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Official Opening of Kolašin 1600 Resort on February 16
By Aljoša Drobnjak, 03 Feb 2019, 21:31 PM Travel
Copyrights: Government of Montenegro
03 February 2019 - The brand new gem of Montenegro ski resorts - Kolašin 1600, located in the southern part of the Bjelasica Mountain, will be officially opened on February 16, said the director of the resort, Saša Jeknić.
With an area of about 27,19 hectares, the new resort base village consists of the central zone with hotels, apartments, reception and public facilities and all the usual ski resort content. Situated, as the name suggests, 1.600 meters above sea level, the 50 million EUR project features 4,6 kilometres of ski slopes.
According to the developers, Kolašin 1600 will operate one 400 seat restaurant for this inaugural season, along with a planned ski school. The 1600 resort will supposedly operate a six-seat lift with a total capacity of 2.800 skiers per hour to deliver skiers from the base lodge to 2.070 meters of altitude.
"What we can safely say now is that the ski centre will officially be opened on February 16. From the moment we open the ski centre, the entire resort will be operational. For now, there is a child ski lift, ski rental, ski school and the restaurant Troglav, "Jeknić told the Mina-business agency.
He said that they are currently in the process of testing a six-seat cable car and that a final test is scheduled for Tuesday. "The necessary documentation and paperwork still awaits the final approval, so we hope that by the end of the next week, it is possible to put the wire in function," Jeknić added.
He reminded that the Kolašin 1600 ski resort started operating on December 29th and that total investment so far amount to 16 million EUR.
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What Does Diversity Mean to Different Generations?
11 Apr / 2019 | By Sue Bryant
The makeup of the workplace today is very different to that of the past in terms of gender, ethnicity, attitude and behavior. The older generation can be credited with ushering in diversity. But what diversity actually means has changed – and will most likely continue to evolve as the last baby boomers retire and Generation Z enters the workforce.
For companies to function effectively, and happily, it is essential for each of the four generations currently in employment to understand how others perceive diversity – from the early days of gender and race relations to the newer concept of diversity being more about attitude, values and beliefs.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) and Generation X (born 1965 to 1984)
As earlier boomers reached the height of their careers, diversity and inclusion began to be talked about in the workplace. This was the first generation that had to practice compliance in business. To this segment, the concept is more about integrating people of different gender, faith, ethnicity and physical ability into the workplace. Boomers are more likely to see diversity as a reputational issue for their workplace, or a moral and legal imperative, than a concept that makes the workplace more pleasant.
The earlier members of this cohort were brought up to respect authority, to conform and to demonstrate loyalty to their company. Generation Xers, who followed them, are more independent, less conformist, more tech-savvy and more likely to see themselves as entrepreneurs, having grown up with the belief that they can achieve anything. But they’re also known as a selfish generation, obsessed with their own career progression and with personal growth.
Boomers in the workplace need to understand that to younger Gen Xers and millennials, today’s most influential consumers and the bulk of the workforce, diversity means being free to express oneself and be listened to, and extends far beyond merely achieving compliance. Companies that lack this ‘cognitive diversity’ could find it difficult to hold on to their millennial employees.
Gen Xers – manager now in their 50s – may think they’re embracing diversity but it never hurts to perform a quick audit. How many diversity candidates apply for jobs with your company? Is the number proportionate with the number that are hired? Look, too, at your recruitment panels and your board. Do they all comprise middle-aged white men? Today, this is not giving the right message.
Millennials (born early to mid-1980s to 1996)
To millennials, or Generation Y, diversity is a wider concept than the ideas of gender, ethnicity, faith, physical ability and age. Physical diversity is important to them, of course; in a 2016 study by Weber Shandwick, KRC Research and the Institute of Public Relations, 47% of millennials said diversity and inclusion was important when looking for a new job, versus 33% of Generation X-ers and 37% of boomers. But essentially, diversity to this cohort is more about considering others’ experiences, identities and opinions – cognitive diversity, in other words. Millennials have been proven in surveys to favor companies where communication is open and team members are not afraid to voice ideas, however unorthodox. They don’t downplay their differences but rather, celebrate them. Part of cognitive diversity is a collaborative environment, with transparent and communicative leadership, a strong focus on teamwork and recognition of individual achievements.
Millennials have grown up in a connected world, which they see as a small and manageable place, thanks to technology. They are used to documenting their lives on social media and as such, have high expectations of a company’s social media policy and presence, and the diversity this represents.
Generation Z (born 1997 onwards)
This generation is just entering the workforce, as new graduates or interns. They are the first generation to have spent their whole lives in the digital age. Because of this, their attention span has been proven to be shorter and their focus less intense – but their ability to multitask is impressive. Because they have grown up with technology, they feel even more global in their thinking and interactions than millennials. They are coming of age in an era where freedom of expression is more important than ever and there are more ways to self-identify than their parents could ever have imagined.
Generation Z wants acceptance of this diversity, as well as flexible working, much of it based online. To them, in the UK and North America, at least, freelancing and entrepreneurship are far more appealing than the idea of a nine-to-five office job. They know that today, job security is a rare phenomenon. They want experiences, constant variety, new challenges and they want instant results. They will not be loyal to brands or employers whom they feel don’t appreciate them. Recruiting this generation is not so much about promising a diverse workplace – to them, this is a given. It’s about tolerance, flexibility, choice and career progression – but not necessarily in a linear fashion.
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Satellite Bulletin February 2017: UK Spaceflight Bill
The UK Government published the thought-leading and ambitious Draft Spaceflight Bill on 21 February 2017.
This is perhaps the single most important development for the growing smallsat industry in the UK. Low cost access to space will be the game-changing technology which will open up the market and commercial opportunities.
For many years the UK has been a world leader in satellite technology, services and applications, particularly in designing and manufacturing small satellites. Companies such as Clyde Space and SSTL are world leaders in the industry. What UK industry has been missing is the UK's own launch capability to avoid the reliance and dependence on foreign suppliers for launching its spacecraft.
The draft Bill will enable the launch of small satellites from the UK, as well as sub-orbital spaceflights and scientific experiments.
Securing low cost access to space
The Queen's Speech on 18 May 2016 featured the proposal for the first commercial spaceport in the UK. The Modern Transport Bill announced in Parliament set out the aim to “secure low-cost access to space for our world-leading small and micro satellite industry”. The Bill mentioned “enabling a first UK space port… within the life of the parliament”; which would mean before 2020 when the current parliamentary term ends. It is expected that licences for launch and sub-orbital activities will be granted by 2020.
Safety, sustainability and support
Offering proportionate regulation, the draft Bill has three main objectives:
• facilitate and support the international development of the UK space sector;
• manage long term risks and liabilities for sustainable sector growth; and
• minimise risk to uninvolved third parties, and keep those involved as safe as possible.
Through the publication of the draft Bill, the Department for Transport, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the UK Space Agency (UKSA) wish to "stress test" the proposed legislation and ensure that it strikes the right balance between: (a) stimulating the commercial market for space activities, primarily small satellite launch, and sub-orbital spaceflight activities; and (b) ensuring safety.
Comments on the draft Bill should be submitted to these organisations.
Attracting investment
This announcement is all part of the UK Government's plan to grow the UK's share of the global space sector to 10% by 2030. An important part of this ambition is for the UK to be the European centre for sub-orbital spaceflight. The draft Bill should attract potential investment in spaceplane operations and spaceports and thus create more highly skilled jobs in the sector and spark further innovation.
Also available as a PDF >
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Minnesota Payday Loans Online Info
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Minnesota (/ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə/ (listen)) is a state in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The state has a large number of lakes, and is known by the slogan the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”. Its official motto is L’Étoile du Nord (French: Star of the North).
Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 22nd most populous of the U.S. states; nearly 55% of its residents live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area (known as the “Twin Cities”).[7] This area has the largest concentration of transportation, business, industry, education, and government in the state. Other urban centers throughout “Greater Minnesota” include Duluth, East Grand Forks, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud.[8]
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Network: Tv Land
Fran Drescher Returns once again to television in Her own show. Happily Divorced is about her life.
Airing Today, : Season 3, Episode 2: Meet the Parents
Happily Divorced Episodes
15 June 2011 Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot
22 June 2011 Season 1, Episode 2: Pillow Talk
29 June 2011 Season 1, Episode 3: Anniversary
06 July 2011 Season 1, Episode 4: Spousal Support
13 July 2011 Season 1, Episode 5: A Date With Destiny
20 July 2011 Season 1, Episode 6: I Wanna Be Alone
27 July 2011 Season 1, Episode 7: Someone Wants Me
03 August 2011 Season 1, Episode 8: A Kiss Is Just a Kiss
10 August 2011 Season 1, Episode 9: Vegas Baby
17 August 2011 Season 1, Episode 10: Torn Between Two Lovetts
07 March 2012 Season 2, Episode 1: The Reunion
14 March 2012 Season 2, Episode 2: Peter Comes Out Again
21 March 2012 Season 2, Episode 3: Daddy's Girl
28 March 2012 Season 2, Episode 4: The Burial Plotz
11 April 2012 Season 2, Episode 5: Swimmers and Losers
18 April 2012 Season 2, Episode 6: Newman vs. Newman
25 April 2012 Season 2, Episode 7: Adventure Man
02 May 2012 Season 2, Episode 8: Time in a Bottle
09 May 2012 Season 2, Episode 9: Mother's Day
16 May 2012 Season 2, Episode 10: Fran-alayze This
30 May 2012 Season 2, Episode 11: Cesar's Wife
06 June 2012 Season 2, Episode 12: Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place
28 November 2012 Season 2, Episode 13: Two Guys A Girl and A Pizza Place, II
05 December 2012 Season 2, Episode 14: Meet the Parents
12 December 2012 Season 2, Episode 15: The Back-Up Fran
19 December 2012 Season 2, Episode 16: A Star Is Reborn
26 December 2012 Season 2, Episode 17: Follow the Leader
02 January 2013 Season 2, Episode 18: Love Thy Neighbor
09 January 2013 Season 2, Episode 19: The Biggest Chill
16 January 2013 Season 2, Episode 20: Peter's Boyfriend
23 January 2013 Season 2, Episode 21: I Object
30 January 2013 Season 2, Episode 22: Happily Divorced With Children
06 February 2013 Season 2, Episode 23: Sleeping With The Enemy
13 February 2013 Season 2, Episode 24: For Better Or For Worse
Season 3, Episode 1:
Season 3, Episode 2: Meet the Parents
Great Hotels
Happiness!
My Ghost Story
Tyler Perrys For Better Or Worse
Watch Happily Divorced Online - Buy, Rent
Happily Divorced is available to watch on Tv Land. You can also buy, rent full episodes of Happily Divorced on VUDU.
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2015 Transplant and Organ Donation Calendar: Thom Nustad
Transplant Home
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Pancreas Transplant
Thom Nustad encountered diabetes later in life. He learned he had diabetes in 1990, when he was declined for an insurance policy.
At the time, he had no symptoms that he was aware of and no idea he had diabetes. For the next 20 years he dealt with trying to manage his diabetes through oral medication and then injected insulin. Even after being on an insulin pump for several years, he was still not able to control the extreme highs and lows of his blood sugar.
In October, 2013, he went to UW Hospital and Clinics for evaluation and was told he was a good candidate for a pancreas transplant. By that time, he was very unstable and had such severe episodes of low blood sugar that he would require an insulin drip. After waiting a few months, Thom received his new pancreas in January 2014, and now he and his family have a lot to celebrate.
Thom and his wife, Lori, hosted a pancreas party complete with pancreas cupcakes to thank those who helped them through the journey. "My transplant occurred in the middle of very cold and snowy winter, and we wanted to thank our friends, family and neighbors who were there for us," says Thom. From prayers, to meals, to snow plowing, to taking care of the house while Thom was in the hospital, Thom and Lori were grateful to many people and wanted to thank them and celebrate with them. "I am so grateful to my family, friends and neighbors, and, of course, my donor," says Thom. "I didn't realize how sick I was until I got better."
Thom's pancreas transplant also marked a milestone for the UW Health Pancreas Transplant Program, when Thom was their 1,500th pancreas transplant patient. The world's second pancreas transplant (Wisconsin's first) was performed at UW Hospital and Clinics in 1982 by Hans Sollinger, MD, PhD, and since, the program has become an international leader in excellence and innovation.
"Our depth of expertise spans from our surgical experience to our understanding of medications and immunosuppression drugs, to our post-operative expertise and ability to manage patients through their recovery," says Jon Odorico, MD, surgical director of pancreas transplant. "Patients with diabetes have varying degrees of symptoms. Some have severe problems or even weekly seizures. For patients like Thom, having hypoglycemic unawareness, or impaired awareness because of low blood sugar can lead to a very low quality of life and even serious dangers including car accidents. Every patient is different and it's our job to weigh the risks of the transplant with the benefits it will provide. Ultimately, this translates into excellent outcomes and a better quality of life for recipients. I'm so proud of this team. We are with our patients from the beginning of their journey, and it's incredibly motivating to help someone regain a life free from insulin."
For Thom, now 67, his transplant brought a new life free from insulin. He no longer suffers from hypoglycemic unawareness, which often posed great health and safety risks. "My wife and I were living on the edge and it was very scary sometimes," says Thom. Now Thom, who is also a proud grandfather, enjoys activities many take for granted, like taking a three-hour car trip to his grandchild's birthday party without having to worry about insulin or packing enough juice or snacks. Thom expresses his profound gratitude for his donor for giving him a second chance at life. "I am here, I am healthy and I am so thankful to be able to watch my family grow," says Thom. His wife and two daughters, Brooke and Dana, joined Thom at another pancreas party, UW Health's Freedom to Live event to help celebrate the program's milestone.
Layers of Life: 2015 Transplant and Organ Donation Calendar
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Doc Porter's Owner Guided Distillery Tour
Beyond the Grave Haunted History Tour
Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour
Charlotte Comedy City Pg-13 Tour
Charlotte Comedy City Tour
Best Western Carowinds
Comfort Suites Northlake
Comfort Suites University Area
Comfort Inn Executive Park
VACATIONS MADE EASY : DESTINATIONS : NC : CHARLOTTE, NC : THINGS TO DO : TOURS & CRUISES : BREWERY TOURS
Tour lasts Approximately 4 hours.
Both Cameras and Video Cameras are Permitted
#1 Best Seller in Brewery Tours
Upcoming Schedule:
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Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour Photos (7)
A locally brewed cold beer along with a group of friends is a fun way to spend the afternoon while enjoying the Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina. Transportation is provided to each of the breweries by a fun and adventurous golf cart. You will be served a complimentary beer at the first stop and during each stop, you will enjoy learning all about the brewery culture in the Charlotte area as well as making friends and enjoying great drinks mixed well with tons of laughs.
The tour begins at Fitzgerald's where the guide will be waiting with a golf cart to begin the tour. You will then head to enjoy three amazing breweries. Be sure to dress for the weather as North Carolina can be a bit warm. Each stop will be roughly an hour and equals up to around 3 hours allowing everyone to enjoy their complimentary beer and explore the brewery.
The guide will be providing the history of both the establishment at each location and the breweries history. Depending on time, the establishments may provide tours of the breweries and a possible question and answer session with the brewmaster on-site. Additional drinks and food can be purchased from each of the breweries. Enjoy tons of other fun and exciting activities while in the area and get the best deals on vacation packages when you book today!
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A Running List of Canada’s Biggest Weed Hypocrites
These former narcs have seen the light—now that there’s billions of dollars to be made.
by Manisha Krishnan
Joe Oliver, Justin Trudeau, and Julian Fantino have all been hypocritical about weed. Photos Twitter/Facebook/Aleafia Total Health Network
Not so long ago, Stephen Harper was Canada’s prime minister and he was warning us all that weed was “infinitely worse” than tobacco.
Harper, you’ll recall, favoured a tough-on-crime agenda that included mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug crimes—laws that were eventually struck down as unconstitutional. During his tenure, Health Canada also spent $7 million on anti-drug ads, including one that dubiously claimed cannabis use lowers the IQ of young people.
So it’s a tad ironic that one of the people by Harper’s side during his war on drugs—former finance minister Joe Oliver—is now singing the praises of medical weed.
Oliver, 77, is the latest former Conservative/narc/old white guy to cash in on legalization. But people have short memories, so we’ve put together a list to help keep track of Big Weed’s biggest hypocrites:
Joe Oliver
As noted above, Oliver was both finance minister and minister of natural resources under Harper. In a recent op-ed for the Toronto Sun, he announced that he’s chairman of PlantExt, “a private Israeli/Canadian company devoted to developing and commercializing cannabis extracts in the treatment of diseases.”
Oliver noted that it’s hard to come by solid cannabis research because “scientists in most countries were intimidated or legally prohibited from experimenting with the plant’s medical potential. So for decades progress did not match the promising research and preliminary clinical results. Then attitudes started to change.” Yes they did, no thanks to the government you were a part of for four years, Joe.
Julian Fantino
In addition to being Toronto’s former police chief, Fantino also served as veterans affairs minister under Harper. He compared legalizing weed to murder in 2004, telling the Toronto Sun “I guess we can legalize murder too and then we won't have a murder case. We can't go that way."
But now Fantino is executive chairman of Aleafia Total Health Network, a medical weed business that aims to connect patients with resources, including doctors and research.
He claims meeting with veterans who suffered from PTSD helped change his mind about the benefits of medical weed.
When grilled by the CBC’s Carol Off on the hypocrisy of his previous positions on weed and the fact that he now stands to make a lot of money from his cannabis-related business, Fantino said he was “addressing a different era at that time.”
He went on to claim that these days he is a “responsible, educated, informed citizen who's had the experience of knowing the benefits of medical cannabis for people who are suffering from ailments that are normally not well cared for by plying them with opiates.” If only he had done that research when he was actually in government.
Raf Souccar
Souccar, former RCMP deputy commissioner who spent decades on the force, is Fantino’s business partner. His current role is president and CEO of Aleafia Total Health Network.
According to his company’s website, Souccar’s past experience includes drugs and organized crime enforcement and helping the federal government come up with the new drug-impaired driving regulations.
Souccar told reporters it took being a part of the government’s weed legalization task force for him to realize that medical cannabis patients aren’t bullshitting.
"It was an opportunity I never had before, I was too busy enforcing the law. It brought about a huge change in me," he said. After decades of enforcing prohibition, we’re glad he finally came to a more reasoned position. We are sure the prospect of making money off legalization has nothing to do with it.
Derek Ogden
Ogden is former head of the RCMP’s drug squad whose new job is president of National Access Cannabis—another referral service to help people get medical weed prescriptions. He told Global News that his old gig helped prep him to work in medical weed.
“We did see a number of groups across the country that were very, very involved in the cannabis industry and they generated a lot of revenue,” he said. Guess he wanted a piece.
Bill Blair
As former Toronto police chief, Bill Blair oversaw a force that disproportionately charged black people with pot possession. A decade of data obtained by the Toronto Star showed that black people with clean records are three times as likely to get charged with low-level possession (up to 30 grams) than white people with clean records, even though there is nothing to suggest a difference in pot use between the two groups.
Blair retired in 2015, after 10 years as chief, and is now a Liberal MP as well as the party’s point person for heading up weed legalization. While campaigning to be an MP, he criticized prohibition.
“If the only tool you got is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Frankly, we can do better than that.” In his absence, the Toronto police continue to hammer away.
Doug Ford
The new leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives, who is now gunning to be premier, recently said he would support a free market for weed.
“I don't believe in the government sticking their hands in our lives all the time. I believe in letting the market dictate,” he said on CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning, adding he will consult with his caucus on the issue.
This strategy flies in the face of what Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals want to do, which is run a tightly-controlled legal weed monopoly via the LCBO. It’s highly possible that Ford is trying to make cannabis an election issue. But that’s also a bit hypocritical considering that he once said Justin Trudeau is not fit to lead Canada because he’s smoked a joint at some point in his life. The hypocrisy doubles when you consider that Ford himself is an alleged former hash dealer.
Kash Heed
Heed, now a strategic consultant with licensed producer-hopeful National Green BioMed, is former BC Solicitor General and West Vancouver police chief. He was also head of Vancouver police’s drug squad. Despite having been a cop, Heed canned West Vancouver’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, hinting that even back then he wasn’t a full-blown prohibitionist.
Norman Inkster
Inkster is former commissioner of the RCMP. He was an independent director at Mettrum Health Corp., a licensed producer that was bought out by Canopy for $430 million last summer.
We’re putting Trudeau on this list because he admitted to VICE that he was “confident” weed charges against his brother Michel would be dropped due to his dad’s connections—but he still will not commit to pot amnesty for Canadians unfairly charged under prohibition.
If you’re not sufficiently annoyed, here’s a list of a bunch more people who made the switch from government to weed once it became profitable.
Follow Manisha Krishnan on Twitter.
weed legalization
Manisha Krishnan VICE
Canadian Cannabis Legalization
VICE Canada has a Newsletter.
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Cycling star Annie Ewart second at Quebec championships
Central Saanich raised Ewart places well at U23 Canadian Road Championships
Devon MacKenzie
Jul. 1, 2012 6:00 a.m.
Annie Ewart
Central Saanich product Annie Ewart, 18, rode into second place at the 2012 under 23 Canadian Road Championships in Lac-Megantic, Que.
The elite and under 23 championships, sanctioned by the Canadian Cycling association, took place from June 21 to 24 while the master, junior and para-cycling championships were June 28 to July 1.
Ewart, a Stelly’s secondary school graduate, went pro in late 2011 with Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies out of the U.S. and has been having a successful year since.
Earlier in 2012, Ewart was selected onto the Canadian national team to compete in the prominent International Cycling Union-sanctioned women’s cycling road and time trial races in Gatineau, Que. Ewart also competed in the Sunny King Criterium races in Anniston, Ala. where she finished fourth and the San Dimas Road Race in California where she finished seventh in the under 24 race.
The teen plans to attended the University of Victoria in the fall in the faculty of science.
Midget AA baseball team undefeated in finals
Tour de France 2012: Hesjedal steering clear of ‘carnage’ through Stage 4
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Home THỜI LUẬN CHÍNH TRỊ-PHÁP LUẬT-QUÂN SỰ The Internet’s Impact on China’s Press
The Internet’s Impact on China’s Press
Posted By: Li Xiguangon: March 10, 2011 In: CHÍNH TRỊ-PHÁP LUẬT-QUÂN SỰ, KINH TẾ-XÃ HỘI-KHOA HỌCNo Comments
Internet chatrooms have changed the fundamental movement of news in China.
The Internet means different things to different people in different societies. To some, it provides an opportunity to make money; to others, it means freedom from press controls. For still others, the Internet is a public forum in which citizens of a closed society can discuss politics. In the past six years, the Internet has developed rapidly in China, as it has in the rest of the world. This poses new challenges to the country’s press system and media policy.
With the flourishing of satellite TV, cable TV and the Internet, a new media environment has taken shape in China.
Official news outlets are being outnumbered by their non-governmental, commercial and overseas counterparts. The Internet is becoming a public medium for people with different ideas and viewpoints.
Multiple Sources of Information
For decades, Chinese media consisted of newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, broadcasting stations and TV stations under the control of propaganda authorities at all levels. Today, besides more than 2,000 newspapers, 900 TV stations and over 90 million cable TV users, there are 242,739 websites. These include news sites, professional information sites, corporate sites, institutional sites and personal homepages. More than 26.5 million Chinese Internet users, operating 10.2 million computers, spend at least one hour a day at web pages. Nearly 63.5% use the Internet to read news. Some 24% of adult users and 40% of young users visit overseas websites, including those based in Taiwan and the United States. These news outlets do not need to be approved by the Communist Party’s propaganda departments.
In the past, the government easily controlled and even manipulated popular opinion by limiting the public to only official information source. Watching the “Evening News” (Xinwen Lianbo) on state-run CCTV (China Central Television) had been a national ritual at the family dinner table. Besides daily news coverage, the party and government depended on the program to put across their major propaganda campaigns and political mobilizations. But today, the program is losing audience share dramatically, particularly among young viewers who spend most of their time on the web, watching VCDs and cable TV.
In the days of single-source news, people had no way to verify the information they received. For a long time, the propaganda authorities effectively controlled the flow of information, news sources and information outlets. But in the Internet age, this media system is facing the challenge of news from multiple sources. Members of the public no longer rely on official information sources to form their opinions. Instead, when a big news event happens, people compare, analyze and balance the information they get from different sources. They form their own viewpoints after discounting what they consider biased information.
Control Obstruction
The Internet is developing with unprecedented speed. Its advance in China can be compared with the invention of paper by the Chinese 1,000 years ago. The Internet has brought the country into the age of global communications as well as the global village. Until a few years ago, Chinese authorities controlled the flow of news and information by jamming short-wave radio broadcasts and banning any individual from installing a satellite TV antenna.Anyone who wanted to own a fax machine must register it with the Telecommunications Ministry. Today, the rule about registering fax machines with a local government office is still there. But with the advent of the Internet, the Telecommunications Ministry has found its fax-machine controls outdated. The government strictly controls radio broadcasts through a frequency licensing system.But today people can start a webcast station or directly listen to webcasts via the Internet instead of on air frequencies.
The Internet has technically eliminated the last obstruction to a free flow of information. To stop the circulation of information on the Net is as futile as a child trying to block a bursting Yangtze River dam with his finger. The great wall that has blocked the free flow of news and information is now collapsing as more and more Chinese families gain access to the Internet. In today’s China, the most effective way to stanch information flow would be to assign a policeman to every computer in the country.
Media Convergence
Newspapers, radio and TV are converging in the Internet world. How will this convergence and the growing number of Internet users affect traditional Chinese media concepts and official media policy?
Propaganda officials and media policy-makers in China could hardly imagine that mass media would develop at such a fast pace. Only two years ago, when a journalism school graduate chose an occupation, the options were simple: newspaper, magazine, radio or TV. But today, newspapers, radio and TV have become one on the Internet and multimedia platforms. The demarcation lines have disappeared. Readers of the Internet edition of the People’s Daily can download audiovisual material. So in this sense, newspapers have entered the broadcast market. If you visit the home page of CCTV, you will find that it provides detailed text news and material for readers. So TV stations have also entered the newspaper market.
Under current policies, Chinese newspapers, TV stations, radio and news agencies must operate separately and under the control of various party and government organizations. The People’s Daily, for example, cannot own a radio station, while a news agency, like Xinhua, is not allowed to own a TV station. Under this policy, the country only has one wire service ─ Xinhua. But tens of thousands of news websites are operating like mini-Xinhuas. They post a wide variety of stories, either gathered by their own Internet reporters or based on clippings from Chinese and foreign media (even though the government bans the use of Western wire stories on the web). Popular portals such as sina.com.cn, yahoo.com.cn, eastday.com.cn, ynet.com.cn and beijingnews.com.cn are functioning like quasi-news agencies.
Traditional media (newspapers, magazines, radio and television) in China are characterized by the following features:
– Restricted by geographic region;
– Restricted audience numbers;
– Restricted by a licensing system;
– Restricted by the high cost of entering the market;
– Restricted by high delivery costs, as well as the unreliability of newspaper and magazine mailing;
– Restricted to one-way communication in which audiences are completely passive.
But the World Wide Web has brought to China sharply contrasting conditions:
– Unlimited audience numbers;
– No need for licenses to launch electronic publications;
– Low costs to enter the Internet: a computer, a modem and a phone line;
– Not restricted to a single region or country, news and information on the Internet travel to all users worldwide at the same speed;
– The Internet has opened a system of two-way communication ─ in stark contrast with China’s longstanding, indoctrination-oriented propaganda system.
For decades, both for political and technological reasons, the Chinese media have never been a forum for public discussion and debate. But the advent of chatrooms via Internet technology has provided the Chinese people with a channel for the free flow of information. Its chief characteristics:
1) People can provide information anonymously;
2) An equal opportunity for participants to speak their minds;
3) Topics for discussion are unlimited and cannot be preset;
4) Internet users are both readers and publishers;
5) An ability to give users what they want, instead of what the government thinks they want;
6) The airing of information that traditional media dare not publish;
7) Censors’ inability to keep pace with the online media.
As a result:
– Chatrooms in China have aired ideas and debates that simply aren’t accessible through traditional media;
– The reader-interest-based content makes the agenda-setting function more consumer-driven than government-driven;
– People’s attitudes are being shaped by information from chatrooms rather than from the official media.
Reconstructing Agenda
For Chinese, the Internet has opened the door to a free flow of information. Internet chatrooms have provided Chinese with an unlimited space to exchange information freely and anonymously. They have been described as dianzi dazibao, or electronic versions of the big-character posters that were the most efficient means of mobilizing public opinion during the Cultural Revolution.
As a popular part of Chinese online media, chatrooms are posing a big threat to the government-controlled press by revising and reconstructing its agenda. Agenda-setting theory holds that the mass media determine what is important by leading newscasts with a particular story or printing it on page one. When news gatekeepers no longer consider an item of importance, they allow it to slip off the public agenda. For decades, China’s mass media effectively set agendas for propaganda purposes. But with so many news outlets in the age of globalization, people’s media behavior is influenced by the so-called selective processes. People have developed many ways of revising and reconstructing the agenda set by the official press.
For example, the People’s Daily launched Strong Nation Forum to give its readers a chance to react to the news and vent their emotions. But most Chinese have used this system not only to discuss the news, but also to post news stories unreported in the official media. Such media behavior has made audiences pay attention to issues ignored by the official press, making hidden agendas transparent.
As a result, the list of issues for discussion and debate in cyberspace are reconstructed topics selected from both the Chinese and the Western media.
During the recent US-China plane-collision incident, our research found how Chinese public opinion is shaped in the Internet age. Our study analyzed all related news reports, editorials and other articles that appeared in the People’s Daily between April 2 and April 30.
Chatrooms have changed the fundamental movement of news in China. The official press has always wanted the Chinese people to have the “right” information and perspective. But the authorities are losing the battle to control information and free expression on the Internet. Chinese websites have displayed a liveliness not found in the traditional media. The Internet is changing China, throwing the country open to ideas and debates that simply aren’t accessible through traditional media. But in their eagerness to develop the Net, China’s top leaders appear willing to tolerate a certain amount of frankness that would otherwise be stamped out. The Internet has become a powerful and popular channel for both the government and ordinary Chinese to hear and to be heard.
If the people of one country does not trust their own national media, they will turn to the international press, including that of the country which is in conflict with theirs. Setting the agenda for another nation through media and the Internet has become a “soft power” in international politics. The global media and foreign media could influence any country’s agenda-setting. The more trust the press gains with users, the more effectively it will set agendas. China’s official press cannot expect that its chosen topics will become the chief public concerns. In the age of globalization, if the Chinese do not start press reform soon, the Western media will eventually set the public agenda for China.
The people and public opinion are important elements in a society and in a political system. For decades, popular opinion in China has been under the strict control of the party and the government. But today, agendas are being set through the Internet. The Net is transferring the national concerns of the Chinese to a global level. That makes China part of a globalised community, whose agenda has been under the control and manipulation of the global media.
Li XiguangProfessor/Director,
Center for International
Communications Studies,
TsinghuaUniversity, China
Tags: The Internet's Impact on China's Press
Bốn Chục Năm Trước: Hoa Kỳ – Trung Quốc Từ Thù Đến Bạn
Bao giờ thì chế độ độc tài toàn trị CSVN sẽ bị lật đổ?
Li Xiguang
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Home > Classic Cars For Sale > Cooper > T56 > 1961 Cooper T56
1961 Cooper T56
1961 Cooper T56 Mark II Formula Junior - Steve McQueen VIN:FJ-2-62 This Cooper T-56 Formula Junior is one of only two Cooper Works cars campaigned by Team Tyrell for Cooper in 1961. At the hands of South African driver, Tony Maggs, it won eight races that season: Goodwood, Magny-Cours, Monza, Kalskoga, Rouen, Zandvoort, Oulton Park, and Montlhery. Those victories and other podium finishes gave Maggs, Cooper and Tyrrell the European Formula Junior Championship. At the end of the 1961 season Tyrrell returned Maggs car to Cooper, who then refurbished the car and sold it to up-and-coming Hollywood actor, Steve McQueen in January of 1962. McQueen had attended Coopers race school in England, and had become close friends with John Cooper. (Pictures of the two of them and the T-56 above.) McQueen would even stay in Cooper sons room when he visited. After becoming enamored with the championship car, McQueen purchased it, along with a Mini-Cooper, and had them both shipped back to California. McQueen immediately began racing FJ-2-62 in California, scoring a number of victories, including the Santa Barbara street races. McQueens performance in the car was so impressive that John Cooper personally invited him to come and test for a Formula drive in Europe. When McQueens Hollywood bosses learned about his other job they decided to intervene. In the pits right before his race at Laguna Seca studio lawyers showed up and asked him a question, Are you a movie star or a race car driver? Choose. McQueen had just finished his TV series Wanted: Dead or Alive, and had made a huge splash starring in The Magnificent Seven. With The Great Escape on the horizon, the studio wasnt about to take a risk with their new star. The ultimatum worked, and the King of Cool would go onto become a Hollywood icon, not an F1 driver. He wouldnt return to the track until he created his own studio, Solar Productions, where he was the boss, and the boss liked racing. When McQueen made the decision to suspend his racing activities he left the car with his mechanic, Stanley Peterson, to put it up for sale. In 1963 Stanley sold the car to Al Buster Brizzard, and extremely competitive driver in SCCA. He ran the car with the BMC engine in 1963, a Cosworth engine in 1964, and finally an Alfa-Romeo 1600 cc engine in 1965, winning the Pacific Coast Formula B Championship. He captured five straight wins with the Cooper, and its third championship title in five years. Brizzard sold the Cooper to Robert Badilla in 1966, but reportedly bought it back again in 1977, still racing, but now with wings and wide tires. Skip McLaughlin, McQueens original mechanic, was in possession of the car from 1980 into the 1990s and gathered a great deal of information on the car while in the process of restoration. Donald Sandy is noted as an owner in 2000, and the last owner acquired the car in October 2003, after its discovery was reported in Classic and Sports Car Magazines Lost and Found section. The owner commenced a profound restoration and engaged Hardy Hall Restorations, of Herefordshire, England to return FJ-2-62 to its Tyrrell / McQueen configuration of dark green with white roundels and stripes. It was restored from the ground up to race-ready condition. Any parts which were not up to that standard were replaced, rebuilt, or simply re-fabricated. An original and correct five-speed ERSA gearbox was found, and the car is fitted with the appropriate 1098 cc BMC engine. The documentation file contains not only extensive photographic restoration documentation but also period photographs, including some with the King of Cool, news clippings, invoices, ownership records, and correspondence with both Ken Tyrrell and John Cooper. This T-56 is eligible for the Goodwood Revival, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and celebrated classic series in Europe, America, Australia, and New Zealand. With its successful, storied past that makes it unique among
This 1961 Cooper T56 was listed for sale on 9-12-17 10:32:47. The vehicle color is British Racing Green and VIN is not available . Kindly check ad for seller's location. Seller`s stock ID is canep4548. There are 1 other Cooper cars currently listed for sale on our website. You may desire to see what other Cooper cars are selling for by visiting our Sales Data page.
Exterior: British Racing Green
Location: Scotts Valley, CA, United States
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As a non-profit school, all tuition and fees at VIS go back to student learning and making the school a more nurturing and diverse learning community.
In the General Terms and Conditions of Enrollment 2019-2020 respectively, you will find all relevant information associated with studying at the Vienna International School.
Pronouncements of the School Fees
Please click HERE to find the Annual Schedule of Fees for the school year 2019 - 2020.
The following components are part of the school fees:
A one-time Application Fee is payable upon submission of the online application forms. Re-entries and re-applicants are also obliged to pay this fee. Applications will only be processed after receipt of the Application Fee in full. The Application Fee is non-refundable.
A one-time Admission Fee is payable by the person(s) assuming liability for the school fees after VIS has confirmed the offer of a place for the student concerned. Re-entries (students who re-enter VIS within two years after withdrawal) must pay half the Admission Fee. If the Admission Fee is not received in full before the expiration of the deadline indicated by VIS, the application for admission will be deemed to have been withdrawn. The Admission Fee is non-refundable and will be charged in full regardless of the date of entry or withdrawal.
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A one-time Capital Fee is payable after the parent/guardian has accepted a place at VIS and by the date stipulated on the offer. This applies only to the first two children enroling at VIS. Re-entering students do not pay the Capital Fee. The fee is assigned to a fund specifically created to finance capital investments. The Capital Fee is non-refundable and will be charged in full regardless of the date of entry or withdrawal.
A one-time refundable deposit to cover the cost of any loss or damage incurred during the time the student attends the School. The deposit is payable in full for each and every student before attendance commences. The deposit or any residual portion thereof is refundable (without interest) to the parent/guardian (at the time of the student’s withdrawal) by way of a bank-to-bank transfer, provided that the parent/guardian submits a completed online Leaver Clearance Form. A refund, if any, can only be made if the parent/guardian also indicates in writing a bank account. If no appropriate request for a refund is received by VIS within three (3) years from the student’s withdrawal, the parent/guardian will no longer be entitled to a refund. Please note that the deposit will not be refunded in case of withdrawal of re-admission after the given deadline.
Is an annual fee relating to instructional costs, agreed category A and B school trips (ref: Policy 6.600), payable for each student. Full payment of the Tuition Fee is due within four weeks of the date of billing as stated on the invoice. Families may request an installment payment plan (see page 1). The Tuition Fee might vary depending on grade level and time of enrolment or departure, subject to the rules in the 'Legal' section. The calculation of annual tuition fees is determined on the basis of full months, regardless of the number of days that a student actually attends school. The annual fee covers ten months (September – June), therefore the monthly fee calculated is dividing the annual fee in 10 months.
Admittance may be refused until full payment of the due fees.
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Students who are re-sitting IB Diploma level examinations will be charged a subject-specific Examination Fee. Testing Fees are invoiced separately when application is made for a student to sit for external examinations (eg. SAT, PSAT). Payment terms are specified on the invoice at the time.
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ESL – English as Second Language
Fees charged for students to cover the costs of ESL tuition. Students who require ESL and who are not the children of VBO or Diplomatic Corps parents will be charged an additional fee per semester.
Fees for School Trips and Excursions
Fees charged to parents/guardians for the actual costs of school trips and excursions, billed on individual participation basis (see Policy 6.600, categories C and D). The costs will be communicated to a participating student’s parent/guardian at least four weeks in advance of the school trip departure. Any deposit received by the School will not be reimbursed if the student subsequently withdraws from the activity, unless withdrawal is due to certified medical reasons, or if the participation has to be cancelled due to student behaviour.
Speech therapy, Mother Tongue Language, After School Music, and other Individual Support Services
Parents/Guardians will be invoiced directly by the professionals who provide special services not provided within the curriculum by VIS.
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The School offers a range of after school activities with varying fee structures. For more details please refer to the published schedule of after school activities.
Payment of School Fees
Payment Method Tuition Fees
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to pay fees in full within four weeks of the date of billing. Alternatively, payments can be made in four equal instalments for Grades Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Grade 11 students and in three instalments for Grade 12 students. The amount of each instalment and the date when each of the instalments is due and payable are stated in the Schedule of Fees attached. Special provisions apply in the case of 4 enrolments during the school year (see 3.I below). In all cases, the total annual fees must be paid in full by 15 March. Payments of instalments must be made either by standing order or by way of direct debit authorization. The School will not accept payments made in cash.
Invoices are sent electronically to the e-mail address provided to the School and as recorded in the school database. By providing their email address, parents/guardians consent to the receipt of invoices by e-mail. Parents/Guardians ensure that e-mails from VIS can be received at the e-mail address provided, and that firewalls, spam filters or similar settings are adjusted accordingly. Automatically generated answers (e.g. absence notices) cannot be taken into consideration and do not hinder a valid delivery of an invoice. Parents/Guardians need to immediately inform VIS in writing of any changes regarding the email address provided for invoicing. Deliveries of invoices to the last notified e-mail address shall be valid, if parents/guardians do not meet this obligation of notifying changes regarding their e-mail address. Parents/Guardians may at any time revoke the electronic invoicing in writing by e-mail or letter to the Finance Department. After receiving and processing the written revocation, parents/guardians will receive invoices solely by mail to the last notified address. VIS reserves its right to change at its sole discretion the invoice delivery to postal delivery for good cause.
In the event of a late payment of any amounts due to VIS from the parent/guardian for more than two (2) weeks, arrears interest at the rate of 1% (one per cent) per month calculated from the day following the due date until receipt of payment by VIS is payable by the parent/guardian. If a late payment continues for more than one (1) month, the Director of VIS at his/her discretion may terminate the schooling contract and dis-enrol the student by way of a notice in writing to the parent/guardian. Such a termination takes effect at the end of the month following the month of the giving of such notice. In all other respects the provisions regarding “Early Departures” apply correspondingly. Legal costs incurred by VIS in the recovery of outstanding fees will be borne by the parent/guardian.
Conditions which apply to late fee payment
Families with an unpaid balance of fees at the close of the school year will not be allowed to re-enrol their children for the following, or subsequent years, unless and until all fees have been paid for the current school year. The entire amount of school fees for the forthcoming school year must be paid in full BEFORE the student(s) can be considered for re-admission to the School. Re-admission is dependent upon the availability of space within the grade.
If circumstances warrant, fees for the forthcoming school year may be levied in full and in advance of the commencement of the academic year.
The fees for Grade 12 students must either be paid in full at the time of billing or be paid in three (3) instalments: 15 August, 15 October, 15 January. Parents are advised that disenrolment of a Grade 12 student will take place at any time during the school year if school fees are not paid according to the above schedule.
Admissions and Re-Admissions
Continuing Enrolment
The School has a clearly defined set of expectations and values that apply to all members of the school community. These expectations and values are set forth in the school’s written Policy Handbook and Austrian law. If the student or his/her parent/guardian fails to respect these defined rules and values, the School reserves the right to terminate the School Agreement and to refuse the re-admission of a student for the following year. There are limits to the learning support that the School can offer. If it emerges that the School cannot meet a student’s needs, the student may be dis-enroled upon prior consultation with the parents/guardians.
Enrolments during the School Year
Students are accepted to enter the School at any time during the school year, provided a class vacancy is available, within agreed Admissions Policy (see Policy 7.115). Students who are enroled upon or after the day on which the first of the instalments as stated in the schedule is due and payable are deemed to be mid-year enrolments (unless enrolment were for a later school year). A first instalment is due and payable upon enrolment.
Early Departures
Parents/Guardians may terminate the schooling contract prematurely before its expiration at the end of the school year by way of a notice in writing to the Admissions Office. The termination takes effect at the end of the second (2nd) calendar month following the month of receipt of the notice by VIS, unless the notice expressly states that the termination takes effect on the last day of a later month. Unless notice is given in writing, fees will continue to be charged and the deposit will not be returned. School fees, calculated pro rata on the basis of complete calendar months, are payable until the termination takes effect. If the termination takes effect at the end of the month of May, school fees are payable until the end of the school year. In the case of early departures, all and any of the school’s outstanding claims against the parent/guardian are due and payable not later than on the school working day preceding the last day of the student’s attendance. Parents/Guardians are entitled to a refund (without interest) of a credit balance of school fees paid in advance, if any, remaining after settlement of any and all outstanding claims. Parents/Guardians are responsible for the payment of all fees.
The schooling contract is entered into on an annual basis and expires at the end of each and every school year. For a student’s attendance in the next school year, formal re-admission by the given deadline (mid-February latest) of the current school year is necessary. Parents/Guardians must use the online Re-Admission System. In the event of no reply by the given deadline or withdrawal of confirmed re-admission after the given deadline, a fee equivalent to the amount of the deposit is not refunded.
Austrian law applies. The ordinary courts of law in the city of Vienna having territorial jurisdiction over the 22nd District of Vienna shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising from, or in connection with, the schooling contract to the extent permitted under Austrian law.
There is no refund of the Tuition Fee for instructional days lost due to reasons beyond the School’s control. This particularly applies to school closure due to weather conditions, fire, flood, strikes, epidemics, pandemics or other similar events.
Third Party Payments
Parents/Guardians may declare on the School Application Form that a specific third party will pay the school fees on their behalf. It is, however, the responsibility of the parents/guardians to assure that the third party payments are made according to the school’s payment terms, and parents/guardians are liable for any outstanding balances of school fees including charges for late payments.
Grade Level Placement
The School reserves the right to determine the grade level placement of a student and is not required to follow wishes of parents/guardians. Grade level placement may not always correspond to that of other schools and other education systems.
In response to any student misbehaviour, the School has the right to take legally permissible disciplinary actions against the student including dis-enrolment from the School.
Variation of Fees and Conditions
VIS expressly reserves the right to amend and to vary Fees and Conditions in respect of subsequent school years. Fees may be increased or decreased on the basis of changes in the costs of operating VIS, such as staff salaries, taxes, charges, social security contributions, the cost of electricity, heating, communications, cleaning, maintenance and repairs of buildings, facilities and equipment and their replacement, as well as on the basis of changes in the contribution of the Republic of Austria and in other revenue, such as rental and interest income, etc., with 7 due regard to provisions and reserves necessary or advisable in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards. A copy of the Annual Schedule of School Fees and of VIS Terms and Conditions for the next school year will be published on the School’s website every year before the end of the month of March. From the day of posting, copies are also available upon request. If VIS sends a copy to the parents/guardians care of his/her last-notified email address, the parents/guardians, in any event, will be deemed to have received such copy.
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Stretching the Canvas
Kevin McGarry, Surface
Photo by G L ASKEW II
Sterling Ruby combines art and fashion with his close friend Raf Simons.
Sterling Ruby has a star’s name. It evokes a gothic opulence, calling to mind a cursed dagger, perhaps, or a vampire’s jewelry. That sense of fantasy provides an apt portal for entering Ruby’s world. He styles himself in self-made uniforms chemically mangled to the extent that he looks a little like an extra from Mad Max. One meme that circulated among young artists on Instagram about a year ago paired him, in his then-signature bandana, with his burlier doppelgänger, David Foster Wallace. There is surely an element of an aching poet to Ruby’s persona, one that mixes with his abiding earnestness to form a counterpoint to the fact that his studio practice has grown to be among the largest and more lucrative enterprises in contemporary art today.
Ruby’s first Chelsea solo exhibition at Foxy Production, in 2004, and two mid-aughts shows at the Los Angeles gallery Marc Foxx led to a meteoric rise. Since then, he has developed into a renaissance man for the end of the world: with an apocalyptic palette, his prodigious, often sinister-looking output has spanned far beyond art objects, traversing into fashion and interior design. “Nowadays,” he says, tugging on his monastic, acid-washed hoodie, “I only wear what I make. Except for my pair of studio Nikes.” A bit later, he tells me, “At one point, I realized I should cannibalize my work and wear it.”
In addition to collages, paintings, ceramics, videos, sculptures, and drawings, Ruby, 45, has been making his own clothes for almost a decade. It was by chance that, around the same number of years ago, he forged a relationship with the Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons, 49, who first approached him as a curious art collector on the suggestion of a friend. “I saw a couple of his ceramics at art fairs, and I kept thinking, Who is that? Sometimes you see work and it just stays in your brain,” Simons says. “They were the realest thing I had seen in a long time, and they fascinated me.”
Flash forward to 2017. One of the most closely guarded, if much rumored, secrets concerning Simons’s overhaul and relaunch of the American fashion brand Calvin Klein, where he is chief creative officer, was the role Ruby would play in it. This turned out to be a bigger one than most expected, but it’s been a long road from the pair’s initial interest in one another to get here.
Shortly after meeting, as Ruby and Simons’s respective profiles rose, they became friends. In 2008, Ruby designed the interior of the Raf Simons Tokyo store, and a year later Simons used denim bleached by Ruby to create a collection of jeans and jackets. For three dresses and a coat in Simons’s first Dior couture show in 2012, he made signature fabrics—prints mixing black streaks with gray haze, lit by the atomic dawns of acrid pinks and greens—from photographs of paintings by Ruby. In 2014, the pair took their creative marriage to the next level with the Raf Simons Sterling Ruby collection, which consisted of pieces such as jackets inspired by Ruby’s Mexican blanket meets Russian Suprematism collages; red, white, and blue knits of the exact hues used in the artist’s “soft sculptures” of menacing snake fangs skinned with American flags and dripping cartoonish droplets of blood; and monochrome outfits splattered with bleach, reminiscent not only of works around the studio but of what Ruby wears while making them.
Over the past decade, general diplomatic relations between the worlds of art and fashion have become increasingly close, stoked by a common interest in the luxury consumer. Ruby’s and Simons’s pioneering experiments of putting art into fashion became, well, fashionable; brands now frequently adapt imagery made by contemporary artists into material for their collections. The just-unveiled Calvin Klein project, however, represents a more complex investment, in a way placing fashion inside art, not just the other way around.
“Coming to Calvin Klein,” Simons says, “I found it important we make clear to the audience that we are talking about an American brand that has been based in New York City, in this building, for many years,” referring to the company’s corporate headquarters near Times Square. “I want to attract the attention to the house again.” Citing the importance that Parisian brands like Chanel and Dior put on the lore of their maisons, he continues, “I had the feeling that Calvin became more and more fragmented. We’re putting these ingredients back together: New York City. America. Calvin Klein. Sterling and I have a lot in common when it comes to thinking about clothes, space, environment, and attitude, so I thought it could be amazing to work with him on different spaces that redefine how I see the company evolving.”
Ruby describes the conceptual components of their undertaking this way: “I think it’s a vision of youth, of reconfiguring American fashion but also American corporate art and corporate culture—and, in a way, sex.”
With that in mind, the artist has applied a sculptural logic to the strikingly spare redesign of two spaces at the Calvin Klein headquarters whose functions are to merchandise clothes, and more abstractly, to express the brand itself. The first of them is the ground floor “Lookspace,” where Simons’s debut Calvin Klein Collection runway show took place February 10. The open, eight-columned room, which has windows that look out onto the street, was dominated by a massive hanging mobile, much like the one in the artist’s recent exhibition at Sprüth Magers gallery in Berlin. The second space is a showroom on the 12th floor of the same building, for private sales and wholesale buyers: “It’s a collage-oriented mix of hand-painted walls, poured concrete floors, pedestals and risers, fabricated tables, and one component I brought in as a historical nod to America: Bertoia chairs,” he says. “This is essentially Raf’s and my version of what this big American fashion house should look like now.”
Ruby and Simons are also collaborating on the forthcoming summer 2017 renovation of the company’s flagship store on Madison Avenue (originally designed by John Pawson). Simons says, “It’s very much about the juxtaposition of the collection, which is what I do, with the space where it is presented and sold, which is what Sterling is doing.”
A few days before Christmas, I was on my way to meet Ruby at his studio in Vernon, California, a rather desolate industrial area south of Downtown Los Angeles that’s home to manufacturing plants, corporate campuses, and, by his estimation, fewer than 200 residents. “Vernon probably has a smaller population than New Freedom, Pennsylvania, where I grew up,” he jokes after I proposed the comparison, fascinated by how after his rural upbringing in a south central Pennsylvania town he eventually made his base in what feels like a dystopian homestead in the rusty bowels of the West Coast’s largest city.
In 2009, he opened his first studio here, a 16,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor structure that became a media exemplar by suggesting that young artists were making it big in L.A. Testimony to the gritty, seemingly post-human landscape of Vernon, which so poetically frames his art, is the fact that one day a tractor-trailer careened through the wall of the building, causing no injuries—except to six paintings cumulatively worth millions.
After three years of permitting and construction, Ruby moved into his present studio in the fall of 2015. At 120,000 square feet and spread across four acres, the complex is a monumental expression of the artist’s predilection for extremes. By contrast, the man himself, blue-eyed and stringy-haired, comes across as neighborly, at times anxious, and perhaps not surprisingly a bit folksy—he was born in Germany on a U.S. military base to a Dutch mother and an American father, and reared in rural Pennsylvania. “We moved to the States shortly after I was born,” he says. “By the time I was 8, we were living on this big farm around an Amish community.” (Simons hails from near where Ruby’s mother’s family lived in the Netherlands, a coincidence they discovered early on in their friendship.)
Ruby arrived in L.A. as a transplant from the Midwest 15 years ago, after picking up an undergraduate degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He enrolled at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, a sleepy suburb 20 minutes northeast of Silver Lake. He would become the teaching assistant of the late Mike Kelley, who, among the pantheon of great 20th-century California artists, is known for his multidisciplinary practice and for inventing his own formal language inspired by tropes of modern Americana. Ruby’s time with Kelley proved formative. The two became friends, though they often disagreed on their interests and strategies as artists.
Ruby’s ceramic basins—like the ones that initially captured Simons’s attention—reflect his omnivorous diet of forms. Timed with the Calvin Klein fall/winter 2017 show and brand relaunch, Gagosian Gallery will open an exhibition of such works, as well as other ceramic sculptures and paintings, at its location on New York’s Upper East Side, on view from March 1 to April 15. For Ruby, the show marks a return to the medium: though three basins were included in the Whitney Biennial in 2014, he hasn’t had a gallery show dedicated to ceramics in nearly 10 years. The works are as much about the artist looking back as looking forward. “I can use my own history and older body of work as this kind of archeological legacy,” he says, “to pull out these elements I was really happy with in the past, reassess and reinvent them into a potential future dig site.” The pieces are beguiling not only for their visceral rawness, but also for the way they coalesce elements of so many media. They draw on sculpture, of course, but they also employ painterly glazes and contain performative traces of shattered and reintegrated shards of clay. At the Whitney, they were deemed standouts by critics who, typically suspicious of Ruby’s commercial success, have otherwise often withheld such praises.
When it comes to preoccupations about “the market,” Ruby has little patience. Likewise, he has a disregard for zoomed-out conversations about art versus fashion. “I think that there’s actually a real parallel to the art world and to the fashion world, but I have no interest in it,” he says. “I just like the idea of creating something that people wear.” In his factory of ideas and in his artful threads, Ruby indeed lives in his work, a world unto itself without borders.
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Kosovo Reflects on Bloody Riots
By Barry Wood
Thursday, March 17, 2005, marks the first anniversary of anti-Serb rioting throughout Kosovo. Several ethnic Albanians and Serbs were killed, hundreds of Serbian homes were destroyed and some centuries-old orthodox churches and monasteries were damaged.
It began when three ethnic-Albanian children drowned in the Ibar river that divides the predominantly Serb and Albanian parts of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo. A fourth boy, aged 13, survived. He told the news media that the boys had walked past a house and that two Serbs appeared. There was a dog. The boys ran into the river. Three of them drowned.
Bob Gillette, an American media executive, heads the United Nations unit responsible for the media in Kosovo. Mr. Gillette says Kosovo's public television sensationalized the tragedy.
"Public television took this story and said, therefore it is clear that Serbs attacked these children and caused them to drown. They turned this vague story, in which the boy never said there was an attack, into an assumption that became a fact in their reporting. And then they hammered away at it through the evening of the 16th, a year ago today, stopped all normal programming, shifted to symphony orchestras to emphasize the gravity of this tragedy," said Mr. Gillette.
As Albanian anger rose throughout the territory and with citizens glued to their television sets, Mr. Gillette says the reporting continued to be distorted.
"And then they brought the father of one of the boys who had drowned, just as the body had been found, on to the screen, who said the Serb Chetnik [nationalist] hordes have killed my child in the most horrible way. We are way beyond fact [now]. This is journalism at its worst," he added.
Within hours there were anti-Serb protests in Mitrovica and Pristina. They quickly turned violent.
"Two or three days later, 19 people were dead," said Bob Gillette. "Four-thousand people, mostly Serbs, have been driven out of their homes. Thirty-some churches, historic, mostly Serb churches, have been burned."
In April, a month after the violence, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, blamed reckless and sensationalized reporting for the rioting. A subsequent judicial report by the U.N. administration found no evidence that Serbs were in any way connected with the tragedy at the Ibar river.
A law student at Pristina University, Behlul Zeka, is among a minority of Albanians willing to say publicly that the rioting may have had nothing to do with Serb provocations.
"Well actually those scenes were shameful for everybody in Kosovo. Because burning and attacking of civilians and innocent people, I mean, it was not good. Those people who went on the streets, I do not know, it was terrible," he recalled.
The ferocity of the events one-year ago shocked both the U.N. administration and the outside world. Ethnic Albanians, victims of Serbian repression less than a decade ago, were now seen in a different light. Passions have cooled in the past 12 months but March 17th is an anniversary that brings pride to no one.
UN Study Links Forest Management, Armed Conflict
A new United Nations report released Thursday in Rome says better management of the world's forests is crucial to reducing conflict and avoiding war. The report takes a look at why there is so much violence in forested regions and what can be done about the problems. The new U.N. reports focuses on the problem of violence linked to forested regions around the world. Many of these areas are populated by poor and isolated populations who are ignored or…
Barry Wood
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Macaulay Culkin Reveals Truth About Relationship With Michael Jackson As A ...
Macaulay Culkin Reveals Truth About Relationship With Michael Jackson As A Kid
By : Francesca Donovan On : 24 Jan 2018 12:56
DRYVRS
Macaulay Culkin was thrown into the spotlight at the sprightly young age of eight-years-old – and he’s lived quite the life since.
Culkin discussed his unique upbringing – the good, the bad, and the ugly – in a recent candid interview, during which he detailed his relationship with Michael Jackson and the rest of his family.
After detailing the abuse he received at the hands of his own father as a child, the 37-year-old recalled how the Jackson family had shown him kindness and looked out for a young Culkin.
In an interview on Marc Maron’s podcast, WTF with Marc Maron he recalled meeting MJ when he was doing performances of The Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center in NYC.
Macauly recalled:
He came backstage before the show. He loved dance, he was a dance man. He came backstage with Donald Trump, because they were friendly back then.
I remember he looked at me like, ‘I know you from somewhere. Oh, ‘Uncle Buck,’ yeah you’re funny.’
Then after Home Alone came out, he reached out to me and my family.
He said Jackson reached out to just make sure everything was ‘alright’.
Culkin explained:
There’s no child actor self help group. He said, ‘Do you want to hang out? Do you want to come to my house?’
He was like my best friend growing up for a stretch of my life. It was a legitimate friendship.
Culkin, who spoke candidly throughout the podcast about his life in Paris, France and his fame, admitted Jackson was ’emotionally young’ and ‘enjoyed my youthfulness’.
Though the Man In The Mirror singer was hit with molestation allegations later in life, Macaulay said their interactions ‘never struck me as odd’.
Cuklin, who is godfather to Paris Jackson, added:
I never felt uncomfortable, that was the way that he was, down to his bone marrow. It never felt weird.
It was just the way that it was. I looked at him for who he was.
At that point, I was pretty famous and I met plenty of famous people, his fame did not make a thing.
I was not enamoured by him.
Culkin made it very clear his relationship with goddaughter Paris Jackson wasn’t something he really wanted to talk about.
He told Maron:
I am close with Paris. I’m going to warn you now, I am very protective of her so just look out.
I am a very open book when it comes to things but like with her, she is beloved by me.
I’m just letting you know if we want to start going down that road it’s going to be a dead-end, you know, but I mean that in the fact that I love her so much. She’s tall, and beautiful and smart. It’s great.
Paris, 19, has taken on a public personality of her own in recent years, speaking out about her father’s death and her own mental health demons – as well as the body shamers she’s subjected to in the media.
According to coroners reports, the pop legend and father to Paris, Prince and Blanket, died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles in June 2009.
If you’re experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you.
They’re open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you’re not comfortable talking on the phone.
Francesca Donovan
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.
WTF with Marc Maron
MACAULAY CULKIN / CAMERON ESPOSITO
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Posted on July 3, 2008 December 24, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson
Theory of Relativity Passes Another Test
Einstein’s theory of General Relativity has been around for 93 years, and it just keeps hanging in there. With advances in technology has come the ability to put the theory under some scrutiny. Recently, taking advantage of a unique cosmic coincidence, as well as a pretty darn good telescope, astronomers looked at the strong gravity from a pair of superdense neutron stars and measured an effect predicted by General Relativity. The theory came through with flying colors.
Einstein’s 1915 theory predicted that in a close system of two very massive objects, such as neutron stars, one object’s gravitational tug, along with an effect of its spinning around its axis, should cause the spin axis of the other to wobble, or precess. Studies of other pulsars in binary systems had indicated that such wobbling occurred, but could not produce precise measurements of the amount of wobbling.
“Measuring the amount of wobbling is what tests the details of Einstein’s theory and gives a benchmark that any alternative gravitational theories must meet,” said Scott Ransom of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
The astronomers used the National Science Foundation’s Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to make a four-year study of a double-star system unlike any other known in the Universe. The system is a pair of neutron stars, both of which are seen as pulsars that emit lighthouse-like beams of radio waves.
“Of about 1700 known pulsars, this is the only case where two pulsars are in orbit around each other,” said Rene Breton, a graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. In addition, the stars’ orbital plane is aligned nearly perfectly with their line of sight to the Earth, so that one passes behind a doughnut-shaped region of ionized gas surrounding the other, eclipsing the signal from the pulsar in back.
Animation of double pulsar system
The eclipses allowed the astronomers to pin down the geometry of the double-pulsar system and track changes in the orientation of the spin axis of one of them. As one pulsar’s spin axis slowly moved, the pattern of signal blockages as the other passed behind it also changed. The signal from the pulsar in back is absorbed by the ionized gas in the other’s magnetosphere.
