel a lot better if I knew Tukonen could be counted on. Next year will be very important for him.
Tukonen, right before he injured something.
The Kings have two other right wing prospects that will probably be NHLers some day: Peter Kanko and Marc-Andre Cliché. Kanko kind of looks like a crazy person and plays like he really has to drop a deuce. (I swear, watch him.) He’ll probably end up being loved like Sean Avery because he’ll take dumb penalties and hurt the team, which means I won’t like him very much. Cliché, on the other hand, projects to be my favorite player on the team. He had a shoulder injury two years ago which killed his stock, but he rebounded last year to post a point-a-game in the QMDESJHL. He’s mostly known for his defensive prowess, and we learned this post-season how important having a defensive stopper can be for a team.
Kanko, before going on stage with Godsmack.
Defense: The defense received a big boost last year when the Kings traded for Jack Johnson. Although Johnson kind of seems like a dick, he should become an elite defenseman in the league and help the Kings for years to come and play similar to Chris Pronger. Also like Chris Pronger, I can’t see anyone liking him except for the fans of the team he’s on. All of Canada already despises Johnson because of a cheap shot during a junior tournament. It should be fun.
I didn't know Jack Johnson was an old-timey boxer. Also, black.
Besides Johnson, the Kings don’t have any more exceptional talent, but they have enough players that are good enough that at least one or two will stick. Richard Petiot probably would have made the team last year (saving us the indignity of playing Mike Weaver), but he hurt his knee playing in a rookie tournament and missed most of the season. Joe Ryan, Peter Harrold, Patrik Hersley, and Johan Fransson round out the list of guys who might make the team some day. Hopefully one of them can end up being a top-4 guy, or else the Kings might be in a little bit of trouble once Blake retires and Visnovsky gets traded. (I’m acting like it’s going to happen, in hopes of either jinxing it or mentally preparing myself for it.)
Goalies: All conversation of goaltending starts and ends with Jonathan Bernier. The Kings’ first-round pick in 2006 played very well with the Lewiston MAINEiacs (Cripes, that’s a stupid fucking name) but will probably stay somewhere in the QMLKJGHDJHL next season for a little more work. He’s very good side-to-side and reminds me a little of Marc-Andre Fleury in style (although maybe that’s because the both wear giant pads). The timeline for Bernier is as follows: next year in juniors, then a season in the AHL, then maybe backing up in the NHL, then hopefully starting. If he’s with the Kings in 3 years, I will be very excited.
This is the most excited I've been to see someone do the splits. Well, second-most.
Okay, I guess all conversation doesn’t end with Bernier. Besides him, the Kings can look to Jeff Zatkoff and Johnathan Quick as options in the future. (Oddly enough, Johnathan Quick was drafted at the same time as defensive prospect TJ Fast. I like to think that Dave Taylor thought that if they had fleet-sounding last names, they must be fast. I was waiting for them to draft NiceSlapshot McSpeedy next.) Zatkoff was drafted last year in the third round, but rumors were that he was the 2nd goaltender on the Kings’ draft board. Knowing about Lombardi’s ability to draft goalies, I’ll just assume Zatkoff will be awesome and leave it at that. Quick is a year older and will probably reach the Kings first, but I doubt he'll be a starter in the NHL. Both of them are playing in the NCAA [Zatkoff with Miami (Ohio) and Quick with UMass], so you can watch them if you have ESPNU or live nearby.
So, that’s a (not so) brief overview of the Kings’ farm system. Overall, it’s excellent, but not perfect. A team could always use more depth because you never know when one of these kids will break their leg off or rob a bank or pursue a career in modern dance. If the Kings were to draft on need, it seems that either wings or defense would be best. Who will the Kings actually draft? To be honest, I have no idea. I’m going to pretend I do though and will bring you that article on Thursday. If you can’t wait, shoot me an e-mail; I won’t answer it, but maybe you’ll feel better.
Tags: Jack Johnson, Jonathan Bernier, Lauri Tukonen, Los Angeles Kings, Peter Kanko
The State of the Farm System, Part I
(I decided to write a post about the King's farm system; 1,700 words later, I figured that it'd be better if I split it into two parts. The next one will go up tomorrow. Be sure to check out Earl's post below, which is admittedly far better than mine.)
I know Earl could care less about prospects and all that, but when you’re a Kings fan you have to take what you can get. I know I can be somewhat negative (I think I've earned the right), but I’m very optimistic when it comes to the King’s future. The Kings farm system is in the best shape since, well, ever. There is elite talent at every position and good depth in most locations. As such, the Kings are in a unique position for a team in the draft; they are bad, but they do not really have a need because every position is in fairly good shape. (If I had to pick a position that needed help, it’d be defense, but just because there are 6 spots to fill.) I’m going to take a little jaunt through the Kings’ farm and fill you guys in on some of the highlights.
(Note: This is more of an introductory post for those who are unfamiliar with the Kings' prospect system, so if you check Hockey's Future 30 times a day like I do it might not be that informative.)
Left Wing: Patrick O’Sullivan is the top prospect on this side of the ice. O’Sullivan is a little weird for a left winger since he’s not all that defensively responsible and is known more for his scoring ability. (He’s kind of like Luc Robitaille, if you subtracted Luc’s devilish good looks and added a crazy father.) He had a little trouble adjusting to the NHL game, like many young scorers do, but he seemed to pick it up last year after he moved to the center position. It will be interesting to see if he was more comfortable carrying the puck up ice (like he did after Kopitar was injured) or if he’s just better as a center. If he’s not here, the Kings are pretty weak on the left side.
There are a couple of other prospects worth mentioning, like Scott Parse (if he signs like expected) and Matt Moulson. Parse played for Nebraska-Omaha in the NCAA for three years and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker last season. Parse is not generally rated as an elite prospect, but he just seems like one of those guys whose going to make it while more highly-touted prospects flame out. I have no real proof to back it up; it’s just a hunch. Matt Moulson is another college player who has a legitimate chance to make a difference this next season. He ended up with 57 points in 77 games last year in Manchester. Neither of these guys will be elite difference-makers in the NHL, but they are nice guys to have around because if they pan out, great, and if they don’t, oh well. Finally, Danny Roussin is a former linemate of Sidney Crosby who will probably spend the season at Manchester. He has offensive skill, but it appears likely that he won’t make too much of an impact in the NHL. Shay Stephenson is also there, but he sucks, so let’s just move on.
Either the NCAA uses nets that are 9-feet tall or Scott Parse is kind of short.
Center: Even though he’s no longer a prospect, one has to start any talk of Kings’ centers by mentioning Anze Kopitar. I don’t want to spend too much time on Kopitar, so let me just say that he is awesome and I love him. Behind Kopitar, the Kings have two good prospects that could fill that number 2 center spot in the years to come. First is Brian Boyle, a giant of a man who is not really known for much else. He’s not a great skater and he isn’t known for his offense prowess; he’s just fuckin’ huge. There’s talk the Kings might move him to defense, which would certainly be cool, but I would personally like to see him set up in front of the Ducks’ net, battling with Chris Pronger, and I use a lot of commas. Boyle is definitely a guy to keep on eye on, because he could either fail spectacularly or end up becoming as big an impact as Zdeno Chara.
They should have asked the Michigan goalie to join, just to be nice.
The other top centerman prospect for the Kings is Trevor Lewis, who was chosen last year with the pick the Kings received from Minnesota in the Demitra trade. Lewis played in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack and did well, scoring over a point a game. He then played a few games with Manchester and tallied 6 points in 8 games. (Small sample size and everything, but it’s a little encouraging.) Both Lewis and Boyle will likely begin the season in Manchester, but do not be surprised if either (or both) end up in LA for at least a little while next season.
I would feel better about Lewis' chances if he didn't look like Ed Norton in "Red Dragon."
After those two, there is a pretty significant drop-off in talent. The next name is probably John Zeiller, who is 26. He might catch on with the Kings as a 4th-liner and made some fans last season with his hitting, but I don’t really like him that much. He doesn’t really have a point and I think the Kings could easily replace him. There’s also Gabe Gauthier, a California native (and from what I’ve heard a really good roller hockey player), but it’s not likely that he’ll ever be more than an answer to a trivia question.
Tomorrow: The Thrilling Conclusion!
Tags: Brian Boyle, Los Angeles Kings, Patrick O'Sullivan, Scott Parse, Trevor Lewis
Selke Trophy: Making a case against Brind’Amour
(Author’s note: well, I decided to take a week off posting after a post-heavy playoffs, but I’m back. Rudy has explained nicely how Kopitar got shafted in the Calder nominations here and here, and it’s time I finally stopped procrastinating and wrote about another bad choice—Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour winning the Selke.)
First, let’s look at 5-on-5 play, where most of a player’s minutes are spent. First, though: what are murderer’s minutes? Well, it’s a term I just coined, but I’m using it to mean matching up against the top producer on the opponent’s roster. Playing against the Jaromir Jagrs or the Sidney Crosbys of the league—where in theory the best defensive forwards would be best utilized.
Thanks to Vic Ferrari’s minutes-tracking site, we can track opponent matching for 5-on-5 play, at least. In 4 games against the Rangers, Brind'Amour played in 26 of 62 of Jagr’s even-strength minutes (42%). Compare this against Pahlsson’s 1 game (9 of 13 minutes, 71%) or Pandolfo’s 8 games (103 of 134 minutes, 77%).
Or the same number of games for Crosby: Brind’Amour (14 of 44 minutes, 32%), Pahlsson (9 of 15 minutes, 60%), Pandolfo (94 of 126 minutes, 75%).
At 5-on-5, at least from these two examples, Pahlsson and Pandolfo are taking on more of the murderer’s minutes, whereas Brind’Amour is less rigorously matched.
Gabriel Desjardins’ Behind the Net site aggregates this sort of data and constructs an even-strength quality of opposition metric, a quality of linemates metric, and is able to show scoring rates with a player on the ice and when he is off the ice. These metrics are not meant to be taken as absolutes, but the do serve as an indicator of average difficulty and defensive results:
Even-strength Rod Brind’Amour: 14:41 per game
Quality of opposition: 214 / 676, Quality of teammates: 236 / 676
5-on-5 GAA on the ice: 3.10, 5-on-5 GAA off the ice 3.05
Even-strength Sammy Pahlsson: 12:43 per game
Quality of opposition: 10 / 676, Quality of teammates: 674 / 676
Even-strength Jay Pandolfo: 15:20 per game
Quality of opposition: 2 / 676, Quality of teammates 569 / 676
TAKEAWAY: Pahlsson and Pandolfo are playing among the toughest murderer’s minutes in the league, accompanied by some of the least productive linemates in the league: a really tough combination. Brind’Amour, by comparison, is playing less rigorous shutdown role alongside more capable linemates—his minutes are significantly easier, on average.
According to the Quality of opposition metric, six Carolina forwards played tougher even-strength minutes on average than Brind’Amour: Vasicek, Adams, Cole, LaRose, Stillman, and Whitney. And yet despite playing the 7th most difficult set of minutes on his team (a team that didn’t make the playoffs and finished in the bottom half of the league in goals-against), the Hurricanes had a better 5-on-5 goals-against rate with Brind’Amour off the ice than with Brind’Amour on the ice.
The real star in these even-strength minutes metrics is Jay Pandolfo, who despite playing very impressive murderer's minutes, still is able to demonstrate a significant defensive impact: The Devils have nearly a half-goal improvement in 5-on-5 GAA when Pandolfo is on the ice.
When it comes to shorthanded play, things become a little more clouded, as some of the same metrics are not available, and there's not always a clear breakdown of 4-on-5 vs. 3-on-5 vs. 3-on-4 minutes and results. All three Selke nominees were important fixtures on top-10 penalty kills, though, and here's what I've been able to amass: minutes played (both overall shorthanded and 4-on-5), a quality of opposition metric, a quality of teammates metric, and a 4-on-5 GAA rate while on the ice:
Shorthanded Rod Brind’Amour: 3:37 per game (3:24 4-on-5)
Quality of opposition: 158 / 395, Quality of teammates 123 / 395
4-on-5 GAA on the ice: 4.96
Shorthanded Sammy Pahlsson: 4:28 per game (4:10 4-on-5)
Quality of opposition: 88 / 395, Quality of teammates 168 / 395
Shorthanded Jay Pandolfo: 3:03 per game (2:57 4-on-5)
TAKEAWAY: Brind'Amour does look fairly good here, especially in relation to Pandolfo, but considering the number of minutes and the quality of minutes, you gotta give a nod to Pahlsson here; overall he played 65 more shorthanded minutes than did Brind'Amour and 115 more shorthanded minutes than did Pandolfo, all while maintaining pretty excellent results.
At any rate, when talking about overall performance, it's fair to say that Rod Brind'Amour (a) played significantly easier minutes than did Pandolfo or Pahlsson, and (b) despite the easier minutes, did not demonstrate a particularly strong defensive impact in the minutes he played. I think based on the even-strength results especially, he was the least deserving of the three nominees, and in fact, I probably would have given the award to (surprise!) Jay Pandolfo. He, above the others, was able to play the toughest minutes (in a higher-scoring eastern conference) and was able to demonstrably neutralize the best scorers in the league.
All that said, I fully expected Brind'Amour to take the trophy (as he did), because he was more visible, more recognizable, and carried better surface statistics than either of the other two. I'm not upset with the voting results, but I thought I'd lay out some reasons why I think the wrong choice was made.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.
Tags: Analysis, Jay Pandolfo, Rod Brind'Amour, Sammy Pahlsson, Selke Trophy
Someone’s Gotta Make a Stand
The NHL’s weird little award show is on tonight (I’ll bet any amount of money that the Barenaked Ladies are going to be there), but I will not be watching. It’s been over a month since hockey writers made the appalling choice to nominate Jordan Staal over Anze Kopitar as NHL’s rookie of the year, but I’m still pretty pissed about it. SI’s Alan Muir (who I think is fairly solid, if a little weird-looking) agreed, stating, “…the third finalist (for the Calder) should have been Kings forward Anze Kopitar, or even San Jose's Marc-Edouard Vlasic, both of whom earned larger roles with their respective teams.”
What do you mean I wasn't nominated?
As I have written before, I just can not fathom any position that justifies leaving Kopitar off the ballot and the only reason I'm the only one outraged about it is that it’s the NHL and that he plays for a west coast team that was out of contention most of the year. Probably the most annoying thing is that no one cares because it seems so natural. Why wouldn’t the Canadian guy with the famous brother who was on Versus 7 times and NBC 5 get more votes than the Slovenian kid from the team in LA? (In case you were curious, the Kings were on Versus and NBC once each.)
I know Earl’s position on this issue; he argues that he’d much rather get a level of performance worthy of an award than the award itself, and it’s a good point. But what bothers me is that people will look in 15-20 years at Staal’s career and mention how he was a finalist for the Calder trophy, while no one will remember that Kopitar should have been nominated. The problem is that when careers are evaluated, nobody remembers the extenuating circumstances of each season and all the little reasons that someone might have been over- or underrated. Instead, they just look at awards or point totals because it’s easier. The least the NHL could do is make sure those awards are accurate, so as not to deny a good kid like Anze Kopitar what he has earned.
I’m not asking anyone else to boycott these awards (besides, I think I can significantly affect Versus’ ratings by myself), and I know my reaction is over the top, but someone has to make a stand. I guess you could say that this makes me a hero, but I don’t like to think of it like that. I’m just a noble man out to preserve Kopitar’s honor. Okay, I guess I’m kind of a hero.
In other Kings’ news, Hockey’s Future has their Kings’ draft preview out, and it’s a pretty good brush-up on the Kings’ prospect situation right before the draft next Friday. Long story short, they have the Kings taking Karl Alzner, the defenseman for the Calgary Hitmen. (Oddly enough, they had the Kings taking James Van Riemsdyk when the article first went up, but they switched it about an hour later. Weird.) Who do I think the Kings should take? You’ll have to wait… (That’s called a hook, friends!)
Posted by RudyKelly at 12:04 PM 11 comments
Tags: Anze Kopitar, Entry Draft, Jordan Staal, Los Angeles Kings
Kings Off-Season Preview Mega-Post!
(This post is unnecessarily long, so don't miss Mike Chen's post just below it. He makes me look like a jackass by just asking his GM what he's planning on doing in the off-season rather than attempting to deduce it. Damn you, Chen!)
Now that the hockey season is officially in the books, it’s time to look ahead at what is in store for the Kings in 2007-08. The Kings seem to be very involved with free agency rumors this off-season, which makes deciphering what they will do harder than in years past. If only there were someone with a keen intellect and many hours of free time to think about something unimportant rather than trying to get laid… oh wait, that person exists. It’s me! I’m going to go through some of the major rumors and say whether I’d like them and then give my opinion on whether or not they’re likely. As always, remember that it’s just my opinion and that I’m an idiot. And away we go…
Kings sign a big-ticket free agent forward (Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Ryan Smyth)
The Kings should have money to spend this off-season (though they still have to sign Mike Cammalleri) and GM Dean Lombardi did try to sign Zdeno Chara and Patrick Elias last off-season (or so he says). If the Kings were to sign a free-agent, I’d prefer that they signed a set-up man, like Briere or Gomez, because Frolov and Cammalleri can both put the puck in the net on their own. With that being said, I’m not sure if the Kings will sign a big free-agent forward because we have good young forwards coming up and the money would be better spent on the defense. I can’t see the Kings throwing a bunch of money into one player; I’d rather they spent the money they have improving the bottom lines. The guy killing us last year was not Patrick O’Sullivan on the 2nd line, it was that Tom Kostopolous was on the team at all.
Kings sign a big-ticket free agent defenseman (Sheldon Souray, Kimmo Timmonen, Brad Stuart, Scott Hannan)
The Kings have three defenseman that will make the team barring unforeseen circumstances: Lubomir Visnovsky, Rob Blake, and Jack Johnson. After that, there’s the possibility that the Kings may re-sign Aaron Miller, but that’s pretty much it. (I refuse to accept that Oleg Tverdovsky is a legitimate option to make the team.) The guys in the minors who have a shot at making the team are Joe Piskula, Richard Petiot (coming off a knee injury), and Joe Ryan. It seems unlikely that the Kings will be content with that type of defense, however, and will have to sign someone. The problem with Souray and Timmonen is that they are the exact same type of player as Lubo, which brings me to a terrifying point: with all the rumors that Souray already has a jersey made in LA, could Lombardi be thinking about trading Lubo? We could definitely get quite the haul for him, seeing as he’s only making $2 million this year and will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Maybe Lombardi thinks that Souray is better than Lubo and maybe he’s thinking about getting someone like Patrick Marleau or perhaps a collection of younger players for him. I think the idea makes sense, but… he’s so little and adorable! Anyway, I think the Kings would be better off signing a guy like Hannan or Stuart.
How can you trade this face?
Kings sign a big-ticket free agent goaltender (J.S. Giguere)
The Kings had a little trouble with goaltending last season, in case you hadn’t heard about it. Garon is probably gone and the Kings have Jason LaBarbera (who was a man amongst boys in the AHL) and Dan “Goddammit!” Cloutier as the two most likely to suit up on opening night. Signing a goaltender like Giguere would definitely solve a lot of problems for the Kings and probably get them a playoff spot next year. I don’t think this will happen, though, because Lombardi has already signed a goaltender from the Swedish Elite League (the very Swede-sounding Erik Ersberg) and it seems likely that LaBarbera, Cloutier, and Ersberg will all get a chance in net next season. The Kings could always trade for a guy like Manny Fernandez (though he makes a little too much for my taste) or Vesa Toskala (seriously, we don’t need every player from San Jose), but I imagine LaBarbera will probably get the first opportunity in net, and that’s okay with me. I mean, why not? He’s 27 and destroyed the AHL last year, so why shouldn’t he get a shot? Besides, I generally adhere to the idea that goaltenders are needed to take a team over the top, but they can’t make a bad team a playoff contender. If the Kings signed Giguere, it’d be Khabibulin-to-Chicago redux.
Is Erik Ersberg the answer in net? No.
Kings don’t do anything big
Unfortunately for many, this seems to be the most likely option. I see the Kings signing a guy like Scott Hannan to play with Lubo on the top defensive line. I don’t like Scott Hannan, but I have a friend (a Sharks fan) who swears he’s a dependable defenseman and I believe him. (He also swears that Hannan is not really Dominic Monaghan, but I’m still skeptical.)
I swear, am I the only one who sees this?
I also see the Kings signing a dependable set-up man for the top two lines, perhaps pushing Armstrong down a little. I hate to say it, but there’s one guy who I think would be amenable to signing a short contract for around 4 million or so. It’s this little guy:
(Cue murmurs and cries of "Order!")
I know it’s sacrilegious to think of Kariya in black and purple, but it is really the best option. Kariya makes the team better in the short-term but doesn’t hurt their long-term plan. I don’t know if he’d want to come back to Southern California, or if the Kings are even interested, but it seems like a good fit. Plus, it would definitely give the Kings a “splash” signing that would somehow answer the Ducks, or something. I’d never accept him, but I wouldn’t mind if he helped Frolov score 50 goals. If they made these moves, they’d have a line-up like this going into next season:
Frolov-Cammalleri-Kariya
O’Sullivan-Kopitar-Brown
Thornton-McCauley-Lundmark
(Someone, with Ivanans filling in occasionally)-Armstrong-Willsie
Lubo-Hannan
Blake-Johnson
Piskula-Miller
LaBarbera
Ersberg
There are some problems with this set-up (mostly that I don’t know if Cammalleri would or could shift back to center and I’d like O’Sullivan to play center some day), but I like this team overall. The Kings are basically getting a free agent in Alyn McCauley, assuming he’s finally healthy, and I liked Lundmark last year. Does this team make the playoffs? Maybe. Does this team compete while not hindering the long-term plan? Yes. As guys get injured, the team can plug in Lauri Tukonen or Brian Boyle or Scott Parse if he decides to sign (rumors are that he will). Let me know in the comments what you think (and please, “your gay” is not constructive criticism). I think this is the best path for the Kings this off-season; whether Lombardi thinks the same is anyone’s guess.
Posted by RudyKelly at 2:20 PM 14 comments
Tags: Analysis, Erik Ersberg, Los Angeles Kings, Lubomir Visnovsky, Paul Kariya, Scott Hannan
Submit your question to Doug Wilson
Sharks fans, don't forget to submit your questions for Doug Wilson in the comments on this blog post. I'll be interviewing him Wednesday afternoon, so make sure to get your questions in before then.
Posted by Mike Chen at 1:53 PM 0 comments
The view from my playoff rally seat
So me and a few friends arrive around 5:30 for the fan celebration, about two hours before the real event starts. My roommate calls me to tell me to meet him at the white inflatable player, which I spot all the way across the crowd (first circle above). We proceed to cross (see me in the green shirt in the second circle), but a bit further we realize there is an impassable aisle and also, thanks to further crowding there is no going back. So we stick pretty much by that sign indicated by the arrow.
Nearby, local TV personality Bill MacDonald keeps taunting us fans with his elevated, spacious TV platform and his inflatable cup. But soon enough, in comes the real hardware, flown in by helicopter and trotted down the aisle. As they gathered up front (yes, ducks in a row), I thought that this ceremony was turning out to be awfully wedding-like.
Another surprise visit from the Governator, who you can see shaking hands with the players (Corey Perry is contemplating whether he should take a dive). Rather than listen to Arnold's "Hasta la vista baby / I'll be back" speech, the blueliners decide to listen to Scott Niedermayer's killer Kindergarten Cop routine instead: "It's naht a too-mah."
When Burke gets up to speak, the crowd goes crazy, chanting "Re-sign Jiggy!" for a near-minute. Note how Arnold is curious to see how the crafty GM will handle this touchy political situation. Finally Burke cuts through it all with a snide, "We'd like to thank Giguere's family for coming out and supporting him tonight," and continues with the usual "thank the best fans ever" speech.
"I will Terminate you all!"
The show concludes with more passing of the cup player-to-player. After the crowd challenges Teemu Selanne with chants of "One more year!", he instead offers only a Matrix-style look at his cup-carrying brilliance. And I had to include a photo of Sammy Pahlsson lifting the cup, despite the blur.
All in all, a pretty fun experience, and a really good showing by the city of Anaheim. Other than the opening act (shall we say "persistently awful"?), a fairly well-executed event.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Photos, Stanley Cup
Ducks avoid suspensions on the Tonight Show
Wow. Between Jay Leno's huge chin, Brad May's knack for suckerpunching, and Chris Pronger's head hunting elbows, I'm surprised this segment went off without a hitch.
You can watch the clip here, though I'll warn you, it's nothing worth getting excited over.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Brad May, Chris Pronger, J.S. Giguere, Stanley Cup, Television
Ducks take an early lead in the Battle of California
If any Duck fans are interested, I will be at the Fan Celebration tomorrow outside Honda Center. As usual, look for a lucky green shirt in the sea of black and orange, or come find me at Danny K’s before the event.
Fellow blogger Jes Gőlbez seems critical that Anaheim will not be having a (traditional?) parade instead, but I have two questions:
a) As a person who’s been to parades before, why exactly would a pass-me-by parade be preferable than a single-location celebration?
b) Seeing as this is the first cup win for the west coast in 80+ years, what "tradition" are we really talking about anyway?
Maybe Jes can convince me with some glorious tales of the 1925 Victoria Cougars parade.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Cartoons, Stanley Cup
Well, Hell.
So despite having a 25-year head start, the Kings will not be the first team to bring the Stanley Cup to California. We were close once (stupid McSorley, you can’t even shoot, why do you need an illegal stick?!?!?), but other than that it has been a long, tedious journey for us Kings fans. I actually thought I would be more upset that the Ducks are now Stanley Cup Champions, but I had kind of resigned myself to that fact when the Ducks went up 2-0. I guess I assumed that they'd win sooner or later, so I was ready for it. I mean, initially I felt like Ace Ventura when he finds out Einhorn is a man, but now that I've had a day to reflect I'm not too bummed. It's not like they made a miracle run like in 2003 or anything. The picture below, however, makes me want to cry:
Is it possible to give the Stanley Cup to everyone but Corey Perry?
A lot has been written about how this changes the relationship between the teams in California. Thinking about it, though, I’m not sure that this really does change a whole lot. I mean it’s not like all of the sudden the Kings are now pathetic just because the Ducks won; they were pretty pathetic before that. I felt no less shame last year when the Ducks got bounced in the Western Conference finals because they could just have easily won the whole thing last year too. The Kings are still the grandfather franchise, the Ducks are still the team no one likes, and the Sharks... well, they're there, too. There’s not really much we can do but tip our caps to the Ducks and swear we’ll get them next year. (Well, maybe two years…) All I ask is that they spell “Bruce McNall” correctly when they put his name on the Cup under the people who made this possible.
Don't worry Bruce, you still have your looks... oh, wait.
The good news is that now that the playoffs are over, you all are going to get a feast of Kings insights by yours truly! (Hey, where’s everybody going?) I’m planning on posting every Monday and Thursday, probably in the evenings because I’m lazy. Be sure to come back and check out player grades, analysis on free agent signings and which King I think is most likely to be gay. Don’t fret, Kings fans; the great thing about sports is that the next season begins as soon as the previous one ends. Go Kings.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Bruce McNall, Corey Perry, Los Angeles Kings, Stanley Cup
Perfectitude: Thoughts from the morning after
I don’t want to sound too trite here, but seriously. It doesn’t even feel like the season has ended—doesn’t it always end in a loss?
Some bullets, because my head is pretty much everywhere this morning:
Full disclosure: I totally cried last night when they showed Teemu’s tears. Sure, I was drunk, but it really struck me how much I love the guy, who showboated and popularized the Mighty Ducks for many years (including my formative years as a hockey fan). Finally, this year, he went ahead and took it a step further, and bled for the Ducks. If you ask me who I’m happiest for this morning, it’s Teemu by a longshot. Sure, others were way more important in winning the games, but Selanne got me hooked on the Ducks, and it’s awesome that he was able to deliver its first Cup / his first Cup in front of the home crowd. I’m totally going to name my daughter Teemu.
Looking back, it’s tough to think how well the Ducks dominated some really strong competition. Arguably facing the best four regular-season teams since Christmas, the Ducks dispatched three teams in five games and Detroit (the only team that had home ice against Anaheim) in six. The Red Wings certainly gave the Ducks a battle, but really, the team that I thought was best-built to beat the Ducks got knocked out in the 2nd round again. Next year we finally going to have this Battle, Sharks?
As for my current man-crush, Sammy Pahlsson played a whale of a game again last night, picking up an assist and a +3, to boot. Of course it wasn’t enough, as Scotty (my second choice) won his first Conn Smythe. People have been asking me how pissed I am, that Sammy, despite being worthy of both a Smythe and a Selke, is likely to win neither trophy (the Selke votes were in before he got noticed by eastern voters in the playoffs). I tell you the truth—I’m not pissed at all. I’d rather have the trophy-worthy performances than the trophy any day of the week, and really, my hope is that Sammy never leaves Anaheim. He signed a two year extension already this season, but when that runs out, it’ll be easier to re-sign a guy who’s got one less Selke and one less Smythe than he probably deserves.
There is a worthwhile saying in hockey: “You have to lose before you can win” (or some variation on that), and it certainly proved true for the players and the team. Six players had been to a G7 of a SC Finals and lost, and to watch them carry the cup around after bitter teases earlier in their career was thoroughly enjoyable. From a fan’s perspective, too, I think this adage holds true. I recall very strongly the bitterness that followed the team’s heartbreaking G7 loss in 2003, but this year I’ve gained some perspective on that. Had the Mighty Ducks won that cup, would this team have ever gone for Scott Niedermayer? For Chris Pronger? Or would I be cursing the lackluster postseason play of Paul Kariya right now? It’s really hard to see at the time where losing gets you, but I can certainly say that blown opportunities in ’03 and last year have really made last night all the more special for me and other Duck fans.
Well, as strange as it is not to end a season with a loss, offseason work will begin soon enough for the Ducks (probably after the rally on Saturday). Really, there are three critical questions: 1. Will Teemu retire, or will the thrill of defending the Cup lure him back? 2. Will Giguere re-sign with the Ducks, or will he hit a huge payday with another squad? 3. Has Chris Pronger requested a trade yet? I figure on the last issue, we have about a two-week window until we can breathe easy, so as I’ve been saying at the end of a lot of close games this postseason: GO CLOCK GO!
All kidding aside, it's really tough for me to tell you what this means personally. I know not everyone gets to see their team win it all, and very few get to see their team win it all for the first time. Sincerely, I hope everyone gets this chance, no matter the size of their fanbase. I mean, I guess I always thought that there was a Cup somewhere in the future for the team, but the fact that it's now happened? Well, to reiterate the most-used word last night: Unbelievable.
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Playoffs, Sammy Pahlsson, Teemu Selanne
Retirement Threat #1: how do you replace Scott Nie...
Ducks take an early lead in the Battle of Californ...
I love it when a plan comes together!!!
Ducks Gameday—Who's Anaheim's Conn Smythe?
How much do you hate this man?
Ducks Gameday—The excuses are all ready for G4
Ducks Gameday—Experimentation in alternative media...
Here's a streak to worry about, Sens fans
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1792
|
__label__wiki
| 0.566225
| 0.566225
|
Vice-Chancellor's blog and selected speeches
Updates from the VC’s Office about the work and activities of the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey.
Speech: Annual Review 2018 ‘A World of Collaboration,’ 30 January 2019
Distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen, Good evening! I am delighted to welcome you all to our Annual Review, to celebrate our achievements of the past year, and to focus our efforts anew as we welcome another exciting but challenging year.
Tonight’s theme is ‘A World of Collaboration’.
At Surrey, our successes as a world-class university are dependent on collaborations. Thriving partnerships with government, business and other institutions are critical to the research and innovation, education, and entrepreneurship that change people’s lives. And when we talk about collaborations, ‘small’ does not mean ‘unimportant’: daily collaborations create ripples; ripples create networks, and networks make Surrey strong.
This is also true of our local partnerships with our community in Surrey. We directly affect our regional economy and society, from education and innovation to housing, health and social care. Our mission is to enrich the environment and community surrounding us, and to benefit from their support and partnership. We work towards this end every day.
Surrey today is a truly global university.
Our academics, students and alumni shine the spotlight on Guildford and Surrey through their work in veterinary medicine, musical theatre, 5G telecommunications, Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and nutrition, to name but a few.
We are proud to make a £1.75b contribution to the national economy by creating knowledge, jobs and partnerships; our Professional Training programme is one of the largest in the country, with over 2,300 providers in the UK and overseas.
World-leading research & measurable impact
Surrey has long been at the forefront of research and innovation that change lives for the better. Recently, for example, our world-leading Sleep Research Centre has developed a blood test to measure for sleep deprivation, which could help keep our roads and skies safer. The world’s first machine that turns Sign Language into written English will be built by Surrey’s renowned Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing. From the world’s first small satellite, to the quantum well laser, to the RemoveDebris project, our world-leading research has always been fruitful collaborations with sponsors and partners.
The 5G Innovation Centre is going from strength to strength, thanks to support from the UK government and numerous industrial partners. The £16m testbed can now support more than one million users – the largest capacity 5G test network in the world for research and development. This means that companies can now test their advanced applications of 5G technologies in an environment that’s as close to market as possible. We are also supporting three projects funded by the Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, which aims to cement the UK’s position as a world leader in the development of 5G and its applications.
This year, our School of Veterinary Medicine graduates its first cohort of veterinary surgeons — not just “more vets,” but “Surrey vets!” In partnership with a network of vet clinics and practices, including Pirbright Institute and Fitzpatrick Referrals, Surrey vets are uniquely trained, confident and competent graduates. I know they will go on to make huge contributions to the world, like our 115,000 alumni around the globe have done.
The ‘Hollywood of Games’: an international hub
Some of you may know that Guildford is dubbed ‘the Hollywood of Games’ – it is one of the biggest and most established hubs of games activity in the UK. We are proud to host ‘Galvanising Guildford Games’ — the ‘G3’ Conference. Now in its 4th year, it enables collaboration between games developers and specialists from across the industry. It’s important to the UK economy that this vibrant games community continues to thrive, and that Guildford-based games studios are given the support they need to continue producing great games with global appeal.
Measuring up: impact & contribution 2017-18
We are proud to call Guildford home, and we are more engaged with our local community than ever. Did you know that the university employs over 3,400 people? Together with the Research Park, we supported some 17,800 jobs across the UK. And over 8,000 Surrey alumni live in the Guildford area. Our students alone raised more than £10k for our local charities last year. More than 100 thousand people annually come to our public events and sporting activities. This truly reflects our belief in thinking globally and acting locally, in fulfilling our mission to contribute to society.
The towns and businesses in Surrey are the ‘living laboratory’ for our research on everything from air pollution to dementia. Guildford and our surrounding towns are the first to hear about, and to benefit from, the University’s cutting-edge research in so many areas.
Further, we collaborate on a wide range of local activities. From the traditional to the unconventional, from informal partnerships to direct sponsorship, we are supporting innovation and collaboration all around us.
The University and Guildford Borough Council jointly created the Guildford Roll of Honour award, to celebrate Guildford’s thriving innovation culture and rich intellectual life. We were delighted to see Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon recognised with this award in 2018 for his inspirational career, injecting positive energy and bringing people together in our community.
We sponsor Innovate Guildford, a free, one-day Science & Arts Festival showcasing advanced technologies and giving an insight into the amazing knowledge, innovation and creativity in the region.
Our music department presents Orchestra Day, an opportunity for local musicians to practise with players of all ages and skills. Just a few days ago, on 27 January, Orchestra Day celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein.
The University has been a proud sponsor and supporter of the Guildford Book Festival since 1990.
And events like Bright Club and Pint of Science continue to amaze and entertain, while keeping our high-flyer academics out of trouble for a few nights.
‘Finding our Futures’ at Kings College
Just around the corner from us is Kings College, which needed help to improve its OFSTED ‘Inadequate’ rating in December 2016. The University, through a team led by Hannah Trott, provides students and parents with a better awareness of future options and support for learning. For a community dealing with many challenges, the difference between a failing school and a thriving one is enormous. Working together with the University and other partners, Kings College achieved a dramatic transformation from ‘inadequate’ to ‘Good’ in 18 months.
The future of international tourism starts here
Our School of Hospitality & Tourism Management already leads the world, ranked one of the top 5 globally. The new Learning Hotel due to be built in partnership will further strengthen its global position, and contribute to local and international tourism. The School will use this exciting facility as living labs for health and wellbeing research — for example, on sleep, nutrition and food science, exercise and technology, and data driven hotel and tourism management. This, combined with a state-of-the art teaching and learning hub, will give our students an exceptional world-class experience and further enhance their employability.
Collaborating with the world
We are a founding member of the University Global Partnership Network (UGPN). Last year we hosted the UGPN summit, a very productive event in enhancing collaborations in student exchange and research. Times Higher Education’s ‘Young Universities’ summit this year will bring some 250 university leaders from over 40 countries to Guildford to discuss how we can help shape the best possible future for our students and global society. Working together with partner institutions globally, we drive change and create opportunities for the future. We share the expertise of our world-class researchers, and actively cultivate new talent who aren’t afraid to take risks in addressing the grand challenges of our times.
Partnerships for the future
Last but not least, I would like to thank all our partners and supporters, including all of you here in this room.
Our corporate partners include the thousands of companies who place our students for their Professional Training Year, and the hundreds of companies that support our research and innovation projects. We are also grateful to the many individuals who support our SETsquared partnership and Surrey 100 Club of angel investors, and the many generous donors who provide significant support for scholarships, research fellowships, equipment and projects.
Without you, our achievements would not be possible.
I could go on with a long list, but I am afraid you would be here all night!
To conclude, in today’s uncertain and challenging times, more than ever we rely on each other. Whilst someone across the Atlantic wants to build more walls, we’re about bringing down walls and building more bridges! Within organisations, we depend upon the talent and dedication of our people. Between organisations, we look to each other for new perspectives, shared resources and support. Very little of value can be achieved if we insist upon acting alone with our limited resources. When we form partnerships, we strengthen exponentially.
What will the world of collaboration be like tomorrow?
I am convinced that our future together will be even better — and indeed brilliant. We look forward to working with each and every one of you in this room, and beyond, for a better future!
Kris Henley
Alumni, Collaboration, Community engagement, Global partnerships, Higher education, International, Speeches, University of Surrey
5G Innovation Centre, Annual Review 2018, Bright Club, Hannah Trott, Hollywood of Games, Kings College Guildford, Learning Hotel, Pint of Science, Research Park, School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, UGPN, Widening Participation
Speech: High Sheriff’s Dinner Opening Address, 25 January 2019
Blog: The evolution of higher education: a Vice-Chancellor’s view of the future
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1796
|
__label__wiki
| 0.797136
| 0.797136
|
Aurora Orchestra takes off with Music of the Spheres tour
‘There is geometry in the humming of the strings. There is music in the spacing of the spheres.’ Pythagoras (569 – 490BC)
Aurora takes Music of the Spheres to Canterbury, Birmingham and London (June 2019)
Orchestral Theatre production is inspired by the ancient Greek idea that the revolution of the planets generates celestial music
Violinist Pekka Kuusisto makes his debut with Aurora in Thomas Adès’ Violin Concerto ‘Concentric Paths’
Nicholas Collon conducts performances of Mozart’s ‘Jupiter Symphony’ from memory and a new work by Max Richter
Immersed workshops with eight Islington schools offer young people the chance to experience classical music close up in a new way
Aurora Orchestra presents its most visually striking production to date - Music of the Spheres, part of its Orchestral Theatre series. In this series, Aurora stages vibrant orchestral adventures that span diverse musical genres and art forms, rethinking the concert format and offering bold new ways to engage with orchestral music. The concept for this project is based on music of the spheres, an ancient Greek concept by Pythagoras that the movement of the planets produces a celestial harmony of profound beauty and significance. This poetic idea of music in the cosmos inaudible to the human ear became an enduring concept for thinkers and scientists in understanding the universe for about two thousand years, from antiquity to the Renaissance.
The production incorporates elements of lighting, visuals, animation, and pre-recorded audio narration by actor Samuel West, to richly explore the musical programme and the ancient concept of the music of the spheres. It is designed and directed by Aurora’s resident team of creatives in collaboration with Creative Director Jane Mitchell. At Canterbury and London, the orchestra performs within a light installation – designed by Kate Wicks (production designer) and William Reynolds (lighting designer) – that combines the curvatures of an orchestra with a beautiful 17th-century diagram of Pythagoras’ harmonic order of the cosmos.
At the heart of the concert is a performance of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony – the composer’s longest and last symphony – played by the orchestra entirely from memory. A new work written specially for this project – Max Richter’s Journey (CP1919) – will be performed in the dark and is inspired by the discovery of the first Pulsar star, CP1919, and uses rhythms governed by the same ratios used by the ancient astronomers to describe the orbits of the planets. The programme is completed with Thomas Adès’ soaring Violin Concerto ‘Concentric Paths’, with soloist Pekka Kuusisto and Beethoven’s Molto adagio from String Quartet No. 8 in E minor. Music of the Spheres will travel to the Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Canterbury (1 June), Town Hall, Birmingham (4 June – adapted version) and Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (5 June). It was premiered at the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore (26 April).
