pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 37
996k
| source
stringlengths 37
43
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__wiki
| 0.776348
| 0.776348
|
UK Non-Doms Urged To Plan Their Tax Affairs
By ExpatBriefing.com Editorial 19 October, 2011
Non-domiciled individuals should seek advice on the UK tax system, as tax planning opportunities may remain available to them, a leading firm of chartered accountants has said.
According to Midgley Snelling, tax advice should be sought by the UKs non-doms, who may be able to take advantage of tax benefits dependent upon a number of factors, including the length of residence in the UK. However, the firm has also warned that calculating these factors can be a complicated process, meaning help is often needed.
Managing Partner Robin Sewell, elaborated: The UK tax rules that apply to non-doms are complex but there are still worthwhile opportunities to take advantage of that status.
While advice should ideally be sought before becoming a resident in the UK, it is always worth overseas nationals checking if any tax planning opportunities are still available regardless of how long they have been resident, Sewell added.
Sewell stressed that care must be taken in the implementation of any planning, and noted that the proper recording of overseas income, gains and assets is key.
The UK has seen a significant fall in numbers registering for non-domiciled status, as the introduction of an annual levy and changes to inheritance tax laws bite. It was reported in May that there had been a 16,000 drop since the introduction in 2008 of a GBP30,000 levy on those "non-doms" residing in the UK for more than seven years.
UK 'Non-dom' status is typically claimed by those born outside of the UK but who are long-term residents of the country. It means that while they pay tax on their UK earnings, their foreign earnings are not subject to UK tax as long as it remains offshore.
At the last Budget, the government announced that the non-dom levy would increase to GBP50,000 for those with 12 years residence in the UK, a measure which is expected to raise GBP200m in additional revenues in the coming years.
However, in return for this increase, Osborne also announced his intention to encourage investment by removing the charge payable by non-doms for the remittance of foreign income or capital gains to the UK for the purpose of investing in a UK business. In addition, the government has pledged not to introduce any further changes to the non-dom system during the life of the current parliament, due for dissolution in 2015.
A consultation on the non-dom budget proposals was launched in June this year, and closed on September 9, 2011.
Tags: Individuals | Expatriates | Capital Gains Tax (CGT) | Tax | Tax Incentives | Accounting | Entertainers | Entrepreneurs | Employees | United Kingdom | Sportsmen | Professionals | Tax Planning | Tax Breaks | Standards | Regulation | Individual Income Tax |
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4918
|
__label__cc
| 0.714949
| 0.285051
|
More Photos from Frank Miller's The Spirit - Still Excited?
A couple of new photos from Frank Miller's upcoming film The Spirit have surfaced over on SlashFilm. We've already seen some trailers and plenty of other photos, but these are the newest ones. It's tough for me to even mention these because after seeing the footage that was shown at Comic-Con, I'm entirely unexcited for this. In fact, I think Comic-Con effectively killed all buzz that the movie had. I wish I could be sitting here telling you that Frank Miller is going to show us one hell of an awesome stylized comic book movie this December, but that's just not the case. Only time will tell if I'm truly wrong this time.
You can see a few more of these photos over at SlashFilm. I expect that we'll see another trailer with more footage sometime in the next few months, possibly in front of Saw V. Until then, the last few trailers will have to suffice. Or if you were at Comic-Con like I was, you've probably already given up all hope.
The Spirit is both written and directed by legendary comic book author Frank Miller, who only previously worked with Robert Rodriguez to direct segments of Sin City. The film is based Will Eisner's newspaper comic strip of the same name that originally debuted in 1940. Lionsgate will be premiering The Spirit in theaters everywhere on December 25th, Christmas Day, later this year.
Find more posts: Movie News
i will wait for it come on video
Blake on Sep 18, 2008
im still gonna see it, against my better judgment. i loved the teaser, but the theatrical trailer killed the buzz for me.
Al on Sep 18, 2008
I don't trust Frank Miller with a 35mm camera. This looks like a suped up episode of the 1960s Batman show. Especially for Frank Miller this film looks particularly campy.
Frame on Sep 18, 2008
what do you mean this time? you've been wrong many times, but you may be right on this one. it seems to rely too heavily on the girls and doesn't show enough action, but i think it'll do just fine because every movie that comes out on x-mas usually does well and this seems to be no exception.
LeeMan on Sep 18, 2008
This movie just looks plain stupid. Everything from the actors to the music to the costumes just look ridiculous!
DAVID on Sep 18, 2008
I'm going to see it just to spite you, Alex. You seem to have been gunning for this from the onset. I've come to the conclusion that comics fan boys and film geeks just suck.
Ann on Sep 18, 2008
I have to agree with Alex to some extent. the footage shown was not good. highly stylized, yes, but good? no. i was expecting a good film prior to comic-con but now my expectations are quite low.
Keith on Sep 18, 2008
This movie was not shot on film...fyi Its supposed to be campy... Its a labor of love...and he didn't do it to please the masses... Those who like it will love it... Everyone else will hate it...
Durr on Sep 18, 2008
agreed! and 'the spirit' is comicwise as far from sin city as possible. i wonder why they did this trailer in the same style, but everyone expecting a new sin city will leave the theater dissapointed. i trust frank miller to make a movie that, at least, pleases me.
TN on Sep 19, 2008
8) No, its not supposed to be campy. The lead producer of the film said at Comic-Con that it is not, and Frank didnt question or correct her. I agree that IT IS campy, but when the filmmakers are saying its not supposed to be when it clearly is...well something is lost in translation. on screen that is.
I'm with Ann and Durr on this one - FS has been running this flick down for a long time. I don't disagree that the trailers have been unimpressive but the studio cuts the trailers, not the director. I'll wait to see it on the big screen before I criticise.
mrbobbyboy on Sep 19, 2008
please, when this is getting reviewed, allow someone tthat didn't have their experience tainted by the comiccon footage to review it
fanboy d on Sep 19, 2008
#6: You're right. Though I'm a fanboy, I sometimes hate my fellow fanboys for being anal-retentive against every comic book adaptation. I'd love to see them do something better, if they're so scary smart.
Roy on Sep 19, 2008
Samuel L. Jackson's role in this is enough to keep me from seeing it in the theaters. However the females in it are enough to get me to watch this in the privacy of my house.
D on Sep 19, 2008
the guy with the eyemask looks like a total goofoff but i'll give eva mendes all the time she needs
twispious on Sep 19, 2008
I can't think of any situation that could arise and get me to watch this movie. Yes, I've seen the comic-con footage. But that's not all- when (besides Black Snake Moan) was the last time a Samuel L Jackson movie was worth watching?
adam on Sep 19, 2008
when people say it looks to campy umm i think thats the whole fucking point the whole comic book series was cheesy and campy
nelson on Sep 19, 2008
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4920
|
__label__wiki
| 0.686602
| 0.686602
|
The Western Cape Travel Guide
The Western Cape Things To Do
The Western Cape Hotels
The Western Cape Restaurants
The Western Cape Top Places
The Western Cape Travel Tips
The Western Cape News
The Western Cape Gallery
The Western Cape Sights
The Western Cape Shopping
The Western Cape Performing Arts
The Western Cape Nightlife
The Western Cape
Africa and Middle East >
South Africa >
The Western Cape >
Places To Explore
Places To Explore In The Western Cape
Discover the best places to explore near The Western Cape with curated recommendations from our team of travel experts.
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans)
Although its official name is Waenhuiskrans, and that's what you'll see on maps, this lovely, isolated vacation village is almost always called...
1 Thing To Do
Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of retirees...
This sleepy agricultural town has a certain charm, as long as you don't catch it on a Sunday afternoon, when everything's closed and an air...
As you might guess from the name, Citrusdal is a fruit-growing town. It sits by the Olifants River valley, surrounded by the peaks of the Cederberg...
Although the town itself is uninspiring, it's no surprise that half the streets are named after trees or plants. Clanwilliam is at the edge...
Darling is best known for three draws: its beautiful wildflowers; its sensational performer, Pieter-Dirk Uys, otherwise known as Evita Bezuidenhout...
Elands Bay
Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval...
Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution...
Greyton
The charming village of Greyton, filled with white thatch cottages and quiet lanes, is a popular weekend retreat for Capetonians as well as...
Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg...
The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg...
Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes...
Saved from development as a result of a planned mountain pass that never materialized, McGregor is the epitome of the sleepy country hollow...
Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some...
Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town— paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled...
Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists...
Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel
Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck,...
Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely...
Somerset West (Helderberg)
Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay and...
You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality...
Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. Established in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and...
Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake...
You're unlikely to linger in Worcester, by far the largest town in the Breede River valley. It's often termed the region's capital by locals...
Explore The Western Cape
Sights 112
South Africa's Top 12 Experiences
FODOR'S GO LIST 2017
25 incredible places to visit in 2017.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4922
|
__label__wiki
| 0.653608
| 0.653608
|
To give you a great browsing experience free of charge, this site uses cookies. Cookies help us personalize content and ads, provide social media features, track your preferences, and analyze traffic. Forbes may share this information with its advertising, analytics, and social media partners, who may use it with information you have provided to them in connection with their services.
For more information: Privacy Statement
To consent and proceed, click "Continue to Site."
5,219 views| Dec 27, 2018, 8:58 am
Following Mobile Money's Rise In Africa, Mobile Banking Is Now Booming
Toby ShapshakContributorOpinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
I write about how innovation is better in Africa.
A M-Pesa transaction in 2008 using a Nokia 1100 feature phone
Vodafone.
Africa is well-known for its ascendancy in the newest form of electronic payments, and this year saw the rise of a new form of mobile banking, particularly in South Africa where several new mobile banks launched.
With over half of the world’s mobile money services and the continent’s mobile-only nature, Africa has been the ideal breeding ground for this next generation of banking offerings.
Attracting the most attention is Bank Zero because its founders are the former big-wigs at First National Bank – including former CEO Michael Jordaan – which evolved into the country’s most innovative bank, launching the first banking app in 2010 and winning a string of global awards and achievements for innovation.
As its name suggests Bank Zero Mutual Bank won’t charge fees and will focus on savings. Although it won’t offer credit, Mastercard will supply a credit card if users ask for one.
“WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter do not have a branch infrastructure, nor call centers, nor do they require extensive paperwork to be signed to join them,” Jordaan told me. “If banking were to be developed from first principles it would be like these popular Apps and be smartphone-based, which is exactly what Bank Zero will do”. “Competition is an essential part of any market economy as it keeps existing players on their toes. We believe that banking fees for electronic transactions and card swipes are way too high in SA and want to compete those away. Ultimately the consumer will win.”
The “first behavioural bank”
The other major announcement, which is launching in the first quarter of next year, is Discovery Bank, the new banking division of South Africa’s largest health insurer.
Discovery pioneered a medical aid system that promotes its members to be more healthy by offering them incentives and discounts through this scheme.
Launched in 1997, the Vitality health incentives system rewards healthy behavior (going to gym or exercising, eating healthy food and having regular health checks) with cheaper rates for air flights, movie tickets, gym memberships, coffee and food from local food chains. It also offers discount vouchers for department stores. The higher up the tiered system a user moves, the bigger the discounts. Vitality now operates in 19 countries and serves 17.8-million people.
Two years ago, it launched Vitality Active Rewards which used wearable health sensors to reward people being active and inspire health-related behavior. One of the incentives was an Apple Watch that users got for free by reaching certain fitness targets. This culminated in a two-year “landmark study” of 400,000 people in The United States, United Kingdom and South Africa who used an Apple Watch that resulted in “dramatic and sustained improvements in physical activity levels”.
“It is a tech-led bank that is aimed at incentivizing behavioral change,” said Discovery Group CEO Adrian Gore. The bank’s “entire structure is based on behavioral change… following our purpose of being more healthy”.
“This is not a skinny fintech play that is an app. It’s a proper capital-heavy proper bank, which is mobile-led and has a full retail offering,” he added, calling it the “first behavioral bank”.
“A hotbed of innovation”
Banking in Africa is “among the most exciting in the world” and “a hotbed of innovation,” according to a McKinsey Global Banking report published earlier this year. The retail banking sector is “a locus of new business models, emerging in response to challenges including low levels of banking penetration, heavy use of cash, sparse credit bureau coverage, and limited branch and ATM networks”.
Some 40% of Africans prefer to use digital channels for transactions, it found.
Another new banking entrant is TymeBank, which was evolved from being the provider of the backend of MTN Money, the mobile payment service offered by Africa’s largest cellular network.
It was bought by Commonwealth Bank of Australia, which this year sold its stake to African Rainbow Capital – the investment holding firm of South Africa’s richest man, Patrice Motsepe.
Like the other two new banks, TymeBank announced alpha testing in November but gained 1,800 customers in the first week of its unofficial launch.
Meanwhile, great things are expected of Shyft– the currency exchange and wallet from Standard Bank, the continent’s largest bank. In 2017 Shyft won both the Stuff App Awards and the MTN Business App of the Year.
Stand-alone payment provider Yoco also had a good year. After tripling its user base since the beginning of 2017, the South African fintech startup Yocoraised $16-million in Series B funding. This brings the total investment into the point-of-sale company to $23-million(R322m).
Yoco provides a credit card reader for transactions but last year added touchscreen tablets to give its customers an online platform to manage and sell their products. Since it raised Series A funding in the first quarter of 2017, it now has 27,000 merchants on the platform and is adding about 1,500 a month.
“This round represents a vote of confidence in technology ventures operating in this market, servicing the untapped potential of small businesses,” CEO Katlego Maphai told me. “Only 7% of South African small businesses accept card payments, despite South Africa having a card penetration of 75%,” he says.
50% of Kenya’s GDP
Meanwhile, mobile money continues to boom in Africa. The original such service – Kenya’s M-Pesa – announced it would allow its users to make and receive payments through with PayPal and Western Union.
With 28.5 million users in East Africa, M-Pesa can transact with PayPal’s 254 million global users and remittance giant Western Union’s 500,000 agents in over 200 countries. It has opened the regional mobile money sensation to payment gateways around the world. It’s a sign of the success of the 11-year-old service that it has become global through these alliances.
In Kenya alone, M-Pesa processed 581 million transactions for its 23 million subscribers, worth $14,6 billion or $162 million a day or the three months to June 2018, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya. M-Pesa processes over 1.7 billion transactions a year which accounts for more than 50% of Kenya’s GDP.
“The power of financial technology to expand access to and use of accounts is demonstrated most persuasively in Sub-Saharan Africa,” the World Bank’s Global Findex Database wrote in its financial inclusion survey which found 21% of adults in the region now have a mobile money account. This is “nearly twice the share in 2014 and easily the highest of any region in the world”.
“While mobile money has been centered in East Africa, the 2017 update reveals that it has spread to West Africa and beyond,” the Findex survey added.
MTN and Orange – two of the largest cellular operators on the continent – announced a mobile wallet joint venture that would allow its mobile money users to interact across networks.
MTN plans to be “the biggest provider of mobile financial services in Africa” according to Group CEO Rob Shuter.
Meanwhile, calling it the first such mobile payment, the world’s largest smartphone maker also launched Samsung Pay in South Africa.
Because of the country’s mobile-first nature, Sung Yoon, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa says “acceptance of Samsung Pay at launch in South Africa is much better than 2015 in the US when it launched. People in South Africa understand the technology better today, too than users in the US did three years ago.”
Toby ShapshakContributor
I write about how innovation is better in Africa. I define innovation as solving problems, like the real problems we have in Africa. And solving those problems solves…Read More
I write about how innovation is better in Africa. I define innovation as solving problems, like the real problems we have in Africa. And solving those problems solves them for the rest of the world. Africa isn’t just mobile-first, it’s mobile-only. I spoke about this at TED Global in June 2013 (http://www.ted.com/talks/toby_shapshak_you_don_t_need_an_app_for_that); and have spoken at various conferences, including SxSW in Austin (four times), Intel’s IDF in San Francisco, and The Guardian's Activate: Johannesburg. I'm the editor-in-chief and publisher of Stuff magazine and write a weekly column for the Financial Mail, both in South Africa. As a reporter, I shadowed Nelson Mandela when he was president, and covered the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I’ve been writing about innovation, telecoms, and the internet and the impact it has on our lives for more than 18 years, for a variety of publications, including CNN, The Guardian (London), Sunday Times and The Times (South Africa).Read Less
Also on Forbes Enterprise & Cloud
Grads of Life BrandVoice: 4 Tips To Recruit, Hire and Retain Opportunity Youth
Science#WhoaScience
The Mississippi Is Bringing A Lot More Than Just Water To The Gulf
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4923
|
__label__cc
| 0.688432
| 0.311568
|
Trump Administration Withdraws Motion Seeking to Limit Court's Stay of Obama's Transgender Bathroom Guidance in Public Schools
Date Feb 17, 2017
Executive Summary: There has been much speculation about the Trump administration’s position with respect to LGBTQ rights. We may now have our first glimpse. Just days after Jeff Sessions was confirmed as Attorney General, the government has withdrawn the motion filed by the Obama administration attempting to limit the nationwide temporary injunction blocking enforcement of the Obama administration’s executive order requiring that public schools permit students to use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity.