The pair of pulsars studied with the GBT is about 1700 light-years from Earth. The average distance between the two is only about twice the distance from the Earth to the Moon. The two orbit each other in just under two and a half hours.
“A system like this, with two very massive objects very close to each other, is precisely the kind of extreme ‘cosmic laboratory’ needed to test Einstein’s prediction,” said Victoria Kaspi, leader of McGill University’s Pulsar Group.
Theories of gravity don’t differ significantly in “ordinary” regions of space such as our own Solar System. In regions of extremely strong gravity fields, such as near a pair of close, massive objects, however, differences are expected to show up. In the binary-pulsar study, General Relativity “passed the test” provided by such an extreme environment, the scientists said.
“It’s not quite right to say that we have now ‘proven’ General Relativity,” Breton said. “However, so far, Einstein’s theory has passed all the tests that have been conducted, including ours.”
Original News Source: Jodrell Bank Observatory
CategoriesAstronomy
34 Replies to “Theory of Relativity Passes Another Test”
LLDIAZ says:
I thought nothing moved faster then the speed of light.
GekkoNZ says:
You are correct, nothing moves faster than the speed of light.
But remember, some people say relativity is “just a theory”, so maybe you *could* move faster than light speed if you believe in magic hard enough 🙂
The theory specifies that nothing in Space time as we currently understand it can travel faster than light. However Einstein’s theory’s do say FTL is possible. There are predictions for worm holes, and possibly white holes as well, however the white hole theories are hard to consider since you have to travel “through” a black hole to get to a white one. Add to that, some white hole theories state that each blackhole has an adjoining white hole in an entirely different universe.
Excellent experiment. One would wonder what Einstein would think if he were here, eh?
mohawker55 says:
Let’s not argue children.
Librarian says:
Einstein came up with the theory of Relativity. However, he wasn’t the first one. There was actually a Croatian man that came up with it first in the 1700’s i think (not sure, maybe 1800’s) and since Einstein married a croatian woman she maybe talked a little about relativity as it probably was a part of general knowledge for croatians.
Astrofiend says:
“# Librarian Says:
>>>Sorry, but sounds like BS to me. Firstly, the article deals with general relativity, and that was exclusively Einstein’s brain child (with a little mathematical help from friends). You seem to be referring to special relativity. It may be true that some of the elements of this theory or some of it’s more philosophical underpinnings were dreamt up at one time or another by other people – indeed, the Lorentz transformations existed before Einstein came up with SR. But almost everyone acknowledges Einstein (including Lorentz himself) as the man who brought it all together, realised the physical significance of the theory and interpreted its results. I’ve heard the ‘it was really his wife’ line before – and it has basically been thoroughly discredited.
Chuck Lam says:
I’m having trouble wrapping my mind around what is happening between two objects only about a half million miles apart at 1700 light years distance. The resolution of this pulsar pair can’t be more than a few pixels. What am I missing?
I assume the “along with an effect of its spinning around its axis” refers to so-called “frame-dragging”? If so, why not include that in the post? That’s what it has been called the last few hundred times I’ve seen the concept referenced in articles like this.
Marco Fitzgerald says:
Point for Einstein…
alphonso richardson says:
“It’s not quite right to say that we have now ‘proven’ General Relativity,” ;
That’s what I call good science, despite this observation, these guys are careful not to be so certain/arrogant that they have CONCLUSIVELY proven Einstein’s theories.
Before anyone starts’, i’m NOT saying they’re wrong, or there’s some ‘mystical energy field controlling everyone’, but they have acknowledged that Einstein came up with a very good model of describing certain aspects of the universe (remember, even he came across problems & holes in his theories), and have been able to test it using sound, evidence-based observations.
Mek says:
Funnily enough, Einstein’s work is a great example for why nothing is proven in science (good science, anyway.)
In any case, it’s a pity we will never have dead-resurrection technology because I would dearly love to have all those that lambasted his work, back in the day, as “Jewish Physics” eat it. No, really, I want them to eat every work of science that built off Einstein’s; it’s the only way they can realize how horribly, horribly wrong they were.
JamesB says:
Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light (the velocity of light is denoted by the symbol ‘c’), within it’s OWN frame of reference.
However when observed from other frames of reference light can SEEM to be traveling faster than ‘c’.
A key concept of Relativity is that no frame of reference is special and things like ‘c’ are only valid within it’s particular frame of reference.
So while we may see light exceeding ‘c’ from our frame of reference, within it’s own frame of reference it isn’t going any faster than ‘c’.
It’s this key component of Relativity that makes things such as time travel impossible since this assumes a preferred frame of reference.
The fact that there is a limit to the speed of light exposes that dimensionality is the lowest building block of our universe. As the 19th century was the Golden Age of kinetic physics, and the 20th century was the Golden Age of electromagnetic physics, the 21st century can be the golden age of dimensional physics.
We just need to move past the 20th century!
BTW- they have slowed light down to 38mph in a laboratory. The conditions used to do it CAN exist in nature and may be quite common in deep space.
Much of what we assume about the expansion of the universe is based on the idea that light travels at a constant speed most of the time, very close to the upper limit of ‘c’.
If this ISN’T true then the light we are seeing is NOT a true representation of expansion and would in fact tend to support a steady state universe. Now I want to point out that this is NOT ‘tired light’ I’m talking about, but a change in it’s speed not it’s energy.
Al Hall says:
Theory, theory, theory… After we hear they same theories long enough, we start thinking they are facts. I’m still not convinced the equations are correct. There may be a missing variable.
But who am I? I still think some day we will be able to build a machine that can propel us faster than 300M m/s (and I’m not talking about warping space or going through wormholes) and also without traveling in time, per se.
I don’t believe that a mathematical equation can give us an ‘absolute’ of something we can or can’t do.
The theories could be true, maybe there is a speed limit for mass.. Maybe. 10,000 years from now, if we are still around and gotten a lot smarter (I hope) we may have to make ourselves ‘mass-less’ in order to travel that fast, or the almost silly “warp”, “wormhole” things might not be so silly then. Or maybe we will have discovered new math to help with building a machine that can propel us faster than 300M m/s.
Just my two cents worth.. 🙂
Carnifex says:
I just wanted to point out that JamesB got some things wrong. Objects have no velocity in their own frames of reference (well, d’uh). Einstein’s theory predicts that no object may exceed the speed of light in ANY inertial frame of reference.
Al Hall:
One of the fun things about science is you never know what’s coming. Just a hundred years ago, a long-term home for humans orbiting the Earth would have been called bologna. But now look at us and our ISS.
Who really knows what another 100 years will bring, right?
The only definite thing about it is we probably don’t even imagine it as possible right now.
In regards to Einstein: I love him! I hope we have another Einstein in the making to draw us an even better picture of this crazy universe we live in.
Exactly! It would be offensive to countless future generations of ‘thinkers’ to say that there won’t be anymore “Einsteins”. Does anybody really think they won’t be more intelligent than we are today?
Yael Dragwyla says:
Great article, and fascinating experiment. But I couldn’t get Quicktime to play the video that goes with this article — I never can. Could you please do those videos in Flash versions, or provide Flash versions on some other site just for that? I can get Flash to work. I can get Windows media player to work. But Quicktime, for some reason, is a dead loss. Anybody else have that problem?
A personal note for those who care,
I kind of wish that our next generation of thinkers had never heard of Einstein or Newton. I think that when hearing another’s theory dilutes the thought process.. It would be great to compare..
To: Al Hall, I agree; future generations would probably do better in the idea department outside the influence of the world’s science greats. I hate the term “outside the box,” but it appears to birth fresh abstract thought experiments.
Carnifex – I’m not wrong.
What you say is only true in Special Relativity, which handles the special case of frames of reference that are NOT in motion (hence it’s called ‘Special Relativity’ as it handles only this special case which does NOT exist in the real world and is a “thought experiment” only).
General relativity took a lot longer to figure out since it handles the case of frames in motion and multiple frames in motion relative to each other. And it covers multiple viewpoints within a single frame of reference IE- everything in a space ship is in the same frame of reference as the space ship itself, but can move around within that space ship.
In the case of the spaceship traveling at 90% ‘c’ you can turn on a flashlight and shine it in the direction of travel and the light emitted is still only traveling at ‘c’.
You’d think that the speed of the ship would add to the speed of the light from the flashlight. It doesn’t as the speed of the ship is it’s own frame of reference and is the only place that a measurement of the speed of light from the flashlight is relevant.
To other frames of reference it may look as if the light is going faster than ‘c’, whereas in even other frames it may look as if it’s slowing down. The ONLY frame that matters is the frame of reference the light is in. The illusion of faster than ‘c’ is only that, an illusion. That light is still limited by ‘c’ and the only place that matters is in the space ship itself.
Another example is a train passes you as it’s blowing it’s whistle and the pitch gets higher as it gets closer the as it passes you and recedes in the distance the pitch of the whistle gets lower. But the engineer blowing the whistle hears only a single pitch, the true pitch of the whistle. The sound seems to speed up as you get closer then slows down as you pass and move farther away. The actual speed of the sound never really changed, though in your frame of reference standing next to the tracks it seemed too.
In General Relativity the speed limit is still ‘c’, however this is only true within it’s own frame of reference. In any other frame it’s irrelevant, it has no meaning.
The idea of the only frame of reference being relevant is the one you are in is what allows physics to work as well on a train going 80MPH as it does at your house going 0MPH. Something like a microwave oven will operate identically in either case. If it weren’t true then different microwave ovens would need to be made that worked on trains.
There is plenty of empirical proof that ‘c’ is truly the speed limit in the universe (remember energy and mass are the same, so if it’s true for light it’s true for solid objects too). This tells us that there is an underlying structure to the universe that forces this limitation.
There are some nice theories that attempt to uncover this underlying structure, only time will tell which one will provide us with the answers we seek.
In the meantime it’s best to remember that current cosmology is based on hypothetical assumptions (though some of these hypotheses are based on theories like General Relativity they are still HYPOTHESES) and that until some of these hypotheses are actually tested and verified it’s a waste of time, effort and funding to continue down these paths.
Let’s quit playing so much ‘what if’ and do some actual science!
Marveloseus says:
“I think that when hearing another’s theory dilutes the thought process..â€
“I agree†too and it is proven, yours has done it to me.
To Al Hall:
You say: “Theory, theory, theory… After we hear they same theories long enough, we start thinking they are facts. I’m still not convinced the equations are correct. There may be a missing variable.”.
It depends on how do you define “correct”. If you look at the “right places”, you’ll not see relativistic effects and could equally say that there must be something missing. In effect, SR and GR brought a huge bit of “hidden” physics.
Phenomenae requiring SR and GR for proper understanding and interpretation was always there, but they remained somewhat hidden until the right questions were asked and new experiments showed them to us.
In a sense, GR is indeed “wrong” as it depends on some assumptions and clearly doesn’t contain quantum mechanics. Further models and theories will eventually show that GR was only an approximation of XYZ theory at some specific conditions.
But be careful, some things as “faster-than-light travels” through wormholes could as easily be wishful thinking as new physics waiting for us.
Just to clarify my last comment, I’m not saying that GR is wrong.
It is a very good description of some of the physics of our universe, but IMHO, surely new theories will do even better, as it should be.
Talendear says:
While the theories of Einstein have not been proven, you still have to be impressed by the track record with them. Many of the things that his theories predicted have been confirmed. Even some things that he predicted and thought would never be able to be proven have been shown to be correct, like finding a gravitational lens warping light. To completely dump a theory that has the resilience to last for 93 years through constantly evolving technology because it “dilutes the thought process” is not logical.
The very fact that the predictions of General Relativity keep being proven correct over and over means that its either correct or we need to learn where it isn’t correct. That is why all of these experiments are done in the first place. And if someone comes along that is more intelligent or has a better theory than Einstein’s, I doubt that hearing the theory of General Relativity will keep that individual from making it known. After all, they wouldn’t be much of a genius if they were held back because of something someone said 90+ years ago. As for another Einstein or Newton, I don’t think anyone will see another one. After all, the work done by them has already been done. Besides, the genius that it takes to pull off coming up with these world changing theories seems to come in multi-generational gaps so it could very well be another 50 to 100 years or more before someone comes up with a truly revolutionary theoretical addition to physics like those provided by Newton and Einstein.
JamesB
“The sound seems to speed up as you get closer then slows down as you pass and move farther away.”
This is just plain wrong – although it illustrates your misconception about looking “as if the light is going faster than ‘c’. ”
The pitch of the sound changes, not the speed – this is analogous to the frequency of light – not its speed. Independent observers may disagree about the frequency of a light source – but they will never disagree about its velocity. And the velocity of light in free space never appears to be anything other than ‘c’.
I anticipated a response or two, so here we go in chronological order.. 🙂
Marveloseus – Thankfully I didn’t offer any of my own theories (if I had any), so it’s probable that my comments had no real influence on your beliefs. We march on in our search for the truth. And I am sure that is what we both want.
David – I won’t argue with you there.. The math is all there… always has been… We just need to know what we are looking at so we can know how to do the math.
Talendear – Einstein’s theories also seem logical to me. I made a conscious point to say “I KIND OF wish..” that they never heard of them. Of course many great ideas were built on previous thinkers. I know that. My point was that when one hears a theory that has such a large following, it may detour or discourage that person from pursuing an idea they may have.. just for the simple fact that they fear being ridiculed. So an idea lost.. I’m not talking about “dumping” theories.
It may not take another Einstein or Newton to come up with an epiphany that could change mankind as we know it. Just takes an idea. I have noticed just in this forum over the past months of many posters offering their thoughts and ideas only to be called idiots.. Then notice they never seem to post again.. It’s a pity.
Are you sure? All of our experiments and observations have been done ‘locally’.. When we observe a star 100,000 light years away, we aren’t looking at the light ‘there’, we are looking at it here. After the light traveled 100,00 years (we assume).. As it hits our retinas. Therefore it is a “local” observation. Maybe there is an intergalactic ‘autobahn’ for light and it slows down (or speeds up when it hits our galaxy (or solar system).. Somebody here commented that light can be slowed in a laboratory. I haven’t looked that one up but if that is true then why wouldn’t nature be able to do it? Okay, okay.. That may be stretching it… Anyway, you get my point, I’m sure. 🙂
JamesB,
Greg is spot on with his analysis. Are you just making stuff up? Please, if you don’t know enough about a topic to make an intelligent statement about it, save other people the confusion. This new evidence is supposed to be a tribute to Einstein, not a mockery of his theories by an erroneous explanation.
sunil says:
we thought that the einstein is right in the assumption of the speed of any object can not cross the speed of the light! but when the speed of any object reaches the speed of the light then the mass of that object become infinity, this from the einstein mass equation, but there any object that has infinity mass in this universe, no! then the assumption of the einstein is wrong! he take the speed of the light as the reference but he forget that if the object cross the speed of the light then what will be its mass. einstien call the rest mass of an object is that the object is moving with the speed equal to 0, but all the universe is moving away there is no reat in the universe, then what is the rest mass? which is to be taken as the reference? for this ambiguty, if we take the speed of the light as the refence then we solve this problem. i have lot of things to discuss about it, what we need is to find the correct solution for the einstein formula, but actually i found the solution for the speed of an object which cross the speed of the light, but we need to find the solution for the speed equal to c.
Frank Glover says:
“…I would dearly love to have all those that lambasted his work, back in the day, as “Jewish Physics” eat it.”
Agreed. I find it ironic that they killed or drove away to the Allies many of the very people who might’ve given them the atomic bomb, first…
Could’nt it be said that the speed of darkness is just as fast as the speed of light. I read somewhere that the reason the background of space is black and no other color is because of the absence of light. So does’nt that mean that where light suddenly turns off darkness fills the void at the same speed or am I wrong?
Here are a few “outside the box” thoughts. What if the visible universe, that is all we can see in any direction out to about 13.7 billion light years, is a finite speckMaybe . . . in a boundless void. Maybe mankinds current perception of the universe being all there is is simply wrong. Maybe the expansion is nothing more than galaxies moving through space. Maybe the “big bang” is still in progress and we simply can’t see the trees for the forest. So may possibilities!
Carnifex, Greg and Chris:
Great, insightful posts, guys. Thank you!
Brandon Santora says:
Great site. Nice info. You really know your science. Lots of pics. I like. Thanks for keeping us informed.
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International 30 November 2018
Submission to expert members of the Council for International Education Consultation Paper: growing international education in regional Australia
Universities Australia welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Council for International Education’s consultation paper on Growing International Education in Regional Australia. This submission represents a broad sectoral view of the issues.
Australia has built an enviable reputation over six decades as a destination of choice for some of the brightest international students from around the world. Our success sees Australia poised to overtake the United Kingdom next year to become the second most popular destination for international students worldwide. These students bringing over $32 billion each year into Australia’s economy, supporting Australian jobs and wages.
Australia’s continued success in attracting international students and their economic contribution to our country has been in part due to the strong commitment by Government to nurturing this sector with careful and well-considered policy settings.
It is in all of our interests to ensure Australia remains their destination of choice. We wish to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure Australia’s visa system continues to attract these talented students. Universities Australia welcomes any discussion on how to promote and develop opportunities for all students to engage with non-metropolitan institutions.
Years of knowledge and experience about what helps to attract international students to Australia confirms that any bid to limit international students’ options for enrolment would carry inherent risk. Our universities across the country all value the opportunity to recruit international students, and caution is advised in implementing measures which have the potential to negatively impact on Australia’s international education system.
The overarching principle in this exercise should be to do no harm.
Download the full submission (100.64 KB)
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Topic: Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas News
Horse Racing // 4 months ago
Winx and Beauty Generation, two of the world's top-rated horses, in weekend action
Winx seeks her 30th straight win, Beauty Generation returns in Hong Kong, contenders for World Cup night in Dubai prove their worth, a Japanese prep for the Kentucky Derby and more international Thoroughbred action.
Horse Racing // 1 year ago
Weekend Preview: Kentucky Derby preps take center stage
Kentucky Derby preps take center stage in weekend racing in the United States while the Breeders' Cup Challenge program gets under way in South Africa. Much more racing action.
UPI Horse Racing Weekend Preview: Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct first major test of 2018
Classy, grassy races at Santa Anita and the Florida tracks share the spotlight with the youngsters seeking future glory in New Year's weekend Thoroughbred racing.
On Oct. 27, 1954, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., commander of the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen, became the first African-American promoted to the rank of general in the United States Air Force.
Horse Racing // 2 years ago
UPI Horse Racing Roundup
Songbird soars away from another field; Connect defeats Kentucky Derby heros in the Pennsylvania Derby; Black Heart Bart sets up a showdown with Winx in Australia -- and much more in weekend racing
UPI Horse Racing Weekend Preview
The Japan Cup, The Pizza Man and a full plate of tough U.S. stakes races make for a bountiful Thanksgiving feast of racing.
Australia's Cox Plate, the final race of Japan's Triple Crown, England's last Group 1 of the season and Hong Kong's top horses cap a weekend of racing.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris, a dozen Breeders' Cup preps and the Sprinters Stakes in Japan make up arguably the biggest racing weekend of the year.
'Set Fire to the Stars,' 'Jack to a King' each win three British Academy Cymru Awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Wales presented "Set Fire to the Stars" and "Jack to a King" with three BAFTA Cymru Awards apiece Sunday.
Ocho Ocho Ocho and Mr. Z race their way into Kentucky Derby contention in Delta Jackpot; Hong Kong readies for international raiders; and an upset in Japan.
Today is Monday, Oct. 27, the 300th day of 2014 with 65 to follow.
Tropical spider burrowed under Bali tourist's skin
A West Australian man who developed a mysterious mark on his skin during a trip to Bali said doctors found a tropical spider had burrowed under his skin.
Treve, Wise Dan triumphant on a huge weekend in Thoroughbred racing.
Champion horses are back on the track this weekend from Ireland to Japan, New York to California.
UPI Horse Racing Roundup - Memorial Day edition
Some important divisional battles kick off the summer season of racing in the United States.
It's an impassioned account of her love for the dead poet and reflections on her new role as a literary widow
Diary written by Thomas' wife for sale Aug 12, 2008
Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion
Film of the Week: Clooney in 'Solaris' Nov 27, 2002
It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone -- 12 million of those children -- often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from. I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season
Dylan's Christmas Oct 13, 2009
Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself. His public readings, particularly in America, won him great acclaim; his sonorous voice with a subtle Welsh lilt became almost as famous as his works. His best-known works include the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood and the celebrated villanelle for his dying father, "Do not go gentle into that good night". Appreciative critics have also noted the superb craftsmanship and compression of poems such as "In my Craft or Sullen Art" and the rhapsodic lyricism of "Fern Hill'".
Dylan Thomas was born at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive in the Uplands area of Swansea, South Wales, on 27 October 1914 just a few months after the Thomas family had bought the house. Uplands was, and still is, one of the more affluent areas of the city, away from the more industrial areas. His father, David John ('DJ') Thomas, was an English master who taught English literature at the local grammar school. His mother, Florence Hannah Thomas (née Williams), was a seamstress born in Swansea. Nancy, Thomas's sister, was nine years older than he. Their father brought up both children to speak English only, even though both parents also knew Welsh and DJ was known to give Welsh lessons at home.
Dylan is pronounced ˈdəlan in Welsh, and in the early part of his career some announcers introduced him using this pronunciation. However, Thomas himself favoured the anglicised pronunciation English pronunciation: /ˈdɪlən/. A review of a biography by Andrew Lycett (2004) notes "Florence, the boy’s mother, had her doubts about the odd name: the correct Welsh pronunciation, which the family used, is “Dullan,” and she worried that other children would tease him by calling him “dull one.” Later, when broadcasting on the Welsh service of the BBC, Dylan Thomas had to instruct the announcers to say “Dillan,” the way he himself pronounced it". His middle name, Marlais, was given to him in honour of his great-uncle, Unitarian minister William Thomas, whose bardic name was Gwilym Marles.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dylan Thomas."
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https://www.usacoverage.com/insurance-company-profiles/guide-one-insurance.html
GuideOne Insurance
USA Coverage > Insurance Company Profiles > GuideOne Insurance
1111 Ashworth Road
West Des Moines, IA 50265-3538
Is your church looking for an insurance company or maybe your university is in search of one? In that case, GuideOne Insurance Company is the one for you.
GuideOne is a unique insurance company as it does not only focus on mass marketing its products but also specializes in meeting and catering the unique needs of its niche customers, which include churches, private schools and universities, autos, homes, and senior living communities.
The company has been in business for more than 60 years, even before niche marketing and corporate citizenship became popular business strategies. The company was founded upon two philosophies: commitment to social responsibilities and dedication to serving select niche markets.
It all started in the mid-1940s when William Plymat thought of giving non-drinkers an insurance coverage with lower rates. And on April 1, 1947, GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company was founded under the name of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company. It was first licensed to operate in the state of Iowa.
The company is led by Jim Wallace as its chairman, president, and chief executive officer. Its experienced and energetic leaders work together in order for them to achieve GuideOne’s goal of becoming one of America’s great companies.
In its 60-year history, GuideOne has had a lot of milestones. It was the first company to introduce the first multiple-peril package policy for churches. Today, it serves more than 45,000 churches across the United States. Guide One is an industry leader when it comes to safety and security. It provides one of the most comprehensive insurance coverage through the GuideOne Center for Risk Management and Safe Church. Aside from this, the special services offered by GuideOne are unmatchable in the industry.
The company also offers life, disability, and annuity products. For its annuity products members can choose flexible premium deferred plan, single premium deferred, and/or single premium immediate plan. It also has an individual retirement annuity (IRA) plan, simplified employee plan (SEP), and tax-sheltered annuity plan (TSA). Its life coverage include term life, universal life,and whole life. Term life has two plans: the total term series, where a member can have a 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-year level term period and the group term. Meanwhile, universal life has three different plans: universal life, no-lapse guarantee universal life, and children’s policies. Lastly, whole life has whole life and gift of life for children.
GuideOne Insurance also has health coverage called long-term care insurance. This is for skilled, intermediate, and custodial care for those who are staying in private homes, adult care settings, assisted-living facility and/or nursing home.
GuideOne is unique in that it has coverage for educational institution that started in the mid-’70s, which number to nearly 770 schools today.
Aside from being one of America’s largest insurer of churches, GuideOne also has one of the finest homeowners and auto policies. It is also among the top five senior living community insurers. It has a product called Faith Guard intended for those who are actively attending churches.
GuideOne’s products are being sold nationwide through 1,500 independent and company agents.
Since its inception in 1947, GuideOne has changed so much. Today, it continues to focus on meeting the needs of its niche markets. Together with its expert agents and social commitment that never wavers, GuideOne is on the right track of becoming of the country’s premier niche market insurer.
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What is artist James Turrell creating inside a Flagstaff crater? He's been at it for 40 years
Noted artist James Turrell is hollowing and sculpting Roden Crater near Flagstaff into an enormous work of art.
What is artist James Turrell creating inside a Flagstaff crater? He's been at it for 40 years Noted artist James Turrell is hollowing and sculpting Roden Crater near Flagstaff into an enormous work of art. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2s6ym8r
Scott Craven, The Republic | azcentral.com Published 6:30 a.m. ET May 23, 2018 | Updated 4:55 p.m. ET May 24, 2018
Roden Crater
Roden Crater, April 10, 2018, is located northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. Mark Henle, Mark Henle/The Republic
A sign on one of the roads leading to Roden Crater, April 10, 2018. The crater is located northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. Mark Henle, Mark Henle/The Republic
Ryan Sawyer (New York) at the “No Trespassing” signs at Roden Crater, April 10, 2018. The crater is located northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. Mark Henle, Mark Henle/The Republic
The end of the road, unless you are an invited guest, leading to Roden Crater, April 10, 2018. The crater is located northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. Mark Henle, Mark Henle/The Republic
James Turrell outside Roden Crater in 2002. The Republic
In this photo taken in 2002, a visitor from Holland experiences Arizona light inside James Turrell's Roden Crater. The Republic
Roden Crater is not James Turrell's only permanent work in Arizona. His Knight Rise, commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art, was installed adjacent to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The Republic
James Turrell's Knight Rise, commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art, was the artist's first Skyspace built in Arizona. Sean Deckert/Scottsdale Public Art
Knight Rise outside the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is one of James Turrell's Skyspaces, commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art. Sean Deckert/Scottsdale Public Art
James Turrell's Knight Rise, commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art, stands outside the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Sean Deckert/Scottsdale Public Art
Knight Rise by James Turrell, commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art, stands outside the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The Republic
Night Circus performer in the James Turrell Skyspace Knight Rise. Chris Loomis
The 2001 installation James Turrell- Infinite Light at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
A 3D model of Roden Crater was part of the 2001 exhibition James Turrell: Infinite Light at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
A 3D model of Roden Crater was accompanied by a satellite photo during the 2001 exhibition James Turrell: Infinite Light at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
From the 2001 James Turrell: Infinite Light installation at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
From the 2001 installation, James Turrell: Infinite Light, at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
From the 2001 installation James Turrell: Infinite Light, at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Gasworks was part of the 2001 James Turrell: Infinite Light installation at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Part of the 2001 exhibition, James Turrell: Infinite Light, at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
A sign on one of the roads leading to Roden Crater, April 10, 2018. The crater is located northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona.(Photo: Mark Henle, Mark Henle/The Republic)
FLAGSTAFF – Roden Crater rises far from homes and paved roads, separated from civilization not just by distance but by a sternly worded “No trespassing” sign at the only gap in a barbed-wire fence.
It stands alone in Arizona’s high desert northeast of Flagstaff, an extinct volcano smoothed by eons of wind and rain, a formidable island in a sea of grass.
Rising 600 feet, the formation blends into a vast landscape of rounded hills and brush-covered cinder cones, allowing Roden Crater to hide its secret in plain sight.
Within this geological dome, one man has worked off and on for nearly 40 years to transform it into a work of art of designed to bring the celestial to Earth.
More: James Turrell: Artist has blazed a career in light, shadow and illusion
Noted artist James Turrell, whose installations manipulate light and shadow to turn ordinary settings into mystical spaces, has tunneled through, hollowed out and sculpted Roden Crater over the past four decades. When Turrell is finished — and no one has any idea when that might be — the modest cinder-cone volcano will be perhaps the largest, if not the most significant, piece of land art in the world.
Roden Crater: A closely guarded secret
“I do like a place that has a powerful quality. What is that quality? I’m not sure. But Roden Crater has that.” – James Turrell. Photo by Florian Holzherr. #RodenCrater #JamesTurrell
A post shared by Roden Crater (@rodencrater) on Aug 31, 2016 at 10:14am PDT
Not that anyone outside Turrell’s fan base, or the art world in general, would know. Turrell toils in relative obscurity. Roden Crater has hosted well-heeled patrons as well as construction crews busy on the latest phase of Turrell’s lifework.
Still, odds are good you’ve never heard of it.
Over the past two years, a little light has been shed on the project. Skystone Foundation, the project’s fundraising arm, posts updates to Roden Crater’s website and Facebook page, largely to solicit donors. The project, which the 75-year-old Turrell started in 1979, also is on Instagram, and has been profiled a handful of times in the media.
But if you drop by the Flagstaff Visitor Center for directions to Roden Crater — which very few people do — you’re very politely urged to abandon such plans because there are no maps, the route is tricky and the crater is off limits to the public.
All of which is correct, giving off an Area 51 vibe enhanced by a journey over unpaved back roads through cattle country.
That's just what Ryan Sawyer was thinking as he walked along the barbed-wire fence about a mile from Roden Crater.
At least the New York City resident was fairly certain it was Roden Crater, since it matched the photos he'd seen.
James Turrell fans on a pilgrimage
For followers of James Turrell, Roden Crater is their Mecca.
And this trip into the high desert, Sawyer admits, was much like a pilgrimage.
When he and a fellow Turrell fan headed out in a rented SUV to find the dormant volcano, Sawyer wasn't sure he was on the right track. He put his faith in Google Maps, which traced an iffy route along a sketchy back road.
With each rise they crested, the two expected to see the legendary hill.
There were a few times they nearly turned around, Sawyer says, but thoughts of seeing Turrell's sketches of the project more than 20 years ago spurred them on.
"I remember thinking how incredible it was that he was transforming a crater," Sawyer says. "I knew one day I'd have to see it."
That day arrived when he and his friend (who preferred not to be named) arrived in Flagstaff for a wedding. They rented a car with every intention of seeing the Grand Canyon.
Instead they headed northeast to see what few people had.
Here are 6 spots worth mentioning to show off your knowledge of arcane Arizona facts. Scott Craven/The Republic
When they first noticed a sizable bump on the horizon, they felt it had to be Roden Crater. A few miles later, they saw the "No Trespassing" sign and were sure of it.
Sawyer pulled off the road and parked on a bare patch of ground next to the fence. He says he and his friend then walked along the crude barbed-wire fence hoping to get a better look while being careful not to tread on prohibited territory.
After a quarter-mile stroll, a man in a pickup truck pulled up on the opposite side of the fence.
“He asked us nicely to go back to our car and head back the way we came, that we were on private land,” Sawyer says.
They did just that. Neither had expected to get as close as they did. Sawyer says he's happy with photos and, even better, the story of his expedition.
“Of course I’d love to see inside. The photos look amazing,” he says. “Maybe one day.”
Remaking a crater into an art piece
"Every evening we unfold the light, and every morning we fold it back to return the blue to the sky." — James Turrell. Photo by Florian Holzherr. #RodenCrater #JamesTurrell
A post shared by Roden Crater (@rodencrater) on Feb 6, 2017 at 8:23am PST
If not for a flight over Roden Crater in the 1970s, the project might never have been started.
Turrell had already established himself as one of the country’s most talented artists when it came to manipulating light and shadow.
His career would take a dramatic turn when, on a flight over northern Arizona, he noticed a dormant cinder cone far from anything. He envisioned it as a place where sky and land could come together, carved with corridors and apertures that would allow people to experience the sun and stars, rather than merely observe them.
After purchasing Roden Crater in 1977, he designed passages and chambers that would allow in light from the sun, moon and stars, the hues and shadows shifting throughout the year.
Turrell also consulted with astronomers to plot precise alignments that would capture celestial events, including the summer and winter solstices.
The first thing he did was shape the top of the cone to his liking, moving 1.3 million cubic yards of earth to form the Crater Bowl, according to the Roden Crater website.
Workers then dug the 854-foot-long Alpha Tunnel on the east slope, building another tunnel connecting it to the Crater Bowl. The two were the first of six planned tunnels and 21 viewing spaces.
Fundraising sputtered, partly because of the secrecy surrounding the crater, and again during the 2008 recession. Construction was delayed, proving Turrell’s early deadlines were far too ambitious. Now there is no mention of an opening date on Roden’s website.
Even Turrell has made light of the slow progress, addressing it in the documentary James Turrell: You Who Look, a clip of which was posted on Roden Crater’s Instagram.
“Roden Crater will now be seen as a life’s work, even though I never intended it that way,” he says. “It’s sort of like your friends who never finish their doctoral theses. Still working on it though. It’s coming.”
Turrell allows a select few inside
Roden Crater will contain 21 viewing spaces and six tunnels when complete. The first major phase of construction finished six of these spaces, including two of the most difficult: the shaping of the Crater Bowl--which required the movement of over 1.3 million cubic yards of earth--and the excavation of the 854 foot long Alpha East Tunnel, pictured here. Photo: Florian Holzherr. #RodenCrater #JamesTurrell
A post shared by Roden Crater (@rodencrater) on Feb 17, 2016 at 8:03am PST
Shortly after 4, a dozen or so widely spaced pickup trucks drive past Roden Crater’s unmanned gate, each carrying one or two people clad in bright orange shirts, some wearing hard hats. Plumes of dust rise into a clear blue sky, trailing the vehicles back to civilization.
According to an April newsletter to donors, workers have installed concrete walls and columns for the South Space. The site also is being prepped for an intricately crafted instrument of marble and bronze that will track the stars.
Officials hope to have the dirt road bladed each time a delivery truck arrives, to ensure sensitive instruments will be in perfect condition.
As work progresses on Roden, Turrell has allowed a select few inside. Museum officials, art colleagues and a few celebrities have made the trip, as well as generous patrons.
Every now and then he opens it to those who don’t blink at the price, as in 2015 when guests paid $5,000, plus an additional $1,500 for meals, a hotel room and tour, Artnews.com reported.
A 2013 New York Times Magazine profile of Turrell said, “An invitation to visit Roden is one of the most coveted tickets in American art.”
James Turrell outside Roden Crater in 2002. (Photo: The Republic)
Turrell has gone to great lengths to establish a daunting barrier around the crater. In 1979, he purchased 155 square miles of ranch land around Roden; 14 years later, his ranch had grown to 277 square miles, according to the Times story.
There is still much work to be done. Five years ago, Skystone officials told the Los Angeles Times the project was about 35% done. The newspaper reported that $15 million had been sunk into the crater by that point.
In sporadic newsletters to donors, the Roden Art Foundation offers fundraising and construction updates, but a completion date remains ephemeral.
At nearly 40 years and still going, the Roden Crater project has been a part of Turrell for more than half his lifetime. There are no guarantees that it will be finished before he can no longer contribute, though various reports say Turrell has left plans in place to ensure its completion.
Even if that occurs, the guest list is likely to remain very exclusive, says Phoenix Art Museum curator Gilbert Vicario.
“In projects like this, the artist isn’t thinking about a turnstile gate with people flooding in,” Vicario says. “It’s a very personal, very private experience, and you want to try to control that as much as possible.”
When will Turrell finish Roden Crater?
The next space to be constructed at Roden Crater, the South Space, will form an astronomical instrument similar to the Jai Prakash Yantra in the celestial observatory at Jaipur, India, which was invented by Jai Singh in the early 1700s. The South Space will act as a calendar for celestial movements and events. Rendering of the South Space by Flynn Architecture & Design. #RodenCrater #JamesTurrell #observatory
A post shared by Roden Crater (@rodencrater) on Jul 25, 2016 at 12:47pm PDT
The project was never supposed to take this long, Turrell has said in previous interviews. (He could not be reached for this story.)
Turrell had planned to finish Roden Crater in 1994, according to a 1989 story in The Arizona Republic. In 2001, Artnet.com reported the project was “$12 million and many months away from its final form.”
But when the site does open, experts believe it will be a monumental work drawing visitors from around the world.
Tom Patin, director of the School of Art at Northern Arizona University, said he visited Roden eight to 10 years ago when construction equipment littered the site and many areas were roped off.
He was astounded by the project's scope.
“Within the larger context of art history,” Patin said via email, “it’s generally considered one of a number of historically significant pieces that still exist from that era (of the 1960s and '70s).”
Noted art expert Almine Ruiz-Picasso, owner of the prestigious Almine Rech Gallery in New York, Paris, London and Brussels, told Artnet that Roden Crater is the most iconic work of art in the 21st century.
To some, Turrell’s work on Roden Crater has become mythic, the anticipation growing as the years pass.
That’s because the project is as ambitious as it is audacious, Vicario says.
“It has the three things all curators look for,” he says. “Risk, danger and impossibility. … It’s clearly a work that will take a considerable amount of time to finish.”
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Big fish: Marketing firm thriving at the top of the digital media food chain
Kristin D'Agostino
Dec 26, 2008 at 12:01 AM Dec 26, 2008 at 3:31 AM
Cameron Brown, president of the design and marketing firm King Fish Media, is ticking off examples of how the printed page is evolving.
“The two Chicago papers stopped home delivery,” he says. “… Newsweek subscriptions have gone down. ...”
Brown speaks in the matter-of-fact tone of someone who has crossed over to the other side safely. The advertising guru left the world of print eight years ago to start his own integrated marketing firm in Salem. King Fish Media has thrived, in part, because of the variety of choices it offers clients — everything from printed media to monthly e-mail newsletters, Web site design and interactive videos.
The greatest advantage of digital marketing, Brown says, is it yields results that are often more easily measured than print. While print publications can’t guarantee that people are seeing its ads, digital media can be often tracked and tallied.
“[Traditional] print media can’t guarantee [the ad] is going to an audience you want it to,” he says.
E-mail blasts, digital ads sent out to a targeted audience, are effective because the firm can track whether someone has opened them and signed up to receive more information about a product or service.
Brown isn’t against using print altogether. He acknowledges it is an effective tool for branding, pointing out the name-brand power certain publications like National Geographic carry. He feels, however, that print is most effective when combined with digital tools.
For example, Compass Bank, an Alabama client, hired King Fish to create an e-mail newsletter, a Web site and a quarterly publication. Combined, the tools all reach out to a different audience. Perhaps, most successful, though, is the bank’s quarterly publication, Compass on Business, which goes out to CEOs and highlights economic trends while reinforcing the bank’s own positive standing in the financial world.
“When I’m Compass Bank and I’m sending that ad to XYZ client, I’m sending it to them because I know something about them,” Brown says. “I know the CEOs are receiving the publication. The content is targeted.”
He adds, “As times are difficult, and dollars are harder and harder to come by, it’s hard to put money into something that doesn’t have measurable results.”
From startup to award-winner in less than a decade
After more than two decades managing publishing companies and ad agencies, Brown, 43, decided to launch his own business in Salem in 2001. A passionate fisherman, his Congress Street office at Shetland Park looks out over the South River and the Friendship.
“I like to look out my window when the sun’s just right and look at the stripers on the water,” he says.
When choosing a name for his new company, Brown says, he went for something that “sounded bigger than it was … [king fish] are fighting fish. A fighting fish is definitely something this firm aligns itself with.”
Though King Fish Media packs a punch in the design world, it’s a relatively small outfit, made up of 17 designers and other staff all based out of the Salem office. The firm, however, relies on more than 100 freelance writers to create copy for Web sites and print. “Some of the best editorial talent is working out of their homes today,” Brown says. “They’re people who ran magazines, who ran production for TV stations. ...That’s who I want working for me.”
King Fish’s client base is made up of about 20 businesses across the country including Shaw’s, Verizon, and locally, the city of Salem. (Last year the company helped launch Salem’s Haunted Passport program. Aimed at increasing year-round tourism, the Passport was marketed with discounts and clever promotions like a spoof video of Halloween being canceled.)
Though relatively small in number, clients often utilize King Fish repeatedly throughout the year for integrated campaigns that include e-mail, web site and print publications.
These days, King Fish’s business is broken down about 50-50 between print and digital marketing. Though the firm depends heavily on the latest technological tools to reach its market, it’s clear that the printed page is still alive and kicking. This month, the publication Compass on Business won three silver Davey Awards for its summer 2008 cover and inside story spread.
The Davey Awards — named for the Bible story of David and Goliath — recognize the best creative work from small design firms and agencies worldwide. Judges hail from the International Academy of Visual Arts, which includes members such as Polo Ralph Lauren, MySpace.com and HBO.
Out of the 4,000 applicants nationwide, only 25 percent were chosen for silver awards. King Fish’s creative services director, Scott Berkley, says the awards speak to the firm’s talented designers and its ability to tune in to clients’ needs.
“It’s recognition of our trade and capabilities,” Berkley says. “Any time you win an award it shows you understand your audience. Our design team really understands the editorial and delivers graphics that speak to the audience.”
Contact Kristin D'Agostino at kdagosti@cnc.com.
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Clearer definition will help firms’ CSR commitments
It intrigues me how people in the legal profession frequently use the terms ‘pro bono’, ‘volunteering’ and ‘CSR’ as an interchangeable commodity. Having been a corporate social responsibility (CSR) manager for 12 months, it still intrigues me how people in the legal profession frequently use the terms ‘pro bono’, ‘volunteering’ and ‘CSR’ as an interchangeable […]
BAE ‘resets’ legal dept in wake of SFO inquiry
Defence giant BAE Systems has revolutionised its legal team, creating 15 new roles, including the company’s first-ever global compliance chief and its first lawyer in Saudi Arabia. The company saw a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into its business dealings with Saudi Arabia dropped on Government orders earlier in the year, a decision that Lord […]
London shunned in Milbank promotions
The London office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has missed out in the firm’s latest round of promotions. The firm, which promoted 11 to the partnership across various offices, has promoted most heavily in its US offices, particularly Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC. The firm’s main office in New York saw the […]
Chadbourne-Watson Farley merger talks collapse
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) and US energy powerhouse, Chadbourne & Parke have abandoned merger talks. In a joint statement released by the firms, they said that the firms were unable to reach an agreement on several aspects of the proposed merger. Michael Greville, managing partner of Watson Farley & Williams, and Chadbourne managing partner […]
Careers Corporate Public sector and local authority UK News
Pinsent Masons hires two to boost regulatory team
By The Lawyer 13 November 2007 14:59
Pinsent Masons has hired two associates into its partnership to boost the regulatory offering in the firm’s corporate group.
Eversheds associate Jacob Ghanty and SJ Berwin associate Tim Dolan will be reporting to head of corporate Gareth Edwards.
“As more financial services legislation comes into force, we need to have the expertise to advise our clients,” said managing partner David Ryan.
“At the same time our financial services and markets team will be able to service various other areas of the business which also have a need for regulatory experience.”
Dolan, who is to join the firm next week, had worked for the FSA prior to joining SJ Berwin.
Ghanty, who is slated to join Pinsent Masons later in the year, has extensive experience in financial services and markets work related to outsourcing.
Corporate head, Edwards added that it was vital to keep clients up-to-date with legislation in financial services and cited the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) which came into force on this month as one of the latest changes in industry regulation.
“MiFID has an enormous impact on firms’ policies, procedures and their terms and conditions and the new hires bring the expertise to provide this essential service.”
Horizon names first general counsel
Offshore financial services group Horizon has appointed David Ibbotson as its inaugural general counsel, with responsibility for compliance and all client matters. Ibbotson joins the Jersey-based firm from the Walbrook Group, following its take-over by Barclays Wealth. He established the in-house team there in June 2005. A qualified English barrister, he brings experience as in-house […]
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Gemini Capital Management of Breckenridge plans to construct eight upper level apartments and one lower level unit at 313 N. State St. in the Alma. The remainder of the bottom floor will be renovated to accommodate retail space. The project is due to be completed next summer.
Gemini Capital Management of Breckenridge plans to construct five upper level apartments above 131 N. Mill St. in St. Louis. Work is scheduled to be completed in December.
Greg Nelson
Constructing upper level apartments in downtown areas seems to becoming quite the rage.
Experts believe having people live in the central business district will help spur the economy and make for a more vibrant city.
One local developer has gotten in on the ground floor of that trend with plans to invest $7 million over the next year in four Gratiot County communities.
Ryan Smith of Gemini Capital Management, a real estate and property development firm based in Breckenridge, intends to construct 36 new apartments in 2019-20, along with updating and renovating 24,000 square feet of commercial space in the same buildings.
He has projects approved and ready to go in Alma, Breckenridge, Ithaca and St. Louis.
"I believe that all local communities hope to generate activity in their downtown districts, both commercial and residential," Smith said. "I believe that if we do not start to get some growth in our local downtown districts then our communities might become stagnate and I believe our local municipalities and elected officials would agree.
"The great thing about our local communities is that we have some really great leaders who realize the need for growth and are actively helping foster it, which I believe will help our communities prosper and grow in the future."
Smith has two projects in Alma, with one nearing completion.
Work started in May on the construction of four apartments above 111 W. Superior St. He plans to begin marketing those this summer.
The other will be at 313 N. St. State St., which will feature eight upper floor units and one on the lower level. It will also include the renovation of 4,000 square feet of commercial space on the bottom floor.
"The project has been approved by the city and should begin in late fall," Smith said. "It is expected to be completed in the summer of 2020."
His St. Louis development calls for five upper level apartments at 131 N. Mill St. with the existing commercial tenants remaining in place. It's due to be completed in December.
Smith has two projects on tap for Ithaca.
One will have four upper floor apartments above 105 E. Center St.
"(One) existing commercial tenant will remain and we are redeveloping the current vacant commercial space for a nonprofit tenant that intends to relocate to this building once construction is complete (in December)," Smith said.
Another project in Ithaca, at 146 E. Center St., will have 10 apartments, including two on the lower level and four each on the second and third floors.
"This property will also have an elevator that will service all three stories," Smith said.
He anticipates work will be finished by next spring.
Smith's Breckenridge development will feature two upper level and two lower level apartments.
"This property will also have an attached parking garage for the tenants," he said. "The current vacant commercial space will be redeveloped into two separate spaces."
When it's completed next summer Smith plans to move the offices of Gemini Capital Management into a portion of the building's lower level and lease the remainder to a retail business.
The lower level apartments he develops do have a few more "restrictions" than those constructed on upper floors, Smith noted.
They usually require that the apartments be located in the rear of the buildings and not facing the street.
"I often get asked why communities would want to allow residential ground floor apartments?" Smith said. "Many of these buildings were constructed in the early 1900s and were developed to be long and narrow with residential living on the upper levels. At the time of construction this was efficient as the commercial businesses needed small storefronts but large storage ares to hold inventory and then shop owners lived above their businesses on the upper levels."
That is no longer the case, he added.
"The demand for large commercial spaces has drastically decreased over time," Smith explained. "If demand decreases so does the rental price earned by the building owner. This in turn makes it very difficult for the owners to maintain the buildings because their revenues are shrinking while costs are rising.
"At a certain point the downtown buildings become vacant because either the commercial spaces are too large to accommodate the needs of current businesses or the rental revenues do not support the upkeep of the buildings."
Smith hopes to supplement his company's $7 million investment with state and federal grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
"The grants are a vital part of the redevelopment process as without them the projects would not likely come to fruition," he said. "In many cases the buildings require significant construction efforts in order to restore them to modern living standards and construction codes. Often times the construction costs are so significant that developers cannot justify the investment.
"However, federal and state agencies realize that without redevelopment, those buildings and communities will eventually become stagnate and fall into decline. The redevelopment creates new residential homes in the downtown areas and fosters a higher density of persons living downtown which will stimulate commercial activity."
But it's the historic nature of those structures that make them appealing to him, Smith noted.
"I was drawn to and became interested in downtown redevelopment because of the historic nature of the buildings," he said. "(They) have some amazing architectural features but unfortunately over the years many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair and have been underutilized.
"Many of the upper levels of the buildings have not been used in 50-plus years and are in dire need of rehabilitation. I believe with the proper redevelopment and care that we can preserve the buildings for another 100-plus years."
Smith appreciates the cooperation and assistance he has received from local city and village leaders to make the projects possible.
"They have been more than supporting and cooperative in helping make these developments feasible," he said. "I believe everyone involved throughout the entire process realizes the need for these redevelopments."
Smith, who already has 11 upper level apartments in Alma, says tenants interested in those types of units are of various ages.
""We have a great mix of young people, middle aged and elderly tenants at our properties and we think that this is key for the growth of the community," he said. "We need to provide housing options that work for a variety of demographics to have a healthy thriving community."
A hazy shade of summer: Wildfire smoke visible across Michigan
Although the sky is clear of clouds, visibility might be a little hazy through Tuesday.
The Jerky Man's Shack hopes to reopen soon
The lack of a single piece of equipment has kept The Jerky Man's Shack in Ithaca closed since a June 11 fire damaged the store's interior.
CMU and UAW ratify agreement for clerical and office employees
Central Michigan University and UAW Local 6888 have ratified a new three-year agreement commencing July 1, 2019, and expiring June 30, 2022.
New plan for SmartZone includes retail, housing
There is a new plan for the future of the 300-acre SmartZone in Mt. Pleasant.
Warm and dry describe this week's weather
Following a week marked by beastly heat, humidity and hit-and-miss storms, this week's weather is looking to be downright boring. Or, if you p…
The July Fourth celebrations began on the Detroit River in late June and continued into the wee hours of the morning of July 5. As spectacular as the fireworks were and as much as many of my friends enjoyed them, I did not see them. My family and I have a different tradition.
Mecosta man's wife denied him sex, so he pulled out a knife
A Mecosta man faces a felony charge after his wife rejected his sexual advances.
The Big Number: 2 hours a week outdoors suggested for better health
If you're looking for simple steps to a healthier mind and body, consider taking those steps outdoors. New research finds that people who spend at least two hours a week in a natural environment - like parks, beaches, woodlands or urban green spaces - are more likely to have better physical health and psychological well-being than those who do not venture into the great outdoors.
Pool safety campaign aims to reduce child drownings
With summer in full swing, pools beckon children who are eager to jump in, cool off and have fun.
Questions arise as Mt. Pleasant prepares to opt in to recreational marijuana law
Greg Nelson is a multimedia reporter with The Morning Sun.
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The National Student > Music
The Blagger's Guide To: Arctic Monkeys
Lucy Fletcher at Liverpool John Moores University
Next week (May 11th), Arctic Monkeys drop their long-awaited sixth album, ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’. Next weekend, all anyone will be talking about is the loveably cocky rock’n’roll band.
From fan theories and favourite tracks to fun facts, conversations will be rife with Arctics-based knowledge. Ever found yourself in front of an Arctics aficionado and stumbled over your words? Wanted to pipe into that passionate conversation about which album is better, but got nothing? Just felt left out of indie twitter? For the uninitiated fan that doesn’t want to feel completely alienated next week - don’t worry, we’ve got your back.
Obviously, you’ll need to know the names of the band members: Alex Turner, the cocky and confident front man you definitely already know. Jamie Cook, lead guitar. Nick O’Malley, bass guitar. And then there’s Matt Helders on drums.
You probably also need to know the names of the albums in their back catalogue in case of cross referencing. Their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, came out in 2006 and remains to hold the record for the fastest selling debut album by a band, shifting over 360,000 copies in its first week of release.
This was followed up by 2007’s Favourite Worst Nightmare, 2009’s Humbug, and 2011’s Suck It And See. The Monkeys enjoy changing their sound with each album, but their biggest leap came with 2013’s AM - one of the biggest selling vinyl albums of the decade, and the record considered to have allowed the band to completely break through in America.
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino comes after a long hiatus - so understandably, fans are excited. Produced again with long-time collaborator James Ford, who has worked with the band on all albums except their debut (another fact for you there), its “as close as we’ve ever been to hearing an Alex Turner solo record.” It’s probably not a fan pleaser, but it’s the band’s most intriguing work to date.
Anything else? Submarine is the film Alex Turner wrote six solo songs for and quickly became a cult classic. In the eyes of Arctics fans, model Alexa Chung is the only girl right for Alex (read his love letter to her here). They're considered as one of the first bands to become famous through the internet. Oh, and they're from Sheffield - that's important.
Now the basics are out the way, here’s a list of ten facts you can drop next week to really up your cool-factor.
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For example, did you know that the song ‘Brianstorm’ from Favourite Worst Nightmare was inspired by a Japanese fan who managed to make his way into the band’s dressing room while playing in Osaka? “When he left the room, we were a bit freaked out by his presence,” says Alex, “So we did a brainstorm for what he was like, drew a little picture and wrote things about him.”
Miles Kane, Alex Turner’s collaborator in his other band The Last Shadow Puppets (that's a whole other article), plays guitar on the studio versions of ‘505’ (Favourite Worst Nightmare) and ‘The Bakery’ (which appears on the ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ single).
The band's guitarist Jamie Cook (or Cookie for short) worked as a tiler well into the band’s success after the first album. He even flew back from their sold out tour to complete a job he had started for a client. He says he worked in London as he could charge more in the capital than he could at home in Sheffield.
You could also tell your mates that after signing a $750,000 publishing deal with EMI, Alex Turner splashed his cash by buying himself a car. Mercedes? BMW? No, he got himself a Vauxhall Corsa.
When drumming for P Diddy’s band Dirty Money, Matt Helders was bestowed the alias Rufus Black as to not ruin his indie street cred. Diddy said "I didn't wanna fuck up the great thing Matt’s got going on. He is down with my Dirty Money crew, but whenever he's playing with us, he's Rufus Black.”
Matt Helders is also a talented producer and has remixed The Hives’ ‘We Rule the World (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.)’, Paul Weller’s ‘That Dangerous Age’, Duran Duran’s ‘Skin Divers’ and Roots Manuva's ‘Again & Again’.
Here's a fun fact: track ‘Leave Before The Lights Come On’, despite being originally written for their debut, didn’t make the album and was released as a single the year after. It’s the only single ever released by Arctic Monkeys that hasn’t featured on an an album.
They’re not massive fans of touring on a bus due to their facilities. Matt once told NME “My curtain doesn’t work either. It doesn’t close. I want Egyptian silk bedding. Goose pillows. I want an en-suite. Sometimes I can’t be bothered to get up to go to the toilet, however much I need a piss. It’s the only reason I sleep on the bottom now, ‘cos I’m more likely to get out!”
Originally, Matt wanted to play guitar in the band - but after getting their guitars for Christmas and claiming their roles in the band, Alex and Jamie told him that drums were the only instruments left. He took up boxing classes to ensure he had the stamina in him to keep up with the band’s songs.
And finally? Suck It And See was the last album to be recorded at the legendary recording studios Sound City. Amazing.
EP Review: Super Inuit - Misgivings
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Lent - why do we keep punishing ourselves?
Top 10 things to do in Barcelona
My night at the British porn awards
Interview: Sir David Attenborough
Just how golden is silence?
Taking a stand for Sudan
A third of UK businesses admit to exploiting interns
Third of young drivers don't know what to do after a crash
What age should you stop reading YA?
Film Review: How to be Single
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Sylvie Goulard: EU Parliament must ask itself what type of candidate it wants for President post
Written by Julie Levy-Abegnoli on 29 November 2016 in Interviews
Sylvie Goulard on why there should be a job description for the role of Parliament President, how the EU institutions should work to reconnect with citizens and Martin Schulz's legacy.
Sylvie Goulard | Photo credit: European Parliament audiovisual
Martin Schulz made waves - in the Brussels bubble at least - when he announced he would not be seeking a third term as European Parliament President. It's true that according to the so-called 'grand coalition' struck between the EPP and S&D groups, the presidency should, come January, fall into EPP hands. This, however, has angered a number of MEPs, who have spoken out against the "backroom deals" reached to make important decisions, including who should be Parliament President.
While Parliament's two largest groups have yet to put forward their official candidates, some unexpected faces have already thrown their hat into the race - a few weeks ago, it was the ECR group's Helga Stevens and now, the ALDE group's Sylvie Goulard.
Asked why she believes she is best suited to the post, Goulard insists she is "modest" but that "there needs to be a debate and we must ask ourselves what profile the best candidate for the job should have."
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She believes that just like in a company, there should be an outline of what kind of candidate is needed for the post - "a negotiator, or someone who is good at languages, and then look for someone who fits that profile. In Parliament, we skip this stage and just say we want this or that person, which doesn't seem very professional to me."
A central point of the French deputy's campaign is that since Parliament's first direct elections in 1979, only two of its 28 President have been women, most recently 15 years ago. "In 2016," says Goulard, "parity and rotation - not domination - is a good thing. Hiring different types of people adds value to a team. A female President would help bring in new people."
Currently, none of the EU institutions' Presidents are women. Why? "Because we are locked into a co-option system. There should be a job description for the role of President, we should know what type of candidate we want and what we want them to achieve."
She adds, "I strongly believe the institutions need to reconnect with the citizens, which Schulz started to do, by communicating with people through the media and in different languages. This is something we must carry on - changing people's perceptions takes years - and as such we need people in place who have certain competences, who know the major EU member states well and who can communicate in different languages."
Goulard, an MEP since 2009, previously as served as an adviser to European Commission President Romano Prodi, worked on European issue for France's foreign affairs ministry, and is fluent in English, German and Italian.
At a time when Eurosceptic and populist parties are gaining ground across western countries, the EU - and, arguably, conventional politics in general - is often seen as struggling to regain people's trust. Goulard acknowledges that these are peculiar times we live in. "If someone had said, two or three years ago, that the UK would leave the EU, Trump would be US President and Turkish President Erdoğan would be arresting people with no trial, people would have thought they were being dramatic. This is a very serious situation."
However, she doesn't believe people should be "vilified" for supporting increasingly tough, nationalist policies. "People are lost," she says. "Take someone my age, in their 50s. The world I grew up in was completely different from today. There was a cold war and USSR domination. Today, the USSR no longer exists, although we still have Russia, and Europe is a unified candidate. But back then, there was no Islamism and the technologies we use daily didn't exist.
"Some people weren't lucky enough to have the tools to adapt to this new world, to learn the new skills that are needed, so they're scared and they retreat to what is familiar to them: their country, city or region."
It's important that politicians reach out to these people, says Goulard, "and try to figure out how to explain to them that what they are doing is not in their interest, that instead they should try and remain confident and adapt to a changing world," something she feels she would be well placed to do as Parliament President.
She says she learned a lot through her work leading Parliament's intergroup fighting against poverty in defence of human rights. "The problem, I learned, is that these people are not respected, they feel like they are being thrown out of the system. But if you respect them and listen to them, you will realise that even those who struggle the most, those who are homeless, have lived through various experiences. So it's not that people don't like Europe. Yes, mistakes were made at European level, but the same can be said at national level, it's just that national level is more familiar."
For Goulard, "it's important to look at history, to take a long-term perspective. We can't just focus on technical dossiers - although they're important too. We need to find a new social contract and the right balance between solidarity and freedom."
Julie Levy-Abegnoli is a journalist for the Parliament Magazine
PM+: EU must strengthen eastern and southern neighbourhood in fight against radicalism
Secularism, as a bulwark to radicalisation, should be a key EU foreign policy priority, argues the European Foundation for Democracy's Tommaso Virgili.
World Water Day: Providing universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is a huge challenge
But with the European Union's support of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, clean water can become a reality that transforms our world, writes WaterAid’s Margaret Batty.
The need to counter extremist propaganda more effectively
There are different reasons why people believe in extremist ideologies or join extremist groups, explains Alexander Ritzmann.
Ursula von der Leyen: Baptism of fire
European Commission President-designate, Ursula von der Leyen, went on a charm offensive in Parliament this week. But, as Lorna Hutchinson reports, the mission did not go quite as planned.
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QILA GUJJAR SINGH
Paste a VALID AdSense code in Ads Elite Plugin options before activating it. QILA GUJJAR SINGH, a residential area within the limits of Lahore, was designated a "fort" when in April 1765 the city was parcelled out among the three Bhangi Sardars, Gujjar Singh, Lahina Singh and Sobha Singh. The area...
Paste a VALID AdSense code in Ads Elite Plugin options before activating it. QUDRAT (spelled qudrati in gurbani), a term adopted by Guru Nanak from the Arabic and given a philosophical signification and connotation which, to some extent but with different shades of sense, had till then been conveyed by the...
QUTB UD-DIN
Paste a VALID AdSense code in Ads Elite Plugin options before activating it. QUTB UDDIN (d. 1832), younger brother of Nizam udDin, the Afghan chief of Kasur, succeeded to the gaddi of Kasur on the latter`s death in 1802. He began fortifying Kasur in an endeavour to overthrow the authority of...
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Potatoes Dauphinoise vs. Potatoes Dauphine
Sheri L Giblin/Getty Images
Potatoes Dauphine and potatoes dauphinoise are part of French cuisine and referred to as pommes dauphine and pommes dauphinoise in French. They may sound like the same thing, but in fact, they are quite different. Put simply, potatoes dauphine (pronounced "do-FEEN") are deep-fried potato puffs while potatoes dauphinoise ("do-fin-WAHZ") means baked scalloped potatoes.