Nicholas Collon, Principal Conductor, says: ‘It’s been an absolute joy to revisit Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’, a symphony that we memorised back in 2016 for the BBC Proms. The inner workings of this miracle are a particular delight to delve into – to peel back the many layers and internalise them. I’m also delighted to bring Pekka Kuusisto to work with Aurora for the first time. He is an ideal partner for Adès’ astonishing Violin Concerto, uncovering every gleaming facet of this mercurial masterpiece.’
Jane Mitchell, Creative Director, says: 'I have always been fascinated by how music was viewed by the ancient Greek philosophers and how music, astronomy, maths and magic were once entirely interlinked. It is incredible how much of those very early concepts of intervals, tones and scales are still embedded in what we do today. Placing those ancient concepts alongside music by composers such as Mozart or Thomas Adès brings out how strongly we are still linked to the ancient past. In Music of the Spheres, we hope audiences feel a sense of wonder, feel immersed in each piece, and reflect on the experience of music itself and how it affects us. We’d really like audiences to hear pieces they may know well, or have never heard before, in a context which makes new connections.’
Resident Orchestra at Kings Place and Associate Orchestra at Southbank Centre, Aurora is one of Europe’s leading chamber orchestras, critically acclaimed for its world-class performances, adventurous programming and creative concert formats. In recent years, it has pioneered performing entire symphonies from memory, offering audiences the opportunity to experience symphonic music in a completely new and thrillingly direct way.
Aurora is passionate about reaching new audiences of all backgrounds and bringing unique live classical music experiences to people wherever they are. The orchestra’s Immersed programme takes symphonic music out of the concert hall through interactive and immersive performances and workshops around the UK. Immersed harnesses the orchestra’s freedom from printed scores, music stands and chairs to welcome young people physically inside an orchestra performing from memory, offering participants the unique opportunity to experience live orchestral music close up – for example lying down in the center of the musicians or conducting the orchestra. Aurora will offer Immersed workshops of Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’ for around 230 students from Years 4-6 at eight Islington schools in June, in partnership with Islington Council’s recently launched programme, 11 by 11, a commitment to make available 11 outstanding cultural experiences by Year 11 for all children and young people attending Islington schools.
Later this summer Aurora presents an orchestral theatre staging of Berlioz’s otherworldly Symphonie fantastique at the BBC Proms 2019 (Thursday 12 September). Using imaginative design, lighting and choreography, and performing the work entirely from memory, the orchestra will offer the audience a new way to explore the colour and imagination of Berlioz’s world. The orchestra will also perform the work from memory at the Snape Proms (Thursday 29 August) and Saffron Walden (Tuesday 10 September).
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1800
|
__label__cc
| 0.663093
| 0.336907
|
Nanjing Chervon Industry was awarded as national “Green Factory”
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China released the 2nd batch of green manufacturing best practice list. Nanjing Chervon Industry was awarded as national “Green Factory” and became the only company in Nanjing that won this honor.
The Green Power Industrial Park of Nanjing Chervon Industry is a garden-style factory set amidst lush trees. Walking in the factory, the most noticeable thing are the solar panels on the plant roof and street lamps. This is a distributed solar photovoltaic project, laying a total of more than 17,000 square meters. With the use of solar energy, it can save more than 3 million kilowatt hours per year, which is equivalent to one year's electricity consumption of 1,000 families.
The products produced by the “Green Factory” are also green. In 2014, Chervon developed the world's first 56V lithium garden tool EGO which was described as “Tesla” in the garden tool industry for the outstanding features of its cleaner, more efficient, and more environmental-friendly products. EGO has quickly gained spotlight in the global market and led the garden tool industry into the era of new energy.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1804
|
__label__cc
| 0.732845
| 0.267155
|
Tricontinental Master in Business Management
Tricontinental Master in Business Management - Lima
In just one year, you will master the new global trends in management
Receive three international certifications from recognized business schools
Differentiate yourself with a strategic and global vision of business
Beginning Advantages Courses Professors International Trip Contact Us How to Apply Regulations Frequently Asked Questions
seccion-beginning
Tricontinental Master in Business Management is a high-level masters program, which is designed to develop leaders with a global and integrated view of business. Three prestigious schools come together to offer this unbeatable full-time alternative.
Apply for an 84% scholarship
INTENSIVE 12 months
From Monday to Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
S/. 74,900
Young professionals up to 26 years old with a high potential for leadership positions who are seeking to expand their vision of business
Make a comprehensive view of international business available to students.
Enhance the knowledge of students with a theoretical and practical methodology focused on strategy.
Give an ethical and social responsibility perspective to businesses.
PROFESSORS AND METHOD
During classroom sessions, teachers develop Harvard Business School cases and methodologies.
Students participate with their experiences and decisions that they had taken in those situations.
The courses are taught by expert professors from CENTRUM PUCP, University of Victoria and the Maastricht School of Management.
CENTRUM PUCP offers scholarships consisting of a 78% discount off the list price.
Investment List Price: S / 74,900
Registration Fee: S / .1,000
Campus of CENTRUM Lima, Perú
Campus of University of Victoria, Canadá
Campus of JKU Johannes Kepler University, Austria
Start your enrollment process and take your career to the next level.
seccion-advantages
These are the advantages of taking the Tricontinental Master in Business Management:
You will receive an academic degree with simultaneous triple certification:
Master in Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.
Certification in Business Administration by Johannes Kepler University, Victoria University, and CENTRUM PUCP Graduate Business School.
In just one year, you will gain extensive international business experience.
You will receive a strong academic and practical training that will improve your knowledge in strategic management.
You will be guided by professors with high academic qualifications, proven experience in business and magnificent personal qualities.
You will be able to expand your network of contacts upon joining the community of CENTRUM PUCP, Maastricht School of Management and the University of Victoria.
You will have the chance to be invited to Beta Gamma Sigma, the honorary society of students, graduates and the world’s most important professors.
You will have access to job offers and fairs with CENTRUM Placements.
You will receive advice on employability by LHH-DBM Peru.
seccion-courses
The Tricontinental Master in Business Management comprises in its bilingual curricular structure in the areas of Strategy and Leadership, Finance, Marketing and Operations. To pass the program, you must successfully complete these subjects, in addition to supporting and passing a thesis.
CENTRUM PUCP may make changes in the curricula, or sequence of courses or teachers, according to its policy of continuous improvement. Failure to comply with the required quorum CENTRUM PUCP reserves the right to postpone the start of courses and programs.
In today's changing globalized world, managers face the challenge of creating adapting and changing organizations in order to obtain and maintain the success. Therefore, managers must develop skills for the strategic design of flexible, dynamic and well-targeted structures that enable organizations to successfully compete and cooperate over time. This course reviews the main foundations of modern management that allow participants to develop the capacities for strategically design highly competitive organizations.
Sistemic Integration & E-business
Information and knowledge are invaluable resources in today’s organizations. Knowing the methods, techniques and tools to exploit them is an unavoidable challenge for individuals, groups and organizations. Not only for specialists in information technology, but also for the MBA students in their role as business managers. Information systems and information technologies (IT) are critical to the survival and success of business. Their impact can be seen not only in the operation of the company but also in its strategies and in the search for and maintenance of competitive advantages. More so in a globalized world where borders fade quickly and a digital culture is imposed globally. Technology in general has changed the way companies do business, the competitive environment and the geographical area in which they develop production, sales, training, customer loyalty, and much more. Business managers seek to understand the impact these changes generate and, more importantly, will generate in the future. In that sense, the manager uses the advantages that information technology offers today to support business strategies in the new economy and electronic markets, all of which warrants updating the organization, control and management of businesses oriented towards their customers.
Management Accounting & Control
The accounting and financial information is a reflection of business activities and is the main tool for planning, control, and for taking socially responsible decisions, up to the point of being called “the language of business”. However, most of the time is not an easy language to understand for those who are not directly related to financial reporting as it is based on a set of international standards for financial information.
The aim of the course is to introduce participants to the concepts and principles of financial accounting as a basic element for managerial control and decision making. The learning approach is from the user's point of view and in terms of its use for managerial control, that is, the course is intended to show "how to use" accounting for managerial purposes, rather than "how to do it". In this part, we study financial statements (Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Statement, Equity Statement and Cash Flow Statement) as basic tools of control, and analyze the principles related to financial transactions in monetary assets, inventories, fixed assets, debts, income and net worth. These tools are used in a socially responsible approach to decision making.
DecisionMaking Techniques
Company decision-making processes are often complex as a result of the influence of many factors on the main interest variables as well as the transcendent nature of the consequences of the decisions. Even more so, in our times when the competitiveness of firms is related to their ability to adapt very quickly to changing conditions in their environment. Decision-making processes need not only be intuitive or based on the expectations and experience of the decision maker. On the contrary, the manager now has a number of techniques and tools to analyze decisions. This course presents the methods and main quantitative tools for the process of decision-making and special attention is given to the development of models to simulate real management problems in areas such as marketing, planning production operations, logistics, finance, continuous improvement processes and strategic planning. The knowledge and skill in the application of these techniques by modern managers is a competitive factor of the first order that results in a better contribution to the decisions of the company and the achievement of its strategic objectives.
Thesis Seminar I
The Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association describe requirements for the preparation and submission of manuscripts for publication (American Psychological Association [APA], 2010). As a document established by the American Psychological Association, the APA Manual is presented as an academic tool that guides and illustrates the style to be followed in presentations of academic manuscripts. It provides guidance on: (a) the types of articles; (b) the role of ethics in publications; (c) the structure of the manuscript; (d) writing style; (e) the use of tables and graphics; and (f) source citations and references.
The course introduces the fundamentals of the behavior of the individual, the group and of the organization in the workplace. We discuss the role of the individual as the basic unit of an organization, analyzing it from various perspectives: values, skills, personality, perception, learning and motivation. We also analyze the formation of groups, their nature and the decision making processes at the organizational level, in the framework of the concepts of power, politics, conflict, teams, leadership and communication; the influence of behavior on organizational culture and change, and ways to manage it. Knowledge of the physiological bases is reinforced, as well as the social interaction from which individual behavior can be understood. Learning desired behaviors, sustaining motivation, group behavior, the management of organizational change and learning and responsible action in team are elements of that understanding, and so, contribute significantly to the results of the organization and to sustaining its competitive advantage in a sustainable manner.
Financial Resources Management
Financial resources should be professionally managed in order to identify the key variables that must be taken into account when making business decisions. This course provides the general framework for an efficient and effective decision-making process, which involves recognizing the business opportunities and needs, the capabilities, and financial means so as to address them considering the cost and risk implications that these decisions involve. The course emphasizes the decision making process within the Financial area, whose main objective is to maximize the company’s market value. To achieve this objective, the Financial Management must use the concepts, tools, and techniques that will be reviewed in this course. A special emphasis on the Peruvian financial market analysis will be made, but the course will be focused on a global perspective.
Budgeting & Cost
Administrative management consists of two important moments: that prior to the action that corresponds to the time when decisions are made and translated into plans and budgets and subsequent to the action, the evaluation of the decisions, and that which corresponds to Control and translates into costs. This course deals with those two moments and how managers obtain valid information for their management.
Capital Markets & Financial Engineering
When a surplus agent assumes the deficit agent’s counterparty risk, we are talking about a capital market operation. Important events in global financial markets, such as banking disintermediation, globalization, and information technology, have supported the operations and instruments in this market so that the growth is greater in the field of finance. The perspective of this course is to analyze the main market operations and instruments considering the hedging and arbitrage. The course will mainly have a global focus with specific applications to the Peruvian market.
Corporate Crises Management
Any company is subject to suffer a crisis, whether it realizes it or not. Therefore, it is essential to understand that crises are connected with the internal and external networks of the organizations, and that their scope and magnitude have been increasing more due to mankind rather than natural disasters. A crisis can be the outcome of sudden change, or one coming from an evolutionary process. In the case of an evolutionary change due to human reason, this is not a strange and unusual event. Rather it is the result of a conflict situation badly handled, and that has been escalating to a critical point. Actually, a crisis can reach both organizational and personal environments, so that it becomes vital to be prepared and able to understand, prevent, address, and manage them as a part of our daily life. This course will provide the students with a comprehensive knowledge in relation to the phenomenon of a crisis and its impact on the individual inside and outside the organizations. It will also provide practical knowledge and tools to prevent and manage crisis from a vision that integrates the theory of crisis with the conflict theory from an organizational and personal approach.
Strategic Change
The course reviews the procedure to be followed throughout this stage of the thesis development, regarding both administrative and academic issues. On the other hand, it helps students understand the structure of each of the thesis sections, and demonstrate this on the building of their document. Also it provides feedback on how to apply the tools leading to the final presentation.
TERM IV - CANADA
International Marketing & Global Strategy
International Logistics & Supply Chain Management
North American Business Context
TERM V - HOLLAND
Business Development & Entrepreneurial Environment
European Business Context
Consulting Methods & Practice
South American Business Context
seccion-
seccion-international-trip
Peter B. Gustavson Business School of the University of Victoria
https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/
University of Victoria is an academic company focused on innovation and research. It is located in British Columbia, Canada, and its programs are more than 20,000 students.
The Tricontinental program includes a trip to Canada to follow four courses that will be taught in English, fourth quarter, on the Victoria campus.
The Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria has not only been named for the second year in a row to the 100 best Management Programs worldwide by the Financial Times (FT) for its Master Program in Global Business (MGB) , the school has risen on the list with the international mobility of the program (12) and the experience of the international course (21), which is among the best in the list of the best in the world.
http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-management-2018
JKU University Johannes Kepler
https://www.jku.at/en/
The Johannes Kepler University (JKU) of Linz and its image are strongly shaped by future-oriented study programs, the best performance in research, local collaborations and the “green” campus. With its creation in 1966, the JKU university, is a young university and once, a university with the best scientific universities in Austria, and once again, has become a center of momentum for science, economics and society . Sixty different study programs for more than 19,000 students. In addition, the performance of documents and institutes in research is accepted and recognized throughout the world. ”
The program includes the costs of the courses and the materials used in them.
Does not include accommodation or food.
It does not include passport costs or visa fees.
It does not include travel insurance, cost of air tickets, excess baggage cost, communications, personal consumption or other unspecified expenses.
seccion-contact-us
Ask all the information you need; we take care to ensure you attain academic and professional success.
Mariana Salmón
Telephone: (511) 626-7100 anexo 7102
E-mail: msalmon@pucp.edu.pe
Giovanna Foullman
E-mail: gfoullman@pucp.edu.pe
You can also request information by visiting our campus in: Daniel Alomía Robles Jr. 125 Urbanization Los Alamos de Monterrico – Surco, Lima – Peru.
seccion-how-to-apply
Consult a training advisor about starting the admission process for the Tricontinental Master in Business Management. Your application is processed approximately three months prior to the time the program is launched, provided you meet with delivering required documents. The process is completed with an interview for which we will contact you.
You must have a university degree.
Be at no older than 26 at the beginning of the program.
Be approved in the aptitude test.
Confirmed mastery of English at an advanced level.
Full-time availability.
Have a favorable outcome in the personal interview.
Documents required to be called to take the admissions exam:
Fill out the Registration Form. Registration for Admission.
Photocopy of Bachelor degree.
Undocumented Curriculum Vitae in English
Simple copy of the National Identity Document – DNI (both sides), or Foreigner’s Card or Passport, in the case of foreign applicants.
Proof of the registration the bachelor’s degree in the National Superintendency of Higher Education University (SUNEDU) for applicants who studied in Peru. If the university has not registered the academic degree or college diploma in SUNEDU, the applicant must submit a copy of the diploma or academic degree authenticated by the university that issued it (*). If the applicant has studied abroad, he must submit a notarized copy of his degree.(*) It is indispensable that during their studies, and before their completion, they submit the record of the registration of their bachelor’s degree in SUNEDU, in order to be able to register their future master’s degree to the SUNEDU.
“Plagiarism is unacceptable behavior contrary to the spirit of knowledge generated by the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, CENTRUM PUCP condemns plagiarism in all activities”. We recommend reading the following document: “Why and how should we combat plagiarism?”.
The program cost does not include extraordinary academic rights.
Prices and conditions of the program are subject to change.
The costs of international travel are partially covered (see International Travel tab).
It is mandatory to prove a mastery of English at an advanced level to graduate.
Reception of documents
Send your documents or request further information:
Yesica Siu
Telephone: 626-7162 / 937723458
E-mail: ysiu@pucp.pe
seccion-regulations
Achieving studies CENTRUM PUCP Business School is a very important personal decision that involves evaluating, known and accepted, among others, academic, economic, administrative and disciplinary conditions to be met throughout their period of studies, the degree of commitment and dedication necessary to successfully complete this great professional project. That is why, it is necessary to know the content of the following standards as well as take into account its importance, before starting the admission process. With the start of the admissions process, you acknowledge and accept this standard, and that from that moment can not be alleged ignorance of it.
Guidelines on regulations
Regulations of economic aspects
Guideline on economic services
Student Disciplinary Regulations
DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM
Doctor of Business Administration from Maastricht School of Management, the Netherlands, Doctor of Strategic Business Administration from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. He holds a Master of Philosophy from Maastricht School of Management, a Master’s degree in Top Management and Leadership from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) and Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña. He also holds a Diploma in Nuclear Engineering from the Institute of Nuclear Studies, Spain
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1809
|
__label__wiki
| 0.554886
| 0.554886
|
Go Back to Shop
Go Back to Shop All CategoriesDrawingsEarly worksInterestingJournals and notesProfessional life
HomeBlogInterestingPublication
Interesting, Journals and notes, Professional life
Leonardo illustrated a book on mathematical proportion in art written by his close friend Luca Pacioli and called De divina proportione, published in 1509. He was also preparing a major treatise on his scientific observations and mechanical inventions. It was to be divided into a number of sections or “Books”, Leonardo leaving some instructions as to how they were to be ordered. Many sections of it appear in his notebooks.
These pages deal with scientific subjects generally but also specifically as they touch upon the creation of artworks. In relating to art, this is not science that is dependent upon experimentation or the testing of theories. It deals with detailed observation, particularly the observation of the natural world, and includes a great deal about the visual effects of light on different natural substances such as foliage.
Leonardo illustrated a book on mathematical proportion in art written by his friend Luca Pacioli and called De divina proportione, published in 1509. He was also preparing a major treatise on his scientific observations and mechanical inventions. It was to be divided into a number of sections or “Books”, Leonardo leaving some instructions as to how they were to be ordered. Many sections of it appear in his notebooks.
Leonardo’s notes and journals
Interesting, Journals and notes
Leonardo kept a series of journals in which he wrote almost daily, as well as separate notes and sheets of observations, comments and plans. He wrote and drew with his left hand. Most of his writing is in mirror script, which makes it difficult to read. Much has survived to illustrate Leonardo’s studies, discoveries and...
Drawings, Interesting, Journals and notes
Leonardo began the formal study of the topographical anatomy of the human body when apprenticed to Verrocchio. He would have been taught to draw the human body. Also, he memorized the muscles, tendons and visible subcutaneous structure and familiarised himself with the mechanics of the various parts of the skeletal and muscular structure. It was...
Post Сomment
Drawings, Early works, Interesting
For an artist working in the 15th century, some study of the nature of light was essential. It was by the effective painting of light falling on a surface that modelling.
Early works, Interesting
In the early 16th century maps were rare and often inaccurate. Leonardo produced several accurate maps such as the town plan of Imola created in order to win the patronage.
Interesting, Professional life
As Leonardo became successful as an artist, he was given permission to dissect human corpses at the hospital Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. Later he dissected in Milan at the hospital.
davinci.alidropship.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1818
|
__label__wiki
| 0.532696
| 0.532696
|
Classic Literature Collection
Penn State University's Electronic Classics Series Collection
PSU's Electronic Classics Series, Great Literary Works in PDF Penn State's Electronic Classics: The PSU's Electronic Classics Series Site was created and is maintained by Jim Manis. These files include original work published in hard copy by the Pennsylvania State University and classical works of literature in English.
The First Book of the Kings, Commnonly Called: The Third Book of t...
By: Various
Excerpt: The First Book of the Kings, Commonly Called: The Third Book of the Kings, the Eleventh Book of the King James Version of the Bible.
Twelve Stories and a Dream
By: H.G. Wells
Excerpt: Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells.
Twelfth Night or What You Will
By: William Shakespeare
Excerpt: Twelfth Night or What You Will.
One of Our Conquerors
By: George Meredith
Excerpt: One of Our Conquerors by George Meredith.
20, 000 Leagues under the Sea
By: Jules Verne
Excerpt: The year 1866 was signalised by a remarkable inci dent, a mysterious and puzzling phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to mention rumours which agitated the maritime population and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, both of Europe and America, naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several States on th...
Twenty Three Tales
By: Leo Tolstoy
Excerpt: This volume is divided into seven parts. First we have Tales for Children, published about the year 1872, and reminding us of the time when Tolstoy was absorbed in efforts to educate the peasant children. This section of the book contains the two stories which of all that he has written Tolstoy likes best. In What is Art? he claims no place among examples of good art for any of his own productions ?except for the story God sees the Truth, but Waits, which seeks ...
The Two Brothers Tranlated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
By: Honore De Balzac
Excerpt: The Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac, translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley.
A Tale of Two a Tale of Two Cities
By: Charles Dickens
Excerpt: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present...
Excerpt: Two Gentlemen of Verona.
The Second Jungle Book
By: Rudyard Kipling
Excerpt: The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.
The Second Funeral of Napoleon
By: William Makepeace Thackeray
Excerpt: It is no easy task in this world to distinguish between what is great in it, and what is mean; and many and many is the puzzle that I have had in reading History (or the works of fiction which go by that name), to know whether I should laud up to the skies, and endeavor, to the best of my small capabilities, to imitate the remarkable character about whom I was reading, or whether I should fling aside the book and the hero of it, as things altogether base, unwort...
Excerpt: The Rue Du Tourniquet-Saint-Jean, formerly one of the darkest and most tortuous of the streets about the Hotel de Ville, zigzagged round the little gardens of the Paris Prefecture, and ended at the Rue Martroi, exactly at the angle of an old wall now pulled down. Here stood the turnstile to which the street owed its name; it was not removed till 1823, when the Municipality built a ballroom on the garden plot adjoining the Hotel de Ville, for the fete given in ho...
Two Penniless Princesses
By: Charlotte Mary Yonge
Excerpt: Young people. Dunbar Castle, standing on steep rocks above the North Sea, was not only inaccessible on that side, but from its donjon tower commanded a magnificent view, both of the expanse of waves, taking purple tints from the shadows of the clouds, with here and there a sail fleeting before the wind, and of the rugged headlands of the coast, point beyond point, the nearer distinct, and showing the green summits, and below, the tossing waves breaking white aga...
The Two Sides of the Shield
Preface: It is sometimes treated as an impertinence to revive the personages of one story in another, even though it is after the example of Shakespeare, who revived Falstaff, after his death, at the behest of Queen Elizabeth. This precedent is, however, a true impertinence in calling on the very great to justify the very small!
Twice Told Tales
Excerpt: There was once a time when New England groaned under the actual pressure of heavier wrongs than those threatened ones which brought on the Revolution. James II, the bigoted successor of Charles the Voluptuous, had annulled the charters of all the colonies, and sent a harsh and unprincipled soldier to take away our liberties and endanger our religion. The administration of Sir Edmund Andros lacked scarcely a single characteristic of tyranny: a Governor and Counci...
The History of the Thirty Years' War in Germany
By: Friedrich Schiller
Preface: The present is the only collected edition of the principal works of Schiller which is accessible to English readers. Detached poems or dramas have been translated at various times, and sometimes by men of eminence, since the first publication of the original works; and in several instances these versions have been incorporated, after some revision or necessary correction, into the following collection; but on the other hand a large proportion of the contents hav...
Three Ghost Stories
Excerpt: ?Halloa! Below there!? When he heard a voice thus calling to him, he was standing at the door of his box, with a flag in his hand, furled round its short pole. One would have thought, considering the nature of the ground, that he could not have doubted from what quarter the voice came; but instead of looking up to where I stood on the top of the steep cutting nearly over his head, he turned himself about, and looked down the Line. There was something remarkable ...
By: Alexandre Dumas
Preface: In which it is proved that, notwithstanding their names? ending in os and is, the heroes of the story which we are about to have the honor to relate to our readers have nothing mythological about them.
Ten Years Later
Excerpt: Towards the middle of the month of May, in the year 1660, at nine o?clock in the morning, when the sun, already high in the heavens, was fast absorbing the dew from the ramparts of the castle of Blois a little cavalcade, composed of three men and two pages, re-entered the city by the bridge, without producing any other effect upon the passengers of the quay beyond a first movement of the hand to the head, as a salute, and a second movement of the tongue to expre...
Excerpt: The Shade of Cardinal Richelieu. In a splendid chamber of the Palais Royal, formerly styled the Palais Cardinal, a man was sitting in deep reverie, his head supported on his hands, leaning over a gilt and inlaid table which was covered with letters and papers. Behind this figure glowed a vast fireplace alive with leaping flames; great logs of oak blazed and crackled on the polished brass andirons whose flicker shone upon the superb habiliments of the lonely tena...
Copyright © World Library Foundation. All rights reserved. eBooks from School eBook Library are sponsored by the World Library Foundation,
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1820
|
__label__wiki
| 0.869048
| 0.869048
|
Electric Bodies
‘Electric Bodies’ Workshop 3
Untitled drawing by Colin Hambrook
By Allan Sutherland
As part of ‘Electric Bodies’ we ran a series of three workshops discussing attitudes to disability arts and the disability arts community among disabled artists from a variety of backgrounds. The second session was held with a group of people who were, on the whole, less established as disabled artists within the disability arts sector than the participants in the first workshop.
The session on 27 November 2017 was led by Allan Sutherland and Colin Hambrook. Participants were live artist Aaron Williamson, digital artist Jon Adams, film-maker Richard Butchins, live artist Katherine Araniello, composer/ writer Ailís Ní Ríain, and artist/ writer Charlie Devus.
We had expected this group of established artists to be the most questioning of disability arts, and they lived up to expectation. What was interesting, however, was that on the whole they did not so much express hostility towards the idea of disability arts as manifest a desire to preserve their own individual creative voice.
The question ‘Do you call yourself a disabled person?’ received quite nuanced responses. Most of the group felt that the label was something they might or might not use, according to context. Katherine pointed out that she didn’t have much choice: “Society sees me as a disabled person”, but felt that being “surrounded by a stereotypical representation of disability” gave her a lot of artistic material to work with.
None of the group called themself ‘a disability artist’, though they all made work that drew upon their experience of disability. Katherine found the term a bit awkward. “If I used it, it would be to create satire around that label”.
Richard said that he had been shocked to find that he was featured as an Outsider Artist. Aaron pointed out that ‘disabled artist’ and ‘disability artist’ are two different things. Charlie commented that Outsider Art is “almost entirely a marketing term”.
Asked about their experience of disability, the group talked significantly about barriers to their artistic careers. These included difficulty accessing appropriate education, discrimination within particular fields of the arts and low expectations of their abilities or life chances. Several had encountered straight denial that they had an impairment at all. (This was a major barrier, because it was used as a justification for denying essential support.)
Katherine summed up her experience of disability as, “discrimination, prejudices, zero expectation, and dangerous medical advice”.
Jon talked about how he did not accept his neuro-divergence as disability. He had severe mental health issues caused by abuse resulting from discrimination. “Growing up in a world where you’re different and your contribution is not accepted, is hell.”
Aaron spoke of becoming disabled (which he saw as a positive process, distinct from his impairment) through discovering how to make art in the realm of disability. He spoke of his work with Katherine and discovering that they shared “the same sarcastic/satirical sense of humour from entirely different biographical experiences.”
In response to the question ‘Does your art work use your experience of disability or reflect your impairment in any way?’, Katherine talked about how it provided inspiration. “I think that pretty much everything around disability is absurd. That’s my motivation to make work.” She added that, if disability is apparent, the works tends to receive an infantilised critique.
Ailís talked about the difficulty of working within contemporary classical music, an area “bursting at the seams with over-educated white people, who aren’t tolerant of a narrative.” She also raised the issue of whether she had a right to make work about an impairment (profound deafness) which is not her experience. Jon said his neuro-divergent characteristics had brought him important commissions.
Aaron said that access is about social inclusion. “I don’t want to be an outsider, I want to be an insider, I want to be right in the middle.”
The group addressed the question of what barriers they had faced as artists because of disability.
Jon talked about attitudes, expectations, lack of opportunities, determination not to recognise neuro-diversity. The biggest barriers are mental health issues caused by people not realising what he needs. Aaron described a generalised experience of barriers.
Charlie said that his difficulties in dealing with people have always been a barrier in making art. Richard said that the culture around applying for Arts Council grants was impenetrable. These were social barriers rather than intellectual.
Katherine described how she deliberately works with DIY aesthetics. “We all face challenges; it is up to the individual to use that in the work.” Ailís described the difficulties of being a deaf person attending a residency for improvising musicians, and the difficulty of sorting things out, given that “musicians aren’t talkers”. Jon picked up on how you can work with people, but when you start unpacking you see another narrative underneath; their prejudice can spoil projects. This is especially a danger for neuro-divergent people.
Asked whether they were part of the disability arts community, the members of the group expressed feelings of being on the edge of that community, mainly through personal choice and a concern that their individual creativity might be stifled by too strong a group involvement. But they were not hostile to the idea of disability arts, and felt that other people had the right to make their own choices. This was perhaps most strongly expressed by Jon, an artist who works substantially in the mainstream. “I would support the inalienable right of people to choose to define as disabled if they want. Disability arts should exist.”
Members of the group were also aware of receiving funding and support from the disability arts sector. While grateful to the disability arts community, they did not necessarily really feel part of it.
The group also disliked internal squabbling within that community, which Richard described as being “like a dysfunctional family sitting around the Christmas table”. Jon described particular tension between invisible and visible disabilities.
Katherine expressed concern about potentially being ghettoised, and said that “going to take my BA and my MA wasn’t about detaching myself from the disability arts community, it was just about finding the way to make work that could engage a wider field.”
Ailís felt being that embedded in any community could stifle artistic interest.
Aaron felt that ideas of aesthetic excellence could be disabling to people with impairments, and described how the Disabled Avant-Garde embrace a ‘bad’ aesthetic.
Jon made an impassioned argument for being able to self-define as neuro-divergent, which he said should be a separate diversity category, not a sub-division of disability but a peer level alongside LGBTQ and disability. “Neuro-divergence is an innate way of being.”
Aaron made the point that, working as the Disabled Avant-Garde, he and Katherine tend not to get a lot of support from the disability arts community, but get a lot of support from the mainstream.
The final question, ‘What do you feel have been the achievements of disability arts?’ rapidly turned into a discussion of Unlimited, with some confusion between the funding programme and the Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre.
The group had a number of criticisms. They felt there was a tendency towards ‘inspiration porn’. Aaron criticised the Festival for providing “a good day out” rather than good art. Katherine said she felt that Unlimited was very corporate, and pointed out that the assumption that work will be toured creates a model that discriminates against some artists. Ailís felt that a lot of the pieces at the Unlimited Festival had a freak-show element, because it’s palatable to a wider audience.
Jon suggested that “as artists, we should be stirring and changing things. We need subversion in there.” Aaron said that he does come across “some really great work” outside the official culture of Unlimited. Ailís expressed a desire to see the work of younger artists being showcased.
Richard put in a word in support of Unlimited, saying they do fund some difficult work. Having been on one of their selection panels, he was pleasantly surprised by how rigorous their process was.
Aaron reported that there is a generation coming through who have been brought through art schools in the UK and learnt critical complexity to innovate forms of art. They want to find opportunities in the disability art world, but there are barriers to them getting in. “I want to see more innovative disability art. I believe there are people who want to do it, but will the platform be there to support them?”
Telling Stories – tells the life story of disabled artist Julie McNamara
A Different Way of Engaging – tells the life story of disabled artist Katherine Araniello
Are we in an era, post Disability Art?
Are we in an era post Disability Art? – DaDaFest, Liverpool
See all Events in this project
‘Making Links’ – tells the life story of disabled artist Tony Heaton
See all Resources in this project
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1825
|
__label__cc
| 0.556102
| 0.443898
|
Yashpal
Translated by Anand
Summary from Amazon.com: Jhootha Sach is arguably the most outstanding piece of Hindi literature written about the Partition. Reviving life in Lahore as it was before 1947, the book opens on a nostalgic note, with vivid descriptions of the people that lived in the city s streets and lanes like Bhola Pandhe Ki Gali: Tara, who wanted an education above marriage; Puri, whose ideology and principles often came in the way of his impoverished circumstances; Asad, who was ready to sacrifice his love for the sake of communal harmony. Their lives and those of other memorable characters are forever altered as the carnage that ensues on the eve of Independence shatters the beauty and peace of the land, killing millions of Hindus and Muslims, and forcing others to leave their homes forever. Published in English translation for the first time, Yashpal s controversial novel is a politically charged, powerful tale of human suffering.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1828
|
__label__wiki
| 0.691268
| 0.691268
|
Amending America
Remembering Vietnam
Archives in DC
Presidential Libraries
Archives Nationwide
Online Initiatives
Educators & Students
Boeing Learning Center
Young Founders Society
Signers Circle
Corporate Council
Programmatic Support
Login to the Membership Portal
Public Programs Reservations
Board of Directors – NAF
Annual Reports/990s
Achievement and Heritage Awards
Rightfully Hers
July 4th at the National Archives
During the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly charged that the document would open the way to tyranny by the strong central government. They demanded a “bill of rights” that would specify the rights of individual citizens.
In September 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution, addressing the most frequent criticisms. Articles 3 through 12, which three-fourths of the states ratified on December 15, 1791, constitute the first 10 amendments to the Constitution and are known as the Bill of Rights. The original second article, concerning the compensation of members of Congress, finally became law on May 7, 1992. Congress never passed the original first amendment, which concerned the number of constituents for each representative.
The Bill of Rights defines citizens’ rights in relation to the government, including guarantees many Americans now understand as central to their way of life: the four freedoms of speech, religion, the press, and political activity. The Bill of Rights also encompasses principles fundamental to the American legal system: the rights to due process of law, trial by jury, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment and self-incrimination.
The Bill of Rights, along with the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, is on display in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC.
Download a high-resolution version of this document from the National Archives’ Online Public Access Database.
Click here to read all 27 ratified amendments to the Constitution.
Past Featured Records
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm: “Unbought and Unbossed”
Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman to serve in Congress when she took office in January of 1969. During her seven Congressional terms, “Fighting Shirley” was an outspoken champion for racial and gender equality, and economic justice. To mark the 50th anniversary of Chisholm’s... Read more
Live from the Moon
Watch telecast footage of the 1968 Apollo 8 Mission, the first manned spacecraft to reach the Moon and safely return. This multimedia presentation features photos of the Moon’s surface taken from the spacecraft and an audio recording of the astronauts’ description of the lunar surface.
On display... Read more
Meuse-Argonne Offensive Map
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest operation of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I and the deadliest military campaign in American history. Fought from September 26 – November 11, 1918, by over a million American soldiers, the Meuse-Argonne operation was part of the final Allied offensive... Read more
Alexander Hamilton: An Inspiring Founder
In celebration of Alexander Hamilton and the Broadway musical inspired by his extraordinary story, the National Archives will showcase original records from the Founder’s life and legacy, paired with related Hamilton lyrics.
On display in the East Rotunda Gallery through September 18, 2018.
Remembering the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Business Information Surveys for the Civil Disturbance Report, June 1968.
In a turbulent decade filled with protests and social upheaval, the murder of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, resulted in widespread civil unrest in many American cities, including Washington, DC. The riots resulted in millions of dollars in... Read more
National Archives Foundation
© 2019 National Archives Foundation
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1829
|
__label__wiki
| 0.927701
| 0.927701
|
History Feature
The Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Huron (G24), in dazzle camouflage, sailing out to sea during the Second World War during one of her countless trans-Atlantic escorting runs. The Tribal-class destroyer, commissioned on July 28,1943, also served in the Pacific theatre during the Korean War under the new pennant number 216.
DESTROYER DUEL OFF USHANT: Serving In An International Flotilla, HMCS Haida And Huron Bag A Zerstörer
Social Media Manager December 5, 2017
(Volume 24-09)
Among the pivotal consequences of the 1940 Battle of Britain was the island nation’s preservation as a staging base for forces raised throughout the Commonwealth, as well as exiled military personnel from the countries conquered by Nazi Germany, still game to keep up the fight. As the tide of World War II turned, the conflict in Western Europe saw formations go into battle composed of units from various nationalities. A naval case in point was the British 10th Destroyer Flotilla (DF). Formed in Plymouth on January 10, 1944, it consisted of the 19th Division, comprised of the British destroyers Tartar and Ashanti, and the Royal Canadian Navy ships Huron and Haida, as well as the 20th Division, with Polish destroyers Blyskawica and Piorun, and the British Eskimo and Javelin. Led by Commander Basil Jones, flying his pennant from His Majesty’s Ship Tartar, the flotilla was organized specifically for Operation Tunnel, a series of sweeps to interdict German naval activity in the Bay of Biscay in the months leading up to the Allied landings in France. On the night of June 8-9, this mixed bag would have a violent encounter with a German opposite number in what became known as the Battle of Ushant.
His Majesty’s Canadian Ships Huron and Haida, like HMS Tartar, Ashanti and Eskimo, were of the Tribal class, a type of super-destroyer that entered production in 1937, in response to the greater gun armament (six 5-inchers in twin turrets) introduced in Japan’s game-changing Fubuki class in 1929. Besides eight 4.7mm Mark XII quick-firing guns, each of the Tribals had four 21-inch torpedo tubes and 20 depth charges with one rack and two throwers. With a length of 377 feet and a standard displacement of 1,854 tons, the Tribal was propelled by twin-shaft 44,000-shaft horsepower steam turbines at up to 36 knots. Sporting two raked stacks and masts and a clipper bow that gave her excellent sea-keeping qualities, she was a handsome ship, well regarded by her crews. The 16 Tribals built for the Royal Navy had a worldwide variety of ethnic names, while the two Royal Australian Navy vessels to see combat were named Warramunga and Arunta after two of its Aboriginal tribes and Canada’s were christened after First Nations: Iroquois, Athabaskan, Huron, Haida, Micmac, Nootka, Cayuga and a second Athabaskan to replace the first after she was sunk.
The first four Canadian Tribals were produced by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. at Newcastle upon Tyne, while the rest were home-built at Halifax Shipyards. Laid down on July 15, 1941, launched on July 25, 1942 and commissioned on July 28, 1943, HMCS Huron (G24) under LCmdr Herbert Sharples Rayner participated in convoys to the Soviet arctic port of Murmansk — interrupted by a collision with an oiler that laid her up for a month’s repairs in Leith — until February 1944, when she was reassigned to the 10th DF. Haida (G63) came later, being laid on September 29, 1941, launched on August 25, 1942 and commissioned on August 30, 1943. Skippered by Commander Henry George DeWolf, she too served on the Murmansk run, most dramatically shepherding convoy JW-55B away from danger when word came that the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst was coming out to strike—a venture that ended in Scharnhorst’s being caught and sunk on December 26, 1943. On December 10, Haida was attached to the 10th Flotilla.
The German destroyer Z-32, hard aground on Île de Batz off the Brittany coast the day after the battle. This photograph was taken by a Spitfire of No. 541 Squadron. The vessel’s forward twin turret is pointed in the direction from which HMCS Haida and Huron were firing in the final stage of the battle. She was destroyed later that day by Allied aircraft, including Beaufighters from the RCAF’s No. 404 Squadron.
The 10th DF spent the next several months training in its role and then began conducting periodic sweeps for enemy vessels in the English Channel. An exceptional case occurred on the moonless night of April 25, when light cruiser HMS Black Prince, leading Haida, Athabaskan, Ashanti and Huron, ran into three German Elbing-class torpedo boats — essentially small destroyers — as they were returning to Saint-Malo after laying mines off Sept-Îles. British radar detected the Germans first and a chase ensued. All three Elbings scattered, but Haida’s and Athabaskan’s gunfire blew up T-29’s after funnel. As its crew abandoned ship, they retired north to allow Ashanti and Huron to administer the coup de grâce. Afterward, “Hard Over Harry” DeWolf carved a notch in the bridge rail to mark the first of an eventual 14 enemy vessels in whose demise Haida would have a hand.