Background: On May 13, 2016, the Obama administration’s Department of Justice and Department of Education jointly released guidance (“the Guidance”) interpreting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (which, like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination “because of sex”) to require public schools to allow students to use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity, not their biological sex. In a letter to schools across the United States issued that same day, the Obama administration directed schools to comply with the Guidance or risk losing Title IX federal funding.
Thirteen states and school districts responded by filing suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas seeking an injunction blocking the Guidance. In that case, Texas v. United States, they argued, among other things, that the plain language of Title IX and Title VII does not include “gender identity” within the definition of “sex.” The District Court agreed, issuing a nation-wide preliminary injunction on August 21, 2016, enjoining the Obama administration from enforcing the Guidance. The Obama administration appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and filed a motion with that court to limit the scope of the injunction pending appeal to only the 13 states and school districts party to the lawsuit. Oral argument was set for February 14, 2017. However, on February 10, 2017, the Trump administration withdrew the motion and cancelled oral argument, stating only that “[t]he parties are currently considering how best to proceed in this appeal.” This decision has raised red flags for civil rights groups, who fear that this is a signal of the Trump administration’s intent not to pursue LGBTQ rights issues.
The issue of bathroom equality for transgender individuals has also taken the forefront in the U.S. Supreme Court as that Court prepares to hear oral argument in Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. In that case, G.G., a transgender student, was denied access to the bathroom corresponding to his gender identity. The Fourth Circuit deferred to the Department of Education’s interpretation of sex to include gender identity, and held that a claim alleging discrimination based on gender identity is a viable claim under Title IX. Thus, whether or not the Trump administration pursues the appeal in Texas v. United States may hinge on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Gloucester County.
Bottom Line: The decision of whether “sex” in Title IX includes gender identity and/or sexual orientation is likely to have a great impact on employers because the relevant language of Title VII mirrors that of Title IX. With cases interpreting both Title VII and Title IX pending now before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Second, Fifth, Seventh and Eleventh Circuits, employers will hopefully have an answer to this question soon. For a discussion of the Seventh Circuit case of Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College, please see our Alerts published on October 20, 2016, and December 12, 2016.
As these cases wind through the judicial system, employers are encouraged to formulate and/or review their own policies concerning employee bathroom use, paying close attention to any local and state laws that already prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity, or that require equal bathroom access for transgender individuals. Employers are also encouraged to review their complaint procedures, by which employees can raise concerns in the workplace, to ensure that employees have a clear method of discussing any concerns regarding discrimination, harassment and/or bathroom use.
We will continue to provide updates on pending litigation on these topics as the cases progress through the legal system and the Trump administration further defines its position on LGBTQ rights.
In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding issues of sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination in the workplace, bathroom rights for transgender students or employees, developing policies addressing gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination or other labor or employment related issues, please feel free to contact the authors of this Alert, Johanna Zelman, jzelman@fordharrison.com, who is a partner in our Hartford office and Nancy Holt, nholt@fordharrison.com, who is counsel in our Washington, D.C. office. You may also contact the FordHarrison attorney with whom you usually work.
JOHANNA G. ZELMAN
NANCY VAN DER VEER HOLT
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4925
|
__label__wiki
| 0.617427
| 0.617427
|
Last Update December 11, 2015
Canadians arrested in Costa Rica for credit card fraud
By | AFP
Four Canadians have been arrested in Costa Rica after being caught with more than 200 false credit cards and electronic equipment to forge them, authorities said Thursday. (AFP/File)
SAN JOSE (AFP) – Four Canadians have been arrested in Costa Rica after being caught with more than 200 false credit cards and electronic equipment to forge them, authorities said Thursday.
Authorities allege that the four, who were between 25 and 36 years old, had been withdrawing cash from automatic teller machines using cloned Canadian credit cards since their arrival in the country September 7.
The Canadians, who were not identified, were captured on Wednesday as they were driving through San Jose, the Office of Judicial Investigations said.
It said authorities seized 225 false credit cards, $20,000 in cash and electronic equipment to falsify credit cards.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4926
|
__label__wiki
| 0.880848
| 0.880848
|
Taliban’s surprise attack forced 30 coalition troops to ‘shelter in place’
By Lucas Tomlinson, | Fox News
Afghan soldiers stand guard at the gate of a military compound after a deadly Taliban attack. (AP)
Coalition troops were told to “shelter in place” during a deadly six-hour attack on an Afghan Army base in northern Afghanistan on Friday, as fewer than a dozen Taliban militants massacred nearly 200 troops.
Roughly 30 coalition troops were on the base outside Mazar-i-Sharif, though a U.S. defense official wouldn’t say if Americans were among them.
The group of 10 Taliban members -- including suicide bombers -- launched the surprise attack on Friday, which is prayer day in Afghanistan and other Muslim nations. The time is a “low ops tempo” for the Afghan military, and many Afghan soldiers on base were at a mosque when the attack occurred. Mosque and dining halls were prime targets of the extremists. The coalition typically begins its day around noon on Fridays in the country.
The gunmen and bombers arrived in military vehicles and entered the base disguised as members of the Afghan Army. They began shooting almost immediately after entering the compound in Balkh province. Two attackers died in suicide bombings and the other eight attackers were killed in clashes during the assault.
The attack came just days after National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster visited Afghanistan for meetings with senior U.S. military and Afghan leaders.
The bloody Friday assault continued a trend of heavy losses for Afghan troops. In 2015, Afghan security forces suffered record casualties, with more than 6,500 killed as Taliban militants made territorial gains.
Elsewhere in the country, 300 Marines arrived in Helmand province over the weekend, replacing a U.S. Army unit to train the Afghan Army. It’s the first time Marines have been in Helmand since 2014, when former President Barack Obama declared combat operations over in Afghanistan.
Lucas Tomlinson is the Pentagon and State Department producer for Fox News Channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @LucasFoxNews
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4927
|
__label__wiki
| 0.609078
| 0.609078
|
Larry Fitzgerald says John McCain was ‘epitome of toughness’
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald said his friendship with Sen. John McCain was a testament to the war hero’s ability to reach out to people from all walks of life.
Inside a packed Phoenix church Thursday morning, Fitzgerald spoke warmly of the time he spent over the years with McCain, an avid fan of Arizona’s sports teams. Fitzgerald said the two of them could not have been more different on the surface.
Fitzgerald said that while he does everything he can to avoid contact as a football player, McCain was the “epitome of toughness.”
He said McCain did not judge others based on skin color, gender or their bank accounts but “the merit of their character and content of their hearts.”
The 81-year-old McCain died Saturday after battling brain cancer.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4928
|
__label__wiki
| 0.964891
| 0.964891
|
Adrian Peterson impresses Redskins in debut
AP Aug 24, 2018 at 11:53p ET
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Adrian Peterson showed the Washington Redskins what they needed to see in his debut by rushing for 56 yards on 11 carries in a 29-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Friday night in each team’s third preseason game.
Peterson carried the ball seven consecutive plays on one possession, and the 2012 MVP later picked up 15 yards on fourth-and-1. The Redskins (1-2) signed Peterson on Monday after injuries to three running backs and were eager to see what the 33-year-old had in the tank.
They got their answer: enough to likely earn the starting job Week 1 at the Arizona Cardinals. After only three practices, Peterson looked to have passed Rob Kelley, Kapri Bibbs and injured backs Samaje Perine and Byron Marshall on the depth chart.
Peterson’s play was a bright spot for the Redskins as they were carved up by Case Keenum and Denver’s first-team offense, and Alex Smith was an unimpressive 3 of 8 for 33 yards in four series. Keenum was 12 of 18 for 148 yards before giving way to backup Chad Kelly for the Broncos (1-2).
The Broncos’ first-team offense scored two touchdowns and added a field goal in five series of work, led by dual-threat receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He was responsible for all 75 of Denver’s yards on its second touchdown drive, catching passes of 15 and 33 yards from Keenum and scoring on a 27-yard end-around.
GIANTS 22, JETS 16
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Sam Darnold led the Jets on two touchdown drives, moving closer to securing the starting quarterback job in a loss to the Giants.
The No. 3 overall draft pick made his second consecutive start, finishing 8 of 16 for 86 yards — including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Terrelle Pryor.
Darnold is competing with Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown for the Jets’ starting job, but the rookie is being given every chance to be under center when New York (1-2) opens the regular season at Detroit on Sept. 10.
Bridgewater came in on the Jets’ second offensive possession of the second half, while McCown never played. Bridgewater was 11 of 15 for 104 yards.
Darnold got off to a solid start, leading an 11-play, 75-yard drive on the Jets’ opening series that was capped by Bilal Powell‘s 10-yard touchdown run.
The Giants’ starters played just the first two quarters, with Eli Manning going 17 of 23 for 188 yards in what was likely his final tuneup before the regular season. Sterling Shepard had seven catches for 78 yards for the Giants (2-1).
PANTHERS 25, PATRIOTS 14
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cam Newton gave the Panthers an early injury scare before returning to help Carolina defeat New England in a preseason game.
On the game’s opening drive, Newton scrambled out of the pocket on third-and-9 before recklessly diving head-first — this is the preseason, after all — and landing on his head after getting upended by cornerback Jonathan Jones.
Newton was forced to leave the game to be evaluated for a concussion, but returned four plays later to a loud ovation and played the remainder of the first half.
He finished 11 of 17 for 142 yards passing and led three scoring drives — all resulting in field goals — as the Panthers built a 9-3 lead at halftime.
Running back Christian McCaffrey continued to be a major player on offense, touching the ball 10 times for 51 yards on Carolina’s opening drive which lasted nearly 10 minutes.
The Panthers (3-0) had 203 yards in the first half, but couldn’t find the end zone.
It was a quiet night for Tom Brady, who completed 12 of 18 passes for 102 yards in the first half. The five-time Super Bowl champion didn’t get much help from his receivers, who dropped multiple passes. The Patriots (2-1) never did get in sync offensively and were limited to 130 yards in the first half.
VIKINGS 21, SEAHAWKS 20
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kirk Cousins helped Minnesota’s offense make some progress by passing for 182 yards in the first half, and third-stringer Kyle Sloter threw for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Vikings rallied for a victory over Seattle.
Sebastian Janikowski kicked field goals from 35 and 55 yards in the first half for the Seahawks (1-2), who kept their starters in past halftime. Russell Wilson led one scoring drive against the vaunted Vikings defense, finishing 11 for 21 for 118 yards.
Chris Carson carried seven times for 26 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 20 yards for the Seahawks, who are trying to regenerate the power running attack that helped them reach two straight Super Bowls.
For the Vikings (2-1), Sloter’s touchdowns went to Jake Weineke and Chad Beebe, before the go-ahead 2-point conversion completion to Weineke again.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4929
|
__label__cc
| 0.632658
| 0.367342
|
Conservation efforts in the prairie pothole region
Courtney Sogard
csogard@freemanjournal.net
— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Courtney Sogard Conservation officials in Hamilton County have invested in pictometry technology to help manage public areas, like Bauer Slough, throughout the county.
When one thinks of conservation efforts being made toward any aspect of nature, one might assume that preserving the natural resources in any given ecosystem may be all the Hamilton County Conservation does for the Briggs Woods animal and vegetation populations.
But some other key elements of conservation efforts are using management tools, such as hunting and the burning of vegetation. Officials are turning to area farmers for help in preserving the natural habitats found within their own cropland, and restoring marshes and wetlands to their natural states.
Decreases in hunting licensing numbers, which gives back to conservation funds, is due in large part to a lack of interest in younger generations and hunting isn’t the primal means for survival that it once was. People do it for recreational purposes, but there’s a shift in kids using technology instead of being one with nature — a nationwide issue, according to Brian Lammers, Executive Director of the Hamilton County Conservation. When teaching hunter’s safety courses, what students learn first is that hunting is actually a management tool to prevent overpopulation in local species, which could lead to a depletion of a vital food source, their natural habitats, or could somehow adversely affect the ecosystem as a whole if not kept in check. Water, food, cover, space, and arrangement are all items needed to properly balance any ecosystem, and space can be very limited for species like water fowl, when their natural habitats have become depleted at alarming rates in past decades.
“The Hamilton County Conservation has invested in a pictometry technology, which will aid us in our field work. The pictometry imagery was taken last year through aerial shots and can depict different land forms and an area that may need to be developed,” said Lammers.
The pictometry images help the conservation department to pick an area of land that may need burned, in order to suppress any type of woody vegetation from growing into the natural prairie setting. The control burn acts as a management tool that will also heat up the natural wildflowers, which would otherwise be unable to regenerate without the heat. Overall, by burning any invasive vegetation to the prairie helps to keep this biome in its original state.
This technology is also used in seeing what wetlands may need to be brought back to their natural states.
Hamilton County is part of the Prairie Pothole region, which was a type of topographical event created when the glaciers receded in the area, creating the natural wetlands in this region. Due to the practice of tiling these potholes for agricultural production, Hamilton County has lost a large amount of these natural habitats, that are not only necessary for the ecosystem within these potholes, but they also act as a natural filtration system for the ground water that Iowans use for drinking.
Farming is greatly needed for food production, and the Hamilton County Conservation has worked with area farmers to educate them about the necessity of all habitats by showing them how to properly cultivate their land and to encourage them to set aside a piece of farmland in order to enroll into a CRP, or a Conservation Reserve Program, which is administered by the Farm Service Agency and are programs that help landowners with the expense of wildlife habitat conservation efforts on their own land. The landowners will benefit from up to 15 years through a payment on the annual land rental. By adding much needed habitats to a farmer’s land, it allows for better water quality and protects the farmer’s soil in the process.
“Sources of local funding for natural resources are limited to some rotation crops in the areas, crop cash rent used to offset costs, CRP monitored through our tenants, tax support budget set up for conservation, reap dollars and wildlife habitat stamp dollars all go into the management fund, whereas at the Federal and State level, when people buy shotgun shells and hunting equipment, there is the pit and bows act, which is a federal tax included with these purchases to go towards keeping up federal and state areas. Maintenance in a prairie setting isn’t as high since they remain in their natural state and we just have to make sure it stays that way, as opposed to the upkeep of a state park,” said Lammers. “Support on habitat restoration helps us do our job,” he added.
Wetland restoration is the practice of restoring previously converted wetlands, which will improve water quality and wildlife habitat. Wetlands help control pollution, by breaking down the excess nutrients and chemical contaminants found in some of these areas from local farming practices using insecticides that would otherwise be harmful in the ground water, but the wetlands are able to act as a re-charge to the ground water supplies. They also reduce the amount of silt in downstream lakes, rivers and oceans, which is a very harmful pollutant. Other than the water fowl populations benefiting from these natural depressions within the Prairie Pothole Region, hundreds of other species from invertebrates, to snails, to muskrats all need these wetlands habitats to survive. Marshes and wetlands are imperative to keep for these reasons.
“Use the areas that are publicly owned. Hike them. Use them, don’t abuse them. If you see these areas being misused, say something. They belong to the public, conservation just manages them. There are 2,000 acres in the county open to public hunting, but it’s not just for the hunters, it’s for everyone to enjoy,” said Lammers.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4930
|
__label__cc
| 0.727874
| 0.272126
|
Металлургический завод им. А.К. Серова до конца года освоит выпуск аргона
By Nina Skachko2007-10-11T12:42:02+01:00
The JSC Metallurgical Plant in the name of Serov A.K, an enterprise of the metallurgical complex UGMK, plans to implement the production of argon by the end of current year, a gas which is a necessary component for the treatment of steel in a stove-scoop.
The size of the unit is quite impressive: the height of construction stands at 60 metres, while the overall weight is around 120 tons. Prior to its assembly, a number of factors including wind strength were taken into account.
Building of the argon block at the JSC Metallurgical Plant in the name of Serov A.K. is conducted within the framework of the second stage of building of the air separation unit. Previously at the metallurgical plant, the technological process for the acceleration of smelting came at the considerable expense of electric power resources.
An oxygen workshop for the air separation unit was brought into action in 2006 within the framework of an erection project at the JSC Metallurgical Plant in the name of Serov A.K. of the steel-smelting complex.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4931
|
__label__cc
| 0.624714
| 0.375286
|
Can I advertise a product, service or initiative?
As a non-profit association, we can’t accept any commercial advertising.
However, if the product, service or initiative is of a social nature, and is clearly of interest to the community of expat woman that we represent, we can help you. Contact us for further information.
Can I write an article for Expatclic?
Absolutely. The site thrives on articles written by expats all over the world. However, we kindly request that you don’t submit commercial articles (i.e. articles that promote the sale of a product), but rather something that is of broad interest to our community. Our editorial team members check all submitted articles for quality and content.