History of the Names
The story of these two potato recipes begins in the French region of Dauphiné, situated between the Alps and the Rhone Valley in southeastern France. The name Dauphiné ("DO-fee-nay") comes from the word dauphin ("DO-fan"), the French word for dolphin, owing to the fact that the family who controlled that region, before it became part of the Kingdom of France, had a dolphin on their coat of arms.
Later, it became the custom for the heir apparent to the throne to receive the title of Dauphin, along with rulership of the Dauphiné region. The wife of the Dauphin was called the Dauphine ("do-FEEN"). The potatoes dauphine, sometimes referred to as dauphine potatoes, are named after the wife of the Dauphin.
Pommes (Potatoes) Dauphine
Pommes dauphine is classic French comfort food. Essentially a potato croquette (and sometimes nicknamed a "French tater tot"), the pommes dauphine consists of fluffy pillows of mashed potatoes mixed with choux pastry (the kind used for making cream puffs and éclairs). It is this type of pastry that makes this recipe unique. This mixture is formed into balls and then deep fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside. They are sometimes served with a dipping sauce or a simple sprinkling of course salt.
Pommes (Potatoes) Dauphinoise
Potatoes dauphinoise, on the other hand, is named not after a person (or a sea mammal), but after the Dauphiné region itself where the local cuisine is known, among other things, for featuring a wide variety of gratin-style dishes.
Here in the States, we think of a gratin as anything that's baked with a layer of cheese on the top and then browned in the oven—for example, thinly sliced potatoes layered with a mixture of cream, egg, and Gruyère cheese and then baked. However, in France, the components of a traditional potatoes dauphinoise (you'll sometimes see it referred to as gratin dauphinois) are subject to neither reinterpretation nor reconfiguration. It's very much a firm, established recipe.
A traditional gratin dauphinois will contain neither cheese nor eggs as the starch of the potato is more than sufficient to bind the dish together. Furthermore, the addition of cheese of any kind will produce a dish that is far too rustic and considered "peasant fare."
In addition, while there is no garlic in the dish, potatoes dauphinoise instructs us to rub the inside of the baking dish with a clove of garlic. Although the flavor of the garlic is meant to be subtle amidst the mild flavors of the potatoes, cream, and butter (along with a grating of fresh nutmeg), the garlic makes its presence felt. Even a small amount of cheese, especially one like Gruyére, would mask the hint of garlic.
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BEATEN IN HIS HOME
Two more arrested over death of ‘lovely lad’, 30, found tied up and stabbed to death at County Durham house
Six people have so far been arrested after Mark Shaw was found dead in his home
By AMANDA DEVLIN
Updated: 20 Dec 2016, 14:38
SIX people have been arrested since a man was found dead and tied up in a house in Durham.
Mark Shaw's body was discovered in an upstairs bedroom inside a property in Pine Street, Grange Villa.
A 30-year-old man was found dead and tied up in a house in DurhamCredit: North News and Pictures
A further two arrests were made today, bringing the total number up to six.
Detectives say he died from a stab wound but had also been subjected to a severe and prolonged assault, which detectives believe probably started late on the Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Officers made the discovery after being called to an incident at the address.
After forcing entry to the house, they found the body in one of the bedrooms.
Police say there was no-one else in the property at the time.
Police have now arrested a 22-year-old man from Stanley, County Durham, on suspicion of murder and an 18-year-old woman from Grange Villa, County Durham, on suspicion of assisting an offender.
The murder has shocked the 'tight knit' village of Grange VillaCredit: North News and Pictures
One of the six people arrested, a 25-year-old man, has been released with no further action.
Another man, aged 18, remains in custody on suspicion of murder.
The other two – a 19-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman – have been released on police bail until the end of February pending further enquiries.
Det Supt Adrian Green, of Durham Constabulary, said: "The search teams will be at work in the Grange Villa area throughout today and indeed for much of the week.
As you can expect Mark’s family are distraught by what has happened.
Det Supt Adrian GreenDurham Constabulary
"We are carrying out extensive work to recover forensic and other evidence as part of this investigation.
"Unless there is a significant development, I do not expect to make further arrests in connection with this case.
"As you can expect Mark’s family are distraught by what has happened.
"We are keeping them up to date with every key stage of our investigation and we have two very experienced detectives working as family liaison officers."
Neighbours have paid tribute to Mark describing him as "a lovely lad who wouldn't hurt a fly".
One neighbour who did not want to be named said: "I am completely shocked, I am gutted actually, he was lovely.
"This is a quiet area. It is not something that happens every day. I just feel sorry for the lad. He was harmless and didn't bother anyone."
A tribute posted on Mark's Facebook page reads: "Horrible news to wake up to.
One of my brother’s oldest friends has had his life sadly taken from him. Poor lad wouldn't say boo to a goose too. RIP"
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Another neighbour told how Mark's window had been smashed two days earlier.
He said: "I am not sure what has happened, and I'm not sure if it is related but I did notice that his front window had been put through yesterday."
Police arrived at the County Durham village at around seven last night and locals have told how the street was soon cordoned off and armed police were patrolling the area.
Forensics are at the house where the body was found, which has the front window boarded up.
A passerby said: "I noticed police between six and seven and the helicopter was over head all night."
A police spokesman said: "Local officers made the discovery after making a routine visit to the house, in Pine Street, Grange Villa, following reports of an incident at the property.
"He was tied up and appeared to have been the victim of a serious assault.
"No-one else was present in the house at the time."
I would like to reassure them that we believe this incident was not random and that those involved were known to each other.
Det Supt Adrian Green
The investigating officer, Det Supt Adrian Green added: “I know many people in Grange Villa will be shocked by what has happened and I understand their concerns. I would like to reassure them that we believe this incident was not random and that those involved were known to each other.
“I have a team of detectives carrying out enquiries in the area and I would urge anyone who has information which would help us trace those responsible to come forward.
“Grange Villa is a tightly-knit place and many people will already know a great deal and will be discussing it among themselves.
“We will also have extra patrols in the village over the next few days to provide additional reassurance to local residents.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368
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NEWS24 OLX PROPERTY24 CAREERS24 SUPERBALIST AUTOTRADER
YOU'RE READING Is your husband the reason you have 7 extra hours of chores a week?
KFC is the latest to come out with a weirdly scented product, but there are many more on the market
W24 / Pop Culture / Home / Décor
Is your husband the reason you have 7 extra hours of chores a week?
By Carmen Williams
Credit: iStock
Thinking back to your single days and wondering why you suddenly have so much to do around the house? This study says it’s your husband’s fault.
According to Reuters, a new University of Michigan study confirms what you’ve always suspected: you’re doing most of the work around the house. According to the study, wives save their husbands one hour of housework a week, while in return, husbands create a whopping seven extra hours for their wives.
Frank Stafford, who directed the study, says that there’s a “significant reallocation of labour” that happens once couples decide to shack up and put a ring on it.
And it probably goes without saying, but it gets even worse for women who have kids.
READ: Locked up for being a bad housewife
Researchers studied the participants' diaries to assess how people spent their time, and questioned men and women about how much time they spent doing chores.
I suppose we can at least be happy that it’s not as bad as it was in 1976 when women did an average of 26 hours of housework per week, when their men clocked a mere six.
I wonder how many hours a week this Italian housewife was doing in comparison to her husband before he decided to sue her for being a bad housewife?
So next time, if your husband keeps saying he’ll “get around to it” when you ask him to do the dishes, put your foot down. Be sure to discuss how to divide your housework evenly, and then pour yourself a glass of wine.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
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June 9, 2015 at 7:02 pm EDT | by Lou Chibbaro Jr.
Georgetown Hospital accused of anti-trans discrimination
Alexa Rodriguez was turned away by a breast surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. (Photo courtesy Latino GLBT History Project)
A transgender woman has filed a discrimination complaint with the D.C. Office of Human Rights against MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on grounds that the hospital allegedly refused her request for breast implant surgery because of her gender identity.
Alexa Rodriguez, 38, vice president of D.C.’s Latino LGBT History Project, said the refusal came on May 8, five months after one of the hospital’s highly regarded breast surgeons, Dr. Troy Pittman, examined her and cleared her for the surgery contingent upon approval for coverage of the procedure by her health insurance provider.
Rodriguez said her insurer, United Healthcare, initially denied coverage but reversed its decision five months later in response to her appeal of the denial.
“They told me that when I got the pre-approval for the insurance we can schedule the surgery,” Rodriguez said. “So after I received that approval I called to make an appointment for the surgery.”
Much to her dismay, Rodriguez said a hospital employee who schedules Dr. Pittman’s appointments told her by phone on May 8 that the hospital was no longer taking transgender women for treatment or surgery.
“And I asked him why,” said Rodriguez. “He was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know. They’re not saying anything.’”
Ruby Corado, executive director of Casa Ruby, an LGBT community center that provides services to the transgender community, said at least two of her female transgender clients were also turned town for breast surgery at MedStar Georgetown around the same time that Rodriquez was turned down.
Rodriquez told the Blade one of her female transgender friends was turned down for breast-related surgery by Georgetown the same week she was informed the hospital isn’t doing the surgery for trans women.
Marianne Worley, director of media relations for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, said in a statement to the Washington Blade that the hospital has a policy of not discriminating against patients based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression among other categories.
While the hospital doesn’t offer some specific programs such as gender transition treatment, “We do see and diagnose anyone who presents to us,” she said, including transgender patients.
“MedStar Georgetown University Hospital does not have a policy on assisting with gender transition; it is just not a comprehensive service that we currently offer,” Worley said in her statement.
Saying the hospital decides which services to provide based on the “highest quality outcomes,” her statement adds, “A gender transition program is very complex, requiring an array of specialists with expertise in hormonal therapy, surgery and psychological services, to name just a few.”
“Our conclusion has been that a high quality gender transition service is best delivered in the context of an integrated program rather than in a one off manner, and such a program does not exist at MedStar Georgetown,” her statement says.
According to Worley, “Cases in which the treatment required is outside the scope of what we offer are referred to the appropriate health care facility both within and outside of MedStar Health.”
Both Rodriguez and Corado said they know of other transgender women who had transition-related breast surgery at MedStar Georgetown last year, with one trans woman having had breast surgery there as recently as January of this year.
“We know they did surgery on transgender women in January,” said Corado. “It was not an issue before. What has changed to not allow it now?”
Worley did not specifically answer that question in her written response to a Blade inquiry.
One source familiar with the hospital who spoke on condition of not being identified said some members of the medical staff at the hospital reported hearing that transgender-related surgery was discontinued earlier this year after complaints were lodged by conservative Catholic officials affiliated with Georgetown University.
“MedStar Georgetown is a Catholic hospital and, consistent with all Catholic hospitals, it operates under the Ethical and Religious Directives of the Catholic Church,” Worley said in a follow-up statement to the Blade.
Rodriguez said she had been referred to Dr. Pittman at Georgetown for the surgery by her primary care physician at Whitman-Walker Health, which is providing her with the full array of treatment and services that go along with gender transition, including hormone therapy and mental health counseling.
“I then went to their office about two weeks later to try to get an answer for why they were denying me my surgery,” Rodriguez told the Blade in discussing her interaction with Georgetown Hospital. She said the employee she spoke with by phone, who she only knows by his first name of David, repeated his earlier claim not to know the reason for the denial.
She said David did not arrange for her to speak with a higher up official at the hospital, as she requested, to find out why she was denied the surgery.
“We are surprised and disappointed to learn of Georgetown’s statement and its implications for access to much-needed surgery services for the metro D.C. transgender community,” said Shawn Jain, director of communications for Whitman-Walker Health.
“Whitman-Walker routinely refers transgender and other patients to qualified specialists, including Georgetown, for healthcare needs that we do not offer in-house,” Jain said. “We apply World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care when referring transgender patients for surgical care,” he said.
“Based on our reading of Georgetown’s statement, we believe this will present some very real and tangible access to care issues for our transgender patients,” said Jain.
Brian Markovitz, a civil rights attorney who has represented clients in cases before the D.C. Office of Human Rights, said Georgetown could have a difficult time defending its decision not to provide the surgery requested by Rodriguez.
He said the fact that Whitman-Walker handled the gender transition-related aspects of Rodriguez’s medical treatment, which Georgetown says it may not have the expertise to do, could undermine a claim by Georgetown that it was legally justified in refusing to perform the surgery.
“They could be running afoul of the Human Rights Act because they are providing implants for cancer patients and other people, and because they’re doing that and they’re not going to do it for this individual they’re running the risk of liability,” Markovitz said.
He said although Georgetown could argue that it’s a Catholic hospital and certain medical and surgical procedures are against church teachings, the Human Rights Office would likely rule that the hospital is open to the general public and therefore is operating as a public accommodation, which is bound by the D.C. Human Rights Act.
The Human Rights Act bans discrimination based on gender identity and expression and a wide range of other categories such as race, religion and ethnicity.
Elliot Imse, a spokesperson for the Office of Human Rights, said the office cannot comment on a pending case before the office completes an investigation and makes a determination of whether probable cause exists that discrimination occurred.
But he said that as a general principle, case law established from past court rulings and decisions by the OHR holds that if a public accommodation like a hospital offers services to non-transgender people, “under most circumstances they would have to offer that to transgender people unless there is something regarding safety or complications that are different than for a cisgender person.”
(Cisgender is a term used to describe non-transgender people.)
Markovitz said that if the OHR finds probable cause that Georgetown violated the Human Rights Act by denying implant surgery for a transgender person and the D.C. Commission on Human Rights upholds that decision, the case could become a hot button issue before D.C. and federal courts should Georgetown decide to appeal the ruling.
“I could see the hospital defending itself on First Amendment [religious liberty] grounds and this could turn into a very important case,” he said.
Should the case enter the federal court system Markovitz said Rodriguez could benefit from recent federal court rulings saying transgender people are covered under a federal civil rights law that bans discrimination based on gender.
Corado said one of the Casa Ruby clients turned down for surgery at Georgetown was suffering from complications related to breast augmentation surgery she had several years earlier in El Salvador. The client, Katherine Campos, told the Blade a Georgetown Hospital physician examined her after she experienced bleeding and pain in her breasts that may have been due to an infection.
She said the doctor determined surgery was needed to correct the problem, but a hospital official told her the hospital does not do transgender-related surgery and she would have to get the surgery someplace else.
Rodriguez said her friend who was refused breast augmentation surgery never had a chance to see a doctor at MedStar Georgetown because the person she spoke with by phone to make an appointment informed her she need not come in.
“With her it was worse because she called to schedule a consultation appointment and the guy said we are happy to have you, we are taking new clients, yada, yada, yada,” said Rodriguez. “And then he suddenly asked her are you a biological woman or are you a transgender woman?”
When her friend replied that she’s a transgender woman the hospital staffer on the phone told her, “Well at this time we are not taking transgender women,” Rodriguez said. “She was devastated. She said it was not right for him to do that.”
Alexa RodriguezBrian MarkovitzCasa RubyCatholic ChurchD.C. Office of Human RightsElliot ImseLatino GLBT History ProjectMarianne WorleyMedStar Georgetown University HospitalRuby CoradoShawn JaintranstransgenderTroy PittmanUnited HealthcareWorld Professional Association for Transgender HealthWPATH
Hilary Howes, CMG
June 10, 2015 at 1:13 pm EDT at 1:13 pm
A similar denial of services at a California Catholic hospital a few years back ended with the hospital losing the lawsuit that followed. The Roman Catholic Church has no public teaching on the moral or ethical aspects of transexual medical services and any denial is based on personal beliefs of certain catholic individuals who may be ordained or lay. Georgetown should not hide behind some alleged policy of unified care and provide care with dignity to all but especially to the marginalized as we are called by our catholic faith to do.
Majorana Fermion
July 14, 2015 at 1:43 am EDT at 1:43 am
Except that Pope Francis has publicly called transgender people as big a threat to humanity as nuclear weapons, the thinking based on the other current Pope’s (emeritus?) Xmas Breakfast with the Curia speech in 2008, which was in turn based on PJP2’s book. In each, look for the phrase, “human ecology” and how they claim it is threatened by transgender and gay people.
August 1, 2015 at 12:39 pm EDT at 12:39 pm
I the pope’s encyclical on the environment is a complex document but I can assure you he is not talking about transgender people when he refers to gender theory.
https://catholictrans.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/what-does-pope-francis-actually-say-about-transgenderism/
This is an excellent analisys by a catholic and transgender theologian. I wish you peace on your journey.
August 1, 2015 at 1:36 pm EDT at 1:36 pm
It’s not just PF’s statements, Hillary. His are merely references to those by his predecessor / other current Pope, Benedict in his Breakfast with the Curia unofficial pronouncements. And those in turn built on PJP2’s book…
PF makes a significant change from his predecessor but if you don’t want to see it I’m sure there is nothing I can share here that will.
I’ve noticed that far too often, when he makes a public pronouncement that appears to be “significant change” it’s widely spread via a professional PR push. Then, almost without fail within 2-3 weeks he gives a message that refutes it and indeed solidifies the prior message. Except that second one is during “live” audience, typically in a third world country, and not pushed out by the Vatican’s PR agency. It’s a bit dishonest, to say the least.
Leslie Gray
So much for Christian compassion.
The Butterfly
April 19, 2016 at 11:30 pm EDT at 11:30 pm
Because nothing says Christ-like compassion like giving a man boobs.
Transgender women are not men. Transgender women are women. It’s not for you to judge the life conditions of others.
Matthew 25:31-46New International Version (NIV)
The Sheep and the Goats
April 22, 2016 at 3:03 pm EDT at 3:03 pm
I’m a butterfly.
Then I suggest you stay well clear of bug zappers, spiders, birds and lepidopterists with nets.
OMG. There are others!!
Agent_J
June 11, 2015 at 1:20 am EDT at 1:20 am
You have to love the junk excuses to claim that they’re suddenly incapable of performing the surgery that they successfully performed so many times before.
I had a similar experience with a surgeon in Raleigh years ago. They’d done great work for some other trans women I knew so imagine my surprise when they said that they “couldn’t manage the hormones” and, when I said that I had an endocrinologist handling that, they just kept repeating, “it’s the hormones.”
I ended up having to fight them over the fee for the consultation…no way was I letting then pocket it for that. I won, too…specifically because the consultation for which I paid was to be with the surgeon who never actually meet with me at all (his front office staff delivered the refusal.)
Magnolia_virginiana
June 13, 2015 at 11:23 am EDT at 11:23 am
Oh for heaven’s sake. GUH has simply made a business decision. There is no requirement that a hospital is required to provide every kind of treatment known to man. There is no requirement that a hospital implement a policy and then continue that policy forever.
Like most businesses, GUH has built a reputation for a certain level of quality, and like most businesses, they do not want to expand their services if they cannot meet that same level of quality. GUH is operating in expensive market with limited ability to expand their facilities–and so any expansion of service has to be a decision made very carefully. They tested it out with a few patients last year and have apparently come to the conclusion that this is not a specialty they want to expand in to.
This does not equate to discrimination.
Except that they offer the same surgeries and treatments to non-transgender people. At that point it is no longer a business decision, it is a legal one.
July 14, 2015 at 12:27 pm EDT at 12:27 pm
A) Breast implants on non-transgender people is not ‘the same surgery’ as it is for transgendered patients.
B) as the spokesperson clearly stated, they have experimented and found that for transgender people, the breast implant surgery is not a stand-alone procedure. It is part of a huge process requiring many, many procedures and specialists that the hospital does not have. A transgender person does not simply go into the hospital and get implants and walk out a woman.
So no, it is still a legal one.
July 14, 2015 at 2:39 pm EDT at 2:39 pm
How is the surgery itself different, please?
Seriously? You haven’t noticed how women have milk ducts and men don’t? How women have fatty tissue in their breasts and men don’t? Because the structure is different to begin with, the process to insert an implant is different.
Seriously? Usually by the time trans women have breast augmentation they’ve been on hormones for years and have grown breasts, silly. Why do you think they need to go in for mammograms at the same schedule as any other woman? Structurally, there is no difference.
“MedStar Georgetown is a Catholic hospital and, consistent with all Catholic hospitals, it operates under the Ethical and Religious Directives of the Catholic Church,” Worley said
Well, how many LGBT people could that really affect, right?
“Catholic acute-care hospitals now account for 1 in 9 hospital beds around the country, with much higher concentrations in some states, including Washington (the subject of this ProPublica story), Wisconsin, and Iowa. (When other types of facilities are included, the Catholic share of hospital beds is closer to 1 in 6, according to this fact sheet.). Keep in mind that these numbers are from 2011. Since then, according to the report, the largest Catholic health hospital networks, Ascension Health and Catholic Health Initiatives, have grown by another 30 percent or more.”
http://www.propublica.org/article/the-growth-of-catholic-hospitals-by-the-numbers
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Air traffic controllers suing Trump administration over missed pay during shutdown
ugurhan/iStock(WASHINGTON) — The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is suing the Trump administration on behalf of the thousands of members of their union that have not been paid during the protracted shutdown showdown over border wall funding between the president and congressional Democrats.
The suit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claims the administration deprived workers of wages without due process and violated fair labor regulations by not at least paying minimum wage to air traffic controllers and others who are exempted from furlough during the government shutdown. The suit also claims the FAA didn’t promptly pay overtime to union members, an oversight the union says is also in violation of regulations.
The shutdown is hitting U.S. air traffic controllers particularly hard because their numbers are already at a 30-year low, according to NATCA. The number of fully certified ATCs, as they’re called, is 10,500 — the union would ideally like to have 2,000 more. And approximately 2,000 ATCs are scheduled to retire this year.
The mandatory retirement age for ATCs is 56.
More than 200 people were in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon attending a rally organized by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and leaders from the aviation community over the issue.
The aviation stakeholders had a clear message to deliver: every day the shutdown continues it further disrupts the aviation system and they are demanding that the shutdown end. Leaders from the Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants, Airlines For America (A4A) and other organizations detailed how the shutdown is negatively affecting segments of the National Airspace System.
“It is an unconscionable thing to think that in a profession like ours where safety in the skies is of the utmost important utmost importance that we would not get paid,” Jim Marinitti said during Thursday’s rally. “I truly don’t know if the people who have the authority to stop this shutdown understand the consequences of the decisions they’re currently making.”
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Fleetwood Mac | November 3rd, 2019 (New Date)
Fleetwood Mac Reschedules Performance at Wells Fargo Center to November 3
TICKETS PURCHASED FOR ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED SHOW (4/5/19) WILL BE HONORED ON NEW TOUR DATE (11/3/19)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Legendary, GRAMMY-award winning band Fleetwood Mac today announced that their postponed Friday, April 5 performance at Wells Fargo Center has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 3.
All previously held tickets for the originally scheduled show will be honored at the new show on Sunday, November 3. Additional tickets are available for purchase online at WellsFargoCenterPhilly.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.
The tour kicked off last fall and has traveled to more than 50 cities in North America. After European and Australian shows, the final North American dates will take place in Fall of 2019. Produced by Live Nation, the tour has met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike to the new line-up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie along with newcomers Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.
Fleetwood Mac was founded by Peter Green in 1967 and was named after Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. After Peter Green left in 1969, Fleetwood and McVie remained as original members, and the band has since featured a cast of brilliant talents. Most notably, Christine McVie joined the band in 1970, with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joining in 1974. The enduring spirit of Fleetwood Mac stands for an incredible body of great music that has connected with generations of people all over the world for more than 50 years. Fleetwood Mac has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and the GRAMMY-award winning band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Sunday | Nov. 3rd , 2019
Fleetwood Mac (New Date)
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Download the Stream
Get on the Air
Program Advisory and Review Council (PARC) Application
Founder's Club Underwriters
Spark Club Donors
Underwrite
WERA-LP: Radio Arlington
Arlington Independent Media
WERA’s mission is to enlighten, enrich, and entertain Arlington’s diverse community by promoting and facilitating independent radio.
On December 6, 2015, Arlington, Virginia entered a new era with the introduction of WERA-LP 96.7 onto the FM dial. A project of Arlington Independent Media, WERA's programming is produced by and for the community. WERA is an outlet for anyone interested in creating, producing, and delivering broadcast-quality content to the Arlington community and surrounding area. WERA-LP features local-centric programming brought to you by talented and dedicated volunteer producers working in a wide variety of genres and styles to bring the sights and sounds of the Arlington area to our listeners.
WERA-LP is Arlington’s only radio station. Broader coverage of DC and Northern Virginia often overshadows the news, events, people, stories, and culture that define one of the most diverse and innovative communities in the country. But WERA-LP and wera.fm will provide an opportunity for all Arlingtonians to raise their voices and share their perspectives – and listen to their friends and neighbors as they produce and deliver their own community radio programs.
Promoting Arlington’s Diversity
Ethnic diversity: According to a study done on the Arlington Public Schools, students come from 111 different countries and speak 88 different languages. Based on Census data, 22.4% of Arlington residents are foreign-born, compared to 11.5% in Virginia overall, 14.4% in Washington, DC and 7.4% in Baltimore. WERA, as a community radio station, welcomes programming in other languages to communicate with Arlington's underrepresented cultures and increase the visibility of these cultures to the rest of the community.
Diversity of opinion: As centers of United States and world policy and media, Arlington and DC attract people and organizations with many different viewpoints and backgrounds, all of which can be expressed via community radio.
Diversity of “experience": Participation in community radio has no requirements with regard to experience in radio or in life. We welcome participants of all ages, talents, beliefs, races, sexual orientation, genders, ethnicities, education, industries, abilities, cultures, marital statuses, incomes, political affiliations, religions.
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WERA-LP 96.7 FM
2701-C Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
Copyright 2015 WERA 96.7 FM. All rights reserved.
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To visit our online store, please verify your date of birth.
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Wine Class
Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas 'Les Souteyrades' 2016
Red wine. Southern Rhône, France. Organic. 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre. "The 2016 Gigondas Les Souteyrades checks in as 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre that was brought up all in foudre. It's another powerful, concentrated, awesome wine that has slightly more exotic notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, spice, and sappy garrigue. I almost always find a citrus note in this cuvée, which is full-bodied, opulent and mouthfilling on the palate, yet always stays graceful and lively." — 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com (Sept. 2018)
WEYGANDT WINES
3519 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW,
INFO@WEYGANDTWINES.COM
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Library and Archive
Visit the Library
Browse Library Catalog
Access to Archival Collections
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The Veterans Writing Project
Visiting Writers Program
The Art of War: Crafting Stories About Combat and Military Life
In honor of Veteran’s Day, we are exploring the craft of writing about war and military life. From the early days of cinema to this season’s current slate of television shows, the lives of soldiers and the complex worlds they inhabit remain a fascinating and endless source of stories for the screen.
On this special event, our panel of writers, some of whom are military veterans themselves, share their military experience, their process for chronicling tales of combat, how they’ve researched military life, how they’ve shaped characters’ points of view, and how they approach the themes they’ve chosen to tackle.
Brian Anthony (THE NIGHT SHIFT, ARMY WIVES)
Megan Ferrell Burke (MANHATTAN)
Sean Mullin (AMIRA & SAM)
Ken Nolan (TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT, BLACK HAWK DOWN)
Darryl Ponicsan (LAST FLAG FLYING, SCHOOL TIES, TAPS)
Chris Roessner (SAND CASTLE)
Moderated by the Director of Stephens College MFA in Television and Screenwriting Ken LaZebnik (ARMY WIVES, STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL).
Stay tuned for more panelist announcements!
Proceeds from this event’s ticket sales benefit the Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project. If you would like to make an additional donation to the program or would like to make a donation in honor of a military veteran, please visit our donation page.
Doors open at 7:00pm. Event starts at 7:30pm.
All events advertised on our “Events” page are open to anyone who wants to buy a ticket – not just WGA members!
In the case the event is sold out, we will have a first come, first serve stand-by line at the event. The stand-by line does not guarantee entry into the event.
Got a question about events? E-mail us at events@wgfoundation.org.
The Visionary: Writing, Directing and Changing the Game with Ava DuVernay
The Kids are All Write: Crafting Children's TV Series
Writers Guild Foundation, 7000 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, United States323-782-4692hello@wgfoundation.org
We are associated with, but independent of, the Writers Guild of America West. More information on the WGAW can be found at their website.
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Tag: Boundary Waters
Adventure & Relax on a Minnesota Camping Trip
Credit to Erica Wachker of ExploreMinnesota.com: https://www.exploreminnesota.com/travel-ideas/reconnect-on-a-camping-trip/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Camping in the Superior National Forest / Alyssa Hei
Relaxation, adventure, escape, and quality time with family and friends are among the many reasons why camping is a beloved Minnesota pastime. Whether you’re ready to take on the Boundary Waters or prefer the comforts of an RV, a Minnesota camping trip will surely be one to remember.
BOUNDARY WATERS & BACKPACKING
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness / Gary Hamer
Camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a badge of honor. There are no roads, buildings, motorboats, and definitely no cell phone service. The only mode of transportation is via canoe, with more than 1,500 miles of waterways to explore. When it’s time to set up camp, simply paddle to an open campsite and pitch your tent. Every campsite is private, so you’ll have a little piece of the wilderness all to yourselves.
Find Boundary Waters outfitters
Adjacent to the Boundary Waters, the Superior National Forest has a wide range of camping options, from primitive “dispersed camping” sites up to drive-in sites complete with bathhouses and electric hookups. Also in this picturesque part of the state, the Superior Hiking Trail covers nearly 300 miles of rugged terrain above the North Shore of Lake Superior, with more than 90 campsites along the way.
Backpacking at Lake Maria State Park
Another backpacking hot spot is Crosby Manitou State Park on the North Shore near Silver Bay, where challenging trails are flanked with spectacular views of waterfalls and forests. The secluded campsites are for backpackers only (though you may have to share them with moose, deer and other wildlife).
Similar camping experiences can be found in the northwest part of the state, in the Chippewa National Forest and along the North Country National Scenic Trail, which travels 800 miles across the northern half of Minnesota with multiple segments that stretch from the North Dakota border all the way to the Superior Hiking Trail.
Backpacking opportunities even exist near the Minneapolis-St. Paul area at Afton, Lake Maria and St. Croix state parks. Several state parks also have “walk-in” (less than half a mile) sites, with carts available to haul your gear in some cases.
Airstream at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park / Mali Mish Family
If you’re looking for a more laid back and family-friendly camping experience, Minnesota has about 500 privately operated campgrounds, most of which are on a lake or river, with sites for RVs as well as tents. Many are at resorts that also rent cabins and other indoor lodging.
These campgrounds usually feature an array of amenities, such as pools, playgrounds, game rooms, entertainment, boat rentals, Wi-Fi, and on-site laundry, groceries and restaurants. Many offer family-friendly activities like bonfires and other fun that make them a great choice for groups of all ages.
Many of Minnesota’s most scenic spots have been preserved as state parks, and most of the 75 parks and recreation areas have campgrounds with tent and RV sites. The settings range from forest to prairie; scenic hiking trails and access to a lake or river are among the highlights at these popular parks.
Camper cabin at Afton State Park / Kirsten Alana
Several state parks and some private campgrounds also rent camper cabins, an appealing alternative for those who don’t want to sleep in a tent. The majority have electricity and heat and can sleep up to six people. But without their own restrooms or running water, you can still say that you’re roughing it.
City and county campgrounds are another good option; in-town campgrounds are usually near shops, restaurants and attractions. If you don’t have your own camping equipment, various outfitters offer rentals of everything from tents and pop-up campers to top-of-the-line motorhomes complete with kitchens and master suites.
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Packard,
PH.D,QMHP
Obituary for Robert Packard, PH.D,QMHP
Dr. Robert "Bob" George Packard, age 85, of Watertown, SD passed away Saturday, December 1, 2018 at Prairie Lakes Hospital. There will be a Visitation from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. with a Time of Sharing at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 5, 2018. Robert George Packard was born on February 8, 1933 to Rollin and Carine (Carlson) Packard in Minneapolis, MN. He grew up in Minneapolis in a loving family during the depression and World War ll. He was the oldest of four children. Robert earned graduate degrees in Philosophy, American History, Experimental Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He worked as a teacher, mental health administrator and clinical psychologist in Minnesota, Colorado, and since 1990 at the Human Service Agency in Watertown. He authored several college textbooks and numerous articles. He was a student all his life. He was married to Sally Packard. The couple had two sons, Randy and Jim. He was the temporary father of many foster children and he sponsored a dozen Vietnamese refugees. He actively participated in the civil rights movement and in opposition to the Vietnam War, and he was often not proud of his country's administration. His passions included his sons, his clients, his violin and classical music, kayaking, rivers, national parks and traveling. He lived a full, varied and contented life. Throughout, he maintained a sense of humor and acceptance. His last words were: "I knew this would happen." Robert is survived by his sons, Randy Packard and Jim Packard of Watertown, SD; his former wife, Sally Packard of Minneapolis, MN, two brothers, Jim Packard and Tom (Joy) Packard of WI; and a brother-in-law, Dave Jasper of MN. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Sharon Jasper.
This obituary is protected by copyright by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel. Proudly Serving the Community of Watertown. Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel is located in the state of South Dakota, United States.
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FTC Investigation Does Not Constitute a Claim for a Wrongful Act
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has held that a formal investigation of an insured by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought only to determine whether a wrongful act had occurred—and did not allege an antitrust violation—and therefore did not constitute a “Claim,” defined in part as a demand or proceeding “against an Insured for a Wrongful Act.” Because the FTC’s investigation did not allege wrongdoing and was thus not a Claim, the Court held that the insured’s failure to provide notice of the investigation did not preclude coverage for the subsequent administrative and civil actions brought by the FTC. Employers’ Fire Insurance Co. v. ProMedica Health Systems, Inc., 2013 WL 1798978 (6th Cir. Apr. 30, 2013).
In July 2010, the FTC opened a “non-public preliminary investigation” into the insured healthcare provider’s proposed acquisition of a not-for-profit hospital “to determine whether the acquisition . . . may be anticompetitive.” In August 2010, the FTC transitioned the investigation to “full-phase”; issued a resolution authorizing the use of compulsory process in connection with the investigation; issued subpoenas to employees of the insured and the hospital; and issued subpoenas and Civil Investigatory Demands (CIDs) to the insured and the hospital. Because the transaction was set to close within the month, the FTC also requested that the insured enter into a “Hold Separate Agreement” whereby it agreed to limit its integration of the hospital into its healthcare system. In January 2011, the FTC filed administrative and civil complaints against the insured alleging that the acquisition violated Section 7 of the Clayton Act and seeking an injunction restraining further consolidation of the insured’s and hospital’s operations. The insured provided notice of the actions to its insurer that month.
Taking the position that the FTC’s investigation constituted a Claim first made in August 2010, during the policy period of the insured’s September 2009 to September 2010 claims-made policy, the insurer denied coverage based on the insured’s failure to provide notice “as soon as practicable … and in no event later than … ninety (90) days after the end of the Policy Period.” The insurer also denied coverage under the subsequent policy based on the “Related Claims” provision and, alternatively, the insured’s failure to disclose the acquisition or FTC investigation in its renewal application. The insurer sought a declaration that the insured was not entitled to coverage under either policy. Ruling on cross-motions for summary judgment, the district court held in favor of the insurer, finding that the FTC investigation constituted a Claim first made in August 2010.
The Sixth Circuit reversed, holding that the FTC’s investigation was not a Claim as defined by the policies and that the insured’s notice of the litigation was thus sufficient. Interpreting the policies under Ohio law, the Court held that there were four elements required for a Claim: (1) a “written demand” or “proceeding”; (2) seeking “monetary, non-monetary or injunctive relief”; (3) “against an Insured”; (4) “for a Wrongful Act.” Focusing on the fourth element and the policies’ definition of “Wrongful Act” as “any actual or alleged” antitrust violation, the Court first gave the term “alleged”—not defined in the policies—“its common, ordinary, and usual meaning” of “asserted to be true as described” or “accused but not yet tried.” The Court then held that the FTC’s investigation was not a Claim because “the FTC did not ‘assert to be true’ or ‘declare’ that antitrust violations had occurred or would occur . . . . Rather, the communications . . . only indicated that the FTC sought to determine ‘whether’ such violations had occurred or would occur.” In particular, the court noted that the resolution authorizing compulsory process stated that the commission sought “to determine whether” the acquisition would violate the antitrust law; that “even ‘full-phase’ FTC investigations do not necessarily lead to litigation”; and that CIDs can be issued “to ‘any person’ for the purpose of obtaining information about potential antitrust violations” and do “not indicate that the recipient is accused of antitrust violations.”
In reaching its holding, the Court rejected the argument that its interpretation of Claim rendered meaningless the portion of the definition addressing a “formal investigative order.” The Court acknowledged that “other formal investigative orders may give rise to a ‘claim’ because they ‘allege’ wrongdoing,” but stated that “those at issue in this case did not.” The Court also declined to follow two non-binding district court opinions, ACE American Insurance Co. v. Ascend One Corp., 570 F. Supp. 2d 789 (D. Md. 2008) (holding that an administrative subpoena and CID constituted claims), and National Stock Exchange v. Federal Insurance Co., 2007 WL 1030293 (N.D. Ill. 2007) (holding that formal investigative order alleged a wrongful act). According to the Court, neither of those cases “analyzes the plain meaning of the term ‘alleged.’”
Separately, the Court held that the FTC’s investigative actions in August 2010 did not constitute demands or proceedings for “monetary, non-monetary or injunctive relief” as required by the second element of the policies’ definition of Claim. Finding that “relief” means “the redress or benefit . . . that a party asks of a court,” the Sixth Circuit rejected the district court’s implied holding that “the ‘relief’ requirement may be satisfied if ‘relief’ may be sought in the future” as contrary to the “plain language” of the policies.
Concluding that the FTC first made a Claim against the insured in January 2011, during the policy period of the 2010 policy, the Court remanded the case to the district court to determine whether the insured’s failure to disclose the acquisition or FTC investigation in its renewal application barred recovery under that policy.
Anna, a partner in the TMT Practice and co-chair of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice, was recently elected Assistant Treasurer of the Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA), and began her term on July 1.
Anna M. Gomez
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Sports Hockey Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets (47 – 30 – 5)
Injuries & Transactions
Samberg moves up list of prospects
Jets' player pipeline brimming with talent
By: Mike McIntyre
Posted: 02/22/2019 11:25 PM | Comments:
Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press
Dylan Samberg celebrates a goal for the United States against the Czech Republic during the IIHF world juniors quarter-final hockey action in Victoria in January.
Dylan Samberg admits there may not be a whole lot of flash and dash to his game. But the Winnipeg Jets draft pick is trending up these days, playing a shutdown style on defence that has many hoping for a long and prosperous NHL career.
Samberg, 20, was a big part of the United States squad that captured the silver medal at the world junior championship in January in B.C., with two assists in seven games and a plus-three rating. He’s also having a stellar sophomore season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth team that is currently ranked third in the U.S.
“I feel like I’ve definitely progressed as the season’s been going along. I feel like the world juniors really helped me with my confidence again, going back there. I really wanted to just kind of hone in on some of my skills, keep progressing with my game. I feel like I’m doing that, and I feel like I keep doing that as the season goes along,” Samberg told the Free Press this week in a telephone interview.
Samberg, chosen by the Winnipeg Jets in the second round (43rd overall) in the 2017 draft, is one of the most intriguing prospects in the team’s pipeline. His name has even come up this week as a potential target for the Ottawa Senators in ongoing trade talks surrounding forward Mark Stone.
Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files
Jets prospect Dylan Samberg (left, upending Russia’s Vitali Kravtsov) is progressing in his second season of U.S. college hockey.
"I feel like I’ve definitely progressed as the season’s been going along. I feel like the world juniors really helped me with my confidence again, going back there. I really wanted to just kind of hone in on some of my skills, keep progressing with my game. I feel like I’m doing that, and I feel like I keep doing that as the season goes along," Samberg told the Free Press this week in a telephone interview.
And why not? The left-shot blue-liner has got plenty of size at 6-4 and 215 pounds, and makes life miserable for opponents. He’s also added a lot more offence this year, with five goals and five assists in 25 NCAA Division 1 games this season after putting up one goal and 12 assists in 42 games as a freshman.
"I think a lot of that (offence) comes with experience. I’ve got a year under my belt now, and kind of know how the college game works at this level. I started to shoot the puck more. I haven’t hit the net as much as I’ve wanted to. Obviously, some of it’s working out for me. But, really, my defensive game is my strong suit. But if I can help out offensively, that’s definitely a bonus," said Samberg, who also played in the 2018 world juniors in Buffalo, N.Y.
Samberg, a product of Hermantown, Minn., said he’s long been a fan of Marco Scandella, a Minnesota Wild draft pick who is now playing with the Buffalo Sabres. Scandella, 28, has played more than 500 games in his NHL career.
"He’s good defensively, moves pucks well. Obviously, he can get up in the rush and create some offence," Samberg said. "I feel like my game is definitely defensive, I like to be a shutdown defenceman. I also like to get up in the play and create some offence. But you’ve gotta do defence first to create some offence."
His college team, 18-8-2 on the year, was getting ready this week to play a pair of games just a couple hours down the highway from Winnipeg, at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday night and tonight.
Samberg has kept a close eye on the Jets this season and had plenty of contact with the organization. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was in Vancouver to watch the world juniors, and director of player development Jimmy Roy and assistant of player development Mike Keane have visited Samberg on multiple occasions.
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"They really help me with how I’m doing and everything, and really pointing me in the right direction with my development," Samberg said.
Could that direction include turning pro after this season rather than returning for his junior season?
"Really, right now, I’m just trying to worry about this season and go from there. Probably more than likely wait until after the season until I make any decision. I don’t want to make anything too quickly," he said.
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre
Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.
Stocking the shelves
A look at how the Winnipeg Jets’ draft picks from 2017 and 2018 are faring this season with their respective teams. All stats as of Friday:
F Kristian Vesalainen, 19 (2017, first round, 24th overall): five games with the NHL Winnipeg Jets (0G, 1A), eight games with the AHL Manitoba Moose (3G, 5A), 30 games with Jokerit of the KHL (6G, 11A)
D Dylan Samberg, 20 (2017, second round, 43rd overall): seven games with the U.S. world junior championship squad (0G, 2A), 25 games with University of Minnesota-Duluth in NCAA Division 1 (5G, 5A)
D Johnathan Kovacevic, 21 (2017, third round, 74th overall): 27 games with Merrimack College in NCAA Division 1 (4G, 11A)
F Santeri Virtanen, 19 (2017, fourth round, 105th overall): seven games with Finland at the world juniors (1G, 2A), 39 games with SaiPa Lappeenranta of SM-liiga (5G, 5A)
D Leon Gawanke, 19 (2017, fifth round, 136th overall): 51 games with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL (13G, 31A).
G Arvid Holm, 20 (2017, sixth round, 167th overall): 28 games with Karlskrona HK of Swe-1 (14-13-0, 2.55 G.A.A., .909 SV%)
F Skyler Mckenzie, 21 (2017, seventh round, 198th overall): 44 games with the Manitoba Moose (8G, 8A)
D Croix Evingson, 21 (2017, seventh round, 211th overall): 16 games with UMass-Lowell of NCAA Division 1 (0G, 2A).
F David Gustafsson, 18 (2018, second round, 60th overall): 27 games with HV71 Jonkoping of SweHL (0G, 9A)
F Nathan Smith, 20 (2018, third round, 91st overall): 42 games with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL (13G. 23A)
D Declan Chisholm, 19 (2018, fifth round, 150th overall): 56 games with Peterborough Petes of the OHL (4G, 35A)
D Giovanni Vallati, 19 (2018, fifth round, 153rd overall): 58 games with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL (10G, 30A)
G Jared Moe, 19 (2018, sixth round, 184th overall): 28 games with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL (13-7-1, 2.79 GAA, .905 SV%)
F Austin Wong, 18 (2018, seventh round, 215th overall): 45 games with the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL (29G, 30A)
Feb 22, 2019: Ehlers will be on the ice for the Jets in Vegas after all Jason Bell
Feb 23, 2019: Jets hit jackpot with 6-3 win in Vegas Jason Bell
Feb 22, 2019: Acquiring new centre would suit Little fine Jason Bell
Feb 22, 2019: Former Jets GM was dumbfounded, then delighted when Oilers passed on Shane Doan at '95 draft Jason Bell
Feb 22, 2019: Tanev producing, but Jets' third line missing its dangerous edge Andrew Berkshire
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ArcelorMittal SA v. WhoIs Privacy Services Pty. Ltd. / 21562719 Ont Ltd
The Complainant is ArcelorMittal SA of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, represented by Nameshield, France.
The Respondent is WhoIs Privacy Services Pty Ltd / 21562719 Ont Ltd of Queensland, Australia and Ontario, Canada, respectively.
2. The Domain Name And Registrar
The disputed domain name <lakshmimittal.com> is registered with Fabulous.com (the “Registrar”).
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on February 17, 2011. On February 17, 2011, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On February 18, 2011, Fabulous.com. transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the disputed domain name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on February 20, 2011 providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amended Complaint on February 22, 2011.
The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amended Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on March 1, 2011. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was March 21, 2011. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on March 22, 2011.
The Center appointed Ian Blackshaw as the sole panelist in this matter on April 4, 2011. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
The Complainant was created in 2006, following the merger of Arcelor SA and Mittal Steel Company N.V.
The Company Mittal Steel Company N.V. was owned by the Mittal family (before the merger), which was one of the world's largest steel producers by volume, and also one of the largest in turnover.
Sir Lakshmi Niwas Mittal (also known as Lakshmi Mittal) is the chief executive officer of the Complainant.
The Complainant makes the following assertions:
i.. The disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights. (Policy, paragraph 4(a)(i), Rules, paragraphs 3(b)(viii), (b)(ix)(1))
Arcelormittal owns several registrations for and incorporating the trademarks MITTAL and MITTAL STEE such as:
No. 4592382
MITTAL
registered on August 16,2005
MITTAL STEEL
registered on January 7, 2005
registered on June 23, 2005
registered on August 9, 2004
registered on April 20, 2005
registered on June 1, 2005
Evidence of the above registrations has been provided to the Panel.
The Complainant contends that the trademark MITTAL is known worldwide.
The notoriety of the MITTAL trademark has been demonstrated in prior WIPO UDRP decisions i.e. Arcelormittal v. Mesotek Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. , WIPO Case No. D2010-2049; Mittal Steel Technologies Limited, Mittal Steel Company NV and Arcelor SA v. Jean Frederic Serete, WIPO Case No. D2006-1353; ArcelorMittal Legal Affairs Corporate, Vanisha Mittal, Aditya Mittal v. All Illumination, Vanisha Mittal, info@setrillonario.com, WIPO Case No. DME2010-0006.
In Arcelormittal v. info@setrillonario.com, WIPO Case No. D2010-1417, the panel had found that the Complainant clearly has trademark rights in the MITTAL mark for the purposes of the Policy and that MITTAL falls into a category of marks that is inherently highly distinctive and, therefore, functions as a “strong” mark.
The disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the trademark MITTAL STEEL and identical to the trademark MITTAL. The Complainant also contends that the trademark is included in its entirety within this domain name.
The disputed domain name is identical to Lakshmi Mittal, a member of the Complainant’s board and chief executive officer, evidence of which has been provided to the Panel.
According to The Ritz Hotel Limited v Damir Kruzicevic, WIPO Case No. D2002-0782, and Quintessentially (UK) Limited v Mark Schnorrenberg/Quintessentially Concierge, WIPO Case No. D2006-1643, numerous UDRP panels have found that the fact that a disputed domain name wholly incorporates the complainant’s registered mark may be sufficient to establish confusing similarity for the purposes of the Policy.
ii. The Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name. (Policy, paragraph 4(a)(ii); Rules, paragraph 3(b)(ix)(2))
According to Croatia Airlines d.d. v. Modern Empire Internet Ltd., WIPO Case No. D2003-0455, a complainant is required to make out a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests. Once such prima facie case is made, the respondent carries the burden of demonstrating rights or legitimate interests in the domain name. If the respondent fails to do so, a complainant is deemed to have satisfied paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the UDRP.
The Complainant contends the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the trademark MITTAL. The Complainant also contends that the disputed domain name is identical to the name of the Complaint’s CEO Lakshmi Mittal.
The Complainant contends that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name and is not related in any way with the Complainant. The Complainant does not carry out any activity for, nor has any business with, the Respondent. Neither a license nor authorization has been granted to the Respondent to make any use, or apply for registration of the disputed domain name by the Complainant.
The website associated with the disputed domain name <lakshmimittal.com> displays information regarding the sale of the disputed domain name for an amount of USD 5,000.00, evidence of which has been provided to the Panel.
Considering that the use of the MITTAL trademark has not been authorized or licensed to the Respondent and the disputed domain name does not correspond to the Respondent's name by which it has become commonly known and the website at the disputed domain name includes several links to the websites of the competitors of the Complainant, the Complainant contends that the Respondent cannot be regarded as using the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services.
iii. The domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith. (Policy, paragraphs 4(a)(iii), 4(b); Rules, paragraph 3(b)(ix)(3))
The Complainant contends that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the trademark MITTAL, which is known worldwide. The disputed domain name is identical to the name of the Complainant’s CEO Lakshmi Mittal. Moreover, the addition of term “lakshmi” is not sufficient to establish a distinction with the Complaint, and its trademark MITTAL and its products.
The website associated with the disputed domain name displays information regarding the sale of the disputed domain name. The disputed domain name is on sale for an amount of USD 5,000.00
According to paragraph 4(b) of the Policy, to acquire the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the Complainant which is the owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that Complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name, is considered as a bad faith See Air Group v. Pat Reinhardt, WIPO Case No. D2000-0482.
On the above described facts, the Complainant contends that the Respondent has registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith.
The Respondent, having been duly notified of the Complaint and of these proceedings, did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions or take any part in these proceedings.
To qualify for cancellation or transfer of the disputed domain name, the Complainant must prove each of the following elements of paragraph 4(a) of the Policy, namely:
(i) The disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and
(ii) The Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name; and
(ii) The disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
In accordance with paragraph 15(a) of the Rules, the Panel shall decide the Complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted and in accordance with the Policy, the Rules, and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable.
In accordance with paragraph 14(a) of the Rules, in the event that a party, in the absence of exceptional circumstances, does not comply with any of the time periods established by the Rules or the Panel, the Panel shall proceed to a decision on the Complaint; and under paragraph 14(b) of the Rules, if a party, in the absence of exceptional circumstances, does not comply with any provision of, or requirement under, the Rules or any request from the Panel, the Panel shall draw such inferences as it considers appropriate.
In accordance with paragraph 10(d) of the Rules, the Panel shall determine the admissibility, relevance, materiality and weight of the evidence.
In previous UDRP cases in which the respondents failed to file a response, the panels’ decisions were based upon the complainants’ assertions and evidence, as well as inferences drawn from the respondents’ failure to reply. See The Vanguard Group, Inc. v. Lorna Kang, WIPO Case No. D2002-1064; and also Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei v. Macros Telekom Corp., WIPO Case No. D2001-0936.
Nevertheless, a panel must not decide in the complainant’s favor solely based on the respondent’s default. See Cortefiel, S.A. v. Miguel García Quintas, WIPO Case No. D2000-0140. In this case, the Panel must decide whether the Complainant has introduced elements of proof, which allow the Panel to conclude that its allegations are true.
It is well established in previous UDRP cases that, where a disputed domain name incorporates a complainant’s registered trademark, this may be sufficient to establish that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar for the purposes of the Policy. See Magnum Piering, Inc. v. The Mudjackers and Garwood S. Wilson, Sr., WIPO Case No. D2000-1525.
In the present case, the disputed domain name incorporates the Complainants’ well-known registered trademark MITTAL. This, in the view of the Panel, is bound to lead to confusion on the part of consumers and Internet users seeking information on the Complainant’s company and its products marketed under its well-known registered trademark MITTAL.
Further confusion is generated by the fact that the disputed domain name also incorporates the name of the CEO of the Complainant, Lakshmi Mittal, who is a well-known businessman internationally.
The addition of a top level domain (gTLD) here, “.com”, to the disputed domain name does not constitute an element in the disputed domain name so as to avoid confusing similarity. See The Coca-Cola Company v. David Jurkiewicz, WIPO Case No. DME2010-0008; Telecom Personal, S.A., v. NAMEZERO.COM, Inc, WIPO Case No. D2001-0015; F. Hoffmann La Roche AG v. Macalve e dominios S.A., WIPO Case No. D2006-0451; and Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003. See also Aktiebolaget Electrolux v. Jose Manuel, WIPO Case No. D2010-2031.
In view of the above, the Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s well-known registered trademark MITTAL, in which the Complainant has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Panel, that it has rights in and commercial use of the same for several years. The first element of the Policy, therefore, has been met.
In order to determine whether the Respondent has any rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name (paragraph 4(c) of the Policy), attention must be paid to any of the following circumstances in particular but without limitation:
- whether there is any evidence of the Respondent’s use of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the domain name or a name corresponding to the domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services before any notice to the Respondent of the dispute;
- whether the Respondent (as an individual, business, or other organization) has been commonly known by the domain name, even if the Respondent has acquired no trademark or service mark rights;
- whether the Respondent is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent for commercial gain misleadingly to divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue.
There is no evidence before the Panel to show that the Respondent was acting in pursuance of any rights or legitimate interests with respect to registering the disputed domain name. On the contrary, if the Respondent had any such rights or legitimate interests, the Respondent would have reasonably been expected to assert them, which the Respondent clearly has not done, by not replying to the Complaint. See Belupo d.d. v. WACHEM d.o.o., WIPO Case No. D2004-0110.
There is no evidence before the Panel that the Respondent has been authorized or licensed by the Complainant to use the Complainant’s well-known registered trademark MITTAL. In fact, in the view of the Panel, the adoption by the Respondent of a domain name confusingly similar to the Complainant’s well-known registered trademark MITTAL inevitably leads to confusion on the part of Internet users and consumers seeking information about the Complainant and its products (see further on this point below). Further, the Panel finds that the Respondent is consequentially tarnishing the Complainant’s well-known and, therefore, valuable trademark MITTAL and also the valuable goodwill that the Complainant has established in this trademark through advertising and commercial use of the same over several years, sufficient evidence of which has been provided to the Panel, without any right or legal justification for doing so.
Also, the Panel finds no evidence that the Respondent has used, or undertaken any demonstrable preparations to use the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services.
Likewise, no evidence has been adduced that the Respondent has commonly been known by the disputed domain name; nor, for the reasons mentioned above, is the Respondent making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the disputed domain name.
Therefore, for all the above reasons, the Panel concludes that the Respondent has neither rights nor legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.
Regarding the bad faith requirement, paragraph 4(b) of the Policy lists four examples of acts, which prima facie constitute evidence of bad faith. However, this list is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative. See Nova Banka v. Iris, WIPO Case No. D2003-0366.
Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy is particularly relevant to the present case and provides that there is evidence of bad faith in the following circumstances:
“(iv) by using the domain name, [the respondent has] intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to [its] web site or other on line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant’s mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of [the respondent’s] web site or location or of a product or service on [its] web site or location.”
Based on the record, the Panel considers that the Respondent, by registering the disputed domain name, is trading unfairly on the Complainants’ valuable goodwill established in its well-known registered trademark MITTAL.
By registering and using the disputed domain name incorporating the well-known registered trademark MITTAL, the effect is to mislead Internet users and consumers into thinking that the Respondent is, in some way or another, connected to, sponsored by or affiliated with the Complainant and its business; or that the Respondent’s activities are approved or endorsed by the Complainant. None of which the Panel can find, on the basis of the record, is, in fact, the situation. Such misleading consequences, in the view of the Panel, are indicative of bad faith on the part of the Respondent. See Columbia Insurance Company v. Pampered Gourmet, WIPO Case No. D2004-0649.
Furthermore, see also Microsoft Corporation v. J. Holiday Co., WIPO Case No. D2000-1493, in which it was stated that “consumers expect to find a company on the Internet at a domain name address comprised of the company’s name or trademark”. As this is not, in fact, the situation in the present case, the use by the Respondent of the disputed domain name is confusing and misleading and, in the view of the Panel, this is a further indication that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith. The fact that the disputed domain name is stated to be for sale, as mentioned above, is also evidence of bad faith pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 4(b)(i) of the Policy.
Finally, the failure also of the Respondent to answer the Complaint or take any part in the present proceedings, again, in the view of the Panel, is another indication of bad faith on the part of the Respondent. See Bayerische Motoren Werke AG v. (This Domain is For Sale) Joshuathan Investments, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2002-0787.
Therefore, taking all these particular facts and circumstances into account and for all the above mentioned reasons, the Panel concludes that the Respondent has registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name <lakshmimittal.com> be transferred to the Complainant.
Ian Blackshaw
Dated: April 7, 2011
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Police logs: Resident finds syringes
Find out what Wisconsin Rapids-area residents are reporting in their neighborhoods.
Police logs: Resident finds syringes Find out what Wisconsin Rapids-area residents are reporting in their neighborhoods. Check out this story on wisconsinrapidstribune.com: http://wrtnews.co/2hOjpUC
Karen Madden, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Published 10:28 a.m. CT Jan. 3, 2017
Wisconsin Rapids-area police logs(Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo
» At 8:14 a.m. Monday, a Wisconsin Rapids woman reported her ex-boyfriend was driving around her neighborhood and knocking on the window.
» At 9:33 a.m. Monday, an employee at Kwik Trip, 2520 W. Grand Ave., reported a gas drive-off.
» At 12:13 p.m. Monday, a Grand Rapids woman reported someone was using her credit card at a Wisconsin Rapids business.
» At 3:04 p.m. Monday, a man reported he went to pick up items from his "estranged residence" and a man hiding inside the house assaulted him. After talking to an officer, the man decided not to file a report.
» At 3:10 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a trespasser in the 3200 block of Reddin Road.
» At 3:43 p.m. Monday, a caller reported finding syringes in the 600 block of Ninth Street North.
» At 5:29 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a woman was walking in the 700 block of 10th Street South and a man was circling her.
» At 6:33 p.m. Monday, officers arrested a man on a probation hold after investigating a report of drug activity.
» At 7:57 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a traffic crash near the intersection of Eighth Street South and Griffith Avenue.
» At 8:02 p.m. Monday, a Wisconsin Rapids man reported he was receiving unwanted texts from his uncle. Police warned the uncle to stop texting the Wisconsin Rapids man.
» At 9:40 p.m. Monday, a Wisconsin Rapids woman reported a man wouldn't let her leave a residence.
» At 4:13 a.m. Monday, at 4:13 a.m. Tuesday, police arrested a man following a domestic disturbance.
RELATED: Police logs: Woman reports tailgater
RELATED: Logs: Caller reports stuck raccoon
» At 10:24 a.m. Monday, a Saratoga resident reported being the victim of a computer scam.
» At 1:05 p.m. Monday, a Rudolph man reported someone vandalized a mailbox in the 6700 block of Third Avenue, Rudolph.
» At 2:29 p.m. Monday, police arrested a man on Market Street after a caller reported the man was extremely drunk.
» At 7:34 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a car in the ditch near the intersection of State 73 South and Mill Avenue, Saratoga.
» At 8:56 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a traffic crash in the 7800 block of Plover Road, Grand Rapids.
» At 10:42 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a traffic crash near the intersection of Wood County A and State 10.
» At 11:31 p.m. Monday, a caller reported a pickup in a ditch near the intersection of Wood County Z and Nepco Lake Road, village of Port Edwards.
» At 4:26 a.m. Tuesday, a caller reported a traffic crash near the intersection of State 66 and Wood County O, Rudolph.
» At 5:52 a.m. Tuesday, a caller reported a pickup in a ditch near the intersection of State 34 and County Line Road, Rudolph.
Read or Share this story: http://wrtnews.co/2hOjpUC
Wisconsin Rapids Records
Police logs: Small child hanging out of vehicle window
Caitlin Shuda
Car hits cow, excessive tree trimming among reports in police logs
Police logs: Man finds malnourished cats locked in shed
Police logs: Man vacuums up drugs at car wash, requests staff open machine
Police logs: Someone blows up mailbox
Police logs: Officer helps snapping turtle
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS ETHICS WITH A SPLASH OF VODKA
Iceberg Vodka president addresses students at CEO-in-Residence Speaker Series
In September 1982, Johnson & Johnson considered eliminating one of its flagship brands - Tylenol. Someone in the Chicago area had been replacing the acetaminophen in their extra-strength capsules with cyanide. Before it was over, seven people were killed and Johnson & Johnson faced a crisis of public confidence in their products few companies ever experience.
This is the situation in which David Meyers found himself during his first job after graduating from the Lazaridis BBA program in 1981.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but this would be the first of many moral and ethical issues I’d face over my career,” says Meyers who was selected to be the first CEO-in-Residence of 2019 at the Lazaridis School. He framed his talk about crisis management and business ethics around three key experiences from his career.
“Not only is that unethical to do, it’s also illegal – it’s fraud. I told my boss I wouldn’t do it and a few weeks later was asked to leave the company.”