The surviving torpedo boats, T-24 and T-27, left Saint-Malo for Brest on the night of April 27, only to encounter Haida and Athabaskan again, patrolling off Île Vierge. As the Canadians fired starshells, the Germans made smoke and turned south, T-24 launching three torpedoes as she did so. One struck Athabaskan, causing a secondary explosion in a magazine. T-24 fled eastward while T-27, hit and on fire, made for the southeast, with Haida in pursuit. More shells took their toll until T-27 ran aground and the torpedo boat was burning and abandoned by the time Haida disengaged. Athabaskan (G07) went down off Saint-Brieuc with LCmdr John Hamilton Stubbs and 128 other crewmen, 44 survivors subsequently being rescued by Haida and another 47 by T-24 as she was returning to harbour.
Relentless attrition had reduced German naval units to four, all based too far south in Brittany when the Allies landed in Normandy on June 6. These were the 8th Zerstörer-Flotille (Z-32, Z-24, ZH-1, formerly the Dutch destroyer Gerard Callenburgh, and the “orphaned” T-24); the 5th Torpedoboot-Flotille (T-28, Möwe, Falke and Jaguar); and the 5th and 9th Schnellboot-Flotillen, equipped with motor torpedo boats (called E-boats by the Allies). Defying overwhelming odds, Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Hoffmann sortied with the 5th Torpedoboot-Flotille on the night of June 5-6 and loosed a spread of torpedoes that sank the Norwegian destroyer Svenner. She was the only warship sunk on D-Day, with four more attempts over the next week achieving nothing before Allied aircraft caught the 5th in Le Havre and sank all its ships but T-28, which managed to escape, accompanied by the Schnellboote, eastward through the Channel and back to Germany.
That left only Kapitän-zur-See Theodor von Bechtolsheim’s 8th Zerstörer-Flotille in Brest, with his crews repairing damage from air attacks and bolstering his ships’ anti-aircraft gun defences. On June 8, he was ordered to attack the invasion forces and set out that evening. After rounding Ushant, the four warships turned northeast. At 0123 hours on June 9, shadows were sighted off the port bow, 4,000 to 5,000 metres away.
Approaching the Germans on a southwesterly course was the 10th Destroyer Flotilla, which upon learning of their sortie, had departed Plymouth to intercept. Tartar fired a starshell and the battle was on.
The Allies’ radar had detected the enemy first, between 0116 and 0120 hours, but as they turned to starboard, the Germans spotted their light camouflaged sides in the moonlight. Von Bechtolsheim turned northward, ordering each ship to fire torpedoes. His destroyers did, but T-24 held back, unable to make out a target.
A proud souvenir: the torn Battle Ensign of HMS Tartar (F43) carried in her action with German destroyers in the Channel on June 8, 1944. It was in this action at Barfleur that a German destroyer ZH-1 was torpedoed and sunk by the destroyers Tartar and Ashanti and the former was hit on the bridge by three 120mm shells. (imperial war museum, no. 4700-01)
Possessing equipment that could monitor the German shortwave ship-to-ship command net, the Allied destroyermen heard the enemy’s torpedo order and turned to comb the tracks. Although limited to using only their forward turrets, their well-directed gunfire scored damaging hits on Z-32 and ZH-1. A hit in the turbine room, followed by an underwater hit in the No. 1 boiler, brought ZH-1 to a halt with smoke and escaping steam masking her from her primary tormentors, Ashanti and Tartar.
British fire now shifted to Z-24, which took hits to the turret loading room, the wheelhouse and charthouse, killing or wounding all personnel therein. Z-24 made smoke and turned away, but a hit on its second funnel caused a fire that kept her visible. T-24 followed Z-24’s smokescreen and both retreating ships lost contact with ZH-1 and Z-32. Haida and Huron remained hot on their trail until 0150 hours, when DeWolf realized that the Germans were entering QXZ-1330, a defensive minefield that the Allies had laid off the Breton coast. Miraculously the Germans went right through the minefield unscathed, while the Canadian ships wisely altered course to avoid it, consequently falling nine miles behind and losing radar contact. At 0214, DeWolf abandoned the chase and went to rejoin Tartar and Ashanti. Z-24 and T-24 eventually returned to Brest.
Von Bechtolsheim, unaware that he was alone, directed Z-32 north and then northeast until he sighted enemy ships off the port bow at 7,000 metres. This was the 20th Division, led by Komandor Podporucznik Conrad F. Namiesniowski aboard Blyskawica. Z-32, another formidable product of the super-destroyer trend, boasted five of the same 5.9-inch guns carried by German light cruisers, but took the worst of the gun duel, receiving 16 to 20 hits before firing four torpedoes, laying smoke and zig-zagging away. The torpedoes caused confusion as Blyskawica turned to avoid them, while Piorun, Eskimo and Javelin temporarily lost contact with their leader, then followed her in what they mistook to be a torpedo run for 15 minutes. Inexperience throughout the division effectively put it out of the fight.
Having thus shaken off its assailants, Z-32 turned west, only to run into Tartar and Ashanti at 0138 hours. In its third gunfight of the night, Z-32 scored four 5.9-inch hits on Tartar’s bridge and radar, killing four men and wounding 12, including Commander Jones. Ashanti was also hit and slowed to fight fires, but Z-32 also took three hits, one of which penetrated a magazine compartment, necessitating flooding. Z-32 turned away to reload its torpedo tubes and bring up fresh ammunition.
As Ashanti turned to re-engage, her crew spotted ZH-1 emerging from the smoke, virtually dead in the water. While the still-burning Tartar engaged the enemy ship with her after guns, Ashanti launched torpedoes, one of which blew off her bow. ZH-1’s forward gun kept firing and she launched her four remaining torpedoes — in vain — before Korvettenkapitän Klaus Barkow gave the order to set scuttling charges and abandon ship. At 0240 hours ZH-1 exploded. Of her crew, 36, including Barkow, perished; a lifeboat with 28 others reached the French coast and 140 survivors were later rescued by Commander R.A. Currie’s 14th Escort Group.
On Z-32, von Bechtolsheim was doubting the feasibility of a breakthrough to the east when his ship was spotted by Haida and Huron, en route to rejoin the 10th DF. Steaming away at 31 knots, the Zerstörer passed through another British minefield while Haida circumvented it, losing radar contact, but regaining the enemy vessel 20 minutes later. At 0420 hours von Bechtolsheim ordered Z-24 and T-24 to make for Brest — which they were already doing by then — but he was still striving to pass Z-32 between Jersey and Guernsey, with the Canadians eight miles behind and the rest of the flotilla another 12 miles behind them. At 0430, however, von Bechtolsheim turned southwest, abandoning Cherbourg in favour of making Saint-Malo. Fifteen minutes later he reported encountering “two cruisers with high superstructures” firing starshells to starboard. Haida and Huron then opened fire in earnest as Z-32 turned due south.
At 0500 hours the Canadians’ steady fire began striking home, with a shell hit in the after turbine room slowing Z-32 down and three hits disabling the forward turret. Only its No. 3 turret fired back and its last two torpedoes missed. At 0515 the starboard engine failed and von Bechtolsheim ordered Z-32’s captain, Korvettenkapitän Georg Ritter von Berger, to run her ashore on Île de Batz. After doing so at 0520, the big destroyer was subjected to another 10 minutes of punishment before the two Canadians withdrew. The surviving Germans were picked up by the 2nd Vorpostenboot-Flotille later that morning.
The Battle of Ushant eliminated the last major German naval threat to the Normandy beachhead. After two months of hiding and evading, Z-24 and T-24 were located and sunk south of the Gironde River by Bristol Beaufighters of Nos. 404 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force and No. 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force. The 8th Zerstörer-Flotille was formally dissolved the next day.
Meanwhile, the 10th DF remained on station. On June 24, U-971 was on her first wartime sortie when she came under depth charge attack south of Land’s End from Haida, Eskimo (which DeWolf claimed did most of the work) and a Czechoslovakian-crewed Consolidated Liberator from No. 311 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command. One German was killed and the remaining 51 captured as U-971 went down for the last time.
Huron and Haida survived the Second World War and served in the Korean War, both being decommissioned in 1963. Huron’s “X” Turret was saved from her scrapping to represent her at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. Thanks to a number of individuals and agencies, Haida, considered “the fightingest ship in the RCN” during the Second World War, has been restored and preserved in Hamilton, Ontario. W
Editor’s Note: For more information on HMCS Haida, read Bob Gordon’s article “HMCS Haida Still Going Strong” in Volume 24, Issue 1 (February 2017).
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1833
|
__label__wiki
| 0.825086
| 0.825086
|
Opening: Schulz hails world climate change deal in Paris
The pioneering world climate change deal struck in Paris at the weekend could be “a turning point for the future of our planet”, said Parliament President Martin Schulz at the opening. He hailed the deal as “global, groundbreaking and trendsetting”, but stressed that it must now be put into practice.
The deal is global, because for the first time every state in the world has pledged to join the fight against climate change. Groundbreaking, because all recognised the need to keep global warming significantly below 2°C, or even limit it to 1.5°C. And trendsetting, because it aims to ensure that our planet is “climate neutral” in the second half of the century, i.e. that it emits no more greenhouse gases than the earth can cope with, he continued.
This deal will entail radically changing how we produce and consume energy, and honestly reviewing our progress every five years. The EU must live up to its climate obligations, both internally and externally, he concluded.
On Parliament’s behalf, Mr Schulz thanked Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, Luxembourg environment minister Carole Dieschbourg and the entire EU negotiating team for their efforts, and in particular the French Presidency of the Conference, and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, whom he said would come to Parliament in January to talk about the outcome
Final draft agenda
Follow the plenary live (EbS+)
Press conferences and other events
EP Audiovisual website
EPRS Plenary podcasts on key issues
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1834
|
__label__cc
| 0.741825
| 0.258175
|
Friday, May 3, 2019 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM EDT
Roanoke Higher Education Center Room 212
108 North Jefferson St.
Carly Oliver
Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia
carly@cfwesternva.org
CYBERSECURITY, HUMAN RESOURCES & TAX UPDATES FOR NONPROFITS, OH MY!
We are excited to have Brown Edwards representatives present on the following three great topics that every nonprofit should know about!
Cybersecurity for Nonprofit Organization – Cybersecurity issues keep a lot of us up at night. What worries you most at your organization? Join Cindy Gross, Brown Edwards IT Audit Director, for a discussion on the latest risks in cybersecurity and practical solutions that small organizations can implement to minimize your cyber security risk.
Basic Human Resources issues for Nonprofit Organizations - Join Brown Edwards for a discussion on the basics of Human Resources. What should a nonprofit organization keep in personnel files? How and when is a performance improvement plan implemented? What should we do if we don’t have dedicated Human Resources employees?
Tax Updates for Nonprofit Organizations - Recent tax reform-provided many complex changes impacting individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. Jeff Barbour and Chris Wingfield, who are both Tax Partners at Brown Edwards, will discuss the impact of recent tax law changes on nonprofit organizations.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Nonprofit staff and board members are welcome! Please register below as space is limited.
Cindy Gross, CPA, CISA, C|EH
Cindy is an IT audit director based in the Harrisonburg offic e. She provides IT audit and consulting services to a wide range of entities including financial services, technology, and healthcare entities. Services include SOX compliance, SSAE 16/18 audits, SOC 2 audits, IT risk assessments, and IT internal audit. Cindy also has over 15 years of experience in systems development and design.
A 2006 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Cindy has a Master of Professional Accountancy degree. In addition, Cindy has a B.S. degree in Computer Programming and Information Systems from Shepherd University. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In addition, she holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor credential through ISACA and the Certified Ethical Hacker credential through EC-Council.
Jeff Barbour, MSA, CPA
Jeff works in the Roanoke office and specializes in the taxation of consolidated and multi-state corporations and pass-through entities, corporate mergers and acquisitions, individual taxation, estates and trusts, and small business consulting. His experience in these areas includes general tax planning, entity formation and exit strategies, purchase price allocations and tax accounting for intangible assets in business transactions, and the research of federal and state compliance solutions. Jeff’s expertise covers a variety of industries including technology, manufacturing, dealerships, distributors, construction and real estate.
He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2003 with a Master of Accountancy specializing in taxation. He graduated summa cum laude in 2002 from Averett University, in Danville, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Roanoke Chapter of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Chris Wingfield, CPA
Chris is a partner based in the Roanoke office with a focus in corporate, individual, partnership and exempt organization taxation. Chris has worked extensively with tax planning for individuals and entities, mergers and acquisitions, multi-state taxation and international taxation. He provides services related to all aspects of taxation and is a presenter on tax-related issues to various associations and other tax professionals.
Chris is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. He has been named a “Super CPA” in taxation by Virginia Business magazine for several years and serves as treasurer of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce.
2019-05-03T09:00:00-0400 2019-05-03T13:00:00-0400 NPO Connect- April Meeting 108 North Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA, 24016, US http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=utt456cab&oeidk=a07eg115bs8b9c37697
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1835
|
__label__wiki
| 0.919223
| 0.919223
|
The Secret Lives of Rock Stars and Monarchs: Upcoming Biographical Films that are Sure to Captivate Audiences
By Erin Caine
Lifestyle Editor
The celebrity world is one we all seem to be strangely enamored with, full of the kind of excitement, visibility, and scandal we rarely, if ever, experience in our daily lives. Perhaps this fascination (occasionally crossing the line into obsession) can account for the ever-constant deluge of films that begin with “based on a true story.”
This year, there’s already been several biographical films, and on a range of subjects both well-known and obscure.
“Mary Shelley,” for instance, was a biopic released in the U.S. in May, giving audiences a glimpse into the “Frankenstein” author’s unassuming origins, erratic love affair with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and her struggle against her era’s sexist expectations and limitations. And then there was “Papillon,” a remake of a 1973 film about a real-life French convict who escaped from a notorious penal colony nicknamed “Devil’s Island.” Here are a few upcoming biopics to keep your eye on:
1. “The Favourite”: The film, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and scheduled for a November U.S. release, centers on the tense, shifting relationships between England’s Queen Anne and two cousins vying for the role of the capricious, ailing queen’s “favourite”— her most trusted confidant.
In the trailer for the film, the bitter and intensifying atmosphere of rivalry between Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) and the recently arrived Abigail Masham (Emma Stone) is palpable.
It promises to be a film that thrills with its political intrigue and leaves us in awe of the dark underbelly of Anne’s decadent and eccentric 18th-century reign. Lanthimos’ intent going into the project was to portray the three women in a “complex and wonderful and horrific” manner.
2. “Boy Erased”: This November, Joel Edgerton’s coming-of-age drama, an adaptation of Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir, will show us the ugly view from inside a “gay conversion therapy” program.
Numerous studies from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and others have already proven conversion therapy to be not just pseudoscientific, but also an ultimately ineffective form of mental and physical torture.
Despite this, a large majority of the U.S. has no legal ban on the practice. Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe play the conflicted and religious parents of the main character, a forcibly outed 19-year-old boy played by Lucas Hedges. GLAAD Media Award-winning pop artist and actor Troye Sivan also has a role in the film.
3. “Bohemian Rhapsody”: Though it’s hard to go through life without hearing the dynamic, larger-than-life vocals of the band Queen’s virtuoso frontman, Freddie Mercury, there are many aspects of his life that are still unknown even to avid fans.
Rami Malek, who plays Mercury in the upcoming biopic, says that he considers the latter to be “the best performer of all time” and added, “I never ceased [during filming] to be astonished by this man.”
The film will follow Mercury’s life and journey to stardom and end with Queen’s 1985 Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium.
Though many were anxious that Mercury’s often-obscured bisexuality would be left out of the film, those concerns were put to rest by the casting of Aaron McCusker, who plays John Hutton, Mercury’s longtime boyfriend.
4. “Collete”: Slated for late September, this biographical film follows the life and work of French novelist Gabrielle Colette, who married the domineering Henry Gauthier-Villars, known by his pen name “Willy,” and was forced to write under his name.
Keira Knightley, by now a master of the period drama with memorable lead roles in “Pride & Prejudice” and “The Duchess,” plays the convention-defying main character.
In the trailer, viewers can plainly see her growing frustration with not getting the recognition and the creative autonomy she deserves, as well as her increasing desire to break free from the rules of polite Parisian society that bind her.
After its Sundance premiere, Roger Ebert’s Nick Allen said, “[Knightley’s Collete] valiantly introduces, or reminds, the world about a woman who was a true rebel when it came to sexual politics and a woman’s autonomy.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1839
|
__label__wiki
| 0.586933
| 0.586933
|
Subscribe to free Email Newsletter
Library>Art Festivals>Film
China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival
** About Golden Rooster Awards
Initiated by China Film Association in May 1981, the Golden Rooster Awards are named after and take the shape of the rooster, symbolizing the situation of one hundred schools of thoughts contending with each other, and also embodying the meaning of encouraging those who work in the film industry to work hard and strive forward. Granted annually, the awards are China's highest professional film awards chosen by film artists and critics.
Awarded to publicly showed films in the year, the Golden Rooster Awards consist of Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Science and Education Film, Best Cartoon, Best Traditional Opera Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Photography, Best Music, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Special Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Make-up and Best Props. The awards also add a special award and an honorary award when needed.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1840
|
__label__wiki
| 0.796082
| 0.796082
|
Saturday, December 23, 2006 1
Justin Timberlake - Video - Rock Your Body
This is the song that catapulted Justin Timberlake into mega-star status. "Rock Your Body" was released in 2003 and rose to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It's also the song he was singing at Super Bowl XXXVIII and during the famous "wardrobe malfunction." Justin's going on a multi-city concert tour. You can get tickets with a click here.
Here's the video:
James Bond "Casino Royale" Behind The Scenes Video
I found this cool video of behind the scenes work for Casino Royale on YouTube. In it you see the human side of Bond, as Daniel Craig takes a moment to comment on the progress of the movie, and give some quick qips.
James Bond "Casino Royale" Trailer Video - BBC Gives Rave Review Of New Bond
I just found this article by the BBC which is a review of the new movie Casino Royale, the 21st movie in the James Bond series, which has seen each actor, save for two (George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton) go on to super stardom, or in the case of Pierce Brosnan, solidify his super star status.
Paul Arendt, the review writer, reports that Craig is not just a good Bond, he's a great Bond. We'll all know starting this Friday, November 17th.
The new bond is Daniel Craig -- and he's blond. This minor difference does nothing to diminish the quality of Bond or the film, according to the BCC. Here's the review, and the movie preview below:
Saturday, November 04, 2006 0
Libby Chansky For "The Bachelorette"
I met Libby Chansky at the Stanford Athletics Hall Of Fame Dinner on Friday, November 3rd. She and I were part of a large group there to celebrate the induction of my good friend Michael Dotterer, who remains the only two-sport player to receive four letters in Stanford history.
Libby wants to be the bachelorette on "The Bachelorette" and to that end, we took this quick video. It's kind of a teaser. For more info contact info@sportsbusinesssims.com
Bob Barker - American Icon and Host Of "Price Is Right" Retires - Video
I now know I've been around a bit when this happens. I have grown up with Bob Barker, patted myself on the back for rightly guessing a price, dreaming that I was the winner of the showcase, and drolling over the Price Is Right girls. Well, the last part of that remains, but Barker, the real symbol of the show and an American icon, has retired. Here's an article by E! Online and selected YouTube Clips to celebrate Bob Barker.
Bob Barker Retiring
by Natalie Finn - E!Online
Tue, 31 Oct 2006 06:44:50 PM PST
The price isn't going to be quite as right come next June.
Bob Barker announced Tuesday he will retire in 2007 after 50 years in television, 35 of which he spent as the host of The Price Is Right.
"I will be 83 years old on Dec. 12, and I've decided to retire while I'm still young," the famed daytime personality told the Associated Press. "I've gone on and on to this ancient age because I've enjoyed it. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm going to miss it."
While Barker has considered hanging it up for the past 10 years, he said he's been having too much fun to walk away for good, but he figured reaching his golden anniversary was an "appropriate" time.
"I'm just reaching the age where the constant effort to be there and do the show physically is a lot for me," he said, sounding a bit like another TV icon who announced his intention to slow down after half a century on the air, 60 Minutes' Mike Wallace.
Barker had a mild stroke in May 2002 and had prostate surgery six weeks later—none of which caused him to miss a show, mind you.
Since The Price Is Right premiered Sept. 4, 1972, with Barker enticing people for the first time to "come on down," he has only missed three episodes (back in 1974). The longest running game show on the air is currently on in two half-hour installments every weekday, with the later one averaging 5.5 million viewers a day, per Nielsen Media Research.
"We knew this day would come, but that doesn't make it any easier," CBS Corp. president Leslie Moonves said in a statement. "Bob Barker is a daytime legend, an entertainment icon and one of the most beloved television personalities of our time."
The former Miss Universe and Miss USA Pageant host got his start in radio before being discovered by eventual This Is Your Life host Ralph Edwards, who said he liked the sound of Barker's voice. Barker went on to host the TV game show Truth or Consequences from 1956 until 1975, overlapping with Price for a few years.
A CBS spokesperson told Reuters that Price will go on after Barker's departure, but "it's premature to discuss any transition plans right now. Our focus now will be giving Bob a proper sendoff." A CBS prime-time special celebrating the man is also in the works, he said.
Barker's advice for whomever signs on to replace him is this: Memorize everything.
"The games have to be just like riding a bicycle," he said, referring to the show's numerous pricing games (80 at last count) in which contestants make bids to win larger prizes, like cars and trips.
"Then he will be relaxed enough to have fun with the audience—to get the laughs with his contestants and make the show more than just straight games—to make it a lot of fun."
Well, Barker should know.
While the silver-haired emcee has always had a smile for his studio audience and millions of at-home viewers, it wasn't too long ago that Barker was accused of enjoying his hosting duties a little too much.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006 0
Rolling Stones Classic Song "Miss You" Video and Lyrics
This amazing song is almost 30 years old, yet it is still as new as tommorrow's sunrise. It's a classic and yet one more example of why the Rolling Stones are the kings of rock. It's rythmic, soulful, and yet guitar-dominated.
Ive been holding out so long
Ive been sleeping all alone
Lord I miss you
Ive been hanging on the phone
I want to kiss you
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh
Oooh oooh oooh
Oooh oooh oooh oooh
Well, Ive been haunted in my sleep
Youve been starring in my dreams
Ive been waiting in the hall
Been waiting on your call
When the phone rings
Its just some friends of mine that say,
Hey, whats the matter man?
Were gonna come around at twelve
With some puerto rican girls that are just dyin to meet you.
Were gonna bring a case of wine
Hey, lets go mess and fool around
You know, like we used to
Aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah
Aaah aaah aaah aaah
Oh everybody waits so long
Oh baby why you wait so long
Wont you come on! come on!
Ive been walking in central park
Singing after dark
Ive been stumbling on my feet
Shuffling through the street
Asking people, whats the matter with you boy?
Sometimes I want to say to myself
Sometimes I say
I wont miss you child
I guess Im lying to myself
Its just you and no one else
Lord I wont miss you child
Youve been blotting out my mind
Fooling on my time
No, I wont miss you, baby, yeah
Lord, I miss you child
Sunday, October 29, 2006 0
Wonder Woman: Joss Whedon May Be Rewriting The Script For The Movie
Wow, it's been since May that Wonder Woman Director Josh Whedon's finished the script for the Wonder Woman movie that he and Matrix enabler Joel Silver want to produce, and there's still no star selected.
My feeling is that he's rewriting it, and still has not created something that meets Warner Brother's standards. Why do I write this? Because Whedon reports that he was to meet Warner execs around August 29th, and now it's October. Late October. So it's logical to assume that he's got some rewriting to do.
I also still get the impression that he's not real into the job. He seems to be mailing it in at this point, and with too many other projects to occupy his time and passion.
I hope Warner Bros shapes up this ship.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 0
Kevin Federline Parties in Vegas; Britney Spears Angry - Enquirer
K-Fed in action...
Unlike the O.J. Simpson story, I do believe this one. They're a very young couple, and too inexperienced to be good parents in my view. But we will see. No turning back, eh?
BRITNEY FUMES AS K-FED GETS SLEAZY IN VEGAS
By MICHAEL GLYNN - ENQUIRER
What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas — just ask a furious Britney Spears. She's set to spear hubby Kevin Federline after he spent a wild weekend in Sin City — partying with his buddies and assorted beauties, insiders told The ENQUIRER.
"Britney feels outraged and betrayed," confided a close source. "Only three weeks after she gave birth to their new baby, Kevin vamoosed to Vegas with his buddies, who spent hours with young girls in his hotel suite.
"When Kevin returned to their Malibu home, Britney gave him the cold shoulder and then they had a terrible fight. It ended with Kevin staying over at a buddy's house."
Pick up this week's issue of The ENQUIRER to read all about it!
O. J. Simpson Denies Book Deal and Confession
I saw this in the National Enquirer:
OJ CONFESSES IN TELL-ALL BOOK
O.J. Simpson confesses to the bloody slaughter of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her pal Ron Goldman – and reveals he had an accomplice at the scene--in a bombshell new book!
Eleven years after Simpson was acquitted of the Murder of the Century, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively that O.J. is being paid $3.5 million to describe the brutal knife attack blow-by-blow.
"Only that kind of money could have tempted O.J. to finally tell the truth," a West Coast source familiar with the top-secret book project told The ENQUIRER.
In the book, "he describes how he grabbed a knife from a man who accompanied him to Nicole’s home -- and moments later found himself covered in blood and looking down on the bodies of Nicole and Ron," said the source.
With its publication only weeks away, the tell-all blockbuster has remained the most explosive secret in publishing -- until now.
In its early chapters, O.J. paints a vivid picture of his life with Nicole and details their bitter divorce amid her affairs.
Finally, the disgraced Hall of Famer gets to June 12, 1994 – the night of the infamous double murder.
"O.J. prefaces these key pages by almost half-heartedly claiming this part of the book is hypothetical," said the source. "But I don’t think anyone is going to be convinced of that."
Because of "double jeopardy" laws, legal experts say O.J.'s confession will not likely lead to any legal trouble for him.
The book's working title is "If I Did It." But Simpson's account of the slayings is so chillingly realistic that it leaves no doubt it is a confession of what really happened.
...and I could not believe it. So I searched for his name and found this in the SF Chronicle..
O.J. Simpson Denies Book Confession
Former sports star and actor O.J. Simpson has slammed reports he is to be paid around $3.5 million for "admitting" to the killing of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman in a sensational new book.
A U.S. publication reported the star plans to publish his autobiography in which he will describe how he would have killed his ex-wife and Goldman, in an allegedly fictional manner. They were stabbed to death in 1994 and Simpson stood trial for the murders. He was found not guilty.
But Simpson's lawyer Yale Galanter denies the rumor. He tells the New York Daily News, "(Simpson) is not writing a book. We haven't been paid 35 cents, much less $3.5 million.
"If anyone comes out with such a book, I'll go on every talk show and call it crap."
Whatever is going on, it's clear that someone out there can't just leave O.J. alone. That's sad. He was acquitted in the criminal trial and the civil trial left out so much evidence it was a joke.
Atlanta Falcons Tickets Exchange - Buy or Sell Falcons Tickets
You can buy or sell Atlanta Falcons Ticketswith "Atlanta Falcons"
Get tickets to all of the Falcons action, with Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn heading an explosive offense.
Rolling Stones Coming To Oakland November 5th - Video
The Rolling Stones are coming to Oakland, November 5th. You can get tickets at http://www.stones-concert-tickets.com.
Here's a preview of what the conert will look like:
Saturday, September 30, 2006 0
Kendra Wilkinson From "The Girls Next Door - Video and Bio
Most recently linked with Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, Kendra Wilkinson's Q-Rating has certainly exploded with the airing of the new show "The Girls Next Door," featuring Playboy Mogul Hugh Hefner and three Playboy Playmates.
According to Wikipedia:
Kendra Wilkinson (born June 12, 1985 in San Diego, California) is a model and television personality best known as one of the three live-in girlfriends of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and a co-star of the E! reality television series The Girls Next Door. She met Hefner at his 78th birthday party in April 2004, where she had been hired to be one of the "painted girls" (being completely nude except for painted-on accessories).
She is a self-proclaimed tomboy, noteworthy for being a sports fan and athlete. One of her trademarks on the program is her constant exercising.
Her stated career goal is to become a massage therapist or sports announcer. As of December 2005, she has become a regular "blogger" columnist at the website of the Philadelphia Eagles. Her mother, from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, used to be one of the professional cheerleaders for the team.
She appeared in the Playboy Special Editions Sexy 100 for 2006.
Here's a video of Kendra Wilkinson in the show Girls Next Door. Note that she specifically points to Terrell Owens "81" jersey with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 0
Superdome - Green Day and U2 In Video
Green Day -- from the SF Bay Area -- and U2 played to a great crowd to kickoff the return of the New Orleans Saints to the Superdome to play the Atlanta Falcons.
Labels: concert, green day, music, new orleans, saints, superdome, U2
Tuesday, September 19, 2006 0
Selma Blair Caught In Argument With Ex-Hubby - Enquirer
Man, I didn't know Selma Blair was even married until now! Where have I been? I've got to admit she's got the simple combination West Cost / Midwest girl-next-door look down to a fine science. I guess her now-ex-hubby Ahmet Zappa (think son of the late and lengendary rocker Frank Zappa) thought so too, because he married her in 2004.
I only became aware of Selma via the movie "Cruel Intentions" -- one of my favorites. In the movie, which also features now coupled Ryan Philippe and Reese Witherspoon, Blair became very well-known for this kiss:
Well she's not going to be kissing on Zappa anytime soon because they had a nasty argument in a parking lot, which ended with her screeching off in her car after he walked off.
She's on the market and free to give a kiss like the one above to some deserving guy -- this time!
Suri Cruise Rumored Not To Be Tom Cruise's Baby - Enquirer
The Enquirer reports that the much celebrated baby of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is not the product of whatever sexual intercourse the couple had. This news was covered in several other online media publications like Gawker and Perezhilton.com and led to speculation regarding who the father may be.
Some pointed to old Holmes flame Chris Klein as the father because of the similarity in the shape of their eyes. But regardless of who the real father may be, it's certainly clear that Suri is the child of Tom and Katie now.
Sunday, September 17, 2006 0
Pamela Sue Anderson and Courtney Love Roasted
This a totally funny video of both Pamela Sue Anderson and Courtney Love being roasted on the Comedy Central program.
Monday, August 28, 2006 0
Rolling Stones In Concert In Boston - Video
The Rolling Stones come to Boston September 20th; you can get tickets here, and see the video for "Paint It Black" below:
Tom Cruise Dumps Paramount So Paramount Dumps Tom Cruise
The buzz is all around that Paramount dumped Tom Cruise, but if you read the fine print to the story, it was the other way around.
It seems that Paramount reacted childishly to Cruise and Paula Wagner's decision to seek other movie financing. I don't know what they expect to accomplish, other than making a good deal for Cruise and some other organization just by proving his ability to draw headlines.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 0
"Snakes On A Plane" Launches Samuel L. Jackson Into Cult Status
First it was "Pulp Fiction" and now, after a long layoff from cult moves, Samuel L. Jackson ups his cult status stock with the hit "Snakes On A Plane."
Now I haven't seen the movie -- yet. But I will. What fascinates me the most is the Internet-based viral marketing this movie's tapped. Wow.
Take a look at this blogger's post, where Samuel L. Jackson's pictured cussing about -- what else? -- Snakes on A Plane.
Here's a video interview of people who are going to see the movie:
William Shatner Roast - Leonard Nimoy
This is a clip of a totally funny roast of TV legend William Shatner. I saw this on Comedy Central and loved it.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1845
|
__label__wiki
| 0.855458
| 0.855458
|
Kevin Lee: networks build opportunities
Chinonye Nnakwe Whitley leaves room for serendipity
Jeanne Garbarino: I found my place in science outreach
Sujal Phadke on finding work-life balance in non-profit research
In Memoriam: Robert C. King (1928–2017)
Guest post by Pamela K. Mulligan and Susanne M. Gollin.
Robert C. King, Professor of genetics at Northwestern University for over four decades and a pioneer in studies of Drosophila oogenesis, passed away on June 25th. He was 89.
Among scientists in the field, Bob (as he was generally known) was recognized as a world-renowned geneticist, cell and developmental biologist, educator, and author. However, those who knew him well saw in Bob not only an outstanding researcher and academic, but also a congenial colleague, a supportive mentor, a generous and loyal friend, and an affectionate husband, father, and grandfather.
Bob King is widely known for his definitive work on the morphological characteristics and classification of the fourteen developmental stages of Drosophila oogenesis. It was through cytological observations and painstaking three-dimensional reconstructions of electron microscope images that he elucidated the formation and development of the basic structural and functional unit of the ovary, the egg chamber.
This work included identifying and describing germline stem cells at the tip of the ovary; the pattern of asymmetric cell divisions that gives rise to a 16-cell germline syncytium from which one cell becomes the oocyte; the formation of the fusome, an organelle required for the proper formation of the germline syncytium; the existence of cytoplasmic bridges, or ring canals, connecting the germline cells; the cytology and migratory behaviour of somatic cells surrounding the germline cluster; and other developmental events that culminate in the production of a mature, functional oocyte.
The cytological and ultrastructural work on the formation and differentiation of the egg chamber was combined with studies of female-sterile mutations that caused defects in normal oogenesis. Through this work, genes whose products are required for various cellular processes during oogenesis were identified. These studies laid the earliest foundation for understanding the genetic control of Drosophila oogenesis and helped advance the burgeoning field of developmental genetics.
This basic foundation has been built upon by later generations of scientists using new and advanced tools, and Drosophila oogenesis is now widely recognized as an excellent model system in which to study developmental genetics and cell biology in the minutest molecular detail. For example, the ovarian tumor (otu) gene, one of the most extensively characterized by Bob, was subsequently isolated using hybrid dysgenesis-induced mutations and its role in the proliferation and differentiation of the germline described. The morphogenesis and molecular components of the fusome and its role in oocyte specification have been advanced. Studies of mutations that disrupt normal ring canal development have led to the identification of genes that encode ring canal proteins, and the highly ordered process of ring canal assembly has been elucidated in striking detail. Time-lapse confocal microscopy has described intercellular transport of distinct biomolecules through the ring canals. And outside of this system, Bob’s investigations were the inspiration for the recent finding that oocyte formation in mammals occurs in a manner similar to that in the Drosophila ovary.
In addition to publishing research papers Bob was also the author and editor of books that have contributed significantly to the field of genetics. These include Genetics (Oxford University Press), the multi-volume Handbook of Genetics (Plenum Publishing), Ovarian Development in Drosophila melanogaster (Academic Press), Insect Ultrastructure, Volumes 1 and 2 (Plenum Publishing) and eight editions of A Dictionary of Genetics (Oxford University Press). These books and reference works continue to educate budding scientists and experts around the globe. At the time of his death Bob was working on the ninth edition of his beloved Dictionary, an interdisciplinary book translated into five languages, that has become an invaluable reference work for students of classical and molecular genetics.
Bob King was born in New York City in 1928 and received his PhD in Zoology from Yale University in 1952 at the early age of 24. He then spent a few years at Brookhaven National Laboratory and in 1956 accepted an Assistant Professorship in the Department of Biology at Northwestern University. At Northwestern he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in genetics, developmental genetics, cell biology and cytology, and established his now renowned research and writing career. He became a Full Professor in 1964 and retired in 2000 as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology.
Although Bob King was a leader in his chosen field, he was generally content to remain in the background due to his selfless nature. Bob’s quiet, intangible characteristics are what his students and associates will most miss: his strong, silent mentoring and guidance through the process of higher education and scientific research; his strict adherence to the highest ethical standards; his insistence on near-perfection in writing and scientific endeavor; his genuine love for science; and his fatherly caring about his students and their futures. Many who benefited from Bob’s tutelage continue his legacy of high standards in scientific pursuit and scientific writing.
We, as former students, remember Bob’s lab as a hub of exciting research and cheerfulness. Bob was always the first to arrive for work. Long before even the earliest risers amongst us entered the lab, he would have been at his desk for an hour or more, and one would open the lab door to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee, with the sound of Bach, Beethoven, or Stravinsky in the background. There was an ethnically diverse population of students and research associates, and his children were frequent visitors. There were parties to celebrate publication of papers and funding of grants. Bob loved to travel, presenting papers and spending sabbaticals abroad. It was in Korea that he met his future wife and loving companion, Suja. After retirement, Bob indulged in his insatiable interest in books (including murder mysteries), music, and cinema. And he continued to write, producing new editions of his Dictionary every few years.
The passing of Bob King brings into sharp focus the life of an extraordinary man who loved life and who leaves behind a legacy of academic excellence, hard work, generosity in friendship, and a sincere desire to make life better for others. As we mourn his loss, we are deeply grateful for his vital contributions to science and for his humanity.
For additional information about Robert C. King’s work and life, see:
Robert C. King: An Appreciation of His Work
Pamela K. Mulligan
GENETICS November 2003 165: 939-943;
http://www.genetics.org/content/165/3/939
For an introduction to Drosophila oogenesis, see this GENETICS Primer article:
Drosophila Oocytes as a Model for Understanding Meiosis: An Educational Primer to Accompany “Corolla Is a Novel Protein That Contributes to the Architecture of the Synaptonemal Complex of Drosophila”
Elizabeth T. Ables
GENETICS January 2015 199: 17-23; https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.114.167940
http://www.genetics.org/content/199/1/17
Dave Zucker on career changes and the ups and downs of founding a startup
Revisiting Waddington: A new explanation for an old experiment
Rodney Rothstein says:
King’s Genetics text shaped my early thinking in Genetics. Very nice to rad about the man and see how great he was to his lab.
DevelopmentDrosophila
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1852
|
__label__wiki
| 0.588098
| 0.588098
|
Home Ontd Political Will Trump Wipe Out Obama’s Opening to Cuba?
Will Trump Wipe Out Obama’s Opening to Cuba?
by: Joshua Keating
Donald Trump’s initial response to the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro was a factually correct but not quite presidential tweet:
Fidel Castro is dead!
After taking some time to digest this news, Trump followed up with a pledge to get a “better deal” from Cuba than the Obama administration:
If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal.
The thing about Obama’s “deal” with Cuba is that there actually is no deal. There’s an ongoing diplomatic process involving talks on dozens of issues and a number of changes to regulations and diplomatic policy. So where does our president-elect stand on all of those? Even by Trump standards, he’s all over the map on Cuba.
During the GOP primary last year, Trump told the Daily Caller that although he thought he could have gotten a better deal from the Castro regime, the Obama administration’s diplomatic opening to Cuba was “fine” and that, referring to the longtime U.S. embargo, “50 years is enough.” This echoed the language used by opponents of the U.S. embargo on Cuba, in place for more than five decades, and put Trump at odds with opponents like the Cuban American Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush—all pro-embargo hardliners. Perhaps this was because, as Newsweek reported, one of Trump’s companies may actually have done business in Cuba in 1990s, despite the embargo.
But in the last months of his campaign, Trump seemed to have a conversion on the road to Little Havana, telling a Miami rally in September that he would reverse all of Obama’s Cuba moves “unless the Castro regime meets our demands. Not my demands. Our demands.”
Campaign talk is cheap of course, but even before Castro’s death, Vice President–elect Mike Pence vowed that Trump would follow through on his pledge to reverse Obama’s executive orders on Cuba. Some Cuba-watchers I talked to also pointed to the naming of hardline anti-Castro activist Mauricio Claver-Carone to Trump’s economic transition team as evidence that the next president may have meant what he said (the last time, anyway).
Like many of Obama’s diplomatic achievements, the opening to Cuba that began in December 2014 was accomplished through executive orders, without the approval of Congress. (The embargo itself will remain in place until Congress acts to lift it.) So Trump is correct when he says that he can “terminate” it all. There’s precedent for this: Jimmy Carter lifted most of the travel ban in 1977, a move that was reversed in 1982 with Ronald Reagan in office. If Trump wants to, he could put Cuba back on the state sponsors of terrorism list, reimpose the restrictions on travel and commerce in Cuba that were eased under Obama, and once again shutter the U.S. Embassy in Havana that was reopened with much fanfare in August 2015.
As with the Iran nuclear agreement, Trump has suggested that rather than completely blowing up the diplomatic process set in motion by Obama, he can simply negotiate better terms. Incoming Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said over the weekend that “repression, open markets, freedom of religion, political prisoners—these things need to change in order to have open and free relationships.” But getting better terms from Raul Castro’s government isn’t going to be that easy. “They may return to the negotiating table, but they’re not going to grant major concessions to the United States,” says Jaime Suchlicki, director of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami. “The next year is going to be the year of remembering Fidel Castro, the glory of Fidel, the victory of Fidel. So nothing is going to change. Beyond that, maybe something small and something very gradual.”
While Fidel remained an active and influential presence in Cuban politics, he ceded power to his brother in 2008, and his death is unlikely to lead to any immediate political changes in Cuba. Cuba is likely to continue the very slow economic liberalization and even slower political opening that has been taking place under Raul. The younger Castro brother is leaving the presidency in 2018, and there’s little evidence to suggest that he or his successors are open to major political transformation.