Can men join the community?
Of course. Although Expatclic was created and is run by women, any support from men is welcome and much appreciated.
Can you put me in touch with someone who lives in a specific place?
Expatclic doesn’t divulge contact details, but facilitates meetings between expats worldwide. You can join our Facebook group and voice your queries, or look for someone to help you out, or you can put your case to us by writing to us. We will direct you towards the most appropriate solution.
Do you have other activities, apart from your articles?
Publishing articles is our main activity, however, we do run other projects, which you can find under Our Projects on the main menu.
How can I find articles that interest me?
The articles are categorised according to subject matters. Under the Articles tab in the main menu, you can select the subject you are most interested in. If you’re looking for articles on a particular country, you can use the map, or type in key words into the search tab, which is on the top right hand side. If you still can’t find what you are looking for, get in touch with us and we’ll help you.
We always welcome people who write articles, translate, or help with our country fact sheets. Please contact us if you can contribute to any of these areas. Please be aware, though, that any work done for our site is voluntary: there is no remuneration.
How can I stay in touch with the community?
We have a monthly newsletter where we share our initiatives. You can also like and follow our Facebook Page and get notified of all the news, or join our closed Facebook group.
How is the site’s upkeep financed?
Only through membership fees and donations.
I contacted you via chat and/or email, and haven’t received a reply…
We answer all messages as quickly as possible. If you haven’t received a reply, it’s because your query requires a bit more time and research. Please be patient! The editorial team generally does not respond to messages which aren’t in line with Expatclic’s values of friendliness and generosity.
I’d like to join the editorial team: how should I go about it?
The decision to take on a new editorial team member depends on a lot of factors: the applicant’s profile, host country, and areas of interest. Generally we are happy to welcome a person who displays a series of appropriate characteristics. But if you like Expatclic, and are interested, please contact us and we’ll be happy to talk about it.
I have a legal problem: who can I turn to?
We have a trustworthy legal aid cabinet but it is in Italy. They also take care of international right, but it all depends on the matter you need to address. In case of doubt, write us and we’ll tell you what we can do.
What’s life like in…?
Please check on our map to see if there are any articles about the place that interests you. If there aren’t, you can join our Facebook group, and ask for information there.
What type of service do you offer?
We offer support to expatriates of all nationalities, through informative articles, fact sheets on different countries, moral support via our support group, and creative initiatives to channel the wealth of our expatriate experience.
Where is your headquarters?
We don’t have a ‘physical’ headquarters, but the association that runs the site is registered in Milan.
Who is behind Expatclic?
Expatclic was founded in 2004 by Claudia Landini and Marie Ravoire, both of whom were already active online with their respective communities. Their partnership was the foundation of a multilingual, global group. In 2008 unfortunately Marie had to leave the site to take up a full-time job in her native France, but Claudia continued running it. Expatclic is managed as a non-profit organisation registered in Italy, and runs thanks to a team of volunteers of different nationalities.
Who translates the articles on the site?
Most of the articles are translated by the editorial team, but we have several wonderful external volunteers who translate and proofread.
Why is your group predominantly Italian?
The association that runs the site is registered in Italy, and the editorial team communicates in Italian. However, there have been times when the team was more diverse, and we are open to welcoming women of all nationalities, as long as they speak (or at least understand) Italian in order to communicate within the team.
Why do you use four languages if most of you are Italian?
Because we are first and foremost expats, and we live in a world of myriad languages and cultures. We would like the site to reflect the multilingualism that often stems from living abroad. In addition, we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to read us in their mother tongue.
A Guide to UK Visas
Although Brexit might change things in the future (in which case we’ll provide another...
Simple ways to combat expat homesickness
We thank Micke Ahola for sending this beautiful article. Micke is a Finnish national...
Rosa – Dancing the Tarantella from Florence to Melbourne
I have to admit, when I heard talk of a Tarantella School in Melbourne,...
3 reasons why Thailand is great for expat families
When you think of a journey to Thailand, you may be more likely to...
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4935
|
__label__wiki
| 0.961998
| 0.961998
|
Gold, Mitchell D., d/b/a U.S. Marketing, Inc., North American Charitable Services, Inc., et al.
Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Mitchell D. Gold, individually and as an officer or director of U.S. Marketing, Inc., and North American Charitable Services, Inc.; Patricia Cooley Gold, individually and as a director or manager of U.S. Marketing, Inc., and North American Charitable Services, Inc.; Herbert Gold, individually and as an officer or director of U.S. Marketing, Inc.; Celia Gold, individually and as a director or manager of U.S. Marketing, Inc.; Jonathan Philip Cohen, individually and as an officer or director of U.S. Marketing, Inc., and North American Charitable Services, Inc.; Steven John Chinarian, individually and as a manager, officer or director of U.S. Marketing, Inc., and North American Charitable Services; U.S. Marketing, Inc., a Nevada Corporation; and North American Charitable Services, Inc., a California Corporation, Defendants.
SA CV 98-968 DOC(RZx)
Central District of California
Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction As To Jonathan P. Cohen (385.22 KB)
PRESS RELEASE: Last Defendant Named in Fraudulent Fundraising Operation Banned from Future Fundraising and Telemarketing Activities
Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction As To Mitchell D. Gold (194.89 KB)
Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction As To Patricia Gold, Herbert Gold, and Celia Gold (213.36 KB)
Stipulated Order for Permanent Injunction As To Steven John Chinarian (253.61 KB)
Statement of Commissioner Swindle, Concurring In Part and Dissenting In Part (356.67 KB)
PRESS RELEASE: Fraudulent Fundraising Operation Banned from Future Fundraising and Telemarketing Activities
Complaint for Injunctive and Other Equitable Relief (29.4 KB)
PRESS RELEASE: "Operation Missed Giving" Targets Fraudulent Charitable Fundraising
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4939
|
__label__wiki
| 0.879481
| 0.879481
|
Two injured in shooting at Rainbow Drive Waffle House
By Donna ThorntonTimes Staff Writer
Gadsden police were on the scene of a shooting incident outside the Waffle House on Rainbow Drive on Saturday night that sent two people to the hospital.
Two were taken from the scene to a local hospital after the incident at about 9:15 p.m., and one was flown out for treatment at another hospital at about 10:56 p.m.
At least one of those injured was a juvenile, police said, but no details about the age or identify of the victims was available at the scene Saturday night.
Gadsden detectives were interviewing subjects about the incident.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4942
|
__label__wiki
| 0.820412
| 0.820412
|
TGS 2008: Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon: Majo to Shoujo to 5nin no Yuusha Hands-On
We have no idea what the title means, but as long as it involves chocobos, it's all good.
By Sophia Tong | @sophiatong on October 9, 2008 at 12:57PM PDT
Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon: Majo to Shoujo to Go-nin no Yuusha
TOKYO--Square Enix provided Nintendo DS stations at the Tokyo Game Show where we could play as a helpful yellow bird. We had watched a trailer earlier where we saw a rather large white bird steering a boat. Without much of an explanation, we saw a chocobo get sucked into a book. It was difficult to tell what was happening exactly, but we automatically knew that anything involving a chocobo would be full of charm. It looked like this would be another cute DS game targeting a younger audience.
After watching the trailer, we sat down and got some hands-on time with the game, attempting to get as far as we could without being able to understand much. The initial scene began with a white bird steering a small ship, most likely talking to itself. All of a sudden, our feathered friend popped out of the crate behind the white bird. We were then attacked by a flying fish of some sort that threw forks (more like tridents) down at us. Using the touch screen, we moved back and forth out of the way of falling silverware. We eventually got away, and together, the two birds headed toward an island in the middle of the sea. The island had a bizarre but elaborate-looking structure. Once we got there, we were greeted by a Moogle who cheerfully led us into the tower.
Inside the tower we met Cid, a young man with out-of-control hair. It seems he had fallen ill because he's sitting in his lavish bed and refused to get up. After the dialogue between the Moogle and Cid, we were free to leave the tower to roam the island. We didn't get to venture too far, but we did get a good look at the locals who come in a variety of well-groomed oversized birds. We wandered over to an apple tree and entered into a minigame to collect apples. Using the stylus, we moved a basket back and forth to catch the falling fruit. It seems like your job is to play minigames and be as helpful as possible.
The pencil-drawn art style stood out considerably because the maps, character designs, and locations looked fantastic. What also stood out was the music. The soundtrack seems to be a compilation of some of the greatest tunes from the Final Fantasy library. We heard the castle theme from the original Final Fantasy while on the ship, and Palom's theme from Final Fantasy IV started to play when we met the Moogle. Ronfaure from Final Fantasy XI also played in the background when we wandered around the island.
You can never have enough chocobos, so we'll be watching this game closely and trying to find out what this game has to offer. Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon will be released on December 11 in Japan.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4943
|
__label__wiki
| 0.872158
| 0.872158
|
Activision budgets $500m for Destiny. History tells us thats fine right?
Activision has confirmed that Destiny’s 10-year budget is $500million (as reported by CVG News). Not only will Dr Evil’s finger will be getting quite the workout, that also means Destiny action is pretty much guaranteed for the next ten years. But wait a sec... New IP? Most expensive game ever? Long-term plan for multiple instalments? Why on Earth would this be ringing massive alarm bells in my head?
The answer may be predictable--and totally playing to type--but it has to be Shenmue. The game that cost so much to produce (roughly $100m in today's money by my calculations, although the exact figure is unclear) every Dreamcast owner would have needed to buy it twice just to break even. The game that many people blame for Sega exiting the hardware business. The game that only managed two instalments before being cancelled indefinitely.
But I’m sure Bobby Kotick and co aren’t just taking a punt here. Let’s see what he says:
"If you're making a $500 million bet you can't take that chance with someone else's IP," Kotick reportedly said (according to Reuters). "The stakes for us are getting bigger."
Know what that is? That’s the language of gambling. Sure, new series are always a risk, which is why most big-name publishers shy away from them. Most company heads want a tried-and-tested formula tied to a name that gamers trust.
Speaking of which, it does suggest an admission that Call of Duty’s days are finite. Acti’s flagship franchise undoubtedly has more profitable and spectacular games left in it (as Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare shows), but it’s no longer the peg on which Activision is hanging its ten-year plan. Otherwise the story would be about CoD getting a $500m investment.
And after seeing other Activision stalwarts such as Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk being milked for all they were worth before crashing spectacularly, it makes a lot of sense to invest in the future before the CoD bubble bursts completely.
"Bungie's very ambitious plan is designed to unfold over a ten-year period" an Activision spokesperson explained. "The depth of creative content, scope and scale is unprecedented and is required to bring Bungie's vision to life."
That’s highly commendable. I applaud it, I really do. Creating something new and backing it with the kind of clout only one of the world’s biggest publishers can do is a fantastic boon for our industry. It should show us what the new generation of machines can really do when pushed. And show us what Bungie can do when it isn’t bound by the decade-old conventions that people now expect—nay, demand--from the Halo series.
Maybe I’m reacting to it with such concern because I’ve been conditioned--by Activision itself--only to expect tried-and-tested properties when it comes to AAA games. Sony’s The Last of Us was a massively-deserved success in the end, but I distinctly remember a time when we were writing stories about The Last of Us and nobody was reading them. “I’ve never heard of it before so why should I care” seemed to be the thinking of the average GamesRadar reader. Naughty Dog and Bungie may be big names to you and me, but how many people outside our clued-up circle could tell you which games they have been responsible for?
Maybe Titanfall and its decent chart success (three weeks on top of the UK all-format charts at the time of writing, though it’s slipped to #2 this week) has convinced Activision that it’s OK to announce such massive figures and backing of a relatively unknown quantity. Sure, Bungie is a respected developer, but then so was Bizarre Creations. And after just one flop (Blur), that team was given the poison chalice of the Bond license, and then closed. Nobody is safe.
It’s that gambling analogy that concerns me. If it was down to me, of course I’d take the risk because I believe wholeheartedly in the pursuit of creativity. Heck, I’d commission Shenmue III right now if I had the cash, regardless of prospective returns. But putting so many eggs in one basket (and reducing the number of other baskets too, as seen with the Infinity Ward/Neversoft merger yesterday) is a gamble. And there is such thing as the ‘Gambler’s Ruin’.
Activision has plenty of money with which to put a big stake on one roll of the dice, but it is finite. Yes, if the worst happened and the game is a flop, the cost can probably be absorbed because of the CoD juggernaut's success. But, again with the Shenmue analogy, Sega was flush with cash thanks to the Mega Drive/Genesis’ success, then just a few bad bets later (Mega-CD, 32X, Saturn and Shenmue), it was all over bar the software.
Fortunately, all signs point towards Destiny being a success. It’s shooting stuff, it’s online, it’s Bungie, it’s Activision with all its mass-market clout and know-how… everything points to it being a great game and a commercial success. Plus it won’t just be one game. It will be several games, each recouping some of that massive development cost. A significant chunk of that will be used to market the game, so we’re going to have Destiny thrust in our faces for the next 10 years, whether we like it or not. Everyone will know about it and it will probably become as big as Call of Duty is in a relatively short space of time.
But ‘probably’ isn’t ‘definitely’. There is always the chance it will fail to ignite the public’s interest and goes the way of Haze, or Shenmue, or Okami. Sure, everyone loves shooting stuff. But what if the wheels fall off that genre like they did the racing games of the 1990s? Activision has profited from skateboarding, plastic guitars and first-person shooting. It's a brave move to suggest shooting (with RPG elements) is going to to be the next decade's must-have gaming genre too.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4944
|
__label__wiki
| 0.803046
| 0.803046
|
Rent Regs Deadline; Queens DA Debates; Awaiting Pantaleo Decision; & More: The Week Ahead in New York Politics, June 10
June 09, 2019 | by Ben Max & Joey Fox
New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
There are four more days of state legislative session this week, with the rent laws set to expire on Saturday, June 15. The session is scheduled to end on June 19. Rent regulations are at the top of the agenda, but there are a number of issues on the table as the session winds down. [Listen: a new What's The [Data] Point? podcast on rent regulations featuring REBNY's John Banks and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, a former tenant lawyer and member of the Rent Guidelines Board]
Tuesday will mark just two weeks until the Democratic primary for Queens District Attorney, as well as other elections on the ballot that day, mostly judicial races, but also another special election in City Council District 45. NY1 will air a debate among the seven Queens DA candidates on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., and there are other debates and forums also scheduled this week. [Read: Should a Top Prosecutor Have Prior Prosecutorial Experience? 'Qualifications' Debate Rages in Queens DA Race]
Mayor Bill de Blasio is returning to New York City on Monday after a weekend campaigning for president in Iowa. De Blasio missed both the Brooklyn Pride Parade and Puerto Rican Day Parade this weekend, each for the first time in at least a decade, according to his office. De Blasio received zero first or second place votes in a new Iowa Democratic primary poll released this weekend, but he expressed resolve when asked about it, according to NY1’s Gloria Pazmino.
It’s crunch time for city budget negotiations between de Blasio and the City Council, with a July 1 deadline looming. There are several areas of negotiation at play, perhaps most notably so-called pay parity for early childhood educators.
It’s also a busy week at the Council, with a variety of noteworthy hearings, and a full Council meeting at which new bills are introduced and bills already passed through committee and voted on by the full Council. The Bay Street rezoning on Staten Island’s north shore is expected to pass the Council this week, among other items, and Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s bill to mandate a “master plan for city streets” with significantly expanded bus and bike lanes, among other features, will have its first hearing.
We’re awaiting the results of the NYPD administrative trial of Officer Daniel Pantaleo, whose chokehold led to Eric Garner’s death in 2014. It’s unclear when a decision will be handed down by the presiding NYPD judge and when that decision will be made public.
We’re also awaiting word on a permanent chair and CEO for NYCHA, the New York City Housing Authority, but the extended deadline for Mayor de Blasio and federal monitor Bart Schwartz to agree on a new leader for the city’s public housing authority isn’t until the end of June. [Read: Interim NYCHA CEO Kathryn Garcia on the Federal Monitor & Future of Public Housing in New York]
As always, there are many events to be aware of -- see our day-by-day rundown below.
***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?
e-mail Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.***
The run of the week in detail:
Mayor de Blasio will meet with Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Mayor David Collado on Monday in New York City. In the evening, de Blasio will appear on NY1's Inside City Hall with host Errol Louis, in the 7 and 11 p.m. hours.
At 10:15 a.m. Monday in Rochester, Governor Cuomo will make an announcement at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will be among those in attendance. At 1:45 p.m., Hochul will participate in a press conference with state commissioners and local ffficials at the Rochester Convention Center.