“From the strong business grounding I got at Laurier, I’ve been able to answer some very difficult questions over my career. Questions like, how do you respond when someone uses your product to cause harm? How do you respond when your boss asks you to commit fraud? How do you deal with product theft in the luxury industry?”
Instead of ending the Tylenol brand all together, Johnson & Johnson decided to pull all of its product off the shelves at a cost of more than $260 million in today’s dollars. The company also decided to lead the industry in anti-tampering product design.
“As a result of the tampering crisis, we were the first to implement the three-step safety protocol – glued boxes, plastic lid seals and foil bottle seals – all of which are the industry standard today. We had an entire campaign dedicated to teaching the public how to spot unsafe pill bottles and our brand recovered faster than expected.”
From there, Meyers moved into the food industry to a company that was more concerned with profits than ethics.
“It’s not the same company today, but at the time everyone did what was needed to ‘make plan’ which was essentially sticking to the budget that led to profit and bonuses no matter what.”
One day, Meyers’ boss came to him and asked him to offload hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing expenses to the next budget year.
These lessons in integrity would continue to serve Meyers as he advanced his career, eventually landing at the position of Managing Director of Mount Gay Distilleries Ltd. in Barbados.
“Coming into a management role from outside the company is always a challenge because of the learning curve. But once I learned about the business, some things started to seem off.”
Meyers explained that during the distillation process, six to eight per cent of the product is lost to evaporation. “But at Mount Gay,” Meyers explained, “we were losing 12% to ‘evaporation’.”
Meyers did everything a manager should do to reduce losses, including tightening thousands of barrels to re-calibrating all of their machinery and tools. But in the end, the only explanation for losses this high was theft from inside the production facility.
Using a private investigator, Meyers eventually uncovered two theft rings involving 17 employees who were running a very sophisticated operation to steal and sell strong rum on the black market.
“When it was over, the employees who knew about the theft were glad it was uncovered because it restored integrity to the company and began to re-build trust between management and the staff – we became a family.”
Today, Meyers is the President and CEO of Canadian Iceberg Vodka Corp., the largest Canadian-owned vodka distillery in the world. The lessons Meyers has learned over the years have helped him gain perspective into the opportunities that lie behind a crisis.
“Recently, our company was the victim of a heist at our Newfoundland production facility. Thieves made off with hundreds of gallons of pure iceberg water which was not ideal, but the story went global and earned 200 million impressions. Our brand was actually reinforced by the event because the story highlighted the fact that we only use pure iceberg water to make our vodka.”
Lessons in leadership from David Meyers, CEO-in-Residence
In order to respond, you must first understand the issue.
Don’t try to solve a problem you don’t understand.
Once you understand it, manage the crisis – quickly.
Stop the immediate harm first – safety is always the most important thing.
Know who to trust and keep them in your inner circle.
Communicate properly as the situation requires.
Get stakeholder buy-in.
Act decisively once a decision has been made.
Seek feedback, fine-tune your strategy, repeat.
Be consistent.
The Lazaridis CEO-in-Residence Speaker Series is hosted twice a year by the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. For more information about how to get involved, contact Patrycja Godomski.
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Zegrahm Expeditions Announces Diving on 2014 Expeditions to the Seychelles and Madagascar
100-Guest, All-Suite Island Sky to be Fully Retrofitted for Scuba Diving Operations
Seattle, WA (June 4, 2014) – Zegrahm Expeditions, the world leader in small-ship cruising and overland adventures, is pleased to announce a new installation on one of its ships—the 100-guest Island Sky will be retrofitted to offer complimentary scuba diving on the upcoming Ultimate Aldabra and Voyage to Madagascar expeditions. Already outfitted with snorkeling equipment, this spacious expedition vessel will now cater to an even more adventurous clientele.
Ultimate Aldabra: A Voyage through the Seychelles, November 16 – December 2, 2014, is a 17-day journey that will explore the remote islands of the Seychelles, and the waters that surround it. With a perimeter of 70 miles, Aldabra is one of the largest atolls in the world, and guests will spend four full days exploring this pristine natural environment. Besides discovering a wealth of rare and endemic species—including giant Indian Ocean tortoises, Aldabra white-throated rails, and Seychelles paradise-flycatchers—guests will snorkel and dive over 150 types of coral, observing some 850 species of rainbow-hued fish, as well as manta rays, spinner dolphins, green and hawksbill turtles, and hundreds of giant clams. Priced from $12,970 per person.
Departing November 28, 2014, the 19-day Voyage to Madagascar with Zanzibar, Comoros, Réunion & Mauritius combines rugged coastlines with pristine coral reefs and a vast variety of wildlife. Guests will spend six days in Madagascar alone, searching for mouse, black, and brown lemurs; 32 species of reptiles; and over 100 species of birds. With the addition of diving, guests will spend time among some of East Africa’s healthiest reefs, teeming with colorful fish, reef sharks, and turtles. Other highlights include visiting Zanzibar’s Stone Town—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—searching the indigenous forest in Mauritius, and exploring the mélange of Arabic and French architecture in the Comoros. Priced from $13,980 per person.
“We are thrilled to announce this additional enhancement aboard the recently-refurbished Island Sky,” says Zegrahm President Edwin Blythe. “This upgrade will allow our guests to fully immerse themselves into the destination—not only will they comprehensively explore the terrestrial environment, they’ll now have the opportunity to delve into the waters below, discovering myriad marine species.”
On each of these voyages, travelers will be joined by an exceptional expedition team of naturalists, divemasters, and marine biologists, along with Zegrahm cofounders Jack Grove, Peter Harrison, and Shirley Metz; plus, Mike Messick on Voyage to Madagascar. For more information about Zegrahm or to make a reservation on an upcoming expedition, please visit www.zegrahm.com or call 1-800-628-8747.
Celebrating 25 years in expedition travel in 2015, Seattle-based Zegrahm Expeditions Inc. is a leading adventure travel company specializing in small-ship expedition cruises, tours, and safaris to remote and intriguing destinations around the world. Led by expert guides and lecturers, Zegrahm itineraries are carefully crafted and all-inclusive, feature deluxe accommodations, and operate in all seven continents.
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Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt and More Reunite to Perform at Closing of Famed Los Angeles Venue
Nick Mojica
@Passionweiss via Twitter
After 12 years, Low End Theory night at the Airliner venue in Los Angeles is no more. The famed club held its final event on Wednesday (Aug. 8) but made sure to go out with a bang. On hand for the last night were Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, who had a mini Odd Future reunion with Syd, Hodgy Beats, Mike G and Left Brain.
It's been six years since the group last released The OF Tape Vol. 2, but Tyler, Earl and the rest of Odd Future made sure to treat their fans to a few of their hits on Wednesday night including the song "Orange Juice."
During the set, Tyler also took some time to reminisce about Odd Future's first Low End Theory show and recalled the $500 they were paid at the time. "[Daddy Kev] gave me $500 and we split that bitch in the bathroom of a Denny's on Crenshaw," the "Okra" rapper told the crowd. "That was the most money we ever made in our motherfuckin' life."
The night also included appearances from Ty Dolla $ign and A$AP Rocky, the latter of whom took the stage with Tyler to perform "Telephone Calls."
It's been three years since Tyler, The Creator said Odd Future was "no more" and during that time, we haven't heard much about the group. But last year, former member Syd spoke about the collective's breakup, saying touring may have played a role in their demise.
"Shit got out of hand when we started touring," she said during a Reddit AMA. "Most of us never had money and had never been on tour, and it was a lot to take in. We were kids. Still are."
Check out footage from the final Low End Theory night below.
63 Hip-Hop Artists Who've Gone Gold in 2018
Filed Under: Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler The Creator
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Rising Sea Levels: The View from a Canoe
Decades ago, the legendary journey of the open-ocean canoe Hokule‘a revealed secrets of Hawai‘i’s past and sparked pride in native culture. Now, a voyage around the world offers a new generation lessons about Earth’s uncertain future.
Kids play under the 62-foot double hull of canoe Hokule‘a, off Kailua.
Photo by Taylor Boger
Sena Christian posted May 02, 2019
This article from the YES! Media archives was originally published in the Spring 2012 issue of YES! Magazine. It has not been updated.
Haunani Kane rises from the hulls of Hokule‘a, the legendary double-hulled Hawaiian canoe. She stretches her back, stiff from squatting in the tight space where she’s been sanding fiberglass. She removes her protective gear and scrunches up her face. “It gets so sticky,” says the 24-year-old.
The old Hawaiian proverb komo mai kau mapuna hoe means “dip your paddle in” or join the effort, and Kane is one of a dozen volunteers gathered on this warm August evening at the Marine Education Training Center outside downtown Honolulu to restore a boat that rewrote history.
In 1976, Hokule‘a’s voyage to Tahiti helped prove that ancient Polynesians were not drifters who accidentally discovered the Hawaiian Islands, but expert navigators. The boat launched a cultural revival in Hawai‘i. But when it was dry-docked last year on O‘ahu and stripped down to its shell, it was rotten from sailing 140,000 nautical miles.
Kane is part of a group called Kapu Na Keiki—meaning “to hold the children sacred”—young voyagers who are now helping repair and restore Hokule‘a with the hope of taking her on a four-year worldwide journey beginning in 2013.
A handsome middle-aged man in mismatched flip-flop sandals, a torn polo shirt, and cuffed jeans surveys the volunteers’ work. This is Nainoa Thompson, who was part of Hokule‘a’s first crew and, in 1980, became the first Hawaiian on record in hundreds of years to navigate a voyaging canoe using traditional wayfaring, relying on the ocean swells, waves, sun, moon, stars, and seabirds to cross the open seas. Thompson’s lifelong work has been to demonstrate to Hawaiians how vital, resilient, and strong their traditions are.
Now as the generation originally shaped by Hokule‘a grows older, Thompson sees the 2013 journey as an important step to help Hawai‘i’s youth define their identity and face threats to Hawaiian culture and economy, such as climate change. Thompson believes Hawai‘i can become a model for sustainability and the canoe can serve as a classroom for examining climate change. He says his organization, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, has mandated that 40 percent of the worldwide crew be under the age of 30.
Thompson is both exacting and ambitious with his young crew because he knows what a powerful force wayfaring has been in his life and for Hawaiian culture.
Hokule‘a’s lessons
In 1973, artist Herb Kane, anthropologist Ben Finney, and researcher Tommy Holmes set out to show that ancient Polynesians were skilled sailors and knowledgeable navigators who purposefully explored and settled small bodies of land, including the most isolated archipelago on Earth, the Hawaiian Islands.
They designed Hokule‘a and named it after the “Star of Gladness”—Arcturus in Western astronomy—a guiding zenith star that helps sailors find Hawai‘i. They formed the Polynesian Voyaging Society and developed a training program to test the abilities of hundreds of people who hoped to be part of Hokule‘a’s 2,400-mile inaugural voyage from Maui to Tahiti. Mau Piailug, a master navigator from the tiny Micronesian atoll of Satawal, would be at the helm. They selected 24 additional men and women, including Thompson, who would join the return crew, which would fly to Tahiti and sail the canoe back to Hawai‘i.
Thompson had spent all his life on the ocean, fishing as a child in east Honolulu and paddling outrigger canoes in Waikiki after graduating high school. Hokule‘a merged the fractured elements of Thompson’s life: his love of the ocean, his heritage, his culture. He sensed this voyage would be deeply important.
The crew set off from Maui on May 1, 1976, and arrived in Tahiti 34 days later. Thousands of Tahitians greeted Hokule‘a and dozens of children swam out to board the vessel on its arrival. The canoe’s return to Hawai‘i prompted celebrations and major media coverage.
The 1976 voyage touched off a movement to revive Hawaiian culture and played a key role in the Hawaiian Renaissance as people learned about their ancestors’ accomplishments. Over the next several years, public schools began requiring the teaching of Hawaiian art, hula, lifestyle, and geography. Native communities founded language immersion schools to revive the Hawaiian language.
Kapu Na Keiki members Haunani Kane and Jason Patterson prepare one of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s canoes for a short sail with high school students in August. Photo by Sena Christian.
Meanwhile, Hokule‘a’s first journey stirred renewed interest in sailing and wayfaring. Mau Piailug returned to Micronesia, and the Polynesian Voyaging Society attempted to learn wayfaring on their own by reading and experimenting. But in 1978, tragedy forced them to reexamine their methods. A big-wave surfer named Eddie Aikau joined Hokule‘a’s crew, and in March of that year, the voyagers attempted another sail to Tahiti. But Hokule‘a capsized.
Aikau insisted on paddling for help. He strung some oranges around his neck, grabbed a portable strobe light, tied a life jacket around his waist, and set off. By midnight, the U.S. Coast Guard had rescued his friends after a pilot saw flares and requested aid. Aikau was never found.
The death of a beloved crew member taught the Polynesian Voyaging Society something: They needed skills that could not merely be reconstructed from books. Thompson traveled to Micronesia to ask Piailug to teach him traditional wayfaring. Piailug agreed but not without a fight. At the age of 1, he had been chosen by his grandfather to become a sailor, and he was sailing by age 5. He told the crew—who were in their 20s—they were too old and if they wanted someone to learn they should send their sons.
Eventually, Piailug relented. The crew spent two years studying under him, learning how the navigator looks for the position of the sun and stars and observes wind directions and swell patterns, which have different heights, lengths, shapes, and speeds that alter the course of a canoe.
Since their studies with Piailug, not one member of Hokule‘a’s crew has been lost at sea. In 1980, Piailug’s training allowed Thompson to lead Hokule‘a on a successful voyage to Tahiti and back—and the crew became the first Hawaiians in generations to regain the traditional knowledge of navigating the oceans over long distances. In speeches since then, Thompson has credited wayfaring with renewing Native Hawaiian pride.
The deep sense of cultural dignity, the capacity to envision what lies ahead, the connection with the natural world—these will be essential skills as Hawai‘i faces an uncertain economic and ecological future. That’s why Thompson feels it is so important to pass on navigation skills to the young members of Kapu Na Keiki.
Thompson came up with the idea for the 2013 worldwide voyage after Hokule‘a’s 1992 trip to the Cook Islands. As he journeyed home, he spoke by satellite phone with NASA astronaut and Hawaiian native Lacy Veach, who was orbiting Earth on a space shuttle. Thompson invited the astronaut to join the crew on a sail. The astronaut told Thompson of looking out of the space shuttle over Hawai‘i.
Volunteers work on refurbishing Hokule‘a while the canoe is dry-docked at the Marine Education Training Center in Honolulu. Photo by Cole Allen.
“He saw the islands and the planet in one vision—that planet Earth was just an island like Hawai‘i, in an ocean of space, and that we needed to take care of them both if the planet was to remain a life-giving home for humanity,” Thompson says in a statement for the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
Thompson and his father later discussed how Native Hawaiian knowledge and values had enabled islanders to care for their land and seas for nearly 2,000 years. Through careful management of natural resources, Hawai‘i sustained a large, thriving, self-sufficient population until the arrival of Western explorers. The men felt they should share those values with the world.
For Thompson, getting to the deepest levels of navigation means looking inside himself and visualizing his own journey. He trusts his ancestors to show him the way in the hardest of times. He knows that sometimes when out at sea he will understand how to respond to a situation without knowing why. These are the intangible lessons he must pass on to future navigators and the lessons he hopes all young Hawaiians learn. Hokule‘a shaped and defined the lives of its older crew members, and Thompson believes it can do the same for their children.
“We want to give them the canoe and help them with their dreams, not ours,” Thompson says.
Kaina Holomalia dropped out of high school to “screw around,” influenced by the drugs and alcohol around him—until he met Thompson a decade ago and enrolled in the Myron B. Thompson Academy, a charter school where students learn math and science while sailing canoes. He soon joined Hokule‘a’s crew.
In 2009, Holomalia went on one of Hokule‘a’s roughest sails. Rain poured down. Clouds covered the sun and stars. Eighteen-foot swells lashed the canoe.
“It was a big lesson of how deep are you connected?” Holomalia, now 27, says. “When you cannot see the stars, you go into a different way of navigation from feeling, from heart.”
In a brief clearing, navigator Bruce Blankenfeld spotted the position of two stars and visualized the whole astronomical map in his head. They arrived at their destination safely.
“We broke everything we could’ve broken and repaired it. We got hurt and mended each other,” says Holomalia, a robust man who wears his hair in a ponytail and is now a captain. “I’ve had a hard life. These canoes got me out of it. The values and love we share, our bond on the canoe is what makes these canoes voyaging canoes. On these canoes, you find fate, hope, and love.”
Fate because they’re living out what their ancestors taught them, hope for Hawai‘i’s future, and love for those onboard. When you are surrounded by nothing but water, Holomalia says, you take care of each other no matter what.
“We are always trying to figure out how to live forever,” he says. “A way to live forever is when you pass away and what you’ve taught lives on through your students. We had great leaders; now we’re losing a lot of them. It’s time for us to step up.”
Although Holomalia is only a few years older than the youth of Kapu Na Keiki, they see him as a mentor who can teach them about navigating whatever challenges lie ahead. The youth seek his guidance, although their own challenges may differ.
Kapu Na Keiki also works together to confront more than personal struggles. Member Haunani Kane, for instance, directs her focus to the threat of rising sea level, which she considers the biggest threat facing her island home. She attends the University of Hawai‘i and is writing her master’s thesis on the topic.
“This is very important because most of Hawai‘i’s coastal areas are characterized not only by large, flat, coastal plains, but also by high populations,” Kane says. “Many of the coastal areas also hold high cultural and ecological significance.”
Scientists predict global sea level will rise a meter or more by the end of this century, drowning coastal communities such as Waikiki, displacing residents, and threatening the tourism industry. As fossil fuels become increasingly more expensive and difficult to extract, and as unpredictable weather disrupts global food and agriculture production, Hawai‘i will need to become more self-reliant. Hawai‘i currently imports 90 percent of its food, according to several recent reports.
“I’ve had a hard life. These canoes got me out of it. The values and love we share, our bond on the canoe is what makes these canoes voyaging canoes.”
As part of Kapu Na Keiki, Kane encourages people to change their behaviors for the sake of the islands’ future. She helps lead schoolchildren on short sails, teaching them about trade winds and how to make a star compass.
“We have been looking at how we can use the canoe to address the issues of sustainability and climate change,” she says. “Sailing on a canoe with limited supplies and provisions forces everyone to be sustainable and conserve food, water, and other resources. You really get a better appreciation for those things.”
Kane hopes to be part of the crew that sails around the world.
The journey ahead
As several young voyagers work in the dry dock and the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean, Lehua Kamalu of Kapu Na Keiki works on her laptop computer, using Google Earth to plan statewide sails in 2012. The group is using these trips to prepare for the worldwide voyage and to identify the culturally, educationally, and environmentally important sites they’ll visit in 2013. Thompson used to handwrite the sail plans. Now, the crew relies on a hybrid of traditional and modern methods.
“This is our young influence,” Kamalu says, pointing to her computer.
Like the other members of Kapu Na Keiki, Kamalu is committed to sustainable energy. The 25-year-old college student studies mechanical engineering and is considering a career in renewable energy. For now she often expresses her passion for sustainability by clearing trash from the beach or swimming a mile out into the water to snag a floating piece of garbage.
During the worldwide voyage, Hokule‘a’s crew will share curriculum about conservation, coral reef ecology, and native plants with educators they meet in places like Australia, the Galapagos Islands, and Rapa Nui. They are discussing how to make the journey itself more sustainable—for instance, using an escort vessel that has the capability to sail or run on solar-powered engines.
Volunteers, including those from Kapu Na Keiki, have logged some 15,000 hours refurbishing Hokule‘a since September 2010. Kane returns weekly to sand fiberglass.
“I am not too sure if it is because of voyaging or if it’s just who we are, but I know that we all really value our culture, our family, our land, and our ocean,” Kane says as Hokule‘a’s repairs near completion. “I hope our generation is able to give our children a better Hawai‘i than what we have today.”
Sena Christian wrote this article for 9 Strategies to End Corporate Rule, the Spring 2012 issue of YES! Magazine. Sena is a writer and newspaper reporter. A Sacramento native, she writes about social justice, feminism, green living, and youth.
Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin: Doing the Impossible
Poem: A Make-Believe Nation
“I Am Hawaiian First”
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2nd Texas inmate set for execution this week wants it halted
By JUAN A. LOZANO and MICHAEL GRACZYKAssociated Press
Sep 27, 2018 at 4:15 PM Sep 27, 2018 at 4:16 PM
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas inmate scheduled to be executed Thursday evening has insisted he didn't fatally run over his girlfriend in a jealous rage more than 18 years ago.
Daniel Acker was condemned for the March 2000 slaying of Marquetta George of Sulphur Springs. Prosecutors said he ran over George with his truck in rural northeast Texas because he believed she had been unfaithful to him.
Acker's attorneys had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay his execution, arguing he is innocent of capital murder because his 32-year-old girlfriend's fatal injuries were due to her decision to jump from his truck after he abducted her. A similar appeal was rejected earlier this month by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
The high court denied, without comment, Acker's appeal less than three hours before his scheduled execution.
The 46-year-old Acker would become the 18th convicted killer put to death this year in the U.S. and the 10th given a lethal injection in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state.
Acker would be the second Texas inmate put to death in as many days. Troy Clark was executed Wednesday for torturing and drowning an East Texas woman in his bathtub and then stuffing her body into a barrel. If Acker receives a lethal injection, it would be the first time in nearly six years that Texas has executed inmates on consecutive days.
At least eight other Texas inmates have execution dates in the coming months.
At Acker's trial, several witnesses testified that he got into a heated argument with George at a Sulphur Springs nightclub the night before her death over his suspicions she was sleeping with another man. Authorities said that the next day, Acker forced George — kicking and screaming — into his pickup truck. A witness later saw Acker pull George's body from his truck and lay her on the ground.
In a petition to the Supreme Court, Acker's attorney, Richard Ellis, argues the conviction was based on what he describes as a "now discredited" theory that Acker strangled George while he was driving.
Ellis said prosecutors changed their theory of George's death after a prosecution expert testified at a post-conviction hearing in 2011 that she died from injuries after being run over.
At Acker's trial, a medical examiner testified George had extensive injuries all over her body and her neck injuries were consistent with strangulation. But the medical examiner could not determine if strangulation or blunt force caused George's death. The autopsy report did conclude that several of George's injuries could have resulted from "an impact with or being ejected from a motor vehicle."
"From the moment Daniel turned himself in to the authorities, he said that the victim ... jumped from the truck," Ellis said. "He has taken full responsibility for abducting her and has shown great remorse for that."
In its response to Acker's Supreme Court petition, the Texas attorney general's office argued the theory that Acker ran over his girlfriend was presented at the trial to jurors.
"Acker produces no new evidence showing he did not commit the crime but continues to assert that George's death resulted from her leap from the vehicle — a theory rejected by the jury at the time of trial," the attorney general's office said.
Multiple witnesses testified at Acker's trial that he made several death threats against George in the hours before her death.
In a 2017 ruling, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the prosecution's theory of George's death was "largely based on strangulation." But in denying Acker's appeal, the 5th Circuit ruled that all of the evidence, including the updated cause of death, still supports the prosecution's case as it was presented in the indictment and at trial.
Lozano reported from Houston.
Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70
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Comparing environmental impacts for livestock products: A review of life cycle assessments
Vries, M. de; Boer, I.J.M. de
Livestock production has a major impact on the environment. Choosing a more environmentally-friendly livestock product in a diet can mitigate environmental impact. The objective of this research was to compare assessments of the environmental impact of livestock products. Twenty-five peer-reviewed studies were found that assessed the impact of production of pork, chicken, beef, milk, and eggs using life cycle analysis (LCA). Only 16 of these studies were reviewed, based on five criteria: study from an OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) country, non-organic production, type of LCA methodology, allocation method used, and definition of system boundary. LCA results of these 16 studies were expressed in three ways: per kg product, per kg protein, and per kg of average daily intake of each product for an OECD country. The review yielded a consistent ranging of results for use of land and energy, and for climate change. No clear pattern was found, however, for eutrophication and acidification. Production of 1 kg of beef used most land and energy, and had highest global warming potential (GWP), followed by production of 1 kg of pork, chicken, eggs, and milk. Differences in environmental impact among pork, chicken, and beef can be explained mainly by 3 factors: differences in feed efficiency, differences in enteric CH4 emission between monogastric animals and ruminants, and differences in reproduction rates. The impact of production of 1 kg of meat (pork, chicken, beef) was high compared with production of 1 kg of milk and eggs because of the relatively high water content of milk and eggs. Production of 1 kg of beef protein also had the highest impact, followed by pork protein, whereas chicken protein had the lowest impact. This result also explained why consumption of beef was responsible for the largest part of the land use and GWP in an average OECD diet. This review did not show consistent differences in environmental impact per kg protein in milk, pork, chicken and eggs. Only one study compared environmental impact of meat versus milk and eggs. Conclusions regarding impact of pork or chicken versus impact of milk or eggs require additional comparative studies and further harmonization of LCA methodology. Interpretation of current LCA results for livestock products, moreover, is hindered because results do not include environmental consequences of competition for land between humans and animals, and consequences of land-use changes. We recommend, therefore, to include these consequences in future LCAs of livestock products
Livestock Science 128 (2010)1-3. - ISSN 1871-1413 - p. 1 - 11.
Animal Production Systems
WIAS
Refereed Article in a scientific journal
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Don’t Go
Devastated by his daughter’s death in a terrible accident, Ben becomes convinced that he can bring her back through a recurring dream. But is it just a dream? Or is Ben losing his mind?
Director: David Gleeson
Actors: Melissa George, Simon Delaney, Stephen Dorff
Duration: N/A
Rabid Dogs
After a bank job goes badly wrong, three desperate criminals take a young woman and a father and child hostage – it’s the beginning of a frantic and violent road…
Federal agent Alexandra Barnes believes that Catherine Petersen is a serial killer who marries rich men and then murders them for their money. But since Catherine is seemingly a master…
A pair of cops investigating a drug invasion stumble upon a mysterious bank vault.
A young actress rehearsing for a play about human trafficking begins to relive terrifying scenes that may be dreams — or an alternate reality.
The widow of a wise professor stumbles upon one of his inventions that’s able to record and play a person’s memory.
Death Note: Light Up the New World
10 years has passed since the confrontation between Kira and L. Again, Shinigami sends death notes to the ground and due to this, the world soon falls into chaos. Tsukuru…
An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.
The Red Maple Leaf
A detective, who is deeply grieving over the tragic loss of his wife and daughter, becomes determined to find the kidnapped daughter of the U.S. Ambassador, no matter what the…
Last Seen in Idaho
A woman awakens from a coma after a car accident and begins having shocking visions of her future murder. It’s a race against the clock as she tries to solve…
Lionel Twain invites the world’s five greatest detectives to a ‘dinner and murder’. Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams, spinning rooms, secret passages, false identities and more…
The only U.S. Marshal assigned to Antarctica, Carrie Stetko will soon leave the harsh environment behind for good – in three days, the sun will set and the Amundsen-Scott Research…
Invoked
A group of young people went on a abandoned hostel in Sligo, Ireland. After they play a really creepy game, all of them disappear.
Trailer: Don’t Go
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Episode 1 - Pilot Episode 2 - Wild Game Episode 3 - Secrets and Lies Episode 4 - I Heart New York Episode 5 - Heartless Episode 6 - Flat Line Episode 7 - Owned Episode 8 - Long Shot Episode 9 - Bad Actors Episode 10 - Bye Bye Birdie Episode 11 - Blast From the Past Episode 12 - Live Episode 13 - Tribal
Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3
Dr. Dylan Reinhart, a gifted author, university professor and former CIA operative is lured back to his old life by tenacious top NYPD Detective Lizzie Needham. Though Dylan and Lizzie initially clash, when it comes to catching killers, they make an ideal team.
TV Status: Returning Series
A former detective specializing in human behavior is brought in when the launch of an advanced virtual reality program has dangerous and unintended consequences.
Dark Net
A documentary series that explores the furthest reaches of the internet and the people who frequent it, Dark Net provides a revealing and cautionary look inside a vast cyber netherworld…
When a risk-averse, straight-arrowed, female procurement manager at an Amazon-like distribution center falls in love with a free-spirited man who lives life to the fullest because he believes the apocalypse…
Drama series set in 1953, against the backdrop of the real hamlet of Grantchester. The drama focuses upon the life of Sidney Chambers, a charismatic, charming clergyman who turns investigative…
U.S. police chief Bill Hixon lands in the British town of Boston, Lincolnshire, with his 14-year-old daughter Kelsey in tow hoping they can flee their painful recent past. But this…
Set in a remote Alaskan town that has been overrun by paranormal forces, the series focuses on local outcast Roman Mercer who must overcome the town’s prejudices and his own…
A slightly unhinged former Navy SEAL lands a job as a police officer in Los Angeles where he’s partnered with a veteran detective trying to keep maintain a low stress…
The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren’t above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe…
What starts as a YouTube video going viral, soon leads to problems for the teenagers of Lakewood and serves as the catalyst for a murder that opens up a window…
The orphaned Baudelaire children face trials, tribulations and the evil Count Olaf, all in their quest to uncover the secret of their parents’ death.
The year is 2022, and after an unlikely event, only one man is left on earth: Phil Miller, who used to be just an average guy who loved his family…
Kim’s Convenience
The funny, heartfelt story of The Kims, a Korean-Canadian family, running a convenience store in downtown Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Kim (‘Appa’ and ‘Umma’) immigrated to Toronto in the 80’s…
Trailer: Instinct
Episodes -----Incorrect episodeBroken linkOthers
Contents -----Incorrect detailsWrong imagesOthers
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Home > Reviews > Theater
Border incursion power of project and work
――"Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Retrospective" as a theatre experience
Yukie Mase
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences
One is bound to be open to criticism for showing lack of judgment and writing about a movie in a theatre review column. But this time, I am going to do just that. The serial late show "Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Retrospective" played at the Auditorium Shibuya from July 28 to August 10. When I checked out the details on the official site, I took it upon myself to introduce it in a "theatre review" because I wanted to mention the one-time-only nature and obvious appeal possessed by this project that should rather be called theatrical.
With a greeting from the director immediately before the screening and a post-screening guest talk, and a live performance of the music actually used in the film etc., in addition to contriving to produce a sense of belonging in the audience, due to different works being screened on a rotational basis, it was easy for viewers with a large interest in Hamaguchi's works to attend again. Also, with active retweets from the official Twitter account, it fanned the repeaters' sense of ownership. Without going as far as calling out to each other, it brews forth a sense of being closer than a stranger but not quite an acquaintance, where you are quietly aware of "seeing that person the other day."
So, this unique "intimate" condition is mutually put into effect, and what changes the seats daily like a living thing is the border incursion power characteristic of Hamguchi's work. Regardless of the common relationships dealt with in the fictional plots such as love and friendship, the depiction of that "commonness" is far from being "common". The heartbreak caused between two close friends is put together well on the screen, like making a fuss over details. But then, it is not as simple as picking up a grain of rice with chopsticks, rather, the stickiness of that "rice grain" brings out the reality of the pain of having no place to run to in everyday life, striking the hearts of us on this side of the screen. After watching the film, the audience in the lighted theatre become aware that the people who were just on the other side of the screen will actually also be on this side, feeling awkward like not knowing where to put yourself.
Through the "reality" shown on the screen, the reality on this side of the screen is invaded, and the feeling of the border possibly disappearing is closer to that of coming across an unexpected incident on the street and becoming involved, rather than the usual "safety zone" of the movie theatre seats. In that (wide) sense, I felt it to be theatrical. That reminds me, the central theme of the epic "Shinmitsusa (Intimacies)" (4 1/2 hours), which was shown over four all night sessions, was also theatrical. On Twitter Timeline, on the streets after the screening of "Shinmitsusa" on a hot Shibuya morning, which usually brings about a sweltering day, there were many messages saying it felt difficult to describe affection, telling the story of the border incursion power of the work.
Hamaguchi is currently working on a joint production, ''Nami no oto (The Sound of Waves)'', with director Ko Sakai, a piece capturing "conversations" of people living on the Sanriku coast who were affected by the tsunami. They have set up base in Miyagi Prefecture to prepare for filming of the documentary on the reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake. On the USTREAM program dia-log (where the work is being produced and archived on the Center for remembering 3.11 site, "Wasuren" for short), a medium for dialog to take place on this production, both directors, in regards to making it possible to capturing a "form" other than the usual "form" which can only be caught on camera, avoid contact on the majority of existing comments, and attempt to put into words the actual feelings expressed by each individual. The sincere "awkwardness" of the two directors always asking questions and not converging on a single answer while trying to involve themselves with the subject, the narrator, was also not "common". It is also there that I would like to give due deference in the form of calling it "theatrical."
Graduated from School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II, Waseda University majoring in literary art. Started current position after completing her doctorate at the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University and the Faculty of Literature, Lumi竪re University Lyon 2. Majors in Western theatre texts with a focus on France and production. Wrote From Novels to Drama-Jean Giraudoux Changes in Narration (Waseda University Press) , and major essays such as Influence of Jean Giraudoux in Shuji Terayama – Radio Drama ‘Daireifuku’(in Theatre Essay Collection, Volume 54), Les sons sauvent les vies ; Souvenirs acoustiques de 4.48 psychose de Sarah Kane mis en sc竪ne de Norimizu Ameya, Théâtre/Public (197, 2010), and Fujita and Giraudoux--Surrounding Unknown《Chance Encounter》 (Comparative Literature Annual No.47).
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Fort McMurray Public School District: Doing What’s Best For Everyone
BY KIRAN MALIK-KHAN — Email
When Chantal Collin, Volunteerism class teacher at Westwood Community High School learned of a special training program for taxi drivers to pick-up women leaving their home for a shelter, she knew she had to help.
“Our volunteerism class wanted to show support. We made loaves for them,” shared Collin, who started the class two years ago.
“In addition, we help Waypoints, which oversees the local women’s shelter with decorating cookies, and making origami to promote non-violence. Our students continue to give their time to support anti-violence in the community.”
“We also gave back to the Salvation Army with 50 gifts for their Angel Program during the holidays,” Collin added.
Fort McMurray Public School District (FMPSD) takes great pride in being a community supporter. All of our schools embrace numerous initiatives to support the social profit sector.
This year the FMPSD family raised $22,288.53 for the United Way bringing our grand total to over $640,000 in the last 30 years.
Russell Thomas, Director of Communications & Community Impact, The United Way of Fort McMurray was on hand for the cheque presentation during our January Board meeting.
“We are so grateful to our partners and friends in the Fort McMurray Public School District. Each year, staff, administration and students join the effort to meet community needs,” notes Thomas.
“It is truly inspiring to look at the long-term donations that have been made to the United Way’s community campaign by the District - over $600,000 in the last 30 years. They not only do what’s best for kids, they do what’s best for the community.”
Indeed, this community-mindedness has translated into one major project a month at Beacon Hill Public School.
“We have a focus on gratitude at Beacon Hill and campaigns rotate around it. When school started in September, our grades 5/6 class donated 140 care packages to the Centre of Hope. A luncheon for first responders followed with the entire school rallying to help three of our school families in need,” explained Garette Tebay, the school’s principal.
Dr. Brenda Sautner, Associate Superintendent, Education & Administration, FMPSD explains how giving back to the region is one of the cornerstones of an FMPSD education.
“FMPSD staff, next to parents and caregivers, are important in shaping a child’s life and ensuring the best outcomes for our students. Public education system must simultaneously prepare the citizens of tomorrow while equipping our students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in a rapidly changing economy and society. The provincial programs of study help staff ensure that our students understand the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and have the skills and attitudes to pursue learning throughout their lives. This is one of the many reasons why public schools give back to our community.”
“Ethical Citizenship helps students see beyond self-interests to the needs of the community; is committed to democratic ideals; contributes fully to the world economically, culturally, socially and politically; as a steward of the earth, minimizes environmental impacts; builds relationships through fairness, humility and open-mindedness, with teamwork, collaboration and communication; engages with many cultures, religions and languages, values diversity in all people and adapts to any situation; demonstrates respect, empathy and compassion for all people; cares for themselves physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually; is able to ask for help, when needed, from others, and also for others; and assumes the responsibilities of life in a variety of roles (Guide to Education, Alberta Education, 2015). This is inspiring education in Fort McMurray Public School District,” Dr. Sautner added.
This “inspiring education” is what PEAK Athletic Academy student-athletes embody.
Every Christmas season since 2011, the Academy gets together to celebrate the spirit of giving.
“About 75 to 100 people consisting of families and staff gather at École McTavish Junior High Public School to share a potluck supper followed by gift wrapping. The Academy helps out three families in need by providing them with gifts, food and basic necessities to ensure they have a happy holiday season,” shares Krista Butz, PEAK Program Assistant.
“The gifts are definitely not wrapped with perfection, but they sure are wrapped with love and kindness. It’s wonderful to see all the students trying their best to wrap gifts while laughing and enjoying time together; and knowing that they will be putting a smile on so many faces for the holidays. What a wonderful feeling.”
Jodine Wells, Vice Principal, Christina Gordon Public School, explains their school initiative, called #CGCares. For their first fundraiser, they raised money for the Bay d’Espoir Academy School in Newfoundland, which burned this January.
“As a staff, we decided on giving back, because we were helped so much. We baked healthy muffins, made fruit kabobs, yogurt parfaits, as well as popcorn and raised $1,025 to help the school,” Wells notes.
These are just a snapshot of the many stories of giving back to the community. At Fort McMurray Public School District (FMPSD) we are “Doing What’s Best for Everyone.” For more information on any of our 16 schools, visit: www.fmpsdschools.ca. For real-time updates: follow us on Twitter: @FMPSD @DougNicholls2 and like us on Facebook: Fort McMurray Public School District.
PEAK student athletes, their families, and staff at the annual potluck - wrapping gifts for their adopted families.
#CGCares - Christina Gordon Public School Vice Principal, Jodine Wells hands over a fruit kabob at the school’s first fundraiser for Bay d’Espoir Academy School.
Left to right: Board Chair, Jeff Thompson, Glynis Bowers, and United Way’s Hanna Fridhead.
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KIRAN MALIK-KHAN
Kiran Malik-Khan is the Director of Stakeholder Relations for The United Way of Fort McMurray. She is a freelance journalist, a communications professional, and a poet. She loves sharing stories about unique people, events, and organizations. Kiran is the co-founder and volunteer public relations director for NorthWord magazine, Fort McMurray's first and only literary magazine. She is also the President/Co-founder of World Hijab Day Fort McMurray. A proud Pakistani-Canadian who grew up in New Jersey, she is a fierce advocate of Fort McMurray, multiculturalism, women's rights, and equality for all. Got a story nobody is telling? Send her ideas: DM and follow on Twitter @KiranMK0822.
Website: twitter.com/kiranmk0822
Latest from KIRAN MALIK-KHAN
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Fort McMurray Public School District - Celebrating Milestones & Achievements
Innovation: The Cornerstone of a FMPSD Education
Long Awaited Fort Chipewyan Grocery Store to Offer Affordable and Healthy Food Options
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Watch a tiny worm make one of the loudest sounds in the ocean
By Kelly Mayes Jul. 9, 2019 , 3:25 PM
In an ocean filled with whales, sharks, and giant schools of fish, one of the loudest sounds comes from a 29-millimeter-long marine worm, new research reveals.
The worms (Leocratides kimuraorum) were first discovered in 2017. They spend their lives in the crevices of hexactinellid sponges, often called glass sponges, off the coast of Japan. But it wasn’t until researchers brought them to the lab that they noticed how noisy they were.
When the creatures fight, they wriggle toward each other, contract their bodies, and launch themselves headfirst at their opponent, the team found. They also make a loud popping noise that sounds like a champagne cork, underwater microphones revealed. Researchers say the popping sounds emitted by the worms are almost as loud as those of snapping shrimp, which produce sounds so powerful they can break small glass jars.
The worms are otherwise silent, even when the researchers tried to aggravate them. Normally, creatures making a noise like this use a hard structure at some point on their anatomy, like the snapping shrimp, which produces a loud noise by closing its claws rapidly. L. kimuraorum is different in that it is able to generate enough pressure in its body to emit the sound through a simple muscle contraction, the team reports this week in Current Biology .
This is the first recorded instance of a soft-bodied organism or any other mollusk making a loud underwater noise, the team says. The researchers say that although the popping sound could just be due to rapid movements in the attack, it could also be a call to other worms of the same species to let them know they are under attack. Regardless, their roar makes these soft-bodied creatures seem awfully tough.
Kelly Mayes is a Diverse Voices in Science Journalism intern for the News section of Science in Washington, D.C.
More from ScienceShots
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When was the earliest account of a christmas tree?
The earliest accounts of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas were recorded in Tallin, Estonia in the 15th century
The custom of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas can be historically traced back at least as far as 15th century Livonia and 16th century Northern Germany. It is widely disputed whether the first tree was set up in Tallin or Riga, but according to the first documented uses of a Christmas tree in Estonia, in 1441, 1442, and 1514, the Brotherhood of Blackheads erected and decorated a tree for the holidays in their brotherhood house in Reval (now Tallinn).
At the last night of the celebrations leading up to the holidays, the tree was taken to the Town Hall Square where the members of the brotherhood danced around it. In 1584, the pastor and chronicler Balthasar Russow wrote of an established tradition of setting up a decorated spruce at the market square where the young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame”.
In the German Middle Ages, mystery plays at Christmas time within churches often featured an evergreen “Paradise tree” from which an apple was plucked. The first evidence of Christmas trees outside of a church is of the 16th century, with trees in guild halls decorated with sweets to be enjoyed by the apprentices and children. (A Bremen guild chronicle of 1570 reports that a small tree decorated with “apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers” was erected in the guild-house for the benefit of the guild members’ children, who collected the dainties on Christmas Day.) Soon after, they are seen in the houses of upper-class Protestant families as a counterpart to the Catholic Christmas cribs. In the 18th century they begin to be adorned with candles, which were expensive items. Only in the 19th century did they come into use more widely, often in schools and inns before they appeared in homes. A decisive factor in winning general popularity was the German army’s decision to place Christmas trees in its barracks and military hospitals during the 1870-1871 war. Only at the turn of the century did Christmas trees again appear inside churches, this time in a new brightly lit form.
Also Check out... Is Beer Healthier Than Water?
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, traditionally associated with the celebration of Christmas. It is brought into the home and decorated with Christmas lights (originally candles), ornaments, garlands, tinsel, and candy canes during the days around Christmas. An angel or star may be placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.
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Changing fortunes
Climate threats and solutions
For decades, remote Scottish islands have suffered from depopulation, challenging weather and job scarcity. Sarah Wilson reports on why their luck may finally be changing Life on Scotland's remotest islands
Kevin Byrne, who has lived and worked on the ten-mile-long, two-mile-wide Isle of Colonsay for the last 40 years, says he could always spot a newcomer in his days running the island hotel and bar.
“If they came in and answered the question ‘what brings you here’ with ‘I’ve come to get away from the rat race’ it was the kiss of death.
“The locals always used to say ‘if you can’t keep up with the rats you’ve come to the wrong place.’
“This isn’t a place where you can come and hope to do nothing and live off a few rabbits.”
"Nobody comes here who won’t put their heart and soul into what they’re doing." Kevin and Christa Byrne, who have lived on Colonsay for over 40 years
Use the slider to switch between images:
Byrne is one of around 135 people who currently reside on the remote Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay, where the primary school has just eight students and crime is so rare that the community made national news in 1993 when it was reported that the last crime committed on the island was treachery against the King in 1623.
The community is quite close-knit, we tend to know and take an interest in what everybody else is doing - and with whom!
In spite of its modest size, Colonsay has an active, close-knit community and a surprisingly wide array of facilities.
Amongst other things, the island is home to a functioning 200-year-old golf course, a brewery and a bookshop run by Byrne and his wife Christa, plus a festival that brings visitors to the shores every spring.
“By and large I regard it as benign and friendly though, and people pull together very well.”
To many, life on the white sand beaches and rugged cliffs of an island like Colonsay may seem an idyllic escape from the pressures of modern life, but Byrne stresses that self-sufficiency and forward planning are vitally important for survival.
The turqoise waters of Cable Bay, Colonsay
“When I ran the hotel I always made sure there was enough drink for three weeks at the very minimum.
“Once there was an aeroplane crash nearby - a NATO plane - and for weeks there were foreign ships around the island doing a search.
"When they were done for the day all the men would come to the hotel bar for a drink - if I wasn’t in the habit of stocking three week’s worth of drink I’d have had nothing to give them!”
To outsiders, the success of Colonsay may come as a surprise. Decades of depopulation have created a general assumption among the wider public that the islands are dying out, stuffed with old people and propped up by a disproportionate share of mainland money.
Colonsay book shop, which is also home to the House of Lochar publishing house
However, with a recent upturn in population, an increasing need for green energy and growing distaste among many mainlanders for the pace of modern life, the opposite may be true.
Scotland’s remotest islands, home to unique heritage, communities spanning generations and some of the oldest rock formations on the planet, may finally be reversing their fortunes.
Skara Brae, an ancient Neolithic settlement on Orkney's Mainland island
Islands then and now
The majority of the UK’s island territories are in Scotland, with around 790 scattered around the country.
They stretch all the way from Arran off the Ayrshire coast to Unst in the Shetland Islands - which is closer to the Norwegian city of Bergen than Edinburgh.
There’s strong evidence that people have lived on these islands for centuries, with Europe’s most complete Neolithic village Skara Brae sitting on Mainland island in Orkney.
Yet of these hundreds of islands, only an estimated 93 are inhabited today.
St Kilda in 1880 and the present day The archipelago was evacuated 89 years ago St Kildans were tough and self-sufficient, but their way of life came to an end on August 29, 1930 when the last 36 residents were evacuated at their own request
Following a growth during the Early Modern period, total island population began to decline in the mid-19th century, continuing on this track for decades.
One of the early catalysts for this was the Highland Clearances, which saw huge numbers of tenants forcibly evicted from their homes between 1750 and 1860.
Both Pabbay and Fuaigh Mòr in the Outer Hebrides were, for instance, left totally uninhabited after officials forced furious local populations to leave to make way for enclosed land and sheep.
Other islanders were killed off or forced to leave as a result of famine and disease.
Some island abandonment has been more mysterious: the disappearance of three lighthouse workers from the Flannan Isles in 1900 remains a mystery to this day.
The mystery of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse
On 26 December 1900, Captain James Harvey travels to the lighthouse at Eilean Mor with a replacement keeper. He expects to meet the three lighthouse keepers upon arrival.
Gone, without trace
However, when the two men arrive the lighthouse keepers are nowhere to be found. The door was unlocked, the kitchen clock had stopped and half-eaten food sat untouched on the table.
The mystery deepens
A log with some strange final entries was discovered. Second Assistant Thomas Marshall noted "severe winds the likes of which I have never seen before in 20 years" and that Third Assistant William McArthur had been crying.
Mistmatched stories
Entries dated December 13 complained that the storm was still raging, but reports from around the area claim that the weather was calm at the time. The final entry, dated December 15, simply read "Storm ended, sea calm. God is over all."
The mystery remains unsolved to this day, with theories pointing to everything from alien abduction to foreign invaders.
In more recent decades, starvation and disease have been replaced by job precariousness, food scarcity and challenging weather conditions as reasons for islanders to leave in droves.
In particular, the exodus of young people from Scotland’s islands presents a pressing challenge for the future, with a report from the James Hutton Institute estimating that working age population will plummet by a third in Scotland’s rural areas by 2046.
It’s feared that a decline could halt economic development and lead to more island communities dying out, taking centuries of culture and history with them.
Even when working-age people do resist the pull of opportunity in the cities, a lack of affordable housing threatens to price them out.
A 2019 survey found that this demographic were struggling to afford a life on the Scottish islands, blaming platforms like Airbnb for steep increases in housing costs.
Inhabitants of South Uist Island emigrating to Canada in 1924 in search of an easier life (Getty Images)
'Islands have their own unique heritage'
Scotland’s 2011 census was, however, a glimmer of hope for the islands - at least on the population front.
There are challenges - not least around perceptions of remoteness
Islands Minister Paul Wheelhouse
Bucking a trend of decline that had seen three per cent of the islands’ total population leave between 1991 and 2001, between 2001 and 2011 the population grew by four per cent.
Colonsay’s own population increased from 108 to 124, and the island has gained at least 10 more permanent residents since.
This increase can be attributed to a number of factors, not least the efforts from local people and governments to encourage tourism and immigration to the islands.
A tour of Scotland's abandoned islands
St Kilda Life on the harsh island group St Kilda eventually became unlivable after a harsh winter in 1929 which halted post and food deliveries. Following this, the islanders petitioned the government to be resettled and left, tearfully, in 1930.
Scarba The last residents of Scarba island left in the 1960s, and all that remains there now is heather and grazing animals. Legend has it that the oldest resident of this tiny island lived to be 140.
Stroma Stroma was once home to a settlement of fishermen and crofters, with a peak population of 375 at the turn of the century. It was totally abandoned in 1962 after many islanders left, and only ruins remain today.
The Monachs The current residents are a flock of 10,000 seals, but this island was once home to a small settlement, including nuns said to be so strong that they could row across the Sound of Monach for fuel. It was abandoned in 1948.
North Rona North Rona has had terrible luck, with early residents dying after a rat invasion ate their food supplies. A fresh population were killed in a boating tragedy in 1695, and the subsequent shepherd and family who lived there left for good in 1884.
Inch Kenneth One of the most bizarre island stories, Inch Kenneth was home to aristocratic Nazi supporter Unity Redesdale who was sent there by her family after a suicide attempt in 1939. The wound eventually took her life in 1948, leaving the island empty.
Handa Handa was once home to 65 people until a crop failure in 1846 led to widespread famine, suffering and death, leaving the island empty not long after. The island had its own parliament, with the oldest widow appointed as Queen.
Fara A census of 1841 listed 49 residents on the Isle of Fara, including a carpenter and a school teacher. However, by 1957 there were only five people, and the last couple eventually left in 1965.
Eilean nan Ron This ruined island settlement can be seen from the mainland today. It was abandoned in 1938 but during the late 1800s there were over 70 permanent residents. The houses they left behind have been reduced to rubble.
Cara Cara was abandoned in the 1940s and is today home only to a herd of goats. The last person to be born there was Charlotte McAllister who was eventually moved to the neighbouring Gigha with other islanders.
Ailsa Craig Donald Trump once expressed interest in buying this tiny island, which lies about halfway between Belfast and Glasgow. Nobody lives on it permanently today, but up to 30 people come each summer to mine the rocks and maintain the lighthouse.
In 2017 the “Islands Bill” was introduced into the Scottish Parliament with the aim of making sure the most remote of Scottish islands would be properly accounted for in future policy-making decisions.
Islands Minister Paul Wheelhouse claims that, among other issues, the perception of islands as somewhat primitive is something that needs to be addressed by the bill.
“The Islands Act 2018 recognises our islanders are talented and full of entrepreneurial spirit but it also recognises there are challenges - not least around perceptions of remoteness.
“Our islands have their own unique heritage, landscapes and marine biodiversity so we need to maintain and enhance these valued assets.”
Live poll - 214 votes Scottish islands poll Would you consider relocating to a remote Scottish island?
No Maybe Yes
Following this, in April this year the Scottish Government released a set of consultation questions which they urged islanders to answer.
The purpose of the consultation is to create a plan to “set out how the Scottish Government, local authorities and other public agencies might work to improve outcomes for island communities”.
It seems likely that the responses will echo the formula that other islands have utilised for success: putting the management of island affairs back into the hands of the islanders, investing in the right places and launching campaigns to encourage tourism and immigration to the islands.
Ulva residents celebrating the buyout of their island in 2018 (Getty Images)
The buyout of Eigg in 1997, for instance, led to more affordable housing being built on the island and population creeping above 100 in 2017 for the first time in half a century.
Not long afterwards, the nearby island of Ulva launched a similar campaign and won their buyout in 2018. Other islands, like Stronsay, have launched campaigns with the support of tourism groups to market their island as the ultimate getaway from the hustle and bustle of ordinary life.
In some areas this approach seems to be working. Tourism to the 23 inhabited islands in the Argyll and Isles saw an increase in 2017 after falling to the lowest recorded levels in recent years during 2016.
Alternative lifestyles have become increasingly common over the past few years (Wikimedia)
This boost can also likely be attributed to a growing appetite - among younger people especially - for an “off-grid” life.
The “#vanlife” hashtag, used by those who have given up ordinary homes to travel in a van, has been used more than 5 million times on Instagram, while a 2015 survey from Kellogs found that three-quarters of Britons reported being “fed up with modern life.”
If these trends continue the islands may benefit from new, younger residents to balance out ageing populations.
Climate threats - and solutions
While depopulation may be a pressing concern for Scottish islands, it isn’t the only one.
In recent years, climate change has brought a sharp increase in rainfall to Scotland as a whole, making weather conditions significantly worse for islanders today than the generations before them.
Changes in temperature have also brought invasive species like rats to the shores of islands like Colonsay, making life more difficult for residents.
A "weather stone" on the Isle of Berneray
Worse still, some islands may be at risk of literally disappearing as coastal erosion slowly wears away the landscape.
In 2017, the Dynamic Coast Project found that almost a fifth of Scotland’s coast is under threat of erosion in the coming decades, putting historic island heritage sights like Skara Brae at risk of destruction.
Yet while the islands are certainly at risk from climate change, they’re also key players in the fight against it.
The Orkney archipelago of about 20 populated islands is leading the way when it comes to sustainable energy.
They’re currently producing so much, in fact, that they can’t find enough uses for it, with an average of 120% above the islands’ needs produced each year.
On these islands, the high winds that have inconvenienced islanders for generations have now been harnessed to power wind turbines for clean energy.
Many residents drive electric cars, live in homes powered by wind, and are pushing for the island ferries to switch out diesel for hydroelectric power.
A wild goat on the Isle of Colonsay
Wind power is the fastest-growing renewable technology in Scotland, and aside from the clear environmental benefits, deploying it on island communities could mean more jobs and a boost to struggling economies.
Scottish islands are also home to an extremely broad range of biodiversity, a fact that Kevin Byrne believes will place them front and centre of policy decisions and public life in the future, especially after Brexit.
“We already have 450 lichens on Colonsay, around a quarter of all lichens in Britain, for instance, and 36 different types of fern.
“I think that as things move forward and concerns about the environment grow the islands will have enormous importance.
A seal pup on the Isle of Colonsay
“I see rewilding becoming a national government decision, where islanders are encouraged to rewild the land.”
It’s a glimmer of hope in a depressing 24-hour news cycle predicting all-out climate catastrophe.
And while the longevity of Scotland’s remote islands is certainly not guaranteed, Byrne believes the younger generation can step up to the plate.
“In very recent years there’s been a definite sign of not just young people coming to Colonsay but young people with something to offer.
“The main way old people like me notice is that young people are now coming forward and running things like the hotel or village hall. For many many years, we ran stuff but now the young people are taking over.”
Which Scottish island should you visit?
Would you prioritise sunny weather or great scenery when picking a holiday destination?
Scenery Sunny weather
Which of the following sounds like your ideal evening?
An evening star gazing at a Dark Sky Park Whisky tasting at a distillery An evening camping out to watch the Northern Lights
Would you be interested in going somewhere with a high number of gaelic speakers?
Which of these daytime activities suits you best?
Swimming in a loch Diving Visiting waterfalls and whirlpools
Do you prefer a bustling, popular destination or peace and quiet?
Peace and quiet Bustling, popular destination
Which of these festivals sounds most appealing to you?
A midsummer arts festival A festival of Gaelic and Celtic music A music festival with a variety of genres, from pop to folk A festival celebrating Vikings
Pick your favourite animal
Otter Orca Shetland Pony Grey seal
Which historical period are you most interested in learning about?
18th/19th century Vikings Neolithic
Are you more interested in beaches or hiking?
Hiking Beaches
Which of these dishes would you be most interested in trying out?
Traditional black pudding Bere Bannocks Reestit Mutton
See results?
Read more on Scotland's islands:
On this day 1930: The evacuation of St Kilda
12 paradise islands in Scotland you must visit
What it’s like to live on the remote island of St Kilda
9 Scottish islands where barely anyone lives
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SULANUS, W.S., Index Vocabulorum in Homeri Iliade atque Odyssea caeterisque quotquot extant poematis. Editio nova auctior et emendatior. Appendix ad Seberi Indicem sive Index vocabulorum in Fragmentis Homericis Hymnisque in Cererem et Bacchum. Clarendon, Oxford, 1780/82. Rev.and enlarged ed. (XIII),611,(42)p. Leather bound. Back lacking, front loose. € 52.50 (Antiquarian)
SULLINS, D. P., Keeping the Vow. The Untold Story of Married Catholic Priests. Oxford University Press, 2015. 336p. Hardback. Sullins provides a fascinating account of married priests and sheds light on the broader issues of clerical celibacy and priestly ministry in the Catholic Church ... Sullins skillfully combines his knowledge and objectivity as a social scientist with insights and understanding from his personal experience as an erstwhile Episcopal priest who 'swam the Tiber' to the Catholic Church and the Catholic priesthood. Sociology of Religion |a 22/5/17 (Publisher's information). € 32.60 (New)
SULLIVAN, J.P., The 'Satyricon' of Petronius. A Literary Study. Indiana University Press, Bloomington / London, 1968. 1st ed. 302p. Original green cloth. Spine with gilded title vignette. With dust wrps. Dust wrps a little bit damaged and repaired with acid free adhesive tape. 'In his first chapter Sullivan deals briefly and firmly with the question of date and authorship. (...). In chapter ii, on the reconstruction of the 'Satyricon', he gets on to less firm ground. (...) The surviving excerpts were preceded by a text at least as long as the 'metamorphoses' of Apuleius. The only clues we have to its contents are a handful of back references. (...) Chapters iii and iv, on The Choice of Form and Satire in the 'Satyricon, belong together. They combine erudition, sensitivity, and rigour. (...) Genuine literary criticism of classical texts is reare - and very difficult. When it is done as well as Sullivan does it, it is well worth the effort. (...). This is an interesting and stimulating book, which ventures upon ground which the traditional classical scholar avoided. One cannot agree with all Sullivan says, and one can occasionally fault him on technical points (...). But it would be a good thing if more classical scholars asked this kind of questions.' (ROBERT BROWNING in The Classical Review (New Series), 1969, p.302). From the library of Professor Carl Deroux. € 29.50 (Antiquarian)
SULLIVAN, J.P., Propertius. A Critical Introduction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (...), 1976. 1st ed. XII,174p. Cloth with dust wrps. ‘This work on Propertius aims to satisfy the need for a ‘standard introduction in English to which one may with confidence refer the neophyte classicist or even an non-classical colleague’ (p.IX). Sullivan is thus necessarily selective in the material he covers; he does not deal with transmission and emendation of the text, nor attempt to analyze every poem. The first chapter, ‘Propertius’ Life and Literary Fortunes’, is certainly appropriate for a work directed at the nonspecialist. S. rehearses what scant biographical information the poems offer, and draws the usual conclusions concerning the poet’s life. The problems of chronology and form of publication receive clear and sensible (…) treatment. S.’s appraisal of the literary climate in Rome is considerably less traditional, governed as it is by his belief in ill feeling between Propertius and Horace and in Propertius’ dissatisfaction with Augustan rule and the strictures of Maecenas’ patronage. (…) A similar bias is prevalent in the second chapter, ‘The Politics of Elegy’, where S. accepts Horace’s dislike for Propertius as evidence of Propertius’ hatred of Augustus and his bloody rise to power (pp.54 ff.). (…) As an introduction to Propertius, the work is so deeply permeated by the author’s prejudices that I would recommend it to a beginning classicist with great reservation.’ (ZANE UDRIS in Classical Philology, 1978, pp.361-64). € 27.50 (Antiquarian)
SULLIVAN, M., Time Biases. A Theory of Rational Planning and Personal Persistence. Oxford University Press, 2018. 208p. Hardback. € 54.35 (New)
SULLIVAN, P. P., Wittgenstein's Tractatus. History and Interpretation. Oxford University Press, 2013. 282p. Hardback. Series: Mind Association Occasional Series. € 78.81 (New) (MD)
SUMMERS, J., Late-Medieval Prison Writing and the Politics of Autobiography. Oxford University Press, 2004. 240p. Hardback. Series: Oxford English Monographs. ...crosses the boundaries of genre to bring us an intelligent account of pre-modern self-fashioning. Isabel Davis, TLS 28/04/2006 (Publisher's information). € 138.59 (New) (MD)
SUMMERS, K. M., Morality After Calvin. Theodore Beza's Christian Censor and Reformed Ethics. Oxford University Press, 2016. 432p. Hardback. Series: Oxford Studies in Historical Theology. Kirk M. Summers's study of Beza is a welcome contribution to a developing field. Manfred Svensson, Journal of Markets & Morality |a 27/2/18 (Publisher's information). € 111.42 (New)
SUMNER, G., Roman Army Wars of the Empire. Color plates by Gr. Turner. Brassey's, London, 1997. 1st ed. 144p. Richly ills.(B&W as well as full colour photographs, plates and line drawings). Hardbound with pictorial dust wrps. Dust wrps slightly wrinkled to the edges. Initials stamp, date and personal library mark on free endpaper. € 32.50 (Antiquarian)
SUMNER, G., Roman Military Dress. History Press, Stroud, 2009. 1st ed. 224,(XVI)p. Richly ills.(B&W as well as full colour photographs and line drawings). Paperback. Initials stamp, date and personal library mark on free endpaper. Else fine. The Roman military was one of the most powerful forces of the ancient world. But what did its soldiers wear? This book presents an accurate and illuminating study of a popular yet understudied subject. Spanning 1000 years from the Late Republic to the Byzantine Empire, including every item from helmet linings to leg wrappings, Graham Sumner presents an original and detailed interpretation of wide-ranging evidence, drawing on recent textile finds, ancient artwork and original literary sources from across the Roman Empire. With the help of informative illustrations, we understand how the garments were worn and by which soldiers, both on and off the battlefield. Materials used, methods of manufacture and dying, and the second-hand trade are also discussed. Including stunning colour images and reconstructions, this book will be of great value to students and re-enactors of the Romans, as well as costume and fashion students. (Publisher's information). € 25.00 (Antiquarian)
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State Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo).