But Trump’s initial skepticism was correct: 50 years of isolation did little to weaken the Castro regime’s hold over the island or increase political freedoms for Cubans. If he does return the U.S. to the more hostile posture toward Cuba it had prior to Obama, the goals outlined by Priebus would be even harder to achieve. “There’s been a fairly public debate about whether or not Obama’s policy is sincere,” says William LeoGrande, a professor at American University and expert on the U.S.-Cuba relationship. Cuba’s recent political and economic openings are very limited and tenuous to begin with but could quickly be reversed if tensions with the U.S. return to their previous level. “They will close down some of the political space that’s opened up in the last couple of years, they’ll get tougher on dissidents and start sending them back to prison, they’ll start using nationalist appeals to rally support for the regime, and they’ll go back to blaming the economy on the United States,” says LeoGrande.
Trump’s moves could also have wider diplomatic implications for the U.S., particularly in Latin America, where there’s significant public support for the Castros and the embargo (which is almost universally opposed internationally) has long been a source of tension. Ecuador’s left-wing President Rafael Correa suggested in October that if Trump were elected, like George W. Bush before him, that would lead to the election of more left-wing governments in the region. Trump is already mistrusted and disliked there because of his immigration rhetoric, notes Michael Shifter, president of Inter-American Dialogue, adding that “if Trump acts on his Cuba rhetoric, I think it’s going to create a lot of strong reactions and anti-Yanqui feeling. And not just on the left.”
Trump may not care that much about any of that, but there’s still reason to be believe he might not actually follow through on his threat to resanction Cuba. “Only a cold warrior would do that—someone with deep ideological convictions against the Cuban regime,” notes Shifter. And Trump’s fondness for dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad doesn’t suggest human rights are going to be a major priority of his foreign policy. Also, if we assume, as evidence so far suggests, that Trump intends to use U.S. foreign policy to advance his own business interests, then locking down Cuba makes little sense. “He’s a hotelier and a golf course developer. And that’s prime real estate,” says Chris Sabatini, a lecturer at Columbia University and editor of the website, Latin America Goes Global. A rollback would also be opposed by the American companies, from JetBlue to MasterCard, already doing business in Cuba under the new rules.
It also wouldn’t be that much of a political winner. Trump did win Cuban Americans in Florida, but by a lower margin than Mitt Romney, and the trend lines suggest this constituency is no longer a reliable Republican stronghold. A majority of Americans, including Cuban Americans, supported Obama’s moves on Cuba, and the staunchest defenders of the embargo in Washington, such as Rubio and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, aren’t exactly die-hard Trumpians.
Most likely, Trump’s sudden focus on Cuba is driven by the news cycle, and the issue won’t ultimately be high on his agenda. Trump seems unlikely to help bolster Obama’s legacy by continuing the opening, as Hillary Clinton might have, but it would also be surprising if he made facing down Raul Castro a major priority.
Source: ONTD_Political
Tags: Cuba, Obama’s, opening, Trump, will, Wipe
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1861
|
__label__wiki
| 0.679289
| 0.679289
|
As an actress, Hallie has starred in multiple films and television series, but is especially well known to audiences as Jo McGuire, Lizzie’s mom on Disney’s hit TV show Lizzie McGuire and in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. She was voted by CNN as one of the “Ten Best TV Moms” .
In addition to acting, Hallie also writes and produces with her family. For their first outing as a creative producing team, Hallie and husband/partner director Glenn Withrow, along with their daughter, Ivy Withrow, wrote and produced the feature film, The Mooring. The suspense thriller was released by Lionsgate Entertainment.
Hallie appears in the upcoming film, The Last Champion, a feature she co-wrote and co-produced.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1862
|
__label__wiki
| 0.754721
| 0.754721
|
Michael nouri dating
Vicki, who suffers from MS, said at the time: "Michael's told me about his relationship with Roma - in fact he tells me about all the women he sees. AM PT -- Michael Nouri's rep Steve Jaffe tells TMZ ... police received a 911 call around PM on Thursday to a home in Beverly Hills.But does Nouri have first-hand experience with physical violence?Radar can reveal the TV actor and former Cops were called to Nouri’s Beverly Hills home on the evening of November 1, 2012, over allegations of a physical fight between Nouri and his girlfriend at the time. News that the case was dismissed earlier this year.and, uppon arrival, officers determined a domestic violence incident had occurred.
Since all the charges were only misdemeanors, he was not required to appear in court for the next several months of pretrial hearings.He has been a follower of Prem Rawat since the early 1970's and starred as Jesus Christ in an epic production at the Millenium '73 festival, "the most holy and significant event in human history." Post 2000 he has had numerous TV roles as a handsome older man and in an ironic quirk of casting played in the same series, The O. Known in the tabloids as a "notorious womaniser" he became even more notorious when arrested for domestic violence (beating his girlfriend) and charged with battery, false imprisonment and preventing her calling for help in 2012.From the photos it appears that Nouri hasn't quite got the hang of this Divine Light meditation yet which might explain his failure to find peace and infinite joy. The star was arrested yesterday on suspicion of domestic violence after police were called to a residence and found him and a woman who claimed she had been roughed up by the 66-year-old actor. No further information was provided.__________________________ Michael Nouri may have a mess of his own to mop up.
Free trial milwaukee chat lines
Website to hook up sex in cyprus
Sex 1 on 1 chat no sign up
Pornstars free chat no signup
Christian sex chat rooms
commitment dating sites
Free amuture cam2cam
Live sexonline
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1866
|
__label__cc
| 0.646283
| 0.353717
|
Our Guides and Staff
Golden Dorado
Travel & Info
Non Fishing Trips
Benjamín Beale
Benjamín is the oldest of the three Beale brothers, born in the town of Esquel, Argentina and raised on the banks of the Rio Grande/Futaleufu. He started fly fishing at the ripe age of eight, and has been fishing passionately ever since. He is one of the most experienced guides, growing up exploring the area’s waters, and developing a keen ability to teach the art of fly fishing while sharing his knowledge of local history, flora and fauna. Benjamín and his wife, Carolina, have two young daughters.
Today, Benjamín is in charge of running the family business, El Encuentro Fly Fishing – welcoming repeat clients back to El Encuentro and looking for new clients, scouting new waters to add to El Encuentro's private water fishing program and nurturing time honored relationships with area landowners to offer his clients waters where few others, if any, can fish. Benjamín still loves to guide, and gets out as much as possible, always chasing the biggest fish for his clients!
Tomás Beale
Tomás was born and raised in Esquel Patagonia Argentina. He started fly-fishing at the early age of 10 and has been guiding for the last 13 years.
Lately, he has been traveling to the US, where he spends three months around Idaho, Montana and Wyoming fishing, improving his English and visiting every river he can get to. Alltough Tomas spends most of his time fishing for trout he also has done a fair amount of saltwater fishing in places like Mexico, Cuba, Belize, etc. He is a very enthusiastic and patient guide and no doubt he will put you on to nice fish.
Julián Gómez Villafañe
Julián was born and raised in Esquel, Patagonia, learned to fly fish with his dad at age 10, and has been refining his love of fishing ever since. Sharing many fishing adventures growing up with the Beale brothers, Julian eventually married their sister, Cecilia Beale and has been guiding with El Encuentro for many years. He and Cecilia have two young daughters, who are already learning the joys of fishing!
In addition to fishing, Julian is an award-winning competitive mountain biker, skier and climber, having summited twice the mighty Aconcagua, highest peak in the western hemisphere. His breadth of experiences and love of the outdoors feed the enthusiasm he brings to guiding and the skill he shares with his clients.
Gregorio Vázquez
Greg’s interests and education are as broad and colorful as the Patagonian landscape. He may have started fly fishing at age 13, but first became a lawyer in Buenos Aires before he remembered how much he loved to fish. He decided to change his lifestyle and move to Patagonia, settling in Esquel several years ago. He has been guiding with El Encuentro ever since.
In addition to guiding, Greg teaches entomology and fish ecology at the guiding school in Esquel. He is also a certified casting instructor and ties most of his own flies. Greg’s interests in biology fuel his concern about conservation and protection of ecological balances in Patagonia.
Alun Lloyd
Alun has been guiding with El Encuentro since 1997 and is practically one of the family. Born and raised in Esquel, Alun started fly fishing with his Welsh grandfather who founded one of the first fishing clubs at Los Alerces National Park. Alun enjoys sharing his knowledge of flora, fauna, and the history of Patagonia. A day on the river with Alun will be filled of great fishing, many amazing stories and lots of laughs.
Alun has the patience of a great teacher. When not guiding, he teaches music in his guitar school in Esquel, were he and his wife have a young son. Alun is a great guitar player and passionate musician who loves to share Argentine music with his fishing clients.
Martin Majul
Martín was born in Cordoba, in the central heart of Argentina, a place that boasts the first fly fishing club in Argentina. Martin studied Agronomy before dedicating his life to guiding fly fishing and sharing his love of rivers and the outdoors with clients from all over the world. He ties his own flies, which he proudly shares with his clients, and which frequently bring them great success. Martin is also trained in whitewater rafting and river rescue.
"To me, flyfishing is a lifestyle in the romantic meaning of the word. It allows me to enjoy beautiful places and get in touch with people from all over the world, sharing what we love to do. Helping fishermen to improve on their casting, and watching the river´s different moments are my greatest passions", says Martín.
Marcelo Widmann
Marcelo was born in Cipolletti, in Rio Negro province. He started fly fishing at the age 12. After finishing secondary school he moved to Bariloche area, where he studied Aquaculture Technician. Because of his fly
fishing passion he became a fly fishing guide 15 years ago and has been guiding ever since.
Looking for a peaceful place to live and work, he and his family decided to move to Trevelin town in 2015. Once established in the area, they met the Beales because of a common friendship, and soon after, Marcelo started working with El Encuentro as a full time guide. Marcelo's wife, Cecilia, is in charge of the El Encuentro Fly Fishing office, handling the bookings and keeping things organized.
Marcelo spends most of his free time scouting fishing locations, and otherwise exploring the outdoors with his wife and two young kids. He also ties his own flies and is a spey casting instructor.
Santiago Pagnanelli
Santiago was born in La Plata, a city close to Buenos Aires but really far away from any trout stream in Patagonia.
Happily, every summer he traveled with his family to Patagonia where, as even as a young fellow, he found his passion and love for trout and fly fishing.
In 2012, Santiago got his first job at a fishing lodge and started to walk the trail to become a fishing guide who loves and enjoys every day on the water with his clients. He is now proud to be a full time guide with El Encuentro Fly Fishing. Santiago lives in Trevelin, where together with his wife, Chelsea, they are waiting for their first daughter. When not guiding, Santiago finds time to go camping and fishing with his wife or friends, tying flies or doing some handicrafts at home.
Roberto Forno
Born in Santiago de Chile in 1985, Roberto Forno moved to Patagonia at the age of 4. His love of fly fishing
has been passed down through his family, with his father giving him his first fishing lesson at age 12.
He was “hooked” from then on, and Roberto has created his life style around fly fishing when he can; teaching skiing and snowboarding when the fishing season closes.
Roberto has Engineering and Tourism degrees; he also worked as a ski and snowboard instructor in California for two winter seasons.
Having worked a freelance guide for several years in Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, Rob has found a good “home” with El Encuentro Fly Fishing since 2018. Rob and Verónica, his wife, live near Los Alerces National Park.
Alvaro Del Agua
Alvaro was born and raised in El Bolson, Rio Negro Province in Patagonia. He started fly fishing at the early age of 10 and has been fishing ever since. When he turned 17, he and his
family moved to Esquel. After finishing secondary school, he became a Ski Instructor, working La Hoya Ski Resort during the winter season.
He joined El Encuentro Fly Fishing team as a Guide Helper this past season, working closely with and learning from our guides. Eager to keep learning more, he works very hard to improve his fishing skills.
Alvaro looks forward to becoming a professional fly fishing guide in the future!
Ezequiel was born and raised in Esquel, Chubut Province. He started fly fishing at the age of 15 when his uncle taught Ezequiel the fine skills of fly fishing and nurtured his growing passion for being on the river and casting a fly. While in elementary school, Ezequiel spent 2 (?) years in Montana near Flathead Lake, where his mother worked as an entomologist at the Flathead Lake Biological Station.
Eze joined the El Encuentro Fly Fishing team as a Guide Helper a couple of seasons ago. He works hard to become a professional fishing guide. Having also studied cuisine, he loves to explore new places, by foot and skis. He also enjoys tennis and swimming. Eze lives in Trevelin.
Kevin Eddy
Kevin was born in Esquel, Chubut Province, but at an early age, he and his family moved to Carmen de Patagones, along the Argentine Atlantic coast. There he acquired his love for the outdoors. Always longing to return to the mountains, he jumped at the opportunity to work with his distant relative, Benjamin Beale and El Encuentro Fly Fishing.
Kevin has worked as a guide helper for several seasons, refining his fly fishing and boating skills each year. This past season, he helped out guiding for several days.
In late March, Kevin returns to University where he is studying Agronomic Engineering. He often says "one lovely thing about working with EEFF is the opportunity to enjoy wonderful experiences while always learning".
BROOK TROUT BASE CAMP
Ready to fish? Let us help! Contact Us E-Newsletter Signup
© 2016 El Encuentro Fly Fishing
SITE DESIGN BY BRICKHOUSE CREATIVE
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1876
|
__label__wiki
| 0.895706
| 0.895706
|
Giving to Heritage
The Heritage Alliance’s ‘Giving to Heritage’ programme of training for fundraisers in the heritage sector commences in June. The training is available for any member of staff, volunteer, committee member or trustee, or Heritage Open Day organiser from a heritage or community group with responsibility to develop or deliver fund raising.
First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced that the Church of England and Catholic cathedrals in England can now apply to the new fund for urgent repair work. The £20m fund was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the budget statement in March.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1878
|
__label__wiki
| 0.502088
| 0.502088
|
Why We Need Better Children's History Books
tags: education, Native American history, children, Indigenous history
by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is a historian specializing in the colonization of North America and author or editor of 15 books. Dr. Dunbar-Ortiz is a Professor Emerita at California State University.
My book, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, was published five years ago and has found a wide readership, especially among teachers and college students. Now, the book has been brilliantly adapted for young readers by Jean Mendoza and Debbie Reese, both scholars specializing in the absence or flawed presence of American Indians in children’s literature.
The resulting text in no way dumbs down the original, maintaining the recurrent theme that the history of the United States is a history of settler-colonialism; that it is a history of aggressive war—often genocidal—against Native nations in order to acquire their lands and resources and turn the sacred and sustaining into real estate; that the wealth of the colonial elite founders of the United States derived from the capital value of the bodies of enslaved Africans and their forced unpaid labor, as well as speculation in seized Indigenous lands; that their motives for independence was economic, to expand across the continent without the restrictions imposed by the British Crown.
Throughout the text, the present is visible in that past: modern police forces derived from slave patrols still target Black men; real estate/private property remains the basis of wealth; white supremacy; continued colonization of Native nations, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Puerto Rico; a constitutionally guaranteed armed citizenry and continued gun violence creates a population crushed by fear of the other; the unending war against Mexicans on a disputed border wrought by the invasion, occupation, and annexation of the northern half of Mexico; forever aggressive wars against peoples of the non-European world, with nearly a thousand US military bases outside the United States and floating war machines on every coast and at sea.
Some parents, educators, and especially politicians and mainstream historians, regard such naked truths as inappropriate or even harmful for minors. But the proverbial cat is out of the bag. Indigenous scholars, poets, novelists, theater and filmmakers, environmentalists and other activists, who have always been there but little heeded, have formed a critical mass of documentation, testimony, and interpretation of US history that cannot be refuted or assimilated into current standard or multicultural narratives.
A current example of why this book for young people is so needed is a controversy over a mural titled “Life of Washington.” The mural covers 1600 square feet of a wall at the entrance of George Washington High School in San Francisco, which opened with the mural as a part of the structure in 1936 during the depression. It’s one of the few examples of public art that presents a counter-narrative to the common depiction of the founding of the United States, portraying Washington as a wealthy slave ownerand Indian land speculator. In the mural, bent enslaved Africans work the fields as palatial Mt. Vernon looms; Washington, with his land surveying equipment on one side of the mural, points westward over a slain Native and white settlers rush to occupy land taken by violence.
Paloma Flores of the Pitt River nation in northern California is the San Francisco school district’s program coordinator of Indian education and thinks the mural should be removed: “We do have to speak the truth rather than continue to support the dominant narrative view of erasure, the romanticizing of the settlement process, and the lies that have been told.” Paloma observes that without updated textbooks reflecting the truth, the harsh images depicted in the mural can be hurtful to Native and Black students.
This is what I have heard echoed in the past five years from K-12 teachers: they are hungry to learn how to incorporate Indigenous history into classes and to have texts that provide context to truthful images, like the Washington mural, and racist depictions of history, which are far more common. We decided to adapt the book in response to such calls from educators and parents.
Each chapter of the book includes items that enhance the text. There are maps, photographs, and inset boxes that ask students to engage with the context. One example is “George Washington: Hero? Or Monster? It depends on who you ask!” It gives readers the opportunity to think critically about Washington's work as a land speculator, how it benefited him personally, and why the Senecas called him "Town Destroyer."
Children are able and eager to comprehend history. Today, young people have access to vast information on demandand can easily debunk myths about US history. However, assembling a coherent narrative that inspires students to image a different world is much more complicated than a Wikipedia search. Teachers can only carry out this task if they have access to narrative histories that are decolonized.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1879
|
__label__wiki
| 0.857593
| 0.857593
|
Hip-hop mogul leaves his business behind to focus on health
August 10, 2018 August 10, 2018 healthadvice
(CNN) Charlie Jabaley is a man of extremes: a self-made millionaire, an athlete who biked across the country and a former brain tumor patient who once weighed 300 pounds.
Along the way, the 30-year-old has been open about his personal turbulence, hoping his struggles will inspire others.
“When I became successful in business, I was fortunate enough to become a millionaire. But when I got sick, that meant absolutely nothing to me. I told myself, ‘I want to become a new type of millionaire, one that transforms a million people’s lives.’ “
The many lives of Charlie Jabaley
Jabaley puts on his bike helmet, adjusts the straps and takes off. Rocket images adorn his shoes. He transforms into the alter ego that saved his life. He calls it “Charlie Rocket — the second-chance superhero,” dedicated to inspiring people to live healthy lifestyles.
Jabaley describes the different phases of his life as character roles. Today, he’s “Charlie Rocket,” but once he was “CEO Charlie,” an adolescent brain tumor survivor and budding music mogul hoping business acumen would compensate for his obesity.
By his late 20s, he was a hip-hop titan. It was not an act. Jabaley built a multimillion-dollar music and artist management company called Street Execs. His artists included 2 Chainz and Travis Porter. He was the creator of the instant viral Christmas success “Dabbin’ Santa Sweaters.”
“CEO Charlie” was at the pinnacle of success, but his problems didn’t go away.
“The bigger my business got, the bigger I got,” Jabaley recalls.
“I knew this gas station had this type of cookie and that gas station had the Krispy Kreme doughnuts.” He spent entire nights bingeing on junk food. “I would be eating it in my car as I’m driving to the next one.”
Jabaley estimates that he consumed more than 10,000 calories on those nights.
“My skin would be bruised all over, and my shirt wouldn’t fit from the night before.”
Charlie’s wake-up call came when his childhood brain tumor returned. It grew around the top of his spine and surrounded his left optic nerve.
Never one to do things halfway, Jabaley made several drastic changes. (His upcoming book is titled “The Life and Death of CEO Charlie.”)
He left his company and moved to California. He adopted a plant-based diet. He started training with his best friend, Scott Cameron, who challenged him to run his first marathon. Running gave Jabaley something to be proud of, and that, along with his eating habits, resulted in a 120-pound weight loss within a year. He felt great. His brain tumor was under control.
Jabaley made a contract with himself to pursue his dream of becoming an athlete. While he was at it, he planned to touch a million people’s lives. Four marathons and an Ironman Triathlon later, he set out on his Dream Machine Tour, a bike ride from Los Angeles to New York. He wanted to inspire people to pursue their dreams with vigor. He wrapped up the cross-country ride this week.
It’s not clear how many people he affected, but Jabaley is well on his way to becoming a different kind of millionaire, and fulfilling his ultimate role as inspiration to others.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/27/health/turning-points-charlie-jabaley-hip-hop-music-mogul-inspirational-athlete/index.html
Health2 Chainz manager, Charlie Jabaley, health, leaves his business behind to focus on his health - CNN
← Teenager jailed for life over British Museum bomb plot
Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman is in jail and here’s his mugshot →
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1881
|
__label__wiki
| 0.701055
| 0.701055
|
Drumbeats of Anti-Russia Confrontation from Washington to London
On October 12 the British media gave prominence to a three-hour foreign affairs debate that had taken place in the House of Commons the previous day. The Commons’ proceedings centred on allegations that Russia had committed war crimes in Syria and there were many insulting and purposefully offensive statements about Russia and its president made by almost all members of parliament who took part. The final speech was made by the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, and can be taken as reflecting the policy of the British government towards Russia.
The Guardian newspaper reported that “Making his frontbench debut as foreign secretary in a Commons debate, Johnson said Russia should be investigated for war crimes in Aleppo and took the unusual step of calling for demonstrations by anti-war protesters outside the Russian embassy in London.” “I would certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy,” he said. “Where is the Stop the War coalition?”
Come again? We have reached a stage in international affairs in which Her Britannic Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Right Honourable Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, can stand in Parliament and declare to its members and to his country and the world that mobs should swarm around a building in central London that houses a diplomatic mission whose members are officially accredited to the United Kingdom.
Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states, inter alia, that “The premises of [a diplomatic] mission shall be inviolable . . . The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.”
But there has been serious impairment to the dignity of the United Kingdom by the buffoonish pronouncements of a most senior member of its government. Certainly, Johnson is one of these exceptionally intelligent people who is, in the final analysis, a fool, and it is barely credible that the Prime Minister, Theresa May, the balanced and sensible leader of the Conservative Party, could continue to endorse the absurd clowning of her foreign secretary.
Nevertheless, he remains in that appointment, and therefore it must be presumed that the British government approves of the use of mob demonstrations to illustrate its censorious position as regards Russia — and, by definition of that endorsement, all nations it considers to have in some manner offended against British policies. Johnson made it clear that he wished to poison relations between London and Moscow, and although the Russian foreign ministry reacted with dignity and amusement rather than anger to his bizarre exhortation, there is no doubt he achieved his aim of raising the level of confrontation with Russia.
Perhaps he was trying to match or even outdo the confrontation capers across the Atlantic where, in the course of a presidential election campaign which has developed into a bizarre circus that daily reaches new depths of vulgarity and xenophobic crudity, the anti-Russia candidate, Hillary Clinton, has made it clear that if she becomes president she will never deal with President Putin. Her contempt and hatred goes back a long way, and first became obvious when she was electioneering in the time of President GW Bush, who had said after his first meeting with Russia’s president that “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul. He’s a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that’s the beginning of a very constructive relationship.” His point was that US-Russia relations would be greatly helped by personal understanding, which is a sensible approach to international affairs.
But Clinton dismissed the Bush statement with derisive scorn by declaring that President Putin “was a KGB agent. . . By definition he doesn’t have a soul. I mean, this is a waste of time, right? This is nonsense.”
At the election debate between Trump and Clinton on October 10 she reinforced her anti-Russia stance by formally pronouncing her belief that Russia is an enemy of the United States.
She was recorded as saying that “Putin and the Russian government are directing the [cyber] attacks, the hacking on American accounts to influence our election . . . We have never in the history of our country been in a situation where an adversary, a foreign power, is working so hard to influence the outcome of the election, and believe, they’re not doing it to get me elected. They are doing it to try to influence the election for Donald Trump. Now, maybe because he praised Putin, maybe because he says he agrees with a lot of what Putin wants to do, maybe because he wants to do business in Moscow.”
So far as the next likely president of the United States of America is concerned, Russia is “an adversary” and anyone who speaks approvingly of President Putin must be condemned as a supporter of an enemy.
It could not be more plain that Clinton will never, unlike President Bush, even attempt to forge a “constructive relationship” with Russia. The confrontational approach that was promoted by Obama will reach new depths and intensity under President Hillary Clinton, and in this she will be joined by the United Kingdom.
The drumbeats of open hostility are growing louder, and soon we shall see how far Washington and London are prepared to go. And we shall also see for how long Moscow is prepared to accept their insults, their deployment of troops, warships and combat aircraft along Russia’s borders, and the growing level of relentless confrontation.
Originally published on 2016-10-21
A version of this piece appeared in Strategic Culture Foundation on October 14.
About the author: Brian Cloughley writes about foreign policy and military affairs. He lives in Voutenay sur Cure, France.
Source: Counter Punch
Mosul, Iraq and Obama’s Legacy of War
Barack Obama is the first two-term American president to have presided over war every day of his tenure in office. He bequeaths to a Trump administration ongoing operations in Afghanistan, continuing drone strikes in northwest Pakistan, the consequences of the 2011 destruction of Libya, the instigation of civil war in Syria, US sponsorship of the brutal Saudi interventions in Yemen, and the civil conflicts in Ukraine, the Caucuses and across Africa. Obama’s blood-soaked legacy, however, is most graphic in Iraq. There is a bitter irony in this, given the fact that he was elected in 2008 largely on the basis of ...
Trump’s Political Suicide Pushes China, Iran and Russia Closer
The first aspect to consider, following the US attack on Syria, is what Putin, Xi, and Rohani, leaders of the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, and Iran respectively, thought while American Tomahawks were hitting the Syrian air base of Shayrat. The last three years of the Obama presidency highlighted two very different strategies being advanced simultaneously by the US and the nations opposing its imperialistic overreach, principally Russia, China and Iran. The latter have been seeking cooperation, while the US, with its big hammer, has characteristically been on the search for nails to hammer. Yet the management of international ...
Paul Atwood, a Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, provides a concise summary of the history that informs North Korea’s “relations with the United States” and “drives its determination never to submit to any American diktat”. Excerpts from Atwood’s summary are here used as a framework, with other sources where indicated. Atwood notes it is an American “myth” that the “North Korean Army suddenly attacked without warning, overwhelming surprised ROK defenders.” In fact, the North/South border “had been progressively militarized and there had been numerous cross border incursions by both sides going back to 1949.” Part of what ...
The Killing of History
One of the most hyped “events” of American television, The Vietnam War, has started on the PBS network. The directors are Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Acclaimed for his documentaries on the Civil War, the Great Depression and the history of jazz, Burns says of his Vietnam films, “They will inspire our country to begin to talk and think about the Vietnam war in an entirely new way”. In a society often bereft of historical memory and in thrall to the propaganda of its “exceptionalism”, Burns’ “entirely new” Vietnam war is presented as “epic, historic work”. Its lavish advertising campaign promotes its ...
U.S. Infowar: Kosovars, Kosovo, Kosovans, Serbian Albanians, Croatian Serbs, Bosnians…
The U.S. government and U.S. media explained the mass murders of Kosovo Serbs, Roma, and other Kosovo minorities as “revenge murders”. They were “revenge attacks”. The expulsion of over 250,000 Kosovo Serbs, Roma, Gorani, and Jews was simply censored and deleted using the infowar technique of Emphasis. These infowar techniques have no basis in criminal law and violate fundamental values and tenets of morality and ethics. The U.S. rationale was spurious: Because Yugoslav police were defending themselves and Kosovo civilians against what the U.S. State Department itself declared were “terrorists”, the Albanian Muslim population of Kosovo had some sort of right ...
U.S. Special Operations Forces Deploy to 138 Nations, 70% of the World’s Countries
They could be found on the outskirts of Sirte, Libya, supporting local militia fighters, and in Mukalla, Yemen, backing troops from the United Arab Emirates. At Saakow, a remote outpost in southern Somalia, they assisted local commandos in killing several members of the terror group al-Shabab. Around the cities of Jarabulus and Al-Rai in northern Syria, they partnered with both Turkish soldiers and Syrian militias, while also embedding with Kurdish YPG fighters and the Syrian Democratic Forces. Across the border in Iraq, still others joined the fight to liberate the city of Mosul. And in Afghanistan, they assisted indigenous forces in various missions, just as they have ...
On Universities and NATO War Drums
It is coming clear these days that many university professors are increasingly fat-cat and lazy, not doing any research once they get tenure. It is a system-wide corruption of the academy, so entrenched that central administrations have only led the corruption in multiplying salaries and offices with no committed function to advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge – the constitutional and statutory objective of the academy the best are devoted to everywhere. This deep-structural degeneration is not confined to any one place or region. Regular contacts from other universities report a similar decadence. The solution is straightforward, but unspoken: (1) ...
Albanian Organized Crime in UK and Mainstream Media
The anti Serbian hysteria, ignorance, corrupted officials, media and public is something the British have to take consequences for. The consequences are: blooming criminal, narco business, robberies, theft, prostitution, kidnappings, radicalism, terrorism and other criminal officially supported (and) by Great Britain activities. But only while on Serbian soil. The Serbs were not allowed to defend their state form the criminals; there were NATO bombs to support Neonazi regime(s) in Croatia, radical Islamists in Bosnia and Islamofascists Albanian quasi state Kosovo, built on drug trade, prostitution and Serbian harvested organs. Since Albanians were not happy with ‘Kosovo’ state anymore, and after they ...
Kosovo’s Political Murders: Unpunished but Not Forgotten
The first thing you hear is the slow-moving clatter of a wheelchair. Then comes his voice. Fetah Rudi survived an attempted assassination which left him paralysed for life, and has spent more than 17 years suffering the consequences.Kosovo Liberation Army - A Balkan Islamic fundamentalist terrorist organization a la HezbollahIn June 1999, Rudi was one of the Kosovo Albanians who was detained and tortured in a Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA prison.A few months later in December 2000, Rudi - a member of the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, which at the time was President Ibrahim Rugova’s party - became a ...
The U.S. has Installed in 2014 a Neo-Nazi Government in Ukraine
This article first published in March 2014 at the very outset of the Ukraine crisis explains the nature of the Kiev proxy regime. we are dealing with a Neo-Nazi government supported by “Western democracy” and the “international community”. According to the New York Times, “The United States and the European Union have embraced the revolution here as another flowering of democracy, a blow to authoritarianism and kleptocracy in the former Soviet space.” ( After Initial Triumph, Ukraine’s Leaders Face Battle for Credibility, NYTimes.com, March 1, 2014, emphasis added). “Flowering Democracy, Revolution”? The grim realities are otherwise. What is a stake is a ...
The Hidden Structure of U.S. Empire
My father was a doctor in the British Royal Navy, and I grew up traveling by troop-ship between the last outposts of the British Empire – Trincomalee, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Malta, Aden, Singapore – and living in and around naval dockyards in England and Scotland.The British naval bases where I grew up and the fading empire they supported are now part of history. Chatham Dockyard. a working dockyard for over 400 years, is now a museum and tourist attraction. Trincomalee Dockyard, where I was born, has been in the news as a site where the Sri Lankan Navy is accused of torturing and ...
The Age of Imperial Wars: From Regional War, “Regime Change” to Global Warfare
2015 has become a year of living dangerously. Wars are spreading across the globe. Wars are escalating as new countries are bombed and the old are ravaged with ever greater intensity. Countries, where relatively peaceful changes had taken place through recent elections, are now on the verge of civil wars. These are wars without victors, but plenty of losers; wars that don’t end; wars where imperial occupations are faced with prolonged resistance. There are never-ending torrents of war refugees flooding across borders. Desperate people are detained, degraded and criminalized for being the survivors and victims of imperial invasions. Now major nuclear powers ...
US Foreign Policy: Hegemony or Stability, not Both
US foreign policy has for decades been predicated on achieving and maintaining global peace, security and stability. In reality, it has for over a century constituted an overreaching desire to achieve and maintain global hegemony. And where US efforts focus on achieving hegemony, division and destruction follow. From the Middle East to Eastern Europe, and from Southeast Asia to the Korean Peninsula, US intervention politically or militarily all but guarantee escalating tensions, uncertain futures, socioeconomic instability and even armed conflict. The Middle East and North Africa US efforts in the Middle East since the conclusion of the first World War have focused ...
Anglo-America: Regression and Reversion in the Modern World
What does it mean when the US and British financial systems launder hundreds of billions of dollars of illicit funds stolen by world leaders while their governments turn a ‘blind eye’, and yet the very same Anglo-American officials investigate, prosecute, fine and arrest officials from rival governments, rival banks and political leaders for corruption? What does it mean when the US government expands a world-wide network of nuclear missiles on bases stretching from Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, the Gulf States to Japan, surrounding Russia, Iran and China, while the very same US and NATO officials investigate and condemn rival defense officials from Russia, China ...
The Lie of the 21st Century: How Mainstream Media “Fake News” Led to the U.S. Invasion of Iraq
The mainstream media (MSM) has declared war on alternative media websites labeling them “Fake News” ever since Hillary Clinton lost the election to Donald Trump. The New York Times editorial board expressed their frustration in an article calling for the censorship of alternative and social media ‘Facebook and the Digital Virus Called Fake News’ which claimed both social media platforms (Facebook and Google) has not been aggressive enough in blocking fake news sites:Most of the fake news stories are produced by scammers looking to make a quick buck. The vast majority of them take far-right positions. But a big part ...
How Palestinians Can Reverse Israel’s Divide and Conquer Tactics
Most veteran observers, including Israeli security authorities and Palestinian leadership, were dumbfounded by recent events in Jerusalem, where tens of thousands of Palestinians mobilized non-violently in response to the Israeli closure of the Old City and placement of metal detectors at the entrance of the Dome of Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. What was the secret ingredient that made such a mass action take place and be a successful example in Palestinian non-violent resistance to the 50 years of Israeli military occupation? How did it happen so spontaneously, non-violently and with seemingly no leadership?A new report by the group, titled, Relations Between Palestinians Across ...
Ukraine: Fascist Dictatorship Masquerading as Democracy
For the first time since WW II, overt fascists hold real power in Europe. Radicalized ultranationalists. Anti-Semites. Hate-mongers. Cold-blooded killers. Whitewashing high crimes. A puppet regime. America’s newest colony. Mocking democratic values. Violating fundamental rule of law principles. Unaccountably. Western leaders won’t explain. Nor will the media. Hard truths are buried. Ukraine’s government usurped power forcibly. Putschist rule has no legitimacy. Especially regimes waging war on their own people. Murdering them in cold blood. Committing horrendous human rights abuses. Tolerating no opposition. Ruling by intimidation. Force-feeding neoliberal harshness on impoverished people. Making life unbearable overall. More on this below. On December 4, Wall Street Journal editors published ...
Difference between Iran and the USA
Read our Disclaimer/Legal Statement! Donate to Support Us We would like to ask you to consider a small donation to help our team keep working. We accept no advertising and rely only on you, our readers, to keep us digging the truth on history, global politics and international relations. Save Save
German Intelligence Service had Mafia Dossier on Kosovan President since 2005
The leak of a secret BND dossier on Hachim Thaci which reports that the newly-elected Kosovan President had links to a contract killer and was involved in the trafficking of people, arms and drugs is more confirmation that Western politicians have chosen to support Thaci in the knowledge of his criminal past.Wikileaks has leaked a secret German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) dossier on Hachim Thaci that dates back to 2005, after the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leader had served the first of his two terms in office as Kosovan Prime Minister.The dossier reports that Thaci, who has recently been elected president of Kosovo, was one of the leaders of organized ...
War between US and Russia Could Be Sooner than Later: “The Danger of a Nuclear War”
Right now the US mainstream media is obsessing over Donald’s alleged womanizing and female groping soap opera as the Clinton’s/MSM’s pruriently entertaining smokescreen, neatly designed to cover up Hillary/Bill’s serial raping and her criminal lead role as enabler/strong armed intimidator of past victims. Meanwhile, barely noticed in a virtual media blackout in the West are at least a half dozen high alert, significant international developments this last weekend that all strongly indicate the extreme danger of a nuclear war breaking out at any time against Russia and its Eastern alliance. Again, do not pay attention to the US deceivers behind their Oz-like ...
Posted in War and Tagged NATO, Pentagon, Russia, Washington.
Baltic States Between Russia and a Hard Place
Spoiled Latvia’s Image in the International Arena: The Rights of the Ethnic Russian Minority
Nazi Collaborator Greeting Becomes Official Ukraine Army Salute
The Russian Minority Question in Estonia
Politics is Above Common Sense in Latvia
On the Geo-politics of “European Army”
Ukraine’s Cult of Stepan Bandera: Not a Detail, but a Cornerstone
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1882
|
__label__wiki
| 0.936338
| 0.936338
|
You are here: Home / Technology News / Estonians Embrace Life in a Digital World
October 8, 2014 /in Technology News /by Dr. Dennie Beach
Follow us on Twitter at: @GoAfricaNetwork
TALLINN, Estonia — The centuries-old city center here looks quaintly antique, with well-worn cobbled streets lined by medieval buildings at nearly every turn.
But the people have fully embraced the digital world, enthusiastically adopting public and private online services — offering a snapshot of a society that lives first and foremost online.
Estonians, using a national identity card embedded with a microchip, gain access to some 4,000 services, including banking, business registration and even fishing licenses. They review medical records and order prescriptions on smartphones. Almost everyone files taxes on the web within minutes, and about a third of voters now cast their ballots online.
By MARK SCOTT OCT. 8, 2014
While Europe and the United States debate the role of technology in people’s daily lives, Estonia has welcomed it as a fact of life, largely shooing away concerns about data privacy that have become hot-button issues elsewhere. In the last 23 years, Estonia, a Baltic country, has transformed from being a member of the Soviet bloc to one of the most connected countries, using technology built primarily within its borders.
Priit Heinla, an engineer, says he can’t imagine doing things the old-fashioned way, like filing his taxes on paper or voting off-line. Credit Fabian Weiss for The New York Times
Taavi Kotka, Estonia’s chief information officer, in Tallinn, the capital.CreditFabian Weiss for The New York Times
The rest of the world — particularly Europe — has taken notice. The country’s former prime minister, Andrus Ansip, has been tapped to become the new European Commission vice president in charge of Europe’s digital future. If he is confirmed for the job by Europe’s lawmakers, he will face pressure to improve online privacy and give people greater control over their information, which stands somewhat at odds with Estonia’s approach to digital services.
Taavi Kotka, Estonia’s chief information officer, in Tallinn, the capital. Credit Fabian Weiss for The New York Time
During a three-hour nomination hearing in Brussels on Monday, Mr. Ansip trumpeted his support for Europe’s privacy agenda.
“We have to protect everyone’s privacy,” he said. “Trust is a basic principle. If people can’t trust e-services, they will never use them.”
But he also pushed the upside of going digital. “I know from personal experience that paperless government can work,” he said.
With a population of 1.3 million, about the same as in Dallas, Estonia faces fewer challenges than bigger countries like Britain and the United States when introducing online services. And while it remains uncertain whether other countries can follow Estonia’s path, it is clear Estonia has little desire to turn back.
“Digital services have changed our lives,” said Taavi Roivas, who recently succeeded Mr. Ansip as prime minister. “It’s easier to communicate with the state, and there’s a lot less bureaucracy.”
The transformation has been made on a small budget. The country spends about 50 million euros, or $63 million, a year on information technology, far from the $700 million spent on HealthCare.gov, the online health insurance marketplace in the United States. Most of the money goes to local companies, some of which began in local research centers started in the Soviet era.
In large part, Estonia’s decision to go digital also has been driven by one basic fact: It had no other choice.
When the Iron Curtain fell, Estonia had few financial resources and a small population to jump-start its economy. Local policy makers also soon realized that they could not offer Western-style services without using new technology, including the Internet, that could keep government costs at a bare minimum.
“Luckily, Estonia was never a rich country,” said Priit Alamae, chief executive of Nortal, a local company that built much of the technology powering Estonia’s digital services. “We’re like a working-class child and had to earn everything on merit.”
While Estonia’s online services have expanded rapidly, the system still relies on two staples.
All Estonians are issued an identity card at 15, which includes a microchip that holds personal information and allows access to government and commercial services. To keep records safe, each card uses a personal identification number that must be correctly entered before using the digital offerings. The numbers are much harder to compromise than signatures and other forms of online security, analysts say.
Estonia also relies on a government-run technology infrastructure, called X-Road, that links public and private databases into the country’s digital services. All personal information is kept on separate servers and behind distinct security walls of government agencies, but the system allows the state and businesses like banks to share data when individuals give consent.
Estonia’s willingness to use digital products sets it apart from France and Germany, where people have objected to keeping data online. Estonians have embraced the concept. The country’s systems have recorded few serious security breaches that could test people’s faith. And many residents say the online services are more secure and more convenient than traditional methods of dealing with the government.
Now, about 98 percent of people file their income taxes online through an automated system that takes roughly five minutes to complete, said Marek Helm, who leads Estonia’s tax and customs authority. That has increased overall tax compliance, cut his agency’s staff in half, to 1,500 employees, and allowed the government to issue tax refunds within a week.