Also at 10:15 a.m. Monday at City Hall, “NYPD officers who served in the Department’s Cadet Corps program will join Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Members Cornegy, Moya, Powers and Brannan for a press conference calling on Mayor de Blasio and Council Speaker Johnson to support a state law correcting a City mistake that denied them pension credit for their cadet service. The NYPD Cadet Corps, a police apprenticeship program, was created as a career pathway for NYC-resident college students to begin an NYPD career while still in college. However, as a result of the City’s misinterpretation of the law, roughly 300 NYPD officers who served as cadets prior to 2012, the majority of which come from the diverse communities they serve, have been stuck with substantially diminished pension benefits.”
At noon Monday at Tweed Courthouse, city Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza will make an announcement.
At noon Monday, City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo will join the family of the late rapper Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace to co-name a street in Brooklyn in his honor.
At 1 p.m. Monday at City Hall, “Council Member Antonio Reynoso, safe streets advocates, and bicyclists will call for the driver to be held accountable and for the City to pilot the installation of right-of-way street cameras. This call comes in response to a video that surfaced last week of driver deliberately trying to run over a cyclist near the Hudson River Greenway. Upon the NYPD’s arrival at the scene, the driver was not issued a ticket nor did they receive any further disciplinary action. The episode followed an un-filmed altercation between the driver and cyclist. Witnesses claim that the driver’s reckless driving sparked the altercation, but he has yet to be held accountable. Had right-of-way cameras been present at the intersection where this incident occurred, it would be possible to verify what sparked this incident and who was at fault. The installation of right-of-way cameras would bring a measure of transparency to our roadways and help ensure that reckless, dangerous drivers are held accountable for their actions.”
At 3 p.m. Monday outside City Hall, the de Blasio administration, City Council Member Andy King, The Power & Music Awards Committee, and The Council’s Black, Latino & Asian Caucus will host the 2nd Annual Power & Music Awards 2019. “This year’s theme is ‘African-American Music Power & Music Awards,’ honoring individuals who have influenced society’s music and culture. The 2019 Power & Music Awards honorees include Hip Hop Artist Rakim, Hip Hop Artist Big Daddy Kane, Entertainment Mogul Steve Rifkind, The Late Rick James, The Mary Jane Girls with Val Young, Fashion Stylist June Ambrose, Gospel Artists Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, Entertainment Attorney Londell McMillan, R&B Group Cameo, Creative Director/Choreographer Laurieann Gibson, and Designer April Walker.”
At 5 p.m. Monday in Syracuse, the Business Incubator Association of New York State will hold its annual meeting, featuring State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
At 7 p.m. Monday in Far Rockaway, the Queens for Justice Ad Hoc Committee will host a candidate debate in the Democratic primary for Queens District Attorney.
Tuesday will mark two weeks until the June 25 primary elections, headlined by the Queens District Attorney Democratic primary, but also including several judicial elections, among others.
The state legislature will be in session on Tuesday in Albany.
At the City Council on Tuesday:
-At 10 a.m., the Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet on six pieces of legislation. The bills, sponsored variously by Council Members Carlina Rivera, Andrew Cohen, and Keith Powers, all concern tenant protection and transparency, including limiting fees charged in a rental real estate transaction, requiring the return of security deposits within 60 days of the end of a lease, and providing tenants the option of paying a security deposit in six equal monthly installments.
-Also at 10 a.m., the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet.
-At 10:30 a.m., the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses will meet.
-At 11 a.m., the Committee on Land Use will meet on the Bay Street rezoning for part of the north shore of Staten Island, among other land use changes, as well as a bill introduced by Council Member Rafael Espinal to develop a comprehensive urban agriculture plan. “This bill would require the Department of City Planning to develop a comprehensive urban agriculture plan that addresses land use policy and other issues to promote the expansion of urban agriculture in the City. The Department would be required to deliver such plan to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council by July 1, 2019.”
From 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Lehman College will host the Third Annual Summit on [email protected] in New York City (SOL NYC). “The CUNY Mexican Studies Institute Jaime Lucero, the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Hunter College- CUNY) will join together in hosting the third Annual Summit on New York City’s Latino communities to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the City’s Latinos, assess policy priorities, and develop an action agenda for today and tomorrow.” In attendance will be City Council Members Ydanis Rodríguez and I. Daneek Miller, perhaps among others.
Beginning at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday and going through much of Wednesday, the NYC Special Education Collaborative will host “Reimagine Education,” a conference that aims “to reimagine education through the lens of equity and inclusion for all students.” Speakers will include Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad; writer and teacher Clint Smith; Columbia University Professor Chris Emdin; Vanderbilt University Professor Donna Ford; and Rutgers University Professor Lauren Leigh Kelly.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the New York City Board of Correction will hold a special hearing for public comment on variance requests, as well as a CHS and DOC update and discussion on health care access.
Also at 9 a.m. Tuesday, the New York City Industrial Development Agency will hold a Board of Directors meeting.
At 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in Albany, the NY Renews Coalition will organize a rally in support of the Climate and Community Protection Act. “[H]undreds of activists from across the state will descend on Albany to declare that it is time to pass a strong CCPA. The event comes at a critical time the week before the end of the legislative session...we will rally to turn up the heat on Governor Cuomo as well as key legislators delaying action on this critical climate justice legislation.” The rally will be joined by state Senators Robert Jackson, Jessica Ramos, and Julia Salazar, likely among many others.
At 12 p.m. on Tuesday, the New York Academy of Medicine will host the first annual SOMOS policy conference to “call for an extension of the state’s transformative DSRIP initiative that has begun to revolutionize health delivery in lower income communities statewide. Plenary sessions, panels, and keynotes featuring NYS Budget Director Robert Mujica, OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Marie T. Sullivan, and OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene leadership [will] begin mapping a long-term policy agenda to address health care disparities in lower-income, immigrant communities.”
At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the New York City Board of Elections will hold a commissioners meeting.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday at Hostos Community College, the Rent Guidelines Board will hold a public hearing.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will hold a public hearing “on the Manhattan component of the Mayor’s borough-based jails plan. The plan is part of the city’s effort to close Rikers Island and replace it with smaller jails in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. The Manhattan proposal, now undergoing the official Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), involves a new 450 ft. tower at 124-125 White St. in Lower Manhattan (the current Manhattan Detention Complex).”
Also at 6 p.m. Tuesday, the New York City Bar will host the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Distinguished Lecture on Women and the Law. Following an introduction by Justice Ginsburg, Hon. Ann Claire Williams, Judge of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Ret.), will give a lecture.
At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, City & State NY will host the 2019 Staten Island Power 100 at the Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island Tea House Garden. Staten Island Borough President James Oddo will give keynote remarks.
Also at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Queens GOP will host its annual spring gala. Guests will include Joann Ariola-Shanks, Queens GOP party chair; Nick Langworthy, incoming New York State Republican Party Chair; and Michael Caputo, former campaign staffer for President Donald Trump.
At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Spectrum News NY1 will host a live, televised debate in the Democratic primary for Queens District Attorney. All seven candidates for the nomination – Tiffany Cabán, Melinda Katz, Rory Lancman, Greg Lasak, Betty Lugo, Mina Malik, and Jose Nieves – are scheduled to appear. The debate will be moderated by Errol Louis, with questions also coming from Bobby Cuza and Gloria Pazmino.
Also at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, City Council Member Francisco Moya will hold a community town hall with the East Elmhurst Corona Civic Association.
The state legislature will be in session on Wednesday in Albany.
At the City Council on Wednesday:
-At 10 a.m., the Committee on Aging will meet to follow up on the Unpaid Caregivers Comprehensive Plan.
-At 1 p.m., the Committee on Immigration will meet to conduct oversight on the Mayor’s Office of Immigration Affairs Annual Report.
-Also at 1 p.m., the Committee on Environmental Protection will meet to discuss three bills, two introduced by Council Member Costa Constantinides and one introduced by Council Member Donovan Richards. One bill aims to reduce methane emissions, another proposes the examination, survey, and mapping of all methane leaks in New York City, and the third would mandate the creation of a Department of Sustainability and Climate Change and the repeal of chapter 1, section 20 of the New York City Charter. For more details on the bills, visit the City Council website here.
-Also at 1 p.m., the Committee on Transportation will meet on two bills, one from Council Member Carlos Menchaca establishing that bicyclists “must follow pedestrian control signals when local law, rule or regulation provides that those signals supersede traffic control signals,” and another from Council Speaker Corey Johnson “requiring the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue and implement a master plan for the use of streets, sidewalks, and pedestrian spaces every five years.”
-At 2 p.m., the Committee on Economic Development will take a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The tour is not open to the public.
At 8 a.m. Wednesday, the Westin at Times Square will host the JUST Capital Investment Breakfast; in attendance will be State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
On Wednesday morning, WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show is hosting a debate among candidates for Queens District Attorney. The show airs 10 a.m. to noon weekdays.
At 4 p.m. Wednesday, the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board will hold a public board meeting “to discuss oversight of the NYPD. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about police-community relations and learn about key Agency updates. Investigators will be available to receive complaints of misconduct.”
At 5 p.m. Wednesday, this week’s Max & Murphy will air on WBAI radio, 99.5FM or wbai.org, and feature an update on the state legislative session in Albany as well as an extended interview with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“The next public hearing of the New York City Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC) will be held on Wednesday, June 12, starting at 5:30 p.m...The hearing will focus on the release of the 2018–2019 Voter Analysis report. This report includes a look at the work NYC Votes has done to engage New Yorkers in the 2018 elections, analysis of voter registration and turnout data throughout New York City, and a recap of how recent legislative changes have impacted New York’s elections.”
At 6 p.m. Wednesday in City Hall, the 2019 New York City Charter Revision Commission will hold a public meeting to “consider proposals for revisions to the New York City Charter for presentation to the voters of the November 5, 2019 election, and such other matters as may be necessary.”
Also at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, City Council Member Helen Rosenthal will host a special town hall on homelessness at the B’Nai Jeshurun Synagogue: “Be part of the conversation about how the Upper West Side community can best support our homeless neighbors. We will hear from advocates for the homeless, people who have experienced homelessness, and NYC residents working in partnership with local shelters.”
Also at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will host a Post Eid ul-Fitr celebration at the NYU Global Center for Spiritual Life.
The state legislature will be in session on Thursday in Albany.
At 8 a.m. Thursday at the New York Athletic Club, Crain’s New York Business will host NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill for a discussion of “the latest crime trends, the NYPD response and whether community policing, de-escalation training and other initiatives are working,” with moderators Erik Engquist of Crain’s and Stephanie Pagones of the New York Post asking questions after O’Neill gives remarks.
At 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the Flushing Library, the Center for an Urban Policy will hold a policy forum entitled “Harnessing NYC’s Public Libraries to Support Immigrants & Refugees.” “This forum will examine how the city's libraries can strengthen and expand their already-significant immigrant-focused initiatives and explore whether libraries are well-positioned to play a stepped-up role in other critical areas, such as ensuring an accurate Census count. The event will also discuss how city policymakers can better harness and support the important work New York’s libraries are doing with immigrants and refugees.”
“The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) will hold a public meeting on Thursday, June 13, at 10:00 AM.”
At 11 a.m. Thursday, Legal Hand Jamaica will host a housing fair on tenant’s rights. “Essential organizations and government agencies that support tenants by preventing eviction and homelessness, fighting discrimination and displacement, providing affordable housing options, and empowering tenants through supporting Tenants’ Associations will be available for consultation and questions.” Presentations will be given by the Legal Aid Society, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the City Department of Finance, and others.
At 1:30 p.m. Thursday, the City Council will hold a stated meeting in the Council Chambers at which bills that have been voted through committee are passed by the full Council and new bills are introduced. It will be preceded by the usual pre-Stated press conference hosted by Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
At 5 p.m. Thursday at Saint Francis College, the Rent Guidelines Board will hold a public hearing.
At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the Queens Daily Eagle, St. John’s University, and the NAACP will host a candidate forum for Queens District Attorney. Candidates invited include Tiffany Cabán, Melinda Katz, Rory Lancman, Greg Lasak, Betty Lugo, Mina Malik, and Jose Nieves.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, the Association for a Better New York will host a discussion and Q&A with Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr., who “will discuss his path to office, experiences in government, and vision for New York City.”
Also at 6 p.m. on Thursday, TransitCenter will host “A Better Bus Network for the Bronx” with MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “The MTA is soon expected to deliver the next installment in its citywide bus design network redesign with a plan for the Bronx, the borough with the highest bus ridership per capita. How did the MTA pursue this major undertaking? What should riders expect when it’s complete? What will success look like?” Also speaking will be Stephanie Burgos-Veras, Senior Organizer at Riders Alliance, and Christof Spieler, VP & Director of Planning at Huitt-Zollars, Senior Lecturer at Rice University, and Board Member at TransitCenter.
Also at 6 p.m. Thursday, City Council Member Ben Kallos, U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, and Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal will host a Roosevelt Island Town Hall.
Also at 6 p.m. on Thursday, City Council Member Vanessa Gibson will host the 6th Annual Housing Conference at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, with a keynote address from Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Friday, June 14 & the weekend
The state legislature will be in session on Friday in Albany.
Mayor de Blasio may make his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show on Friday at 10 a.m.
At 12:30 p.m. on Friday, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli will attend the New York-New Belfast Business and Investment Conference at Pier A Harbor House.
New York’s rent regulations are set to expire on Saturday June 15.
Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).
by Joey Fox and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
Tags: City Council
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4946
|
__label__wiki
| 0.98076
| 0.98076
|
Herald-Journal Atlantic Sun power rankings
By TODD SHANESYtodd.shanesy@shj.com
Staff writer Todd Shanesy breaks down the A-Sun heading into conference tournament play.
1. BELMONT Record: 19-1, 27-4 Last week: 1 Note: Bruins looking strong to make a return to the NCAA tournament after making it in 2008. 2. EAST TENNESSEE STATE Record: 16-4, 21-10 Last week: 2 Note: Two-time defending champ Buccaneers lost twice to Belmont, both times by 10 points. 3. MERCER Record: 11-9, 14-17 Last week: 5 Note: Bears have lost a couple of seniors to injury, but hope to make back-to-back title games. 4. LIPSCOMB Record: 12-8, 17-12 Last week: 4 Note: Only team to beat Belmont this season won three of its last five and the losses were close. 5. JACKSONVILLE Record: 13-7, 19-10 Last week: 3 Note: Dolphins lost their final two regular-season games against Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson. 6. NORTH FLORIDA Record: 10-10, 13-18 Last week: 6 Note: Ospreys won their last three games to finish at .500 in league play for the first time. 7. FLORIDA GULF COAST Record: 7-13, 10-19 Last week: 9 Note: Not eligible for tournament, but would have made it as the seventh seed of eight teams. 8. CAMPBELL Record: 6-14, 12-18 Last week: 7 Note: Stayed close with ETSU (losing 66-59) in a preview of a first-round tourney matchup. 9. KENNESAW STATE Record: 6-14, 8-22 Last week: 8 Note: Owls lost their last five and wouldn't have made tournament if FGC had been eligible. 10. STETSON Record: 6-14, 8-23 Last week: 11 Note: Head coach Derek Waugh led team past Jacksonville in finale, then resigned. 11. USC UPSTATE Record: 4-16, 5-25 Last week: 10 Note: Spartans beat Campbell last week but finished the season at the bottom of the rankings.
ATLANTIC SUN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS At Macon, Ga. Men Wednesday: (8) Kennesaw State vs. (1) Belmont, 2:30 p.m.; (7) Campbell vs. (2) East Tennessee State, 9 p.m. Thursday: (6) North Florida vs. (3) Jacksonville, 2:30 p.m.; (5) Mercer vs. (4) Lipscomb, 9 p.m. Friday: Semfinals at 6:30 p.m., 9 p.m. (CSS) Saturday: Championship at 6 p.m. (ESPN2) Women Wednesday: (8) Lipscomb vs. (1) East Tennessee State, noon; (7) Kennesaw State vs. (2) Stetson, 6:30 p.m. Thursday: (5) Jacksonville vs. (4) North Florida, noon; (6) Belmont vs. (3) Campbell, 6:30 p.m. Friday: Semfinals at noon, 2:30 p.m. (CSS) Saturday: Championship at noon (CSS) Coming Thursday: Southern Conference rankings
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4947
|
__label__cc
| 0.591662
| 0.408338
|
To find out more about cookies, what they are and how we use them, please see our privacy notice, which also provides information on how to delete cookies from your hard drive.
Operational advisory
Financial advisory services Home
Asia Services Group
Complex and international services
Financial models
Independent business review
IT forensics
Relationship property services
Restructuring and turnaround
Tax Home
Employment tax
Audit Home
Audit methodology
Audit technology
Financial reporting advisory
Operational advisory Home
IT privacy and security
Procurement/supply chain
Project assurance
Health and aged care
Grant Thornton New Zealand
Tax working group: summary of recommendations
While the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) much anticipated final recommendations don’t dramatically deviate from its interim report, a deep dive into the details might reveal measures that, if implemented, will significantly impact New Zealand businesses.