State senate approves bill expanding 4-year degrees at community colleges
State legislation that would expand and extend a pilot program allowing a limited number of California community colleges to offer a bachelor’s degree passed a key test Wednesday when the California State Senate endorsed the bill on a 38-2 vote.
SB 769, authored by state Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), now goes before the California State Assembly.
The legislation seeks to expand the number of community college baccalaureate programs from 15 to 25 while also extending the pilot program – which is due to expire in 2023 – to July 1, 2028.
“Employers tell us they need well-trained students with degrees in these workforce fields,” said San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance Carroll, who is co-chairing the statewide campaign in support of SB 769 and who testified earlier this year in support of the bill. “Senate Bill 769 is necessary to ensure that students in these pilot programs have every opportunity to complete their degrees and successfully transition to the workforce.”
SB 769 was recently amended to remove a provision that would have allowed community colleges in the state’s baccalaureate pilot program to offer the same bachelor’s degree as those offered by the California State University or University of California systems. That provision would have only applied to community colleges located more than 100 miles from a CSU or UC campus with a similar degree.
California’s baccalaureate pilot program was authorized through SB 850, authored by former state Senator Marty Block in 2014. SB 850 gave the California Community Colleges system approval to offer 15 bachelor’s degrees in a limited number of workforce-preparation skills. Fifteen community colleges – including San Diego Mesa College – are participating in the program.
Mesa College offers a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management. Launched in 2015, Mesa’s degree program prepares students to work at a management level in a variety of healthcare settings and with salaries of up to $144,000 annually. The college’s first class of upper division students will be awarded bachelor’s degrees in May 2018.
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Thirty-two years of award-winning journal South Dakota History now available online
PIERRE, S.D.—The South Dakota State Historical Society is taking advantage of the digital age, to the benefit of those who enjoy reading about the state’s past. The first 32 years of South Dakota History, the society’s award-winning quarterly journal, are now available online free of charge.
To access the nearly 400 articles now online, go to the website of the South Dakota State Historical Society, www.history.sd.gov, and select “Publishing,” then click on “SDSHS Press” and look under “Journals.”
Every volume of South Dakota History carries a wide range of articles, from scholarly studies to memoirs that give readers a taste of life in the past. Topics include American Indian history and traditions; military history; homesteading and agriculture; politics; mining, industry, and labor; art and architecture; histories of women and the state’s ethnic groups; and many others.
South Dakota History’s unique features include “Dakota Images,” which has profiled the lives of more than 150 important South Dakotans; “Dakota Resources,” a useful guide to research collections; and “Historical Musings,” a forum for the region’s leading historians to talk about their craft. An online index of more than 16,000 entries helps readers find specific people, places and events.
South Dakota History started in 1970 and has won multiple national awards, including a 2011 Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History. It is both an invaluable resource for researchers and an engaging read for anyone interested in South Dakota’s past.
To keep up with current articles, join the South Dakota State Historical Society and receive four issues each year. A subscription to South Dakota History is a benefit of membership in the South Dakota State Historical Society. For information on membership, call (605) 773-6000. To purchase individual issues, call (605) 773-6009.
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State Historical Society awards four Deadwood Fund historic preservation grants
Historic preservation projects in Hot Springs, Huron and Miller have received matching Deadwood Fund grants from the South Dakota State Historical Society.
“This historic preservation grants program is designed to encourage restoration or rehabilitation of historic properties and is one more way we can promote and protect our history and culture,” said Jay D. Vogt, director of the State Historical Society. “In 2018 we awarded $117,000 among 10 projects which had matching funds of $580,106. The resulting total public-private investment is $697,106.”
The grants are awarded through the State Historical Society’s Deadwood Fund grant program. Funding for the program is from Deadwood gaming revenue earmarked by state law for historic preservation projects throughout the state. The program is administered by the society’s State Historic Preservation Office at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
The following projects were the most recent to receive grants to supplement their work:
Beadle County, Huron: First Congregational Church, built in 1919; received $15,000 to assist with stained-glass window restoration and storm window replacement; and First Presbyterian Church, built in 1915; received $12,000 to assist with stained-glass window restoration and storm window installation
Fall River County, Hot Springs: Harlou Building, built in 1893; received $13,000 to assist with masonry repair and repointing on façade and side as well as repair of the side exterior stairs
Hand County, Miller: Hand County Courthouse, built in 1924; received $14,476.30 to assist with skylight and stained-glass window restoration
These new recipients represent a total award amount of $54,476. With their matching funds of $261,612, the total public-private investment is $316,088.
Deadwood Fund grants are awarded twice a year with grant application deadlines of Feb. 1 and Oct. 1. They are reviewed at the spring and winter meetings of the State Historical Society’s board of trustees. For more information on the Deadwood Fund grant program, contact the State Historic Preservation Office at the Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501-2217; telephone 605-773-3458; or website history.sd.gov/preservation/fundingopportunities.aspx.
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Tag Archives: chamber opera
ALBUM REVIEW: The Edge of Forever featuring The Industry & wildUp
Posted on August 1, 2016 by maestrobeats
The release of the recording of the chamber opera The Edge of Forever by Los Angeles-based experimental opera company The Industry and modern music collective wild Up is a triumph. However, it is difficult to succinctly encapsulate exactly why this complex release is so tremendously special; some (ok, maybe a lot of) background information is needed first.
The Edge of Forever is a piece that is intentionally bound to a specific time and a specific place. This recording documents a performance that occurred on December 21, 2012. You may remember that date as a moment when various sources predicted an apocalypse of one sort or another because of that date’s association with the ending of the ancient Mayan Long Count calendar. The Edge of Forever is associated with that moment as well; this piece was inspired by the end of the Mayan calendar. Its association with this specific moment in time led its creators to perform it in public only once. This piece will never be performed again; luckily, we have a recording! To be fair, however, the released recording of the piece does contain some post-performance studio addition, but they serve only to recreate the experience of the live performance.
In addition to being tightly bound to a specific moment in time, this piece was designed to be performed specifically in its chosen venue. That venue was Los Angeles’s Philosophical Research Society. This institution is dedicated to the study and preservation of wisdom traditions from around the globe and throughout time, operating without evangelical doctrine. The Edge of Forever was designed to be staged specifically in this space, using various spaces at the Society as the narrative unfolded.
It is also important to note the mission of the Philosophical Research Society, as its devotion to cross-cultural learning and the wisdom of disparate cultures hints at the themes of transcendence and unity that emerge from every element of this piece as it unfolds. All of the major elements of this piece, both obvious and obfuscated, serve these themes. The composer (Lewis Pesacov) and the librettist (Elizabeth Cline) deserve high praise for their success in fusing the elements of The Edge of Forever into a deep and unified whole.
Elizabeth Cline. Photo Credit: Suzy Poling.
Lewis Pesacov. Photo Credit: Michael Leviton
Before exploring this recording, it might be helpful for listeners to brush up on their ancient Mesoamerican theology. However, if that idea is not appealing, the liner notes explain things adequately. Basically, according to the mythological explanation given in the liner notes, a chosen sacrificial individual was prophesized to transcend the previous era of time (pre-December 21, 2012) and act as a bridge into the next era of time through the fulfillment of a great love. That individual is the main character of this opera, La’akan.
Interestingly, and very much in line with the temporal focus of this work, the performance begins in what the creators call the “third act” of the opera. The first two acts are written to have already happened, so the audience joins the action in progress as the third act begins. The liner notes provide a somewhat-detailed account of the story up to the start of the third act. The music of this piece in divided into the five scenes (five tracks) of Act III.
As the recording begins (joining the story in scene 1 of Act III), La’akan is in seclusion, waiting for his beloved, Etznab, to appear. When the lovers are united, the prophecy states that this era of time will end and the new one will begin. Scene 1 is a “procession of the scribes.” The scribes here are four sopranos singing wordless tones that have a distinct “early-music” flavor. Overall, though, it would be difficult to confuse this music with its antique counterpart, given the striking quavering of the voices. This ancient-sounding music gradually transforms into quite modern sounds that remind me of a hypothetical chamber version of Ligeti’s Requiem (1965). The scribes are on a pilgrimage to the caves where La’akan is in seclusion so that they may witness the transformation of one era of time into another. The music of scene 1 is completely a cappella.
Scene 2 is an entr’acte. Temple bowls, I believe, augmented by electronic drones begin this movement. Later, strings and winds enter as this instrumental movement builds to a stirring climax that is at once uplifting and foreboding. The music then fades to a light electronic drone and strings enter. A mournful cello solo continues this movement, supported chiefly by percussion and light backup strings. The movement finishes with meditative drumming that should put even the most resistant or confused listener in the right frame of mind to accept the cosmic and transcendent musical scenes to come.
Scene 3 is quite brief. In this recitative, La’akan sings for the first time, singing the first English words in the piece. As scene 3 blends into scene 4 (an aria), La’akan describes his seclusion. He has focused solely on love, and abandoned all other desires. The instrumental music that accompanies La’akan during scene 4 features the soprano sax and English horn prominently, along with percussion. The sounds made by these two woodwind instruments here strongly resemble the sounds of the Tibetan gyaling. As Scene 4 ends, string imitate these sounds and carry us into Scene 5.
Scene 5 closes the piece with a second aria. As the piece enters this new sonic space that will eventually leave the audience in a warm bath of cosmic joy, a lovely English horn and soprano sax duet sets the tone. The woodwind playing could scarcely be more different that the bristly sounds of Scene 4; this dichotomy highlights both the versatility of the players and the skill of Pesacov, who has managed to compose with admirable economy, using the full expressive range of the instruments.
As Scene 5 progresses, La’akan reveals that the time has come for him to unite with the beloved and usher in a new age. His beloved is neither seen nor heard, but through the music, her presence is clear. The vocals here are accompanied by the full ensemble, but the drum and bells feature prominently. As the piece ends, the music coalesces around a single pitch, fading out in a gesture that suggests an ultimate unity. This might not seem an obvious way to end a piece about a topic that was popularly associated with an apocalypse, but after taking in the narrative of this version of the story, it makes perfect sense.
Much of the music in Scene 5 is reminiscent of John Adams’s The Dharma at Big Sur. Both pieces are deeply spiritual, but approach spirituality from apparently opposite directions (mythology vs spiritual commune with nature). One particularly tantalizing possibility about the source of this similarity might be fact that Adams’s Dharma is also about an “edge,” although a much more concrete edge; the John Adams piece is about standing on the western edge of the American continent. Whatever the true source of their similarity, it is fascinating and pleasing that they end up in similar sonic spaces, but ultimately not surprising, given the orientation of The Edge of Forever toward multifaceted transcendence of apparently unrelated realms.
This overarching themes of unity and transcendence are everywhere in The Edge of Forever. First, it is inside the narrative: it is present in the element of the bridging of two eras of time, the more simple union of a lover with their beloved (who may or may not be supernatural), and the union of humanity with the cosmic through the timeless power of love. This last element of the narrative focuses on the power of love and unity to transcend the human time scale. In the words of the librettist, “one can find forever in each moment.”
These themes are also written into this piece through the composer’s use of the ratio at the heart of the Mayan calendar. The Mayan calendar in question here is built upon the ratio 13:20, and the complex interactions of those two numbers. The Maya were able to use this simple method of counting to understand time scales of cosmic proportions which otherwise would be outside the realm of human comprehension.
Pesacov uses these numbers and this ratio to generate most of the musical structures (both large and small) in the piece. Excitingly, however, the overall effect is not that of a piece created by the cold application of numerals, but rather a lovingly conceived narrative supported by tasteful and interesting instrumental writing. The successful coexistence of these two seemingly opposing motivations is evidence of the composer’s skill.
Here, too, then, is transcendence woven into this piece in two ways: the Mayan calendar itself suggesting the extension of the human mind into otherwise unreachable territory while the construction of musical structures using its elements unifies numbers and musical expression into a beautifully multifaceted whole.
Pesacov also manages to work a third iteration of unity and transcendence into this score with his ingenious orchestration. The ensemble here is relatively small, but it is packed with instruments that have association with religions from around the world, thus deepening this piece’s commitment to transcendence. From Tibet, there are singing bowls (I think), the replication of the sound of the gyaling by the soprano saxophone and the English horn, and the conch shell. The conch is also found in the religious traditions of Pacific island nations, India, East Asia, the Caribbean, and (poignantly, in the case of this piece) Mesoamerica. Other instruments in this piece are common to religious traditions too numerous to name; drumming, bells, and a cappella singing are firmly in this category. So, even the instrumentation itself contributes to the themes of unity and transcendence in The Edge of Forever.
When I encountered this piece initially, the interesting story and beautiful performances of the players and cast drew me in. Then, the more deeply I explored this piece and its backstory, the more layers of connection (transcendence) I found. This tells me that Pesacov and Cline really knew what they were doing. The result of their multifaceted success is that any listener can enjoy this release; you can listen for the intricate construction and efficient writing or you can just sit back and enjoy the beauty of the thing, or both! Whatever your motivation, I think it would be difficult for any listener to experience The Edge of Forever without feeling the love.
Posted in Reviews | Tagged chamber opera, christopher rountree, cosmic, dharma at big sur, elizabeth cline, gest, hopscotch, invisible cities, john adams, la'akan, lewis pesacov, ligeti, los angeles, mayan long count calendar, mesoamerican theology, philosophical research society, temple bowls, the edge of forever, the industry, unity and trancendence, wildup | Leave a reply
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Brantley's 2012 Batting Order Position & CF/DH/PH #s
in 2012, Brantley ended up hitting everywhere in the order except for the 9th spot. he bat in a few abnormal places due to coming in to pinch hit in a few games and certain guys getting days off. but he mostly bat 4th and 5th. Michael is by no means a cleanup hitter, but this team was struggling so much, and Michael ended up being our most consistent and reliable hitter, so he was ultimately thrust into the cleanup spot and 5th spot on numerous occasions.
Michael started the year batting leadoff. however, he struggled there out of the gate. between that and other extenuating circumstances, he was eventually moved down lower in the batting order. i of course think it was unfair for Manny to move Michael out of the leadoff spot so soon, because Michael had been starting to get going at the end of April and was getting himself leadoff hits again. he made adjustments in his batting stance that really helped. alas, the impatience of Manny gave Michael a chance to show everyone that he can pretty much hit anywhere.
it took Michael some time to adjust to the move at first, which was to be expected considering he was seeing different pitches in different spots in the order. that would throw anyone off after they'd been so used to leading off for the majority of their career. but he did settle in and get comfortable, and he ended up being one of our most consistent hitters, if not the most consistent, against both righties and lefties all season.
according to the numbers, Michael put up a better batting average when he was lower in the order, and he did remarkably well in the 5th spot. maybe playing the most games there had a little something to do with it, but considering he's not a typical #5 hitter, i give him credit. he overcame the adversity, and fully utilized his talents to maintain a respectable batting average, no matter where he hit, throughout the season.
Michael played in 149 (of 162) games in 2012.
Michael led off 22 games.
Michael bat 2nd in 5 games.
Michael bat 3rd in 1 game.
Michael bat 4th in 24 games.
Michael bat 8th in 2 games.
Michael played center in 144 games.
Michael was the PR in 1 game.
Michael was the DH in 3 games.
Michael was the PH in 4 games.
Michael played 132 complete games. he subbed into 6 games, by way of PR (1 game), PH (4 games), and/or late innings defensive replacement (1 game, no ABs). he was subbed out early in 8 games. he was the DH in 3 games. he did not play at all in 13 games. he missed 10 games due to injury.
in 2012, Michael had a total of 609 plate appearances and 552 at bats in 149 games. here is how he fared:
37 doubles
4 triples
6 home runs
60 RBIs (4 sac flies)
63 runs scored
53 walks (12 intentional)
56 strikeouts
12 stolen bases (9 caught stealing)
36 first at bat hits
2012 batting average: .288 (159-552) (149 games)
now let's break down his numbers based on where he hit in the lineup.
when Michael led off in 2012, he had a total of 106 plate appearances and 97 at bats in 22 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
7 doubles
1 triple
7 RBIs
9 walks (1 intentional)
2 stolen bases (1 caught stealing)
5 leadoff/first at bat hits
2012 batting average in the leadoff spot: .227 (22-97) (22 games)
when Michael bat 2nd in 2012, he had a total of 20 plate appearances and 18 at bats in 5 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
4 singles
1 double
4 runs scored
2 walks
3 strikeouts
1 stolen base
0 first at bat hits
2012 batting average in the 2nd spot: .278 (5-18) (5 games)
when Michael bat 3rd in 2012, he had a total of 5 plate appearances and 5 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
1 hit
1 single
2012 batting average in the 3rd spot: .200 (1-5) (1 game)
when Michael bat 4th in 2012, he had a total of 99 plate appearances and 89 at bats in 24 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
10 walks (1 intentional)
1 stolen base (1 caught stealing)
2012 batting average in the 4th spot: .225 (20-89) (24 games)
when Michael bat 5th in 2012, he had a total of 265 plate appearances and 237 at bats in 65 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 5th spot: .308 (73-237) (65 games)
when Michael bat 8th in 2012, he had a total of 5 plate appearances and 4 at bats in 2 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
1 run scored
1 walk (1 intentional)
2012 batting average in the 8th spot: .750 (3-4) (2 games)
when Michael bat everywhere other than leadoff in 2012, he had a total of 503 plate appearances and 455 at bats in 127 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average everywhere other than leadoff: .301 (137-455) (127 games)
defensively, Michael only played center field this season, but because he played a few games as the DH and PH'd a couple times without playing center, his numbers while playing center are not all the same as the numbers above. so now i will get into the break down of his numbers based on where he hit in the lineup while playing center.
Michael played 144 games total where he was the center fielder for some portion of the game.
Michael started as the center fielder in 140 games.
Michael subbed in to play CF in 4 games.
Michael subbed out as CF early in 8 games.
Michael played 132 games where he stayed in center the entire game.
when Michael played center in 2012, he had a total of 594 plate appearances and 538 at bats in 144 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average while playing center: .290 (156-538) (144 games)
when Michael played center and bat leadoff in 2012, he had a total of 106 plate appearances and 97 at bats in 22 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the leadoff spot while playing center: .227 (22-97) (22 games)
when Michael played center and bat 2nd in 2012, he had a total of 20 plate appearances and 18 at bats in 5 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 2nd spot while playing center: .278 (5-18) (5 games)
when Michael played center and bat 3rd in 2012, he had a total of 5 plate appearances and 5 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 3rd spot while playing center: .200 (1-5) (1 game)
when Michael played center and bat 4th in 2012, he had a total of 92 plate appearances and 83 at bats in 22 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 4th spot while playing center: .241 (20-83) (22 games)
when Michael played center and bat 5th in 2012, he had a total of 261 plate appearances and 233 at bats in 64 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 5th spot while playing center: .309 (72-233) (64 games)
when Michael played center and bat 8th in 2012, he had a total of 3 plate appearances and 2 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average in the 8th spot while playing center: .500 (1-2) (1 game)
when Michael played center and bat everywhere other than leadoff in 2012, he had a total of 488 plate appearances and 441 at bats in 122 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average everywhere other than leadoff while playing center: .304 (134-441) (122 games)
other 2012 #s while playing center: 336 putouts, 5 assists, 1 error, .997 fielding percentage (144 games)
when Michael was the DH in 2012, he had a total of 11 plate appearances and 10 at bats in 3 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average as the DH: .100 (1-10) (3 games)
when Michael was the DH and bat 4th in 2012, he had a total of 7 plate appearances and 6 at bats in 2 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
1 caught stealing
2012 batting average as the DH in the 4th spot: .000 (0-6) (2 games)
when Michael was the DH and bat 5th in 2012, he had a total of 4 plate appearances and 4 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
1 strikeout
2012 batting average as the DH in the 5th spot: .250 (1-4) (1 game)
when Michael came in to PH in 2012, he had a total of 4 plate appearances and 4 at bats in 4 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average as a PH: .500 (2-4) (4 games)
when Michael came in to PH and bat 6th in 2012, he had a total of 1 plate appearance and 1 at bat in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average as a PH in the 6th spot: .000 (0-1) (1 game)
when Michael came in to PH and bat 8th in 2012, he had a total of 2 plate appearances and 2 at bats in 2 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:
2012 batting average as a PH in the 8th spot: 1.000 (2-2) (2 games)
when Michael came in to PR in 2012, in 1 game, he did not come around to score a run.
next up, a blog about how my preseason hopes did or did not match up with Brantley's 2012 season, along with comparing this season to 2011.
Brantley's 2012 Game-by-Game Notes & Numbers blog
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The HERMES-13 macroeconomic model of the Irish economy. ESRI WP460. July 2013
Bergin, Adele and Conefrey, Thomas and FitzGerald, John and Kearney, Ide and Znuderl, Nusa (2013) The HERMES-13 macroeconomic model of the Irish economy. ESRI WP460. July 2013. [Working Paper]
The HERMES macroeconomic model has been used extensively for over 25 years to carry out medium-term forecasting and scenario analysis of the Irish economy. Most recently the model has been used to generate the scenarios underpinning the 2013 edition of the ESRI's Medium-Term Review. In the long period over which the model has been used for policy analysis, the Irish economy has undergone substantial change and new approaches to modelling important economic relationships have been developed. This paper outlines the structure and behaviour of the most recent version of the HERMES model (HERMES-13). We describe the key mechanisms and the modelling innovations which have been introduced to deal with major changes in the economy. As the model draws on a range of research on the Irish economy, we describe how this work has been incorporated into the model to better capture key economic relationships. Finally, we examine the results of a series of shocks to key variables carried out using the model. This provides a benchmark against which to evaluate the long-run properties of the model as well as illustrating how the model can shed light on the key transmission channels in the economy. This paper, and the accompanying detailed model listing and estimation output, provides a basic reference manual that practitioners and interested parties can use to interpret model output and, it is hoped, make suggestions for further model development and improvement.
Countries > Ireland
EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > economic and financial affairs > economic policy
Series > Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Dublin > ESRI Working Papers
Alyssa McDonald
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The Attorney General serves as the chief legal officer of the State of Missouri as mandated by our Constitution. The Attorney General is elected by Missouri voters, serves a four-year term, and is not subject to constitutional term limits.
The Attorney General’s Office represents and provides legal advice to most state agencies; defends challenges to the validity of state laws; enforces civil law, including consumer protection and environmental laws; defends the State’s interest in civil actions, including bankruptcies, workers’ compensation claims, professional licensing cases, and habeas corpus actions filed by state and federal inmates; and serves as a special prosecutor in criminal cases when appointed. In addition, the Office handles all appeals statewide from felony convictions.
The Attorney General’s Office brings and defends lawsuits on behalf of the State and prepares formal legal opinions requested by State officers, legislators, or county attorneys on issues of law. The Office represents the State in litigation at all levels ranging from a variety of administrative tribunals to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Attorney General’s Office is among the largest law offices in the state. The Office comprises two general divisions: Civil and Criminal.
The Civil Division includes:
The Criminal Division includes:
The Office also includes an Office of Solicitor General, who represents the interests of the state in appellate and national matters.
The Attorney General's main office is located at:
Supreme Court Building
207 W. High St.
We also have regional offices located in Cape Girardeau, Kansas City, Springfield, and St. Louis. Our offices are open from 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday on non-holidays. For more information about our offices, visit our Contact Us page.
To protect and advance the interests of the state and its citizens through the judicial and legislative process and to serve as the People’s lawyer, fighting for openness and justice, especially for those who have no voice.
FAQs about the Office
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David Holbrooke, director of 'The Diplomat,' to speak and present film at Indiana University
Holbrooke's documentary focuses on the life of his father, the late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, a career diplomat best known for his work in reaching the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the war in Bosnia.
Indiana University and The Australian National University agree to offer joint master's degree
IU and ANU announced they will offer a dual-degree master's program in arts administration and museum and heritage studies. The announcement was made during a visit by ANU Vice-Chancellor Brian P. Schmidt, a Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist.
IU School of Education receives NSF grant to study learning via specialized video game
The Indiana University School of Education?s Center for Research on Learning and Technology has received a $ 1.23 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant will fund use of a specially designed video game to help students working in small groups learn to create solutions collaboratively.
Herron Art Library hosting public reception and lecture on papermaking in the Islamic world
Papermaker and letterpress printer Radha Pandey will discuss traditional Islamic-world papermaking history and technique, with a focus on contemporary practices in India. She will also cover how papermaking affected printing, publishing and literacy, and why it is relevant today.
IU researcher to co-lead study to detect learning disabilities through physical movement
A $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to IU physicist and neuroscientist Jorge V. Jose and collaborators at the University of California at San Diego and other institutions will support research into how fine-grained movement of the body, face and eyes in middle and high school aged children may be used to reveal measurable signs of learning disability.
Nobel Prize laureate Brian Schmidt to present public lecture at Indiana University
The vice chancellor of Australian National University will speak about his research and is leading a faculty delegation from ANU for substantive meetings with IU President Michael A. McRobbie and other university leaders.
IUPUI honored for outstanding achievement in student engagement
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis earned two awards at the National Association for Campus Activities Mid America Conference. The Student Activities Programming Board was named the Programming Organization of the Year, and senior Kendal Lang was named Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader.
IU Dance Marathon breaks record, raising over $4 million for Riley Hospital for Children
Starting at 9 p.m. Nov. 4, participants in 12-, 24- and 36-hour shifts danced at the IU Tennis Center to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis. This year, IU Dance Marathon reaped a record-breaking $4,152,440.23.
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About Us Concerts and Tickets Recordings Recent concerts Director of Music History Committee Supporting Us Members' Page Join Us Librettos Contact Us Constitution, data protection and policies
Home » Director of Music
Edmond Fivet has been a major force in British music education, having been Director of the Royal College of Music Junior Department and serving, for eighteen years, as Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Since retiring to Suffolk he has become increasingly involved in local music making, first conducting the Aldeburgh Music Club Choir in May 2007 in a programme that included Beethoven Mass in C, followed by a performance of the Mozart Requiem with the Phoenix Singers in November. Edmond was appointed Music Director of Aldeburgh Music Club in 2008 and was Music Director of the Phoenix Singers from 2009 to 2012. Concerts have included Handel Messiah; Mozart Mass in C Minor and Coronation Mass; Rossini Petite Mass; Walton Belshazzar's Feast; Haydn Creation; Fauré Requiem; Haydn Nelson Mass and Schubert Mass in G and Mass in E flat; Orff Carmina Burana; Lambert's Rio Grande; Mendelssohn Elijah and Verdi Requiem.
2008 also saw the formation of the Prometheus Orchestra, which Edmond conducts, and which has given concerts in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Aldeburgh, Orford, Framlingham, Woodbridge and Snape Maltings. Programmes have included a range of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven symphonies, Elgar, Grieg, Wagner and Schubert. Prometheus Orchestra played a major part in the 2011 and 2012 William Alwyn Festival.
Edmond has conducted many talented youth orchestras and ensembles including performances of Shostakovich's Fifth and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphonies, and has conducted two major chamber orchestra tours, including Bach's Violin Concertos with the then young Daniel Hope. In 2007 he conducted two performances of Britten's Noye's Fludde in Cardiff. A widely experienced adjudicator, examiner and consultant, Edmond has worked at home and overseas.
Edmond is Chairman of the Bury St Edmunds Concert Club and the national Chair of Making Music's Concert Promoters Group.
He was appointed a CBE in the Queen's 2008 Birthday Honours for services to music and education.
Copyright © 2019, Aldeburgh Music Club
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Fires Paranormal
2015, March 11 (ca.): The Purple Dress
2013, November: Loch Ness Monster Seen by Satellites?
1613, June 26: John Hitchell’s Fiery Demise
1749, February: Madame De Boiseon’s Fiery Death
The account of Madame De Boiseon's death was first recorded by Claude Nicholas Le Cat, a famous surgeon of the 18th century. He did not see the body himself; instead, he received a letter describing the event about two weeks after it occurred in February 1749, and made note of the letter in one of his books. I will sum up the story as he received it.
Madame De Boiseon, 80 years old, was sitting in her chair in front of the fire when her waiting-maid stepped out of the room for a few moments. When she returned, she found Madame De Boiseon on fire. The waiting-maid screamed for help; one of the people who arrived immediately tried to beat out the flames with his hands... only to find that the flames stuck to his hands, as if his hands had been dipped in alcohol or oil on fire.
Next, water was thrown in abundance upon De Boiseon's body, but this seemed to make the fire burn more fiercely. The fire continued to burn until De Boiseon had been reduced to a blackened skeleton sitting in an only minorly scorched chair. Of her body, only one leg and her hands were reasonably intact, all having separated from the torso as it burned.
Madame De Boiseon sat in the same chair in front of the fire daily. There was nothing unusual about the fire in the grate itself, and she had not fallen onto the fire. She was said to have drunk nothing but 'spirits' (alcohol) for several years previous to her death.
The account above, from Le Cat, expressed the idea that De Boiseon had suffered from preternatural combustibility, a theoretical condition in which a human body becomes far more flammable than normal, and can be easily ignited and combusted by exposure to common flame. It was thought that her addiction to alcohol had transferred the combustible properties of the fluid to her body. It's not clear from the account I have if Le Cat himself believed this, or if he was simply repeating a theory from the letter he was writing about.
Joe Nickell, in his book Secrets of the Supernatural, proposed that De Boison was ignited accidentally by the fire in the grate, and was too intoxicated or disabled to save herself; in short, he felt she was an example of the "wick effect," a situation in which a person's clothes act like a candlewick by sucking up and burning the melting body fat of the victim. But Nickell doesn't mention why De Boiseon's chair was left relatively unburned, why a man's hands would catch aflame, and why water would make her body burn more; if these are true and correct details, then they point to a fire that behaves in a paranormal fashion.
Madame De Boiseon's Fiery Death (sources)
‹ Grace Pett's Combustion (sources) up Madame De Boiseon's Fiery Death (sources) ›
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Windies fans stay true despite below par World Cup run
Sanjay Myers @ ICC Cricket World Cup In England & Wales
MANCHESTER, England — The West Indies cricket team has endured a mostly lean period over the past decade or more, but has somehow continued to captivate fans far and wide for varying reasons.
At the 2019 Cricket World Cup the maroon-clad Caribbean men have lost four of six games and are out of contention for the semi-finals. But in the stands they still have substantial blocks of supporters and many neutral admirers.
Ahead of Saturday's game against New Zealand at Old Trafford, which the West Indies lost by five runs in a nerve-jarring finish, the Jamaica Observer caught up with some of them, magnetised by the magic that is West Indies cricket.
“I travelled to Manchester for the game, hoping I could bring West Indies some luck. I think they needed to see some more familiar faces in the crowd and not be outnumbered by everybody,” said Margaret Ismond, who is based in London but is originally from Micoud, St Lucia.
Ismond said she has been living in the United Kingdom for 15 years, but it is clear that West Indies cricket stays close to her heart as she sieved through the team's challenges at the tournament.
“The Bangladesh loss (by seven wickets in Taunton) was not surprising because Bangladesh have now beaten us eight out of 10 times. But I was flabbergasted that our bowlers went for so much — the bowling was too one-dimensional.
“We've looked one spinner short and the bowling at the death has not been good — we've looked flat entering the last 10 overs. The first few games we were exceptional, and we probably got carried away with that style of attack,” she told the Observer.
Diving briefly into the back story of how she became knowledgeable on cricketing matters she explained that things took shape during her early years in St Lucia.
“I grew up not far from where former West Indies captain Darren Sammy is from. He went to the primary school right next to the playing field close to where I lived, so I know him and his family.
“I've always followed cricket but my first interaction was listening to cricket on a Saturday when my sister was following it. I still think that [listening commentary] is still the best way to learn about cricket because since there's no visual, it's usually so descriptive. And lucky for me, I started listening to cricket in the glory days…it was really exciting and we knew what winning meant and it was consistent, so I became addicted,” Ismond recalled.
Englishman Nick Heyes is a West Indies fan when he is not supporting his homeland. Heyes, who is from Manchester but now based in London, was at Old Trafford with his girlfriend Eirin Saether for the game against New Zealand.
“My main team is England but if I had to choose a second team it would have to be West Indies. I like the players; I follow them closely in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and I'm a big fan of Chris Gayle.
“I like their style of cricket, the way they bat, that aggressive style. They started off well and then it started to tail off a bit… but I'm still hoping for some fireworks,” Heyes said just ahead of the game.
Saether, who hails from Norway, is a fledgling cricket fan. While Heyes was sporting a West Indies shirt, Saether's replica New Zealand blouse indicated the direction of her support.
“I'm from Norway and we don't really have cricket, and this is my first-ever game. I used to live in New Zealand — though I've never watched a game there — so we both decided to go out and have fun. I've been watching stuff on YouTube to help me understand the game,” she explained.
Mervin Bain and his two friends Andre Joseph and Aldwin Alston Charles made the trip from Scarborough, Tobago, to catch the encounter in Manchester.
For Bain it's more than the outcome on the day.
“This is an experience — you don't get the opportunity to come to a World Cup in the 'Home of Cricket' every week.
Sport is not only about winning.“You also want to enjoy yourself and you want to be around Caribbean people with the Caribbean vibe, so you take it for what it is. You'd wish your team would be in a better place and performing better… but it's still 100 per cent support,” he said.
Bain noted that the West Indies brand remains marketable globally.
“People all over just love West Indian cricket; not just West Indians. Internationally, West Indies is always one of the more popular teams because of our charisma and our playing style,” he said while gesticulating emphatically.
Alston Charles, who hails from Mason Hall in Tobago, was also lured to England by more than the on-field happenings.
“I'm still proud to be here even though it's not likely the West Indies will reach the semi-finals. It was important for me to come personally because it's an experience to come to a World Cup here in Europe,” said Alston Charles.
Joseph, another visitor to England from Mason Hall, said his dream was to catch a West Indies game at the ICC World Cup.
“I'm always interested in cricket — win or lose. I always wanted to watch a live game at the World Cup and this was my opportunity. It's true the team isn't really what it's supposed to be, but at the same time I'm here to watch cricket and have a very good lyme,” he said.
Tyrone Hines, who hails from Montego Bay in Jamaica but is now situated in London, was at Old Trafford with his chidren Kadedra, 12, and Tyrone Jr, 16.
“My dad was a big West Indies fan, a big cricket fan, and the family relocated to the UK but we love the cricket the same way,” said the senior Hines who recalled that he attended Muschett High School before his family moved.
Kadedra was gleeful as she saw West Indies captain Jason Holder, star batsman Gayle, and other members of the team mount a staircase before the start of the game.
“It is my first cricket match and I'm very excited and happy. To be honest, I don't really watch cricket on TV but I did want to come for the experience,” she said.
Photos: Jamaica vs England
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Technical KO
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Reifer heroics futile as Windies A lose again
'We'll be fine'
After 23 starts, Dyna's Pride is a winner
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Research report on Nutrition
A high diet with high intake of vegetables is beneficial for health and wellbeing, particularly to prevent chronic diseases. In Australia, the concerns for health mainly come from chronic diseases impacting morbidity and mortality. During 2004-2005, 77 percent of the Australians were affected by at least one long term health condition (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). The health conditions are mostly associated with the lifestyle choices. The access to quality information is a major challenge in the study of the supply system of vegetables. In the report, named State of Logistics, four particular impediments in relation to obtainment of quality information on the foodstuffs’ system of logistics are:
Access of commercial-in-confidence information
Obtaining greater cooperation from industry in gathering information
Obtainment of timely and reliable data on quality attributes required in innovation (Higgens et al., 2007).
The addressing of answering the question of the reasons Australians eats few vegetables are revealed by the information as follows. The health promotion programs have been carried out by the National and State governments and NGOs in trying to increase intake of vegetables over the past two decades. Despite this effort, vegetable consumption of 5 serves per day is met by less than 10 percent of the Australian population. Younger adults are at the bottom of the chart in terms of eating vegetables. Nine out of ten Australians does not eat enough vegetables, according to the Australian Government’s Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia’s Food and Nutrition (Abraham & Webb 2001). The two-third of the adult Australians are obese or overweight. Therefore, intake of a diet rich in vegetables is necessary in managing weight. The bigger concern is that the Australians that buy vegetables and don’t end up eating them by throwing out $1.1 billion worth of vegetables every year. The consumption of vegetables is critical in fighting against cancer (Cowey & Hardy 2006). It has been estimated that 5-12% of all cancers are preventable with the intake of the right quantity of vegetables (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2006).
One of the reasons for low vegetable consumption in Australia can be attributed to economic and environmental factors. Other factors can be choices for other food categories, smoking and consumption of alcohol. These factors are the possible modifiers impacting the health of the low consumption group in relation to the intake of vegetables for better or worse (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2005). The geographical remoteness can also be attributed as a factor in people’s vegetable consumption. The people residing in the regional and outer regional/remote areas consumed greater amount of vegetables than people in the major cities in 2007-08. The more vegetable consuming segment in the remote and regional areas consists 47 percent and 46 percent, respectively, who consumes 3 or more serves a day in comparison to the 39 percent of the population living in the major cities. The people belonging to the disadvantaged groups in terms of income, educational level, unemployment etc, however, have shown no difference in consumption of vegetables with other demographic categories. The demographic characteristics have bearing on vegetable dietary behaviours on the basis of desiring an increased intake and perceived barriers. The low consumption of vegetable is more with the adolescents than adults. Adolescents are also consumer of lower variety of vegetables. However, either gender categories are similar in taking the amount of vegetables consumption and vegetable variety. The barriers to the increase of vegetable intake are in the form of price, storage, and time. The non-consumption of vegetables is inversely related to income for both adolescents and adults. The lower income groups are likelier to follow the low intake of vegetables (Fordred 2008).
This study examines the extent of vegetable consumption change with the help of Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The TPB represents the intention of the perceived behavioral control (PBC) as the key determinant of behavior in relation to attitude, subjective norm and PBC (Ajzen 1991). The Attitude of the regular participants is more in this research, mainly because of the high perceived fear of obesity among the participants. The Subjective Norm is marginally is on the higher side as well. The perceived control is similar on both researches. For the rare participants, worry about obesity, and blood pressure is very high, and at the same time keeping the family members happy with non-veg food is also high;leading to the high Attitude quotient. The critical factor for the subjective norm is high, is because the participants’ tendency is to go for non-veg food, when shopping. The participants’ tendency to get hungry often, have given a high score for taking non-veg food when the participant gets hungry in the Perceived Control section (Kothe et al. 2011).
The aim of this study is to find out the key drivers of vegetable intakes for two groups: (a) participants who takes a lot of vegetables (Regular); and (b) participants who take small quantities of vegetables (Rare).
Sample sets
The sample size is 10 participants. The gender divide of the sample population is 7 women and 3 men.
The age distribution is:
18-30 years: 3 participants
The participants are grouped in two equal halves as “rare participants” and “regular participants” indicating low consumption of vegetables and high consumption of vegetables in the following way.
18-30 years: Two from “rare participants” and one from “regular participants”
30-40 years: Two from “rare participants” and three from “regular participants”
40-50 years: One from“rare participants” and one from “regular participants”
Income distribution is:
$5,000 – $ 20,000 p.a.: 4 participants
$21,000 – $ 50,000 p.a.: 4 participants
Above $ 50,000 p.a. : 2 participants
Geographical distribution is:
50 percent of the population is from major cities and the rest of the regional/remote areas taken randomly from the sample set.
The participants are chosen from social networking sites of Facebook and Twitter. They were contacted through e-mail provided in their profiles of the respective site. After communication through email, it was decided (based on the participants’ convenience) to conduct the research of five of them through face-to-facesettings, and rest five through telephone. All participants residing in the remote places are surveyed via telephone.
The questionnaire is constructed with the help of Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen 1991) segregated by three categories: attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavior.
The questionnaire was constructed from the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) using the categories attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavior control to generate questions. The Likert scale is used using the 5 as ‘Strongly Agree’ and incremented down to ‘Strongly Disagree’ using 1 at the bottom.
The aim of this study is to find out the key drivers of vegetable intakes for two groups: (a) participants who consumes a lot of vegetables (Regular); and (b) participants who consumes small quantities of vegetables (Rare). The results show “Attitude” as the biggest driver and influence in determining the frequent consumers of vegetables. For regular consumers, Subjective Normative comes second, while for rare consumers, Percieved Control comes second. The Perceived Control is third for regular consumers and the Subjective Normative for the rare consumers.
In comparing the results with the two researches, the figures are provided below.
The Attitude of the regular participants is more in this research is mainly because of the high perceived fear of obesity among the participants. The Subjective Norm is marginally higher in this research than the other research and two researches are largely consistent with one another. The perceived control is also similar in both researches.
Obesity is one of the primary health issues affecting the world today. The prevalence rate of obesity has increased three-fold over last few decades in a number of countries (World Health Organisation 2000). Australia is not an anomaly to the global trend. The rates of overweight and obese in Australia have increased two times over the last 10 years. The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents in the age group of 7-15 years has increased three times over the last 10 years (Booth et al., 2001).
The prevalence of a strong evidence of relationship exists between diet and chronic diseases. The dietary guidelines have focused on the reduction of saturated fat and increased intake of vegetables (National Health and Medical Research Council 2003).
In spite of these recommendations, it is hard to find adult Australians appearing for adhering these guidelines. The data obtained from the National Health Survey, 2004-05, reveals 80-90 percent of the Australian population consumes fewer serves of vegetables than what is recommended (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997).
The Australian data reveal the average consumption of Australian adults of saturated fat accounting for 13% of the total intake of energy. The figure comes out to be 33 grams of saturated fat consumption daily (Australian Institute for Health and Welfare 2004). The systematic review pertaining to the application of social cognition models related to the prediction of consumption of vegetables revealed 45 percent of the variance in consumption of vegetables among non-student population. The surveys conducted among the student population of Australia accounts for 11-17 percent of the variance in vegetable consumption (Allom et al 2011)
The reasons for a reduced amount of vegetables are plenty. From the point of view of the geographical locations to the eating habits of the adolescents, the reduced intake of the vegetables is all pervading. This research showed eating habits and the importance of eating preference for non-veg food as the most important factor for the participants to opt for non-veg food. However, the fear of obesity and blood pressure can be construed as the potential buffer of consuming too much non-veg food items.
Abraham, B & Webb, K. (2001) Interim evaluation of the voluntary foliate fortification policy. Canberra: Australian Food and Nutrition Monitoring Unit.
Ajzen, I. (1991) “The theory of planned behavior”. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211.
Allom, V., Kothe, E., & Mullan, B. (2011). “Extending the theory of planned behaviour – the influence of self-schema on fruit and vegetable consumption”. Paper presented at the Society of Australasian Social Psychologists (SASP) 41st Annual Proceedings, Manly, Australia.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1997) “National Nutrition Survey: Selected Highlights”, Australia, ABS Cat No. 4802.0.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006) Cancer in Australia: A snapshot, 2004-05 (No. ABS 4822.0). Canberra: Australian Government.
Australian Institute for Health and Welfare. (2004) Risk Factor Monitoring, a rising epidemic: Obesity in Australian children and adolescents. Canberra. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2005) Living dangerously: Australians with multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease (No. AIHW AUS 57). Canberra: Australian Government.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2006) Australia’s health 2006 (No. AIHW AUS 73). Canberra: Australian Government.
Booth, N., Okely, A. D., Denney-Wilson, E., Hardy, L., Yang, B. and Dobbins, T. (2006) NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) 2004: Summary Report. Sydney. NSW Department of Health.
Cowey, S., & Hardy, R. (2006) “The metabolic syndrome: A high-risk state for cancer?” American Journalof Pathology, 169, 1505-1522.
Fordred, C. (2008) “Is ‘Fresh’ Always Best?” EcoLibrium.
Higgens, A., Estrada-Flores, S., Singh, G., Ton, T., Dunstall, S., Archer, A., et al. (2007) State of logistics:Final report. Sydney: CSIRO Food Futures Flagship.
Kothe, E. J., Mullan, B. A., &Amaratunga, R. (2011). “Randomised controlled trial of a brief theory-based intervention promoting breakfast consumption”. Appetite, 56(1), 148-155.
National Health and Medical Research Centre. (2003) Food for Health: Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia, A guide to healthy eating. Canberra. Australian Government.
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EDA-funded infrastructure improvements to aid Enviva pellet plant
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding $1.4 million to a project in Lucedale, Mississippi, that will benefit a proposed 1.4-million-metric-ton-per-year wood pellet plant under development by Enviva.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the grant on June 20. The $1.4 million will be awarded to the George County Board of Supervisors in Lucedale to make critical infrastructure improvements to the George County Industrial Park. This includes roadway, water and wastewater improvements.
According to the Commerce Department, the improved industrial site will accommodate local business needs, including the development of a wood pellet plant under development by Enviva that will produce more than 1.4 million metric tons of wood pellets annually, primarily for export to the U.K. and Europe.
“I commend George County for working to improve its economy. These EDA resources will help ensure the appropriate infrastructure is in place to support jobs and manufacturing,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss. “The new pellet plant is a win for this rural region and for the Mississippi forestry industry. As I’ve said before, our forestry industry prides itself on being able to use every part of every harvested tree. In this case, meeting the demand for wood fiber will mean more jobs and investment in South Mississippi.”
“This grant will support the continued development of George County’s Industrial Park by investing in infrastructure to increase wood pellet production and bringing jobs to Mississippi,” said Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss. “The wood pellet plant represents a long term commitment to both the community and economy of the region. I am glad to know the President and his Administration also remain committed to revitalizing American manufacturing and growing our state’s economy.”
In its first quarter 2019 investor call, held May 9, Enviva said it expects the draft permit for the Lucedale plant to become final this summer. In the meantime, the company said major equipment has been ordered and key contracts for the project have been executed.
The $1.4 million in from the Commerce Department is funded under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, in which Congress appropriated $600million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance funds for disaster relief and recovery as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, wildfires and other calendar year 2017 natural disasters under the Stafford Act.
Bergs Timber acquires 100,000-ton-per-year pellet plant
USDA: Wood pellet exports up in May
GESS International to construct fifth biogas plant in Missouri
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Your guide to the latest news from around the Northwest
Memorial walk Saturday for pedestrian killed in West Seattle
Posted by Mike Lindblom
Family and friends of James St. Clair, who died walking across the street the night of Dec. 30, will march in his memory Saturday afternoon, in the High Point neighborhood of West Seattle.
St. Clair, 69, was using a cane and trying to cross a four-lane stretch of 35th Avenue Southwest, commonly scorned by residents as “Interstate 35,” when a car struck him. St. Clair lived in Seattle for 30 years, moving to High Point late last year. St. Clair was crossing at the intersection. The initial police investigation found the car driver was not impaired, West Seattle Blog reported.
His brother Oscar St. Clair said in a statement: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for recognizing Jim. For seeing all people, even poor people. Our family, my brothers and sisters, are in sorrow. I pray a positive light will happen because of this. A lot of people need to walk in the evening. They want to go to the grocery store like Jim did on his last night. I hope in his memory we see brighter lights, a stoplight, a safer community.”
The march and community meeting from 1 to 3 p.m., will include city staff, police, and members of High Point Neighborhood Association, Women In Action, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and West Seattle Bike Connections. This is the sixth such memorial in the city since April, said Cathy Tuttle, executive director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, a nonprofit organization.
According to march organizers:
Since 2006, there have been five fatalities as well as numerous serious injuries and near misses as children, adults and the elderly cross fast-moving 35th Avenue SW near High Point. Susanne Scaringi, 27, was hit and killed [while bicycling] at 35th and SW Graham in September 2006. Gregory Hampel, 39, was hit and killed near 35th and SW Dawson in August 2008. Oswald Clement, 85, was hit and killed at 35th and SW Othello in October 2007. A motorcycle rider died at 35th and SW Juneau in April 2011. James St. Clair, 69, was hit and killed at 35th and SW Graham in December 2013.
The city government has occasionally considered reducing the lanes and speed limit on 35th Avenue Southwest, and police often conduct crackdowns on speeders in the nearby West Seattle Elementary and Our Lady of Guadalupe school zones.
Comments | Topics: James St. Clair, pedestrians; greenways
About The Today File
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Thanks to the Sherlockian historian George Piliev and translator Alex Auswaks, this remarkable collection of seven Russian Sherlock Holmes stories is now available in English for the first time. Piliev tells the fascinating story of how these tales came to be written, in the context of the Sherlockian phenomenon in Russia. He explains how Holmes reached an even greater audience when Russian writers decided to transport him and Watson from Baker Street to Russia, on the premise that they traveled widely in the country and became fluent in the language. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson traveled the length of Russia solving the most difficult and unimaginable cases and pursued all the while by an implacable Russian Moriarty. Instead of mainly dealing with murders, these stories are more diverse, covering kidnapping, a strange problem in a shop, theft, and corruption.
Sherlock Holmes in Russia
(Auswaks Alex)
Жанр : Классические детективы;
Edited and translated
Alex Auswaks
With an introduction by
George Piliev
Dedicated to all aficionados of the Sherlock Holmes canon
A Study in Russian
In the official biography of Sherlock Holmes, written by his Boswell and loyal friend Dr Watson, there is only one mention of the great detective’s arrival in Russia. In A Scandal in Bohemia we are told that he visited Odessa in connection with ‘The Case of the Trepoff Murder’. But in the short passage offered to the reader below, light is cast on certain circumstances of another, longer and less well-known trip, which the Baker Street consulting detective undertook to this distant and mysterious but, nonetheless, wonderful country. Paradoxical as it may sound, this journey was simultaneously virtual and real. The information concerning this visit is fragmentary and most of it has vanished in the mists of time. But the circumstances of this visit do excite curiosity, are not without interest and, surely, are worth a few pages and minutes of time. And so….
12 December 1893. Tuesday. St Petersburg. Let us imagine a clear winter’s day. Our boots crunch the white snow, the frost crackles and bites, but the cold air is filled with sunshine and laughter. The streets and boulevards of the city of Peter the Great are filled with happy, merry, passers-by. They are all smiles and full of the joy of life, because the New Year is nigh. The New Year in Russia is a very special festival, joyful and unclouded, because the Russian irrational perhaps is as eternal as the fierce faith in it, the belief in perhaps better times, a magic time of change. Why, it is part of nature! Midnight will chime, a New Year will dawn and happiness and success are on their way. In Russia, the first days of the New Year turn the most convinced sceptic into a romantic who, in the depths of his soul, believes that every cherished dream will be fulfilled. Hark to those midnight chimes!
But that will be on 31 December and this is 12 December, the honeyed eve of the festival, the festive awaiting of the festival, the anticipation of which is, at times, more pleasurable than its actual arrival.
It was on such a day that there occurred an unnoticed but a very important event. Sherlock Holmes arrived in Russia.
The immortal private detective from Baker Street, called to life by the inquisitive mind, rich imagination but, also, material needs of a modest Southsea doctor, Arthur Conan Doyle, first appeared before his readers in November, 1886, on the pages of A Study in Scarlet, which appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual for 1887. But the march to immortal fame was to come only five years later. In July, 1891, The Strand Magazine, recently founded by the perspicacious George Newnes, published the first of fifty-six stories (known today as Sherlockiana or The Canon). This was A Scandal in Bohemia. Its success was phenomenal! Humungous! Two or three more months, two or three more stories and the new literary hero had conquered the country, a lasting conquest, perhaps, forever. Two and a half years later his fame reached Russia.
This happened, as you and I now know, on 12 December, 1893. That was the day on which the fortieth issue of a popular magazine, The Star, came out. It was published by Piotr Petrovitch Soikin, a devoted fan of adventure stories. Soikin was the first to introduce Sherlock Holmes to Russia’s reading public and, having done so, this eminent worthy continued to bring Sherlock Holmes’s exploits before the public through his magazines Nature & People, as well as The World of Adventure, which were the first to publish every new exploit. From February to November 1909 Soikin brought out in five thousand pages (twenty volumes) The Complete Works of Conan Doyle and followed this up with two additional volumes.
And so, the Russian reader became acquainted, for the first time, with a Russian-speaking Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band, when The Star was published.
The new literary hero must have been received well, because the following year saw the publication in The Star of The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet and The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. In 1876 the baton passed from The Star to the popular Russian publication Niva (The Field), which hospitably opened its pages to the Red-Headed League and (yet again) The Blue Carbuncle. A year later Niva No. 5 of 31 January 1898, published Professor Moriarty, The Adventure of the Final Problem. On 23 February 1898, in Petersburg – hurrah! – the first Sherlock Holmes stories in book form, a 143-page collection entitled Notes from the Famous Detective and consisting of The Adventure of Silver Blaze, The Adventure of the ‘Gloria Scott’ and The Adventure of the Reigate Squires. In December of the same year, as part of a 12-volume free monthly supplement to the Petersburg newspaper Dawn, A Study in Scarlet was published in Russia for the first time. It was translated from German(!), so it wasn’t entirely surprising that the hero’s surname sounded somewhat Spanish, Golmez, and that he lives on Bakkerstrasse and is referred to as Herr.
Such were the steps the great London detective was to take on Russian soil. It didn’t spell success as yet. Let’s call it a preliminary acquaintanceship, timid, coincidental, but what is coincidence if not a rod thrown at the wheel of fate speeding towards a prepared place in the universe.
And the place made ready in Russia for Conan Doyle’s brilliant creation was no less enviable than the one in his native land. What had started as a coincidence, an accident, grew to become habitual. Sherlock Holmes made a lasting entry into Russian society.
Amongst those who were first to popularize Sherlock Holmes in Russia were the brothers Panteleyeff, who published a remarkable monthly magazine, The Herald of Foreign Literature. Working for this magazine were the best translators of the time, able to select the best new literature abroad and bring it to the attention (and judgement) of the Russian reading public. This is why, in 1901, as a supplement to their magazine, the Panteleyeffs issued, for the first time in Russia (and very probably in the world), a three-volume edition of the works of Conan Doyle, consisting of most of The Canon available at the time, viz, vol. 1, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Notes; vol. 2, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes; and vol. 3, From John Watson’s Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. A large number of the stories in this collection appeared in Russian for the first time, including The Sign of Four. This was, indeed, a unique edition but, in Russia today, there is hardly a library that has a complete set. The translations were the work of M.P. Voloshinova, to whom a very special thank you!
And so, at the start of the twentieth century, as the brilliant era of Queen Victoria was ending, the era of Sherlock Holmes was just getting under way in Russia.
While the 3-volume Panteleyeff edition was coming out in July, F.I. Miturnikoff, a Petersburg publisher, put out a 253-page The Famous Detective’s Notes.
And so, by the end of 1901, this is the Sherlock Holmes picture in Russia: six publications in magazine form, two books and a 3-volume set.
Now this was already something, but the major breakthrough was to come in the spring of 1902 when The Strand Magazine was to complete the publication of, arguably, the most famous of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the first after an eight-year silence brought about by the ‘death’ of the great detective when he went over the Reichenbach Falls. In a fit of unparalleled enthusiasm and loyalty, fans besieged the English and American editorial offices of
Вы читаете Sherlock Holmes in Russia
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By Caitlyn Jennings
www.capeaerials.com
Check out www.capeaerials.com to view photos.
There is something almost magical about photography and its ability to capture a single moment, a second frozen in time, and how it forever preserves something that would otherwise be lost in a sea of memories. In this age of the smartphone, where everyone is a photographer and there is a vast array of images in front of us, it is not every day that you see a photograph that makes you stop to admire what has been captured. It could be something you relate to that brings back an old memory, or an image of a far-away place that you have not had the chance to see or experience for yourself. Photos of this caliber are rare, but Cape Aerials is quickly becoming known for its awe-inspiring photographs that transport you and make you stop just to admire the art within them.
Longtime friends Aaron Gormley and Brandon Canter of Cape Aerials make the perfect team: one the inventive photographer, the other the catalyst and businessman behind the company. Over the years, Aaron has traveled the world taking photos. Upon seeing the photos, Brandon saw much more than simple travel documentation. He saw an industry.
“I told him he was being selfish keeping all of those amazing photos to himself,” says Brandon, “They needed to be shared with others.”
Cape Aerials has been a long time in the making. While the company itself is new to Massachusetts, it’s story begins much earlier. Photography, and his friendship with Brandon, have always been very important aspects of Aaron’s life. Aspects which are merging into something that can be shared with the world. The story of how these photos came to be is just as interesting as the photographs themselves.
It all started with a camera which was gifted to Aaron in celebration of his twenty-first birthday and graduation from the U.S. Coast Guard boot camp. He also earned the first choice of deployment location with options including Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Gulf, but Aaron requested to be sent as far away as possible. Shortly thereafter, he was packing his bags for Alaska. It was out in this untamed wilderness that his passion and desire to experience more of the world was triggered. As Aaron sent back photos documenting his travels, Brandon noticed a huge difference in the photography that he was seeing. Aaron had always taken photos of their friends in the Pine Barrens growing up, but these photographs showed a deeper passion and craftsmanship.
After his time in Alaska, Aaron went on to North Carolina to get a degree in aviation maintenance. He was later stationed in Mobile, Alabama where he worked as a drop master, directing planes to people stranded in the water or dropping supplies to ships below. From training in scanning techniques and twelve-hour shifts, Aaron developed an eagle-eye, which can be seen in his photography. Not long after his arrival, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred, and Aaron worked on-site assisting with efforts during this horrific event. Upon completion of his service in Alabama, Aaron returned to Cape Cod, where he and several of his military pilot buddies chartered planes and flew around the Cape, allowing Aaron to snap photos. He began to see the potential of the landscape below and was able to capture it in a way that others could not. Brandon saw the value and the beauty in these photos, which gave a new perspective to landmarks, beaches, and homes beloved by both locals and those who vacationed in the area. Brandon encouraged Aaron to use his flight time to take as many photos as possible.
While Aaron valued his time in the air, this was only the tip of the iceberg and after seven and a half years of service in the Coast Guard, Aaron decided that he needed a change. He was honorably discharged with a commendable career behind him, which included thirty-two lives assisted in search and rescue. He showed bravery going into service and he showed bravery in his decision to be willing to chart a new path and continue to expand his horizons and ignite his passions.
At that point, Aaron made a “sell-everything and move to New Zealand” type change in his life. And by that, I mean he actually sold everything and moved to New Zealand. When first pitching his idea to friends and family, they were hesitant and asked the obvious questions: where will you stay, what is your plan, do you even know people there? In his usual unabashed, adventurous spirit, Aaron responded by saying “I have lots of friends there, I just haven’t met them yet.” With a backpack and a one-way ticket in hand, Aaron set off on an eleven-month journey to the other side of the world. He volunteered with Worldwide Opportunities for Organic Farmers where he spent time on a farm, working with a family and learning everything that they did, and then roughly every ten days he would continue on his journey to the next household. He herded cattle, sheared sheep, worked on a tuna boat, carved stone, made pinot noirs on a vineyard, made herbal medicines, assisted a couple with the bi-daily milking of three hundred cows, and participated in countless other facets of everyday life. Rather than simply going as a tourist for a couple of days, Aaron gained the invaluable experience of living and working in another country among the locals. News began to spread of “this American coming to work” and people started reaching out to him to set up a time for him to visit their farms. By the end of the eleven months, Aaron had stayed at twenty-three family farms and campgrounds. During his stays, he captured magnificent images of the people and what he was doing to be able to show that he was still alive and well. These images became his narrative. He later went on to create a gallery of these photos, showcasing his growth both as a photographer and adventurer.
When originally leaving for New Zealand, Aaron knew he would have extraordinary landscapes to capture, but by the end of the trip, it was apparent that the real beauty lay in the people themselves and not just the land. By really getting to know his subjects and spending this time with them, Aaron also realized that though he was approximately nine thousand miles away from home, the people and their lives were not all that different. This soon became part of the mission: to use travel to reveal more about people’s lives around the world and build connections to decrease the degrees of separation between us.
After leaving New Zealand, Aaron had to figure out what came next. He fixed up his van and sold it, using the money to buy another one-way ticket back to the US. The plan was to go somewhere new, to keep moving forward, but after strong convincing on Brandon’s side, Aaron found himself back on the Cape. During all this time, Brandon had graduated from Northeastern and had been living in Boston for ten years, but was ready to start the journey of trying to share this treasure chest of photographs, compiled over the years, with the world. As Aaron had come to learn from his travels, photos allow you to connect in a unique way with others. It is all about shared experiences and something that opens the door for conversation. As they showed the aerial photos of Cape Cod, people would point to the beaches they grew up lifeguarding on, or the house that they vacationed at with their family. Some of these were forgotten memories, retrieved from the prompting of the photo.