The transition to a digital life has come with a few hiccups.
Estonia’s online medical portal routinely crashed after digital prescriptions were introduced in 2010 because retirees — the main users of regular prescriptions — kept signing into the system to renew their medication on the day they all received monthly social security payments. And some local politicians have voiced concerns that the introduction of Internet voting in 2005 has led to suspicions of election fraud.
But Estonians largely view the country’s digital services as the standard way of interacting with the government and local companies — a far cry from the rest of Europe. Citizens are more concerned about frequent government requests for online information than they are about privacy, said Siim Sikkut, a technology adviser to the Estonian government. To prevent people from being bombarded for information, Estonia passed a law that required the authorities to ask only once for specific data, like someone’s date of birth. That means local agencies and companies are legally obliged to share basic information when requested, to make it easier for people to use online services.
“If we had a centralized system, it would be a privacy concern,” said Taavi Kotka, Estonia’s chief information officer, during a recent walk through the picturesque center of Tallinn. “But nobody has the whole picture. Everything is separate, but connected.”
The country now wants to take its digital services global by signing up people living outside Europe for so-called “e-residency” that would give people anywhere in the world access to Estonia’s public and private online services.
The upside, Estonians say, is convenience.
“I can’t imagine doing things the old-fashioned way,” said Priit Heinla, 27, a project manager for an energy company who regularly signs documents with digital signatures on computers or mobile devices.
“You don’t have to sign a mountain of paperwork,” he said. “It’s just one signature and you’re done.”
A version of this article appears in print on October 9, 2014, on page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: Estonians Embrace Life in a Digital World. Order Reprints|Today’s Paper|Subscribe
/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/logo-go-africa-news-294x300.png 0 0 Dr. Dennie Beach /wp-content/uploads/2015/07/logo-go-africa-news-294x300.png Dr. Dennie Beach2014-10-08 23:47:302014-10-08 23:47:30Estonians Embrace Life in a Digital World
Experimental Ebola Drug Puts Its Maker, Chimerix, Back in the Spotlight Mind-controlled prosthetic arm now a reality
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1883
|
__label__wiki
| 0.926255
| 0.926255
|
PORTUGAL (ancient Lusitania):
(Redirected from ALFONSO V. OF PORTUGAL.)
In the Thirteenth Century.
The Rabbi Mór.
His Duties and Staff.
Regulation of Jewish Internal Affairs.
Taxation.
Favorable Attitude of Diniz.
Under Ferdinand I.
John I. a Friend to the Jews.
Revolt of 1449.
Under John II.
Under Manuel the Great.
Forcible Baptism of Children.
Compulsory Conversion of 20,000 Jews.
Protection for Maranos.
Introduction of the Inquisition (1531).
Resettlement.
Kingdom in the southwest of Europe. The condition of its Jews, whose residence in the country is contemporaneous with that of the Jews in Spain, while in general like that of their coreligionists in the neighboring kingdom of Castile, was in some respects different. The influence of the canonical law was felt much later here than in Spain and not so violently. Until the expulsion there were no active hostilities against the Jews in Portugal. Affonso Henriques(1139-85), the conqueror and first king of Portugal, found Jews already settled in Santarem, Lisbon, and Beja; and, according to Herculano, he is said to have found villages and localities which were wholly or to a great extent inhabited by Jews. He pursued the tolerant policy of his grandfather Alfonso VI. of Castile, and issued letters of protection to the Jews, as also to the Moors of Faro. He, moreover, employed Jews in his service, as, for instance, Dom Yaḥya ibn Ya'ish (ancestor of the widely branching Yaḥya family), who was his receiver of customs ("almoxarife"), and to whom he gave two estates (Aldeas dos Negros) which had belonged to the Moors (c. 1150). Affonso Henriques' son Sancho I. (1185-1211) also was tolerant; likewise Sancho's son Affonso II. (1211-23), who employed Jews as farmers of the taxes and as tax-collectors, although under him the hostile attitude of the Church began to be felt. Affonso confirmed the resolutions passed by the Cortes at Coimbra in 1211, to the effect that a Jew who had been baptized might not return to Judaism, and that no Jew might prevent his children from embracing Christianity or disinherit them for so doing. On the other hand, he opposed the promulgation of the canons of the Lateran Council (1215) with regard to the Jews. Affonso II. died under a ban, and his son Sancho II. (1223-46) continued the struggle with the Church. In spite of the canonical prohibition, he appointed Jews as tax-farmers. Probably it was he who appointed D. Joseph ibn Yaḥya as almoxarife; he also permitted him to build a magnificent synagogue in Lisbon (Carmoly, "Biographie der Jachiaden," p. 2, where V10p136001.jpg [5010 = 1250] should probably be read instead of V10p136002.jpg [5020]).
In consequence of this favor shown to the Jews, Pope Gregory IX. sent an order to the bishops of Astorga and Lugo to protest against these infringements of ecclesiastical ordinances. The papal threats had little effect upon Affonso III. (1246-79), son of Sancho II., who had been deposed by the pope. The clergy complained to the latter in 1258 that the king gave to the Jews public offices in which they assumed authority over Christians, and that he did not compel them to wear the Jews' badge or to pay the tithe to the Church. This petition seems not to have had the desired effect on Affonso III. He commanded that Moorish slaves when bought by Jews should not obtain freedom, and that Christians should not evade payment of their debts by selling goods which they had mortgaged to the Jews (J. Mendes dos Remedios, "Os Judeus em Portugal," p. 427). Further, Affonso III. organized the internal affairs of the Jews of his kingdom, to whom Affonso I. had already granted autonomy in civil as well as in criminal cases. Above all he issued a decree regulating the rights and duties of the rabbis, which was revised in 1402 under John I. The "rabbi mór" (chief rabbi) stood at the head of the Portuguese Jews, and, like the "rab de la corte" (court rabbi) in Castile, was an officer of the crown and the most prominent person in the entire Jewry. He had his own seal, which bore the Portuguese coat of arms and the legend "Sello do Arrabbi Mórde Portugal." All his official documents began with the following words: "N. N., Arrabbi Mór, por meu Senhor El-Rey, das Communas dos Judeus de Portugal e do Algarve" (i.e., "N. N., chief rabbi, through my lord the king, of the communities of the Jews in Portugal and Algarves").
On the rabbi mór devolved the duty of visiting all the communities of Portugal every year. He supervised the administration of legacies and funds for orphans, examined all accounts rendered to him by the directors and treasurers concerning the income and expenditure of the communities, and, through his "porteiro" (messenger), compelled tardy taxpayers to pay. He had authority to compel the communities to appoint local rabbis and teachers and to enforce the latter to accept the positions to which they had been elected. The local rabbi might not issue writs of protection except in cases where the royal provincial authorities were permitted to grant them. He might not, moreover, institute a general contribution, nor could he alienate real estate of the community without its assent. The rabbi mór was accompanied on his official tours by an "ouvidor" (chief justice), who was an expert in Jewish law; by a "chanceller" (chancellor), under whose supervision was the office of the seal; by an "eserivão" (secretary), who received and drew up the protocols; and by a "porteiro (messenger), who was under oath and took charge of the occasional seizures, executed sentences of punishments, etc. The rabbi mór chose the chief justices for the seven provinces ofthe country, who were stationed at the respective capitals—at Oporto (Porto) for the province Entre-Douro-e-Minho; at Moncorvo for Tras-os-Montes; at Covilhã for Beira-Alta; at Viseu for Beira-Baixa; at Santarem for Estremadura; at Evora for Alemtejo; and at Faro for Algarve. Each provincial judge carried an official seal bearing the Portuguese coat of arms and the legend "Sello do Ouvidor das Communas de . . .," and had a chancellor and secretary who might be either a Jew or a Christian. The judge decided cases which were brought before him on appeal or on complaint of the local rabbi. Each place in which a certain number of Jews resided had a local rabbi, who was chosen by the community and confirmed in office, in the name of the king, by the rabbi mór, to whom he was subordinate. The local rabbi had civil and capital jurisdiction over the Jews of his district, and to him was responsible the butcher ("degollador") appointed for the community. The butcher had to make a conscientious report to the tax-collector of the number of cattle and fowl killed by him.
The internal affairs of the Jewish communities were regulated by directors ("procuradores"), who were assisted on special occasions by confidential men ("homẽs boõs das communas" or "ṭobe ha-'ir"). In each community was a notary to draw up written contracts. After the edict of John I. all documents had to be written in the language of the country, and not in Hebrew. The oaths of Jews in lawsuits among themselves or against Christians were very simple as compared with those of Jews in Castile, Aragon, and Navarre. The Jew swore in the synagogue with a Torah in his arm and in the presence of a rabbi and of a royal officer of the law. On Sabbath and feast-days Jews might not be summoned to court, nor could any legal proceedings be taken against them. It was strictly forbidden to cite a Jew before a Christian judge. Whoever acted contrary to this law was liable to a fine of 1,000 gold doubloons, and the rabbi mór was required to keep him in custody until the sum should be paid.
In Portugal, as in Spain, the Jews lived in separate "Juderias," or Jew lanes. The capital possessed the largest community, and Jews resided also in Alcaçar, Alcoitim, Aliezur, Alter-do-Chão, Alvito, Alvor, Barcellos, Beja, Bragança, Cacilla, Castro-Marim, Chaves, Coimbra, Couto, Covilhã, Elvas, Estremos, Alanquer, Evora, Faro, Gravāo, Guarda, Guimarães, Lamego, Leiria, Loulé (which had its own Jew valley, Val de Judeo), Mejanfrio, Miranda, Moncorvo, Montemor, Oporto, Peñamaçor, Porches, Santarem (where the oldest synagogue was located), Silves, Tavira, Trancoso, Villa-Marim, Villa-Viciosa, and Viseu. The Jews of Portugal had to pay the following taxes: the "Juderega" or "Judenga," a poll-tax of 30 dinheiros, fixed here, as in Castile, in remembrance of the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas Iscariot; a personal tax of 5 maravedis for every boy from seven to fourteen years of age, and 2½ maravedis for each girl from seven to twelve, 1 maravedi for every unmarried male over fourteen living in the home of his parents, and ½ maravedi for every unmarried female over twelve. Married people paid 20 solidi. The rabbinate tax, known as "Arabiado," fell to the crown. From the reign of King Sancho II., who was interested in the development of the navy, the Jews were obliged to pay a navy tax. For each ship fitted out by the king they had to provide an anchor and a new anchor-tow sixty ells long, or instead to make a money payment of 60 livres. A poll-tax of 1 maravedi was levied on them in several places, also a customs and a road tax, from which Christians were exempt. The Jews paid King Affonso IV. (1325-57) 50,000 livres annually in direct taxes. All that a Jew bought or sold was subject to a special tax—each head of cattle or fowl which he killed, every fish and every measure of wine that he bought. The special taxes, as in other states, were based on the principles then generally recognized with regard to the position of the Jews, but restrictions were first enacted upon recognition of the canonical law and its incorporation into the law of the land.
Under Diniz (1279-1325), the son and successor of Affonso III., the Jews remained in the favorable situation they had enjoyed up to that time. This was due in no small measure to the influence which D. Judah, chief rabbi at that time, and D. Gedaliah, his son and successor, who were also the king's treasurers, had with the king. Gedaliah's representations as to the partiality of the judges was not without effect. The favor and protection, however, granted the Jews by the king increased the hatred of the clergy against them. They complained that Diniz permitted the presence of Jews at his court and entrusted them with official positions, that he did not compel them to wear badges, and that he allowed them the free exercise of their religion. "The Jews are becoming proud and conceited," they reported to Rome; "they adorn their horses with tassels, and indulge in a luxury that has an injurious effect on the inhabitants of the country." But not until the reign of Affonso IV. (1325-57), who was unfavorably disposed to the Jews, did the clergy accomplish anything with their complaints. Immediately after his accession the law was enforced by which Jews were prohibited from appearing in public without a badge—the six-pointed yellow star in the hat or on the upper garment—and were forbidden to wear gold chains. He limited their freedom of emigration, declaring that no one who owned property of the value of 500 livres might leave the country without royal permission, under penalty of forfeiting his property, which, together with that of those who went with him, would fall to the king. They had also to suffer from the growing hatred of the populace, incited by the clergy, who made the Jews responsible for the plague which raged in the year 1350. King Pedro I. (1357-67), however, who was a model of justice, protected them against the violence of the clergy and nobles (see Pedro I.), and under his benevolent rule their prosperity increased. His body-physician was Rabbi Mór D. Moses Navarro, who together with his wife established a large entail near Lisbon.
Under Ferdinand I. (1367-83), who was a spendthrift and who employed his Jewish treasurer D. Judahin his financial operations, and still more under the regency of his wife, the frivolous and highly unpopular Leonora, the Jews were prominent in Portugal. After the death of the king, Leonora deposed D. Judah and the Jewish collector of customs at Lisbon on the representations of the city deputies; but when she wished to have her daughter Beatrix and the latter's husband, John I. of Castile, recognized as regents of the country, and the people rebelled, killed Leonora's favorites, and proclaimed John vice-regent of the kingdom (1385), Leonora fled, accompanied by her confidants, the above-mentioned D. Judah and the wealthy D. David Negro-Yaḥya. Disputes between her and John I. of Castile, who waged war against Portugal, ended in an open breach on the occasion of the nomination to the head rabbinate of Castile. Leonora demanded the place for her favorite D. Judah, but the king, at the desire of his wife, appointed D. David Negro-Yaḥya. Embittered by this, Leonora plotted against the life of her son-in-law; but her plan was frustrated by D. David Negro, and Leonora was banished to a convent in Tordesillas; the life of D. Judah was spared on the plea of D. David Negro. The possessions of D. Judah, D. David, and other Jews who had sided with the banished queen and had fled from Portugal, were confiscated and given to the bravest knights by D. John, who became king after the withdrawal of the King of Castile (1411).
John I., in spite of the fact that he favored conversion and granted special privileges to the converted, was a friend and protector of the Jews. Through the efforts of Rabbi Mór D. Moses Navarro, they were shielded from the severe persecutions which their coreligionists in Spain experienced in 1391, and also from the zeal and sermons of conversion of Vicente Ferrer. John protected the Jews who had fled from the persecutions in Spain. On the other hand, he enforced the laws compelling the Jews to wear the badge and prohibiting them from entering Christian taverns or holding official positions; but these were often disregarded. Only a short time before his death (1433) he was accused of having Jewish physicians at the court and of permitting Jewish tax-collectors to exercise executive authority. His son Duarte (1433-1438) tried completely to separate the Jews from the Christian population, in spite of the influence exerted over him by his body-physician and astrologer Mestre Guedelha (Gedaliah) ibn Solomon ibn Yaḥya-Negro. When the latter, as is said, advised the king to postpone the ceremonies of coronation and the king refused to do so, he announced to him that his reign would be short and, unfortunate. Duarte was indeed unfortunate in his undertakings. His brother D. Fernando, who borrowed large sums from D. Judah Abravanel and sent the king a Jewish surgeon, Mestre Joseph, from Fez, in 1437, died in a Moorish prison; and Duarte himself, while still in the full vigor of manhood, was carried off by the plague after a short reign. Under Duarte's son, the mild and gentle Affonso V. (1438-81), "who exercised justice and kindness toward his people," the Jews again enjoyed freedom and prosperity. It was their last tranquil period upon the Pyrenean peninsula. They resided outside the Juderias; they were distinguished from the Christians by no external tokens; and they held public offices. Affonso V. appointed D. Isaac Abravanel to be his treasurer and minister of finance, and several members of the Yaḥya family were received at court. Joseph ben David ibn Yaḥya stood in especial favor with the king, who called him his "wise Jew," and who, being himself fond of learning, liked to discuss scientific and religious questions with him (Ibn Verga, "Shebeṭ Yehudah," pp. 61 et seq., 108 et seq.).
The favors shown to the Jews and the luxury displayed by them, which even the king with all his gentleness reproved, increased the hatred of the people more and more. In 1449 for the first time in Portugal this feeling broke out in a revolt against the Jews of Lisbon; the Juderia was stormed, and several Jews were killed. The king intervened, and imposed strict penalties on the ringleaders, but the complaints against the Jews continued. At the assemblies of the Cortes in Santarem (1451), Lisbon (1455), Coimbra (1473), and Evora (1481) restrictions were demanded. "When D. Affonso died," says Isaac Abravanel, "all Israel was filled with grief and mourning; the people fasted and wept."
Affonso was succeeded by his son John II. (1481-1495), a morose, distrustful person, who did away with the powerful lords and the house of Bragança in order to create an absolute kingdom, and seized their possessions for the crown. He showed favor to the Jews, and as often as it was for his advantage employed them in his service. His body-physicians were D. Leão and D. Joseph Vecinho, the latter of whom, together with D. Moses, the king's mathematician, had also made himself useful in the art of navigating; his surgeon was a D. Antonio, whom he induced to accept Christianity, and who then wrote a slanderous book against his former coreligionists. The king employed the Jews Joseph Capateiro of Lamego and Abraham of Beja to transact business for him. He was also friendly toward those Jews who, exiled from Spain, had sought refuge in Portugal; he promised to receive them for eight months in return for a poll-tax of 8 crusados to be paid in four instalments, and to provide enough ships for them to continue their journey. His only purpose in granting them protection was to replenish the state treasury. He appointed Oporto and other cities for their temporary residence, although the inhabitants protested. The number of immigrants amounted to nearly 100,000. From Castile alone more than 3,000 persons embarked at Benevento for Bragança; at Zamora, more than 30,000 for Miranda; from Ciudad-Rodrigo for Villar, more than 35,000; from Alcantara for Marvão, more than 15,000; and from Badajoz for Elvas, more than 10,000—in all more than 93,000 persons (Bernaldez, in A. de Castro, "Historia de los Judios en España," p. 143). John II. did not keep his promise. Not until after long delay did he provide ships for them. The suffering which the emigrants were obliged to endure was terrible. Women and girls were outraged by theship captains and sailors in the presence of their husbands and parents, and were then thrown into the water. The Portuguese chroniclers agree with Jewish historians in the description of these fiendish acts. Those who tarried in the country after the prescribed period were made slaves and given away. John went even further in his cruelty. He tore the little children away from the parents who remained behind, and sent them to the newly discovered island of St. Thomas; most of them died on the ships or were devoured on their arrival by wild beasts; those who remained alive populated the island. Often brothers married their own sisters (Usque, "Consolaçam," etc., p. 197a; Abraham b. Solomon, "Sefer ha-Ḳabbalah," in Neubauer, "M. J. C." i. 112). John II. is called "the Wicked" by Jewish historians and once also "the Pious"
After John's death his cousin and brother-in-law D. Manuel, called "the Great," ascended the throne of Portugal (1495-1521). At first he was favorably inclined toward the Jews, perhaps through the influence of Abraham Zacuto, his much-esteemed astronomer; he restored to them the freedom which John had taken from them and generously declined a present of money which the Jews offered him in token of their gratitude. Political interests, however, brought about only too soon a change in his attitude. Manuel thought to unite the whole peninsula under his scepter by marrying a Spanish princess, Isabella, the young widow of the Infante of Portugal and daughter of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. The latter couple, who had driven the Jews out of their own land (1492), made their consent dependent on the condition that Manuel should expel all the Jews from his country. He brought the matter before his state council, some members of which warned him against the expulsion of such a useful and diligent people, who would settle in Africa, where they would add strength to the Mohammedans and become dangerous to Portugal. On the other hand, the party hostile to the Jews referred to Spain and other states in which Jews were not tolerated. The king's course was decided by Isabella herself, who wrote to him to the effect that she would not enter Portugal until the land was cleaned of Jews (G. Heine, in Schmidt's "Zeitschrift für Geschichte," ix. 147). On Nov. 30, 1496, the marriage contract between Manuel and Isabella was signed, and on Dec. 4 of the same year the king issued an order at Muja (Muga), near Santarem, directing that all Jews and Jewesses, irrespective of age, should leave Portugal before the end of Oct., 1497, under penalty of death and confiscation of their property; that any Christian found concealing a Jew after the expiration of the prescribed period should be deprived of all his property; and that no future ruler on any pretext whatever should permit Jews to reside in the kingdom. The king granted the Jews free departure with all their property, and promised to assist them as far as possible (the decree of banishment, which, according to Zacuto, "Yuḥasin," p. 227 [where V10p139001.jpg should be read instead of V10p139002.jpg], was issued Dec. 4, is found in the "Ordenaçoõs d' el Rey D. Manuel" [Evora, 1556], ii. 41, and in Rios, "Hist." iii. 614 et seq.; see also "R. E. J." iii. 285 et seq.).
In order to retain the Jews in the country as converts Manuel issued the inhuman decree that on a certain day all Jewish children, irrespective of sex, who should have reached their fourth year and should not have passed their twentieth should be torn from their parents and brought up in the Christian faith at the expense of the king. He did this "for reasons which compelled him to it," according to the assertion of Abraham b. Solomon of Torrutiel, on the advice of the converted Levi ben Shem-Ṭob ("Sefer ha-Ḳabbalah," ed. Neubauer, l.c. i. 114) and in opposition to the will of his state council assembled at Estremoz, which, with the noble bishop D. Fernando Coutinho at its head, emphatically declared against this enforced baptism. The Jews in Evora, as in the country generally, received the news of the intended deed on Friday, March 17, 1497; and in order that parents might not have time to get the children out of the way, the king had the crime committed on Sunday, the first day of the Passover, March 19 (not early in April, as is usually stated; see Zacuto, l.c. p. 227). According to Usque (l.c. p. 198), Jews up to the age of twenty-five years ("vintecinco annos"; not fifteen, as Grätz, "Gesch." viii. 392, declares) were taken; according to Herculano (l.c. i. 125), the age limit was twenty years (see also Goes, "Chron." xx. 19). Pathetic scenes occurred on this occasion. Out of sympathy and compassion many Christians concealed Jewish children that they might not be separated from their parents. Many parents smothered their children in the last farewell embrace or threw them into wells and rivers and then killed themselves. "I have seen with my own eyes," writes the noble Coutinho, "how a father, his head covered, with pain and grief accompanied his son to the baptismal font and called on the Allknowing as witness that they, father and son, wished to die together as confessors of the Mosaic faith. I have seen many more terrible things that were done to them." Isaac ibn Zachin, the son of an Abraham ibn Zachin, killed himself and his children because he wished to see them die as Jews. As the last date for the departure of the Jews drew near the king announced after long hesitation that they must all go to Lisbon and embark there.
About 20,000 persons flocked together to the capital and were driven like sheep into a palace with a seventeen-window front, destined for the temporary reception of foreign ambassadors. On its site to-day stands the Donna Maria Theater. Here they were told that the time allotted for their departure had elapsed, that they were now the king's slaves, and that he would deal with them according to his will. Instead of food and drink they received the visits of the converted Mestre Nicolão (body-physician to the young queen) and Pedro de Castro, who was a churchman and brother of Nicolão. All sorts of promises were made in the attempt to induce the Jews to aceept Christianity. When all attempts to shake their faith had failed the king ordered his bailiffs touse force. The strongest and handsomest Jewish young men were dragged into church by the hair and beard to be baptized.
Only seven or eight heroic characters, "somente sete ou vito cafres contumasses," as Herculano reports from a manuscript, offered an obstinate opposition; and these the king caused to be transported across the sea. Among them were probably the physician Abraham Saba, whose two sons were forcibly baptized and thrown into prison; Abraham Zacuto, the mathematician and astrologer of D. Manuel; and the scholar Isaac b. Joseph Caro, who had fled to Portugal from Toledo and had here lost all his sons.
Even the Portuguese dignitaries, and especially Bishop Osorius, were deeply moved by this cruel compulsory conversion; and perhaps it was due to the latter that Pope Alexander VI. took the Jews under his protection. Manuel, perhaps advised by the pope to do so, adopted a milder policy. On May 30, 1497, he issued a law for the protection of the converted Jews, called "Christãos novos" (Neo-Christians), according to which they were to remain undisturbed for twenty years, the authorities to have during that time no right to impeach them for heresy. At the expiration of this period, if a complaint should arise as to adherence to the old faith only a civil suit was to be brought against them, and in case of conviction the property of the condemned was to pass to his Christian heirs and not into the fiscal treasury. The possession and use of Hebrew books were forbidden except to converted Jewish physicians and surgeons, who were allowed to use Hebrew medical works. Finally, a general amnesty was promised to all Neo-Christians (documents in Kayserling, "Geschichte der Juden in Portugal," pp. 347 et seq.).
Those Jews who were living as pretended Christians took the first opportunity to leave the country. Whoever could sold his property and emigrated. Large numbers of secret Jews set sail for Italy, Africa, and Turkey. Thereupon, on April 20 and 21, 1499, Manuel prohibited the transaction of business with Neo-Christians and forbade the latter to leave Portugal without the royal permission. They were thus obliged to remain in a country in which a fanatical clergy was constantly inciting against them a populace that already hated and despised them. In April, 1506, a savage massacre occurred in Lisbon. On April 19 and the following days over 2,000 (according to some over 4,000) secret Jews were killed in a most terrible fashion and burned on pyres. Manuel inflicted a severe penalty on the Dominican friars who were the leaders in the riot; they were garroted and then burned, while the friars who had taken part in the revolt were expelled from the monastery. The king granted new privileges to the secret Jews and permitted them, by an edict of March 1, 1507, to leave the country with their property. To show them his good-will he renewed the law of May 30, 1497, and on April 21, 1512, prolonged it for a further period of twenty years. In 1521, however, he again issued a law forbidding emigration under penalty of confiscation of property and loss of personal freedom.
So long as Manuel lived the Neo-Christians or Maranos were not disturbed, but under his son and successor, John III. (1521-57), the enmity against them broke out anew. On Dec. 17, 1531, Pope Clement VII. authorized the introduction of the Inquisition into Portugal, after the Maranos of that country had prevented it for fifty years. The number of Maranos who left the country now increased steadily, especially under the reign of King Sebastian (1557-78), who permitted them free departure, in return for the enormous payment of 250,000 ducats, with which sum he carried on his unfortunate war against Africa.
F. Brandão, Monarchia Lusitana, passim;
Ruy de Pina, Chronica do Rey D. Duarte;
idem, Chronica d' el Rey D. Jodo I.;
idem, Chronica do Senhor Rey D. Affonso;
idem, Chronica d' el Rey D. João II. in Colleccão dos Ineditos de Historia Portugueza;
F. Lopez, Chronica d' el Rey D. Pedro, in Colleccão, iv. 17, 20;
Sousa, Provas, ii. 20,255; iii. 581, 628; iv. 28;
Damião de Goes, Chronica do Serenissimo Senhor Rei D. Manuel, x. 13 et seq., 20;
Osorius, De Rebus Emanuelis, etc., 7a, 12b et seq.;
Garcia de Rezende, Chronica dos Valerosos e Insignos Feitos del Rey Dom João II. pp. 68 et seq., 96 et seq., 132 et seq.;
Usque, Consolaçam as Tribulacoens de I'srael, pp. 188, 195 et seq.;
Joaquim Jos. Ferreira Gordo, Memoria Sobre os Judeos em Portugal, in Memorias da Academia Real das Sciencias, iv. 2 (reprinted, without naming author or source, in Revista Peninsular, ii. 520 et seq., Lisbon, 1856);
A. Herculano, Historia de Portugal, ii. 322 et seq.; iii. 107, 128, 138, 215; iv. 210;
idem. Da Origem e Estabelecimento da Inquisicão em Portugal, i. 85, 95 et seq., 100 et seq., 120 et seq., 138 et seq., Lisbon, 1854;
S. Cassel, in Ersch and Gruber, Encyc. section ii., part 27, pp. 226 et seq.;
Rios, Hist. i. 266; ii. 185, 265, 455; iii. 179, 334;
Kayserling, Gesch. der Juden in Portugal, Berlin, 1867;
J. Mendes dos Remedios, Os Judeus em Portugal, i., Coimbra, 1895;
Grätz, Gesch. vii. 169; viii. 49, 374 et seq.;
J. Q. R. 1900, xv. 251-274, 529-530.
D. M. K.Resettlement.
The anticlerical movement instituted by Marquis Pombal, the all-powerful minister of King Joseph I. (1750-77), lessened the rigor of the Inquisition. As early as May 2, 1768, the lists containing the names of the Neo-Christians were ordered to be suppressed; a law of May 25, 1773 (the year when the Jesuit order was abolished), decreed that all disabilities based on descent, chiefly directed against the Maranos, should cease; and finally the Inquisition, whose powers had been considerably restricted by a law of Sept. 1, 1774, was altogether abolished on March 31, 1821.
The first Jew to settle in Portugal after the expulsion of 1497 was Moses Levy, an English subject from Gibraltar ("Jew. Chron." Oct. 21, 1904, p. 10), although the treaty of Utrecht (1713), by which Gibraltar had been ceded to England, had expressly stipulated (article x.) that the Jewish subjects of England should not have the right of residence in Portugal. The statement of Thiers ("Histoire du Consulat et de l'Empire," xi. 71, Paris, 1851) that the French troops upon their invasion of Portugal in 1807 were hailed by 20,000 Jews, is certainly a gross exaggeration, as is also the statement ("Revue Orientale," 1841, vi.; reprinted in "Allg. Zeit. des Jud." 1841, p. 681) that there were 2,000 to 2,500 Jews in Portugal in 1825. It has been proved, however, that as early as 1801 the Jews of Lisbon bought a plot in the English cemetery of that city, where the oldest tombstone still extant bears the date of 1804. A formal motion, proposed by Joseph Ferrão in the Cortes, Feb. 26, 1821, to admit the Jews into thecountry, was defeated; and the constitution of 1826, while declaring Roman Catholicism to be the state religion, allowed foreigners freedom of worship, provided they conducted it in places not bearing the signs of a public house of worship.
Outside of Lisbon there is only one congregation in Portugal possessing a house of worship (erected 1850), namely, that of Faro; it numbers about fifteen families and dates from 1820. A few Jews are living in Evora, Lagos, and Porto; but they are not organized into congregations. A settlement, which has of late been steadily decreasing, exists in S. Miguel on the Azores; but it is so small that its members have to send to Gibraltar every year for some coreligionists in order to secure the required Minyan for the services of the great holy days.
The Jewish inhabitants of Portugal numbered in 1903 about 500 souls in a total population of 5,428,591. Most of them are merchants and shipowners, while a few are professors, among them being Jacob Bensaudo, who holds the chair of English at Porto and has published various text-books. James Anahory Athias is an officer in the navy ("Jew. Chron." Jan. 31, 1902). Lisbon has a rabbi, and Faro a ḥazzan. The rabbinical office in Lisbon was occupied for a long time by Jacob Toledano of Tangier, who died in 1899; the present (1905) incumbent is Isaac J. Wolfinsohn. Guido Chayes, Portuguese consul in Leghorn, was made a count by King Carlos in 1904 ("Vessillo Israelitico." 1904, p. 196). Sir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid was created Baron of Palmeira in 1845, and Sydney James Stern, now Lord Wandsworth, was created a viscount in 1895.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1884
|
__label__wiki
| 0.636762
| 0.636762
|
Home Articles posted by Richard Allen
Bryson Dennis enjoying transition from dirt to pavement
Bryson Dennis has been racing for a number of years and has participated in multiple forms of the sport. But primarily, the 22-year-old driver has applied his talents in Dirt Late Models and Asphalt Late Models. Currently the Greeneville, Tenn. native is a regular competitor in the Late Model Stock Car division at Kingsport(TN) Speedway but he has also raced on the dirt at the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. in a Crate Late Model. Dennis comes a family tradition of racing and that led him to the track. His father, Bobby Dennis, was a racer when Bryson was…
Richard Allen July 10, 2019 July 10, 2019 Features, Short Track
Daytona: The World Center of Feel-Good Stories
The Daytona International Speedway is often referred to the as the ‘World Center of Racing’ but this past Independence Day weekend the track located in the Atlantic coastal town of Daytona Beach, Fla. could have been more aptly named the ‘World Center of Feel Good Stories’ based on the way its two NASCAR sanctioned races played out. And who doesn’t love a feel-good story, right? Since the middle of 2018 watermelon farmer turned racer Ross Chastain has become the hero of many who have longed to pursue a dream. The Florida native got the chance of a lifetime and made…
Richard Allen July 7, 2019 July 7, 2019 NASCAR Blogs
Zeke Shell takes second LMSC feature at Kingsport
As part of Fan Appreciation Night the Kingsport Speedway offered a double helping of action in the Late Model Stock Car division. Nik Williams was the winner of the first feature of the night in a hotly contested opener. At the end of the second stanza it was defending Kingsport Speedway track champion Zeke Shell who left the upper east Tennessee track as the winner. (Nik Williams overcomes crash to capture first LMSC feature at Kingsport) By NASCAR rule, whenever a track runs a double feature for a particular class the top-8 in the finishing order from the previous race…
Richard Allen July 6, 2019 July 6, 2019 Features, Short Track
Nik Williams overcomes crash to capture first LMSC feature at Kingsport
Kingsport Speedway hosted its Fan Appreciation Night on Friday evening with racing in all its regular weekly classes as well as a fireworks show. The center piece of the racing evening was a pair of features in the Late Model Stock Car class. At the end of the first of those twin main events it was – who took the checkered flag to score the win. (Zeke Shell takes second LMSC feature at Kingsport) 2018 Kingsport Speedway track champion Zeke Shell earned the pole position for the first feature as a result of his 15.049 second lap in time-trials….
Is it the new NASCAR package or just two-team domination?
As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series approaches the halfway mark of the 2019 season, there have been some very exciting and interesting races while there have also been several events that have not exactly been riveting. And unfortunately for both NASCAR and its fans, the more recent races to have been run are among those considered to be some of the least interesting of the year. Using reporter Jeff Gluck’s(@Jeff_Gluck on Twitter) “Was it a good race?” poll as a guide, races at Pocono, Michigan and Sonoma(the three most recent events) have been counted among the worst of the…
Richard Allen June 28, 2019 June 28, 2019 NASCAR Blogs
NASCAR made the right call in Chastain case
After making the decision to switch his points status from the NASCAR Xfinity Series to the Gander Outdoors Truck Series just a week before, Ross Chastain looked as if his gamble had paid off in a major way on Sunday at the Iowa Speedway. The Florida driver wheeled his Niece Motorsports Chevrolet truck into victory lane after taking the checkered flag as the apparent winner of the M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Stores. As a result of that win, Chastain was all but assured of making the NGOTS Playoffs. It proved to be a very well received situation as…
Did NASCAR just set a precedent for red flags before stage breaks?
On the surface, the SpeedyCash.com 400 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race held on Friday night at the Texas Motor Speedway might seem like a somewhat historic event in the history of NASCAR because of the fact that driver Greg Biffle came out of retirement to score his first win in any of NASCAR’s top three divisions since 2013 and his first NGOTS victory since 2001. However, this race could actually go down in the history books for another reason as there may very well have been a new precedent set by the sanctioning body regarding the officiating of stage…
Richard Allen June 8, 2019 June 8, 2019 NASCAR Blogs
Mike Skinner enjoys his continued involvement in racing … and winning
Veteran racer Mike Skinner has seen a great deal of success during his extended racing career. And at the same time the 61-year-old has also experienced his share of disappointment. Over the past 12 months the Bristol Motor Speedway has provided both good and bad for the native of Susanville, California. In the 2018 version of the Short Track U.S. Nationals Skinner had a very fast Pro Late Model but a tangle with a slower car ruined his chance at victory. This past Saturday night on the high-banked half-mile a similar scenario looked like it might play out once again…
Richard Allen June 5, 2019 June 5, 2019 Features, Short Track
Stephen Nasse Puts on Show to Win Short Track Nats SLM feature at Bristol
The featured division in Saturday’s Short Track Nationals at the Bristol Motor Speedway was the Super Late Model class. The race was co-sanctioned by the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the CARS Super Late Model Tour, and the Southern Super Series. Ultimately, Stephen Nasse crossed the finish line ahead of the pack after an improbable run from front to the back and back to the front again to take the trophy away from the track that hosts two NASCAR weekends each year. Nasse set the fast time and established a new track record for Super Late Models at BMS in qualifying around…
Mike Skinner Claims Short Track Nationals Pro Late Model Feature
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour for the Pro Late Model division would be among those featured in the 3rd annual U.S. Short Track Nationals at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday. At the end of the evening it was 61-year-old former NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion Mike Skinner who left the famed upper east Tennessee racing facility with the win and the prestige that goes along with winning on the high-banked track noted for intense NASCAR competition. Skinner proved to be the fastest on the concrete surface in qualifying for the Pro Late Models as he turned a lap in…
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1886
|
__label__wiki
| 0.717172
| 0.717172
|
Tag Archives: History of the Cadillac
America's Favorite Cars, Cadillac, Cadillac History, General Motors
The Legendary Cadillac, a Classic American Icon – One of our Favorite Vehicles
January 30, 2015 Kanter Leave a comment
HOW CADILLAC BECAME “THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD”
“Founded more than 100 years ago in Detroit, Cadillac has stood for uncompromising performance, daring design and groundbreaking technology. From developing the world’s first electric self-starting engine and pioneering the integration of computer technology into vehicles, to being the first to offer drivers a color other than black and creating the fastest family of production cars with the CTS-V Series, it’s all a part of our history. Learn more about this iconic American brand and how it has shaped—and continues to define—the automotive industry.
Henry Leland, the man who introduced the Cadillac to the world, (after Henry Ford began it’s work), is pictured on the left, while Charles Kettering is on the right. The connection with Ford to the Cadillac is kept fairly murky in the company’s history, as Ford later became GM’s biggest competitor.
Side Notes: How the Battery Ignition was Born
Resource: Genesis2Scale.com (2015) Retrieved 1/30/2015 http://www.genesis2scale.com/__museum/_gm/_1910/_1913cadillac/1913cadillacmain.htm
“Electrical genius Charles F Kettering worked at National Cash Register (NCR), but tinkered in his barn in his spare time. In his 1909 tinkering, Kettering devised an ignition system for an automobile superior to the ones used at that time. Kettering experimented on a Cadillac automobile, a matter of luck for GM. Automobiles at that time typically used two types of ignition system, battery and magneto, drivers switching from one to the other. Dry cell battery ignition was used at low speeds while magneto ignition used at high speeds, each had its issues otherwise. Kettering devised a holding coil to produce one “fat” spark from the battery ignition. This improved performance at high speed and extended battery life ten times, a great improvement over the limiting 200 miles expected battery life. Kettering then approached Cadillac and in July 1909 Cadillac placed an order for 8,000 ignition sets for the 1910 Cadillac. Kettering remained at NCR, but formed a side business Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO)
In the summer of 1910, a dear friend of Henry Leland’s, automobile producer Byron T Carter, attempted to aid a woman with a stalled engine, a common occurrence. The spark lever was not set to retard and the crank kicked back and broke Carter’s jaw, a hand cranking injury also not too uncommon. Carter later died from pneumonia as a complication from the incident. Shortly afterwards, Kettering approached a grieving Henry Leland suggesting he could develop a self-starter. Leland responded “I’m sorry I ever built an automobile.” “I won’t have Cadillacs hurting people that way.” A practical self-starter was not a new idea. Even RE Olds stated the 1800s Olds Trap included an electric push button starter. Various mechanical and electrical starters were in use, but they were bulky and inefficient. Kettering developed a small, powerful, short-pulsed electric motor with an electrical system which operated at 24 volts in the starting position, then switched to 6 volts running. The starter operated with a small storage battery and outfitted with a generator to keep the battery recharged. With a storage battery and generator on the vehicle, it seemed logical to include electric lights, eliminating the need to refill the acetylene canister and the nuisance of exiting the car to match light the headlights which rain or wind could put out. The electrical system was declared ready on February 27, 1911. The system would first appear in the 1912 Cadillac Model 30. The self starter is one of the most important technological advances of the automobile. It became especially popular with women. The sale of electric automobiles peaked in 1912, the decline influenced by the Kettering self starter.”
1900s – Pioneering Interchangeable Parts
In 1902, Henry Leland, a master mechanic and entrepreneur boldly founds Cadillac, naming the new company after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the founder of Detroit. In fact, the Cadillac family’s historic coat of arms serves as the inspiration for the company’s Crest. Six short years after its inception, Cadillac lays the foundation for modern mass production of automobiles by demonstrating the complete interchangeability of its precision parts. As a result, Cadillac is the first American car to win the prestigious Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of England. Consequently-and-appropriately-Cadillac adopts the slogan “Standard of the World”
1910s – Introducing the Electric Self-Starter.
With its Model Thirty, Cadillac debuts “the car with no crank” – the first production car to feature an electric self-starter, ignition and lighting. Not only does this open up the driving experience to women, it also brings the Dewar trophy back to Detroit, making Cadillac the only car manufacturer to claim the distinction twice. In 1915, Cadillac introduces the first mass-produced car with a V-Type, water-cooled, eight cylinder (V8) egine which goes on to become a signature of the Cadillac brand.