Watch this space for more in-depth commentary in the lead up to Government’s recommendations in April; in the meantime, here’s a summary of the Group’s report.
The taxation of capital gains
While they did not recommend introducing wealth or land taxes, all members of the Group agree that there should be an extension of the taxation of capital gains from residential rental investment properties; it recommends:
including gains and most losses from all types of land and improvements (except the family home), shares, intangible property and business assets.
recommends not including personal use assets (such as cars, boats or other household durables).
that the existing rules continue to apply to foreign shares that are currently taxed under the fair dividend rate method of taxation, as well as anything taxed under the financial arrangement rules.
only taxing gains and losses that arise after the implementation date (Valuation Day).
the tax be imposed on a realisation basis in most cases.
rollover treatment for certain life events (such as death and relationship separations), business reorganisations and small business reinvestment.
no discount for capital gains and no adjustment for inflation.
The taxation of business and savings
The TWG suggests the Government continues to monitor company tax rates around the world, particularly in Australia, and recommends against introducing a progressive company tax
The Group has recommended a number of measures to enhance productivity, some or all of these could form part of a tax reform package:
Changes to the loss continuity rules to support the growth of innovative start-up firms
Expanding deductions for ‘black hole’ expenditure
Concessions for nationally significant infrastructure projects
Restoring building depreciation decurions was also assessed, and the Group concluded that the Government could achieve this if capital gains tax is extended
In terms of the treatment of multinationals and digital firms, the Group recommends that the Government stand ready to implement an equalization tax on digital services if a significant number of other countries do the same
The Group also submitted the following suggestions for immediate action:
Increase the threshold for provisional tax from $2,500 to $5,000 of residual income tax.
Increase the closing stock adjustment from $10,000 to $20,000-$30,000.
Increase the $10,000 automatic deduction for legal fees and potentially expand the automatic deduction to other types of professional fees.
Reduce the number of depreciation rates and simplify the process for using default rates.
And subject to fiscal constraints, the Group the group suggests simplifying the fringe benefit tax and the entertainment adjustment (or even remove this adjustment altogether).
To encourage people to save for retirement, an increase in the tax benefits for low and middle income earners through KiwiSaver is supported by the Group; it also believes there is a case to exempt the New Zealand Superannuation Fund from New Zealand tax obligations.
Personal income taxation
The Group’s preferred approach in this area is to increase the bottom tax threshold, however a material reduction in personal income would require broader income tax changes, including an increase in the top marginal rate (this change is beyond the scope of the Group’s Terms of Reference).
Potential packages for tax reform
A broad extension of the taxation of capital gains is projected to raise approximately $8.3 billion over five years. The revenue is expected to increase over time, rising to a long-run average of 1.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) per annum, but it will also be volatile. This has led to Ministers directing the Group to develop revenue-neutral packages of tax reform for the Government’s consideration.
Matters requiring significant attention by Government
The Group supports Inland Revenue’s efforts to increase the compliance of the self-employed. They also recommend expanding the use of withholding taxes to increase compliance, and that withholding tax be extended as far as practicable so long as it does not create unreasonable compliance costs.
The integrity of the tax system
A clear need for Inland Revenue to strengthen the enforcement of rules for closely held companies was highlighted in the final report.
The TWG also suggested establishing a single Crown debt collection agency, to achieve economies of scale and more equitable outcomes across all Crown debtors.
The administration of the tax system
A need for greater public access to data and information about our tax system and the distribution of wealth in New Zealand is recommended by the TWG.
It also recommends the establishment of a taxpayer advocacy service to assist taxpayers in disputes with Inland Revenue, and that the Office of the Ombudsman is adequately resourced to carry out its duties.
Matters requiring further work
The TWG recommends that the Government periodically review the charitable sector’s use of what would otherwise be tax revenue to ascertain if intended social outcomes are being achieved.
In terms of private charitable funds and trusts, the Group says that the Government should consider whether to apply a distinction between privately controlled foundations and other charitable organisations, to remove concessions for privately controlled foundations or trusts that do not have arm’s length governance or distribution policies.
The Group decided not to recommend a reduction in the GST rate or the introduction of new GST exemptions.
It also does not recommend introducing a financial transactions tax at this point.
Make an enquiry/submit an RFP
About Grant Thornton
© 2019 Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL) - All rights reserved. "Grant Thornton” refers to the brand under which the Grant Thornton member firms provide assurance, tax and advisory services to their clients and/or refers to one or more member firms, as the context requires. GTIL and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. GTIL and each member firm is a separate legal entity. Services are delivered by the member firms. GTIL does not provide services to clients. GTIL and its member firms are not agents of, and do not obligate, one another and are not liable for one another’s acts or omissions.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4949
|
__label__cc
| 0.734355
| 0.265645
|
In a matter of 6 years, Martin Maes has gone from being a rookie teenager with abundant potential to one of the best mountain bikers in the world.
After starting the year with a series of second place finishes and a dislocated shoulder, 2018 would see Martin finally take the coveted top step at Enduro World Series in Whistler. Weeks later, he would stun the mountain biking world by taking gold at UCI Downhill World Cup in La Bresse. An achievement that elevated him to an elite group of athletes that have claimed victory in multiple disciplines.
This is a story that begins two decades ago in the rolling hills of Belgium, and brings us to the world stage of today. This is the story of Martin Maes. This is Spoke Tales.
Watch all of the Spoke Tales Season 3 episodes here.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4952
|
__label__wiki
| 0.521873
| 0.521873
|
The Immunomodulatory Prop… - Göteborgs universitet
The Immunomodulatory Prop…
The Immunomodulatory Properties of 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate are Mediated by the NLRP3 Inflammasome.
Sara Alizadehgharib
Anna-karin Östberg
Lena Larsson
Ulf Dahlgren
The journal of adhesive dentistry
Institutionen för odontologi
Institutionen för odontologi, sektion 3
dx.doi.org/10.3290/j.jad.a40514
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...
Immunbiologi, Biomaterialvetenskap
The methacrylate monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), commonly used in dentistry, has multiple effects on the immune system. This study examined whether HEMA affects the immune system by inducing formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the human monocyte cell line THP1 were cultured with or without 1000 μM HEMA. To block NLRP3 inflammasome activation, 130 mM KCl was also added to some of the cultures. For the in vivo studies, two different experimental setups were used. In the first experimental setup, mice were injected subcutaneously at the base of the tail with 20 μmol HEMA with or without 100 mM KCl. After 3 weeks, the animals were given an identical booster injection. Two weeks after the last injection, the mice were sacrificed and splenectomized. In the second experimental setup, HEMA (20 μmol), with or without 100 mM KCl, was injected subcutaneously into the tails of BALB/c mice. The mice were given two similar injections at 3-week intervals to allow evaluation of the local inflammation induced by HEMA. After the last inoculation, the injection site was examined daily for 4 days, after which the mice were sacrificed.Cultures of PBMCs and THP1 cells exposed to HEMA in vitro produced more IL-1ß and IL-18 than did control cells. Increased extracellular concentration of KCl inhibited the secretion of IL-1ß. HEMA exposure did not induce cytokine production in variants of the THP1 cell line unable to form the NLRP3 inflammasome. For the first experimental setup, the level of unstimulated basic splenocyte proliferation in vitro was significantly higher in cultures from mice exposed in vivo to HEMA only than in cultures from mice injected with HEMA plus KCl. In the second experimental setup of the in vivo studies, the HEMA-treated mice developed more pronounced inflammation at the site of injection compared to the group of mice given HEMA plus KCl.HEMA affects the immune system by inducing formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4953
|
__label__wiki
| 0.80514
| 0.80514
|
After building a following through constant touring, including opening for bands such as Kiss and Judas Priest, Iron Maiden changed the face of rock by unleashing a fusillade of platinum albums in the ’80s, featuring heavy riffs and harmonized solos by guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith.
GuitarPlayer
By Brian Clem
After building a following through constant touring, including opening for bands such as Kiss and Judas Priest, Iron Maiden changed the face of rock by unleashing a fusillade of platinum albums in the ’80s, featuring heavy riffs and harmonized solos by guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. When Smith left the band in 1990, they recruited Janick Gers to take his place. To their credit, they kept Gers on when Smith rejoined the fold and have rocked a three-guitar assault ever since. Today Maiden (and their iconic zombie mascot Eddie) charge headlong into the new decade with their 15th studio album, the Kevin Shirley-produced The Final Frontier [EMI].
What was the process for creating the new album?
Murray: We decided it would be a good idea to go back to the Bahamas again, where we recorded a few albums in the ’80s. The climate there is amazing, and the studio is familiar. In fact, it’s so familiar, it hadn’t changed in 25 years! We recorded the album in about six weeks. Kevin Shirley brought his electronic magical things with him. Obviously, we wouldn’t sound like 1985 again, but we were able to incorporate some of that vibe. It’s the classic Maiden sound, but it’s also a very clean recording. We spent about three weeks rehearsing, and then it was a matter of doing a few takes and getting “the one.” You need to keep things fresh.
What gear did you use on the new album? Was it your live rig, or did you experiment?
Murray: I like using effects, but it’s nice to go straight into the amp. We’d get the basics done live, and when I did use effects, it was when we overdubbed solos or guitar melodies. Then I’d use a bit of chorus or a Uni-Vibe, which I used on a couple of tracks. But if you plug straight into a Marshall amp, you’re gonna get a pretty great sound anyway.
Gers: I used Marshalls, plugged straight in. I don’t like it when you’re playing and you’ve got things ping-ponging around. When you have a pure sound, it helps everything stand apart, and that way everyone doesn’t sound like a bumblebee in a jar.
Smith: I like to go straight into the amp for the rhythm parts, and then when I do solos and stuff I might use something like a Tube Screamer to get a little more sustain. I used my old goldtop Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster, and my signature Jackson guitar, then straight into a Marshall DSL. The band was all playing in the same room, but our speaker cabinets would be in different parts of the building, so that way we’d have some separation.
Was the Uni-Vibe the actual pedal, or are you referring to a digital plug-in?
Murray: The pedal. I’ve had one for a while, but I’ve just started using it on some tracks, and now I’m taking it out on the road. It sounds great. It’s got a totally unique character. I don’t use it all the time, but I’ve always loved that sound.
How hard is it to play live with three distorted guitars, and not have them clash or sound muddy?
Murray: We have three really distinctive and different guitar sounds, so even when we’re playing together in unison or in harmony, it still sounds different because of our playing styles. We’re a heavy rock band, but we still have melodic clean parts. On this album specifically, it’s not just straight through heavy songs, there are also some quieter passages.
Smith: We all have a lot of differences in our playing, our vibrato, and the ways we approach the pick.
How do you determine who plays which parts in the studio?
Murray: It depends on the song, and whether it has harmony parts or not. We just sit down and go over those kinds of details. We look at it as a team effort, and everyone gets a chance to express themselves. It’s not hard. We don’t spend hours and hours working at it. It just sort of naturally unfolds.
You said that you recorded a lot of the new album live in the studio. Does that make it easier to replicate the harmony parts live?
Murray: Absolutely. That’s the way we’ve done it since day one. So when it comes to playing it live, we’re already ahead of the game. Some nights you get it down and everything is perfect, and some nights you do it and have a little mistake here or there, but you have to realize it’s a show, and just let it go.
Janick, with three guitars, what parts do you play on the earlier stuff live?
Gers: If you listen to those early Maiden albums, there are more than two guitars on there, there are four or five. So it’s just a matter of working out which part to do. There is no need to be playing all the time. I like to underplay. It’s all about making Iron Maiden sound better. It’s not an ego thing.
When you are playing live, do you try to recreate the tones from the previous records?
Smith: I don’t think that the actual gear is all that important as a player. I think if you’ve got good equipment, it’s really about your personality, because that’s what they are going to hear. I was always searching for the Holy Grail tone through the years, but it just doesn’t exist.
Who were some of your influences?
Murray: Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy.
Smith: When I was a little kid, it was the Beatles, of course. Then in my teen years, it was Deep Purple, Cream, and Thin Lizzy. I also listened to a lot of Jeff Beck and Pat Travers. As far as the metal side of it, it was Purple and Black Sabbath.
How would you say metal has evolved since Iron Maiden started?
Smith: When I was growing up, it was all just called heavy rock. Now there’s Euro metal, there’s death metal. Maiden is known as a metal band, but there is a lot of melody in what we do, and there is also the blues influence.
Murray: It has changed. There are a lot more bands out there now, and some of them are really heavy. A lot of bands have come out that use lower tunings on everything, and that’s something we’ve actually incorporated into a couple of our songs. There is plenty of space for all of them. I wish them well.
How did you get into lowered tunings?
Smith: There was one song that was originally in E that we had to drop down because it was too high for Bruce to sing. It’s a powerful, low, heavy rock song, and it sounds great in D. I’ve been trying to get everyone to tune down for years to make it sound a bit heavier, but no one was really interested in doing it. I’ve been playing around with dropped tunings for a long time.
Have you heard any players recently that you think are playing at a high level?
Gers: Not really. I really have to go back to the ones that I grew up listening to, like Rory Gallagher and Paul Kossoff. My favorite was Jeff Beck, who could just pull things out of thin air. Those are the ones that give me the shivers.
Murray: I like Joe Bonamassa, but basically I listen to the guys I grew up with. They tend to remaster that stuff from time to time, so I just end up buying it over and over again. I prefer to listen to a lot of the older stuff: B.B. King, Albert Collins, and Django Reinhardt.
Smith: I like guys from the ’90s like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. You have to respect those guys. Any more though, it seems that the guitar is used as a battering ram, and you don’t seem to hear a lot of melodic soloing.
It’s well known that radio and television haven’t been particularly helpful to Maiden, yet you’ve sold 100 million albums. When you started, there was no Internet or mp3s, so you had to do it the hard way.
Smith: It was a hard yard, a hard mile. We toured a lot and we built up a solid following around the world. If radio’s not going to play us, then we’re going to go out and play it for the people. We’re a bit different than a lot of them now, because you come to see us and it’s a big rock show. A lot of kids come to see us, and they probably haven’t seen anybody do quite what we’re doing. I think those are the kind of bands that stick with you. We can’t go on forever, but we’re enjoying it and we’re not going to stop anytime soon.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4954
|
__label__wiki
| 0.736995
| 0.736995
|
Turkey-Russia Crisis: Q&A With Haaretz's Zvi Bar'el
Our Middle East expert answers your questions on the states' spiraling ties in wake of the downed warplane.
Zvi Bar'el
Send me email alerts for new articles by Zvi Bar'el
SendSend me email alerts
Turkey’s downing of Russian jet brings Syrian crisis to boiling point
After plane downed, Russians up air defenses near Syrian-Turkish border
Putin’s turnabout in Syria is ISIS’ nightmare
Ahead of Haaretz Q, Dr. Zvi Bar'el, our Middle East affairs analyst, answered readers' questions about the spiraling relationship between Ankara and Moscow after Turkey downed a Russian warplane that was fighting in Syria.
Q. When Israeli troops killed Turkish nationals on the Mavi Marmara it caused a total breakdown in ties between the countries that, years later, has not yet been resolved. Do you expect a similar breakdown in ties between Ankara and Moscow?
A. The context of this situation is different to that of the Mavi Marmara. Russia and Turkey are strategic allies on a wide range of issues. Russia supplies more than half of Turkey's gas consumption, Turkey needs Russia's cooperation to prevent the establishment of a Syrian-Kurdish "state," and Russia uses Turkey to bypass the sanctions enacted by the European Union and American over Russia's annexation of Crimea. Hence, it looks likely that the two countries will mend their dispute soon. You can read my latest analysis, "Despite Bold Declarations, Russia and Turkey Have Too Much Lose," for more on this.
Q. Russia's President Vladimir Putin thought he could flex his muscles unopposed in Syria. Do you think he grossly underestimated the region?
A. Putin can rely on the fact that no country is willing to get involved in a war in Syria. He has a lot of leverage on Syrian President Bashar Assad's decisions and he is cooperating with Iran. Thus, it is mostly up to Russia and Iran to draw the political map of the solution to the Syrian war.
Q. Do you think NATO will back Turkey against Russia?
A. NATO has already backed Turkey. However, the organization is investing efforts in reconciling the two states. The last thing NATO wants now is to engage in a dispute with Russia over Syria.
Q. Is Turkey's NATO membership the main reason for Russia's (apparent) restraint or for Turkey's (apparent) arrogance in this conflict?
A. Turkey does not operate as a NATO proxy, nor does Russia consider its conflict with Turkey a NATO-Russia dispute. Yet, both countries are bound together by myriad of interests that help to restrain their reactions.
Q. How do the reactions of the United States and NATO to Russian aggression against a NATO member affect the future situation in the former Soviet satellite countries?