“We would love to have the chance to meet every single customer and share some stories,” says Brandon.
Brandon adds that this is a mission of positivity. Aaron and Brandon are genuinely interested in people and their stories. They would rather bring the stories of the 99-good people to the forefront, rather than the one bad report we hear on the news that gives a whole country or group of people a bad rep. By sharing photos and stories, they are able to write a narrative that shows a positive side to humanity and a shared commonality that unites people of the world. By bringing back these stories, they hope to make the world smaller by showing how many stories we actually share.
When looking at the future of Cape Aerials, the possibilities are endless. Their goal is to gain experience, to travel and to connect people. They want to use their own passion to also inspire others. Aaron has been self-taught and by the end of his 20s had taken over 100,000 photos. He has now returned to school to learn to think even further outside the box. When thinking about what Cape Aerials will experiment with next, Brandon and Aaron pointed to things such drones, artificial intelligence to streamline editing and stratosphere photography in order to expand even farther outside of their immediate world and bring it back home.
“Put me in a spaceship and I’ll show you what I can do,” says Aaron.
But this isn’t an empty challenge. You see, Aaron Gormley is not one to just talk the big talk. You can be sure that whatever challenge or adventure he comes up with, he will actually walk the walk.
Entertainment, Out & About, VeteranMan
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Home>Music> 21 Savage Mourns Nipsey Hussle With Bittersweet Message
21 Savage Mourns Nipsey Hussle With Bittersweet Message
Mitch Findlay
@findlaymitch
21 Savage takes a moment to honor Nipsey Hussle's legacy.
Yesterday marked Father's Day, a time where the dads of the world get a moment in the spotlight. The hip-hop community was no exception, with many of the game's key players emerging to celebrate the fathers in their lives. Some rap dads even took a moment to reflect on their own paths, with Atlanta rapper Trouble summarizing it in an effective manner: "To erBody wit kids I want ya to know there’s no such thing as perfect But as long as you’re trying, you’re in the BIG GODs favor!"
Ser Baffo/Getty Images
Though celebratory in nature, Father's Day is not without its share of bittersweet moments. After all, many children have lost their fathers, including Emani and Kross Asghedom, Nipsey Hussle's daughter and son. Though both were too young to share a message on social media, many rappers used their platform to highlight Nip's accomplishments in that department. Among them was 21 Savage, who took a moment to celebrate Nipsey Hussle's legacy by way of a heartfelt message.
"Happy Father’s Day," writes Savage, alongside a photograph of Nip and Emani at the Grammy Awards. "We still hurting down here king." His sentiment was echoed by many, including Nip's longstanding collaborators YG and The Game. Once again, we offer our condolences to Nipsey Hussle's family, and hope his children can take solace in knowing their father was, and remains loved.
Music News 21 Savage Nipsey Hussle father's day Sad bittersweet
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Bill Cosby Still Thinks He's "America's Favorite Dad" In Bizarre Father's Day Post
MUSIC 21 Savage Mourns Nipsey Hussle With Bittersweet Message
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« Tall Bull And The Dog Soldiers
To Tell The Tale »
Published July 12, 2019 | By Caryn
In a war, there are many heroes…some whose acts of courage and selflessness were so amazing that many felt they needed to receive a different medal…one that paid homage to the incredible things they did. Often these medals were even given posthumously because the brave act of the hero, cost the recipients their lives. Before 1861, no such medal existed. President Abraham Lincoln didn’t think that was right. There were many brave soldiers, and while not all brave acts would qualify for the medal of honor, the most self sacrificing of them would…the ones who set aside their own safety to protect the lives of others.
For that reason, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a measure calling for the awarding of a US Army Medal of Honor, in the name of Congress, “to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities during the present insurrection.” The previous December, Lincoln had approved a provision creating a US Navy Medal of Valor, which was the basis of the Army Medal of Honor created by Congress on July 12, 1862. War puts men and women into situations whereby the only choices are kill or be killed. That can be a scary proposition. These soldiers do not do what they do in order to receive a medal. In fact, a medal rarely crosses their minds at all. The first US Army soldiers to receive what would become the nation’s highest military honor were six members of a Union raiding party who in 1862 penetrated deep into Confederate territory to destroy bridges and railroad tracks between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1863, the Medal of Honor was made a permanent military decoration available to all members, including commissioned officers, of the US military. It is conferred upon those who have distinguished themselves in actual combat at risk of life beyond the call of duty. Since its creation, during the Civil War, more than 3,400 men and one woman, Dr Mary Walker, have received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions in US military conflict. These people gave whatever it took to perform their duties. They were the best of the best, and the medal of honor was the best honor we could bestow on them. Of course, in Lincoln’s time, there was no air force, so that medal came later, as did the medals from the other branches of service, including the Coast Guard.
2 Responses to Medal Of Honor
Trev on July 13, 2019 at 12:05 pm
As always- informative, creative, ENTERTAINING and at the same time relevant and timely. You have a realy gift. Theae essays are Excellent!
Realy- real- some of us need spelling lessons still
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New Year calls for courage, hope; no more hatred, selfishness, pope says
Pope Francis uses incense during vespers on New Year's Eve in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 31. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
VATICAN, Jan. 1, 2016– Whether the new year will be good or not depends on us choosing to do good each day, Pope Francis said.
“That is how one builds peace, saying ‘no’ to hatred and violence — with action — and ‘yes’ to fraternity and reconciliation,” he said Jan. 1, which the church marks as the feast of Mary, Mother of God and as World Peace Day.
Speaking to the some 50,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the first noon Angelus of 2017, the pope referred to his peace day message in which he asked people to adopt the “style” of nonviolence for building a politics for peace.
Lamenting the brutal act of terrorism that struck during a night of “well-wishes and hope” in Istanbul, the pope offered his prayers for the entire nation of Turkey as well as those hurt and killed. A gunman opened fire during a New Year’s Eve celebration at a popular nightclub early Jan. 1, killing at least 39 people and wounding at least 70 more.
“I ask the Lord to support all people of good will who courageously roll up their sleeves in order to confront the scourge of terrorism and this bloodstain that is enveloping the world with the shadow of fear and confusion,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the pope spoke of how maternal tenderness, hope and self-sacrifice were the “strongest antidote” to the selfishness, indifference and “lack of openness” in the world today.
Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, which was decorated with bright red anthuriums, evergreen boughs, white flowers and pinecones brushed with gold paint, the pope said that a community without mothers would be cold and heartless with “room only for calculation and speculation.”
The pope said he learned so much about unconditional love, hope and belonging from seeing mothers who never stop embracing, supporting and fighting for what is best for their children incarcerated in prisons, ill in hospitals, enslaved by drugs or suffering from war.
“Where there is a mother, there is unity, there is belonging, belonging as children,” he said.
Just like all mothers of the world, Mary, Mother of God, “protects us from the corrosive disease of being ‘spiritual orphans,'” that is when the soul feels “motherless and lacking the tenderness of God, when the sense of belonging to a family, a people, a land, to our God, grows dim.”
“This attitude of spiritual orphanhood is a cancer that silently eats away at and debases the soul,” which soon “forgets that life is a gift we have received — and owe to others — a gift we are called to share in this common home,” he said.
A “fragmented and divided culture” makes things worse, he said, leading to feelings of emptiness and loneliness.
“The lack of physical and not virtual contact is cauterizing our hearts and making us lose the capacity for tenderness and wonder, for pity and compassion,” he said, as well as making us “forget the importance of playing, of singing, of a smile, of rest, of gratitude.”
Remembering that Jesus handed his mother over to us “makes us smile once more as we realize that we are a people, that we belong” and can grow, that we are not just mere objects to “consume and be consumed,” that we are not “merchandise” to be exchanged or inert receptacles for information. “We are children, we are family, we are God’s people.”
Mary shows that humility and tenderness aren’t virtues of the weak, but of the strong, and that we don’t have to mistreat others in order to feel important, he said.
The pope also presided over an evening prayer service with eucharistic adoration and the singing of a special hymn of thanksgiving to God Dec. 31 in St. Peter’s Basilica.
As the year ends, he said in his homily, he asked people to reflect on how God has been present in their lives and to thank the Lord for all signs of his generosity, “seen in countless way through the witness of those people who quietly took a risk.”
Gazing upon the manger, we remember how Jesus “wanted to be close to all those who felt lost, demeaned, hurt, discouraged, inconsolable and frightened. Close to all those who in their bodies carry the burden of separation and loneliness, so that sin, shame, hurt, despair and exclusion would not have the final word in the lives of his sons and daughters.”
His sacrifice and love challenges people “not to give up on anything or anyone,” and to find the strength to forge ahead “without complaining or being resentful, without closing in on ourselves or seeking a means of escape, looking for shortcuts in our own interest.”
“Looking at the manger means recognizing that the times ahead call for bold and hope-filled initiatives, as well as the renunciation of vain self-promotion and endless concern with appearances.”
He urged everyone to help “make room” for young people, who are often marginalized and forced to migrate or beg for undignified jobs. Everyone has a duty to help them grow and fulfill “the dreams of their ancestors” in their own nation and community.
After the prayer service, the pope walked into St. Peter’s Square instead of using the popemobile. He walked the entire periphery of the square, stopping to shake hands, receive cards and notes, offer happy New Year’s greetings, bless babies and chat with people lining the barricades.
In the center of the square, the pope prayed silently before the Vatican Nativity scene, which was created by a Maltese artist. He also stood before the twisted and crumbled spire from the St. Benedict Basilica in Norcia, which like dozens of villages and towns, was damaged in a series of earthquakes in central Italy. (Carol Glatz/Catholic News Service)
PreviousJanuary 8, 2017 – MT 2:1-12
NextPope to bishops: Defend children from abuse, protect their dignity, joy
Pope accepts Cardinal McCarrick’s resignation as cardinal
Order of Malta’s leader reminds members: Tridentine Mass not allowed
The Cross is more than jewelry – it’s a call to love, Pope Francis says
Benedict XVI’s secretary denies rumors that he is close to death
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Chillicothe Gazette: Can the Carlisle be saved?
Published April 21, 2013 | By cheslergroup
Matthew Kent, Chillicothe Gazette – April 21, 2013:
City Councilman Dustin Proehl still remembers that childhood feeling of walking by the Carlisle Building and seeing it as a castle of sorts.
Ten years after a major fire ravaged the structure and ignited a debate about its future, he still thinks it can be restored, despite his frustration about the lack of progress in doing so.
“I think it would benefit not only the Carlisle, but other businesses in the area,” Proehl said of restoring the structure that was erected in 1885. “I want to see them restore it because it is such an iconic building to the downtown. We have a lot of nice old buildings in the downtown, but it’s so unique in its design and so uniquely Chillicothe that it would be nice to see it rebuilt.”
Proehl, who grew up in Chillicothe, said he eventually would like to see retail stores on the first floor. He also hopes the city will move forward with putting in angular parking, an idea he once pitched that wasn’t well-received by council
members in the past.
Breathing some sort of new life into that corner of Paint and Main would be helpful, said Brien Corwin, who said he thinks the unoccupied building has had a negative effect on downtown businesses in recent years. Corwin, a manager at Frank’s Pawn Shop near the Carlisle Building, said he supports tearing down the historic structure, but stressed that if some type of development of the building was to occur, it would be a positive move.
“We only want what’s best for the downtown area,” Corwin said. “Anything in there is better than nothing.”
The Carlisle has sat empty since the April 25, 2003, fire that caused damage originally in excess of $600,000. Two teenagers, Dustin Cousins and Chance Copp, were arrested in June that year for illegally entering the building and
setting the fire. The pair ultimately admitted to charges of arson and breaking and entering in Ross County Juvenile Court and were sentenced to probation for their roles.
Since then, a parade of starts and stops, promises and disappointments, have marked efforts to restore the building to its previous grandeur. In December 2003, KG&R Development Corp. bought the building for $80,000 under the
Carlisle LLC entity and promised $2.4 million in upgrades would begin the next spring.
A ceremony was conducted about a year later to mark the start of renovations after six weeks of preparation by the organization, but work stopped on the project in August 2005 because of an inability to line up future tenants for the
structure. Five months later, with work having stopped, city officials filed a failure to comply complaint against the developer because of code violations.
Another group, Carlisle Tower LLC, bought the building in 2007, but that entity also eventually faced property code violations and was fined $1,200 fine in 2010 after being taken to court by the city.
That same year, a downtown economic revitalization study conducted by the HyettPalma firm concluded the Carlisle Building was of utmost importance to a thriving downtown — because of its location, its architectural significance and
its unique symbolic role. The study envisioned retail shops and eateries on the first floor, apartments and professional offices on its upper floors and some use as city offices or by the city’s municipal court, as well. It concluded that returning the building to local control in pursuit of investors was the best approach to get restoration efforts under way.
In August 2009, city officials decided to move forward with placing a 0.1 percent income tax levy on the ballot to buy the Carlisle Building, but 76 percent of voters rejected the proposal.
Enter The Chesler Group, a Cleveland-based firm that works on historic properties, which has taken the lead on the latest efforts concerning the Carlisle, with the firm partnering with Adena Health System in an attempt to rehabilitate
the 35,000-square-foot structure for hospital use involving nonclinical functions. A retail pharmacy, office space, housing for medical students and staff, along with creation of a community room, are part of the proposed 6.5 million plan, hospital officials said.
Adena Health System President and CEO Mark Shuter said in a statement Friday that Adena Health System “remains committed to working toward the viability of the project to rehabilitate the Carlisle Building into valuable office space
and living quarters for our medical residents.”
“Caring for our community goes beyond the mission of health care,” Shuter said. “Details continue to be discussed but we remain enthusiastic about working in partnership with others to restore the vitality of our city’s core by bringing
progress and economic development to our city.”
The partnership received a boost in December 2012 after The Chesler Group received a $1.4 million tax credit from the Ohio Development Services Agency. The Chillicothe-Ross Community Foundation also has stepped up and is
expected to be involved in the renovation through an investment. Scott Graham, executive director of the foundation, has declined to comment on the Carlisle project.
Michael Chesler, who serves as president and CEO of The Chesler Group, told the Gazette earlier in the week that he likely would be able to provide some updated information Friday on the most recent progress on the project. However, the Gazette was unable to reach him by phone Friday, and numerous messages left on his cellphone were not returned as of press time.
The city itself had been part of the original discussion with Chesler and Adena involving the possibility of a portion of the building being used to house city offices. Mayor Jack Everson pulled the city out of the possible partnership this
past August, however, citing budgetary concerns and the upward of $2 million in costs the city would have faced if it moved forward. City council members never officially voted on the partnership possibility, but the initial idea to become involved in the partnership was something Everson had hoped to persuade council to pursue.
Everson, who was at home with his wife at the time of the fire, said “a fully restored Carlisle Building is the best answer” and that moving forward with Chesler’s plan is the “absolute best option on the table” at the present time.
“I’m 100 percent behind it,” Everson said Friday.
If the deal between Adena and Chesler falls through, Everson said he isn’t aware of any alternatives and expressed concern about the building being able to hold its own weight while waiting for someone else to come in and take it
He said the city likely wouldn’t take that chance if public safety was at risk. Demolishing the building would cost the city anywhere from $1.5 million to $2 million, said Everson, adding that without the Carlisle, “there would be a
definite hole in the landscape.”
“It would really be a shame to the city of Chillicothe aesthetically and financially,” he said.
Sue Troester, of the Chillicothe Restoration Foundation, owned the building from 1991 to 1996 with her husband, and said that although some “bumps in the road” have occurred, she wants to see something happen, adding that the building still has a great deal of potential.
“It’s a wonderful building,” she said. “It is not the pitfall it’s made out to be.”
If the landmark is torn down, “it would leave a terrible gap, and there’s nothing that could add to the downtown,” she said.
“The city needs its history. We can’t destroy our own roots,” Troester said. “People need to value these things and they can be made useful.”
Posted in Press | Tagged Chillicothe, The Carlisle Building
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SKOLES
BUSKIN IS A FULL SERVICE RECORD LABEL WITH THE LEVERAGE OF A MAJOR LABEL AND THE ARTIST-FIRST MINDSET OF AN INDIE LABEL. WE BELIEVE IN CULTIVATING STRONG, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF OUR ARTISTS.
Adrain Gurvitz was born and raised in London, England where started his lifelong musical journey when he began playing the guitar at the age of eight. At sixteen, Gurvitz was signed to CBS records and formed his first band The Gun which earned instant international success with their song "Race With the Devil". Not long after did Gurvitz become regarded by the music industry as one of the top ten guitarists in all of the UK.
Over the past forty years, Gurvitz has been instrumental in drafting the business by writing, producing, performing, and developing artists. His most recent success was discovering Andra Day, who he co-wrote and produced her debut album "Cheers to the Fall," scoring him a Grammy nomination in 2016.
For more information on Adrian Gurvitz's life, work, and career, you can visit his website by clicking here.
Jeffrey Evans is a lauded entrepreneur with successes in the technology, music & entertainment, finance and human capital industries. He is currently the co-founder and Chairman of Buskin Records, an independent record label he launched in 2011 and Bassline Management an artist management firm.
He has been been a part of Andra’s countless successes including her performance on The 58th Annual Grammy Awards, The Apple Christmas Commercial with Stevie Wonder, Serena Williams campaign (Beats By: Dr.Dre) for the US Open, BET Awards, Good Morning America, Live with Jimmy Kimmel, National Christmas Tree Lighting and many more notable achievements.
His other accomplishments include: Chairman of Orion International, Co-Founder of TigerText, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the specialty staffing company On Assignment and President and Chief Operating Officer of OnStaff.
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Historical Menu
Historical Information - Home
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In the years immediately preceding the period of the Republic of Texas, settlers and traders began migrating to the rolling prairie now included in Grayson County. With a slow but steady increase in population, in the early days of statehood the legislature created (1846) the county out of territory theretofore included in Fannin County.
In the history of the county, certain geological and geographical features have played a most significant role. Most conspicuous is Red River which, together with Lake Texoma since the 1940s, forms the northern boundary. On the western side, the region of the Cross Timbers has been quite influential, particularly in the early days. Blackland prairie is a dominant feature for much of the county, while in the western section sandy soil identified with the Woodbine formation is very pronounced. The Preston Anticline is an unusually interesting geological feature which has greatly influenced the availability of mineral resources.
Prior to the coming of the railroads in the 1870s, the local economy centered upon agriculture. The rolling blackland prairie contributed to the emergence of cotton as a dominant product, while elsewhere diversified agricultural and livestock pursuits were observed. Subsequent to the introduction of the iron horse, industrial activity commenced to expand, a trend which accelerated during the twentieth century.
Early in the life of the county, settlers evidenced concern for churches, schools, and cultural activities. Before the inception of the public school system, private schools abounded. At one time, because of the number of institutions of higher learning, the county seat was known as the Athens of Texas. Throughout the county many churches were established, many of which have long since held their centennial celebration. In the latter 19th century, perhaps the finest opera house southwest of St. Louis was located in Sherman.
Not to be forgotten is the fact that throughout the 19th century, the Indian Territory lay just across Red River from the county. From "Trail of Tears" days and after Oklahoma statehood, the land and people across the river had a prominent impact upon the history of the county.
The county has produced its share of men and women who have risen to national prominence, most notable of whom was General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Similarly, it has experienced its proportion of unusual events, but these events have been recorded elsewhere.
Grayson County Historical Information
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Home page News Linguistics School and Kazan Federal University’s Institute of Philology and Inter-cultural Communication sign a memorandum of co-operation
Linguistics School and Kazan Federal University’s Institute of Philology and Inter-cultural Communication sign a memorandum of co-operation
Linguistics School’s Centre of International Youth Public Diplomacy and Kazan Federal University’s Institute of Philology and Inter-cultural Communication signed a Memorandum of co-operation in Kazan on 24th February, 2014.
The Memorandum provides for interaction between the sides to develop international relations, to improve quality assurance in education in the areas of language and culture studies. It will allow the parties to consolidate efforts in the study of issues related to natural and cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia and abroad.
In signing this document Linguistics School-Lyceum and Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication affirm their intentions to organize and take part in joint projects and events in the development and promotion of issues in international youth public diplomacy.
Linguistics School-Lyceum’s board and its Centre of International Youth Public Diplomacy plan to extend their domestic and international contacts further as well as completing joint cultural projects. The Centre of International Youth Public Diplomacy (CIYPD) at Linguistics School-Lyceum and Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication (IPIC) at Kazan Federal University signed the Memorandum of co-operation in Kazan on 24th February, 2014.
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► The Cure News
► News from reliable sources
► The Cure aid scientist's release
The Cure aid scientist's release
Started by dsanchez, August 29, 2005, 23:13:01
August 29, 2005, 23:13:01
Source: http://www.nme.com/news/113401.htm
THE CURE have helped the release of a jailed Belarusian scientist following a campaign by AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.
Professor Yury Bandazhevsky was conditionally released from prison on August 5 after serving four years of an eight-year sentence.
Bandazhevsky?s case had been taken up by Amnesty International and other human rights organisations as well as by The Cure.
Singer Robert Smith said: ?The release of Professor Yury Bandazhevsky is welcome news, and another great example of how we can all make a difference if we try - well done Amnesty: the fight goes on.?
According to Amnesty International, Bandazhevsky was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment after being convicted of taking bribes from students seeking admission to the Gomel Medical Institute, where he was a rector. The human rights organisation adopted him as a Prisoner of Conscience, believing that he was convicted on trumped up charges because of his open criticism of the authorities? response to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Amnesty International Media Director Mike Blakemore said: ?We?re delighted that Professor Bandazhevsky has finally been freed. It?s a testament to the dedication of individual Amnesty members across the world who have campaigned tirelessly for justice in this case.?
He added: ?We would also like to thank The Cure and their fans who attended the USA Curiosa Festival Tour last summer, for supporting this case by signing our petition. They really have made a difference in helping to secure Yury?s freedom.?
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Scintillating Sri Lankan Actress Jacqueline Fernandez Is Sparkling Jewel of Hindi Cinema
Posted by Administrator on 13 January 2018, 1:11 am
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj
‘Spotlight’ shines again after many weeks to focus on a luminous Sri Lankan star of Sri Lanka who has been illuminating the Hindi cinematic firmament for several years. A beauty queen turned film actress who possesses a flair for promoting culinary commerce as well as retaining a penchant for espousing social and humanitarian causes.
An attractive personality who remains rooted to Sri Lanka despite flying high as a successful film star with millions of fans in India and all over the world. Jacqueline Fernandez is Sri Lanka’s most charming unofficial ambassador to India in recent times and the lovely lady has proved to be a credit to the island nation by winning the hearts and minds of millions there.
Jacqueline Fernandez is a model and beauty queen who has blazed an alluring trail on the Hindi cinema screen. She has acted in 17 Hindi films made in India so far. In two of those Jacqueline made special appearances in song sequences. In a third her’s was a cameo appearance. She has also acted in an English film made in Britain and an English film shot in Sri Lanka by the renowned film maker Chandran Rutnam.
facebook.com/AsliJacquelineFernandez
Jacqueline Fernandez has acted with many great Hindi actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Emran Hashimi, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Abhishekh Bachcan, Arjun Ramphal, John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra. At least six of her Hindi films have been block-busters crossing the 100 Crore rupees mark in gross earnings. Jacqueline is also very much in demand for advertisements and publicity shows in India. She has truly done Sri Lanka proud in neighbouring India.
‘Sri Lankan of the Year’
Her roaring success in Indian showbiz as well as her well-rounded contribution to uplifting social activism has not gone unnoticed or unrecognised in her home and native land. The finest manifestation in this regard came a few weeks ago when the prestigious journal “Lanka Monthly Digest” (LMD) bestowed upon Jacqueline Fernandez the ‘Sri Lankan of the Year’ award for 2017.
Jacqueline was indeed in an elite group of distinguished Sri Lankans as some of the previous recipients of this award were people such as Lakshman Kadirgamar, Jayantha Dhanapala, Chandra Jayaratne, Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Ken Balendra, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahinda Deshapriya, Susanthika Jayasinghe and K.N. Choksy.
In selecting Jacqueline as ‘Sri Lankan of the Year’ for 2017, LMD explained the rationale for the decision in the following manner. Excerpts:
“She has brought radiance to a land permeated with the dull and uninspiring. She is today a leading name in Bollywood and beyond; and despite the untold pressures of being in the spotlight constantly, she has for all intents and purposes maintained an unblemished reputation.”
“Her success comes as a blessing for the country’s image as well – an image that’s been battered for too long by two senseless insurgencies, a protracted civil war and other misdemeanours that have put Sri Lanka in the news for all the wrong reasons.”
“Yes, we can now claim a Bollywood superstar who has not only risen to A-list status in a relatively short time but also highlighted Sri Lanka’s better side through activities that seek to give back to a nation she calls home. Let’s not forget that Fernandez continues to promote Sri Lanka and some of its leading brands with great success.”
“As LMD’s 23rd SLOTY, she is in the company of Sri Lanka’s most eminent citizens over the years, a number of whom have had their names etched in the annals of the nation’s history. Fernandez’s refreshing persona, charming demeanour, broad appeal and inherent resourcefulness ought to stand her in good stead in the years ahead. And at the same time, she is casting Sri Lanka in a positive light at a time when darkness looms.”
The Pride of Sri Lanka
Jacqueline Fernandez is the pride of Sri Lanka in more ways than one. As is well known, Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country whose strength is derived to a great extent from diversity. People from all walks of life from many parts of the globe have chosen to make this ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ their home. Persons of multiple hues and different pedigrees have over the years integrated well and blended into being part of the social fabric of Sri Lanka. Jacqueline Fernandez is arguably one of the finest examples of this “Lankanisation” process that has been enriching this Island nation for many, many years.
Jacqueline’s father Elroy Fernandez is a Sri Lankan whose great grandparents had come to this Island from the Konkan coast in India more than a century and half ago when Goa was a colony of Portugal. His ancestors settled on the Western coast and inter-married with others thereby evolving into the community known as Burghers. Her mother Kim is of Malaysian origin with an eastern mother and western father. Jacqueline’s maternal grandfather is a Canadian and her maternal grandmother is of Malay-Chinese extraction. It could be seen therefore that Jacqueline Fernandez is a quintessential embodiment of different ethnic lineages. Jacqueline whose radiant glow is of a cosmopolitan mixture perceives herself as a Sri Lankan citizen of the world.
Jacqueline’s father was a musician who played in several bands in Sri Lanka. The 1977 anti-Tamil violence where he witnessed some ugly scenes upset his sensibilities so much that he decided to move out of Sri Lanka for a while. Elroy relocated to the Gulf state Bahrain where he reportedly met, loved and married Jacqueline’s mother Kim who was an air hostess.
Jacqueline herself was born in Manama, Bahrain on 11 August 1985. She is the youngest in a family of two boys and two girls. The children were born within a year of each other. Life was no bed of roses for the family and Elroy did two jobs to support his family. He did a day job as salesman in a duty free shop and a night job as a Disc Jockey.
Jacqueline who is called Jackie by some of her friends had her primary and early secondary education in Bahrain where she studied in the English medium. She also learnt Arabic. Having an aptitude for languages she also enrolled at the Berlitz centre and followed language courses in French and Spanish. She hosted a children’s show on Bahrain TV at the age of 14. She also dabbled in modelling as a teenager.
Jacqueline had her late secondary and tertiary education in Australia where she obtained a degree in Mass Communications from the Sydney University. Afterwards she returned to Sri Lanka and joined the Young Asia TV as a reporter. Jacqueline also began modelling in Colombo.
Life Changes Overnight
Life however changed overnight when she competed in a prestigious beauty pageant. Jacqueline Fernandez participated in the Miss Sri Lanka Universe Beauty pageant in 2006 and was crowned queen. She went as ‘Ms. Sri Lanka for Ms. Universe’ to Los Angeles for the 2006 Miss Universe competition but failed to win any laurels. Jacqueline was not even in the top 20 list of contestants. However after her return Jacqueline became a much-sought-after model for fashion events and for advertisements.
The turning point in her life was when she took part in a Rotary show. Representatives of the Times of India Group Talent Management Team were there. Impressed by Jackie, they invited her for modelling assignments in Mumbai. They also suggested that she try her luck with the Indian film industry.
Jacqueline made a bold, brave decision with the support of her family and relocated to India’s commercial capital Mumbai formerly known as Bombay. She was all alone in a new land with the intention of breaking into a highly competitive industry.Jackie enrolled at the Barry John acting studio for a diploma course in acting and began applying for film auditions. Jacqueline’s major break came when she successfully auditioned for ‘Aladin,’ directed by Sujoy Ghosh. The film was a fantasy set in modern times and boasted of a star-studded cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh and Victor Bannerjee. Boman Irani was the narrator. Jacqueline played the lead role of Jasmine.
‘Aladin’ was released on 30 October 2009. I recall going to see the first screening in Toronto on that day. The weather was foul but I went for the matinee show at the Woodside cinema only to see Jacqueline on screen. I had been following the news about Jacqueline’s entry into Hindi films and was very proud of her. In my younger days I used to make it a point to see some of the popular Tamil films on the first day of release itself. Seeing an MGR (MG Ramachandran) film “first day, first show” was the ultimate triumph in those days.
It was with the same sense of excitement and expectation that I went to see the first show of ‘Aladin’ starring Jacqueline Fernandez being screened in Toronto. If MGR was the magnet in my callow period the “draw” in my mellow days was Jackie. There were very few people in the audience presumably due to the bad weather. Even more disappointing was the film. Sujoy Ghosh was a terrific director who went on to make masterpieces like ‘Kahani’ but something had gone wrong in the making of ‘Aladin’. It was a modern fantasy derived from the old Arabian folk tale about ‘Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp’ from the book ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ (The Arabian Nights). In spite of the music, the sorcery, costumes, exquisite sets, elaborate special effects and excellent acting, the film did not make an impact. A few even left the theatre after the interval.
Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Aladin’ was most disappointing but Jacqueline Fernandez playing a modernised version of the Arabian princess Jasmine did not disappoint. She sizzled on the screen and gave off a dazzling performance. As an avid movie goer I was on friendly terms with the theatre staff at Woodside Cinema which continues to screen Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam movies in the Scarborough area of Toronto. We did an oral post-mortem on the film where everyone agreed on one point. Jacqueline Fernandez was a ravishing beauty with commendable thespian skills! And when the inevitable question “She is from Sri Lanka, no”? came, I replied very proudly “YES!”
The film however was a box office disaster. The film had been made on a budget of 200 million India rupees. The returns were only 136 million rupees. The silver lining was the kudos received by Jacqueline. Her Hindi and Urdu pronunciation was not good at that time. So Mona Ghosh Shetty, the well-known Bengali singer and voice dubbing artiste, loaned her voice for the Sri Lankan actress who lip-synched her lines. The singing voice was the popular play back singer Shreya Ghoshal.
Despite the dubbing, Jacqueline did make a mark in her screen debut. This was demonstrated effectively when she received the ‘Stardust’ magazine award for Best Female Debut. More importantly Jacqueline also received the International Indian Film Award (IIFA) for the best female debut in 2009. The icing on the cake was that the IIFA 2010 ceremony where the awards for 2009 were handed out was held in Sri Lanka. Jacqueline received the IIFA honours from India on her native soil to a wildly-cheering home audience.
‘Housefull’ Success
Jacqueline’s screen debut may have been appreciated but the stark reality was that her debut film flopped financially. This by itself may have resulted in her cinematic journey being cut short in India but for the help of her ‘Aladin’ co-star Riteish Deshmukh. The handsome actor has been acting in films since 2003. Riteish is the son of former Maharashtra State Chief Minister and ex-Cabinet Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and is married to actress Genelia D’Souza. Riteish and Jacqueline had struck up a close friendship during the shooting of ‘Aladin’.
Riteish Deshmukh was signed on by director Milap Zaveri as lead actor in ‘Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’. The film was a science fiction romance. One of the two main female roles in the film was that of a woman from the planet Venus who arrives in Earth to find true love. The part required a statuesque beauty. Riteish strongly recommended Jacqueline to Milap Zaveri who signed her on after just one interview. Jacqueline played the gorgeous woman from Venus named Tara in the film. Sadly ‘Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’ released on 9 April 2010 too crashed at the box office besides receiving adverse reviews. So bad was the failure that the film released in 2010 has not had a video or DVD release to date.
Even as ‘Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’ was being shot, the Director Milap Zaveri was involved as co-screenplay writer for the film ‘Housefull’. The film with an ensemble cast included Riteish Deshmukh along with others like Akshay Kumar, Arjun Ramphal, Deepika Padukone and Lara Dutta. The film was directed by Sajid Khan while music was scored by the Shankar-Ehsan-Loy trio. The film had a song and dance sequence requiring a special appearance for which Milap and Riteish proposed Jacqueline Fernandez. So Jacqueline made a special appearance as ‘Dhanno’ for the song ‘Aapka Kya Hoga’) sung by Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sajid Khan. The song was a smashing hit and received the Zee cine award for Best Track of the Year. ‘Housefull’ released on 30 April 2010 clicked at the box office too. The film budget was $ 7 million but the box office returns were $ 19 million.
The budding film career of Jacqueline Fernandez however was facing bleak prospects. With both her first and second films crashing, the “newcomer” from Sri Lanka was seen as box office poison. No new films were forthcoming. The ‘Housefull’ film song success led to offers to perform titillating dances in films known as “item numbers”. Jackie turned them down as she did not want to be labelled an “item girl” in Hindi films. As a result she was virtually unemployed in a foreign country without family or friends for support.
Jacqueline Fernandez was miserable and described her despondent state of mind at that time in an interview given to the journalist Priya Gupta some years later. In that interview Jacqueline said: “I was cast in ’Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’ and then I got to do an item number in ’Housefull’ and after that nothing happened. I would have these long conversations with Sujoy and Milap and doubted myself, considering even going back to Sri Lanka as I was just wasting time. They say that in the film industry you need to be patient as you never know when something can come up. But I had lost all patience.”
Still she clung on resolutely with determination and hope. After many months of no work, there was light at the end of the dark tunnel in the form of a telephone call from producer Mukhesh Bhatt. And there was just no stopping her after that. Jacqueline Fernandez had arrived.
Next: Ascending star of Jacqueline Fernandez
DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
This article written for the “Spotlight” Column appears in the “Daily FT” of December 16, 2017. It can be accessed here:
http://www.ft.lk/columns/Jacqueline-Fernandez–Scintillating-jewel-of-Sri-Lanka/4-645318
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How The LTTE Assassinated Senior Tamil Leader Amirthalingam In Colombo Thirty Years Ago….
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The cruelly tragic killing of five Tamil Students by suspected members of the Security forces thirteen years ago in Trincomalee town was re-visited in these columns last week. This week’s column seeks to revive memories about a murder most foul perpetrated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) in Colombo city exactly thirty […]
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By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Five Tamil Students were killed near the beach in Trincomalee town thirteen years ago on January 2nd 2006. Two other students also suffered injuries but survived. The names and the dates of birth of the five victims were: (i) Manoharan Ragihar- 22.09.1985, (ii) Yogarajah Hemachchandra – 04.03.1985, (iii) Logitharajah Rohan – 07.04.1985(iv) Thangathurai […]
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By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The orchestrated political campaign by the Mahinda Rajapaksa -led opposition in association with sections of the Buddhist clergy and mainstream media against three prominent Muslim politicians has ostensibly succeeded. The stated aim of the campaign was to secure the dismissal, resignation and/or arrest of two Provincial Governors and a Cabinet Minister. Eastern province […]
D.B.S. Jeyaraj’s Journey Home: Journalist in Exile Visits Sri Lanka for the First Time in 25 Years
Marianne David Interviews DBS Jeyaraj for DailyFT
Pix by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
Forced into exile 25 years ago and compelled to stay away in order to stay alive, journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj always dreamt of returning to Sri Lanka. That flame of hope flickered occasionally, as the war dragged on and then escalated despite intermittent ceasefires, but he never let it go out entirely.
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Anti-Terrorist Action Must Not Become a Witch Hunt Against Sri Lankan Muslims May 16, 2019
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Nation of Tawheed Jamath’s Deadly Leader Zahran Hashim Alias “Abu Ubaida” May 6, 2019
Palm Sunday Mob Attack on “Aadara Sevana” Methodist Centre in Anuradhapura and Its Aftermath April 24, 2019
Rekava, Gamperaliya and Nidhanaya: Cinematic Triple Gems Of Lester James Peries April 5, 2019
Rajapaksas Close Ranks Behind Gotabaya as Presidential Candidate April 4, 2019
M.N. Nambiar: Birth Centenary of Tamil Cinema’s Greatest Screen Villain April 4, 2019
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“The Man Who Would Be King”: Remembering Anura Bandaranaike On His 70th Birth Anniversary February 18, 2019
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“I filed a Case Against Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the USA Because he Seems to be Enjoying Unique Impunity in Sri Lankan Courts” – Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Daughter Ahimsa in Interview
“Foreign Policy by Itself Cannot Make Miracles When There is Partisan Bickering on Key Domestic Public Policy Issues in Sri Lanka” – Ex-Foreign Secretary HMGS Palihakkara
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Our democracy of seventy years and more has clearly left this country without political leadership of quality.
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Main menu About Education Admission Research Brochures. Videos
The results of the admission of foreign citizens for government-funded places in St Petersburg University
Lists of foreign applicants who have successfully passed the competitive selection and are recommended for enrolment in government-funded places have been published on the website of the Admissions Committee of St Petersburg University.
Applicants have shown a great interest in the competition, which is held by St Petersburg University as part of the independent selection. This year, more than 1,500 foreign applicants from 81 countries around the world applied for the places funded by the Government of the Russian Federation, and have been admitted to the competition.
In 2018, 1,182 foreign citizens from 48 countries took part in the competition. 400 applicants were enrolled in the government-funded places. 265 of them study on bachelor’s and specialist’s programmes, 85 are master’s students, and 50 are doctoral students.
The African continent is represented by applicants from: the Gambia, Zambia, Kenya, Sudan, the Republic of Ghana and Nigeria. The East is represented by those from: Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Algeria, Yemen, Iran and Iraq. In Latin America, applicants from Mexico, Bolivia, Guyana, Guatemala are interested in entering St Petersburg University. European residents of Serbia, France, Spain, Germany, Greece and other countries have also shown interest. Asian countries are represented by applicants from: India, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Japan. The Commonwealth of Independent States and the People’s Republic of China have submitted the largest number of applications.
The final lists of foreign applicants who have successfully passed the competitive selection and are recommended for enrolment in government-funded places can be found in ‘The Results 2019’. Information on further actions is presented on the St Petersburg University website.
Information on the deadline for submission of documents from foreign entrants who want to receive a paid education.
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BRIT Award Winner Tom Walker Releases Debut Album ‘What A Time To Be Alive’
Today March 1 sees the release of Tom Walker’s debut album, ‘What A Time To Be Alive’. The title could well be a description of what’s been going on in Tom’s head lately: he won the BRIT Award for British Breakthrough Act, and was nominated for his single, ‘Leave A Light On’. That track entered straight into the UK Official Top 40 songs of 2018, and also hit the #1 spot on iTunes in 20 countries, and sold Platinum in 10.
2018 also saw Walker nab several other awards, including Sync Artist of the Year at the Music Week Sync Awards as well as the notable ASCAP Vanguard Award – previous recipients include Dua Lipa, Jess Glynn and Calvin Harris.
The ten track album, ‘What A Time To Be Alive’, features previous releases ‘Angels’, ‘Leave A Light On’, and the currently BBC Radio 1 A-listed track, ‘Just You And I’ – as well as a great collaboration – previously unheard – with Zara Larsson, on ‘Now You’re Gone’.
Scottish-born and Manchester-raised, Tom Walker has carved for himself a success story to be proud of. With ‘What A Time To Be Alive’, he’s sure to mark even more milestones in this and the coming years. What a time to be alive, indeed.
Tom is about to set off on his UK and European tour starting tomorrow. Find tickets and further information here.
Find Tom Walker online on his official website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Stream and download ‘What A Time To Be Alive’ here.
By Lisa HafeyIn Concerts, New Artists, New Releases, VideosTagged Angels, BBC Radio 1, BRIT Award, concerts, European tour, Just You And I, Leave A Light On, Manchester, new album, new release, Now You're Gone, Scotland, Scottish, Tom Walker, tour, UK tour, What A Time To Be Alive, Zara LarssonLeave a Comment
Published by Lisa Hafey
Lisa has been writing for over 20 years, starting as the entertainment editor on her university newspaper. Since then she's written for Popwrapped, Maximum Pop, Celebmix, and ListenOnRepeat. Lisa loves all good music, with particular fondness for Jedward and David Bowie. She's interviewed Edward Grimes (Jedward), Kevin Godley, Trevor Horn, Paul Young, Peter Cox (Go West), Brendan B Brown (Wheatus), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), among many many more. Lisa is also available for freelance writing - please email lisa@essentiallypop.com View all posts by Lisa Hafey
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Home/Breaking News/Turkey, U.S. squabble on military operation in Syria
Breaking NewsMIDDLE EASTNEWS
Turkey, U.S. squabble on military operation in Syria
Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2016
Six batteries of U.S. made, but NATO-backed, missile defense systems have been set up in southeastern Turkey to protect against aerial attacks from war-torn Syria. Single battery in foreground Gaziantep, Turkey in the background. (Photo by Scott Bobb, VOA: Courtesy of WikiCommons)
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that comments from the U.S. about the target of the Turkish military operation in Syria were “unacceptable.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday urged Turkey to stay focused on fighting the Islamic State (IS) militants and not to engage the Kurdish elements of Syrian rebel forces, which Washington backs.
He warned at a press conference that their conflict with the Kurdish forces would hinder efforts to defeat the IS.
Tension between Ankara and Washington over Kurdish forces in Syria is continuing to simmer amid the differences on Turkey’s recent military operation in northern Syria.
The Foreign Ministry responded that the operation would continue until the terrorism threats in the region reached a level that would “not disturb our citizens.”
“Turkey is waiting for the U.S. to fulfill its commitment that there would be no Democratic Union Party (PYD) or People’s Protection Units (YPG) elements in the west of Euphrates,” the statement said.
The Pentagon described the clashes, which it said were in areas where the IS is not located, as “unacceptable and a source of deep concern” and called on all sides to stand down.
The YPG, a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, had reportedly been a partner in the U.S.-led campaign against the IS in Syria, and Ankara claims it is linked to the banned Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Turkish Foreign Ministry had also summoned U.S. ambassador to Ankara John Bass on Monday, Daily Sabah reported.
Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield on Wednesday, aiming at eliminating the terror threat along the Turkish border.
Ankara has frequently voiced its concern over the YPG’s activity along the Turkish border and insists that the YPG forces should not pass to the west of the Euphrates River.
“Turkey is determined to take steps to insure its citizens’ security at home and in neighboring countries,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on the eve of Tuesday’s national Victory Day holiday.
Meanwhile, a senior Turkish military official on Tuesday denied that Turkey and the U.S. reached a “loose” ceasefire agreement between the Turkish forces and YPG.
Media reports said the Turkish and Kurdish forces in northern Syria had reached a “loose agreement” to stop fighting each other.
“We are not aware of such an agreement. If the U.S. announced such a thing that means they are trying to present terrorist organizations as formal parties,” the Turkish official said.
A top Turkish official told Daily Sabah that the Turkish military will hit YPG forces if the terrorist group does not retreat to the east of the Euphrates.
Turkish European Affairs Minister Omer Celik said Monday at a news conference that “no one has the right to tell us which terrorist organization we can fight against.”
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INTL CONFLICTS
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The confrontation of Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the Middle East
Today, the already considerable conflict potential of the Middle East region continues to grow. The knot of contradictions between regional players is getting tighter and tighter, and multi-level confrontation increasingly affects the interests of world powers. In the current world political environment, the issue of the future of the regions is decided at the level of regional and world leaders. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the first ones, the union or struggle between which affects not only bilateral relations, but also the entire subsystem as a whole. In this context, their interaction over Syria is particularly important.
Saudi Arabia fears that Turkey may occupy a dominant position in the Middle East, and in every way prevents the growing influence of the Turkic country in the region.
The militant attitude of Saudi Arabia to Turkey, apparently, is beginning to be adopted by the administration of Donald Trump, losing millions of dollars due to the rapprochement of Turkey with Russia.
The growth of Ankara’s foreign policy in the region is worrying Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is currently the undisputed leader of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC), in fact controls the Arab League, takes a leading position in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), claiming a dominant role in the Islamic world, and cannot allow the emergence of a new a competitor, when there are already enough problems with Iran (another rival in the fight for leadership).
Turkey, in turn, in recent years has stepped up its Asian vector of foreign policy, moved away from the exclusively European direction, turned its attention to the Arab world. With new force, Turkish economic ties began to grow in Arab countries, Turkish companies are actively penetrating Arab markets, and Turkish services are becoming increasingly popular among the Arab public. In many ways, a sharp cooling of Turkish-Israeli relations can be considered a reason for political rapprochement with the Arab world. The “Arab Spring”, in turn, served as the impetus for the revitalization of Ankara’s foreign policy in the region. Turkish authorities initially supported the rebels, the peak of which was the basing of the SNA in the country and initiatives to support the Syrian opposition.
The ambitions associated with regional leadership, the Turkish and Saudi leaders embody by various means. Turkey is increasing its economic presence in the countries of the region, recently it has been making efforts to improve the country’s image: it organizes educational programs (Arab students are actively invited to Turkish universities), develops tourism services (more and more Arabs prefer to relax in Turkish resorts). The most illustrative in this regard is the example of the LAS summit recently held in Baghdad, where Turkish companies organized a banquet, which the Arab media dubbed the “Turkish invasion”; accordingly, Ankara’s methods are very effective.
As for Saudi Arabia, it traditionally uses the Islamic factor (the Saudi king is the Guardian of the Two Shrines of Islam) in its foreign policy as a tool of influence, and also carries out abundant financial investments in the countries of the region (also a serious tool of self-propaganda). The main difference between the two tactics lies in the “intelligibility” of Saudi kings, who invest not everywhere, but only in states with “correct” regimes, while Turkey builds and strengthens economic ties with all countries indiscriminately, and in this Ankara, of course, wins.
In addition, it is also important that both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are the most important allies of the USA, the guides of American interests in the region and Washington’s largest partners in the field of military-technical cooperation, and neither one nor the other country is trying to diversify the sources military aid, thereby somehow reducing its dependence on the overseas brother.
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Introduction to Hinduism, 2
7. The essence of every person is no different from the essence of the universe. Hindus call the substratum of all reality Brahman. When identifying Brahman as the essential human nature, they call it Atman. To understand this better, consider the analogy: a wave on the surface of the ocean is distinguishable, but is still “ocean.” In the same way, the individual, indeed all things, though distinct, are expressions of the one absolute essence, Brahman.
8. However, to understand the nature of the Self at the level of intellect, merely from the neck up, is not enough. What humans need is to experience our essence. This experience is called “enlightenment” (alternately called bodhi, nirvana,jivanmukti, paravidya, etc.). When an individual has this, only then is he released from the cycle of rebirth called samsara.
9. To enliven consciousness so that Atman might be experienced, Hindus practice one or more yogas. These are methods of awakening.
10. Among Westerners, the best-known yoga is Hatha. This yoga involves body positions called asanas and breathing exercises called pranayama.
11. The Bhagavad-Gita, “The Divine Song of God,” often called “the Gita,” is one of the most recent (3rd century B.C.) and best-known and loved parts of the wide array of Hindu Scripture. In the Gita, Lord Krishna tells the warrior prince Arjuna that there are three main paths to enlightenment:
Jnana Yoga, the “path of wisdom” (which involves the study of sacred texts, meditation, and an ascetic lifestyle).
Karma Yoga, the “path of action” (which involves close attention to ethics, compassion towards all living things, and service to others).
Bhakti Yoga, the “path of devotion” (which involves pilgrimages, ceremonies, ritual offerings, visits to temples, etc.).
12. In spite of the way in which they’ve been characterized, Hindus do not think of themselves as polytheists. Their basic outlook is monotheistic. They believe that all “gods,” including Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi, the Great Goddess, are really just masks on the face of Ishvara, the One Irreducible God (see the Rig Veda X, 121).
I’m reworking an “Introduction to Hinduism” handout, the kind of material that can be used in the World Religions class, but also in a church class setting. What follows is the first half of an outline. Most of this material comes from Dr. Dana Sawyer, Professor of Religion at the Maine College of Art, Portland, ME. The other source is the chapter on Hinduism in Warren Matthews, World Religions.
1. Unlike Buddhism and Christianity, Hinduism has no particular founder.
2. The origins of Hinduism disappear into pre-history. According to prevailing theory, what came to be called Hinduism began sometime around 1800 B.C. Aryans migrating to modern- day NW India brought with them their religion, which is reflected in ancient Vedic texts. They met the spirituality indigenous to the Indus Valley Civilization. The blending of these two viewpoints was, evidently, the beginning of Hinduism.
3. For Hindus, the purpose of life is to find out the true nature of the self. That is, in Hinduism the big question is, “Who are you?”
4. Hindus believe that we reincarnate lifetime after lifetime because we are in ignorance (avidya) of our true nature. Knowledge of who we are will bring moksha, liberation.
5. Hinduism postulates two levels of the self: (a) There is the transitory self, bound by time and space and made up of the body, the mind, emotions, thoughts, and memories. (b) Underlying and implicit to the relative, transient self is an infinite, unbounded, eternal and unchanging self called Atman. The Atman, or higher self, was never more and never dies. It does not change because it is absolute according to its very nature.
6. The Atman is the essence of every human being. But this differs markedly from, say, the Islamic concept of the soul. For Hindus there is not a multiplicity of infinite Atmans. (In Islam, there are as many souls as there are people). Instead, there is one world soul at the base of all individual consciousness.
Labels: Dana Sawyer, Hinduism, India, teaching, World Religions
Surprised by Tears
Tears and the whole business of crying are odd. Aren’t they?
Sometimes you expect tears, but don’t get them. Several years ago, a great and wonderful elder’s wife who meant so much to me died. Not long after I got the call, I was traveling from Connecticut to Arkansas for her funeral.
From the moment I got the news, to that first time that I saw her husband and family again, to “calling hours” and seeing her body, to the funeral, and finally the cemetery, I never cried. Not even a little bit. I can still remember how it bothered and embarrassed me, the absence of tears. To this day I can’t explain it.
There are other times when tears come from nowhere. Well, that’s stretching it. They come from somewhere, just not the place you expected and can identify. It happened just this morning.
The course outline for the New Testament class said we were supposed to be covering the Letter to the Hebrews today. After I returned the third exam (over Paul and his letters) and reviewed it with the students, I had about an hour left. An hour. . . . To introduce and overview Hebrews. . . . Survey courses are so frustrating.
Anyway, after discussing how odd Hebrews is, and some of what’s going on behind the words of this letter, we started looking closely at the text itself. I was eager to get to those parts where the speaker offers a theological interpretation (God’s view) of people suffering for the sake of Christ. I was reading from chapter 2,
“In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.”
That’s when and where it hit me. I caught myself and within a second or two was able to go on. But I never once expected such emotion. And I still don’t know exactly how that happened.
Of course I can say that I love how this prose, even in translation, seems much closer to poetry. I might mention how Jesus owning up to me as his kid brother is such a tender image. I can say how much it means to think that I’ve been miraculously born into the best family ever. I guess it’s all of that and more.
But, again, like the reasons why I shed no tears at the death of a loved one, I’m far from certain why I got all choked up this morning.
What about you? Ever wished you could cry and expected to, but didn’t? Ever been completely surprised by the arrival of sudden tears?
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, you might check out last Friday’s prayer for Ted Haggard composed by Fred Peatross.
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A few days ago, I was reading a post by Larry James about his conversations with some folks from Azerbaijan, once a part of the former Soviet Union. Almost all of the people in the delegation were Muslims.
It just so happened that the day before I read Larry’s post, I had heard a piece on National Public Radio about American politics and the Arabic term “jihad.” Here was the gist of the report:
“Jihad” simply means “struggle (for the sake of God).” As some Muslims see it, jihad should be external, against non-Muslims, and violent. Thankfully, only a small percentage understands it that way. For many Muslims, jihad is internal, a struggle against sin. In that sense, it corresponds to a Christian’s battle with the flesh, wrestling with the old man of sin.
So one obvious question is, Should American politicians denounce violent, extremist Muslims as “jihadists”? To someone fluent in Arabic, such a statement sounds like, “We oppose anyone who, in any way, struggles in behalf of God.” Is that really the message we want to send?
It would be similar to someone overhearing an abuse of prayer in the name of Jesus and then concluding, “I oppose anyone who prays to God through Christ.” In the same way that not all “Christian prayer” truly represents Jesus and his Way, not all “jihad” is external and violent. Shouldn’t such an important distinction be recognized and acknowledged in political speech and commentary?
Wade Tannehill is currently telling the truth about “full-time ministry” in the Churches of Christ. . . . . which is not to say he was lying before.
Perhaps because he lives in Wisconsin, Bobby Valentine has been thinking about Christmas. He has some book recommendations for the readers on your list.
The Sad Saga of Ted Haggard
Ted Haggard’s letter to New Life Church can be seen here. I came across it over at Mike Cope’s blog. Someone there remarked about how ironic and sad it was that, in this case, a homosexual prostitute has evidently been more truthful than a Christian preacher.
What bothers me as much as anything is that Haggard’s confessions have apparently been one step slower than the evidence against him. Your thoughts and reactions to this bombshell in the Evangelical community? To Haggard’s letter? To the amount and kind of attention this story has received in the media?
Did Paul Say, "Don't help widows under 60"?
My previous post is the beginning of a short project that I’m continuing here. What follows will make more sense if you’ve read the entry from Wednesday first.
Getting started, it’s probably best to explain that I’m a set-it-all-up, ducks-in-a-row kind of thinker. I do intend to explain my view of 1 Timothy 5:9. But in order to do that, I want to back up and take a run at it from the first part of the chapter. If you don’t have a Bible nearby, you can consult the NIV translation of 1 Timothy 5 here.
In 1 Timothy 5:3-16, Paul discusses the church’s duty to Christian widows. Verses 3-8 teach that the church should honor those who are “widows indeed” (or “real widows”). According to Paul, “widows indeed” are those who have not only lost their husbands, but who stand in real financial need; that is, they have no living children who can care for them.
What should the church do for such women? “Honor” them. From the context it’s clear that Paul is not talking about a mere show of respect for destitute Christian widows. Instead, “honor” means “material support, financial help.” We would only dishonor widows if they received nothing but kinds words in response to their real needs. The Torah curses anyone who holds back what is owed to widows (for example, Deuteronomy 27:19; see also Exodus 22:22-24). James says,
“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16).
But what if a widow has children or grandchildren? Paul says that in that case, those people should learn to practice real religion by returning something to their parents. I love what David Lipscomb wrote in his commentary on this passage:
“None can ever know the intensity of a mother’s love for her child, her constant self-denying life to help the child she has borne. Now a child should remember this and return it in kindness, when the mother grows old. . . . What we render in kindness and love to our parents, God accepts as service to him.”
The description of the “true widow” does not end with this one point. Beginning with verse 5, Paul describes her as a praying woman who trusts in God (like Anna in Luke 2:36-37). On the other hand is the widow who chases after only pleasure (verse 6). A widow who lives like that has no claim to on-going support from the church. Paul closes this section by saying that if any one does not provide for his own, he’s denied the Christian faith and is actually worse than an unbeliever.
It’s my belief that in verses 9-16 Paul is not talking about any and all true widows in the church. Instead, he’s talking about a special class or distinct order of widows. Notice that Paul does not say, “Don’t help a widow who is less than sixty . . .” Instead, he says, “Do not enroll (or, put on the list) a widow who is less than sixty . . .” It’s a vast difference.
In all probability, the group Paul refers to beginning with verse 9 was responsible for taking care of certain tasks in the church. Notice that there is a character sketch of the kind of widow the church allows to be enrolled. It’s no accident that at other points in this letter where Paul provides a character sketch (for elders, 1 Timothy 3:1-7; for deacons, 3:8-10, 12-14; and for “the women” who may be female deacons, 3:11), the description pertains to someone who will be in a position of responsibility in the church.
My main reason for taking this view, which draws a line between the end of verse 8 and the beginning of verse 9, is simple. It makes no sense to think that only widows who matched the description in verses 9 and 10 (including “the rule of sixty”) would have received support from the church.
No doubt there were many near-helpless Christian widows, much younger than sixty, who could and did receive support from the church (Galatians 6:10; James 1:27). Not to mention that it’s inconceivable that Paul, a Christian rabbi, could have issued instructions to the contrary. A self-described “Hebrew of Hebrews,” Paul knew that the Jewish Scriptures spoke up for “the orphan, the widow, and the stranger in your midst” more than 50 times; and he likely knew a tradition that says the more often a teaching is repeated, the more important it is. No right-thinking person believes that a young, godly, but destitute widow suddenly becomes worthy of the church’s support upon turning sixty years old.
For these reasons, it is better to understand verse 9 as the beginning of a new section which speaks of a different group. According to this view, a “true widow” is a Christian woman of any age who has no family to care for her. But beginning with verse 9, Paul is not speaking about “true widows” in general, but about a unique group of widows who were placed on a list, enrolled. That is, past the common age for remarriage, they were qualified for and committed to what most of us would call full-time ministry.
If this view is on target, then no one should say, “There was a time when Paul said, ‘Be sure not to help a widow unless she’s at least sixty years old'.” Again, not only is that inconceivable, it also ignores the fact that the verb in 1 Timothy 5:9 is not “help” but rather “enroll.”
Over the last couple of years, 1 Timothy 5:9 has become a popular verse among some folks in the Churches of Christ. Strange.
In the New International Version, it reads as follows: “No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,” . . . The character sketch of the widow who may be placed on the list obviously continues. But verse 9 is enough for those who want to make a point. And their point goes like this:
What group of elders would want to say, “We’ve decided that, as a church, we’re no longer going to help any widow of the congregation unless she is--in the words of 1 Timothy 5:9-- over sixty.”? What church would stand for a decision like that? Wouldn’t we think it was foreign to the Spirit of Christ for a group of elders to announce a policy like that? And yet, there it is in black-and-white in your Bibles! If a widow is only 59, don’t help her.
That’s a near verbatim statement from a recently-preached, wide-distributed sermon which, of course, has a larger point to make. And that larger point goes like this:
When we come across a passage that says “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:12), maybe we should treat that statement the same way we treat the one in 1 Timothy 5:9. Paul didn’t intend for it to be applied in every church in every time. Because if he did, then in order to be consistent, we would have to cut off all widows 60 and under from services and assistance provided by the church. So, again, this means that twenty centuries later we have the same right, even responsibility, to look at 1 Timothy 2:12 in a different way, just as we look at 1 Timothy 5:9 in a different way.
I’d like to suggest that 1 Timothy 5:9 says no such thing. As the week goes on, I'll explain why.
Posted by Frank Bellizzi at 10:48 AM 4 comments:
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Home > Foreign Ministry Spokersperson's Remarks
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on March 13, 2018
Q: We noticed that yesterday, the Foreign Ministry of China released information on Special Envoy of the ROK President Chung Eui-yong's visit to China. We know that he was here to brief the Chinese side on his visits to the DPRK and the US. With all these developments as well as President Trump's phone call to President Xi Jinping last Friday regarding the US opinions and considerations for the Korean Peninsula situation, what is China's evaluation on these developments of the Korean Peninsula situation? What is your expectation as to how the situation may evolve? How is China going to further leverage its role?
A: On his visit yesterday, Special Envoy Chung Eui-yong briefed and had an in-depth exchange of views with the Chinese side on his visits to the DPRK and the US. President Xi Jinping met with him. State Councilor Yang Jiechi held talks with him. Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with him. We have released information on these meetings respectively. Last Friday, we also released information timely on President Xi Jinping's phone conversation with President Trump where the two heads of state compared notes on the latest Korean Peninsula situation. All these press releases give a full picture of China's relevant stance, policies and proposals which I will not repeat here.
I can highlight a few points briefly on how China perceives the current Korean Peninsula situation.
First, an opportunity has been presented to bring the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue back to the track of a negotiated settlement. This merits encouragement and support. We are glad that President Trump said he hopes the issue could be resolved finally through peaceful means, which is what China has been calling for all along. Special Envoy Chung Eui-yong also said that the ROK side appreciates China's commitment to a peaceful settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the denuclearization goal, and inter-Korean talks, which enabled positive progress on the Korean Peninsula issue.
Second, the US and the DPRK eventually expressed their political will to have direct dialogues. This also merits encouragement and support. We look forward to see a smooth running of the inter-Korean meeting and DPRK-US talks. President Xi Jinping told President Trump very clearly that he hopes the US and the DPRK could begin contacts and dialogues sooner than later and strive to achieve positive outcomes. President Trump said that facts have proven that President Xi is right in insisting on the US having dialogues with the DPRK. Special Envoy Chung Eui-yong also thanked China for upholding direct talks between the US and the DPRK and looked to China to continue with its important role.