1920s – Elevating Style and Customization
The Roaring Twenties mark a new phase in the relationship between art and design. In 1925, Cadillac pioneers the use of lacquer pain and, in 1926, offers customers more than 500 color combinations to choose from at a time when competitors offer dark and drab colors. Then in 1926, the company recruits Harley Earl to design the 1927 LaSalle convertible coupe, making it the first American car designed by a stylist instead of an engineer. The result is elegant, flowing lines, chrome-plated fixtures, and an overarching design philosophy that ensures that, by the end of the decade, the name Cadillac is synonymous with beauty and luxury.
1930s – Making History with the V16
In the height of the Depression, an undaunted Cadillac raises the bar yet again with the world’s first V-type 16-cylinde engine in a passenger car, which becomes on of the first iconic vehicles in Cadillac history. In the words of a review of the time, the V16 was “so smooth and quiet throughout its range as to make it seem incredible that the car is actually being propelled by exploding gases.” A V-12 version follows, providing an alternative between the signature V8 and the V-16. By mid-decade Cadillac is manufacturing some 68 body styles. In 1937, a Cadillac-built V8 proves its worth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, breaking all previous stock car records.
1940s- Introducing the Cadillac Signature Tail Fins
Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Cadillac discontinues car production and devotes its resources to the war effort. V8 engines, transmissions and power units are successfully used in M5 light tanks and M8 Howitzer Motor Carriages, helping the company live up to its slogan “Famous in Peace-Distinguished in Battle!” After the war, Cadillac designer Harley Earl changes the profile of the American automobile once again, this time with the introduction of the tail fin. Modeled after the Lockheed P-38 “Lightning” fighter plane, the tail fin is destined to become a integral part of American automobile styling for almost 20 years. Now an industry staple, the first-ever Car of the Year award is presented to Cadillac in 1949, reaffirming the company’s impact on the automotive industry.
1950s-Making Power Steering the New Standard
Cadillac embraces the post-war boom with open arms in 1950 and 1951 – car production exceeds 100,000 vehicles a year, nearly double that of prewar years. As an added bonus, V8-powered Cadillacs finish third, tenth and eleventh at the 224 hours of Le Mans, one of the most grueling races in the world. Setting the course for the rest of the decade, Cadillac becomes the first manufacturer to provide standard power steering on its entire fleet of automobiles. The company follows this up with a string of safety innovations, including an “autotronic eye” which dims headlamps automatically. With the Eldorado Convertible tail fins reach their highest expression. By the end of the decade, they have secured their place as ne of the definitive icons of the fifties.
1960s – Unveiling Innovations in Performance and Comfort
Cadillac continues to make technological and stylistic strides in the sixties. Self-adjusting brakes are adopted at the beginning of the decade. The Wreathed Crest probably the most recognized Cadillac emblem of all, is reintroduced on the 1963 Eldorado. In 1963, Cadillac made front seat belts available, which were made standard by law the following year. Then , in 1964, introduces automatically-controlled headlamps and redefines luxury with Comfort Control, the industry’s first thermostatically regulated heating, venting, and air-conditioning system. Over the next few years, variable-ratio power steering, electric seat warmers, and stereo radio are introduced in rapid succession. In 1965, an American era comes to an end when tail fins are discontinued.
1970s- Debuting Electronically Fuel-Injected Engines
Cadillac inaugurates the seventies by unveiling the 400 HP, 8 2L engine Eldorado. Its completely redesigned axle boasts the highest torque capacity of any passenger car available at the time. In 1974, the company pioneers the use of air cushion restraints (air bags) for passenger safety and catalytic converters to lower emissions. Then in 1975, Cadillac becomes the first car manufacturer to provide electronically fuel-injected engines in U.S. production cars. And in 1978, the Seville ushers in the era of the computerized automobile with an onboard microprocessor in its digital display.
1980s- Bringing Computer Technology to Vehicles
Cadillac faces the dynamism of the eighties head-on with the dramatic Seville Elegante. A modern interpretation of the classic car designs of the thirties and forties, its sleek, sports car physique and distinctive “bustle-back” style are widely imitated throughout the industry. On the innovation front, Cadillac becomes the first car manufacturer to use integrated microprocessors to control ignition, fuel injection and vehicle diagnostics.
Reference: Cadillac.com (2015). Cadillac Heritage and History. Retrieved January 30, 2015 from http://www.cadillac.com/experience/history-heritage.html
Cadillacfirst electirc ignitionHistory of the Cadillacparts interchangeability
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1896
|
__label__cc
| 0.749681
| 0.250319
|
Kelley Keller
Trademark Attorney & Business Legal Coach for Digital Entrepreneurs
About Kelley
Free Business Resources for Entrepreneurs
Rock Solid Business School
JOIN ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS JUST LIKE YOU AND STAY UP TO DATE ON NEWS AND INFORMATION THAT MATTERS!
Brand Name, Product Name, Business Name – What’s the Difference?
June 6, 2018 By Kelley Keller
Did you know that a brand and business are not the same thing? The names could match, but they’re not the same thing.
Did you know that a product and a brand are not the same thing? Again, the names could match, but they’re not the same thing.
Are you confused? Don’t worry. You’re not alone.
The terms brand, product and business are often used interchangeably when they’re referred to by name, but from a legal point of view, they’re very different things. You need to understand those differences or your business, brand, and products could be in jeopardy in the future.
Let’s take a closer look.
What is a Business Name?
Your business name (also referred to as your trade name) is the name that you register with your state to operate. You use it on your bank account, your tax forms, and other legal documents. For example, Nike, Inc. is the business name of the Nike company.
What is a Brand Name?
A brand name is the name that you use to identify the family of products or services that you offer or a single line of products or services that you offer. For example, Nike is the brand name used on most products manufactured by Nike, Inc. In this example, the business name and brand name are the same.
However, a business name and brand name don’t have to be the same. Many companies have many brands. For example, Apple is a company with many brands such as iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Mac.
What is a Product Name?
A product name could be as generic as “car” but with so many products and services on the market, businesses create more unique product names to differentiate their products from competitors’ products. In this case, a product name identifies a specific product or service and becomes a brand name when the company starts using it.
For example, the Toyota company operates using Toyota as its company name, and its products are cars. To differentiate its cars from the competition, the company brands them with the Toyota brand name (in addition to its Lexus and Scion brand families), and within the Toyota brand family, there are sub-brands like Corolla, Camry, and Sienna. But that’s not all. Within those sub-brands, there are specific product models like the Toyota Sienna CE, the Toyota Sienna LE, and so on.
A company’s brand architecture can get as deep as a well-researched family tree!
What Does This All Mean?
Bottom-line, your business name, brand name, and product or service name could all match, but they don’t have to. They’re different things and whether or not they match, they all need to be properly cleared for use and protected or you could find yourself in expensive trouble in the future.
Here’s what you need to do:
You need to clear your business name at the state level to start operating, and you need to determine if you’ll be using your business name as a brand name, too. If so, make sure you follow the steps in #2 below.
2. Brand Name
You need to do a comprehensive trademark search to ensure your brand name is clear for you to use and then apply for a trademark registration for that name so you can protect it and grow your brand in the future.
3. Product Name
Once you start using a product name in the marketplace, it becomes a brand name and should be cleared and protected as a valuable company asset. You should conduct a trademark search to ensure the name is clear for you to use. Once the name is cleared, you should apply for a trademark registration for that name so you can protect it and grow it as a brand in the future.
Never underestimate the power of a brand! Your brand names have value, so make sure you protect them!
About Kelley Keller
Kelley Keller, Esq. is an intellectual property (IP) attorney, speaker, and educator with two decades of experience in the IP field. She works with individuals and businesses in a wide variety of industries helping them transform their ideas, knowledge, and innovation into valuable business assets that drive profits. Kelley offers education to established businesses, startups, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, non-profits, government agencies, legal professionals, and students about starting and growing a business as well as about IP, social media law, and the importance of protecting valuable brand assets and creative work.
Carmella says
Hello Ms. Keller I have a service to trademark and a product idea to trademark. Can you help me if its not too expensive. Thank you!
Carmella Shumate
AKANSHA CHAUDHARY says
Thanks for such clear explanation.its rare to find someone who guide you to the point.
Join business owners just like you and stay up to date on news and information that matters!
What People are Saying about Kelley Keller
Lisa Frederiksen | Author, Speaker, Trainer, Consultant at BreakingTheCycles.com
Kelley works differently. After an initial phone conversation (I live in CA and she's in PA), she drafted a scope of work for both efforts and set a flat fee which included (and still includes) the back and forth conversations a client needs in order to get the best results. She is extremely knowledgeable and truly able to "hear" what I'm after and create meaningful legal documents and advice that have helped me immeasurably. I highly recommend Kelley Keller.
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/lisa-frederiksen/
Kelly Phillips Erb | Senior Editor at Forbes
Kelley was able to explain complicated legal issues in a manner that was easy to understand without being patronizing. She was also great at talking me down from ledges - it was easy to get worked up when opposing parties weren't being cooperative but Kelley advised me to trust in the process and she was right.
Kelley explained my costs and options, as well as the pros and cons of each. She also kept me informed about my matter, letting me know what I needed to do at the appropriate time. All in all, I felt very involved in the process without being overwhelmed. Kelley made a wildly stressful situation so much better. I would highly recommend her services.
Kelley was able to explain complicated legal issues in a manner that was easy to understand without being patronizing. She was also great at talking me down from ledges - it was easy to get worked up when opposing parties weren't being cooperative but Kelley advised me to trust in the process and she was right. Kelley explained my costs and options, as well as the pros and cons of each. She also kept me informed about my matter, letting me know what I needed to do at the appropriate time. All in all, I felt very involved in the process without being overwhelmed. Kelley made a wildly stressful situation so much better. I would highly recommend her services.
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/kelly-phillips-erb-senior-editor-forbes/
Charlotte Avery | CEO at Being Charlotte Avery
Words cannot express how much I appreciate Kelley Keller. She has helped me and my business on so many levels. Whenever I have a question I always know that I can call her and she will give me the best advice/counsel. I know that my business is in good hands with Kelley.
Kelley, THANK YOU for EVERYTHING!!!
Words cannot express how much I appreciate Kelley Keller. She has helped me and my business on so many levels. Whenever I have a question I always know that I can call her and she will give me the best advice/counsel. I know that my business is in good hands with Kelley. Kelley, THANK YOU for EVERYTHING!!!
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/charlotte-avery-ceo-charlotte-avery/
Ruth Koup | Founder of Suits to Careers, Inc., Dress for Success South Central PA & Tied to Success
Kelley Clements Keller, Esq has been a huge support to the launch of our new umbrella organization, Suits to Careers, Inc. and the branding and trademarking of our men's program, Tied to Success. We could not have navigated this transition without her support. Many thanks.
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/ruth-koup/
Matt Bloom | Founder & CEO of CRIMEWATCH Technologies, Inc.
Kelley is an exceptional IP attorney. She understands the legal nuances facing start-ups and is willing to work within those restrictions. Kelley is casual and easy to work with, but when it comes to legal action she is aggressive and takes charge. She has successfully helped us secure coexistence agreements and trademarks for our business. Here expertise has added exponential value to the technology we have built and I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking IP representation.
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/matt-bloom-founder-ceo-crimewatch-technologies-inc/
Zachary Ziegler | Brewmaster at Molly Pitcher Brewing Company
Kelley is not only extremely knowledgeable in the realm of intellectual property, but she made the whole process fun! It's not often you hear fun and legal work in the same sentence but Kelley's personality eased my worries while keeping me upbeat the whole time. She explained the entire process in language I could understand and kept me updated continuously. I would not hesitate to work with her again or refer her to my friends and family.
http://kelleykeller.com/testimonials/zachary-ziegler-brewmaster-molly-pitcher-brewing-company/
35 E. High Street
717-386-5035 • 800-971-2979HELLO@KELLEYKELLER.COM
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
Your information will never be shared or sold to a third party.
©2016-2018 Kelley Keller, Inc.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1901
|
__label__wiki
| 0.50769
| 0.50769
|
The French Revolution – Part I
Revolution is usually a sudden change made to the government or other structures of power. Between the years 1789 – 1799 there were changes in the ideas about how France should be ruled. So there were many changes made in the government. This period is popularly known as The French revolution. At that time, France was ruled by King Louis XVI. King Louis was an ignorant king living lavishly in Palace of Versailles unaffected by the plight of his countrymen.
In those times, the population of France was divided into three classes – Nobles, Church and the common man. Nobles were people who were gifted large lands by the king and lived in big houses comfortably no less than king themselves. The Church, which owned the most land in France, put taxes on crops. These taxes were to be paid by the common man. Nobles and church both made the common men work extremely hard and also pay massive taxes. Common men were the poorest and had nothing to eat. The common people were getting dissatisfied and angry. They were also getting influenced by America, where people had a say about how country should be run.
As a result, the common people revolted and created a group called National assembly. National assembly pledged to make new laws that treated all the french men fairly. To display their growing power over the king, nobility and the church, National Assembly attacked the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789. The Bastille prison contained weapons and was the symbol of power of the nobility and the rule of the king.
After the attack, the National Assembly began to make a lot of changes. Feudalism, system of the entire land belonging to only the king came to an end. The high taxes the Church was collecting from common people were discontinued.
But this was not the end of the revolution. What happened next?
Read The French Revolution – Part II coming up tomorrow…
The Red Rose City – Petra
What is a Civilization?
What happened to the dinosaurs?
Is History a Bird?
aribi says:
cant wait till my exams over 🙂
jacob vanhousen says:
this website helped me so much with my French project.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1903
|
__label__wiki
| 0.61935
| 0.61935
|
In the wake of the nuclear reactor crisis in Japan, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says the United States should re-evaluate the risk of nuclear energy and make smart decisions going forward.
Workers in Japan are trying to prevent a nuclear meltdown by cooling overheating reactors damaged by Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.
McCaskill says Ameren Missouri’s Callaway Nuclear Plant is safer because it’s a "pressurized water reactor", not a "boiling water reactor" like the one in Japan.
"Ours is much safer because of that. And it has been built to withstand earthquakes. I think we are in a much better position in Missouri in terms of the nuclear facility that we have in light of what has gone on in Japan. But, nonetheless, we are going to be paying attention to the aftermath of this," McCaskill says.
McCaskill points out that every source of energy has risks saying that the U.S.’s dependence on the Middle East for oil puts the country’s national security at risk.
The Senator also says she is embarrassed by the recent revelation that she was reimbursed for using a private airplane to attend a political event in 2007.
The Democrat’s comments come a day after the Missouri Republican Party filed an ethics complaint against her.
Last week, McCaskill repaid the U.S. Treasury $88,000 for 89 airplane trips she organized through a company in which she and her husband have an ownership stake. The trips were allowed by Senate rules, but McCaskill said she wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
McCaskill says the complaint filed by Republicans is more about politics than ethics.
"Missouri Republican Party is going to try to ride this horse for as long as they can. They’re gonna try to make this as big a deal as they can. Them filing an ethics complaint is about as surprising as the sun coming up," McCaskill said.
McCaskill says she’s glad that such details about domestic travel are public record so members of Congress are held accountable. She says she is pushing for the same kind of transparency in foreign travel.
Posted in: Claire McCaskill,ethics,nuclear power,St. Louis Public Radio
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1907
|
__label__wiki
| 0.820527
| 0.820527
|
The Amigos & The Beat
Music lisa heffernan | October 28, 2013
words: Lisa Heffernan | photos: Rick Wenner
There’s a hole in my boot
Goes right through my soul
There’s mud on my toe
There’s mud in the hole
There’s salt in the sea
And sand in my bowl
We’re young at the heart
And we’re old in the soul
From “Young at Heart” by The Amigos Band
Chosen as this year’s cultural ambassadors for the American Music Abroad program by the US Department of State, The Amigos Band began as a trio, The Tres Amigos, in 2009. The three friends—accordionist Sam Reider, guitarist Justin Poindexter and saxophonist Eddie Barbash—bonded over their love of a variety of American musical styles from bluegrass and country to jazz and folk.
“When it was just the three of us, we had to rely on each other a great deal to compensate for all the rhythm section instruments we were missing,” recalled Reider, who describes their style as Americana. “Justin and I traded off playing bass notes and Eddie learned to play the washboard. It was a balancing act that took an immense amount of practice and focus—two things that were only made possible because we’re great friends and enjoy working together. That’s where the name came from. And it stuck.”
The charismatic core three, who still take turns singing lead and engage in pitch-perfect three-part harmonies, are now backed by bassist Noah Garabedian and drummer Will Clark for a fuller sound. “We have more capability with the bigger ensemble,” said Poindexter. “We can really get a crowd rockin’ and play more danceable material and I think it becomes more participatory for our audience.”
In writing their full-length debut, Reider and Poindexter also took a more collaborative approach. “A lot of the songs were either my songs or Sam’s songs,” remarked Poindexter, “but when we started collaborating on them, I feel like the songs not only became stronger than they had been, but more than that, they became playable. They became something that really felt like an Amigos song.”
After meeting acclaimed musician and composer David Amram (who has worked with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Pete Seeger and Jack Kerouac) at an all-night party at a folk festival in upstate New York, the Amigos asked him to co-produce their record. “He’s not the one that’s turning the knobs on the console,” noted Poindexter. “He’s the one that’s getting us in the mindset, the one that makes something really beautiful that speaks to the tradition of American music. He’s such a living legacy of everything that’s happened in American music over the past 60 years that we felt like it was important to have this kind of mentor figure alongside us.”
Wanting to make an album the old-school way, the band was holed up in the studio for days on end with Amram and producer/engineer Devin Greenwood (Norah Jones, Langhorne Slim). The record consists of originals that harken back to Amram’s Beat Generation, along with fresh arrangements of folk standards like “The Wayfaring Stranger,” “Hey Joe” and “The California Blues,” a Jimmie Rodgers classic once adapted by Woody Guthrie. The Amigos Band’s version is a tribute to Guthrie and features additional lyrics by Reider, who grew up in the Golden State. “We set down a strong groove on this simple folk song,” recalled Reider, “and on top of that foundation, started a collective improvisation with Amram on penny whistle. The jazz improvisation that Amram helps us bring out is really amazing.”
The Amigos enjoy exploring all different genres with special guests and mentors they meet along the way. In their semi-regular “The Amigos Band Presents” series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center, they’ve featured artists like jazz singer Nellie McKay and yodeling cowboy Ranger Doug (whom both North Carolinian Poindexter and Barbash, a Long Island native, idolized growing up). The next one takes place this month and features their spiritual guide, Amram. They will celebrate his 83rd birthday while showcasing music from the album, which will be released in January. Expect ensemble singing, dancing, matching Western shirts and bebop solos from the classically trained musicians who give it their all whether they’re playing schools, churches, festivals or venues big or small.
“The Amigos are role models for a whole new generation of musicians and listeners,” said Amram. “They’re brilliant improvisers and have so much collective positive energy that during the first 14-hour day I spent with them in the studio, I forgot that I will soon be 83. Their music… is for all ages from toddlers to my contemporaries, who will abandon the shuffleboard courts, come to hear them and go home feeling like a teenager again.”
The Amigos Band Hosts David Amram November 25th
at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
theamigosband.com
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1908
|
__label__wiki
| 0.841168
| 0.841168
|
LimKitSiang.com
Donate to DAP
Zahid would have failed his comprehension test in school if he really believed what he said about his infamous letter to FBI
The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would have failed his comprehension test in school if he really believed what he said about his infamous letter to the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
As reported by the New Straits Times (Jan 7, 2015), Zahid had clarified that his letter to the FBI was to confirm that the “14K triad” did not exist in the country.
Zahid said the letter was requested by the legal firm Chesnoff & Schonfeld, which is representing Paul Phua Wei Seng, a Malaysian, who, together with his son, are facing charges of illegal bookmaking in Las Vegas.
The two were arrested in July at the Caesars Palace during the Fifa World Cup, with US authorities alleging that Phua was part of the Hong Kong-based triad.
Zahid said: “It was a request to the minister in charge of the Home Ministry to confirm that there is no ‘14K triad’ in Malaysia.”
Last Saturday, lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, speaking on behalf of Phua’s legal team, said Zahid’s letter was to correct a mistake in a report, submitted by the FBI as an internal document to the court, stating they were informed by the Malaysian police that Phua was a member of the “14 triad”.
In the first place, Zahid’s letter was not just to “confirm” that the 14K Triad did not exist in the country, as he clearly vouched for the character of Phua and as good as declared Phua as a “national asset” when he pleaded for Phua’s release when he wrote that Phua had helped the Malaysian government on “projects affecting our national security” and that “we continue to call upon him to assist us from time to time and as such, we are eager for him to return to Malaysia”.
Zahid had mortgaged the reputation of Malaysia and undermined our national sovereignty in writing such a plea to the FBI, for any such letter should have been written by the Police and not by the Home Minister – assuming that the facts Zahid referred to were true – via the Foreign Ministry.
Compounding his infraction, Zahid even tried to strengthen his plea by upping the national ante for an individual, hinting about its impact on furthering “good international relations between our two countries especially in the exchange of information”.
Clearly the Police did not appreciate Zahid’s correction, for the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, while steering clear from commenting on Zahid’s letter, made the cryptic remark that while Malaysians abroad are known to be members of that triad, the transnational crime organization does not have roots here.
Since then Zahid has stayed mum to questions as to what were the “national security projects” Phua had helped the Malaysian government in the past, and furthermore, what are the new “national security projects” Zahid had in mind which made him pen the words “we continue to call upon him to assist us from time to time and as such, we are eager for him to return to Malaysia”.
Can the IGP confirm that the Police are “eager” for Phua’s return so as to call upon him to assist on “national security projects” – in fact, whether the police are aware of any “national security project” which Phua has rendered assistance, or whether such projects were only known to Zahid himself.
It is no more a viable option for Zahid to keep mum or to minimize the fall-out of his infamous letter by claiming that it was only to confirm that the “14K triad” did not exist in the country as it more very much than that.
Why did Zahid sent the letter unilaterally and undiplomatically, keeping both the Police and the Foreign Ministry outside the loop?
Or is Zahid pleading that he did not really understand the import of his infamous letter to the FBI, and if so, who was the real author of his letter?
All eyes are not only on Zahid, but also on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as to how he is going to handle the first new scandal of his administration in the new year or will he just do what he is now very good at, just bury his head in the sand?
Lim Kit Siang DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Gelang Patah
Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Friday, 9th January 2015
DapMalaysia.org
RoketKini.com
The Rocket
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1911
|
__label__cc
| 0.725592
| 0.274408
|
Are you ready for the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC?
Pilz Automation Technology
Pilz UK, which is renowned for its machinery safety expertise, foresees uncertainty among machine builders and end users with the introduction of the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC on 29 December 2009 and the future withdrawal of EN 954-1 [see this more recent announcement confirming the extended transition period for EN 954-1 - Ed]. In preparation for these significant changes, Pilz is enhancing its services and training offerings to assist machine builders and end users. [See also this article from Pilz about What is new in the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC?.]
Machinery that is manufactured in the EU, or has undergone significant modification or been imported into the EU, is subject to the CE marking process if it is to be put into service on the European Market. The Pilz Services Team offers the full CE marking process as a turnkey service or as a series of discrete services (see graphic of services offered).
Pilz can help machine builders, system integrators and others plan and implement the relevant conformity procedures in accordance with the new Directive, both for standalone machines and whole production lines, working together with the client's specialists through the complete machine lifecycle to achieve compliance. This includes managing the activities and processes, generating the necessary compliance strategies, safety designs and documents. If needed, Pilz can be appointed to act as the 'authorised representative' and take responsibility for the new administrative processes demanded in the Directive.
For manufacturers of Annex IV hazardous machines, if the machinery is designed in accordance with the relevant harmonised standards, the Directive now gives the option to 'self-certify'. Pilz can work together with the client's team to navigate the somewhat complex route to self-certification.
On the training side, Pilz has updated its ever popular course portfolio to reflect the imminent regulatory changes. Pilz machinery safety courses have evolved from more than 20 years of in-house expertise not only in training, but also in the practical application of standards by Pilz engineers and consultants. Pilz therefore believes that the courses offer practical insights in addition to covering the essentials of legislation. Furthermore, although Pilz trainers are highly qualified to address individual concerns throughout the scheduled courses, customised courses are available on request.
Courses currently on offer include the Introduction to EN IEC 62061 and EN ISO 13849-1 and the City & Guilds Machinery Safety Course range, which are unique to Pilz. In the near future, Pilz will be announcing dates for a country-wide tour of free Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and EN ISO 13849-1 seminars.
For further information on Pilz machinery safety services and training, or to register for an invitation to a local Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and EN ISO 13849-1 seminar, complete this form.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1912
|
__label__cc
| 0.59867
| 0.40133
|
College of Education and External Studies (CEES)
School of Education (SEd.)
School of Education (SEd.) Collections
Operational management and its effect on the academic performance of secondary school students in Adjumani District, Uganda
dc.contributor.author Drajo, Juliet Vincent
dc.identifier.citation Drajo, J.V. (2010). Operational management and its effect on the academic performance of secondary school students in Adjumani District, Uganda. Unpublished master's dissertation. Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda en_US
dc.description A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Masters of Arts Degree in Educational Management, Administration of Makerere University en_US
dc.description.abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of management by educational personnel, management of instructional materials, management of educational facilities and management of finances on the performance of secondary school students in Adjumani district. The researcher used a cross-sectional survey design, which employed quantitative and qualitative approaches. Out of the 13 schools, the researcher selected four secondary schools; two were government aided, two private, one purely girls, the rest mixed. The target sample for students and teachers was 152 but 149 questionnaire were received and key informants were 10 out the 16 targeted. Frequencies and percentage accompanied with chi-square, correlation and regression analysis were used to test the effect of management by educational personnel, instructional materials, facilities and finance on performance of secondary school students. The research found out that management by educational personnel accounted for 6.2% change in students' academic performance in Adjumani district. Management of instructional materials accounts for 6.6% change in students' academic performance in Adjumani district. Management of educational facilities accounts for 5.3% change in students' academic performance in Adjumani district. Management of finances accounts for 5.3% change in students' academic performance in Adjumani district. The research concluded that head teachers need to be adequately trained in their managerial roles so as to regularly supervise their teachers and other school activities. Among others, they should plan for staff development, staff houses, means of transport because most teachers are diploma holders, who commute from their homes far from school which is negatively affecting students’ academic performance. There is no reading culture and research by both teachers and students since they are inadequately exposed to the use of instructional materials, consequently affecting academic performance of most schools in Adjumani negatively. There is a significant positive relationship between management of educational facilities and students’ academic performance. Lack of laboratory and library facilities in one case and lack of electricity and running (taped) water in most schools cannot provide students conducive environment for studying. Most head teachers do not raise enough finances to adequately cater for all running and development costs. Meagre funds are used for administrative purposes other than for purchasing laboratory equipments, chemicals, instructional materials and paying teachers’ salaries and allowances. That is why teachers are reluctant to teach. The research recommended that head teachers should be adequately trained by the Ministry of Education and Sports to enhance their managerial roles more effectively. Teachers and students should be more exposed to the use of instructional materials in order to develop reading culture and research. Head teachers should budget for the provision of essential facilities like electricity, running water, laboratory and library facilities, which will improve on the learning environment. Head teachers need to be trained in resource mobilization skills to diversify sources of income for their schools. Hence, ensure adequate remuneration for teachers to boost their natural interest and commitment to work. en_US
dc.publisher Makerere University en_US
dc.subject Students en_US
dc.subject Secondary schools en_US
dc.subject Operational management en_US
dc.subject Academic performance en_US
dc.subject Adjumani District, Uganda en_US
dc.subject Educational facilities en_US
dc.title Operational management and its effect on the academic performance of secondary school students in Adjumani District, Uganda en_US
dc.type Thesis en_US
Drajo-CEES-Master.pdf
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1914
|
__label__wiki
| 0.615037
| 0.615037
|
MCSO Crime Report
Posted by Jamie Nash
Date: September 11 2009, 1:42 pm
in: Local / Area News, Police Blotters
Weekly Media Summary & “BLOTTER” Review
District 1 – Lt. Jim Fleming (North County)
On August 31, Deputy J. Halbert was on patrol on South Loop 336 near Stewart’s Forest Drive. The Deputy observed a male sitting in a vehicle with the engine off. The Deputy noticed a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the male. The male was found to be intoxicated. The 32 year old male from Willis was arrested at 1:21am and transported to jail.
A 28 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 12:40pm, September 3, in the 1100 block of Miracle Drive by Deputy W. Adams for a theft by check out of Lavaca County. The Deputy stopped the male for a traffic violation. The male was transported to jail.
A 21 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 4:10pm, September 3, in the 11900 block of W. Dallas by Sgt. E. Ward for two traffic warrants out of JP 1 Montgomery County. The Deputy was assisting another agency at a disturbance call. The male was transported to jail.
On September 4, Deputies J. Hodges and A. Terrell were dispatched to the 17400 block of Royal Coach for a family violence assault call. The Deputies met with a female complainant and her boyfriend. The male had come into the female’s room and threw a phone at her striking her on the face. The male then hit her on the face and choked her. The male chased her outside and took the phone away from her as she was calling 9-1-1. The 21 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 1:28pm and transported to jail.
On September 5, Deputy J. Lawless was sent to the 17000 block of Hwy 75 N in reference to a disturbance. The Deputy located a female who was involved in the incident and found her to be intoxicated. The female had been taking xanax. The 19 year old female from Willis was arrested at 1:50am and transported to jail.
On September 5, Deputy R. Salazar was notified of a possible attempted suicide in the 17800 block of Roy Harris Loop. The Deputy with assistance from Deputy J. Lawless met with a female who was the sister to the male involved. After gathering information the Deputies went to the residence and found the male asleep on the sofa. After awakening the male it was determined the male was not trying to harm himself. The male was taken outside for EMS to examine. During the ensuing investigation the male was found to be in possession of marijuana. The 19 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 3:12am and transported to jail. On a search in the jail the male was found to be in possession of xanax and was consequently charged with possession of a controlled substance as well.
A 55 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 11:30pm, September 5, in the 600 block of Crockett Martin Road by Deputy J. Lawless for a driving while intoxicated 2nd offense warrant out of Montgomery County. The Deputy was responding to a 9-1-1 call from the location. The male was transported to jail.
On September 5, Deputy R. Salazar was dispatched to the 10300 block of Royal Magnolia in reference to a family violence assault call. The Deputy met with a female complainant who advised she and her husband had been at a bar drinking earlier and upon arrival home they began arguing. The male struck the female on the left eye and then choked her. The 39 year old male from Conroe was arrested at 11:54pm and transported to jail.
On September 6, Deputy J. Lawless was in the 1100 block of League Line Road and observed an intoxicated male near a restaurant. The male was attempting to leave in a vehicle. The 24 year old male from Conroe, who was uncooperative and very belligerent, was arrested at 3:45am and transported to jail.
On September 6, Deputy J. Wilkerson was notified of a suspicious person call in the 900 block of W. Montgomery. The male was harassing customers at a restaurant. The Deputy located the male who was stumbling around in the parking lot. Upon detaining the person for the obvious intoxication, the Deputy during the search found that the male was in possession of a controlled substance in the form of rock cocaine. The 24 year old male from Willis was arrested at 11:19pm and transported to jail.
District 2 – Lt. Andrew Eason (South County/Woodlands)
8/26/2009 – Dep. Christensen was dispatched to a Burglary In Progress call in the 25000 Block of I-45 North. Upon arrival, Dep. Christensen observed a broken window and found a WM 19 in the master bedroom. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with Burglary of a Habitation.
8/28/2009 – Dep. Cano and Sgt. Herring responded to a Disturbance In Progress call on Circlewood Glen. Upon arrival Dep. Cano and Sgt. Herring entered through the front door, which showed visible signs of being forced open. Once inside, deputies confronted two individuals. The WF 26, suspect was charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit an Assault for kicking in the front door and assaulting the resident. The WM 34 was arrested for Possession of Marijuana.
8/29/2009 – Sgt. Herring arrested WM 19 after a traffic stop on Woodlands Parkway. The suspect was unable to perform the Standardized Field Sobriety tests properly due to his level of intoxication. He was taken into custody for DWI and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. During the booking process at the jail, the suspect was found to be in possession of <1g of cocaine. The suspect was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance and Driving While Intoxicated. 8/30/09 – Dep. Ward arrested WM 16, a passenger in the vehicle, for Possession of Marijuana after a traffic stop in the 9000 block of Grogan’s Mill. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Juvenile Detention Facility. Another passenger in the vehicle WF 16 was ticketed for Minor in Possession of Tobacco and released to her parents. The driver WM 16 and the vehicle were released to his parents. 08/31/09 – Dep. Gordy arrested BF 44 for Shoplifting at a store in the 32800 block of FM 2978. After a brief struggle in the parking lot the suspect was returned to the store where security personnel recovered 6 items valued at $103.95. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail without further incident. 8/31/09 – Dep. Martin arrested WM 27 after stopping to check a suspicious person in the 24900 block of IH-45. The suspect was found to be in possession of marijuana and morphine. The suspect was charged with Possession of Marijuana (.22 oz.) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (.2 grams Morphine) and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. 9/2/09 – Dep. Neal arrested WM 24 after being dispatched to a disturbance on Sandpebble in The Woodlands. While on location, a 911 call came in for a location down the street. Dep. Neal and Dep. Flores checked out that location, but no call had been made according to the homeowners. Dep. Neal and Dep. Flores returned to the original location, where 3 males were located. One of the subjects WM 24 was found in possession of a cell phone with a number that matched the one that called 911 earlier. Further investigation lead deputies to believe that the 911 call was placed to get deputies away from their original location. The District Attorney’s Office was contacted and charges were accepted for False Report to a Peace Officer or Law Enforcement Employee. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Jail. 9/3/09 – Dep. Ward, while on routine patrol in the Panther Creek area, was approached by a group of kids that stated there was a man in the park smoking marijuana. Dep. Ward approached the suspect, WM 29, and informed him that he had been reported as smoking marijuana. The suspect was found to be in possession of .15 oz. of marijuana. The on-call District Attorney accepted charges of Possession of Narcotics in a Drug Free Zone. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Jail. 9/3/09 – Dep. Wroten was dispatched to the 29500 block of Raestone in reference to a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle. Two suspects (both WM 18) were found in the area with bags containing the stolen property. Both were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. 9/4/09 – Dep. Fruge was dispatched to a location on Sawdust Road in reference to a Theft and Fraudulent Use of Identifying Information report. Upon arrival he met with the Complainant who stated that the suspects WF 24 and WM 38 were seen opening and concealing merchandise and then leaving the store. The recovered merchandise (17 items) was valued at $207.67. Also found in their possession were two (2) Texas ID cards not belonging to the suspects. They were charged with Theft and Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. District 4 – Lt. David Park (West County)
On September 2nd, Deputy Hollan responded to a Theft/Criminal Call at a Sewer Treatment Plant operated by the Water District Management located on Wright Road in Magnolia. Deputy Hollan was met by the Complainant who advised that the electrical connection box located on the power pole outside the fenced plant had been forced open. According to the Complainant the power lines had been cut and several pieces of the line had been removed. There are no suspects at this time. The case has been referred to CID.
On September 2nd, Deputy Birch responded to a Burglary of a Habitation in the Clear Creek Subdivision. The Deputy was met by the Complainant who advised that he noticed his patio window was broken, his home ransacked and many items stolen. The case has been referred to CID.
On September 2nd at approximately 0030 hours, Sgt Russell conducted a traffic stop for failing to signal a turn. The vehicle was occupied by one male and two females. A bag of marijuana fell from one of the occupant’s pants leg. Three bags of Marijuana were located inside the door handle assembly of the car. Two people were arrested for Possession of Marijuana and transported to the Montgomery County Jail in Conroe.
On September 1st Deputy Williams was dispatched to Allyson and FM 149 in reference to a Suspicious Person. Upon arrival Deputy Williams observed a female exiting a vehicle. Corporal Sumrall stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver. The driver told the deputy he had stopped to give the woman a ride and the female had solicited prostitution. The female was taken into custody and charged with Solicitation of Prostitution. The case has been referred to the DA’s office for prosecution.
On August 28th at approximately 0045 hours Deputy Zavorski observed a Ford F350 approaching his patrol vehicle from the rear at a high rate of speed. The vehicle did not appear to slow down as it approached. The Deputy pulled in the center lane to avoid being struck by the vehicle, the vehicle proceeded on without slowing. As the vehicle passed it sped up and hit the brakes just before colliding with the vehicle now in front of him. The Deputy conducted a traffic stop and observed the driver with blood shot eyes and a strong odor of alcoholic beverage. The driver was arrested for DWI
District 5 – Lt. Don Lacy (Northwest County)
On 09/01/09 Deputy Durbin was dispatched to the 6100 Block of FM 1486 North in reference to Theft of Utilities/Criminal Mischief. Upon arrival he met with the resident and owner of the residential property who advised there were two males on location illegally hooking up electrical power to another location. Both males were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail.
On 08/29/2009 Cpl. Peckne initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 17000 block of Hwy 105 West. Upon making contact with the driver the corporal observed obvious signs of intoxication. The male was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail. The charge grade was enhanced to a higher degree due to the driver having a prior conviction for DWI.
On 09/05/2009 Dep. Jackson and Cpl. Bruce responded to the 1200 block of Heritage Lane in reference to the recovery of stolen property. Upon arrival they met with several people including the victim of a burglary of a habitation. The burglary victim’s friend had observed stolen property from his home at this location. The suspect provided the location of other stolen equipment. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to jail.
On 08/31/2009 Dep. Farmer was dispatched to a motor vehicle crash in April Sound Subdivision. Upon arrival he observed the female driver had driven her vehicle over the curb and into a yard. There were two passengers in the vehicle, a 3 year old child and a 5 year old child. A witness advised she had observed the vehicle swerving, hitting a mailbox and continue to drive without stopping. The witness contacted 9-1-1 and then saw the female driver crashed her vehicle into the yard. No one was injured in the crash. The driver was arrested and charged with two counts of Felony Driving While Intoxicated with Child.
District 6 – Lt. David Dottei (Town Center)
Shoplifting Arrest(s):
8/27 – 31
Deputies arrested the following suspects at 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive and/or 3040 College Park Drive:
* WM 21. The recovered merchandise (3 items) was valued at $54.97. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County jail without incident.
* WM 24. The recovered merchandise (4 items) was valued at $44.94. The suspects were transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
* WM 18. The recovered merchandise (1 item) was valued at $145.00. The suspects were transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
* WM 18. The recovered merchandise (1 item) was valued at $140.00. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
* WF 26. The recovered merchandise (13 items) was valued at $84.29. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
* WM 25 and WF 24. The recovered merchandise (21 items) was valued at $187.74. The suspects were transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
* WF 26. The recovered merchandise (1 item) was valued at $3.28. The suspect was transported to the Montgomery County Jail without incident.
Previous : Home invasion suspect sought
Next : 3-year-old murder victim laid to rest
Jamie Nash
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1918
|
__label__wiki
| 0.868395
| 0.868395
|
H.M.A.S. AE1 Memorial (...'the ocean bed their tomb')Print Page
Memorial 2: 29-September-2015
An art installation by leading Australian light artist Warren Langley was unveiled at the Australian National Maritime Museum to commemorate the disappearance of submarine HMAS AE1 and the loss of its 35 souls during World War One.
The work entitled ‘… the ocean bed their tomb’ takes the form of a large scale stainless steel wreath, six metres in diameter floating above the water in the museum basin, casting a shadow from day to night. The concept for the work of art arose from the mysterious circumstances of the submarine’s disappearance, the necessarily truncated effort to search for it given the exigencies of wartime operations and the chimera or elusive shadow it leaves, in that neither the submarine nor the bodies of the men on board have been found. The loss and this unresolved mystery, amplified by a line from a poem (‘… the ocean bed their tomb’) written at the time by South Australian Anne Almer, inspired Warren Langley to conceive the work in a lyrical homage to the lost sailors.
HMAS AE1 was an E-class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She was the first submarine to serve in the RAN, and was lost at sea with all hands near East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, on 14 September 1914, after less than seven months in service. The wreck of the submarine has never been found, despite several searches. The disappearance was Australia's first major loss of World War One.
2 Murray Street, Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, 2000
Long: 151.1991226
Warren Langley (artist)
Monday 14th September, 2015
Plaque :
REMEMBERING AE1
'... the ocean bed their tomb'
This work of art commemorates the loss, in the early months of World War 1, of Australia's first submarine HMAS AE1 with its 35 Australian and British officers and crew.
AE1 disappeared on 14 September 1914 while patrolling German waters off Duke of York Island, present -day Papua New Guinea.
This was Australia`s first major loss of the war. So close to home it had a major impact on the public consciousness. The title of the work '...the ocean bed their tomb' is taken from a poem published in newspapers of the time by South Australian Anne Almer.
More than 100 years later AE1's loss and location remain a mystery.