A. NATO condemned the Russian attacks while trying to mediate between Turkey and Russia. It is difficult to say at this point to what extent NATO would be willing to interfere militarily. I believe that NATO prefers to detach the Syrian arena from eastern Ukraine, so right now those attacks would have no bearing on other areas.
Q. What are some scenarios in which Russia could push NATO into having to choose between backing Turkey, and getting sucked into a quagmire and possible confrontation with Russia, and one in which NATO does not back a member and Russia uses that nonsupport in its favor with former satellites?
A. NATO's position is to refrain from any military engagement in Syria or in other parts of the world. Backing Turkey is demonstrated now by NATO's rhetoric.
Q. Why hasn't Turkey apologized to Russia for downing the jet?
A. Turkey's will likely issue an apology as the next step.
Q. But why did it refuse to apologize thus far? And why do you expect it will change its mind now?
Every conflict has it course of evolution. Prestige has an important role in cultivating conflicts, yet real interests tend to prevail.
Q. What would be more beneficial to Israel's strategic interests: that the tension between Turkey and Russia subsides, or that it escalates to, say, a conflict?
A. Although neither Turkey nor Russia are strategic allies of Israel, Israel would not benefit from any dispute or tension between the two countries. Both are important partners in the current international process that aims to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. Ending the war in Syria is a strategic interest of Israel, hence it is imperative that all parties concerned reach a consensus. A conflict between Turkey and Russia is definitely not helpful to achieve that goal.
Q. Underneath it all, is the real point of contention between Turkey and Russia that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is afraid of the Kurds gaining power?
A. That is a major concern of Turkey.
Q. A lot has been written about the Kurds and the Al Nusra Front, among those fighting Assad. But until now we've barely heard of the Turkmen. Why is that? And who are they?
A. In fact, we also did not head about the Yazidis before they were massacred by Islamic State, not did we head about the Houthis in Yemen before the war. The Turkmen are one of the ethnic minorities that live mainly in Syria and Iraq. There are between 100,000 to 200,000 Turkmen living in Syria and they are considered by Assad's regime to be proxies of Turkey. Soon after Turkey shot down the Russian warplane, the Turkmen were attacked by Russian bombers. Turkey considers the Turkmen in Syria and Iraq to be its protégées. Hence the uproar in Turkey against Russia's claims that it is fighting terrorists while killing Turkmen civilians.
Q. To what extent do you think Turkey will tolerate Russia's continued and increased targeting of the Turkmen inside of Syria before Erdogan strikes back?
A. Russia is aware of Turkey's sensitivity toward the Turkmen population in Syria. However, it claims that it hits ISIS targets in the Latakya region, a claim that Turkey refutes by arguing that ISIS has little presence in that area. If Russia continues its attacks on the Turkmen, Turkey might intensify its aerial presence in the north eastern part of Syria, which may end in a clash between the two air forces.
Q. Was the Russian plane in Syrian airspace or Turkish airspace?
A. This is currently the core of the dispute. However, even if the Russian plane did cross into Turkish airspace, it is questionable as to whether Turkey needed to shoot it down.
Q. But Turkey said Russia had entered its airspace against Anakara's wishes on a number of occasions before it shot down this plane. That is, it seems Turkey was sick and tired of Russia ignoring its air-space sovereignty and this was its way of putting its foot down. What alternatives do you think Turkey had?
A. There is a difference between a hostile incursion and a non-hostile one. Russia's planes have entered Israel's air space and still there is full cooperation with the Russian air force.
Q. So what was Turkey's real motive in downing the Russian jet?
A. Formally, to protect its sovereignty. Turkey has warned Russia several times in the past not to penetrate its airspace. However, as Russia and Turkey are not enemies, apparently there was no threat to Turkey from Russia's incursion, so it seems more like a protestation of national pride rather than a protective measure.
Q. Do you think the conflict in Syria is turning into World War Three?
Q. How has this incident helped or hurt Turkey's stand within the European Union in regard to the integration process?
A. Turkey is using the European Union's panic over the influx in Syrian refugees into Europe to promote its accession to the EU. The incident with Russia is not a factor in that equation.
Q. How does this incident affect the peace talks regarding Syria? (Some reports indicate that the deterioration in Turkish-Russian relations upsets the fragile Western coalition that is trying to stop ISIS, build bridges with moderate rebels, and find a solution for Syria that doesn't include Bashar Assad. What is your analysis?
A. It may affect the political negotiations as Russia may intensify its attacks against militias that are supported by Turkey, or if Russia further adopts the Syrian Kurds as partners, while Turkey regards them as terrorists. Yet, both Turkey and Russia have a mutual interest to end the war in Syria. It does not seem likely that either country would boycott the negotiations which will soon be resumed.
Q. Who can outlast a prolonged economic sanctions campaign – Russia or Turkey? And how does this affect Iran and Turkey and their relationship to each other, with regards to trade and energy between the two and with regards to their situation with the countries in the region?
A. So far, Russia has imposed only declarative sanctions on Turkey. If prolonged, they may hurt Turkey's tourism industry and part of its agricultural exports. However, Turkey's economy is healthy and Russia needs Turkey economically as much as Turkey needs the Russian market.
Q. Where does Saudi Arabia fit into this situation between Turkey and Russia for promoting its own agenda?
A. Russia and Turkey have good relations with Saudi Arabia, which is concerned mainly with the Iranian influence in the area. Hence, Saudi Arabia needs to coordinate its policies with Russia and with Turkey in order to maintain some influence over Syria's future and to minimize Iran's impact on the political outcome of the negotiations. Accordingly, so far, Saudi Arabia has not taken sides in the dispute between Turkey and Russia, hoping to keep both of them on its side.
Q. This is a related question, albeit slightly off-topic: Does a fragmented Syria (or fragmented Lebanon, Iraq or Turkey) help or hinder the West in its future dealings in the Middle East? Particularly in regards to formulating actions against extremist groups, the consequences resulting from effects of climate change on the region, or bringing the regional players to any type of enforceable treaty if the region reverts to a tribal, rather than national, basis. And, if these states do all fragment, does that boost Iran's status in both the region and the world stage as a populated state, a stable entity and one that has had a strong infrastructure for centuries?
A. There are too many assumptions in this question to address. We have to realize that only four out of 22 Arab states and 57 Muslim nations are going through a process of civil war and fragmentation. But even in those countries, the struggle is over who rules their countries and not tribal areas. It is too early to mourn nationalism in the Middle East.
That's all we've got time for today. Thank you for all your questions.
Haaretz Correspondent
Sign up now and get every new article in your inbox
'+ ' Email* '+ '
'+ ' ' + ' ' + '
Israel Turkey
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4955
|
__label__wiki
| 0.677337
| 0.677337
|
Janet L. Meyer
Home / Staff / Janet L. Meyer
A leader in not-for-profit healthcare, Janet L. Meyer is a seasoned and results-oriented professional experienced in integrated delivery systems, community-driven transformation and publicly funded healthcare.
During her career, she has served Medicaid enrollees at the highest level as a health plan chief executive (CEO) and chief operating officer (COO).
Before joining HMA, Janet was CEO of Health Share of Oregon where she led certification, development and implementation of the state’s largest coordinated care organization (CCO) serving Medicaid enrollees. She successfully developed and implemented strategic plans and tactical initiatives to address health disparities, upstream prevention initiatives, and targeted programs for vulnerable and high-risk populations.
With a focus on data and analytics, she worked to elevate equity and the elimination of disparities in the CCO by prioritizing staff education and development programs, appointment of a chief engagement and equity officer, funding a fully staffed equity team, and prioritizing disparities and equity metrics.
A leader in developing community based, cross-sector collaboratives, Janet also worked to develop and implement strategies to build and maintain strong, cross-functional teams, mutually-beneficial partnerships, and products and services to reach a diverse audience. She has significant experience with alternate payment methodologies and Medicaid rate setting. Her previous work also included clinic management, leading product diversification initiatives and assisting with Medicare Advantage rollout.
Janet earned a Master of Health Administration from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.
She is a devotee of the amazing food and drink in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys golf when it is not raining.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4961
|
__label__wiki
| 0.78853
| 0.78853
|
Alexander Walker and Teresa Cahill are awarded the Elgar Medal
Two new recipients of the Elgar Society’s Medal have been announced and will be presented later this year.
Conductor Alexander Walker has been a champion of British music and Elgar in particular over many years, performing his music both in the UK and in places as far flung as Belarus, Russia, Poland and Turkey. This year his schedule includes the Enigma Variations in Leatherhead, the Starlight Express in Abingdon and Symphony No.2 in Romania. The Elgar Society is delighted to recognise his contribution to the appreciation of Elgar’s music particularly overseas.
Soprano Teresa Cahill has been a firm supporter of the music of Edward Elgar for many years. Over a long and distinguished career, she has performed the widest possible range of his music in concert, broadcasts and on record. In so doing she has shared the stage with such well known Elgarians as Richard Lewis, Vernon Handley and Sir Alexander Gibson. This award represents a long overdue recognition of her outstanding work and commitment to Elgar’s music.
HELLO STAGE
PrevPreviousSydney Opera House becomes Billboard
NextMontero Wins Beethoven Prize 2018Next
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4963
|
__label__wiki
| 0.825741
| 0.825741
|
Scattered thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..
Scattered thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Tragedy avoided at MC beach
By JEFF MAYES - Staff Writer
MICHIGAN CITY – A man who spends his time educating people about the dangers of Lake Michigan was an eyewitness to a near tragedy in Lake Michigan, when a toddler on an inflatable toy drifted out into open water before being rescued by boaters.
County pays $130K to hackers
Exploring Pioneerland
By JADE GLAB Staff Writer (219) 326-3870 jglab@heraldargus.com
Photo by Gerald YoakumWorkers completed some maintenance projects at the La Porte County Fairgrounds earlier this week, including shoring up some of the bleachers before they're filled with fair-goers starting Sunday.
Photo by Gerald YoakumMaintenance work, including paving and patching of roadways, was continuing earlier this week at the La Porte County Fairgrounds in preparation for the annual 4-H Fair on July 7-13.
Fairgrounds: What's in a name?
New leadership wants to rebrand site for year-round appeal
La PORTE – Hoping to get more events lined up at the La Porte County Fairgrounds – and stop draining county resources to do it – a new management corporation will be taking over operation of the facility, and one of the first orders of business will be a new name.
The not-for-profit La Porte County Fairgrounds Management and Events Corporation board of directors has been meeting monthly for more than a year, with a goal of "providing resources necessary to attract and host events on a year-round basis," according to Patricia Harris, chair of FMEC's Planning & Marketing Committee.
"The top priority is to hire a business manager for FMEC to oversee operations at the fairgrounds," she said.
Another will be renaming the grounds – on State Road 2 on the southwest side of La Porte.
"Research has shown that the name should reflect the purpose of the facility," Harris said.
And because plans are do much more than just host the annual La Porte County 4-H Fair, a branding change is called for.
"We would like the name to represent what the facility will be in the future. We want it to reach out to a national and international market and also make a statement about La Porte County."
Before the new name can be effective however, a lot of preparation was necessary.
The first priority for the 11-member board, which includes stakeholders from across La Porte County, was "to make the necessary infrastructure improvements to the county-owned property in order to provide a safe and efficient venue for all events," Harris said.
Among the improvements already complete are upgrades to electrical services, expanded and improved water lines, and sanitary sewer upgrades, she said.
Last fall, the county approved that work, with the price estimated at nearly $800,000. And in April, the County Council approved an additional appropriation of $125,000 to pay for infrastructure improvements.
"The goals for infrastructure improvements are 80 percent complete, with some additional work planned to improve roads, parking and technology," Harris said.
FMEC will formally begin management of the facility on Jan. 1, 2020, but the process started two years ago.
In July 2017, the County Council, by resolution, announced management of the facility would be overhauled. It said the five-year-old lease agreement with the La Porte County Agricultural Association was “impractical” and no longer binding because the association was facing “severe financial challenges” in managing and maintaining the fairgrounds.
Although the property is owned by the county, the 4-H Fair and other events had been managed since 1845 by the Fair Board, which was also responsible for maintaining and leasing the grounds throughout the year.
The resolution called for creation of the new not-for-profit to maintain and manage the site, and like the Fair Board, be charged a $1 annual “rent” fee.
But the resolution also said the FMEC's responsibilities would "go above and beyond preparing the fairgrounds for the annual fair to include a variety of exhibitions, concerts, functions and events."
It also recommended the new lease include a revenue-sharing component with county government, so in years when revenues exceed expenses, a percentage of the net gain could be returned to taxpayers.
The new board includes representation from the County Council, Board of Commissioners, Fair Board, Purdue Cooperative Extension, Pioneer Land, La Porte County 4-H, La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a member appointed by the sheriff.
They meet on the third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. in the Sheriff’s building at the fairgrounds, and all meetings are open to the public.
MORE THAN JUST THE FAIR
Marketing for the La Porte County Fairgrounds should "reach out to the global community," according to Patricia Harris, chair of the La Porte County Fairgrounds Management and Events Corporation's Planning & Marketing Committee, "so the board is seeking suggestions from the community on a new name."
Have a suggestion for renaming the Fairgrounds? Ideas and suggestions should be directed to Harris at 219-879-6902 or harrispat@att.net.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4964
|
__label__wiki
| 0.919634
| 0.919634
|
Generally cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..
La PORTE – A La Porte woman was not hurt, but got quite a scare when she woke up Sunday morning to find a stranger sitting in the hallway of her home.
Carson Husmann
Kyle Schmack
Gavin Kelly
Roman Kuntz
NP, SC pairs named all-state in baseball
It might have been the third time Carson Husmann was named Class A all-state, but the South Central graduate's not one to rest on his many laurels.
"You can only get better from where you're at," Husmann said Friday from Cincinnati, where he's playing in a tournament with the Midwest Rangers. "I still have to keep improving."
The Satellites outfielder earned the all-state hat trick from the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association on Friday, joining teammate Kyle Schmack, who was tabbed as a shortstop. It was part of a four-player haul for La Porte County that also included New Prairie outfielders Gavin Kelly and Roman Kuntz.
Husmann, a Bradley recruit, hit .444 with 14 home runs, 37 RBI and 42 runs, posting a whopping 1.208 slugging percentage. A defensive standout in center field, Husmann was also 4-2 with 44 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings pitched. Only three other players were multi-year selections, including Andrean's Michael Doolin, but Husmann was the sole three-timer across the four classes.
"It's exciting for sure," Husmann said. "I'm very thankful. If I did or didn't (make it), it was an awesome year with the seven seniors. It was such a tight-knit group. It was a fun year all-around. It's an awesome feeling to see all the hard work, all the seasons, all the time you put in off the field, not just in high school, pay off. It makes me glad I did all that."
Schmack, who will play at Valparaiso, hit .568 with 39 runs, 41 RBI, 11 doubles and eight home runs, The La Porte County Player of the Year was 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA on the mound.
"I am very proud of Carson and Kyle," former Satellites coach Ryan Kruszka said. "They have been leaders in our program for the past four years. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to coach them and know that they will be successful as they transition to Division I baseball. It is great to see them get the recognition they deserve for having successful high school careers."
New Prairie had two first-teamers for what it is believed to be the first time. Its last all-stater was Garrett Curless in 2006.
"The better the team does, the more team attention you get and individual attention as well," Cougars couach Mark Schellinger said. "They all had great years. It just speaks to the body of work they had. It's pretty awesome that there were three (Class 3A) outfielders in the entire seasons and we had two of them."
Kelly hit .505 with 29 extra-base hits and 39 RBI as a junior, striking out just eight times in 113 plate appearances. His outfield mate, Kuntz, who will play for Lake Michigan College, hit .437 with seven triples, five home runs, 38 runs and 38 RBI. He had only 10 strikeouts in 117 plate appearances. Additionally, NP's Hunter Robinson was an honorable mention pick. The Purdue Northwest recruit shined in particular on the mound, where he was 9-2 with a miniscule 0.70 ERA, racking up 117 strikeouts in 69 innings. He also hit .362 with four home runs and 27 RBI.
Cats get more room to prowl
4-Hers net Horse and Pony accolades
WOMAN HURT IN CAR-SEMI CRASH
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4965
|
__label__wiki
| 0.548943
| 0.548943
|
Dr. W. Gifford-Jones: Viagra, hangover hazards and other medical tidbits
Dr. W. Gifford-Jones
There are more uses for Viagra than meet the eye.
There are more uses for Viagra than meet the eye. You can get more than the Mother of All Hangovers after a night of binge drinking. Few parents give much thought to the fact that children face a hazard when urged to brush their teeth. And roller coaster rides this summer could provide more than thrills. All are topics worthy of concern.
If you’re depressed these days due to all the bad economic news, perhaps a glass cabernet sauvignon could help to ease the tension. But a report in the British Medical Journal makes alarming reading for those who have a habit of binge drinking.