Third, China is firmly committed to realizing denuclearization, peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, and resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation. We will continue to play our unique role in getting the talks started and sustaining the talks till good outcomes are achieved and a peaceful, stable and denuclearized Korean Peninsula is realized. This serves the interests of not only the DPRK and the ROK, but also other regional countries, and meets the common expectations of the international community.
Q: The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the DPRK says that any talks with the DPRK about its nuclear program should also be accompanied by talks in human rights, including accusations of "torture and the use of political prison camps". Does China agree or disagree with this point of view?
A: I believe that you are very clear with our position on the Korean Peninsula issue as well as where we stand on the relevant UN agency's deliberations on the DPRK's human rights issue. Under the current circumstances, we hope that all relevant parties of the international community could make positive and constructive contributions so that the relevant parties of the Korean Peninsula issue could seize the opportunity and promote peace dialogues to achieve peace, stability and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and bring about a final turn-around of the Korean Peninsula situation.
As regards the related human rights issue, it shall be approached justly in light with the purposes and principles set out by the UN Charter.
Q: First, has China discussed with the DPRK and the ROK the option of it hosting the relevant meeting on resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue? Second, do you have a reaction to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying that China is dumping steel in Canada?
A: As to the first question, like what I said just now, China is heartened by the positive momentum brought about by all relevant parties, especially the US and the DPRK, coming back to the negotiating table to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, which we hope could be further encouraged and supported by all parties of the international community. We would like to see that relevant interactions and dialogues could go ahead and lead to positive outcomes sooner rather than later. Any form of engagement or any arrangement that helps to achieve that goal is worth encouraging and considering. China has been playing a positive and unique role and we have every intention to continue to do so.
With regard to your second question, the Chinese government is resolutely determined to tackle the issue of excess steel capacity and has already taken practical measures to address that issue. We have made some notable progress, but not without great cost. Meanwhile, I have to remind you all that steel overcapacity is not a problem just for China only. It is a global one and as such, is impossible to be solved by any single country. We hope that all the steel-producing countries could make concerted efforts to cut steel overcapacity proportionately and resolve this issue through international cooperation.
Q: Two people in the UK were poisoned after contacting unknown substance. One of them is the 66-year-old Sergei Skripal who used to work for the Russian military intelligence service. In response to this, British Prime Minister Theresa May said to the Parliament on March 12 that the British government believed that Russia was highly likely responsible for the poisoning incident. What is your comment? Do you believe this will become a new diplomatic scandal?
A: We have noted relevant reports, but we are not aware of what really happened. Both the British and the Russian sides have responded to it. We hope that relevant parties could properly resolve this issue based on facts and through appropriate channels.
Q: Nepali officials yesterday confirmed that a passenger plane carrying 71 people from Dhaka crashed while landing in Kathmandu, killing at least 49 people and injuring 22 others. According to reports, the spokesperson for the US-Bangla Airlines operating this plane said that one passenger on board was from China. Can you confirm this?
A: We are deeply saddened by the heavy casualties caused by this accident. We express our deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the injured and the families who have lost their loved ones.
According to the preliminary verification by the relevant Nepali authorities today, a Chinese citizen was killed in the crash. In the wake of the accident, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal immediately dispatched officials to the airport to verify relevant information and coordinated with the Nepali side to help the family of the deceased Chinese passenger with follow-up matters. The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Nepal will continue to follow the development of this incident and offer our best assistance to the bereaved family.
Q: According to reports, on March 12, the United States has prepared a new draft resolution asking the UN Security Council to demand 30-day ceasefire in Syria's eastern Ghouta and Damascus. What is China's opinion about this proposal and if the US put this draft to a vote, what position will China hold?
A: Last month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 on the humanitarian issue of Syria, which reflects the shared will of its members on realizing ceasefire and cessation of violence in Syria and improving its humanitarian situation as soon as possible. Currently, the situation in eastern Ghouta is still very complicated. All relevant parties should join hands to coordinate their efforts on many fronts, including combatting terrorism, promoting ceasefire and cessation of violence, stepping up humanitarian aid, and strive to meet the requirements and goals set out in Resolution 2401. Meanwhile, China still hopes that the Security Council could remain united on the humanitarian issue of Syria, as this will ensure its constructive role.
Q: According to reports, European officials say that China might delay or scale back the 16+1 summit that is supposed to be held in Bulgaria this year between China and Central and Eastern European countries. Can you give us any details from the Chinese side as to your thinking about the 16+1 summit this year?
A: I have noted the relevant report, but I haven't heard of anything as mentioned by you. Thanks to the concerted efforts of all relevant parties, the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries(CEEC) has sustained a sound momentum of growth and yielded fruitful outcomes in the past five-plus years. This has not only elevated the relations between China and the Central and Eastern European countries, but also played a positive role in advancing the European integration and balanced development of Europe. The rapid development of China-CEEC cooperation cannot be achieved without the guidance of the leaders' summit. At the end of November last year, the 6th 16+1 Summit reached the consensus on Bulgaria hosting the 7th leaders' Summit. China attaches great importance to this and remains in close communication with relevant countries on the preparations of the summit.
Q: Can you give any insights on why the air pollution in Northern China seems to have got worse after sharp improvement at the end of last year? Is China still committed to cutting its emissions and the Paris Climate Change Accord?
A: I will get to your second question first, since it sounds more like a diplomatic one. China has played a positive and important role in hammering out the Paris Accord. The international community knows that very well. The commitments, once made, will be strictly honored by the Chinese government. According to the statistics of the environment departments in China, last year's air quality nationwide, including northern China, has experienced a major improvement. You all work and live here. You must have all experienced that improvement. As for why so smoggy these two days, that calls for specialized analysis by competent departments. We hope that you could acknowledge what we have done painstakingly to improve the environment. We do have reason to feel confident about that.
Q: This morning, China announced restructuring plans for the State Council which include setting up a national body to supervise international development aid, taking some power that were previously under the Commerce Ministry and the Foreign Ministry. Can you comment on what relationship will be between the Foreign Ministry and this new international aid body and whether this represents a reduction in the Foreign Ministry's powers?
A: Thank you for following China's Two Sessions this year. This morning, State Councilor Wang Yong presented the plan for the State Council institutional reform to the first session of the 13th National People's Congress. He detailed the specific considerations behind making these changes, including on setting up a national agency on international development and cooperation. You may refer to that.
As explained, to set up such a body is to fully leverage the role of foreign aid as an important means of major-country diplomacy, strengthen the strategic planning and coordination for foreign aid-related work, manage such work in a more unified manner, and reform and optimize models of foreign aid, so as to better serve the country's diplomatic blueprint and the Belt and Road Initiative. The plan proposes to integrate foreign aid-related mandates from the Commerce Ministry and the Foreign Ministry and form a national agency on international development and cooperation and outlines the main duties of this new body.
[Suggest to a Friend]
: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on March 12, 2018
: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 9, 2018
: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Remarks on the Outcomes of the ROK President's Special Delegation's Visit to the DPRK
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Home Comics Here Are 12 Things We Expect To See In Avengers: Endgame
Here Are 12 Things We Expect To See In Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Infinity War came to theatres, conquered the box office and left us all shell-shocked courtesy of its incredible cliffhanger ending. The film has left countless questions and scope for possibilities, theories and all. It has been more than seven months since the film had released and over the period of time, we have seen scores of rumors and updates related to the next film titled Avengers: Endgame.
Until now, we do not have any clear idea about what the film will bring to the screens, but, there is a lot of stuff that can be safely assumed to be a part of the upcoming film. Since there is no count of the rumors, the theories and the possibilities that we have created a list of things that we are really expecting to see in Avengers: Endgame. Go ahead and take a look at our list!
1. Time To Give New Suits To The Avengers
It doesn’t even require much thought to see that the suits get altered in each new Superhero film so as to sell more merchandise. Talking of Avengers: Endgame, it is expected that the Avengers would be dressed afresh, but, the new suits might not be given to all of The Avengers.
More so with the characters that had been dusted in Avengers: Infinity War, we are not sure whether they will get new suits or we will see them return in the same suits that they had died in. There are a few leaked action figure catalogues that show the Quantum Realm suits of the Avengers, but, we expect to see all the Avengers come together in their new super suits, at least for the final act of the film.
DON’T MISS: Here’s A Breakdown Of The Avengers: Endgame TV Spot
2. Red Skull Must Do More
A new actor was introduced in Avengers: Infinity War as Red Skull, and it is not unusual to expect that Red Skull might also be seen in the future films. As fans, we expect him to be present in Avengers: Endgame, since he was introduced in Infinity War with a purpose. Thanos doesn’t have to be the only villain in Avengers: Endgame, and according to the rumors, there is an even deadlier threat coming up in the film. However, the Red Skull happens to be among the few good villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we definitely look forward to him playing a more prominent role in the upcoming film!
3. Vision To come back with Wakandan tech
Avengers: Infinity War had created an opening for Vision to return. The most visible hint was given by Bruce Banner when he mentioned that even in the absence of the Mind Stone, there is a great deal of Vision left. We expect Shuri to be alive and she had managed to copy most of Vision’s consciousness, so we are likely to see a recreated Vision with a fresh look and one that might come back without the Mind Stone.
4. Katherine Langford will become the new Hawkeye
It is almost certain that Clint Barton’s narrative in Avengers: Endgame will be completely different as he takes on the persona of Ronin. We already know that Katherine Langford has been cast in a mystery role in Avengers: Endgame, and it is really hoped that she will play Kate Bishop, and takes on the mantle of Hawkeye under the mentorship of Barton. While it is quite unlikely, but we would love to see Jeremy Renner teach Langford to become the future Hawkeye.
5. Hela will be back
Undoubtedly, Hela was a fabulous villain as seen in Thor: Ragnarok, but, there is a lot of Hela that we didn’t get to see in the film, and we might just see Thor visit Hel and have a Q & A session with Hela or we might even see Hela come back from the dead and team up with Thanos against the Avengers.
DON’T MISS: New Avengers: Endgame Trailer Released During Super Bowl L III And All The Fans Are Hyped Up Once Again
6. More Infinity Gauntlet users
According to rumors, there is going to be a second snap, but, a great deal of mystery shrouds the Infinity Gauntlet. We are not sure how the Avengers will manage to do the repairs, but, it is expected that undoing the snap’s effects will have some connection with the Infinity Gauntlet. Therefore, to set things right, we might see one or multiple other people wield the Infinity Gauntlet.
7. Crossbones comes back for a cameo
Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones (played by Frank Grillo) managed to get some really bad-ass moments in the couple of Captain America films that he was cast in. However, reports indicate that he will make a comeback in Avengers: Endgame. The catch is that Grillo had later on denied that he would be present in the film. In any case, we hope that the reports have some truth and there will be another dose of Crossbones in Avengers: Endgame.
8. Tony weds Pepper
Right now Tony is floating in deep space, but, we know he will be rescued. It is clear that he will survive and return to Earth. However, we don’t yet know whether he will live through the final battle or perish. He is among the likeliest candidates to die, but, he is also the core of the MCU and we just hope that he gets a happy retirement instead of a death. We are looking forward to Avengers: Endgame ending with Tony Stark’s wedding that would bring down the curtains on his crime-fighting days in the MCU.
9. Avengers: Endgame will be linked to Age of Ultron
While there was a direct connection between Avengers: Infinity War and the first Avengers film, we didn’t see a link to Age of Ultron which no matter what you say, was a crucial film for the MCU as it established the phase 3 of the shared superhero universe. Therefore, the plotlines created by Age of Ultron must be wrapped up properly and we expect to see the real meaning of the dreams that Scarlet Witch showed to the Avengers, in the upcoming film.
10. Ultron comes back
Since we expect Endgame to pay homage to Age of Ultron, there won’t be a better way to bring back Ultron. He was not an evil villain, but, we didn’t really see him evolve fully, either. Tony might revive him and use him against Thanos or Ultron might make another appearance as a villain himself.
DON’T MISS: This Is When The Second Trailer For Avengers: Endgame Will Release
11. Captain America and Peggy get their overdue dance
There is no telling how it will happen. Will Captain die and imagine his dance in his last moments or he will go back in time to do it, but, the dream sequence that Steve had seen in Age of Ultron can’t be meaningless, so we are just waiting for Steve and Peggy go on a dance date in the upcoming film.
12. Introduction of The Eternals
An Eternals film is coming up next year, so there won’t be a better way to introduce them in Avengers: Endgame. That will build the hype among the fans for the future film, and also will give the audiences a better understanding of who they are.
Extra dose – Quicksilver comes back
We saw Pietro Maximoff die in his debut MCU movie. The MCU doesn’t have a speedster, and it will be a great thing to see him come back briefly or maybe he will be resurrected for the future films too.
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John Gawlik
John Gawlik grew up in the western suburbs and is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep and Marquette University. An AEA actor and director, John has appeared with or helmed productions for many Chicago companies. In 2010 he complete a 14 week run of Martin McDonagh's The Lonesome West with The Gift Theatre, where is an ensemble member. Recently John directed Around the World in 80 Days and Red Herring for Fox Valley Repertory in St. Charles where he is in his sixth year as Artistic Director. Additional directing credits include The Ruby Sunrise for The Gift Theatre Company which was named one of the Top Ten shows of 2009 by TimeOut Chicago Magazine and was remounted in July, 2010 at Theater on the Lake, Dated: A Cautionary Tale for Facebook Users for Collaboraction's Sketchbook Festival (Festival Best Director) and the Jeff Award winning production of The Good Thief. As an actor, some of John favorite shows include Beauty Queen of Lennane with the Gift Theatre, A Skull in Connemara at Northlight (After Dark Award, Ensemble), The Great Society with Famous Door and The Life and Times of Tulsa Lovechild with Collaboraction (Jeff Award for Ensemble).
Union SAG/AFTRA
Union 2 Equity
Eyes Hazel
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Michele Zehner
Ms Zehner began her studies with Edmund and Nina Novak and then continued with John White and Margarita De Saa. She has also studied with Pennsylvania Ballet and Boston Ballet with Violette Verdi, as well as in New York with Madame Darvash, David Howard and Robert Denver. She received a full scholarship to Harkness Ballet and an apprenticeship with Hartford Ballet. Michele was a dancer with The San Antonio Ballet and Ballet Klos.
Ms Zehner has over 20 years of professional teaching experience and has studied pedagogy with recognized teaching greats such Gilbert Mayer, Ruth Petronovic and John White. She is ABT certified through level 7 and Partnering and is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. As an instructor, Michele has taught at West Chester Ballet Theater, Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet and The Rock School. She has been the owner as well as an instructor of the Pennsylvania Centre for Ballet and founder and artistic director of Delaware County Ballet. Some of Michele’s students have gone on to dance with Washington Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Pacific Northwest, Colorado Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and on Broadway.
Ms Zehner is an Artist in Residence at Dreyfoos School for the Arts and sat on the board of the Florida Dance Association. She continues to teach guest classes nationally when time permits. Ms Zehner is thrilled to see a dream realized in Florida School for Dance Education.
Maria Konrad
Ms Konrad graduated from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos High School of Performing Arts, and then earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in performing arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. As a faculty member at Koresh Dance Company (Philadelphia), Ms. Konrad helped create an early-dance-education curriculum. She is a guest teacher throughout the country at professional training programs, universities and festivals including University of the Arts, Florida Dance Festival, Ballet Mississippi, University of South Florida, The Academy of Colorado Ballet, Blake Performing Arts High School and Youth America Grand Prix. Both her students and choreography has been recognized by Youngarts and YAGP. Her work has been featured throughout the southeast from South Miami Dade Cultural Center to Spoleto Festival in South Carolina. After returning to Florida, Ms. Konrad founded REACH—A Dance Theater Collective, South Florida’s first modern-jazz workshop. She has served on the faculty and has been a guest choreographer at The Harid Conservatory and A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. In addition to being on faculty at The Patel Conservatory (Tampa), she is director of the Contemporary Program at Florida School for Dance Education. She is thrilled to be joining the faculty of the International Ballet Competition (IBC)
in Jackson 2018.
Brenda Lougheed
Business Director
Ms Lougheed graduated from the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art in New York City where she was enrolled in the music program and played the violin. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, specializing in Taxation from Pace University in New York City. Her career started in banking, where she became the Tax Administrator and Special Projects Accountant for Banque Paribas, known today as BNP, before starting her own Accounting and Tax Consulting business. Brenda has a strong background in business, accounting and taxation, providing services to individuals and small businesses from New York to Florida. She has always had a passion for the arts and business.
Gena Costello
Children’s Division Director
Miss Gena, as she is known throughout South Florida, has been teaching young children for 20 years. Her dance experience started at a young age with a family owned dance studio. She later continued her study of dance at Southwest Texas State University. Once moving to Florida, Gena became involved with many Preschool and Early Childhood Development Programs as well as receiving her Childhood Development Associate. Gena spent the two several years studying under Master teachers such as Holly Humphrey’s and Eugenia Smith and started her own “Dancing with Mommy” program for Mom’s and their young dancers. Gena is also a member of the professional Dance Teachers Association.
Pilates, Modern
Ms Armstrong was an honors graduate from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, She has taught at Peridance Center where her choreography was chosen to debut the Perichild Youth Ensemble. In addition to working with many freelance choreographers, such as Robert Battle (formally of Parsons Dance Company and Battleworks), she founded her own dance group performing at venues all over New York City. She became a certified Pilates instructor under the tutelage of Joseph Pilates protégé, Romana Kyrzanoska and subsequently completed over 600 hours of teacher training. Danielle has taught Pilates in New York, Connecticut, Charleston, SC and now brings over 10 years of experience to the Palm Beach area. She is the managing director, dancer and choreographer for REACH. In addition to managing the Pilates studio at FSDE, she teaches ballet and modern dance. She is also on staff at The HARID Conservatory in Boca Raton.
Jerry Opdenaker
Mr Opdenaker is a graduate from the University of the Arts. During his 22-year dancing career, he worked as a principal dancer for ballet companies such as Pennsylvania Ballet, Kansas City Ballet and Ballet Florida. During the years spent in these companies, he worked with some of the world’s greatest choreographers working in the field of dance. At Ballet Florida he was instrumental in the development, creativity and educational components of STEP Ahead, Ballet Florida’s choreographic workshop. Serving as the Director, he propelled the program into the eyes of the National Endowment for the Arts, which awarded the Access to Artistic Excellence, twice and was declared a “Jewel of the Palm Beaches” in 2004. Jerry had the incredible privilege to participate in the Ballet builders 2003, New York City Ballet’s 2005 Choreographic Institute and the National Choreographic Initiative 2007, in California. He has also choreographed for the McKnight Foundation in Minnesota, Seanik Arts in Miami and the Florida Grand Opera’s production of Lakme. He has also developed a new company in Palm Beach County called O Dance, which will had its inaugural first performance in February 2010.
Gillian Safran
Ms Safran began her love of dance at the age of three. Finding her passion at an early age she pursued training intensives with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Canada and the Marinsky Theatre, Russia. Receiving her diploma in Dance Theatre, under full scholarship from the London Studio Centre, England. Mrs. Safran brings a classical training background from both the Cecchetti and Royal Academy syllabus, and a strong contemporary background in Limon and Graham techniques. During her performing career she danced as a Principal for the Anna Wyman Youth Performing Company, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and ten years as a Production Dancer for Carnival Corporation. As she advanced she captained cast changes, and re-blocking of production shows. Mrs. Safran is very excited to bring her love for dance and performance to FSDE.
Leslie Justi
Leslie Justi was a scholarship student at Joffrey & Hartford Ballet and also trained with Boston, Palm Beach and South Florida Ballet Academy. Leslie began her professional career with Hartford Ballet, then on to Memphis Ballet and Bay Ballet Theater. In 1997, Leslie joined Colorado Ballet, where she performed soloist roles in classical and contemporary ballets. She was the principal teacher for Denver Academy of Ballet and been on the faculty of Colorado Ballet Academy.
Carol Pakri
Ballet, Children’s Division
Carol Pakri received a BFA in Ballet Performance at the University of Oklahoma, graduating
with honors. She danced with Oklahoma Festival Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theatre and Colorado Ballet. Mrs. Pakri 20 years teaching experience includes Director for the Youth Ballet Company at Spotlight Performing Arts and School Principal & Principal Teacher at the Academy of Colorado Ballet South, as well as on staff at The Royal Ballet School in London graduating from The Royal Ballet School Professional Dancers Teachers Course with Distinction and on the staff at Houston Ballet Academy.
Kristina Lopez
Children’s Division, Jazz
Kristina Lopez had the honor of captaining and performing in the cast of ‘WICKED’ for almost 8 years, as well as ‘IN THE HEIGHTS’. Kristina was also Dance Supervisor for the National and International tours of ‘FOSSE’. Kristina is honored to have worked closely with the legendary Ann Reinking (FOSSE), and Tony Award winner, Andy Blankenbuehler (IN THE HEIGHTS). In New York, she performed as a featured dancer with DRE Dance company, directed by Taye Diggs and Andrew Palermo. She attended Florida State University as a BFA Musical Theatre major.
Samantha Wilhelm
Samantha was born and raised in New Jersey and began dancing at the age of 3. For the past 13 years Samantha has been performing at Radio City Music Hall as a dancer and for the last 7 years she has taken on the role of assistant choreographer to Linda Haberman and Julie Branum. This role has her working with both the Rockettes and the ensemble, while acting as a swing, dance captain and overseeing the production. Samantha has also assisted on Radio City’s Heart and Lights, as well as performing in the New York Spring Spectacular. She also had the privilege to be an assistant choreographer for the Rockettes and Pitbull for Americas Got Talent. Before her career at Radio City she performed on and was rehearsal director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Samantha has taught and choreographed at numerous studios throughout the country and was on staff at the King Centre for the Performing Arts. Samantha brings energy, fire, and passion into the studio and can’t wait to share her experiences with the students.
Marcus Donnelly
Marcus Donnelly, from Galway, Ireland, first began dancing at the age of ten, in second-hand dance shoes his father bought for him while in Dublin. Marcus went on to compete at the World Irish Dance Championships and became a full-time professional dancer at the age of sixteen. He toured internationally with shows such as Ragús, Rhythm of the Dance, Celtic Legends, Celtic Crossroads, amongst others, as a lead dancer. Marcus has had the opportunity to study Tap at Steps on Broadway and work with some of the world’s most renowned performers. When not touring or in the USA, Marcus works with his own dance company, Furious Feet, in Galway, Ireland.
Toni Lipscher
Jazz, Cirque/Acro
Ms Lipscher began her dance education in Homestead, Florida. While a student there she participated in Miss Dance of Florida finishing in the top 10. From there she attended Florida State University where she danced for the Golden Girls and was voted Captain by her peers. In 1988, she was selected by College Dance Championship board to perform in the Opening Number. After college, she danced with the Miami Heat Dancers (captain, 1 year), the Eagles Cheerleaders (chosen to be in the video, NFL’s Hottest Cheerleaders, and the New Jersey Nets. She has also danced with Xanadu Dance Company. Toni has taught Hip Hop and Jazz at Atlantic Arts and is proud to be a current member of REACH Dance Company and thrilled to be a teacher at Florida School for Dance Education.
Maria Hernandez began her dance training in 2010 at the age of sixteen in West Palm Beach, Florida at Sean’s Dance Factory under the direction and training of Sean Green. In 2012 she became a Hip Hop instructor at Spotlight of Wellington, and shortly after became an instructor at Sean’s Dance Factory. Her training and dance experience have led her to come up with her own distinctive style of Hip Hop, believing that dance is an art form of expression and a lifestyle. She has performed on productions at the Broward Performing Arts Center, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, and was featured her own piece at the choreographer’s showcase in Miami. You might have seen her as a backup dancer for James Cove, and dancing on stage with Sugarhill Gang. She remains a continuous student training with some of the top choreographers in the Hip Hop community such as Dondraico ‘Draico’ Johnson, Ellen Kim, Jillian Meyers, Marty Kudelka, Dexter Carr, Chris Grant, Chuck Maldonado, Aisha Francis, Kevin Maher, Nick DeMoura, and many more. Her training has allowed her not only to perform but also to train and direct her students onto the World of Dance competition, never forgetting the main elements of Hip Hop to be the base of their elaborate pieces of competition and performance. Maria believes that her love for dance can be spread and can help dancers of all ages grow and develop their craft with strong self-confidence, allowing them to build their passion and follow their dreams.
Svetlana Spivak
Svetlana Spivak holds both Bachelor and Master Degrees from the prestigious Ukrainian State Music Conservatory. Before coming to the USA, Svetlana performed solo and chamber music concerts and as an accompanist with the Ballet Theater in Odessa, Ukraine. In New York City, Svetlana had worked as an accompanist in the Julliard School, ABT, Ballet Conservatory of New York, and was principal pianist in Joffrey Ballet Company of NY.
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© 2019 Florida School for Dance Education
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UNESCO settles Jesus baptism site controversy, says Jordan
The Al Maghtas site in Jordan
Designation of World Heritage Site said to prove authentic biblical location does not lie in Israel, as Israeli officials deny existence of controversy.
The announcement of the Al Maghtas site in Jordan – believed by many Christians to be where Jesus was baptized – as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was greeted enthusiastically in that country on Sunday, with Jordanian newspaper Al Rai declaring that the move "put an end to the Israeli claims" that the authentic location is beyond the Jordan River in Israeli territory.
Israeli officials, for their part, insisted that there was no controversy over the site.
In 2011, Israel officially opened the Qasr el Yahud site on the west bank of the Jordan River after a decades-long closure. According to Jewish tradition, this was where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River as they entered Canaan, and supposedly was where Jesus was baptized. Some in Jordan were then angered by the ceremonial reopening, claiming that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the Jordanian location and noting that the Vatican had recognized this when Pope John Paul II was present at the ceremony marking the site's opening in 2000.
These voices accused Israel not only of rewriting history, but also of attempting to attract Christian tourism at Jordan's expense.
Al Rai wrote on Sunday that UNESCO's decision settled the matter. "Since the site was discovered, Israel has not stopped trying to deal it and attribute it to the occupied side of the Jordan River," said the paper. "This despite the religious and historical documents that prove that the baptism of Jesus, peace be unto him, is on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River."
The director of the EcoPeace Friends of the Earth Middle East, Gidon Bromberg, told Ynet that recognition of the Jordanian spot as a world heritage site points to the Hashemite kingdom's astuteness in advancing the issue and being aware of the potential tens of millions of Christian visitors interested in being baptized in the Jordan River.
Bromberg said the heritage site designation could hurt tourism at the Qasr al Yahud site. "As far as we know, around 300,000 Christian pilgrims arrive at the Israeli site every year, while on the Jordanian side the number is around 100,000 pilgrims a year."
However, despite the UNESCO listing, which will certainly boot tourism for the Jordanian site, Bromberg pointed to what he said was the real problem – one shared by Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinians: "Whether it's listed by UNESCO or not, ultimately the quantity and quality of the Jordan River's water is so poor."
Meanwhile, Israeli officials said there was no difference of opinion or battle against the Jordanians on the issue, and that "we are talking about pure anti-Israeli propaganda."
According to an Israeli official, the original Jordanian proposal to UNESCO stated that there were plans to expand the site in the future in cooperation with "the neighboring country". The Lebanese ambassador demanded changing the phrasing to "Palestine", a request that was accepted.
Diplomatic officials said that Israel had no problems with the Jordanian proposal and did not lobby against it – quite the opposite, in fact. The relations between the Israeli and Jordanian delegations to UNESCO are considered strong.
The Jordanian ambassador was one of of the first to congratulate the Israeli ambassador after the recognition Beit She'arim in the Galilee as a heritage site.
The Palestinians are also recognized as a state in UNESCO, so Israel was not in a position to prevent the textual change to Palestine anyway.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which met in Bonn, Germany, declared the national park in Beit She'arim in the lower Galilee as a World Heritage Site on Sunday. Beit She'arim was a thriving village in biblical times, and the site includes 30 burial caves in which the noble class weere buried, including Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, the writer of the Mishnah.
The site in Beit She'arim is one of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel. Among the 21 member states, 17 states voted in favor of including Beit She'arim, including India, Turkey, and Senegal. Four states voted against the move -- Lebanon, Qatar, Algeria, and Malaysia.
Israel and Jordan Renegotiate Al Aqsa Access to Non-Muslims
Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, today, revealed that Israel and Jordan have been involved in negotiations for a number of months concerning reopening Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount to non-Muslim visitors.
According to the PNN, Haaretz further clarified that there would be procedures put in place in order to prevent visitors being refused entry on the grounds of their religion.
Al-Aqsa Mosque has been closed to non-Muslims since the outbreak of the third Intifada in 2000, before which Jewish and Christian people were also allowed to enter freely.
Although Palestinians hold custodianship of the holy site through Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, head imam and manager of al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel claims sovereignty over all of Temple Mount.
Israeli forces are permitted to patrol the site despite control of the mosque officially being held by the Islamic Waqf Trust, who are independent of the Israeli government.
Israel approves extending fortified fence on its Jordan border
The then-new fence bordering Egypt seen in 2012
Fence along Egyptian border to be expanded as gov't fears illegal immigrants and armed militants may take advantage of porous border.
Israel's security cabinet has approved extending the fortified fence along its Egyptian border into a section of the frontier with neighboring Jordan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.
Jordan and Israel closely coordinate security for their 240 km (150 mile)-long border as well as for the strategic 95 km (60 mile)-long Jordan Valley within the West Bank.
But the Netanyahu government worries that African immigrants and armed jihadi infiltrators might try to reach Israel via Jordan after the Egyptian Sinai border was fenced off with a 5 meter (16 foot)-high razor-wire barrier in 2013. That fence runs from the Palestinian Gaza Strip to the southern Red Sea resort of Eilat.
Briefing Israeli lawmakers, Netanyahu said his security cabinet on Sunday gave the green light for a new 30 km (18 mile) stretch of fence that will run northward from Eilat along a now often porous Jordanian border.
He said the fence would help protect an Israeli airport due to open next year at Timna, 19 km (12 miles) from Eilat, and which has been billed as a wartime alternative should Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport come under rocket attack.
"This is an important matter. It is part of our national security," Netanyahu said.
"It is an addition security fence we built along our border in the Sinai, which prevented the entry of illegal infiltrators into Israel, and of course of the various terror organizations. This step is also an addition to the fence we built on our border in the Golan Heights.
The fence, he said would go up in Israeli territory, "without in any way harming the sovereignty or national interests of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan".
Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994 and one with Egypt in 1979.
The country has already built high-tech fences in the north on the Lebanon border and along the Golan Heights boundary with Syria. Much of the West Bank is also divided by a network of fences, barriers and walls, while the Gaza Strip is closed off behind high fences and walls.
A fence along the Jordan frontier would leave Israel surrounded by a steel and concrete ring.
Dispute in Jordan over media coverage of Jerusalem stabbing
Palestinian man stabbed a occupation policeman in the neck near Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate. The Palestinian was shot afterwards.
Jordanian journalists Thursday rebuked the Israeli embassy in Amman after the mission had protested a June 24 article in the daily newspaper Al-Dustur, allegedly expressing sympathy with the Palestinians.
The article described two recent incidents, that have led to one Israeli dead in the West Bank and one occupation police officer wounded by stabbing in Old Jerusalem by a Palestinian, who was shot briefly after.
The Israeli embassy protested the article, deeming it “ugly and shameful…incitement to kill Israelis.”
Al-Dustur rejected the embassy’s protestations, calling the Palestinian actions “martyrdom operations in heroic defense of their land and rights.”
“Just as [Israel] rejects these operations, we reject the killing of unarmed innocents…in Palestine and their displacement from their land and the desecration of their holy places in front of their eyes,” the newspaper wrote.
Israel to Jordanian media: 'Stop praising attacks on Israelis'
Jordanian article calling the attacks against Israelis heroic
In response to Jordanian Ad- Dustour article praising 'heroic' attacks against civiliains, Israeli embassy posts message expressing its disgust at the incitement to violence.
Jordanian newspapers quoted a message Wednesday from the Israeli embassy in Amman, in which it asked the Hashemite Kingdom's media to refrain from praising attacks against Israelis.
The message referred to an article in Jordanian newspaper Ad-Dustour entitled "We have to rely on the heroic acts in the West Bank and Jerusalem".
The article praised the recent attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank and the Israeli embassy's message forcefully came out against the author, claiming that he is increasing the tension between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The heading of the Embassy's message argued that it amounted to "incitement to kill Israelis in a Jordanian newspaper."
The message said that "The Israeli Embassy expresses its disgust and its absolute opposition to such shameful words that call to harm innocent civilians. This is incitement to killing and violence in every meaning of the word."
The message also stated that "we expect the publication of such barbaric articles, that are likely to cause damage and injury to civilians and to increase tension between the Israelis and the Palestinians, to cease."
It has been a while since the Israeli embassy in Jordan has tried to print messages in Jordanian newspapers, and so far the Kingdom's media has refused to publish them. Only after the insistence of embassy spokesman Gilad Nol, was it ultimately decided to refer to Israel's message.
The Foreign Ministry said in response that "the Israeli embassy in Jordan follows the Jordanian media and responds through their Facebook page regarding every publication containing anti-Semitism or incitement to terror.
"This is a praiseworthy and important activity. This is what was done this time and we are pleased that the Jordanian media chose to report the the embassy's reaction."
Jordanians protest trial of citizens over supporting resistance
Jordanian unionists and activists on Saturday staged a picket outside the Professional Associations Complex in Amman to protest the detention and trial of citizens on charges of their support of the Palestinian resistance.
The Engineers Association, organizer of the event, said it would stage another sit-in outside the Jordanian cabinet headquarters next Tuesday to demand an end to what they described as "wasting the dignity of the Jordanian citizen who supports the resistance."
The participants in the protest condemned the Jordanian government's security coordination with Israel and demanded the immediate release of all detainees charged with their support for the Palestinian resistance.
During the sit-in, the protestors carried banners and chanted slogans supporting the Palestinian resistance and denouncing the government for considering the Palestinian resistance a terrorist group.
Jordanian MPs demand citizenship be withdrawn from Palestinians
A number of Jordanian members of parliament demanded the Ministry of Interior untie its legal and administrative ties with the West Bank and consider a number of Jordanian nationals as Palestinians, Quds Press revealed.
In a memorandum presented to the parliament speaker, Atef Tarawneh, the MPs asked for citizens who lived in the occupied West Bank before 31 July 1988, those who hold green ID cards when crossing the Allenby Bridge, those who work or worked in the Palestinian National Authority, the cadres of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) excluding those who entered Jordan before 1983, those who leave the West Bank through Israeli ports under Israeli travel documents, and those who left the West Bank after 1 June 1988 amongst others be considered Palestinian and not Jordanian citizens.
The execution of this disengagement, according to the memorandum, will result in withdrawing the Jordanian nationality from more than 300,000 Jordanian citizen of Palestinian origin who have been living in Jordan since 1948.
The memorandum, which was issued under the theme of "disengagement decisions", was signed by MP Raed Al-Khalayleh, Abdul Raheem Al-Beqa'i and Nidal Al-Hiyari.
This comes after the developments that followed the FIFA presidential elections, after reports said that the head of the Palestinian Football Union, Jibril al-Rajoub, did not give Palestine's vote for the Jordanian Prince, Ali Bin Al Hussein, which was later denied by al-Rajoub in official statements.
An official document, obtained by Quds Press, a request by the Director of Monitoring and Inspection Directorate, of the Interior Ministry in Jordan, in which he asked the Director of the Civil Status and Passport Directorate to probe into the grounds that the decision to grant the President of the Palestinian Football Union, Jibril al-Rajoub, a Jordanian nationality was based on.
The document, written on June 1, 2015, under the title of "Jibril al-Rajoub, born on 1953", details the request submitted by the Director of Monitoring and Inspection Directorate to inquire about the legal basis for the decision to grant al-Rajoub a Jordanian nationality, and details of his civil registration, and any changes thereto.
The document, finished and sealed by the governor of the circuit and issued by the Jordanian Ministry of Interior, also reads urgent at its bottom.
IOA detains Jordanian engineer
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA), earlier this month, arrested the Jordanian engineer Malek Abdul Rauf al-Khabas on his way back home to Jordan via the King Hussein Bridge.
Malik’s mother said in press statements Tuesday: “While I was on my way back home to Jordan with Malik, after we attended the wedding of his niece, the Israeli intelligence deployed at King Hussein Bridge summoned him for interrogation. I kept waiting for three hours before I was updated on his detention without any reason or explanation.”
She said the family has not been in touch with Malik since his arrest as the IOA slapped family visit bans on him.
The detainee’s family called on the Jordanian authorities to step in so as to keep tabs on Malik’s current situation at the Israeli penitentiaries and work on his release without further delay.
Earlier, on Monday, Haaretz said the Shin Bet security service has arrested a Jordanian-Canadian millionaire and held him for 12 days without permitting him to see a lawyer.
58-year-old Ibrahim Seyam was invited by Abbas to attend a conference in Ramallah on developing the PA economy. But when he arrived together with a group of other Jordanian businessman at the Allenby Bridge border crossing about two weeks ago, he was arrested by the Shin Bet and taken to the Kishon interrogation center for questioning.
The number of Jordanians detained by the IOA has reportedly gone up to 26 so far.
Israeli occupation keeps Jordanian-Canadian businessman in custody, denies him lawyer
The Shin Bet security service has arrested a Jordanian-Canadian millionaire and held him for 12 days without permitting him to see a lawyer, Haaretz reported Monday.
Seyam is a businessman with a Palestinian descent. He left the country some 30 years ago and moved to live between Canada and Jordan.
His lawyer has appealed to the Supreme Court against the Shin Bet’s refusal to let him meet with his client. The military court, meanwhile, extended his remand twice.
Both Jordan and Canada have protested Seyam's detention to the Israeli foreign ministry, and particularly the fact that he hasn't been allowed to see an attorney.
Jordan commerce minister meets Hamdallah in Ramallah
The Jordanian Minister of Industry and Commerce Maha al-Alion Sunday met with Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah to discuss Palestinian-Jordanian economic relations.
The discussions focused on the formation of a "higher joint committee" between the two countries, which Hamdallah said would be a helpful tool for increasing commercial exchange between Jordan and Palestine as well as with other countries around the world.
Hamdallah and al-Ali discussed other ways that cooperation with Jordan could support the Palestinian economy.Suggestions included encouraging religious tourism from Jordan to Palestine, establishing joint commercial centers, and increasing the list of products imported and exported between the two countries.
The Palestinian economy, which is heavily burdened by the Israeli occupation, has been in a dire state for years.
Anti-normalization conference kicks off in Jordan, calls for joint resistance strategy
The First Jerusalem anti-Normalization Conference, held by the Islamic Action Front Party (IAFP), has seen the day in the Jordanian Capital, Amman.
Speakers at the inaugural address of the two-day conference stressed the need to fight normalization and mobilize mass support for de-normalization initiative.
The speakers denounced a decision by the Jordanian security apparatuses on Saturday to slap an entry ban on the Head of the Lebanon-based Islamic Group, Azzam al-Ayoubi.
The set of activities performed on the inaugural session includes presentations about and discussions of key-concepts related to the nature, strategies and repercussions of normalization.
Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front, Mohamed Awad al-Zyoud, called, in his inaugural speech, for the need to devise an Arab anti-normalization strategy, saying all deals struck with the Israeli occupation are devoid of any popular, ethical, and legal legitimacy.
Al-Zyoud’s note further laid emphasis on the need to join forces to fight the occupation in light of the simmering ad-hominem campaigns propagated on the political and socio-cultural arena in an attempt to chip away at resistance.
Al-Zyoud reiterated Jordanians’ firm rebuff of any normalization accords with the Israeli occupation, saying the Gas deal, recently struck with Israel, "does not only represent a flagrant breach to the terms of the constitution but also pools the wool over the eyes of the Council of Deputies and the Jordanian people."
Chairperson of the IAFP Women’s Sector, Hayat al-Masimi, said the party has always taken it upon itself to stand as Jordan’s bulletproof vest against the normalization virus targeted at the Kingdom and the Islamic project as a whole.
She said the Israeli occupation stakeholders have gone on the rampage to snuff out the flames of such a normalization wave and force their way out of such a swelling state of isolation.
For her part, Chairwoman Dr Dima Tahboub, stated that anti-normalization is not an option for it has been criminalized and de-legitimized by over 51 scholars.
“To defend Jordan and to do so Palestine are just one and the same,” she concluded.
Jordan: We will continue projects at Al Aqsa mosque
The Jordanian ministry of foreign affairs said that its government is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities towards the Aqsa Mosque.
Spokesman for the ministry Sabah al-Rafei said that the government continues to carry out construction and restoration projects at the Aqsa Mosque, which comes in the context of the Hashemite custodianship of the holy Mosque.
She added that the last of these projects was providing the Marwani Mosque with a new carpet donated by His Majesty.
Rafei made his remarks in response to statements by the Israeli minister of construction and housing, in which he threatened to prevent the Awqaf Department from carrying out maintenance works at the holy shrine.
"The Jordanian Government, and through diplomatic channels, has protested the remarks of the minister," the official said, adding that the Israeli government affirmed that such statements do not represent its position.
The Israeli government, she noted, has reiterated its respect of the Hashemite custodianship of the holy places in east Jerusalem, in accordance with the peace treaty.
Jordan rejects establishment of Israeli airport near Aqaba
Jordan has reiterated on Sunday its rejection of an Israeli plan to build the Timna airport at its current location on the Jordanian border near the King Hussein Airport in Aqaba.
Ministry of Transport spokesman Ali Odaibat said the government has not changed its position, noting that some media reports have no basis.
He added that the concerned authorities have notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in this regard, and the government’s objection will be voted on regarding the establishment of the Israeli airport, in terms of its impact on Jordan's sovereign airspace and public safety in that area.
Odaibat noted that related government bodies, represented by the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport, are in touch with international organizations on this issue, stressing Jordan's keenness to "protect the airspace from any violation and maintain the security and safety of aviation in our airspace."
Israel signs gas export deal with Jordan
The Israeli government on Thursday officially signed an agreement with its Jordanian counterpart to provide the latter with natural gas.
The agreement was approved by Israeli premier Benyamin Netanyahu and his energy minister Silvan Shalom.
According to the deal, two Jordanian companies will buy about 2.2 billion cubic meters of gas over 15 years from the Israeli gas field of Tamar.
Shalom stressed the importance of the deal, which he said would "pave the way for similar agreements with other countries in the region."
Hamas: Group not invovled in Jordan’s Islamists differences
Political bureau member of Hamas Sami Khater denied claims that the group might have been partly responsible for the ongoing divisions between Jordanian Islamists.
According to Khater, pointing the finger at Hamas is either the by-product of ad hominem campaigns targeting the group’s reputation or claims released by uniformed parties.
He voiced deep disappointment over the “scramble for lashing out at Hamas and the Palestinian resistance” propagated by Egyptian and Arab media outlets.
“Such accusations are groundless and sheer lies,” he said.
Khater slammed allegations on Hamas’s partial involvement in ongoing tensions between Jordanian Islamists, saying: “Everybody knows that Hamas has never meddled in Jordan’s internal affairs. It is a national liberation movement and a Palestinian resistance group with the sole aim of ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”
Strategist: The Dead Sea canal project threatens the Palestinian cause
Egyptian strategist Adel Suleiman has warned that the Dead Sea canal project between Jordan and Israel would torpedo the Palestinian cause entirely.
Suleiman, head of the International Center for Future and Strategic Studies, stated on his Twitter page that this project would liquidate the Palestinian cause forever and give Israel a chance to control a lifeline to Jordan and the West Bank.
He said the executive agreement of the canal project would link the interests of Jordan, Israel and Palestine together in the framework of regional arrangements for a new Middle East.
Jordan and Israel on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement to build a desalination plant in the Gulf of Aqaba and a pipeline linking the Red Sea with the Dead Sea.
Regardless of its threat to the Palestinian cause, the Jordanians believe the agreement with Israel is important to provide their country with a source of fresh water and save it from its severe water crisis, and also to revive the receding Dead Sea.
Jordan forces ex-prisoner back to Israeli authorities
The Jordanian authorities afternoon Monday denied the newly-released detainee Hamza al-Dabbas access into Jordan after he had served a 45-month sentence in the Israeli occupation jails.
Family of the Jordanian ex-prisoner, Hamza Al-Dabbas, said the Jordanian authorities forced their son back to the Israeli occupation authorities via the King Hussein Bridge after having interrogated him for more than two hours.
Hamza's father added that the Jordanian forces shackled his son and forced him into a transfer-truck in such a remarkably humiliating and aggressive manner.
“How on earth can we receive our heroes, who have written bright episodes in Jordan’s history, in such a way? Is this the way we should reward the ones who endured incarceration on charges of resisting the occupation?” the father wondered.
Meanwhile, media spokesman for the Committee of Prisoners and Missing Jordanians, ex-prisoner Fadi Farah, slammed the move, dubbing it “a blot against the world’s free people.”
Prisoner Dabbas was released Friday after having served a 45-month prison-term at the Israeli occupation jails.
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Fullerton PD’s cadet program prepares participants well for law enforcement careers
Fullerton Police Chief Dan Hughes went through it.
So did Capt. John Siko.
So did a handful of 10 detectives, half of the department’s 20 sergeants and numerous rank-and-file officers.
We’re talking about the Fullerton Police Department’s Cadet program, where close to 60 percent of the agency’s sworn officers got their first real exposure to a law enforcement career.
Working closely with sworn personnel, cadets generally range in age from 18 to 23 and cycle through several units, taking on tasks that include record keeping, processing traffic citations, finger printing, evidence storage and taking reports.
They go on regular ride-alongs and undergo rigorous, high-stress inspections, similar to what they’ll experience in police training academies.
The percentage of FPD cadets taking the next step is higher than in cadet programs in other agencies, said Lt. R. Cleggett, who oversees the program.
“The whole purpose is to get them involved in seeing how law enforcement works,” Cleggett said. “Our goal is to see … do you have what it takes? Are you a fit here? Do you want to be a police officer?”
If you poll the current group of 21 cadets on why they applied to the program, the answer to Cleggett’s last question would be a resounding yes.
Jeremy Garcia, 21, was an Explorer in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and then moved to Fullerton to attend Cal State Fullerton.
He wanted to continue working toward a career in law enforcement and applied to the FPD cadet program.
“The things they have exposed us to and the things they have allowed us to do is unlike any other agency in Orange County,” said Garcia, an FPD cadet for 20 months.
Like all cadets, Garcia started in records before transitioning to property and CSI where he learned about handling and booking evidence.
“That was the best insight I got into policing,” Garcia said. “I don’t think I’ve known anybody that knows as much as we do at our age.”
Dillan Cazares, who has been on the job for a month and is the FPD’s newest cadet, is amazed will all the information he already has taken in.
“I learn something new every day,” said Cazares, a student at Fullerton College. “It is definitely a wealth of knowledge we get here. You’re always doing something and participating hands on.”
Cadets undergo a four- to five-month hiring process that includes a background check, polygraph test and interviews with the Professional Standards unit.
They work 20 hours a week, must be enrolled in college full time and maintain at least a C average in every class.
After a year on the job, they can test for the title of senior cadet.
“It was more than I expected,” said Det. Mario Magliano, who started as a cadet in 1988 and became a sworn officer in less than a year. “It was exciting. You were within the agency itself to learn how police work really functions. It was a great steppingstone and prepared me for the academy. I felt I had a step up on everybody else.”
After going through the program, some cadets discover they really don’t want to be police officers, Cleggett said. Instead, they are drawn to other departments such as dispatch or crime scene analysis.
“Even if I’m not hired as a police officer, it’s a great thing to put on a resume,” Senior Cadet Nolan Turner said.
Cadet Alexa Elkabbara, 19, said her passion for law enforcement took root at age 3 and just got stronger as she got older.
Elkabbara got her first taste in the field as a Fullerton Police Explorer while she was in high school.
Becoming a cadet was the next logical choice, she said.
“I think that it is a really cool spot to be in: to be able to be working so close to law enforcement,” Elkabbara said. “If you want to be in law enforcement, this is probably the best job you can get before hand.”
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Episode 18: October 1, 2010
The Unbreakables (Part Two)
Is Ty Cobb’s .366 lifetime batting average really an unbreakable record? What about Barry Bonds’ 762 career home runs? Or Nolan Ryan’s 5714 strikeouts? And will anyone ever hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season?
Let's get something straight about Ty Cobb. A lot of people look at Cobb's .366 career batting average and dismiss it as an artifact from a different era. Batting averages were higher back then, right? Well, it's easy to assume that Deadball records are irrelevant, but it's not that simple. The game *was* different, but get this: Cobb played from 1905 to 1928. During those 24 years the league average was .279. During the past 24 years (since 1986), the league average has been .280.
It's easy to get confused because baseball changed so fast 100 years ago and numbers were less consistent from one year to the next, but all of Cobb's batting titles came during the Deadball Era. 1919 was his last one. Those high batting averages you might be thinking of didn't happen until 1920. Between 1905 and 1919, while Cobb won 11 batting titles, the league average was actually just .266, 14 points lower than it is today, and Cobb was hitting .377, .383, .420, .409, .390, .368, .369, ... He was extremely consistent, year after year between the ages of 20 and 32, hitting for an average around 3 standard deviations above the mean (something Tony Gwynn did just 5 times in his career).
I'm not saying that Cobb would hit .420 if he played today. It's a different game, and nobody knows what Cobb would have done. I'm saying if you're looking at career batting averages and you say, well, Cobb is the all-time leader but he played in a different era so we can't compare him to, say, Wade Boggs...well, the league batting average was about the same so "batting averages were higher then" is not a reason the numbers are incomparable. Cobb's dominance in his era was extraordinary and I'd suggest that his .366 is probably more comparable to today's numbers than most people initially think.
Now I'm not saying it's a totally legitimate comparison either, because the *distribution* of batting averages was different...the standard deviation was higher which basically means there was more of a gap between the best and worst hitters. But it's important to understand that there's a huge difference between Ty Cobb's lifetime .366 and, say, Lefty O'Doul's .349 during the 20s and 30s when the league average was almost .300 (.297).
Anyway, last week I talked about unbreakable records and if you think Cobb's lifetime batting average is unbreakable, well what if a player came over from Japan, like Ichiro, in his late 20s, played for a few years, and then went back to Japan before he started to decline? I can see that kind of player challenging Cobb's record. You need 3000 plate appearances to qualify as a career leader in a rate stat, and you can get that in 5 years. In fact, Tony Gwynn, from 1993 to 1998, in over 3000 PAs hit .361, so he was just 5 points short. And Wade Boggs hit .356 in over 4000 plate appearances from '83 to '88. Anyway, I just want to point out that I think Cobb's record is a *little* more relevant and breakable than people usually think. I'm not saying anyone's going to break it anytime soon, but I wouldn't place any big bets on it standing for another 50 years.
Last week I think I may have confused some people, maybe even myself, about what kinds of records are breakable. At the time I thought that records that were set by players having fluky seasons were, in general, more likely to be broken than less fluky records set over longer periods of time. But now I'm not sure. I based this theory on the idea that if one player gets lucky and has an unusually great year, the same thing could just as easily happen to another player. He has to be a little *more* lucky than the last guy, or maybe just a better player, but eventually it seems like it should happen. And I still think this is true for records like Bonds' 73 home runs. It may be a while, but Ned Williamson's 27 HRs lasted for 35 years. Ruth's 60 lasted 34 years, and Maris' 61 lasted 37 years. So it may be 2035 before Bonds' record is broken, but I do believe it'll be broken.
But then I thought of Hack Wilson's 191 RBIs. Now that was a fluky season, but the record's stood since 1930, and since Jimmy Foxx in 1938, the only player to even break 160 is Manny Ramirez (165 in 1999). The year before that Juan Gonzalez had 101 at the All Star break, but he ended up with just 157. All of the top 20 RBI seasons, with the exception of Manny's, are from the '30s or earlier, and I actually don't know why this is. Why are all the huge single-season RBI totals from 70 years ago or more? If you have any ideas, please give me a call or leave a note in the comments on the web site.
So I'm not sure if my theory on the correlation between flukiness and breakability stands, but I want to talk about another single-season record that's about as unbreakable as they come. This record is not a fluke in that it was due much more to the player's skill than to luck, although it was an outlying season, even for the record holder. It's also one of the most shocking records set in the past few years. Let me name some of the single-season runners-up and see if you can guess what it is:
* George Brett: 31
* Vlad Guerrero: 32
* Ted Williams: 33
* Ryan Howard: 37
* Albert Pujols: 44
* Willie McCovey: 45
So McCovey is 4th all-time on this list with 45, and the leader owns the top three spots, with 61, 68, and then, ridiculously, 120. In a season I'd probably name as one of the 5 greatest seasons ever by a batter Barry Bonds set the record for intentional walks with 120. This wasn't the year he hit 73 home runs. This was 2004, the year his OBP was over .600. The year teams were so afraid of him that he walked every third time he came to the plate, and he still managed to hit 45 home runs and slug over .800, while striking out just 41 times. The numbers are just comical, and I think the most telling ones are the walk totals. 120 intentionals, 232 overall, both records by huge margins. Those records are far harder to beat than his 73 home runs, and probably even harder than his 762 career home runs. When the opposition gives you first base one in three times, it's not luck. It might be bad strategy by the opposing team, but it's not luck. Remember that Bonds still managed to bat .362 that year and exactly 1 in every 3 hits was a home run. I can't imagine anyone being walked as often without putting up similar numbers.
Back in 1996 when Bonds was younger and faster he became the second man ever to hit 40 HRs and steal 40 bases in a season, and I'd like to look at the possibility of someone hitting 50 HRs and stealing 50 bases in a season. Let's start by looking at the evolution of the 30-30 Club. The most glaring fact is that memberships grows exponentially. The first member was Ken Williams in 1922. Then nobody else did it until Willie Mays in 1956 and '57. That's more than a 40 year gap. The next player was Hank Aaron, who did it 6 years later in 1963. Then Barry's father Bobby Bonds did it 6 years after that. In the 70s Tommy Harper did it once and Bobby Bonds did it 4 more times. In the 80s, 7 guys did it. In the 90s 20 guys did it, and in the past 10 years 17 more have done it.
The 40-40 club is still pretty new. Canseco *just* barely made it in 1988 with 42 HR and 40 SB. Bonds made it in 1996 with the same numbers. Alex Rodriguez in 1998 has been the closest so far to a 50-50 season with 42 HR and 46 SB, and Alfonso Soriano was almost as close with 46 HR and 41 SB. Now, my opinion is that eventually someone will do it, but it's going to be a long time before they do, and I want to point out that part of the reason it's so hard is that every time you hit a home run you have at least one less opportunity to steal a base. For example, in Soriano's 40-40 year he reached first base with second base empty 87 times. One of those times he went to second base on a wild pitch so if we ignore that he had 86 opportunities to steal second base. He stole it 27 times, got caught 9, and was picked off 3 times. So if we assume he was trying to steal the times he was picked off, he attempted a steal of second base 45% of the time it was open. That's a *very* high rate. If Soriano had to try to steal second that often to steal 41 bases, he'd have to try it even more often to steal 50, and if he had to hit 4 more home runs he would have had 4 fewer opportunities to be on first so his steal percentage would have to be extremely high. He'd have to get on base more often to bring it down, so it's likely the first 50-50 Club member will have a pretty high batting average. Soriano was the first 40-40 guy to hit less than .300. So anyway, that's why the 50-50 Club is even harder to join than most people think.
Let's talk about pitching records, and the fact that career records often come in pairs. For example Cy Young holds the record for most wins with 511, but he also has the record for most losses with 316. Now, you might think that having the record for the most losses is a bad thing, but it *does* mean you were good enough that they let you lose that many games. You must have been doing something else right. And it's the same thing with Nolan Ryan: he's the career leader in strikeouts, by a tremendous margin, and he's the career leader in walks by an even bigger margin. Now, people say that Young's career losses record is even harder to break than his wins record, but I don't know what they're talking about. Nolan Ryan himself came within 24 losses of Young's record and Phil Niekro wasn't that far behind either (42 behind). But Nolan Ryan's walk record probably *is* even harder to break than his strikeout record, and these are more interesting to talk about than the win/loss records because they're more modern. Randy Johnson, the strikeout record runner up, needed 17% more strikeouts to reach Nolan Ryan. He pitched for 22 years so he'd need 4 more to catch Ryan. That's a lot, but Steve Carlton, the runner-up to the walk record would need 52% more walks. At the rate he was going, Steve Carlton would have had to pitch until he was 56 years old to walk as many batters as Nolan Ryan.
Now, strikeouts are a modern record in that the top 8 on the career leaderboard debuted after 1960, so the records haven't stood that long and with batters striking out more and more over the past 80 years what I'm about to say may seem like a bad prediction, and maybe it's because I'm a Nolan Ryan fan, but I would call both of Ryan's records fairly unbreakable. Randy Johnson struck out a lot of batters, but he came up almost 850 short. Bert Blyleven has the 5th most strikeouts ever and he's over 2000 short. In the last episode I talked about our tendency to think records are unbreakable because the player who would break them seems impossibly good...we can't imagine them. The existing records are so extraordinary, but extraordinary players always come along. The difference here is that Nolan Ryan didn't do what most people say pitchers should do. He never cut his velocity and became a control pitcher. He never pitched to contact. He never stopped walking batters or throwing wild pitches. He went for the strikeout every time. He had a 300-strikeout season when he was 25 and another when he was 42: 17 years apart.
So, again, maybe this is a dumb thing to say, especially when Nolan Ryan himself now owns a Major League pitching staff, but I don't think he'll find any pitcher who can physically do what he did, or a manager who would let him. It took 6'10" Randy Johnson to even come within 1000 strikeouts, and the work load required goes against all medical advice.
So, anyway, I'm probably not done talking about unbreakable records but we're out of time again, so I'm going to leave you with the idea that Nolan Ryan is one of baseball's great freaks.
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May 16, 2016 by admin · Leave a Comment
This is an article from MY BEAUTIFUL BELIZE MAGAZINE published just as I was leaving the country. I didn’t even know it had appeared until I googled myself and saw these images under my name. I remembered the interview and photoshoot, but thought they hadn’t published anything as it didn’t appear in the newspaper. I hadn’t known they intended it for their monthly, glossy magazine.
OLD WORLD EXPLORER ENCOURAGES BOOMERS TO GO SOLO
Written by Janelle Cowo on March 26, 2016
Category(ies): Around the World
What you’ll read about: Bag Packer • Hey Boomers • Linda J Brown • Retirement • World Traveler
Linda J. Brown, at 78 and a half years old, is not your ordinary retired senior citizen. Over the years, she has made exploration not only a hobby, but her lifestyle. One would think that traveling the entire world once is a great personal achievement, but Linda has exceeded her accomplishments by traveling the world three times. She is definitely not shy when coming out of her shell and has since motivated many people to travel.
She grew up in the outskirts of Florida and studied Journalism while in her twenties. She then married a doctor and raised two children. After a period of time, she divorced and moved to Colorado where she became involved in a field of travel that revolved around the intercession of the Soviet Union. “In 1990, Soviet Union was opening and at the time, I used to be a Bahai and they all believe in the unity of mankind,” said Brown. At that period of time, no Westerner travelled to USSR, so that sparked her interest enough that she began leading groups and planning trips to Eastern Europe.
Linda’s adventures and experiences inspired her to publish her first book back in 2008 entitled “Hey Boomers, Dust off Your Backpacks” and she also created two blogs: www.heyboomers.com and www.insecretdiffusion.com. Her book rotates around the ‘baby boomers’ of America, which is the name given to the generation of Americans born after World War II. The dramatic growth of newborns became known as the baby boom. So Linda correlates her book around her generation of her peers that grew up in the sixties, where selective groups were hippies. “In the 1960’s, before hippies got married and had kids like I was doing, they were going all over the world with backpacks, discovering Blue Lagoon and Bali. And that’s what I am doing now. I am calling out to the boomers,” explained Brown.
Many people are apprehensive about leaving home and the very notion of traveling alone terrifies them. Linda spoke about the current bubble of retirees who never once considered factors like the dangers, health issues, and finances in their youth, and are now questioning her motives. Life is full of surprises so why not take that leap and travel solo,’ says Linda. “Just do it! Stop worrying about the what-if’s. In fact, to inform an American or Westerner, my money goes further out of the United States than it does to stay home. It would cost me more to stay home than it would to travel,” she said. Her frugal planning has led her to be stationed in different countries over the past decade. “Now I carry my backpack and stay in hostels, I do it on the cheap because I am doing it solely on my social security,” stated Linda. Linda also finds traveling very rewarding and sociable. Just by taking the leap, traveling smart and prepared, Linda has made many lasting friendships and bonds across continents.
“I have learned that anything is possible. You could write on the world. You could just think about and figure out a way to make it happen.” Linda has expressed her delight over her experience here on the island, and loves its turquoise waters. Living in the motto that ‘nothing is impossible’ Linda is currently planning her 80th birthday at Lake Victoria in 2018. As fearless and fierce as she is, her free-spirited attitude makes her one of a kind.