WARREN LANGLEY
PVC Piping
The artist Warren langley talks about the work
A burial at sea is often accompanied by a floating wreath of flowers. In 1914, early in the war, it is unlikely that the men of AE1 were afforded that luxury. The concept for this work imagines an alternative, equally beautiful wreath of floating twigs and branches from the waters off Papua New Guinea.
This work is about contemplation and reflection in both a literal and metaphorical sense.
In sunlight, the polished stainless steel structure shimmers and reflects its image upon the water surface. At night a concealed light source creates a complex optical intrigue of reflections.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1919
|
__label__wiki
| 0.611502
| 0.611502
|
Box Office Archive for January, 2010
Weekend Box Office by Klady A7/Darkness 17
By David Poland - Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Not a whole lot more to say about this weekend.
A stat that I find a bit surprising is that Avatar is still running, in Weekend 7, a few million for the weekend ahead of Titanic domestically, which is the long legs king of the world. Titanic‘s Weekend 8 was $23 million and change… so… we’ll see…
The re-release of The Hurt Locker is… not happening. Another mistake. I will be the first one to cheer if the movie wins Best Picture, but it’s a shame that Summit found so many different ways for audiences not to experience this movie on a big screen. And of course, it’s not just Summit’s fault. The rest of the industry gave the film a collective pass when distribution rights were on the line. Searchlight could be up to win their second Best Picture in a row… and Fox overall would be in a virtual can’t-lose situation.
The real story, when all is said and done, will be that two movies that really chose NOT to compete for Best Picture in an aggressive way are the two front-runners at this point. Yes, both companies have bought ads and will buy more. But for the most part, both Summit and Fox have let the movies themselves do almost all the heavy lifting.
Friday Estimates by Klady – A7
By David Poland - Saturday, January 30th, 2010
We’re getting closer to a #2 weekend for Avatar domestically. Taken opened to over $24 million. Will the director’s follow-up, with bald John Travolta a a cherry on top, open to the same or more? If A’ drops 155 this weekend and 15% again next weekend, we’re looking at a $25.2m 3-day. Vulnerable.
Of course, Avatar looks to pass Titanic as top domestic grosser, all-time, in real dollars, before mid-week. And if it doesn’t cross the $2 billion worldwide tape today, it will do so tomorrow.
Mel Gibson’s return in Edge of Darkness should end up opening in the mid-teens. Though the points of comparison start and end here, the last time he opened a movie to this little was Braveheart in 1995. Still, considering the ugliness of the last number of years, there seems to be some forgiveness in this number and room for a return to bigger openings… if studios will have him.
When in Rome is not a disastrous number… nothing to celebrate… except for those who thought the film would never get a real release.
In clean-up, Sherlock continues to roll slowly to $200 million domestic… Complicated passed $100 million yesterday…
Actual Research Brings Asterisk To GWTW Numbers
By David Poland - Friday, January 29th, 2010
I have pointed out repeatedly that the assumptions we make about old numbers can be very iffy. Box Office Mojo, in particular, is operating with a very narrow set of numbers from before its opening a few years ago, none of which it compiled on its own.
Some guy from Australia did some research – what a concept! – and found some issues with Mojo’s much repeated Adjusted Gross chart. He use the NY Times search and found news stories from each time Gone With The Wind was in release and found that the estimates of ticket sales were iffy. You can read that here
Me being me, I am researching his research. And he’s a little off base in some areas. But not all.
Still, if you want to understand why adjusted gross games and ticket sales guessing is a fool’s errand, read the thread. And I’ll offer more when I have gotten closer to real numbers.
You might also want to read this Time Magazine piece from 1940. While Mojo is estimating tickets sold at 23
Box Office Hell – Avatar To Hit $2 Billion This Weekend
Avatar = Titanic x The Dark Knight
By David Poland - Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Up until now, box office analysts have had three kinds of mega-movies to figure out. There are the speed demons, there are – and there are only a couple of examples – the Christmas plodders (which only seem like plodders because we haven’t seen any $100m openings in December yet), and there are the films that are either majority-domestic or majority-foreign.
The highest form of the third group is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. $885m worldwide, $688 of it from overseas… a remarkable 78% of the gross. We will see more of this. 2012 and The Da Vinci Code were also in the 70s internationally.
Avatar is hovering right under 70%, a few percent more domestic than Titanic. Avatar will likely end up in the low 70s, a reflection of the expansion of markets internationally since Titanic… and all the more impressive since pumped-up 3D revenues represent less than half the international tickets sold.
But what is fascinating about Avatar is that it is doing both what The Dark Knight did domestically (and The Potters and Pirates 2 and Spidey 3, etc did worldwide) AND what Titanic did. It didn’t open as huge or speed to $300 million as fast… and it won’t hold as long as high as Titanic.
But as a hybrid of the mega-wide-release, the international phenom, and supermuscular legs, it is a new breed. (And the 3D money doesn’t hurt either.)
We are six weekends – 38 days – into this ride. Titanic‘s ride was 38 weeks.
And in spite of being the #2 all-time domestic grosser and #1 international grosser already, we’re looking at another Avatar drop of under 20% domestically. It’s insane. If the film keeps holding at 20% a week, we’re looking at another $200 million at the domestic box office BEFORE Alice In Wonderland takes over a large chunk of the 3D screens. (And don’t be surprised if Avatar makes a significant 3D-only return in April.)
That would be more than $750m domestic. $800m is not unlikely.
Internationally, it is already the #1 film of all time… and that is with a much smaller percentage of 3D tickets being sold overseas. And it had a $107 million weekend overseas this weekend. So are we looking at another $250 million… $300 million… $400 million? More?
By the way, the reason the Chinese thing is remotely significant is that China – about 90% 2D screens – has been one of the top six international markets for the film so far and Avatar is the highest grossing film ever in China.
The first $2 billion movie is now inevitable. But will Avatar raise the bar as high as Titanic did a dozen years ago? $2.5 billion is not unthinkable, given this run.
That would be a $650 million improvement on the Titanic gross.
For a little perspective, only 42 films in movie history have earned $650 million worldwide… period.
Of course, even at $2.5 billion, there will be whiners out there trying to diminish the achievement by slurring on about ticket pricing and inflation adjustment. Infantile. Or in the case of competing studios, business jealousy.
As far as the inflation bores go, as far as i can tell, the only $2 billion worldwide grossers, even adjuster are Titanic ($2.8b) and Star Wars ($2.2b).
And those ticket counters? 203 million tickets allegedly sold for Gone With The Wind (based on estimated pulled out of educated, but thin air). So let’s take the inaccurate $7.35 ticket price average of today. 203 million tickets sold would be $1.492 billion. Add $3.50 to 80% of tickets sold (all overly generous) for another $568m. So… $2.06 billion, broadly, would be equal to Gone With The Wind. Fair enough? When it happens, will you please shut the f**k up about the 3D bump?
Seriously, folks. A movie that more than DOUBLES the worldwide take of all but one film in movie history. You have to have big ol’ blinders on or be the world’s greatest contortionist to bend that into “just another big grosser.”
People make excuses for all kinds of movies, all the time. Avatar needs no excuses.
Weekend Box Office by Klady – Avaseis
What was most striking about the weekend numbers, aside from Avatar’s ongoing worldwide rampage, was what seems to be an actual Globes bump. Yeah… gross. But estimated holds of 29% for Holmes, 25% for Complicated, 20% for Blind Side, 23% for George In the Air, and even small-count holds from Young Victoria, Single Man, Broken Embraces and Crazy Heart seem to be getting a sweep of people going down the list and checking out what they haven’t yet seen before Oscar nominations.
Holmes, which was down 40% last weekend in 3 days, even with the holiday, is down just 29% this week, even while losing screens. I don’t see any other explanation other than Downey winning an unexpected (and ridiculous) Globe last Sunday. And while Meryl Streep has won stuff for Julie & Julia, the only Streep performance in the marketplace is It’s Complicated. Bullock & Clooney are less surprising.
Legion did okay… it hurt Book of Eli a little, though Eli’s hold is pretty good. The Tooth Fairy has to be a bit disappointing for a hot-streaking Fox, though if the kids who did see it liked it, word of mouth could do them quite well. We’ll see.
Extraordinary Measures, like all openers, is a failure of marketing more than anything else. Yes, the footage in the ads and trailer looked horrible visually. (There is some debate over whether the movie itself looks as bad… I haven’t seen it, so I can’t tell you.) But it was everything feeling low-end, from outdoor to ads. I am a fan of Debbie Miller, who is there from Fox and WB, but you have to have a team of the highest level to take a movie like this beyond what it is… a heavy-casted TV movie. Universal dumped Lorenzo’s Oil, a movie I love, never going as wide as 500 screens, probably finding the same problem with targeting a market that wants to see parents fighting for sick kids.
Avatar. Well. Time for a new entry…
Friday Estimates by Klady – Avatar vs The Wing Men
By David Poland - Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
Legion is, typically, a Sony Screen Gems piece that got dragged around for a bit… and the marketing dept. opened the thing to the mid-20s anyway.
Not so much luck for CBS Films’ Extraordinary Measures, which is going to struggle to see a cume of $20 million domestically. (It may actually improve overseas, with the value of Fraser & Ford increasing.) Terrible campaign and a movie whose clips all suggest that it was made on sets from ER on the weekends.
For me, the biggest surprise is the poor opening of The Tooth Fairy. Yes, the Friday number will have a nice multiple for the weekend with as much as $12 million. But after a $23m start for The Game Plan and $18.6m for Are We There Yet?, this number kinda sucks. From my perspective – and it may be limited – Fox didn’t sell the entire story arc, just certain gags… and none of them were that great. The Rock in a tutu was just not enough.
Oh… and that little Avatar thing. Another weekend record – for Weekend 6 – though it’s about to start falling behind Titanic in this stat, probably next weekend. It’s been running ahead of Dark Knight domestically for about a week as the fastest grosser ever, right now about $45 million ahead for 36 days. $1.75 billion worldwide will be passed this weekend… which means it will have doubled the gross of any movie not in the Top 20 all-time, including Spider-Man and Trannys 2. It also puts the film less than $100m away from Titanic. In fact, it may pass Titanic’s international record this weekend… and that record was a full $500 million more than any other movie before, putting it well past adjusted gross and 3D bump range, especially since international grosses for the older movies were tiny by percentage of total gross in comparison to the post-70s era.
Box Office Hell – A6
By David Poland - Friday, January 22nd, 2010
4 Day Estimates By Klady – A5
By David Poland - Monday, January 18th, 2010
(my analysis after 1p)
8.5 hours after 1p – A 15% drop isn’t all that impressive. After all, Titanic was up actually up on MLK weekend… 4.5% on the 3-day. Of course, Titanic’s domestic gross was at $275m after that 4-day. Fact is, there are a parade of late December openers that held better on this weekend, even before MLK Day was made into a national holiday.
That said, Top MLK Grosser is kind of the least significant milestone for the film this weekend. The previous record for 5th weekend 3-day gross was Titanic‘s $30 million. So let’s do the adjusted gross thing… that takes Titanic to about $45m. And a 25% 3D bump makes that $56.25. So forget what I just wrote. A $43 million 3-day SUCKS! It’s nothing. Forget it. No one will ever see this movie. Even the Chinese government hates the story.
Everytime I think it’s time to put Avatar on a more traditional trajectory, it blows right past expectations.
Of course, the question of whether it is a cultural phenomenon is more than gross dollars. I agree. But this speaks to my sense that neither The Dark Knight or Shrek 2 nor Pirates 2 were true social phenomena. A month out. there is more discussion of Avatar than of any of those three recent record-breakers. But have any of these films really had a major cultural impact? Not so much. Popularity no longer signals that kind of weight. Certainly, the media has limited interest in perpetuating what is popular and prefers “off brands,” like Twilight, which was the #6 film of last year and #36 all-time worldwide… and for those of you who love an argument, probably the #5 film in profit last year… but plays as a surprise.
Avatar also may be creating opportunity for some other films. As much as it ate the box office this weekend, this is also the first time in history that six films have been over $10m for the 4-day MLK weekend (or on the same weekend before the holiday existed). The only times there have been as many as five eight-figure movies over this weekend was 2002 and 2003. To put that in perspective, the top three grossers on that four-day in 2002 totaled $73m… this weekend, $113m. The Book of Eli would have been the #3 grosser over the MLK weekend were it not for Avatar, so that opening is quite impressive as well.
I can’t see anything else on the estimates chart that hasn’t been discussed in the last week,
BYO Box Office
Klady is going to do a 4-day tomorrow.
Nothing really surprising since yesterday from my perspective.
The Lovely Bones, by studio estimate, had a nice 10% bump on Saturday… which probably means that a younger audience is finding the film, as was the marketing intent.
One thing that has caught my eye is that Brothers has quietly grossed over $28 million, which puts Oscar chasers An Education, Nine, A Serious Man, and The Messenger in the financial rear view. I am pretty well convinced that had Lionsgate treated this movie as an equal to Precious instead of as an afterthought (I finally got a screener… 4 days ago… and not from Lionsgate, but from Relativity Media), it would have outgrossed Precious and would have had a real shot at a nomination… and Tobey Maguire would have been a lock for a Best Actor nod.
Friday Estimates by Klady – Eli vs The Na'vi
Another strong start for a Joel Silver production after a bit of a rough run. This start is running a bit hotter than Denzel’s previous #2 opener, Inside Man, though while this reminds us that Denzel is a true movie star (meaning, he can open movies on his own), it is a concept piece that has the strongest action appeal since Avatar and then Sherlock Holmes opened last month.
it seems like that we’ll see a Cloverfield-like trajectory on the film… maybe a little less harsh. Look for a 3-day of just under $30 million… a 4-day of $33m – $35m.
Avatar will lose a day for the third time in its run (opening days for Sherlock and Chippys 2 were the other two), but like the last two times, it looks like a one day long event. Saturday rises have been erratic, in part because of the film playing through the holidays. Last weekend, it went up a crazy 60%, Fri-Sat. Let’s say it ends up off 25% for the 3-day… $37.5m for the 3-day… $43m for the 4-day, crossing the $500m domestic threshold on Monday, in 32 days, passing TDK’s 45 days to becomes the fastest film to ever hit $500m.
I am personally stunned to say, it now looks like Avatar will pass The Dark Knight‘s domestic #2 position by the end of next weekend. The film is already over $1 billion overseas. With over $1.5 billion by the end of this weekend, Avatar will be the #2 box office grosser of all time with or without the “3D bump.” Sorry haters… another scoreboard to suffer.
Paramount’s marketing reboot of The Lovely Bones will show itself more today, as teen girls are the target. Will the movie go up to $7m or $8m today, ending up with a $20m+ 4-day or will it roll with a more traditional trajectory and end up with $17m or so? We shall see.
The Spy Next Door felt a bit dumped… which won’t look so good when Sony’s The Karate Kid becomes a significant hit this summer. This is one of those cases when the studio should have just waited for another movie to rebrand their star. Jackie Chan and kids will be a real draw after “jacket on… jacket off.”
Who would have expected The Blind Side to outgross both Sherlock Holmes and The Squeakquel domestically? It looks like Sherlock will come up just short of $200m and Chippys 2 will just pass the mark.
Up In The Air is a bit confounding. $70m domestic is quite good for a dramedy with a message. But it’s, somehow, not exciting. Odd.
Avatar Will Go On
All this TV drama has distracted from the ongoing drama of Avatar‘s box office.
Today was Day 28. And domestically, it passed $450 million today. It is doing better, day-to-day, than The Dark Knight at this point… and is now only about $4 million behind TDK’s record grossing pace of $454.7m in 28 days.
TDK did $16.4m in its fifth weekend. Given that his is a holiday weekend and Avatar‘s biggest weekend drop has been 33% weekend-to-weekend so far, I’d be estimating a drop in the high 20s and a 3-day total of no less than $35 million. By the end of the 4-day, Avatar will be the fastest grossing domestic film over the first 32 days by more than $15 million. And it will likely hit $500 million domestic before the start of next weekend.
So it is now clear that Avatar will pass The Dark Knight domestically. (It’s already more than doubled TDK’s international take.) And with more than $1.5 billion in the till by this time next week, Titanic‘s seemingly insurmountable $1.8b gross is looking surmountable.
It is fair, in this moment, to talk about adjusted gross. (Any way you slice it, Titanic is #1 with $2.8 billion in real dollars and $2.8 billion adjusted, worldwide.) it is fair, in this moment, to talk about the 3D bump in normal current ticket prices. (Avatar would have to gross at least $2.2 billion worldwide to match Titanic, taking a 25% bump into account.)
But it is not fair, in my opinion, in this moment, to downplay how massive a box office phenomenon any movie that comes close to the real-dollar Titanic number is. Prior to this, no other film in history has come within 2/3rds of the way to the number.
The next big question is whether this will all convert to a slowed DVD sell-thru market. Titanic was late to the DVD party. And Avatar could be too late to be a record breaker.
Weekend Box Office by Klady – AvaFour
What more is there to say about Avatar? It’s the #2 film all-time internationally by a good amount… but still $340m behind Titanic… which is a lot at this stage. Domestically, it’s $174m behind Titanic… which is still a lot.
The estimated 32% drop is the best of all the wide releases… which is the most remarkable thing in a week of record-breaking weekday numbers. At a weekly 40% drop the rest of the way, ‘Tar is looking about $140m more at the domestic box office. Plenty enough to pass The Dark Knight, but still almost $40m short of Titanic‘s domestic number. But the big question is what the international numbers will be… that is the engine of mega-numbers in this era.
Only 6 of the 23 films to earn $800 million or more worldwide earned less than 60% of their revenue internationally and only one earned more at home than overseas, The Dark Knight. And TDK’s success if all the more incredible for it. (And there is good news for the next Nolan Batman film, as the first two Spider-Man movies were under the 54% mark overseas and #3 leapt up to 63%, as the domestic gross fell, but foreign continued to grow.) Conversely, 10 of those 23 films grossed more than 65% of box office revenue overseas.
The $217.3m domestic gross of the first Jason Lee Chipmunks movie is probably out of reach for Chippys 2, but $200 million is looking reachable… and whether it gets there or not, look for Chipmunks 3 for Christmas 2011. (Also, the first film did $143m internationally. The Squeakquel is at $105m as of last weekend. So that will be a process to watch as well.)
I have no real precedent to which I can compare Sherlock Holmes‘ performance. It’s a good number, but not a great one. It’s an expensive film, but not a problematically expensive one. And it’s overseas numbers are still not fully crunchable. It looks like a slightly better than breakeven movie. WB partnered with Village Roadshow on this one. I would expect a carefully budgeted sequel with the reasonable hopes that the pairing of Downey and Law, which seemed to be the major draw here, will become even more attractive. Personally, I would cut the budget by a third and ask Guy Ritchie to forget big effects and to focus on character. This could still be a terrific franchise.
Daybreakers did well, especially considering the delays in its arrival. It is not a dump. On the other hand, if it were a Screen Gems movie, they would consider this an underperformance, with $20m the target for these kinds of movies over there. (At least, it used to be.)
The disappearance of It’s Complicated from higher up on the leader board is kind of a surprise. It has a good amount of entertainment value, at least for over-50s and at least for an act and a half. But it is apparent that the Nancy Meyers franchise relies heavily on its stars to generate more than the $60 million or so that the “older” base offers. In this case, Streep was a good center figure, but Steve Martin isn’t playing a “Steve Martin character,” undermining his ability to draw. And Alec Baldwin is beloved and brilliant, but not box office. The reverse analysis of the film is that with this cast, a real duel for Streep between these two men, with Baldwin as the surprising good guy and Martin as the unexpected scumbag would have been a much bigger hit. But then again, that would be a Frank Oz film, not a Nancy Meyers.
On Up In The Air, I am wondering whether a shift to a more accurate marketing push might help at this point. Clooney fires people. Kendrick wants to fire them better and more efficiently. People are people, not machines. You would never know that this is a socially conscious dramedy from the ads. I would love to see the spot with Kendrick as the kid villain. I understand not starting there, but the audience who is coming out for the Gentle George rom-com is almost played out and the movie is still behind It’s Complicated.
$7m for Youth In Revolt is not thrilling, but someone needs to look at Michael Cera’s track record. Nick & Nora was kinda brilliantly sold to the music crowd… and still only opened to $11.3m. They were on the right track with Cera doing MTV interstitials with the cast of Jersey Shore, but it was too late in the cycle to become something bigger. A few more weeks… a fake publicized romance between Cera and Snooki… a lot more push on Portia Doubleday as a sex object for boys and a woman in sexual control for girls… that kind of thing. The pressure at Weinstein/Dimension is too intense for finesse these days. But Searchlight, I am convinced, could have opened this movie in the high teens, in no small part by being able to afford to take its time.
Nine is crushing to The Weinsteins. I’m sure they are still hoping they can revive it if it gets an Oscar nod for Best Picture. And I have to say, I still feel better about their chances than I did about Cold Mountain. But this is one of those cases where less than $20m at the box office is going to be deadly with awards voters… on top of people just not loving the movie.
The Weinsteins are an asset that someone should take hold of. Amazingly, one of the best fits would be Bob Iger’s Disney. Dimension fits like a glove. And Harvey’s side, with clear financial boundaries (which is to say, unlimited budgets if funded outside of Disney, very limited budgets if funded in any part by Disney), could be great for Disney. These guys are still brilliant salesmen and with the backbone of a studio, it would open them up to being creative first and financial worriers second again. If I were Paramount, I would be having that meeting too. Par’s marketing muscle and discipline could really help push Weinstein product out there. I don’t really see the other studios as good fits.
How The Avatar 3D Premium Should Be Estimated
By David Poland - Saturday, January 9th, 2010
After weeks of discussing Avatar and reading dozens of different notions of how the 3D premium fits into the overall grosses for the film, I decided to try to get some more objective information. So I decided to do a random look at the pricing across the country.
I looked at 10 markets:
Tuscon, AZ
I used Fandango and MovieTickets.com to find out pricing. There were anomalies. For instance, the IMAX opportunity in Chicago is Navy Pier, which is only an IMAX. You might suspect that the premium for IMAX over 2D would be higher because it’s a standalone IMAX, but it’s the opposite. It was the lowest IMAX premium over 2D, at 36.4%. The highest IMAX premium over 2D was 66.7% in Madison Wisconsin.
IMAX 3D prices were between $4 and $6 over 2D
Non-IMAX 3D was priced at premiums between $2.50 and $4 over 2D.
2/3 of the sites that have the movie playing have 3D, but on opening weekend, fewer than half the screens were showing 3D (roughly 3200 against 7000, according to BO Mojo). Of course, 3D was more popular, and about 59% of the gross was for those non-IMAX 3D screens.
IMAX premiums are higher, but in all but one of the markets I looked at, the premium on top of 3D is only $1 or $2 over the other 3D option. IMAX clearly has had and still has the highest percentage of seats sold. But we’re only talking about 178 sites. In the first weekend, IMAX was about 12% of the overall take and the per-screen was almost $55,000 per. About 40% of that is the premium over 2D.
So… in the US, over opening weekend, about 71% of the overall gross was for some form of 3D… or about $55m of the gross. About $14.5 million extra was earned on the non-IMAX 3D premium. About $3.8m extra was earned on the IMAX premium. So $18.3 million in 3D premiums or about 24%.
That percentage may have gone up a bit in the weeks after, as the urge to see the movie in 3D became such a part of the legend. But as you look around the markets, there are a lot of places where there is no IMAX available and the numbers of 2D screenings being offered right now are about 25% fewer than the 3D. In markets like Los Angeles, the 2D availability is less because exhibitors are adjusting to less demand. But that’s definitely not the case everywhere. Someone is out there watching the movie in 2D… a lot of someones.
Internationally, where 2/3 of the gross revenues are coming from, the percentage is a bit lower still. So if we agreed, roughly, that the US number is 30% on the premiums and internationally, it’s about 20% (which I think is very, very fair to the naysayers on both counts), the adjusted gross of Avatar would be about $895 million after 22 days, still about #15 all-time. #2 all-time, using this adjustment, would be about $1.4 billion.
I know… this Avatar Domination is getting boring. Another day, another record. It will easily be the biggest Fourth Weekend in history. As far as I can tell, the best Fourth Friday in domestic history before this was Narnia’s $9.7m, which was on December 30, 2005. #2 on the chart seems to be The Dark Knight with $7.6 million, on which The ‘Tar makes a 78% improvement. Still, TDK remains in the day-by-day lead as of Day 22 by $29 million.
Avatar is already #2 only to Titanic internationally and is still playing strong. Even if it “just” does $1 billion international, it will be a remarkable number. Asterisk all you like, but the $1.8 billion Titanic number seemed insurmountable and here comes a film – an original – that will be the first to get as close a 2/3 of the way… and looks like it will get within a few hundred million… a much smaller bridge to cross. The leap from #1s to #2s can be huge, Dark Knight being the most extreme example ever. But it’s not hard to imagine Avatwo being the first $200 million domestic opening (assuming a summer release), with many more 3D screens available by 2013, and a $400 million opening weekend worldwide.
On the Domestic track, ‘Tard passed Trannys 2 yesterday… it is now past Spider-Man on East Coast matinees… by the end of the weekend, it should be past Pirates 2 and Phantom Menace to be the #6 domestic grosser of all time. Before next weekend, it will pass ET to become #5. Over next weekend, it will pass Shrek 2 and close in on Star Wars (which has an inflated gross by way of re-release). That will leave only TDK and Titanic in the way.
I expect next weekend – keep in mind that it’s a holiday – to be a tight race with The Book of Eli. The drops for movies in the range of “Tar are in the mid-20s to low 30s for the 3-day of the 4-day holiday. Titanic actually went up 5%. So put Avatar at about $30 million for the 3-day. Only Cloverfield, the Star Wars re-release, Paul Blart, and Gran Torino‘s expansion are at that number for a January opening/expansion. And Denzel has only one $30m launch on his resume’… American Gangster with Russell Crowe co-starring, not Gary Oldman.
Really, the date kinda sucks for Eli, but February is already chock full of testosterone (The Wolfman, Shutter Island, and the ew-this-could-be-ugly Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. And WB has Clash of the Titans to open in March. If the movie sucks, the should be moving forward. If not, it seems like a very good late summer kind of movie. Of course, Warners has the Chris Nolan movie, which is also a complex sell, in late July already. With 20 movies already on the schedule for 2010, WB remains the most prolific distributor in town… and sometimes, that leaves movies like Eli in an iffy slot. Or maybe they are happy with us all thinking the film is Mad Max Goes On The Road.
Nice number for Daybreakers, the movie they didn’t really want to release. Cloverfield, Paul Blart, and Taken dwarf this number, but paying attention to the economies of scale, this is a strong result for Lionsgate.
Sherlock, ‘Munks2, Complicated, Princess Frog and surprisingly, the unending fountain of green, The Blind Side, are all on the low side of expectations for the weekend.
Oscar contender Up In The Air had a 17% screen expansion and is still down and estimated 51% Friday-to-Friday. $70m – $80m domestic for a modestly budgeted movie is certainly a success. But it’s not a wildfire. After all, it’s likely to be outgrossed by It’s Complicated when all is said and done. You can kinda feel Paramount’s muscled up marketing department straining a little on this one. It is a terrific movie. But it’s not a straight rom-com, which is how they keep trying to sell it in tv ad revision after revision, now completely disregarding the real story of the film and using the third act wedding to pump up the rom-com cred.
Leap Year is, under the circumstances, not an outright disaster. But it’s kind of a disaster. It’s a major leap forward for Amy Adams, whose only other real “It’s Amy!!!’ opening was Miss Pettigrew, which opened to about a quarter of what the Leapy number will be. But it’s half of what Fox opened Bride Wars to last year on the same weekend… and Bride Wars was a bit of a bust domestically, considering the cast. And in the Leap case, I don’t see international coming to the rescue.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1920
|
__label__cc
| 0.500381
| 0.499619
|
Sex, Lies, And Videotape (Movie Review: Side Effects)
"Side Effect" is a wonderful,hold-on-to-your-popcorn psychological drama/thriller. Once in a while - oftentimes - I get asked by people of recent movies to recommend, and this film would be one I heartily endorse. It is a movie that kept me guessing till the last frame, it set out one movie, continued to be a different one, and ended with a even different one. I don't remember why I did not see this at the cinemas, but I now kind of regret that I did not experience this in the big screen. It is also one of those "New York" kind of movies - it looks, feels, and even smells like the city. Jude Law is fantastic here. You would kind of say that he is the sick moral center of the piece. (Remember when he was supposed to be the next big thing that never was? I hope this film puts him back on that track) Rooney Mara matches him scene by scene - you vacillate between looking at her as a victim, heroine, and villain. I did not see those Dragon tattoo movies, so it is my first experience seeing her - she's a star, and a great actor. Sure, the story line can sometimes veer into the unbelievable, but the actors are pros, and you truly believe. Catherine Zeta Jones and Channing Tatum are given roles that they have done before, and they are competent enough here to still give focused performances. Can this really be Stephen Soderbergh's last effort? Together with "Behind The Candelabra," he would be leaving with two gay-centric films, if truly that's the case. And I just find it very fitting that the last eighth of this film revolved around sex, lies, and videotape, which of course, what brought him to the fore.
Hearts Arranged (Book Review: Arranged, Catherine McKenzie)
"Arranged," by Catherine McKenzie takes on an interesting concept: the arranged marriage. In this day and age, you scratch your head and wonder why, right? But for some people, it still works. I had an ex-officemate of Hindu descent who went through one, arranged by his parents. I curiously asked him once if he regretted it, and he said absolutely not, and that he and his wife were very happy to have found each other. And I saw this twinkle in his eye and I knew he meant it. At times I ask myself, wouldn't everything be so easy if everything was arranged like that and it always worked? But of course, nothing is as clear as that. Anne Blythe is a thirty something woman who jsut got out of a relationship, and one day finds a card in the street for a company she later finds out arranges weddings for couples. She is hesitant at first, but goes through with it. I have to admit that in the beginning I was also resistant to the idea in the novel, and just read along until the story hit a "surprise" that you thought you would see coming, but do not. I thought that is when the book hit its stride, and the ride became very enjoyable. I loved Anne and wanted the best for her. But as much as I respect her decision for an ending, I still kind of disagreed with her. But I guess that would just be me. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of this book.
It's Cher For Summer (Music Review: Cher, Woman's World [Single] )
Watching Cher tonight has made me realize that she is truly a living legend. And she will be performing at the New York City Pride Dance on Sunday, singing her new single "Woman's World." I guess I should write about it. When I first heard the song, I wasn't much impressed. I thought it was derivative of "Believe." The song sounded like something we have all heard before, and the lyrics, while anthem-ish for sure, were a bit on the hokey side. But as I thought and listened to it more, I just had to think, this is Cher. I mean, she is 66 years old, and this song is the perfect summer dance anthem. I can see any dance floor exploding as the beat pounds to an orgasmic crescendo, and who the hell contemplates on the lyrics anyway. This is an empowering song, make no mistake, and years from now, I will associate it with the Summer of 2013. This is officially my Summer Anthem.
A Rose By Any Other Jayne (Perfume Review: Ormond Jayne, Ta'If)
I love rose scents, in all kinds, shapes, and forms. So it was kind of fitting that about three years ago, when I first discovered the house of Ormond Jayne, Ta'if was the first one I tried from them. Ta'if is based on the Arab Damask rose, which as thirty petals. This is th description from their website:
A damask rose from Arabia. Ta´if, a town rising 5000 ft above the shores of the Red Sea and overlooking the Arabian desert, is renowned for its plantations of Ta´if rose. Ta´if by Ormonde Jayne is an intoxicating and audacious rose scent. This perfume dislikes daylight preferring dusk, the night, parties, promises and assignations. It is an opulent composition which makes a bold entrance and is confident enough to sweep everyone else to one side – a real belle of the ball. Ta´if is flamboyant but also sophisticated, a torrid blend of saffron, pink pepper, rose, dark sappy tree resins and broom – it is dynamic, daring and madly in love with life.
The one thing I always notice about Ormonde Jayne scents is that whatever note they interpret - it is always sheer, transparent, and watery. The rose here feels that way - it is not jammy like a fruit rose, or dark like a rose with oud - this one is more on the sunny side (I get hints of jasmine and freesia) and while a lot of people get saffron here, on my skin I don't. There's cold watery dew here, like smelling a rose first thing in the morning - there's a "coldness" to the scent. I like it lots, and the rose is not too sweet that it's too feminine smelling - a dude can totally rock this. When the trademark Ormonde Jayne drydown kicks in, you still get hints of the rose, but thew woody, resin-y base note stays. I love Ormonde Jayne as a house, but my one complaint with them is that most of their scents dry down exactly the same way - as if that woodsy drydown was a signature to all their perfume. While it is appealing, it makes me feel like I have the same perfume over and over again. But then again, maybe that's for the best.
When It Rains (Book Review: Raining Men, Rick R Reed)
You can see on the cover of "Raining Men," by Rick R. Reed that this novel is being touted as "the sequel to Chaser." I saw that and was instantly intrigued because I liked Chaser. I thought, though, that we would be following the lives of Caden and Kevin but this book is centered around Bobby, the antagonist of that earlier book. I knew Bobby was a troubled character, and I can see why Mr. Reed chose to focus on him, for there really is a story to tell about him. Its your classic gay boy gone awry: a sex addict who engages in multiple anonymous sexual encounters, and inadvertently he ruins his friendships and other people's lives because of it. Caden, his best friend, has severed their relationship, and he now wanders aimlessly. He hits rock bottom, and goes on a spiritual journey. I liked this story a lot, even if it is a bit familiar and kind of predictable. Mr. Reed infuses it with enough touches that make it interesting. He gives him a background story of an unfulfilled relationship with a father who passes away, and a romance with a high school acquaintance. Along the way, Bobby joins a Sex Addicts Anonymous group and he meets Aaron, who may or may not be a love interest. I was instantly engaged in the story, and the pay off was pretty good. I think the title is a bit misleading. This isn't a fun rollick with men but a more sobering look at a sex addict and his rehabilitation. But I find that good gay books are very hard to find nowadays in the proliferation gay pulp so finding a fulfilling one is always a treat.
The Thieves Wore Prada (Movie Review: The Bling Ring)
In this age of celebrity and material obsession, of course there would be a movie called "The Bling Ring." The Bling Ring is a name of a notorious gang who stole millions of dollars worth of "stuff" from celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Audriana Partridge, and Miranda Kerr, among others. This movie, directed by Sophia Copolla, is an almost sympathetic look at them. I left the movie theater feeling like I needed a shower. I think this movie glamorizes them. These kids idolized Hilton and their ilk: celebrities who are famous for being famous, and these kids wanted to be them, and wanted to achieve that fame and notoriety by also doing nothing. While I found the movie (and the story, based on a Vanity Fare article by Nancy Jo Sales) interesting, I have such disdain for these characters and I only feel like there would be people who would idolize these creeps. (As a matter of fact, one of the ring leaders of the gang, Nick Prugo has hinted that he already has a reality show in the works, and he has been barely out of jail) Maybe I am old now, but I really find this focus on all luxury material goods so disgusting, and I think this movie makes them almost like heroes. They are shot glamorously, and the actors, a handsome bunch, are shown in their spiffiest best. While I have no doubt that these images are true, I just despise their representation. Or maybe I am just getting carried away with the film - I like Copolla as a director, and I guess I should commend her for making a movie that got a big rise out of me. I must admit that I googled these people after I saw this movie and look at this video of Nick Prugo. he seems unremorseful, and even elated by his celebrity status after he came out of jail. This is truly sickening.
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.
'Bling Ring' Leader Nick Prugo -- Stop Bicthin' Paris ... I Gave a $1 Million Back - Watch More Celebrity Videos or Subscribe
Moms The Word (Television Review: The Fosters, Mondays on ABC Family)
When I was growing up, my favorite family shows were "Family," and "Eight is Enough." My, how times have changed, indeed because nowadays we have ABC Family's "The Fosters," which, of course, is being touted as one that celebrates the modern family: they have two moms. I find it kind of sweet that they refer to their mom as "Moms" in plural form, as in "Why did you tell Moms?" I also find it very refreshing to see this featured in as mainstream a channel as ABC Family. And this must really pose as some kind of threat to the conservative agenda, as it is already being targeted by those insipid One Million Moms. I do wonder if the next generation will even care about these things. But back to the show, it's well done, sure, but quite...banal. Besides the two moms, there really is nothing else that distinguishes this from any other generic family show: even the kids are cliches. There's the sensitive older son who plays piano but with a controlling A-list girlfriend. There's are these twins who are ying and yang. The moms take in two foster kids - a sister and a brother, and of course it causes tension among the brood. By the third episode, things are settling in, but the story lines are predictable: the older son is getting attracted to the young foster girl, of course, making the girlfriend jealous. I want to see something that will excite me, and I wish I knew what it was, unfortunately, I don't see it yet. But there is great acting all the round, especially and led by the two moms, played by Teri Polo and Sherri Saum. I just hope I don't lose interest in this before it gets really good.
My Summer With Philosykos (Perfume Review: Diptyque Philosykos EDT)
I remember when I first sniffed Diptyque Philosykos, I was hit by conflicting emotion. On one hand, I thought it was such a unique scent: a little dirty, a little sweet, and was so unlike any perfume I had ever smelled before. It was my very first "niche" scent, and it both challenged and pleased me. Why would someone want to smell that earthy, I thought. But I got it, and wore it, and I remember it was summer time. Philosykos, by Olivia Giacobetti (she is still one of my favorite noses) is light and ethereal, and the perfume was fleeting. I remember I always kept the bottle with me and would reactivate the scent two or three times a day. And honestly, I got some weird reactions from office mates. Some liked it, but I had more of those "you smell weird" comments. I remember that summer vividly, and whenever I smell Philosykos, I get brought back to that time in my life. I think I stopped wearing this when the scent (and the fig note) became so popular that Philosykos made the Diptyque brand so common place among a certain crowd. Today, on the day of the Summer Solstice, I wore it and was surprised by how I felt. It still conflicts me, but I love how, to this day, I am still challenged by this scent. It is certainly still appealing, but I am a bit turned off by its fleetingness - it's 3 p.m. and it is almost gone, and I am a heavy sprayer in the morning. There's a part of me that wishes it stayed longer. Still, though, its composition still amazes me : the creaminess of the fig note, the earthiness of the bark notes. While it is no longer my favorite fig perfume (that would be Andre Putman's Preparation) Philosykos will be always close to my heart.
P.S. Perhaps I should try the EDP which was launched in 2012?
I Can Cook, Too! (Book Review: The Girls' Guide To Love And Supper Clubs, Dana Bate)
I thought Dana Bate's novel "The Girls' Guide To Love And Supper Clubs" was about a jazz singer - I have this habit of reading synopses after starting books - but maybe I had paid closer attention to the cover I would have noticed a nice cupcake prominently featured, giving me a clue that this novel would be about food/cooking. Well, turns out it is, and isn't. Its about Hannah Sugarman, who works at one of those government agency offices but whose real passion is cooking. Hannah is one of those "quirky" characters, so she is self-deprecating, clumsy, you know traits that authors use to make someone more "real" and easier to relate to. I found her borderline annoying and unlikeable, but not too bad that I wanted to stop reading. She gets put in situations that are all her doing, so you sometimes cannot help but feel unsympathetic towards her. But she has a warm narrator tone, so it's bearable. This is a nice summer read, sugary with just a bit of acid thrown in. Plus, I kind of liked that the book had a local flavor. Bate obviously is in love with the District of Columbia and it shows in how she describes her surroundings.
It Begins To Tell 'Round Midnight (Film Review: Before Midnight)
Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy - "Before Sunrise," "Before Sunset," and now "Before Midnight" - tells the stories of a generation - specifically Gen X. I am a part of this generation. On the first movie, we get treated to a romanticized version of our first serious love. On "Before Sunset," we venture into not-quite maturity: where we are forced to face decisions we have made in our lives: we own our mistakes, and claim what we really want. On "Before Midnight," we take stock in the lives we have led: inching towards middle age, living with our warts and all. We are Ethan Hawke as Jesse. We are Julie Delpy as Celine, and in this movie we see ourselves, sometimes wistfully, sometimes painfully, always real. At this point in Jesse and Celine's life: challenges are heightened, and they know each other so well that they push buttons unconsciously that they come out too obvious, appearing planned. It is a treat to see both Hawke and Delpy sparring: these actors are very much in tune and emotionally invested in their characters that it feels awkward to be in on their conversations, sort of how you feel when you get caught in a room with a fighting couple you know very well. Yes, at times it can be exasperating, and I found myself wanting to shhhh them. But that just proves how real these characters and situations are. There's a late-summer theme to the movie. They just enjoyed a beautiful summer, and now are on their way back to lives again - sort of like the series. The romance may seem gone, but a new season is about to start and it will bloom again. Beautifully shot, I am reminded of a feeling when I saw the sunset in Santorini a few summers ago. It was a perfect ending to a day, but a better evening promises. I wonder if this is really the last of the series. I would certainly welcome them back.