Dr. Mohantha Dooldeniya is a urologist at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, England. He reports that three women arrived at the hospital after a bender. They all complained of lower abdominal pain. Doctors initially diagnosed cystitis, a bladder infection. Later, when they used abdominal scans and laparoscopy to peek into the abdomen, they were shocked to find that the urinary bladder had ruptured.
How could this happen? Alcohol is a diuretic that makes you urinate more often. But it’s also an anesthetic and dulls the urge to go. This is a bad combination. Often the intoxicated person falls asleep and urinates in bed. But in some cases bladder pressure is so strong and the senses so dulled that the bladder ruptures. And if the person falls with a distended bladder, rupture is even more likely.
We all know what Viagra does, but who would have guessed that it could help to slow down the destruction of our planet? Dr. John Grantmyre writes in the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society report that Viagra is decreasing the slaughter of some endangered animals. Parts of these animals have been used for years as aphrodisiacs.
For instance, in 1996 Canada exported 30,398 seal penises to South East Asia. Ten years ago they were selling for $100 each. But after Viagra became available two years later, the cost had dropped to a tenth of that price. There’s also been a 72 percent drop in reindeer antler velvet (a Chinese aphrodisiac).
Remember that eggs and microwaves don’t mix. Eggs cooked in a microwave oven reach a higher temperature than if they were boiled. One 9-year-old girl reheated a previously boiled egg, then placed it in a bowl. Thirty minutes later, it exploded, striking her right eye and face. The explosion perforated the cornea of the eye and ruptured the anterior lens capsule. Following the injury she could only see hand movements. Her vision was restored after several operations and the insertion of a plastic lens.
Are you planning this summer to take children on a roller coaster ride? Dr. Jurgen Kuschyk, a cardiologist at University Hospital in Mannheim, Germany, reports that anyone over 14 years of age should get a physical checkup before doing so. This should include an electrocardiogram, and even better, an echocardiogram.
Dr. Kuschyk’s study involved 57 volunteers ranging from 18 to 79 years of age.
Electrocardiograms monitored the heart rhythm before, during, and after a ride. Doctors were surprised to find that 44 percent of participants had irregular rhythms lasting up to five minutes. Most rides generate 4 Gs (gravitational force), super rides 4 to 5 Gs. Fighter pilots can pass out when subjected to 6 to 9 Gs.
“Go brush your teeth before bed” is a familiar cry from parents. But Dr. Steven McFaull, a research analyst at the Public Health Agency of Canada, says the lowly toothbrush can cause a life-threatening injury.
Few injuries occurred while children brushed their teeth. The problem was fooling around with the toothbrush in their mouths and bumping into something. In a few cases the entire toothbrush was swallowed. If a toothbrush contains batteries, this is a medical emergency.
Are you worried about drinking too much alcohol? This summer, change the shape of your glass. A report in the British Medical Journal says that people pour 20 to 30 percent more liquid into short wide glasses than tall narrow ones.
See the Web site www.mydoctor.ca/gifford-jones.
Dr. W. Gifford-Jones is actually Dr. Ken Walker, a practicing physician in Toronto who writes many columns at his Bristol Harbour, N.Y. residence.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4966
|
__label__wiki
| 0.905094
| 0.905094
|
Herald Weekly
5 Hollywood Stars Regret How They Became Famous
July 10, 2019 | Mark Villanueva
The tendency to do foolish things when we’re young is quite common; I mean who hasn’t made a stupid decision before? These 5 celebrities show that they weren’t invulnerable, too, when they were just trying to make it in Hollywood, and today, they cringe at such memories.
Wahlberg The Model
Like most young men at a certain phase in life, Mark Wahlberg told Conan O’Brien how embarrassing it is to look back to his days as a model and rapper. He calls himself the “biggest punk in the world,” for reasons he probably could no longer recall. A rebel for no reason or cause. He’s making sure his son never follows his old ways.
Not Proud Of Her Accent
English actress Kate Winslet took the opportunity to star in Titanic, which turned out to be a huge commercial success. But looking back to her experience, all she can think about was how untrue her American accent was. She abhors its pretentiousness, the sheer memory of it, but tells the Telegraph she understands how artists can be overly critical with little things.
Megan Fox On Her First Big Role
Megan Fox got her breakout role in Transformers, which might not be type to showcase her acting skills, and she’d recall at how terrible she was in it. “It’s my first real movie and it’s not honest and not realistic.” Fox told Entertainment Weekly. But the 2007 film reached $709 million, and it wasn’t bad at all. It brought her lasting fame!
Not Fond Of Musicals
When Christian Bale was seventeen, he wanted a role that would highlight the traits every dashing young man like himself want to be known for. He wanted to be taken seriously as an actor, instead he got cast in Walt Disney’s Newsies, a musical comedy-drama. Bale told Entertainment Weekly that he never wanted to go for a musical but it was too late. It took awhile for him to get over it.
Embarrassed About His Breakthrough Role
Few child actors transition successfully into adult roles, but Zac Efron has done it in The Greatest Showman, and Neighbors. He has every reason to celebrate, but that means acknowledging his teenage roles that have made him a household name. He never watches High School Musical because it’s embarrassing to him, and definitely not something he brags about with friends. He told the Independent, “it’s not a real thing,” and it’s just counterintuitive to the way he chooses all of his adult roles.
The Wisdom Segment
I The kind St. Nicholas, who was later known as Santa Claus, helped to pay the dowries of three girls because he did not want them to be sold into prostitution.
II The whole history and being of the Santa Claus character is a figure cast, portrayed by St. Nicholas, a real person who lived in the 4th century in Patara, now known as modern day Turkey.
III Most of St. Nicholas's skeleton was stolen by looters, along with some relics where his remains were kept.
IV The Holy Mary picture is the only one portrayed all over the world by artists, yet, the St. Nicholas picture accounts for more than that of any other saint ever recorded in the Bible, or ones that came after biblical saints.
V St. Nicholas is not only a name, it is also an ideology, a phenomenon. For example, he is the patron saint of banking, scholarship, pawnbroking, pirating, butchery, sailing, thievery, orphans, haberdashery, and New York city.
VI Thomas Nasty is a German-born actor that brought about the modern version of Santa, as a jolly, chubby, and red-dressed old man. In 1931, he was used by Coca-Cola for advertising purposes. This strengthened his image in the mainstream media.
Mark Villanueva | July 16, 2019
Five Strange Facts About ‘Thundercats’ That You Missed as a Kid
When the Thundercats' characters came to our TV screens in 1985, they quickly earned the adoration of many children, who couldn’t help but sing along with its unique theme song...
Mitch Perfecto | July 16, 2019
Ben Affleck Reveals Why He is Retiring his Batman Suite
Numerous speculations have emerged behind Ben Affleck’s resignation from his role as Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). After the disappointing outcome of the Justice League..
David Ralph Retuya | July 14, 2019
5 Movies That Took a Toll on Their Star’s Bodies
It's true that actors and actresses get paid millions of dollars, look flawless every time, walk the red carpet, and have countless supporters, but it's not always glamour and..
Visit additional Samyo sites
All rights reserved to Samyo © 2019
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4967
|
__label__wiki
| 0.73107
| 0.73107
|
TREVOR BRAHAM
The idea of founding a Himalayan Club, and a general concept of what its aims and objects should be, was first suggested about 100 years ago. But it was not until the late 1920s that the initiative and energy of a small group of men brought about the means that resulted in its formation. Pre-eminent in this group were Geoffrey Corbett, then Secretary for Commerce and Industry to the Government of India, and Kenneth Mason, Superintendent of Surveys, Survey of India. Corbett and Mason discussed the project frequently together during 1926 and 1927; Corbett arousing the interest of persons highly placed in Simla and Delhi, and Mason sounding out various Alpine Club friends as well as mountaineers in France, Germany and Switzerland. In one of his letters to me a few years ago, Mason wrote: 'Corbett's motto was "It is the first step that counts", and we were both determined to found the Club on rock.' When both felt sure that they could count upon sufficient support the decision was finally taken to form the Club. Mason and Corbett sent out a circular letter on 20 December 1927 addressed to men all over India, Europe, Africa and America who had 'done things in the Himalaya. The response exceeded their expectation : and when the Club was formally inaugurated on 17 February 1928 Geoffrey Corbett was able to say that its 127 Founder Members 'contribute to the objects of the Club much that there is of Himalayan knowledge and experience'. At its outset the Club enjoyed a sound financial base, a foundation fund of several thousand rupees having been subscribed by its founders.
In the early days Corbett was well aware that if the Club were to expand and to flourish, it should help to foster in the widest sense the opportunities that the Himalaya offered. At first ‘shikar seemed to provide a strong motive for many, but Corbett included in his plans the need and the means to encourage those interested in geography, geology, glaciology, botany, zoology, ethonology, photography and mountaineering. In his concept of the Club's future role he expressed the hope that 'it may help to rear a breed of men in India, hard and self-reliant, who will know how to enjoy life on the high hills.'
Mason gives a glimpse of the era that preceded the Club's formation, possibly extending slightly into the earliest years of the Club's life, when he wrote in a letter to me in 1973: 'the expense and the difficulty of overseas expeditions to the Himalaya will not diminish, and future travellers will forget how much has been done before. My book (Abode of Snow) was intended to put on record how much we were indebted to those who had gone to the Himalaya before. There was much more fun in the old days when one went where one liked, and boundaries did not matter, and restrictions did not restrict; nor was climbing of interest to newspapers, and climbers did not have to do what the press desired.'
The Club's 50-year history, during which it has been closely linked with the development of Himalayan activity, could be divided roughly into four periods.
The first period 1928-39 was one of consolidation and expansion. Established upon sound foundations, an organization was gradually built to provide assistance and advice, which was drawn from the available reserves of Himalayan knowledge and experience. This role was shared by the Club's office-bearers and by its technical correspondents spread far and wide all over India, each expert in his field and possessing an intimate knowledge of his region. Maps and records were available from the Club's library to members, who also had access to camping equipment from the Club's stores. The local secretary in Darjeeling began to organize a system for the recruitment of Sherpa porters and to compile an official register of men available for employment. Every porter upon registration received a numbered Record Book showing his experience, usually written up by expedition leaders. This unique system, to which all were able to turn, whether large expeditions or small groups, soon resulted in Darjeeling becoming the focal point for the engagement of Sherpa porters. The whole burden of the work rested upon the Club's Honorary Local Secretary who could be relied upon to select suitable men for employment according to rules laid down by the Club. In those days the Club awarded a 'Tiger' badge to porters recommended by leaders of expeditions for 'devotion to duty at high altitude'. This usually went to men who had distinguished themselves on Everest, Kangchenjunga and Nanga Parbat. Up to 1940, sixteen Tiger Badges were awarded. Expeditions from abroad were assisted with local arrangements, and in the early years it was normal for a member of the Club to accompany the larger European expeditions in order to provide practical help with transport.
One of the Club's more important activities was the publication of the Himalayan Journal. The first volume was published in 1929 and succeeding volumes appeared annually up to 1940. The first 12 volumes under the editorship of Kenneth Mason carried high authority, recording virtually every major and a large number of the minor Himalayan undertakings of the period. Volumes I-IV were printed by Thacker's Press in Calcutta and Volumes V-XII by the Clarendon Press in Oxford. This first period of the Club's life seemed to mark the start of a new Himalayan era, ushering in two distinct categories of Himalayan expeditions, the large sponsored enterprise aiming at the ascent of a major peak, and the small privately organized group interested in exploration. The first was typified by repeated British and German attempts to climb Everest, Kangchenjunga and Nanga Parbat and the second by the activities of individuals like Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman.
The Club was only 12 1\2 years old when World War II began. The war brought Himalayan activity to a temporary halt, and the affairs of the Himalayan Club, which had flourished largely through the individual efforts of men in the civil and defence services of India, came almost to a standstill. In August 1945 an Air crew Mountain Centre was set up in Kashmir, essentially for servicemen recuperating from the war in Burma. Those who were the main moving spirits of this project, Tony Smythe, Wilfrid Noyce, John Jackson, T. H. Tilly and others, all became members of the Himalayan Club drawing from and contributing to the limited facilities that the Club was then able to offer. It was often possible for individuals or small groups of servicemen to spend brief periods of leave visiting the more accessible Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Garhwal and Kashmir. Trekking grew enormously in popularity, and some were even lucky enough to achieve small climbs on peaks of 20,000 ft. Those undertaking such ventures were glad to avail themselves of the club's library and equipment store which were still located in Delhi. The Sherpa population in Darjeeling, which only a few years before hardly had seemed sufficient to meet a growing demand from expeditions, found during the war great difficulty in obtaining employment. But a few of their leaders, men such as Angtharkay, Wangdi Norbu, Pasang Dawa, began individually to offer their services as guides, organizing arrangements for trekking parties.
It was at about this time, following my first visit to Sikkim in 1945, that I joined the Club. The headquarters were still in Delhi, although a small library and equipment store were available in Calcutta where was living. I lost no time in making contact with members who could assist me with information and I consulted books, maps and such old records as were available. This opened up a new world for me, and when I planned my next visit to Sikkim in 1946, I had already made separate plans for the next three years ahead.
I think that, excluding the relatively quiet spell of war years, it was about then that the Club entered its short second period spanning the years 1946-50. Post-war expedition activity commenced in 1947 with the arrival of a party of five Swiss, who had received permission to climb in Garhwal. In response to their request that the Club should recommend a member to join their party, I was invited to accompany them. I returned from this expedition to Delhi about three weeks after India had achieved her independence. There was an atmosphere of excitement and restlessness and I had a feeling of loneliness amongst the crowds. At the Imperial Hotel I was fortunate to find accommodation, sharing a double bedroom with seven others. I was very grateful for the welcome which I received from Brig. Gordon Osmaston, and from A. Percy Lancaster who as the Club's Honorary Secretary had been responsible for putting forward my name to the Swiss. Gordon Osmaston, then acting as the Club's President, had headed the Survey in Garhwal a decade earlier which had resulted in the publication of the new half-inch scale Survey of India maps used by our expedition. The areas which we had visited were thoroughly familiar to him, and he later identified on my photographs the then unexplored Lampak group, of which I had obtained a tantalizing glimpse on my journey back from Mana over the Bhyundar Pass to Niti.
By the end of 1947 it was becoming difficult for the Club to carry on in Delhi, and it was decided to shift the headquarters to Calcutta. For a short term L. R. Fawcus became President, and I recall at the time a few enjoyable Club evenings held in the Lawn House of the United Services Club on Chowringhee. Soon after, Charles Crawford took over, and he remained as President for the next five years during the crucial period of the Club's re-activation. In 1949 I became Honorary Secretary. We faced the enormous task of trying to trace lost' members, and of bringing up-to-date the names and addresses of the 570 or so members whose names appeared on the Register. It was equally important to find out how many were still able to contribute to the functioning of the Club and to furthering its objects. It was obvious that we would need to attract new members upon whom would rest the future expansion of Himalayan activity. How could this be done ? The Himalayan Journal had re-appeared under Wilfrid Noyce's welcome helping hand. A new home was found for the library in Calcutta ; the equipment store was refurnished, and the Sherpa Register was brought back to life by an active Honorary Secretary in Darjeeling.
In 1949 Frank Smythe returned to the Himalaya with plans for a long botanical and mountaineering season. But he fell ill in Darjeeling at the home of the Hendersons, and had to return to England where he died. Later on, Jill Henderson became the Club's Honorary Local Secretary, a role which she filled with great success for a number of years. Nepal was just beginning to open its doors to the outside world, and one of the first to enter in 1949-50 was Bill Tilman who, during the course of two expeditions, carried out extensive journeys including an attempt on Annapurna IV and a first glimpse, with Dr Charles Houston, of the Khumbu ice-fall and the south side of Everest.
As the Club began to re-emerge, membership increased and I found that we started to receive a flow of correspondence. In the face of many new difficulties, especially rising costs, there was an increasing stream of visitors, comprising small groups with little or no financial backing, eager to explore every untouched area of the Himalayan field, and in those days there were indeeded many. I had received invaluable help from the Club on my first visits to the Himalaya, and it was rewarding to be able to pass on information to others, and to help members to keep in touch with the Club and with each other.
In 1950 the French climbed Annapurna I, and following the drama and publicity created by that expedition, the flood burst through, opening a new era of large nationally-backed expeditions competing fiercely to achieve Himalayan 'firsts'. It was during the 1950s that all the highest peaks of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush were climbed, and perhaps for this reason the years between 1950-60 deserve to be remembered as the 'Golden Age' of Himalayan climbing.
Those were the years spanning the third period of the Club's life. The Club was strong and was always at the centre of activity, whether recruiting Sherpas, assisting with baggage and other formalities, hiring out equipment, or merely lending a helping hand when needed, equally for the large expeditions to Everest and Kangchenjunga as for the smaller groups with modest objectives. The Journal had begun to appear more regularly; and practically every expedition, whether organized in India or abroad, applied to the Club for some measure of assistance or advice, obtaining a willing response from stalwarts like General Harold Williams and Bobby Hotz in Delhi; and from many others in Calcutta, Bombay, Dehra Dun and elsewhere.