Tagged with: Bag Packer, Hey Boomers, Linda J Brown, Retirement, World Traveler
Filed under: Around The World In 80 Years, Backpacking alone around the world, Elder Over-Achievers, Heroes of a certain age, My Life In General, RTW, RTW in 80 Years, solo backpacking, solo hosteling, Solo World Travel in My Seventies, Uncategorized
Tagged: snorkeling at 78, what to do in Belize, world travel at 78
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LATimes: Salary ‘spiking’ drains public pension funds, analysis finds
Posted March 3, 2012 at 8:38 am
Twenty California counties, including Ventura, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego, allow some workers to make more in retirement than they did while working. The coffers are underfunded by millions of dollars.
By Catherine Saillant, Maloy Moore and Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times
Approaching retirement, Ventura County Chief Executive Marty Robinson was earning $228,000 a year.
To boost her pension, which would be based on her final salary, Robinson cashed out nearly $34,000 in unused vacation pay, an $11,000 bonus for having earned a graduate degree and more than $24,000 in extra pension benefits the county owed her.
By the time she walked out the door last year, her pension was calculated at $272,000 a year — for life.
Robinson, 62, is among a group of public employees who have increased their retirement paychecks by adding such things as vacation time, educational incentives, car allowances and bonuses to their final salaries.
Such “salary spiking” was banned in 1993 by CalPERS, the state’s largest public employee retirement system, to help control spiraling costs. But 20 of California’s 58 counties — including Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and San Diego — do not participate in CalPERS and their employees may legally continue to spike their salaries.
The scope of the practice is unclear because counties have resisted releasing complete pension data, citing the difficulty and cost of assembling the information.
But an analysis by The Times of partial data from Ventura and Kern counties — two small windows into the problem — shows that spiking is affecting pension systems already staggered by massive obligations.
In Ventura County, where the pension system is underfunded by $761 million, 84% of the retirees receiving more than $100,000 a year are receiving more than they did on the job. In Kern County, 77% of retirees with pensions greater than $100,000 a year are getting more now than they did before.
Ventura County officials have defended the practice, arguing that some pension boosts were meant to make up for pay freezes during lean years. It would be unfair to take them away now, Robinson said during a board hearing last year.
And the vast majority of county employees, officials pointed out, retire with modest pensions: an average non-management worker with 30 years of service gets $32,580 a year.
But Jim McDermott, a board member for the Ventura County Taxpayer’s Assn., said the burden from spiking was too large to ignore.
“This is becoming an increasing drain on taxpayers … which will have to lead to cuts in service or additional taxes,” he said. “Managers have their entire careers to refine spiking. And there is not a nook or cranny that they don’t manipulate.”
For those who plan ahead, there are numerous ways to spike salaries in the last year of work. In fact, there are 60 categories of payments that Ventura County employees can convert to cash.
Former Sheriff Bob Brooks, for instance, added a $30,500 “longevity” bonus (for working more than 30 years), which boosted his pension to $272,000 a year, almost 20% higher than his base salary.
Former Undersheriff Craig Husband added nearly $92,600 in unused vacation time, resulting in a $257,997-a-year pension, nearly 30% above his working pay. Many county retirees also are entitled to annual cost-of-living adjustments.
Brooks, Robinson and Husband did not return calls seeking comment.
County firefighters and sheriff’s deputies can boost their pensions by layering premium pay and end-of-career cash-outs on top of salary. Fire Capt. T.N. Roberts, for instance, padded his final year’s pay by nearly $130,000, resulting in a pension 84% higher than his base compensation. He gets $159,598 a year in retirement pay.
A pension is typically a percentage of an employee’s highest annual pay — usually, but not always, the final year’s pay. A firefighter who worked 25 years, for instance, could get 75% of his or her final salary in many counties.
Government jobs historically have been a tough sell because of the modest salaries they often provide; one incentive for prospective workers was the generous pension that came with being a cop or a county planner.
Filed under: Budget, Counties, Finance, In the News, Pension Funds, Pensions, State of California
Unwilling... on March 3rd, 2012 1:13 pm
and what level of staffing has the ability to salary spike? Admin, you know, those moral beacons hired to lead, set examples, set the ship on the right course, etc. I am especially leery of firefighter salaries. What else would these glorified contractors do?
Raylan Givens on March 3rd, 2012 1:51 pm
Something that most of the articles and discussions about salary spiking fail to mention is that only a small percentage of public employees can to do this. Usually it’s only the upper level administrators and elected officials that can do this sort of thing
Most public employees have caps on the amount of vacation time and sick leave that they can acrue. The ones who don’t have the caps in place tend to be upper level administrators, elected officials, and public safety employees.
Anonymous on March 4th, 2012 1:56 am
What a sad state. Where are the activists challenging these issue?
Marie on March 6th, 2012 1:39 pm
I worked for the government for 32 years, earned every penny of it too.
We peons were not allowed to this so taking away this benefit from the upper managment types does not offend me in the least.
Rancho business owner on March 6th, 2012 10:44 pm
Retiring police and fire routinely conspire with retiring employees, giving them all available overtime. Thereby “spiking” their retirement benefits. This practice is well known. It is an intentional, theft of public funds. Of course it is highly unlikely that any law enforcement, or government agency will do anything to correct this. Since, they are the beneficiaries!
Unwilling... on March 7th, 2012 9:37 pm
Police and fire don’t conspire, it is pretty blatant how they do it. How about the scandalous Redlands PD and their excessive % of medical retirements? But nothing meets the bark-a-lounger crowd at any fire department for salary spiking. Thank God the ventura decision disallowed OT in that final calculation.
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"State of the Union" skipped biofuels?
A piece in Ethanol Producer Magazine begins:
President Barack Obama stressed the need for the nation to “double-down” on clean energy during his Jan. 24 State of the Union address, but neglected to include biofuels in his list of domestically available energy sources, even while noting that the U.S. relied less on foreign oil last year than in any of the past 16 years. Instead, the president announced a plan to open more areas for offshore oil and gas drilling and emphasized the importance of natural gas, wind, solar and high-tech battery production.
However, at blogs.scientificamerican one had the following emphasis on biofuels:
The U.S. military constitutes a huge market for alternative fuels. The Air Force alone burns 2.4 billion gallons of jet fuel a year. The Department of Defense burns $18 billion worth of oil a year, four fifths of the federal governments’ energy tab.
In truth, a shift within the U.S. military to green fuels has been under way for more than a year. The U.S. Navy has been purchasing jet fuel derived from camelina—a derivative of canola—and a diesel like fuel derived from algae for its ships. The U.S. Air Force in 2010 began testing camelina oil in place of petroleum in its fuels as part of a program to derive as much as half of its fuel from alternative sources by 2016.
BUT implicitly acknowledged the absence of biofuels in the following:
I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy,” Obama said during his State of the Union address. ” I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.”
“A beloved, but somewhat expected brand.”
CSI: Marg's final episode on Jan. 25, 2012
IPBiz disagrees with Patently-O about Kent State d...
CAFC remands part of Roche/Nova case; Roche wins r...
Gevo sues DuPont, Butamax for patent infringement
Journal publications in the blue LED "droop" area
A special episode of the Advanced Biofuels Associa...
Recycled episode on NCIS on 24 Jan 2012, The Penel...
Dow prevails in CAFC appeal brought by Nova Chemic...
Selling Kodak's patents
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Review of Tourism Sciences
Article's download
THE CRUISE INDUSTRY: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
David Mc.A Baker, PhD
Associate Professor of Hospitality Management, Department of Business Administration, Tennessee State University, Avon Williams Campus - 330 10th Ave North, Nashville, TN, USA 37203
The famous Titanic is one of the ancestors of cruise ships today, which houses fine dining areas, well-appointed staterooms, and other amenities needed by the passengers on-board. This makes a cruise a vacation not only an escapade to remember but also as an excellent option for a family holiday. Cruise ships can now cost more than a billion dollars, the voyage itself and the amenities, which can be found on-board, are all essential parts of the cruise experience. The rapid growth of cruising over the last twenty years in the travel and tourism industry prompted cruise lines to build modern ships that cater to the needs of a growing number of cruise passengers. It includes itineraries to transatlantic destinations, where engineers and sailors designed cruise ships that can survive different sea-related conditions. Since 2004, there are several cruise ships which have a carrying capacity of over 3,000 passengers and displacing over 100,000 tons. Modern ships are also considered much of a “floating Resort” with a complete staff in addition to the regular cruise ship crew. The cruise market is expected to continue to grow in the future especially in Asia. Cruise ships are getting bigger and offering more amenities while the cruise market is expanding with cruise companies placing more focus on the cruise experience. This paper examines the cruise industry’s past, present and future.
Key Words: Cruising, cruise-experience, market, trends
Cruise Tourism is becoming an increasingly popular ‘leisure choice’ worldwide. The global cruise industry generates an estimated $38 billion a year in passenger expenditure and is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry. Cruise tourism has experienced an important expansion over the past twenty years. Brida and Zapata (2010) reported an average annual growth rate of 7.4% in the number of worldwide cruise passengers taking cruises over the period 1990-2008. The participation of the cruise sector in the international number of tourists corresponds to approximately 2% and revenue of cruise corporations represents about 3% of the total international tourism receipts (Kester, 2002; Klein, 2005; Dowling, 2006). The World Tourism Organization stated that international tourist receipts in 2011 was US$1.030 trillion. International tourist arrivals grew by over 4% in 2011 to 983 million, according to the latest World Tourism Organization Barometer (UNWTO, 2011). With growth expected to continue in the next few years at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals in 2012 reached a historic 1.035 billion globally as emerging economies regained the lead over advanced economies, with Asia and the Pacific showing the strongest results, (UNWTO, 2013).
Cruising is now well established as one of the most service-intensive sectors in the world, with ever more incredible state-of-the-art vessels being built each year. ‘Pampered in luxury" accurately describes the cruise experience. In the early days, casinos, shore excursions, port lectures, cruise conferences, shopping programs and spa services were non-existent. The sector has evolved from a very small part of the oceanic passenger industry into a complete and complex vacation business, including all the different sectors of the travel industry. Cruise tourism as we know it today, can be traced back to the beginning of the 1960s coinciding with the decline of transoceanic ship travel and the introduction of the first nonstop air travel between the USA and Europe. The 1970s and 1980s were a period of moderate growth, increasing from half a million passengers in 1970 to 1.4 million passengers in 1980 and 3.8 million passengers in 1990. In the 1990s this kind of leisure tourism reached Europe, Asia and Oceania and started a period of high growth. Over 19 million people took cruises during 2011 with North Americans representing about 61% of the worldwide cruise market but the European and Asian markets promise great possibilities of future growth, see Table 2.
The participation of the cruise sector in the international worldwide tourism corresponds to 1.6% of the total tourists and 1.9% of the total number of nights. Revenue of cruise corporations represents the 3% of the total international tourism receipts (Kester, 2002). For many destinations and in particular small Caribbean islands, cruises constitute more than 50% of the total of tourism arrivals providing jobs and generating important receipts through the services supplied by the port and expenditures of passengers and crew. It is expected that the cruise industry will continues to grow regardless of being perceived as a direct contender of sun, sea and sand stay-over tourism. Cruises have become resort-destinations in themselves and, viewed in this way the cruise sector is between the top ten destinations both in number of arrivals and receipts. According to Kester (2002), the average revenue per cruise trip is almost as high as the average receipts per international tourist arrivals. But the distribution of income from the cruise industry is not equitable. Most ports obtain small contributions from the use of the port as a cruise destination and cruise tourism provide few real jobs and business opportunities for local residents. Even though cruise tourism is an important segment of the tourism sector in the Caribbean, there is a lack of information regarding the real economic aspects of this activity. The economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of cruise ship tourism have been studied very little. For this reason, many island destinations do not have the tools to establish strategies and policies to manage cruise tourism in an efficient manner.
While developments of the cruise business signify an extremely successful business model, the cruise sector also faces several significant challenges, such as an exceptionally competitive commercial environment, concerns about over-capacity and destination ability to cater for larger ships. Similarly, while destinations seek to embrace the industry's expansion, they also have to manage the often-diverse needs of communities at the same time as protecting the local environment and minimizing any costs associated with being a sustainable cruise destination (Lester & Weeden, 2004). Of further consideration here is the relationship between the number and size of vessels, with effective port planning and collaborative harbour expansion hugely important for managing cruise activity, especially in popular destinations (McCarthy, 2006). Moreover, the industry's continued investment in resort-style ships highlights the enclave nature of these leisure spaces (Wood, 2000), calling into question whether it is the ship or the destination that is important to passenger satisfaction. Indeed, while destinations are integral to the cruise concept and remain a prominent factor in consumer decision-making when selecting a cruise vacation (CLIA, 2008), it is argued by some that itineraries and ports of call are playing a reduced role in the overall consumer experience (Keynote, 2008).
2 The cruise ship
Cruises as we know them today are really only about 50 years old, but the tradition goes back more than a hundred years when passengers started booking travel on mail ships crossing the Atlantic. These cargo vessels evolved into the grand ocean liners, now the cruise lines are competing to have the newest, the best, the biggest, and the most exciting ships at sea, morphing them into massive floating resorts where the on-board experience is just as important as the ports themselves. The first transatlantic cruise took place in 1840, a record number of passengers lined up for the crossings from England to New York because the boats were faster than previous vessels. Those paying customers came to expect more comforts than the crew so the on-board amenities got an overhaul, including the addition of a cow to provide fresh milk daily. The first over-the-top luxury ship set off on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912 with new features like a shipboard swimming pool, a la carte dining, a Parisian café, and a Turkish bath. Competition between the lines had become fierce, and the White Star Line sought to challenge Cunard, whose ships the Mauritania and Lusitania held the record for fastest Atlantic crossings. The Titanic and her sister Olympic trumped them in size and lavish amenities in first class, even featuring running hot water in some of its cabins. The modern cruise era was born when the first passenger jet took off from London heading to New York 1928, this caused a sharp decline in the popularity of Transatlantic cruising. Air travel was not only much faster, but also took on the glamour and prestige that had formerly been associated with ocean liners. By 1958 the ocean liners found a new purpose plying the Caribbean waters.
During 2010 nine cruise lines launched new ships that were all ordered before the recession. Norwegian Cruise debuted the Epic, which offer the first studio cabins for people traveling alone-without the onerous single-supplement fare add-on. The ship also have the Epic Plunge-a 7-deck tube waterslide, 20 restaurants, and an Ice Bar made of ice. Seabourn debuted the Sea Cloud Hussar, the largest masted sailing ship in the world. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth brought back the Art Deco décor of the grand old passenger ships of the 1920s to the 1940s. Princess, too, returned to the nostalgia of the grand passenger lines, offering Bon Voyage parties. For four hours before the ship's departure, passengers can bring friends and family on board for a tour and lunch. Generally, today cruise ships are designed with serious comfort in mind, so they have a lot of amenities and a lot of staff to oversee those amenities for cruise passengers. These thousands of passengers are spread out over the ship's multiple decks. Cabin size is typically 155 square feet to 250 square feet and contains a bed, side stand, closet, television, phone, small table and chair and bathroom. There are different types and size of cabins; suites with private balconies are more expensive.
Royal Caribbean's new Oasis of the Seas (2009) and sister ship Allure of the Seas (2011) are the largest, widest, tallest, most expensive cruise ships afloat. The $1.4 billion Oasis of the Seas, the world's biggest cruise ship of 2009, is a floating resort that eclipses the condo towers it sails past at its new home, Port Everglades in southeast Florida. The 225,282-gross-ton ship has 16 passenger decks and can carry 6,292 passengers plus 2,165 crew. It has rock-climbing walls, a basketball court, FlowRider pools that simulate surfing, an ice skating rink, a carousel with hand-carved wooden animals, a shopping promenade lined with cafes and bars, cantilevered whirlpools overlooking the sea and a Central Park with 12,000 live plants and trees. An amphitheatre surrounds a deep-diving pool on the stern, where high-divers and synchronized swimmers perform. Passengers can harness themselves onto the "zip line" and soar across the ship above an open-air atrium nine decks high and lined with balconied cabins. One of its many bars, the Rising Tide, floats up and down between three decks, while a touring company performs the Broadway musical "Hairspray" in the 1,380-seat theatre.
When RMS Titanic sailed out of Southampton on April 10 1912, she was hailed as the world’s most luxurious liner. Her state of the art features surpassed those of competing vessels, cementing White Star Line’s status as Britain’s finest shipping company. Yet like any industry, there have been some significant developments over the past nine decades. In fact, 2014 saw the launch of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, a vessel that has been pegged as the world’s first ‘smartship.’ Packed full of next generation technology from bow to stern, it offers passengers an at sea experience like never before. Despite a name that means ‘gigantic’ in Greek mythology and a reputation as ‘the biggest ship ever built’, Titanic was relatively modest in size compared to today’s ultra-modern megaliners. Measuring 882 feet in length and weighing just over 46,000 tonnes, Titanic was a giant of her time. Yet today, Allure of the Seas blows her proportions out the water, measuring in at 1187 feet in length and a huge 225,000 tonnes in weight. Allure also towers above Titanic, clocking in at 236 feet spread across 19 decks. That’s a huge 124 feet taller than the Eiffel Tower! In comparison, Titanic was 175 feet tall and housed just nine decks.
2.1 The Cruise market
Tourist cruises are a relatively modern activity, originating in the early 1960s in Miami, United States of America for cruises throughout the Caribbean. Their development coincided with a transformation of the transatlantic passenger business resulting from competition with the airline industry. The cruise line industry has been able to create a new market where none existed before. Since that time, North American and subsequently global demand for tourist cruises has been growing at a very strong pace, accounting for robust annual growth over more than 20 years, see Table 1. The strength of this subsector is reflected in the fact that the largest cruise lines now occupy the highest ranks of the tourism and leisure sector, as measured by shareholder capital and annual profits. The Caribbean is the world's largest cruise shipping market, representing over 42% of the worldwide annual cruise supply (FCCA, 2011).
Table 1 Worldwide Cruise Passengers Market
Asia & Rest of the World
Total Cruise Passengers
% Growth Worldwide
Source: Cruise Line International Association, Florida Caribbean Cruise Association
Cruise Market Watch
Given the state of the economy on a global scale, growth has slowed in the cruise sector as seen in Table 2. The number of cruise passengers worldwide has been increasing every year but at a slower pace since the downturn of the economy in 2008. The North American market in particular has seen much slower growth. Cruise tourism is a capital intensive industry and the strategic deployment of vessels is driven by the need to maximize yield year round. Augmented by the trend towards construction of larger vessels for carrying larger numbers of passengers and the imperative need to derive the economies of scale, it is estimated that at current cost levels, break even requires load factors of at least 80% and a strong reliance on the revenue from on-board activities, and the sale of shore excursion products. These trends require cruise lines to establish itineraries that appeal to a large population base. This is supported by the current strong focus on US market which accounts for 61% of the total cruise passengers worldwide, considerable growth opportunities exist within the US market because less than 4% of the population has ever taken a cruise. There are also opportunities for the expansion of the cruise market in Asia, China and India in particular. Overall, less than 1% of the world population has ever taken a cruise. If this template is used when writing the paper, headers and footers will be set automatically.
2.2 The Cruise Passengers
The demographic of the cruise market have changed with the new demands of a rapidly evolving world and social network forcing cruise companies to be aware of the motivations of four consumer segments; Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Mature Generation. Over the last decade, the average age of cruise passengers has dropped of those potential customers of this service from North America, Europe and emerging Asian markets interested in spending their income in enjoying luxurious vacations. What was traditionally a market for an elite class, seniors and retirees with stable income, and newlyweds, has become a luxurious travel and holiday option available for the family market; mostly through the attraction of budget vacation holidays, with more and more people interested in this offer in a growing tide that underpin the optimism that the cruise industry will maintain an increasing occupancy rate and future profitability. Actual guests taking cruises tell the real story; the 25-39 age group are taking about 29% of the cruises. The 40-59 group take about 36% of the cruises while the 60 plus group take approximately 35% of cruises. 31% of cruisers are in the 20-39K income group, about 30% are in the 40-59K income bracket, 28% are in the 60-99K bracket while about 11% of cruise purchasers earn 100+K. Over one-half of the cruises purchased are in the 6-8 day range, just over one-third are in the 2-5 day cruise range with less than 10% in the 9-17 day range of cruises and only about 1% are in excess of 17 day cruises. Typical, cruise passengers travel in pairs, usually with spouses or significant other (80%), with a 29% (2008) of people travelling with kids under 18 years old (from 13% in 2002), and a 25% enjoying this sort of offer in the companionship of friends.
Sampling destination and geographical areas before visiting them on a future land-based vacation is one of the most influential aspects when choosing a cruise vacation aboard a cruise ship, and most cruise passengers frequently name the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Bahamas, Europe and the Mediterranean Sea as their favourite options in descending order. On a comparative basis versus other tourism categories, and whether a first-time or frequent cruiser, the cruise experience consistently receives top marks from customers on a wide range of important vacation attributes, with an increasing number of people indicating the intent to purchase a cruise. Cruise prospects recognized the high value of cruise vacations, and people who have already experienced this service consider it as providing the best value for their leisure money. The cruise industry for years has enjoyed a high percentage of customer satisfaction rating with about 97% of all cruisers rate their experience as "Satisfied" or "Extremely Satisfied." There is also a high level of repeat cruise passengers, with around 55% of customers taking a cruise yearly, and around 30% interested in repeating the experience in the future.
2.3 The Future of the Cruise Industry
With some 360 cruise ships plying the international waters, competition remains fierce in the cruise industry. This means that cruise ships and their products are in a constant state of evolution. The following trends can be observed:
◊ Increasing embarkations from “close-to-home” ports:
The market is expected to see a marked increase in the number of ports playing an active role as embarkation terminals. This would imply that, in addition to the main cruise ports, the other domestic ports would also play supportive roles. This would make access more convenient and cheaper for tourists to drive instead of fly to the nearest port. For e.g. where Florida once reigned supreme as home port of choice, now more than 30 North American cities like Norfolk, Charleston, New Orleans, Galveston, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and San Diego boast cruise ship embarkation terminals.
◊ Greater focus on family and family travel:
Cruise ships now carry millions of children each year. This has led to increasing focus on children in providing additional services and expansion of kids’ facilities on cruise ships. For e.g. Holland America offers “kids only” shore excursions in Alaska that include treasure hunts, tram rides and hikes. The Disney Magic and Disney Wonder have all-new teen-dedicated spaces in addition to age specific programs for the very young and the pre-teens.
◊ Increase in river cruises:
The river cruise sector is growing by about 16% annually and is impressive with both number of passengers and yields, especially on the market in Germany – the unquestioned river vacation travel market’s leader. River cruise ticket sales are growing faster compared to ocean-going ship vacations. Passenger capacity on the main European rivers is also increasing, new operators emerge, the old one (world’s largest river cruise lines) renovate regularly or expand their fleets by building larger, new-generation boats. More than half a million passengers (80% of them European; and 20% from North America) enjoy European river cruising vacations annually. On the China’s Yangtse River, the number of international passengers is nearly 150,000, with new operators and new and bigger river ships being built each year. The list of the world’s biggest river cruise lines includes AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Viking, Uniworld, Grand Circle Travel, Tauck. Cruise passengers will participate on river cruises mainly in Europe, China, Southeast Asia, Russia, Ukraine and Egypt.
◊ Exotic locales and itineraries:
In response to passengers continued demand for more and more new places to visit, cruise lines are looking for new and exotic locales to woo their customers. This has resulted in an explosion in itineraries with the cruise-lines today vying with one another in offering exotic cruise destinations. Radisson Seven Seas Cruises visit remote islands in Micronesia and Husavik in Iceland, whale-watching capital of Europe. Crystal Cruises can take you to Ho Chi Minh City or Split, Croatia. Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 docks at the Canary Islands and Dakar, Senegal.
◊ Growing Variety of Ships:
While on the one hand several mega-resort style cruise ships carrying more than 2,000 passengers apiece have been launched, there is also a trend towards a wave of small ships limited to between 100 and 250 passengers, such as “exploration” cruise-ships with the capability of entering small coves or rivers, sleek vessels such as of the Windstar Cruises, and a number of other smaller and elite ships. Though the small new ships aren’t very competitive in pricing, they’re generally less expensive than the larger luxury ships whose standards they emulate. Thus, the trend is now moving towards a choice of tiny, small, medium-sized, large, and monstrous vessels in just about any reasonable price range.
◊ Growth in Drive Market Cruises:
Following 9/11 many cruise lines have adjusted their itineraries to allow more ships to depart from drive-friendly ports to accommodate travellers who prefer not to fly. This has enabled the cruise lines to tap into an eager market who’d rather drive over than fly before hopping aboard a ship.
◊ Boom in Theme Cruises:
Along with the expansion in itineraries has come a vastly greater schedule of activities at sea, almost always at no extra charge to the basic tariff. Movies have been joined by full-scale stage shows; ocean skeet shooting now takes a rear seat to spa-style aerobics and yoga meditation; and “theme” cruises extra heavy attention to styles of music, historical periods, food specialties, murder-mystery, square dancing, and lectures by athletes, chefs, poets, and inspirational psychologists are numbered in the dozens.
◊ China:
The number of cruise ships entering Chinese waters is rising and global players in the cruise sector are focusing on the country. The number of such vessels received at ports on the Chinese mainland increased from 223 in 2010 to 262 in 2011. China is at the primary stage of its cruise economy and is poised to enter the cruise line business building cruise ships within five years, thus owning cruise ship companies. China aims to become a cruise ship owner and operator, initially in its own waters and Southeast Asia. In time, Chinese cruise ships will operate globally and maybe even come to challenge the pervasive influence of the largely US-operated cruise ship companies. China is building homeports to provide comprehensive services, including berthing, replenishment and maintenance for large cruise liners. Several cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Xiamen and Qingdao, have been equipped with international homeports to attract major cruise liners to locate there for the long term, from China to India. The Asian market has cruise executives excited about the potential growth in business because of the rapidly growing middle class there, especially in China, Japan and India. The increase of cruisers there could provide new destinations for American cruisers.
◊ Asia:
Asia’s region has become the “new world” of travel’s biggest growth sector as is evidenced by its double-digit growth, more ships than ever before, and explosive investment in ports and destinations. With cruise lines hosting nearly 1.4 million Asian guests in 2014, a 34 per cent annual increase in just over the two years since 2012, the global cruise industry has recognized that Asia is quickly becoming a major international market in its own right.
◊ New destinations:
To attract repeat cruisers and lure first-timers, itineraries will grow. There are some 300 cruise ships in the world, and it's becoming more difficult to differentiate between them, especially the ships carrying 4,000 or more passengers. Itineraries are a way to do that. Places that destination developers are excited about include:
• The coast of west and central Africa, a spread across 20 countries from Mauritania to Namibia.
• The northeast coast of South America, plus the Amazon River across the continent to the Atlantic Ocean.
• The multitude of islands of Indonesia.
• Madagascar, the island off the south-eastern coast of Africa, has the world's most diverse flora and fauna.
When cruise passengers cruise ship pulls away from some exotic port, they wish for just a few more hours or even a second day to explore the art of Rome, the beaches of the Caribbean or the glaciers of Alaska. The cruise industry is as robust as ever despite the Costa Concordia disaster in January 2012 and subsequent troubles, including several norovirus outbreaks and the robbery of cruisers on a shore excursion outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Concordia grounding caused bookings to fall immediately, but the numbers are back. For consumers, cruise ships 2013 troubles may mean a continuation of two-for-one deals, free airfare and on-board credit. The cruise lines were beginning to eliminate those at the end of last year, anticipating a healthier economy and more people back at work. Cruisers leaving from U.S. ports will find mostly Americans on-board, but that is changing with a more international market of passengers Britain, Germany and Australia. As American cruisers venture to other countries, beginning trips from European or Asian ports, the demographics of passengers have changed. Itineraries out of Barcelona will have more people from the United Kingdom and Spain. Asian ports will attract more Australians, and Brazilians, cruising's newest demographic superstars, embark from South American ports. The globalization of the passenger list is a good thing for cruisers looking for a more international experience. These passengers like sharing a dinner table with people from other countries. The cruise lines welcome the diversity, too, mostly because it means more people in the world are cruising. Perhaps, but as cruising grows globally, passengers seeking a broader connection with people around the world will enjoy the cruise experience even more. Rather than building brand-new vessels, Cruise lines are focusing more on improving their existing fleets with major refurbishments, better use of existing on-board spaces, telecommunications upgrades and renewed focus on humanity's age-old love affair with the sea, translating into more outdoor spaces on ships and expanded uses of deck space. Cruise lines are bringing more and more brand names on-board and updating their menus for the realities of 21st-century dining. And as the world seemingly gets smaller, look for more standardization across worldwide cruise companies and a more international passenger base. Cruise ships are getting bigger and offering more amenities while the cruise market is expanding with cruise companies placing more focus on the cruise experience.
Brida, J. G., & Zapata A. S. (2010). Cruise Tourism: Economic, Socio-Cultural and Environmental Impacts, International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 1 (3), 205–226.
Cruise Lines International Association. (2008) Cruise market profile study. Cruise Lines International Association. Retrieved from http://www2.cruising.org/press/research/index.cfm
Dowling, R. K. (2006). Cruise Ship Tourism. London: ABI Publishing.
Kester, J.G.C. (2002). ‘Cruise tourism’, Tourism Economics, Vol. 9, No 3, pp 337–350.
Keynote (2008). Cruise market. Key Note Limited.
Klein, R. (2005). Cruise Ship Squeeze: The New Pirates of the Seven Seas. Canada: New Society Publisher.
Lester, J., & Weeden, C. (2004). Stakeholders, the natural environment and the future of Caribbean cruise tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research, 6, 39-50.
McCarthy, J. (2006). The cruise industry and port city regeneration: The case of Valetta. European Planning Studies, 11(3), 341-352.
Wood, R.E. (2000). Caribbean cruise tourism: Globalization at sea. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(2), 345-370.
Consulted websites
American Association of Port Authorities: http://www.aapa-ports.org
Caribbean Tourism Organization: http://www.onecaribbean.org
Cruise Market Watch: http://www.cruisemarketwatch.com
Florida Caribbean Cruise Association: http://www.f-cca.com
United Nations World Tourism Organization (2011, 2013): http://www.world-tourism.org.
© Copyright T.R.I
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TV Martí is in the air (updated).
"The new [sic] G1 twin turboprop, based in Key West, is to be airborne between 6 and 11 every night except Sunday in an attempt to bypass Cuban government jamming of the stations' previously stationary broadcasting facilities. ... But the aircraft is still restricted to flying within U.S. airspace to avoid violating international broadcasting regulations. Some Cuban-American lawmakers are pushing the administration to let the plane fly in international airspace, which would make it even harder on the Cuban jammers. ... Last week, Cuba's acting ambassador before the United Nations, Ileana Núñez, told the General Assembly that on Aug. 11, Cuba detected simultaneous broadcasts from two aircraft in the 213 MHz frequency [Channel 13] that interfered with island stations. (Radio-TV Martí chief of staff Alberto) Mascaro said the new aircraft is broadcasting on TV's Channel 20 frequency and will not broadcast Radio Martí on the FM frequency." Miami Herald, 26 October 2006. The Grumman G-159 Gulstream I turboprops were built between 1959 and 1969. There are Cuban domestic terrestrial television stations on channel 13, which was used by TV Martí from its blimp-based transmitter. There appear to be no Cuban domestic television stations on the UHF channels (14 and above). Can television sets in Cuba receive UHF? Newer imported sets almost certainly come with the obligatory UHF. The aircraft-based transmitter will make it more difficult to jam TV Martí, but on VHF and UHF frequencies, unlike on shortwave, the closer (jamming) signal almost always prevails. Afro-Cuban and African-American civil rights leaders meet on Radio Martí broadcast. WFOR-TV (Miami), 23 October 2006. Update: "Cuba has jammed the latest anti-Castro television programing beamed over by the United States, according to an informal survey of Cubans who tried to watch the shows that included baseball's championship series." Reuters, 27 October 2006. "TV Martí should at least be eliminated as a government expenditure. The Cuban exile community is known for its entrepreneurial accomplishments since the late 19th century, when they populated Tampa as tabaqueros. They also have a long record of successful fundraising; therefore, if the Cuban exile community wants to air TV Marti, let them pay for it." Vincent Parascandolo, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 28 October 2006. Yes. With shortwave the medium most resistant to jamming, a VOA service on shortwave combining programming targeted to Cuba, with the general VOA Spanish service, and perhaps some programming from U.S. domestic commercial Spanish radio, would be effective and cost effective."
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jaredrobinson.com
Who’s in Control?
Who’s in control of our climate anyway? Could we have prevented Hurricane Katrina? One thing is for certain — we like to feel that we’re in control. We don’t like to admit it when we’re not in control, and we would rather deceive ourselves so that we feel “empowered” — it’s more comfortable that way. The issue of global warming, or climate change as it’s now being called, is one where we’ve been comfortably deceived.
I believe that we, as human beings, have very little control over the climate, and even less scientific understanding about it.
I also believe that we ought to be responsible with our environment. Air quality makes a difference in our lives, as does having enough clean water, electricity, and so on. We have some degree of influence over these things.
The rhetoric surrounding climate change subtly passes off the following assertions as fact:
1. The earth is warming up
2. The warming trend will continue and will have terrible consequences
3. Humans are causing the warming
4. Humans must stop the warming at any cost, and thus prevent terrible consequences
None of these assertions have stood up to scientific scrutiny. Here is what we know:
1. The earth goes through periods of warming and of cooling. Scientists were proclaiming global cooling in 1973, as was the New York Times.
2. Experts have difficulty accurately predicting the weather more than a week in advance. Predictions of long-term catastrophic consequences resulting from global warming are not science — they’re guesses.
3. Scientists aren’t sure of the cause of recent warming trends. They make guesses, and try to disprove those guesses. Some climate scientists believe that solar radiation is the cause of warming.
4. Long-term attempts to change the climate without a solid understanding of the science allows for little more than political and economic opportunism.
Disturbing trends that I see include
* Smearing experts who dare to disagree with official reports about global warming.
* Dishonest rhetorical tactics including the bandwagon fallacy and the big lie.
Several disorganized links follow.
James Wanliss, a space physicist who teaches at Embry-Riddle, showed students
the two films in an honors course titled “The Politics and Science of Fear”
because he said more and more the public is being sold one side of an issue
with many dimensions.
“I fear that attempts are being made to purposefully subvert
the public understanding of the nature of science in order to
achieve political goals,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Science is
not about consensus, and to invoke this raises the hackles of
scientists such as myself. The lure of politics and publicity
is no doubt seductive, but it nevertheless amazes me that so
many scientists have jumped on the bandwagon of consensus
science, apparently forgetting or ignoring the sad history of
consensus science.”
Wanliss argues:
“The atmosphere is incredibly complicated, and we know very
little about it,” he said. “We are studying a system which is
so big . . . we don’t know what all the variables are.”
[Read more…](http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newEAST01ENV051207.htm)
Almost as soon as the Kyoto Protocol on global warming came into effect on February 15, Kashmir suffered the highest snowfall in three decades with over 150 killed, and Mumbai recorded the lowest temperature in 40 years. Had temperatures been the highest for decades, newspapers would have declared this was proof of global warming. But whenever temperatures drop, the press keeps quiet.
Glaciers retreating? Not true.
[Read more…](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1034077.cms)
Debate over the role of the sun in forcing temperature change is nothing new. Professor Ian Clark of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa, wrote on this theme on this page in 2004. The climate models used by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change do not take adequate account of solar activity, Mr. Clark said. “Past and recent climate warming can be explained by changes in solar activity,” he said.
[Read more…](http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=9e919563-e44b-4ca2-9706-8af9cf743c95)
It is worth noting that anyone even remotely skeptical of the standard model
of global warming faces an almost insurmountably quixotic task. The view that
human industrial and other economic activity is filling the air with carbon
dioxide and causing the planet’s temperature to rise is taught to nearly all
the nation’s children and has been for years. It continues to be taught all
the way through high school and into college. It is endlessly reported….
The task of the skeptic is made even more difficult by the burgeoning effort
to silence dissent. There have been calls recently to equate global-warming
skeptics with Holocaust deniers and to have them punished as the equivalent of
war criminals.
[1](http://gristmill.grist.org/print/2006/9/19/11408/1106?show_comments=no), [2](http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Feb-25-Sun-2007/opinion/12749419.html)
One of the oft-repeated mantras of the global-warming crowd is that there is
no longer any debate in the scientific community about the threat of global
warming. That is just not true. While there are many scientists who firmly
believe global warming is real and it is a threat, there are many other
scientists who have serious reservations about that judgment.
[Read more…](http://www.jbs.org/node/2879)
Six different Antarctic ice core studies… [found] that the CO2
concentrations lagged behind changes in temperature, rather than led them.
[Read more…](http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55646)
In New York’s Newsday, Ellis Hennican describes a three-on-three debate held last week in New York City, in which opponents of the global warming hysteria–including that meddling novelist Michael Crichton, along with distinguished British scientist Phillip Stott and MIT’s Richard Lindzen–took on some of the scare’s defenders. The interesting things about this debate is that the organizers polled the audience before and after the event. The result? The number of people who thought that global warming is a “crisis” dropped from 57% to 42%.
That’s why folks like Al Gore have to keep claiming that there is an iron-clad “consensus” on global warming and that the debate is “over”–because the moment the debate on the scientific merits of global warming is actually allowed to begin, the alarmists start to lose.
[Read more…](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/03/what_al_gore_really_wants.html)
In Monday’s 5-4 majority ruling of the Supreme Court in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, the court held that the EPA is obliged to treat every [human-created] substance on earth as a pollutant to be regulated, unless it can demonstrate why that substance is not a pollutant.
In the new environmentalist utopia, all that which is not permitted is forbidden, and we are all guilty until proven innocent.
[Read more…](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/04/guilty_until_proven_innocent.html)
[Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts? By Timothy Ball](http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/global-warming020507.htm)
Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide
(Dr. Tim Ball, Chairman of the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, is a Victoria-based environmental consultant and former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg.)
What I have experienced in my personal life during the last years makes me understand why most people choose not to speak out; job security and fear of reprisals. Even in University, where free speech and challenge to prevailing wisdoms are supposedly encouraged, academics remain silent.
I once received a three page letter that my lawyer defined as libelous, from an academic colleague, saying I had no right to say what I was saying, especially in public lectures. Sadly, my experience is that universities are the most dogmatic and oppressive places in our society. This becomes progressively worse as they receive more and more funding from governments that demand a particular viewpoint.
Another cry in the wilderness is Richard Lindzen’s. He is an atmospheric physicist and a professor of meteorology at MIT, renowned for his research in dynamic meteorology – especially atmospheric waves. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has held positions at the University of Chicago, Harvard University and MIT. Linzen frequently speaks out against the notion that significant Global Warming is caused by humans. Yet nobody seems to listen.
A blog from Climate Scientists
[http://www.realclimate.org/](http://www.realclimate.org/)
[Environmental Defense](http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=1011)
In my opinion, the site is full of dishonesty. They claim that “There is no debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming.”
A scientific look at the facts says, in summary, “the large temperature increases predicted by many computer models are unphysical and inconsistent with results obtained by basic measurements. Skepticism is warranted when considering computer-generated projections of global warming that cannot even predict existing observations.”
[Read more…](http://brneurosci.org/co2.html )
It is a highly inconvenient truth that the latest IPCC scientific assessment undermines many of Gores most spectacular claims. The IPCC says the worst-case sea-level rise this century would be 23 inches; Gore portrays 20 feet or more in his horror film. Ditto for Gores claims about hurricanes and melting ice caps; the new IPCC fails to bolster Gores alarmism.
[Read more…](http://www.pacificresearch.org/press/opd/2007/opd_07-03-21sh.html)
The Great Global Warming Swindle is a documentary film by British television producer Martin Durkin that presents claims that oppose the predominant [political] opinion on global warming.
[Read more…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Global_Warming_Swindle)
[http://www.junkscience.com/Greenhouse/](http://www.junkscience.com/Greenhouse/)
[The Skeptical Environmentalist](http://www.lomborg.com/books.htm)
In The Skeptical Environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg challenges widely held beliefs that the global environment is progressively getting worse. Using statistical information from internationally recognized research institutes, Lomborg systematically examines a range of major environmental issues and documents that the global environment has actually improved. He supports his argument with over 2900 footnotes, allowing discerning readers to check his sources.
Lomborg criticizes the way many environmental organizations make selective and misleading use of scientific data to influence decisions about the allocation of limited resources. The Skeptical Environmentalist is a useful corrective to the more alarmist accounts favored by green activists and the media.
[Read more…](http://www.lomborg.com/books.htm)
The tyranny of ‘global warming’
“Skeptics such as myself and Dr. Legates are the voices in the crowd crying out that ‘the emperor has no clothes.’ We do so at great professional risk, and for little or no personal/professional benefit. The response to this skepticism is, at best, to be ostracized by our peers and, at worst, threatened with reprisals that include losing jobs, demotion or lack of advancement in our fields. This brings forth one final point: Why are the global warming proponents so determined to end the debate over global warming? If the evidence in support of the idea is so overwhelming, it should only be a matter of thoughtful debate and time before everyone comes to agreement on it. Yet, skeptics and dissenters are discredited, threatened professionally and encouraged to keep silent on the issue. Throughout history, tyrants and despots have made their first priority the end of debate and the silencing of their critics.”
[Read more…](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54092)
The other ‘green’ in global warming
Dr. Freidrich Seitz, president emeritus of Rockefeller University and former president of the National Academy of Sciences, said:
“I have never witnessed a more disturbing corruption of the peer-review process than the events that led to this IPCC report. Nearly all the changes worked to remove hints of the skepticism with which many scientists regard global warming claims.”
A hundred distinguished scientists, meeting in Leipzig, Germany, released a joint statement July 10, 1996, which said:
“There is still no scientific consensus on the subject of climate change. On the contrary, most scientists now accept the fact that actual observations from earth satellites show no climate warming whatsoever.”
From that point forward, any scientist who dared to offer research results that did not affirm the conclusions of the IPCC has been denied invitations to participate in the IPCC studies, denied funding and/or denigrated publicly by politically motivated scientists and/or the media. Any scientist who dares express skepticism is at once denounced as a pawn for the oil and coal industry.
[Global Warming: The Perversion Of Science](http://www.opinionet.com/article.php?id=1486)
[Global warming: Hoax on economy](http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73172159860226&Avis=TU&Dato=20040301&Kategori=OPINION&Lopenr=103010111&)
Our research shows fundamental flaws in the “hockey stick graph” used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to argue that the 1990s were the warmest decade of the millennium. The original hockey stick study was published by Michael Mann of the University of Virginia and his coauthors Raymond Bradley and Malcolm Hughes. The main error affects a step called principal component analysis (PCA). We showed that the PCA method as used by Mann et al. effectively mines a data set for hockey stick patterns. Even from meaningless random data (red noise), it nearly always produces a hockey stick.
[Read more…](http://www.uoguelph.ca/~rmckitri/research/trc.html)
Wikipedia covers the controversy surrounding Global Warming. I
believe that Wikipedia is a good resource, but that the information available
is biased toward what the popular culture believes (whether it’s correct or
not). The issue of global warming is no exception.
[Read more…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy)
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Summit Day on Mount Everest, 1995 – My Journal
Lhakpa Gelu Atop Everest, Summit Cornice With Former Summit Pole, 1995
Tibet, Summit of Mount Everest, taken at approximately 8830m – 35mm film
Seven Summits for a Free Tibet – 1984 to 1997 – Mount Everest (1995)
Background: After nine hours of climbing starting at midnight, my friend, Sherpa Lhakpa Gelu, reaches the summit. I took this photograph of his second ascent of Mount Everest and his first ascent from Tibet. I was standing at about 28,950 feet. Shortly afterwards, Tsering Dorje and I arrived at the summit. The challenge was getting down. The three of us used supplemental oxygen to sleep at the high camp (8200m) and on summit day, but at no other time. But as I climbed, my oxygen bag was often blocked with ice!
If you look closely in the lower left quarter quadrant of the photograph above, you can see the old summit pole. Because the jet stream drops down on the summit, the cornice rolls over, over time. Once you reach the summit plateau from Tibet, it is a gentle walk to the top of the world. Nevertheless, you cannot let your guard down.
Two days after I reached the summit, a climber, Bob Hempstead – “a cowboy from Nebraska living in Alaska” – lost his balance here, slid upside down and backwards and caught his hand on a rock, stopping himself from plummeting 10,000 feet down the North Face. Ang Babu, a Sherpa of amazing physical stamina, and Greg Child, an American who had summited K2, seeing Bob’s predicament, found a shred of old rope, threw it to him and pulled him to safety. Bob, a cowboy intent on doing a rope trick on top of the highest mountain on each continent, went on to summit and performed his rope trick!
What I learned: I could do more than I thought I could do.
Diary entry: On May 24th, 1995 at 9am, I reached the summit of Mount Everest with two Sherpa men, Lhakpa Gelu and Lama (Tsering Dorje). At the time, I could definitely not believe that I had done so, and even now, I can scarcely believe it. It all seems like a dream. In truth, it was the most terrifying 18 hours of my life, 9 hours to ascend and 9 hours to descend. During this time, I really could not believe that I would make it to the summit and/or make it back from the summit. But somehow, with help from my two Sherpa friends, I managed to do both. We left at 12:08am May 24th and returned to high camp at about 6:11pm.
The ascent was not bad, largely due to the fact that it was dark and we traveled by headlamp and, consequently, I could not see the drop off to my right-hand side. Also, as everyone knows, going up is easier than going down. At some point in the expedition, it seems someone, perhaps Jon Tinker (the expedition leader), suggested one might ask themselves the question, “Can I down-climb what I am now up-climbing?” Now, when I asked myself that question, the answer was: “No,” or “Probably not.” One might ask, then, what the devil was I doing up there climbing? It is a good question. Basically, I found myself at high camp with two Sherpas who were expecting me to climb. I was asking myself, “What am I doing here? It is not too late to change my mind…”
We were supposed to begin climbing at 11pm, but I figured that we would be late. Jon had requested by radio that we all sleep in the same tent. I awoke at 10:00pm and was cold, and my oxygen had run out. I went back to sleep until 10:30pm and then, as both Sherpas were still sleeping, I called out.
We left at 12:08am and began traversing upwards towards the ridge. I hadn’t gone 100 steps when Lama pointed out to me that my crampon was coming off: those damn crampons again! I sat down and re-fastened them. The next thing was that we came upon a red bag and some refuse. As Lhakpa Gelu shone his light on it, I noticed that the name tag was from San Francisco. He urged me to forget it and to keep climbing up the mountain, letting out an utterance, though indefinable, which meant “Come on! We have a long way to go.”
Since the Sherpas naturally climb faster than I, they took one of my oxygen bottles, leaving me only one to breathe on. I was silently thankful, for they were moving at a rapid rate, and in order to hike at their natural speed, something had to give. More or less, I was able to do an adequate job of keeping up with them.
Jim from Seattle told me that there was an exposed 40° ice slope at the beginning of the climb. Soon we were on the slope, though it did not seem as bad as I expected. The only thing I was wondering about it was what the exposure would look like if I could see it!!
Next we came to some fixed ropes that went up through some gullies of snow and rock. It was not particularly difficult. But it seemed to go on forever, on up to the right towards the ridge. At a couple of points I thought that I was nearing the ridge, only to find out that it continued on. Because it was dark, I could not make out the ridge clearly. Finally, we started to descend a bit, and I realized that we had reached the actual ridge. Although I knew on one hand the ridge might be harder, still, I was hoping not to have to climb steep ground anymore.
After a while we came to some snow, which we had to traverse. Although the traverse was short, still I hated crossing exposed ground. We came to a level patch of snow onto which fell some fixed ropes. I had to adjust all my things. My pack, my balaclava, I had to take a pee, etc. As Lhakpa Gelu mounted the ropes, he yelled out something. At first I didn’t understand and called out for him to repeat. Then I got it: “The First Step.” Soon I was on the ropes. It wasn’t difficult to jumar and walk up the snow slopes, and soon we were on our way to the Second Step.
The terrain was up and down horizontally on rock. There were ledges that sloped outwardly. Strung along were ropes that were held in place by “pitons,” flat pieces of metal that were wedged into rocks of questionable integrity. The rock was shale and eroding, so whether or not it would hold in a hard fall was of some doubt. But it was dark going up, so therefore conducive to climbing, quite simply because I could not see the exposure. I simply followed the Sherpas as they wound their way slightly upwards and along the ridge, following their head lamps with mine, occasionally stopping to adjust some of my equipment.
The Second Step was visible from some distance, a high ungainly outcropping of rock. Lama and I waited at the bottom while Lhakpa Gelu worked his way up the fixed ropes. He grabbed a whole lot of them (there were between five and seven) and pulled himself over the edge of some rocks. Further up was the vertical section, where, to my surprise was what looked like the Chinese ladder (which I had been told had blown off and was replaced by the new “Japanese” ladder, this being from the recent “Japanese [i.e., 32 Sherpa and 8 Japanese]” first complete ascent of the Northeast ridge this Spring.) I followed. I pulled on the bunch of ropes and hauled myself up, scrambling over the rock edge. It was like scrambling over rocks in the Sierras in California. Then I ambled over to the base of the ladder. It was a solid steel – or, more probably, aluminum – ladder, about 8 feet in height, with about 8 rungs. At the base of it, curled up in a coil, was the “electrical ladder” that the Japanese had used. Apparently, someone had found and reinstalled the famous Chinese ladder.
I switched my jumar over to one of the ropes that led upward from the ladder on the right. There must have been about eight ropes hanging down, all in different stages of wear and fraying. In addition to my jumar, I grabbed the ropes en masse. My crampons rattled against the metal rungs. I ascended to near the top of the ladder. Off to the right above the ladder was a flat ledge. On the ledge, closest to the ladder was a large rock. The problem with ascending it was the transition off the ladder, off and up to the right. It was a bit awkward and it took me a little wrangling to pull myself up onto the ledge. Still the whole process only took maybe five or ten minutes. Once on the ledge, I looked up and over to the right where another cluster of ropes was hanging down. I grabbed them as a group and hauled myself onto the top of the Second Step!
Lhakpa Gelu came over and shook my hand. I also had the feeling of having surpassed a barrier, because in the coming dawn, I could see that from here, it was a gradual walk up the ridge to the summit snow triangle! It suddenly seemed possible that I could actually reach the summit of the mountain! We sat for a bit above the Second Step, changed oxygen bottles, stashed our headlamps by hooking them on to a rope, and generally got ready for dawn and continuing the climb. It was 5:30am.
Lama, Lhakpa and I began to ascend the gradually sloping ridge. The feeling I had was absolutely sensational. The dawn was coming on. The views were unimaginable. The ridge was easy. I looked up at the summit triangle, not far off. I remembered what George had told me. (George Kotov is along as a guide. He is a Russian man, from St. Petersburg.) He’d said that the most difficult part of the climb, he thought, was the Third Step. But beyond that, I wasn’t expecting to have any problems, namely: going up the summit pyramid.
As we walked, I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures. The Sherpas wanted me to continue walking. A couple of times, our path came within a few feet of the east edge of the ridge, marked by a snow drop-off or an arête. I looked down! What I saw was in the realm of the amazing. It was probably 8-10,000 feet of near-vertical relief. Looking over the edge and up, I could see part of the Kangshung Face, the East Face, of Everest.
I thought I saw what was a couple of tents at the base of the “Third Step.” I figured it was the abandoned 8500-meter camp of the Japanese, the “high High Camp” I had heard of. But as we got closer, I more clearly saw that they were merely stashed oxygen bottles, this fact denoting that the distance was much less than I had at first supposed.
The Third Step was surprisingly easy. Perhaps George had not found the same rope we did, as the snow was deeper the day he went up. I watched Lhakpa Gelu go up and followed. The roping was quite clear and good. It wasn’t very far up, and then the walk traversed a small section of arête. Again, the view opened up tremendously on the east side of the arête. It was protected on our side, only requiring to stay to the right of the arête a few feet in order to be safe.
Now we stood on the base of the summit slope. Lhakpa Gelu was already using a red fixed rope to climb the snow. I followed and Lama followed just behind me. The sun was now fully out; it was a glorious day.
Going up the fixed rope was very easy. It was a nice thick rope, newly laid. After the fixed rope, the route traversed up to the right through deep snow for a distance of about 20 meters. This was also easy because the snow was deep and safe. I watched Lhakpa above me. After this section, he went a bit to the right and then up to the left. He seemed to wait for a while and then powered up, kicking his crampons in. At this point, there were rocks straight ahead. He stayed on the snow to the left of the rocks. At the end of the deep snow, I was apprehensive. One option open to me seemed to be to stay in the center of the snow slope, which was slightly bowl-shaped and made of relatively deep snow. This seemed safest to me. While I stood there and contemplated the route I should take, Lama had come up beside me and continued on to the right where the footsteps of others could be seen. I tarried there trying to figure what I should do. I decided to stay in the deeper center of the snow slope. As I started up it, Lama yelled at me to go his way, but I kept on, trying to point out to him that I would soon meet his route. It crossed my mind: until now, I had just followed them and everything had been alright; would I be creating my own problems by deviating from their direction? I kept going upwards slowly, kind of digging my way up, making sure my footing was solid with each step, realizing that this way was a bit more exposed, perhaps, than at first supposed. When I began to rejoin the route Lhakpa had chosen, to my surprise, Lama was going off to the right. He called out for me to follow him. It was perhaps a seemingly inconsequential detail but my position was a couple of feet higher than where Lama stood. This meant that I would have to walk down rather than up, and the exposure at this point in the climb was clearly dangerous.
I stood there looking in two directions simultaneously, up to the left at Lhakpa Gelu and over towards the rocks at Lama. Their instructions weren’t exactly clear, but it seemed they preferred for me to go over to Lama “to the rocks.” They seemed to indicate that it was safer to go to the rocks, but I couldn’t really envision that there was another route so far to the right. I decided to follow the route Lhakpa had taken, up to the left.
I had only covered a few meters when I discovered that I was in an extremely precarious position.
I was clinging to the snow slope, which was about 40° and some of it was kind of icy. At this point if you fall it will take you straight down the mountain and to the Great Couloir and below, probably a ten thousand foot drop. I was very unsure about the footholds and handholds and, given the risk level, I really needed to be as close to 100% sure as possible. I looked up and could see a white rope dangling from the rocks above to the left. I figured if I could get to the rope, I could tie in my jumar to the rope and get the extra support I needed to make upward progress safe, even if I did not put my full weight on it. It was perhaps 20 meters above me. I thought back to Yvon Chouinard’s book, Climbing Ice, in which it seemed he’d stated something like: “When all else fails, chop steps.” So I decided I’d chop steps, even if it took me 1/2 hour to get to the rope. The weather was good and it was only about 8am. So I methodically set about chopping steps up the slope. Mind you this was at an elevation of about 28,750’. Meanwhile, I breathed through my oxygen apparatus at a rate of about 3 liters per minute.
I put in a foothold and then decided to make it deeper or to have a down-sloping aspect to it to make it safer. Then I made another a bit up to the left. Then I swung my ax and tried to get a good purchase as far up in the slope as I could. It sort of bounced off the ice underneath the snow, and I discovered that to the right, there was ice. So I tried to swing a little left in order to try new ground and see if I could get a hold. The ax stuck, but the snow was too soft. Consequently, I tried digging a third and fourth handhold/foothold higher up on the slope for added protection. Then I clunked my ax twice in the spot to the right and got the nub of the ax into the snow, enough to pull myself up given the good footholds I had made. I stood up and took two steps upwards, using the hand hold on the left to further secure my position on the mountain, while my right hand was through the loop in the ax’s wrist loop webbing.
I continued this process methodically, moving slightly left as I moved upward. At one point, I was tempted to rush, but I disciplined myself to go slowly. Soon the rope was only twenty feet away, then fifteen, etc. As I got very close to the rope, I was able to see Lhakpa above me. When I motioned that I was going to use the rope, he seemed to indicate that this was OK. I jumared onto the rope. Once secured into the rope, I realized that I was actually able to move easily up the slope. The problem was not so much one of difficulty with the actual ice climbing, but rather with the fact that it was so exposed. Once on the rope, I found it unnecessary to dig steps, and walked up. Still I used my ice ax as an anchor, and firmly I embedded it as far upwards as I could in order to increase my speed. It was about another 30 meters up and clockwise around the rocks. The rocks at this point seemed no less dangerous to climb since they were quite steep too. Looking up occasionally and seeing Lhakpa, I got the sense that the top was near now. I had gotten through all the summit-bound difficulties and soon would be on top. But I dare not allow myself to think as if it was already accomplished, and I sort of denied to myself that this was so. About five minutes later, I stepped up onto the platform that marked the top of the snow triangle. Off to the left, about 200 meters away, was the summit of Mount Everest!!
Now, reaching it seemed inevitable!
The remaining terrain between me and the summit was easy, although I was just a tad disappointed to see that in fact it was up and down and required some caution as parts of it were somewhat exposed. We three sort of regrouped and then Lhakpa was off again. Just ahead a fifteen-foot section of ground was angled at about 40° and I told myself: this may be easy ground, but do not lose your concentration!!
Not far off, the summit loomed, unbelievably. I told myself that I’d better keep progressing because there was no telling whether the breeze that I was feeling would not grow into a problem. It seemed like it would take about 15 minutes to reach the top. I could see a device on top, which I had heard of. It was some sort of monitor off of which hung multicolored memorabilia; amongst them were prayer flags. Also, I had heard of how a summit pole was stuck in the middle of the cornice which overhung the summit. This pole was once on the summit, but over the years the cornice curled over, pushed by the wind. The pole finally ended up about twenty feet below the summit, stuck sideways in a vertical mass of ice.
Up and down we went, rising gradually upwards. Progress was rapid. Lhakpa was ahead, and Lama almost next to me. As we approached, Lama overtook me and went to the summit ahead of me. Soon, my two companions were standing together on the summit, with me perhaps twenty meters below, gradually plying upwards.
At this moment, it was as if Chomolungma was whispering to me. “_____.” This thought will be with me the rest of my life.
Soon I stood on the top of the world with Lhakpa and Lama. I arrived on top at about 9:11am. At 9:40am, we three departed from the top of the world and carefully made our way down the mountain.
Nine Years later… A tribute to Ang Babu…
Richmond, California
Today I met Lhakpa Gelu at the airport at about 10:15pm. We had climbed Mt. Everest together in 1995. Since then, he has climbed Everest a total of 9 more times, 11 in all, and last year, he set a record for the fastest ascent of Everest – from Base Camp on the south side – 10 hours 56 minutes 46 seconds.
View Coming Down from Rocks near Everest Summit, 1995
Tibet, Near Summit Mount Everest, taken at approximately 8800m – 35mm film
After he checked in for his flight, we sat and had drinks – he a Carlsberg and me an apple juice. It was an interesting discussion that covered many points, but mostly climbing and mostly his experiences on Everest. Figuring he was in about the best shape of anyone I could imagine, I asked him some questions about his lifestyle. I will relate the salient points. He drinks about 16 bottles a beer a week and if he exceeds two a day, his wife complains. He sleeps 9-10 hours a day, going to bed at 8pm or 9pm and waking about 6am. He eats just about anything, including sweets. He eats tsampa (barley flour mixed with water to make a dumpling) and ate tsampa, hot water and a few light things on his 18 hour ascent/descent of the South Col route (from Base to summit and back). He does about three expeditions a year, and when he is not on an expedition, he does not run or exercise in any way, but merely stays home and plays with his children. Of note, he said that the North Ridge route that we did was much more difficult than the South Col route. Asked why, he said that it was longer, and when descending tired, you could not just sit on your butt and scoot down, like you could on the South Col route. In addition, he said the Hillary Step was easy, and noted that the Second Step was difficult. He also said that on the North Ridge route, the terrain was more difficult. Inquiring, I mentioned the necessity to step down on small ledges of shale in crampons, and he agreed (that this made it hard). He emphasized that the Hillary Step was easy. I had always imagined it was hard. Lhakpa had climbed the North Ridge 3 times and the South Col route 8 times, so he should know.
I asked about Ang Babu. He was the strongest climber I had ever seen. When asked who was stronger, Lhakpa said Ang Babu was stronger than he. Lhakpa had climbed Everest 11 times with oxygen, but Ang Babu had climbed 10 times without oxygen. (Lhakpa also mentioned another climber, Ang Rita, who had climbed 10 times without oxygen.) Furthermore, Ang Babu had slept on top for 21 hours without oxygen! I told Lhakpa how Ang Babu came strolling up to Camp 3 with a pack that must have weighed 80 pounds. Babu did not seem fazed at all. (Oddly, despite his super-human strength, Ang Babu did not look strong.) I asked how Ang Babu had come to his death. Lhakpa said one evening at Camp 2, after a fresh snowfall, there was a beautiful sunset. Ang Babu went out to take a photograph. Apparently, he could not see a crevasse and slipped into an unseen hole to his death. His teammates noticed he was missing and went out looking for him…
Camp 3 with Yellow Band and Summit Pyramid Above, 1995
Tibet, Mount Everest – 35mm film
From here up we used supplementary oxygen.
The relative elevations of acclimatization. Advanced Base Camp, 6200m. North Col, 7000m.
Upper Camp 2, 7800m. Camp 3, 8200m. Summit, 8850m.
Tibet, Mount Everest
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