Parenthood (Book Review: Odd Mom Out, Jane Porter)
I didn't think I would like Jane Porter's "Odd Mom Out," because I thought I would not be able to relate to the story, which is that of a single mother trying to balance raising a nine year old child, and running her own business. But Jane Porter is such a great writer that you will instantly be swept in the story. She created a likeable, and relateable character in Marta, the narrator here. She is just a little different from all the other moms, and her daughter is nine going on twenty sic. You feel her angst as she tries to deal with her daughter trying hard to befriend the popular girls in school (and mostly failing) and you root for her even as she gets dealt with multiple blows of disappointment. And there's even a cute love angle as she meets a too-good-to-be-true love interest only to find that he is good enough to be true. When the novel ended, I was very sad to let the characters go. Even though the book is a bit outdated (it was written in 2007 and MySpace was still the social network of choice) it's easy to overcome that.
Perfume In A Pear Tree (Perfume Review: Jimmy Choo EDP)
I got Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum a long time ago, cheap, as it was a tester. It was a blind buy, and I thought why not? A luxury brand like that would not put out an inferior product. I was kind of right - Jimmy Choo EDP is a well-done perfume, a fruity floral/fruitchouli base that was very popular around that time, although this was released February 2011, so it just hit the tail end of the trend. It has notes of pear and musk, and that clean patchouli that we have all smelled a million times. It starts out with a burst of citrus and pear - it gives the fruit a brightness, but quickly disappears. There is a bit of musk that lingers, and that gives it weight, and some aldehydes to keep it from smelling like refrigerator juice. It's still sweet, though, but maybe a bit more perfume-y than your standard fruity floral. I have worn this for the past two days in hundred degree weather, and the first thought that has come to my mind? This smells very dated - while it was trendy at some point, now it just seems kind of sad. I find it kind of not in sync with the brand - Jimmy Choo shoes are supposed to be timeless, and while this perfume is probably a crowd pleaser (I bet non perfumistas love it) for me it is akin to Fabreeze room freshener.
Summer Gone Wild (Book Review: Perfect Summer, Kailin Gow.
Maybe my first mistake was picking up this book, and then realizing later on that this was the second part of the "Loving Summer" series. Yes, folks, I never read the first part. So I was kind of a loss while reading the book. But most of these books stand alone, right? My second mistake was thinking that. Meanwhile, I read about Summer and her dilemma about choosing between brothers Nat and Drew. She loves them both, it seems, but she keeps on making the same stupid mistakes - and she is a promiscuous who teases and sleeps with both brothers. Tacky. I am no prude, but the sex scenes here are more gratuitous than normal. And that would have been no problem except for the fact that this book is probably marketed for teenage girls Or am I just getting older? I cannot appreciate this book at all, and felt it was a waste of my time reading it.
BC = 40
Full Of Grace (Television Review: Graceland, Thursdays on USA Network)
Let's not kid each other. I watched the pilot episode of "Graceland" for one and one reason only: Aaron Tveit. He is a cutie, he is a hottie, he is a stud muffin - I will run out of cliche descriptions to describe him. I have seen him on Broadway a couple of times, and he has a wonderful stage presence. On stage, he can sing, he can act, he projects. I wanted to see if his charms translates to the small screen (I know he had a recurring role in Gossip Girl, but I never followed that show religiously) This series was developed by Jeff Eastin, who also created "White Collar," so I know he has a history of featuring handsome men in television shows (see Matt Bomer) Well, after watching the pilot, I am a bit underwhelmed. I wish there was more here - Tveit brought his A game but I felt there's something missing somewhere. His character is a bit underdeveloped, even as he is featured prominently in the show. Mike Warren, the character he plays, (and can they choose a more boring name?) graduated at the top of his class in Quantico and he gets assigned in Graceland, a beachfront property where undercover agents from different agencies live. Theoretically, he is intelligent, but is that enough for him to be assigned here? We find out at the end of the pilot - there's an interesting twist - but aside from that, Mike Warren is a blank. I hope we get to know more about him in succeeding episodes because there's not much here for me to keep interested.
Where Is The Devil? (Book Review: Revenge Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger)
Halfway through "Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns," by Lauren Weisberger, I thought to myself, what a disappointment. I was a big fan of the prequel novel, and also the novel, and what fun, I thought to revisit the characters. I also already had Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt ensconced in their respective roles, so I felt ready for the ride. But about a quarter in, I thought to myself: this isn't what I was expecting. Andy Sachs seems to be embroiled in a classic entitled girl storyline: she's getting married, she's not getting along with her two-dimensional mother-in-law, she is pregnant. It's an okay story - pure sap and soap - but at that point Miranda Priestley was still nowhere to be found. As a matter of fact, Miranda is barely in the novel, so the title seemed more an empty come on. I tried to go along, but more often that not, found Andy unlikeable: spoiled and whiny. By the time I am supposed to feel sorry for her, I hardly cared. The last tenth of the book is more accessible for me, but it seemed to come a little too late. This could have been a wonderful, dishy inside story of how a company is marred by a corporate takeover, especially in the publishing world, but it ended being a soap opera tale. Truly a wasted opportunity, in my opinion.
Heartbreak In Israel (Movie Review: Yossi)
Sometimes a movie just gets to you unexpectedly. Such was the case of "Yossi," a film from Israeli director Eytan Fox. It's the sequel to his 2002 film "Yossi and Jagger." (Though you don't really need to have seen that movie to appreciate this film) Yossi lost his lover in the Israeli army, and now is living as a doctor doing his residency. He lives a quiet, and melancholy life. He is still grieving, after all these years, and is anti-social. Fox vividly presents his sadness, and it is heartbreaking. he works, and has not taken a vacation in ages. One day, he sees Jagger's mother in the hospital, and this gives him the chance to move forward: he tells her and her husband about her relationship with their son, who they had no idea was gay. It's an intense, and never overbearing scene. This prompts him to take a road trip to Sinai, but along the way he picks up a group of young Israeli soldiers. One of them is Tom, (Oz Zehabi, a handsome young Jude Law and Ryan Raz lookalike) an openly-gay military man. Yossi is amazed at how free he is. (Israel was one of the first countries to have openly gay people serve in the military) They have a connection, and he forsakes his Sinai trip to stay with them at the seaside resort of Eliat. The one thing I loved about this film is that I never knew where the story would turn. I am sometimes too jaded and cynical but the story here kept me guessing and hoping, and rooting. This is a gentle, sad, but ultimately uplifting movie, filled with a heartbreaking performance by Ohad Knoller as Yossi. I bet it breaks your heart, too.
Library Love (Book Review: The Librarian And the Porn Star, CC Bridges)
I know there exists a sub-genre in gay fiction for librarian fan fiction. (I think there's a millionaire one as well) Well, I guess now is a good time as any to start reading one, and that title went to CC Bridges' "The Librarian And The Porn Star." i was bracing myself - I thought this was one of those erotic fiction deals, but it was a very sweet short story, bordering on syrupy romantic. It was a wonderful distraction. A librarian in a college is startled to see his favorite porn star enter as a student and needing help. They click, but he doesn't tell him that he knows of his oeuvre. Will it tear them apart? It was predictable, a bit silly, but it never pretends to be otherwise.
BC_38
Matthew In A Tuxedo (Album Review: Matthew Morrison: Where It All Began)
A lot of people probably do not realize that before Matthew Morrison was Will Schuster on the hit television show "Glee," he was a Broadway leading man. And in interviews he has mentioned that growing up his parents listened to standards and theater songs. So essentially, these songs are "Where It All Began" for him. About two years ago, he released an album of pop originals, and I loved that record. Now, on his second outing, he has decided to go back to his roots. And from the first song on, you can see that he is in his elements here: he knows and loves these songs inside and out. More, he has respect for these songs, treating them with delicacy. There's good and bad there. You can sense his soul as he croons through familiar standards like "Younger Than Springtime," and "Hey There." Backed by an orchestra, you can feel the love shining through his interpretations. But, the arrangements, while lush and beautiful, seem familiar, and you kind of ask yourself if there is a point to the whole exercise. There's a West Side Story medley that seems ill-conceived - the songs aren't strung in a very cohesive way. And "Send In The Clown" is done pop style (a la Streisand's version) when he could have gone with the original theater orchestrations. Still, Morrison has a more than competent instrument that is displayed in full-force here, and you get the sense that he showed up all dressed up and ready to go for the gusto for these songs. I just prefer the jean clad laid back Matthew (Like a tuxedoed Matthew is chopped liver, by the way)
Sex, Lies, And Videotape (Movie Review: Side Effec...
Hearts Arranged (Book Review: Arranged, Catherine ...
It's Cher For Summer (Music Review: Cher, Woman's ...
A Rose By Any Other Jayne (Perfume Review: Ormond ...
When It Rains (Book Review: Raining Men, Rick R Re...
The Thieves Wore Prada (Movie Review: The Bling Ri...
Moms The Word (Television Review: The Fosters, Mon...
My Summer With Philosykos (Perfume Review: Diptyqu...
I Can Cook, Too! (Book Review: The Girls' Guide To...
It Begins To Tell 'Round Midnight (Film Review: Be...
Parenthood (Book Review: Odd Mom Out, Jane Porter)...
Perfume In A Pear Tree (Perfume Review: Jimmy Cho...
Summer Gone Wild (Book Review: Perfect Summer, Kai...
Full Of Grace (Television Review: Graceland, Thurs...
Where Is The Devil? (Book Review: Revenge Wears Pr...
Library Love (Book Review: The Librarian And the P...
Matthew In A Tuxedo (Album Review: Matthew Morriso...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1923
|
__label__wiki
| 0.868463
| 0.868463
|
Lithuania wants to keep current structure of EU commissioners after Brexit – president
European Commission building in Brussels
Lithuania wants to keep the current scheme of appointment of European commissioners where every country delegates one member of the European Commission (EC) after Brexit, says President Dalia Grybauskaitė.
"We support the position that all countries maintained the number of commissioners, regardless of their size," the president said in an interview broadcast on the national radio LRT on Friday morning.
Grybauskaitė is leaving for Brussels for a meeting of leaders of EU member-states where informal talks will focus on the 2021-2027 budget of the community and the post-Brexit composition of the community's institutions.
In Grybauskaitė's words, Lithuania supports the proposals of reducing the number of members of the European Parliament (EP) from 751 to 705 after Britain's withdrawal from the organization, which would leave a few dozen of MEP mandates in the so-called reserve for possible accession of new member-states.
Lithuania's president off to Brussels for talks on EU's post-Brexit budget
Lithuania – new destination for UK financial institutions loosing “passporting rights” after BREXIT
Lithuania also says that the future chief of the European Commission should continue to be elected by leaders of EU countries, not limiting themselves to the candidates submitted by parties represented in the European Parliament.
Lithuania's current representative at the European Commission is Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis who is responsible for health and food safety.
The Friday's summit will mainly focus on filling a budget gap of around 10 billion euros caused by Great Britain's withdrawal from the organization.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1924
|
__label__wiki
| 0.979044
| 0.979044
|
Defense Officials Welcome New Army Secretary
By Gerry J. Gilmore
Nov. 2, 2009 - The new Army secretary received an official welcome from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Army's top uniformed officer today at a ceremony held in Conmy Hall at Fort Myer, Va. Gates hailed former New York Congressman John M. McHugh, who became the 21st secretary of the Army on Sept. 21, as a staunch supporter for the military during his 16 years in Congress.
"In the Congress, Representative McHugh was a strong advocate for Fort Drum, for the Army, and for the needs of all those who serve," Gates said. Fort Drum, home of the Army's 10th Mountain Division, is located in Waterville, N.Y., which is McHugh's hometown. Fort Drum also is part of McHugh's former congressional district.
Gates thanked McHugh, who had served as the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, for his support of important acquisition reform legislation that was passed earlier this year.
McHugh's late father was an Army Air Corps B-17 bomber crewman during World War II and his mother was an Army nurse.
"Now he takes charge of the entire Army family," Gates said of McHugh's new role as the Army's top civilian.
Today is a crucial time for the Army, Gates said. As U.S. operations and force levels wind down in Iraq, he said, the campaign in Afghanistan is entering a new phase. And, difficult budget decisions lie ahead, he added.
McHugh also will manage the replenishment, replacement and modernization of the Army's battered, lost or obsolete equipment, Gates said, as he works to ensure the Army is equipped and prepared to fight today's and tomorrow's battles.
The new Army secretary also will focus on improving the quality of life for U.S. soldiers, their families and wounded warriors, Gates said.
The Defense Department is enhancing and institutionalizing its support for its warfighters, Gates said, to "see that their needs and those of their families have a bureaucratic home and sustained long-term funding." As part of this effort, he said, the military is seeking improved care for servicemembers with post-traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related psychological ailments.
These are steps in the right direction, but there's much more to do, Gates said, noting he's confident McHugh will provide effective, tireless leadership as the Army's most-senior official.
McHugh's extensive experience in public service and his dedication to the U.S. military will serve him well as Army secretary, Gates said.
"I'm glad you've joined the team, John; my thanks to you and to the men and women of the United States Army who protect our country every day," Gates said.
Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army's chief of staff, saluted McHugh's appointment, noting that although the Army has grown and is starting to re-balance its forces to provide more "down time" for soldiers after deployments, there's much more work to be done.
"We are better positioned now than we were two years ago to accept some increased demand, but we are not out of the woods yet," Casey said.
Casey expressed confidence that resolute leadership will win the war against global extremism as the Army sustains itself while preparing to meet challenges in the decades ahead.
"John McHugh is the right leader to do this," Casey said. "He understands that the focus has to be on supporting the soldiers on the front lines and improving support and services for our Army families back home."
McHugh thanked President Barack Obama and Gates for their trust and he pledged to do his best to maintain the force while supporting soldiers and families.
"Our future readiness will require that we continue to modernize, adapt our institutions, and transform soldier and leader development, while at the same time sustaining an expeditionary and campaign-capable force," McHugh said.
At the same time, he said, the Army must continue to address challenges posed by the stress that families continue to face as the result of multiple deployments.
"Our mission -- No. 1 -- must be to ensure that our soldiers and their families are provided a quality of life that is equal to their extraordinary sacrifices," McHugh said.
McHugh said he's also committed to maintaining the fundamentals and foundations that have kept the U.S. Army strong for more than two-and-a-quarter centuries.
"Yes, the Army has numerous challenges before it, but facing daunting challenges is nothing new to this Army," McHugh said. "In fact, it's a defining part of the great heritage and tradition" that's found throughout the Army's history.
VA to Outline Plans to End Veteran Homelessness
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
Nov. 2, 2009 - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki is expected to unveil a five-year plan to end homelessness among veterans as he, other VA officials and community outreach specialists come together for the Homeless Veteran Summit here tomorrow. Shinseki's team has made addressing homelessness a leading issue since he took charge of VA in January. Department officials estimate that about 131,000 veterans are homeless today in the United States, down from the 2003 estimate of nearly 200,000.
In several speeches this year, Shinseki has noted that to end homelessness among veterans, VA and the nation must do better in terms of psychological health care, education and employment opportunities, and addressing substance abuse.
VA programs such as the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which became law Aug. 1, may not have an immediate impact on homelessness, but better education opportunities can decrease homelessness in the future.
"To do this well, we'll have to attack the entire downward spiral that ends in homelessness," Shinseki said in an August speech at the American Legion convention in Louisville, Ky. He cited the need to offer veterans education, jobs and safe housing, and to treat depression and substance abuse. "We must do it all," he said.
Shinseki's latest initiative, launched last month, has a more direct impact on homelessness. On Oct. 6, the secretary announced more than $17 million in grants will be shared among 19 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to create more than 1,100 beds for homeless veterans. The transitional housing will give veterans the leverage they need to access VA health care and other benefits they need to lead productive lives again, Shinseki said in an Oct. 6 statement.
This week's Homeless Summit is likely to focus on similar indirect and immediate measures to meet the VA's five-year goal to get veterans off the streets. Officials said the summit's agenda will promote interagency and community partnerships to end homelessness through a variety of working groups and other sessions. The summit also will raise awareness and help advocates articulate key components of the five-year plan, and will give outreach organizations more tools for prevention in their local communities, officials added.
The two-day summit begins tomorrow morning, and Shinseki is expected to give his keynote address at 1 p.m.
Experts to Answer H1N1 Questions Online
Nov. 2, 2009 - The Military Health System will host a Web-based, town hall-style meeting Nov. 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. EST to respond to questions about H1N1 influenza. Military members, their families, health-care providers and Defense Department civilians may submit questions starting today, using the comments box at http://www.health.mil/flu. As many as possible of the questions submitted in advance, as well as questions asked throughout the live event, will be answered during the Web hall. A transcript of all questions and answers will be posted to the site after the event.
"We want to keep servicemembers and their families informed about the H1N1 flu and the Department of Defense's vaccination strategy," said Dr. Michael E. Kilpatrick, director of strategic communications for the Military Health System.
Subject-matter experts from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness, the Military Vaccine Agency, Tricare Management Activity and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scheduled to participate.
Participants in the Web hall are asked to limit questions to H1N1 flu-related topics and to refrain from disclosing personal information, to protect their privacy. When possible, officials said, servicemembers should contact their chain of command to resolve issues.
The Military Health System is a worldwide partnership of medical educators and researchers, health-care providers and support personnel. The Defense Department enterprise consists of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; the medical departments of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Joint Chiefs of Staff; the combatant command surgeons; and Tricare providers, including private-sector health care providers, hospitals and pharmacies.
(From a Defense Department Health Affairs news release.)
Army Reduces 'Stop Loss' as Pentagon Begins Payments
By Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Selby
Special to American Forces Press Service
Nov. 2, 2009 - As the Defense Department begins to compensate military members forced to serve beyond the expiration of their contracts, the number of those still serving under "Stop Loss" has been greatly reduced, a Pentagon official said. The Army, the only service still using the program, still has 9,600 soldiers serving involuntarily beyond their resignation or retirement date, Sam Retherford, The Defense Department's director of officer and enlisted personnel management, said during an Oct. 29 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.
That compares to 16,000 servicemembers on Stop Loss in 2005, he said.
Those currently on Stop Loss will be reduced quickly, however, as the Army plans to cut the number of those deployed under the program in half by January and to end Stop Loss deployments entirely by June, he said.
"They [will] not deploy using the Stop Loss authority," Retherford said, adding that "there should be no servicemembers on active duty under Stop Loss by March 2011."
The new compensation policy allows servicemembers who were "Stop Lossed" to collect $500 for every month or partial month they served after their service contract ended, Retherford said.
All of the services applied for Stop Loss authority. The Navy applied an average of 15 months of Stop Loss to 250 servicemembers; the Air Force applied an average of seven months of Stop Loss to 39,000 servicemembers; the Marine Corps applied an average of three months of Stop Loss to 9,500 Marines; and the Army applied an average of seven months of Stop Loss to 137,000 soldiers, Retherford said.
Servicemembers with an honorable discharge are eligible to receive compensation if they were involuntarily extended between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009. Dependents of deceased servicemembers who were Stop Lossed also can apply for compensation. In all cases, applicants must provide the proper documentation.
"The claims process requires that the member submit the documentation to show that they were Stop Lossed," Retherford said. "If the member doesn't have the documentation, then the service will, based on the claim, attempt to find the documentation to support the claim, but it has to be shown and proved."
Here's where to get information from each service:
-- Army: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil or e-mail to RetroStopLossPay@conus.army.mil
-- Navy: E-mail to NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
-- Air Force: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/
-- Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss or e-mail to stoploss@usmc.mil
Retherford added that Stop Loss authority was authorized in 1983, when Congress was concerned about the president's call-up authority and that the all-volunteer force may not be enough during times of national emergencies.
"There is a reason for Stop Loss, and that is an initial response to emergencies in dynamic situations where we need to maintain readiness and capability," he said. "But as time moves forward, things normally stabilize and efforts are made to minimize or reduce the use of Stop Loss."
For servicemembers to receive payment, verification of their service is required, Retherford said. To file a claim, servicemembers are required to complete the department's claim form No. 2944.
"Each service had to develop the Web sites to enable individuals to obtain information on the Web and to submit claims," he added.
For servicemembers or their dependent survivors to be compensated, a claim must be submitted and postmarked by Oct. 21, 2010, Retherford said.
Congress authorized $534 million to pay an estimated 185,000 servicemembers to be eligible for retroactive Stop Loss pay. Once the claim is verified by Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the payment will be deposited directly into the servicemember's bank account, Retherford said.
"We want to keep the public affairs effort going hard, because eight years is a long time, ... and many of these members are completely removed from service," he added. "Their military service obligation long ago passed."
(Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William Selby serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)
Air Guard Readies for C-27J Fleet
By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
Nov. 2, 2009 - The Air National Guard, for the first time, will be the sole operator of a new aircraft straight off the assembly line when it starts operations with C-27J Spartan cargo planes. The Spartan, the latest propeller-driven airlifter, is an "extremely rugged" aircraft designed for austere environments, Air Force officials said. It is about half the size of a C-130, with 3.5 cargo pallet positions.
"It is the first time in U.S. Air Force history where the service acquired a new airframe solely owned, operated and maintained by the Air National Guard," said Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Beckman, the Air Guard's aviation planning and execution chief.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates moved the C-27J program and its related direct support mission from the Army to the Air Force in April. The Army chief of staff, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., supported Gates' decision. "We need the capability to resupply our forces," he said. "We do not have to fly the planes to get that." Flying fixed-wing aircraft is not an Army core competency, the general added.
Since that time, the Air Force's Air Mobility Command and the Air National Guard have taken a serious approach to building the program, officials said.
"Making a switch like this is no small affair, especially at this phase in the acquisition process," said Air Force Lt. Col. Gene Capone, Air Mobility Command's C-27J test manager at the Joint Program Office.
Capone added that the Army lost its fiscal 2010 funding for the C-27J due to the change, so the Air Force will fund the Army's completion of the multiservice testing and evaluation.
Air National Guard pilots and loadmasters from the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, and the 175th Wing in Baltimore will be the first operational C-27J crews to be trained and deployed, and are critical participants in testing and evaluation, Beckman said. The testing and evaluation, scheduled for April, will determine if the C-27J program is ready for deployment and domestic operations, he added.
Two Army National Guard units, Company H, 171st Aviation Regiment, from Georgia and 1st Battalion, 245th Airfield Operations Battalion, from Oklahoma also will participate in the testing and evaluation.
In addition to aircraft in Mansfield and Baltimore, the Air Force will field C-27J's at units in Fargo, N.D.; Bradley Air Field, Conn.; Battle Creek, Mich.; and Meridian, Miss.
"The [Air National Guard] has played a critical role in the development of the C-27J roadmap, to include basing, personnel, aircraft delivery, Air Force instruction and technical order development and review, service transfer and planning for operational execution," Beckman said.
To prove the direct-support concept for transporting time-sensitive and mission-critical Army payloads, the 179th Airlift Wing is leading a test that began several months ago. Following predeployment training and integration with an Army combat aviation brigade, the unit's C-130s recently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"All of this is being done well within the new current execution model of 24 months that all of our forces now live in," Beckman said. "For example, we are already looking at mobilization packages, and have not yet seen a tail or trained crew."
(Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke serves at the National Guard Bureau public affairs office. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol of Air Mobility Command public affairs contributed to this story.)
Officials Showcase Armored All-terrain Vehicle
Nov. 2, 2009 - Senior Defense Department officials today showcased a more agile, downsized version of the military's family of super-armored vehicles now arriving in Afghanistan. Because Afghanistan's mountainous terrain requires a more agile vehicle than the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles used in Iraq, the MRAP vehicle was modified to produce a lighter, all-terrain vehicle known as the M-ATV, said Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.
The new vehicles will replace up-armored Humvees.
Like the version used in Iraq, the new trucks feature armor and V-shaped hulls to deflect roadside-bomb blasts, Carter. M-ATVs "will similarly be a live-saver in Afghanistan," he added.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pushed to develop the new vehicle quickly, Carter said, noting the first production order was provided to Wisconsin-based manufacturer Oshkosh Corp. in June. Vehicles already are arriving in Afghanistan, Carter said, noting he has test-driven an M-ATV. "These are superior vehicles," he told reporters.
The military is planning to buy more than 6,500 M-ATVs, Carter said, with about 690 having been accepted.
"We will continue to make changes in the MRAP-ATV as we get feedback from soldiers [on] how to improve it," Carter said.
U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan are training with the first 41 M-ATVs that have arrived there, said Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command at Quantico, Va. Marines, too, will get M-ATVs, he said.
The M-ATV weighs about 5 tons less that the 40,000-pound regular MRAP, Brogan said, noting the new vehicle also features an independent suspension and a shorter wheelbase to better negotiate Afghanistan's rocky hills.
The M-ATV "was designed from the ground up to have mobility that's roughly equivalent to an up-armored Humvee, yet retain the survivability features that are inherent in the baseline MRAP vehicles," Brogan said. The major contributor to the M-ATV's increased mobility, he said, is its four-wheel independent suspension.
"That's what provides that off-road capability," Brogan said, noting that the baseline MRAPs have rigid-axle suspensions that perform poorly on uneven, hilly terrain.
Meanwhile, Brogan said, early-production MRAPs, called "Cougars," are being taken out of theater and having their rigid suspensions replaced with suspensions better-suited for Afghanistan's lack of roads and challenging geography.
Brogan noted differences between the terrain in Iraq and that in Afghanistan. "The terrain in Afghanistan is significantly more formidable," he said. There is far less infrastructure, and that infrastructure that does exist is more austere."
The base cost for the M-ATV is about $437,000 per vehicle. As fitted with the necessary equipment for deployment, each vehicle costs about $1.4 million, shipping to Afghanistan included, Brogan said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS November 2, 2009
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Phantom Products, Inc., Rockledge, Fla.* is being awarded a maximum $31,250,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for flashlights, light kits, and transmitters. There are no other locations of performance. Using service are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The proposal was through an open solicitation with 63 responses. The date of performance completion is Nov. 1, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM200-10-D-8201).
Ross Equipment Inc., Elizabeth, N.J.* is being awarded a maximum $12,624,276 firm fixed price contract for fan axial impellar. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally two proposals solicited with four responses. The date of performance completion is Aug. 29, 2014. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-09-D-00534).
Veyance Technologies, Inc, St. Marys, Ohio is being awarded a maximum $12,478,939 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for track pads. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Army. There were originally two proposals solicited with two responses. The date of performance completion is Nov. 2, 2012. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG), Warren, Mich. (SPRDL1-10-D-0004).
UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
Systems Research and Applications Corp. (SRA) of Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $10,215,989 firm-fixed price and cost-plus award fee task order to maintain and continue development on the Defense Personal Property System. The base period will be from Nov. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010; two six-month option periods will also be included. The work will be performed primarily at the contractor's facility. In addition, the contractor shall perform services at USTRANSCOM Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Defense Enterprise Computing Center (DECC) Ogden, Utah, and DISA DECC St. Louis, Mo. Work is expected to be completed for the base period by Sept. 30, 2010, and task order funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity. (HC1028-08-D-2026-6S01)
Raytheon Company Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $8,652,919 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support (LCE&S) services for LPD 17 Class integrated shipboard electronic systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $197,091,380. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (95 percent); Chula Vista, Calif. (3 percent); and Norfolk, Va. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2205).
Raytheon Company, Integrated Defense Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $6,700,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-5122) to exercise a FY 10 option for performing as the platform system engineering agent for the Ship Self Defense System (SSDS). This effort is for the integration of complex war-fighting improvements – including components associated with the dual band radar and rolling airframe missile Block 2 – into the modular SSDS. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (90 percent); Tewksbury, Mass. (2.5 percent); Portsmouth, R.I. (2.5 percent); St. Petersburg, Fla. (2.5 percent); and Tucson, Ariz. (2.5 percent), and is expected to be completed by November 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Defense Department Receives First H1N1 Vaccine Shipments
By John J. Kruzel
Nov. 2, 2009 - The Defense Department has started receiving H1N1 vaccines and will begin distributing doses in the coming weeks. The Health and Human Services Department is distributing the vaccines, manufactured by four producers, to the department. Because rates of production vary among the manufacturers, supplies are expected to be limited initially, but to increase over time, said Ellen P. Embrey, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.
The department "is working closely with HHS to receive its full allocation of vaccine as soon as possible," Embrey said. Vaccinations are mandatory for military members, and as the quantity of doses on hand grows, officials anticipate Defense Department facilities will receive sufficient numbers to make the vaccine available to all of the department's employees and beneficiaries, she said.
Meanwhile, Defense Department officials have implemented a plan to maintain mission readiness while ensuring those at greatest risk get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines first will be made available to deployed personnel, bases that receive new military accessions, such as basic training installations and the service academies, and all health-care workers assigned to military medical treatment facilities.
Department providers should balance mission requirements with guidelines laid out by the Centers for Disease Control in determining who should receive vaccine when supplies are limited, Embrey said.
The arrival of the vaccines comes as CDC officials underscore the importance of remaining vigilant amid the rising incidence of flu nationwide.
"I would reiterate that we have more virus, more vaccine, and we have more treatment," CDC Director Thomas Frieden told reporters at an Oct. 30 news conference in Atlanta. "We encourage the prompt treatment of people who have underlying conditions."
CDC officials have identified groups they consider at a high risk of developing severe illness if they contract the flu: pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months, health-care and emergency medical services personnel, people between 6 months and 24 years of age, then those between 25 and 64.
President Barack Obama is "deeply concerned" about H1N1, Frieden said.
"He's directly involved, he's briefed regularly, he asks a series of important and relevant questions, and he wants to make sure that we are doing absolutely everything we possibly can to respond effectively as we can," he said.
In determining how to distribute supplies, Embrey said, military commanders, in collaboration with their medical authorities, will determine the best method to allocate the vaccine when demand exceeds supply. As more vaccine is received, it will be made available to all active-duty servicemembers, civilian employees, members of military reserve components and National Guard personnel.
Immunization for both seasonal flu and H1N1 is mandatory for all military personnel and is highly recommended for beneficiaries. When the first cases of H1N1 were diagnosed in April, a defense official said, the department bought 2.7 million doses of the vaccine for mission-assurance purposes.
HHS later provided 1 million doses to the Defense Department, raising the number to 3.7 million, according to Dr. Robert Morrow, the preventive medicine programs and policy officer for the Bureau of Navy Medicine and Surgery's force health protection function.
In addition to vaccines being received for operational personnel, Defense Department medical treatment facilities are receiving vaccine for family members based upon a separate allocation to each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Officials also have completed an agreement with HHS to provide vaccine for family members living outside the United States.
Vaccine for family members, like that for the active-duty and civilian work force, will arrive at military medical treatment facilities incrementally, Embrey said.
President Proclaims Military Family Month
Nov. 2, 2009 - President Barack Obama pledged his support of military members and their families and said Americans have a "solemn obligation" to preserve their well-being in his proclamation declaring November as Military Family Month.
The proclamation reads:
"No one pays a higher price for our freedom than members of our Nation's military and their families. As sons and daughters, husbands and wives, and mothers and fathers are deployed, military families endure with exceptional resilience and courage. They provide our troops with invaluable encouragement and love, and serve our Nation in their own right. During Military Family Month, we honor the families of our Armed Forces and thank them for their dedication to our country.
"Though only a small percentage of our Nation's population, our troops bear the great responsibility of protecting our people. They, along with their families, serve us every day with courage and dignity. Ensuring that military families receive the respect they deserve and the support they have earned is a top priority for my Administration.
"The strength of our Nation is measured not just by our success on the battlefield, but also by our ability to support those families who have made so many sacrifices for us. Time and again, military families have shown their heart in the face of adversity. We have a solemn obligation to ensure that while our men and women in uniform discharge their duties, we do all we can to promote and preserve the well-being of their families. We must also support the families of our wounded warriors and our fallen heroes who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy.
"This month, we celebrate the tremendous contributions of military families, convey to them our deepest respect and appreciation, and recommit ourselves to their support.
"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2009 as Military Family Month. I call on all Americans to honor military families through private actions and public service for the tremendous contributions they make in the support of our service members and our Nation."
Army Reduces 'Stop Loss' as Pentagon Begins Paymen...
Defense Department Receives First H1N1 Vaccine Shi...
► Sep 24
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1928
|
__label__cc
| 0.659018
| 0.340982
|
IolaB_2013_05_26
Iola was so uncomfortable in her skin that she couldn’t even say her name when she first arrived to the rooms of OA. She shares with us that it stems from her childhood growing up with an alcoholic father and going on diets as a young girl. Her eating is so out of control that even working in a hospital around a bunch of medical professionals, she maintains her obesity problem. Even working at Winchell’s doughnuts doesn’t satiate her. She speaks of her scores and scores of attempts at controlling her eating, but would always find herself back in the rooms of OA as it is the only place that gives her hope. Listen in on Iola’s inspirational story of what it was like and how it is for her today…
Direct download: IolaB_2013_05_26.mp3
Spencer_2013_05_19
Spencer shares with us some of his experiences with the food, such as when he eats a whole ex-lax bar as a young boy because he thought it was a regular chocolate bar, and he ends up hospitalized. He first comes to OA in 1978 at 318 pounds. He tries weight watchers and other weight loss programs. After exhausting himself with all of his self-willed solutions, he commits to the OA way of life, and as an added bonus, sheds 140 pounds. Though he has gained a few pounds back due to medical circumstances, he has maintained the overall weight loss to this day. Take advantage of the experience, strength, and hope that this kind and loving individual has to share with us…
Direct download: Spencer_2013_05_19.mp3
TomL_2013_05_05
At seven years old, Tom joins weight watchers, loses seven pounds, and leaves after a week. His mother is into dieting and weight loss. He always feels separated because of his weight in school. While in his thirties, he bounces back and forth from 230 pounds to 300 pounds. He reaches 450 pounds and then goes down to 300 when he comes back to Orange County to live with his mom. He joins OA, and he relapses in 2005, leaves OA, gains 200 pounds, loses everything good in his life, and moves back in with his mom. One day, he finds himself laughing while in the shower, and realizes that he surrenders. He comes back to OA, and today has a life beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
Direct download: TomL_2013_05_05.mp3
SteveO_2013_04_29
Steve O has maintained 173 pound weight loss over the last two years, a day at a time, and a miracle for someone who was convinced that what was suggested would not work and was all nonsense. Today he realizes that, through the steps, the pain and guilt he experienced in active addiction has been experienced by countless others. He shares helpful tools with us.
Direct download: SteveO_2013_04_29.mp3
LeslieB_2013_05_12
Leslie shares her experience, strength, and hope with us, including the tools that help her stay abstinent a day at a time.
Direct download: LeslieB_2013_05_12.mp3
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1929
|
__label__cc
| 0.615839
| 0.384161
|
Why My Six Year Old is Learning Chinese, Down Under.
January 15, 2018 by Nicole Webb
When Ava was just three years old, she started coming home from pre-school spouting off words, phrases, even songs in Chinese, which to be honest, I thought was merely 'toddler gibberish'. That is, until we were out to dinner one night, and a friend pointed out the seemingly un-obvious, to me, “You know she’s counting to ten in Mandarin, right?” “Er, what?!” In Hong Kong, they like to start school at a young age; competition is fierce and in such a heavily populated metropolis it’s believed, education is the key to success. Born in the fragrant harbour, at the tender age of two and a half my daughter’s class had both a full time English teacher and full time Mandarin teacher. At parent-teacher interviews, the Mandarin teacher attempted to explain Ava’s progress in Mandarin. "Say what?!" I knew I had to up my game, so I enrolled myself in online Mandarin classes. (I wrote about the beginning of that journey here.) It was just as well, because within a year, we moved to the middle of China, where, unlike Hong Kong, English was rarely spoken. For someone who spoke only one language (and a handful of school French phrases), learning Mandarin (one of the world’s most complex languages) was suddenly at the top of our entire family’s ‘to do’ list, even the hoteliers! My Small Person, who was at an international school had Mandarin lessons four times a week during our two and a half years in Xi'an, and for the most part, detested them! I soon learned she was much happier getting in on my weekly tutored lessons, where our young, enthusiastic teacher 'Vera' played games and did craft with her, in Chinese. She also had a great friendship with our Chinese babysitter where the benefits were mutual. Ava would teach the babysitter English and she would teach her Mandarin. Despite my skepticism, everyone told me she really could understand Chinese. Actually in the end, we made quite a formidable team. She was far better at understanding, and I found it easier, speaking Mandarin. After seven years away, we're back in Sydney and to be honest, I’m a little surprised, despite Mandarin being the most commonly spoken language in the world (with over one billion speakers), it’s still only taught in a handful of Aussie schools. Australia might lay claim to being one of the most multicultural countries in the world, yet learning a second language is still not compulsory in many primary schools. For those schools that take it upon themselves, the language of choice is predominately French, German, Indonesian or Spanish; or in my daughter’s case, Italian (which just quietly, she loves!) Research tells us, learning any language at any age is beneficial and learning a language as a child, should almost be a rite of passage. Author of ‘Why Bilinguals Are Smarter’ says, “Evidence suggests the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called 'executive function' — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks.” Sounds impressive?! A study from Pennsylvania State University has found learning a foreign languages provides a competitive edge in career choices, enhances listening skills and memory, and improves the knowledge of one's own language. Multilingual people, especially children, are skilled at switching between two systems of speech, writing, and structure. As an added bonus, according to Macquarie University’s Senior Lecturer in Literacy in a Multicultural Society, Dr Robyn Moloney, says, “After learning a secondary language, subsequent languages are easier to learn - patterns can be recognised a lot faster.'' So no matter what language my now six year old is learning, be it Italian, French or Spanish, for now, I’m pretty happy. But, still, we’re keeping up the Mandarin. For her and for me! (The hotelier on the other hand has called it a day, and I can hardly blame him!) Some friends have asked, why we don’t we just let it go, now that we’re back on Aussie soil? Touche! “It’s a pretty tough language, isn’t it?” They query. And yes, it bloody is! Sometimes I'd rather poke sticks in my eye than have a lesson. The same word can mean four different things, depending on the tone you use! Chinese people will even admit to being confused by their own language! (Not kidding!) We definitely don’t need it the minute we step foot outside our front door anymore, or do we? In 2017, China is Australia's biggest trading partner. By 2020, Chinese visitors to Australia are expected to top the one million mark and pump as much as $13 billion a year into the national economy. Yep! One thing’s for sure, it’s the Asian Century and our Zhonguo Ren friends aren’t going away. Consider this: At the moment only eight per cent of the country’s 1.4 billion people actually own a passport. You don’t have to be a mathematician to work out what’s going to happen as the growing (wealthy) middle class increases. There are still millions of Chinese who’ve never travelled outside of China. Speaking at a recent ACRI ‘in conversation’ event I went to, Colin Mackerras, Australian Professor at Griffith University, said learning about Chinese culture and the language should be regarded as an asset. “There is an emerging Middle Class in China and it’s going to have a big impact on the world, I don’t think we’ve seen anything like it in history.” Australia China Business Council president, John Brumby says, "The booming Chinese middle class is attracted to Australia for tourism and education, based in part on the clean air, orderly cities and desire of wealthy parents to provide the best for their children." Having spent two years in an often extremely polluted Xi’an, where chaos reigns supreme and education is everything, he’s on the money. There are also increasing numbers of Chinese students coming Down Under to study. According to the Australian China Relations Institute, 140,000 to be precise! This new generation is a curious bunch, keen to see what the Western world they’ve often only ever seen in movies or on television shows like ‘Friends’ (it’s one of the few western shows they’ve been able to have access to) is really all about. So, why the resistance to teaching Mandarin in schools? Even the federal government says we should “promote, protect and even privilege the learning of Chinese in our schools.” The front page of the London Times ran the headlined story ‘Ni hao! The British school where half the day is in Mandarin.’ The theme - parents are hoping to ‘future proof’ their children at a prep school that immerses pupils in Chinese. It’s well documented that we have a natural ability to learn languages more easily at a young age. Professor of second-language acquisition at the University of Maryland, Robert DeKeyser, believes the ability to absorb a new language effortlessly begins to decline by the age of six. Having studied Mandarin alongside my six year old, I know which one of us has had an easier time picking up the language! Even so, I still get howls of protest when it’s time for lessons. To make it more fun, I’ve engaged a uni student from China’s far north to come over to our place and effectively play games in Chinese, and have a chat to me in Chinese afterwards. I figure as long as she doesn't hate it, i'm on track, for now, anyway. Chinese strongly believe in the proverb: “Shou ren yi yu buru shou ren yi yu!” You’ll know it as, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach him to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” So while my small person likes to complain about “yet another Chinese lesson”, I plan to do everything in my power to make sure she’s ‘future proofed.’ … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Asian Adventures, Chinese Culture, Motherhood Moments Tagged With: Child languages, Children learning Chinese, Learning a language, Learning a second language, Learning Chinese, learning French, learning Mandarin
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0008.json.gz/line1935
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.