In the early years of that decade, the principles and the methods adopted by expeditions were not very different from those that had existed in the days of the pioneers. Later on, better equipment and more detailed knowledge provided expeditions with a greater assuransce of success. By the end of the decade much of the old attitudes had changed. Mounting costs and a greater determination to get there, brought about a different approach to Himalayan ventures. Between 1957 and 1959, during my editorship of the Himalayan Journal, the growth of Himalayan Activity made the collection and co-ordination of information immensely interesting, and changes were already in train in line with bigger changes in European climbing. New technical strands were being explored by climbers who came to the Himalaya in smaller parties, more lightly equipped, and relying more upon their own resources with less dependence upon porters. I think, that Hermann Buhl's unique feat on Nanga Parbat in 1953, although much overshadowed at the time, marked the opening of a real change in ethical and technical trends.
Buhl reaffirmed this development in 1957 with his small party on Broad Peak, the first 8000 m peak to be climbed by four men carrying little more than normal alpine equipment, and without the aid of high-altitude porters. In 1958 a staggering rise in technical standards was achieved by Waiter Bonatti and others on Gasherbrum IV, and by a small British party on the Mustagh Tower ; followed by the French on Jannu in 1960 and 1962.
During the early 1960s entry into some of the most sought-after areas in Nepal, Pakistan and India became restricted, and expedition activity from abroad temporarily diminished. During the same years there was a sudden growth in Himalayan activity within India. Two factors predominated in bringing this about. The first was the setting up in Darjeeling in 1954 of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, which became the central training establishment for Indian mountaineers. The second was the formation of the Government-affiliated Indian Mountaineering Foundation in Delhi, which became the main sponsoring organization for national Himalayan ventures.
During this fourth period in its history (1960-70) the Himalayan Club took on a complementary role. As an established organization with traditions linked to the Himalayan pioneers, it continued to be approached by those who needed advice and assistance. Many of its functions had altered or become unnecessary -porter-recruitment, for example. This was inevitable, for it would have been impossible for a single organization to handle the enormous volume to which the demand had grown. By 1958 Lt-Cl. 'Buster' Goodwin, who had spent most of his professional career serving on the NW. Frontier, took over the Club's representation in Rawalpindi. With his expert local knowledge he was helpful countless small groups visiting the Karakoram and Hindu Kush for many years his home became a caravanserai for climber and travellers from all over the world.
In 1960 Noshaq was climbed by two separate parties. It was the first major Hindu Kush ascent for a decade, and it opened up an invasion into the Hindu Kush of climbers especially from Austria, Poland and Japan. The area was easily accessible, both politically and physically, in contrast to other better-known areas at the time. Small groups found that at relatively little cost they could explore and climb in practically untouched regions independent of any burdensome 'expedition' formalities. By the late 1960s every Hindu Kush mountain above 7000 m and a very large number of those above 6000 m had been climbed, in practically every instance by parties numbering between 2 to 6 people. I think that it was the realization of this possibility that marked the beginning of the end of the large-scale expedition. As restrictions were relaxed in Pakistan, Nepal and India, the new trend was gradually applied everywhere, and the small lightly-equipped party began to predominate.
The development foreseen after the first ascent of Everest in 1953 had finally taken shape by 1970. Hard new routes-of which the Himalaya possess an inexhaustible supply-were being sought by small groups adopting a new-style approach. Amidst such a wealth of achievement on Everest and other big mountains, it wouId be invidious to single out particular highlights during recent years, but I think that some of the more striking successes have been Reinhold Messner and Peter Haebler on Gasherbrum I In August 1975; Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw on the SE. Face of Dnunagiri in October of the same year; the Polish attempt on K2's NE. ridge in August 1976; Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker on the W. Face on Changabang in October 1976; the Pakistan Army on Paiju Peak in 1976; an Indian team on Kangchenjunga's NE spur in 1977. So much for the climbers.
But there are others who visit the Himalaya nowadays in equivalent numbers-the tourists and trekkers who travel in large groups and are loath to shed too many of their creature-comforts. The Himalaya has had to cater for them. Of course their presence has meant some measure of increased local prosperity. But it has also given rise to the acute need for nature conservation. In the battle for precedence between the conservationist and the fee-paying tourist it is obvious so far who is winning. But surely there can be found a happy medium, so that those who visit the Himalaya in order to enjoy the environment do not irreparably disturb that which they have come to seek.
To what extent have the objects of the Himalayan Club founders been achieved? I think it cannot be doubted that, especially in the formative era of Himalayan exploration and mountaineering, the Himalayan Club contributed directly to the growth of knowledge and achievement in the widest sense. I think also that Geoffrey Corbett's personal hope has been realized, and that there does now exist 'a new breed of men who know how to enjoy life on the high hills'.
But what of the future? In order to continue to flourish, the club must adapt its role to meet changing trends. Its continuing conribution to Himalayan activity will keep alive the desire to belong to the Club.
Student membership, introduced a few years ago, should be encouraged and popularized. The Club's technical and regional correspondents should be spread far and wide, embracing every possible area of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush with their expert knowledge and experience. Those who visit the Himalaya, whatever their objectives, should be able to count equally upon their guidance and assistance. Not least of all, the Club should remain in the forefront of efforts to promote conservation projects in the Himalaya.
Soon after I joined the Club, what struck me as one of its unique features was the feeling I had, wherever I roamed across the ranges, that there was someone somewhere upon whose advice and support I could always count, whether I found myself in Kulu, Garhwal, Darjeeling or the Karakoram. May similar feelings always remain alive for present and future generations of if Himalayan Club members.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4970
|
__label__wiki
| 0.802669
| 0.802669
|
10 dangers of the medieval period
It was one of the most exciting, turbulent and transformative eras in history, but the Middle Ages were also fraught with danger. Here, as part of our Medieval Week, historian Dr Katharine Olson reveals 10 of the biggest risks people faced…
This article first appeared in BBC History Magazine’s ‘Medieval Life’ bookazine
The plague was one of the biggest killers of the Middle Ages – it had a devastating effect on the population of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries. Also known as the Black Death, the plague (caused by the bacterium called Yersinia pestis) was carried by fleas most often found on rats. It had arrived in Europe by 1348, and thousands died in places ranging from Italy, France and Germany to Scandinavia, England, Wales, Spain and Russia.
The deadly bubonic plague caused oozing swellings (buboes) all over the body. With the septicaemic plague, victims suffered from skin that was darkly discoloured (turning black) as a result of toxins in the bloodstream (one reason why the plague has subsequently been called the ‘Black Death’). The extremely contagious pneumonic plague could be contracted by merely sneezing or spitting, and caused victims’ lungs to fill up.
The Black Death killed between a third and half of the population of Europe. Contemporaries did not know, of course, what caused the plague or how to avoid catching it. They sought explanations for the crisis in God’s anger, human sin, and outsider/marginal groups, especially Jews. If you were infected with the bubonic plague, you had a 70–80 per cent chance of dying within the next week. In England, out of every hundred people, perhaps 35–40 could expect to die from the plague.
As a result of the plague, life expectancy in late 14th-century Florence was just under 20 years – half of what it had been in 1300. From the mid-14th-century onwards, thousands of people from all across Europe – from London and Paris to Ghent, Mainz and Siena – died. A large number of those were children, who were the most vulnerable to the disease.
People in the medieval period faced a host of potential dangers when travelling.
A safe, clean place to sleep upon demand was difficult to find. Travellers often had to sleep out in the open – when travelling during the winter, they ran the risk of freezing to death. And while travelling in groups provided some safety, one still might be robbed or killed by strangers – or even one’s fellow travellers.
Nor were food and drink provided unless the traveller had found an inn, monastery, or other lodging. Food poisoning was a risk even then, and if you ran out of food, you had to forage, steal, or go hungry.
Medieval travellers could also be caught up in local or regional disputes or warfare, and be injured or thrown into prison. Lack of knowledge of foreign tongues could also lead to problems of interpretation.
Illness and disease could also be dangerous, and even fatal. If one became unwell on the road, there was no guarantee that decent – or indeed any – medical treatment could be received.
Travellers might also fall victim to accident. For example, there was a risk of drowning when crossing rivers – even the Holy Roman emperor, Frederick I, drowned in 1190 when crossing the Saleph river during the Third Crusade. Accidents might also happen upon arrival: in Rome during the 1450 jubilee, disaster struck when some 200 people in the huge crowd crossing the great bridge of Sant’ Angelo tumbled over the edge and drowned.
While it was faster to travel by sea than land, stepping onto a boat presented substantial risks: a storm could spell disaster, or navigation could go awry, and the medieval wooden ships used were not always equal to the challenges of the sea. However, by the later Middle Ages, sea travel was becoming faster and safer than ever before.
An average traveller in the medieval period could expect to cover 15–25 miles a day on foot or 20–30 on a horse, while sailing ships might make 75–125 miles a day.
Famine was a very real danger for medieval men and women. Faced with dwindling food supplies due to bad weather and poor harvests, people starved or barely survived on meagre rations like bark, berries and inferior corn and wheat damaged by mildew.
Those eating so little suffered malnutrition, and were therefore very vulnerable to disease. If they didn’t starve to death, they often died as a result of the epidemics that followed famine. Illnesses like tuberculosis, sweating sickness, smallpox, dysentery, typhoid, influenza, mumps and gastrointestinal infections could and did kill.
The Great Famine of the early 14th century was particularly bad: climate change led to much colder than average temperatures in Europe from c1300 – the ‘Little Ice Age’. In the seven years between 1315 and 1322, western Europe witnessed incredibly heavy rainfall, for up to 150 days at a time.
Farmers struggled to plant, grow and harvest crops. What meagre crops did grow were often mildewed, and/or terribly expensive. The main food staple, bread, was in peril as a result. This also came at the same time as brutally cold winter weather.
At least 10 per cent – perhaps close to 15 per cent – of people in England died during this period.
Today, with the benefits of ultrasound scans, epidurals and fetal monitoring, the risk for mother and baby during pregnancy and childbirth is at an all-time low. However, during the medieval period, giving birth was incredibly perilous.
Breech presentations of the baby during labour often proved fatal for both mother and child. Labour could go on for several days, and some women eventually died of exhaustion. While Caesarean sections were known, they were unusual other than when the mother of the baby was already dead or dying, and they were not necessarily successful.
Midwives, rather than trained doctors, usually attended pregnant women. They helped the mother-to-be during labour and, if needed, were able to perform emergency baptisms on babies in danger of dying. Most had received no formal training, but relied on practical experience gleaned from years of delivering babies.
New mothers might survive the labour, but could die from various postnatal infections and complications. Equipment was very basic, and manual intervention was common. Status was no barrier to these problems – even Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, died soon after giving birth to the future Edward VI in 1537.
Infancy and childhood
Infancy was particularly dangerous during the Middle Ages – mortality was terribly high. Based on surviving written records alone, scholars have estimated that 20–30 per cent of children under seven died, but the actual figure is almost certainly higher.
Infants and children under seven were particularly vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition, diseases, and various infections. They might die due to smallpox, whooping cough, accidents, measles, tuberculosis, influenza, bowel or stomach infections, and much more. The majority of those struck down by the plague were also children. Nor, with chronic malnutrition, did the breast milk of medieval mothers carry the same immunity and other benefits of breast milk today.
Being born into a family of wealth or status did not guarantee a long life either. We know that in ducal families in England between 1330 and 1479, for example, one third of children died before the age of five.
The vast majority of the medieval population was rural rather than urban, and the weather was of the utmost importance for those who worked or otherwise depended on the land. But as well as jeopardising livelihoods, bad weather could kill.
Consistently poor weather could lead to problems sowing and growing crops, and ultimately the failure of the harvest. If summers were wet and cold, the grain crop could be destroyed. This was a major problem, as cereal grains were the main food source for most of the population.
With less of this on hand, various problems would occur, including grain shortages, people eating inferior grain, and inflation, which resulted in hunger, starvation, disease, and higher death rates.
This was especially the case from the 14th through to the 16th centuries, when the ice pack grew. By 1550, there had been an expansion of glaciers worldwide. This meant people faced the devastating effects of weather that was both colder and wetter.
Medieval men and women were therefore eager to ensure that weather conditions stayed favourable. In Europe, there were rituals for ploughing, sowing seeds, and the harvesting of crops, as well as special prayers, charms, services, and processions to ensure good weather and the fertility of the fields. Certain saints were thought to protect against the frost (St Servais), have power over the wind (St Clement) or the rain and droughts (St Elias/Elijah) and generally the power of the saints and the Virgin Mary were believed to protect against storms and lightning.
People also believed the weather was not merely a natural occurrence. Bad weather could be caused by the behaviour of wicked people, like murder, sin, incest, or family quarrels. It could also be linked to witches and sorcerers, who were thought to control the weather and destroy crops. They could, according to one infamous treatise on witches – the Malleus Maleficarum, published in 1486 – fly in the air and conjure storms (including hailstorms and tempests), raise winds and cause lightning that could kill people and animals.
Whether as witnesses, victims or perpetrators, people from the highest ranks of society to the lowest experienced violence as an omnipresent danger in daily life.
Medieval violence took many forms. Street violence and brawls in taverns were not uncommon. Vassals might also revolt against their lords. Likewise, urban unrest also led to uprisings – for example, the lengthy rebellion of peasants in Flanders of 1323–28, or the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in England.
Medieval records demonstrate the presence of other types of violence also: rape, assault and murder were not uncommon, nor was accidental homicide. One example is the case of Maud Fras, who was hit on the head and killed by a large stone accidentally dropped on her head at Montgomery Castle in Wales in 1288.
Blood feuds between families that extended over generations were very much evident. So was what we know today as domestic violence. Local or regional disputes over land, money or other issues could also lead to bloodshed, as could the exercise of justice. Innocence or guilt in trials were at times decided by combat ordeals (duels to the death). In medieval Wales, political or dynastic rivals might be blinded, killed or castrated by Welsh noblemen to consolidate their positions.
Killing and other acts of violence in warfare were also omnipresent, from smaller regional wars to larger-scale crusades from the end of the 11th century, fought by many countries at once. Death tolls in battle could be high: the deadliest clash of the Wars of the Roses, the battle of Towton (1461), claimed between 9,000 and 30,000 lives, according to contemporary reports.
It could also be dangerous to disagree. People who held theological or religious opinions that were believed to go against the teachings of the Christian church were seen as heretics in medieval Christian Europe. These groups included Jews, Muslims and medieval Christians whose beliefs were considered to be unorthodox, like the Cathars.
Kings, missionaries, crusaders, merchants and others – especially from the late 11th century – sought to ensure the victory of Christendom in the Mediterranean world. The First Crusade (1096–99) aimed to capture Jerusalem – and finally did so in 1099. Yet the city was soon lost, and further crusades had to be launched in a bid to regain it.
Jews and Muslims also suffered persecution, expulsion and death in Christian Europe. In England, anti-Semitism resulted in massacres of Jews in York and London in the late 12th century, and Edward I banished all Jews from England in 1290 – they were only permitted to return in the mid-1600s.
From the eighth century, efforts were also made to retake Iberia from Muslim rule, but it was not until 1492 that the entire peninsula was recaptured. This was part of an attempt in Spain to establish a united, single Christian faith and suppress heresy, which involved setting up the Spanish Inquisition in 1478. As a result, the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, and Muslims were only allowed to stay if they converted to Christianity.
Holy wars were also waged on Christians who were widely considered to be heretics. The Albigensian Crusade was directed at the Cathars (based chiefly in southern France) from 1209–29 – and massacres and more inquisitions and executions followed in the later 13th and 14th centuries.
Hunting was an important pastime for medieval royalty and the aristocracy, and skill in the sport was greatly admired. The emperor Charlemagne was recorded as greatly enjoying hunting in the early ninth century, and in England William the Conqueror sought to establish royal forests where he could indulge in his love of the hunt. But hunting was not without risks.
Hunters could easily be injured or killed by accidents. They might fall from their horse, be pierced by an arrow, be mauled by the horns of stags or tusks of boars, or attacked by bears.
Status certainly did not guarantee safety. Many examples exist of kings and nobles who met tragic ends as a result of hunting. The Byzantine emperor Basil I died in 886 after apparently having his belt impaled on the horns of a stag and being dragged more than 15 miles before being freed.
In 1100, King William II (William Rufus) was famously killed by an arrow in a supposed hunting accident in the New Forest. Likewise, in 1143, King Fulk of Jerusalem died in a hunting accident at Acre, when his horse stumbled and his head was crushed by his saddle.
Early or sudden death
Sudden or premature death was common in the medieval period. Most people died young, but death rates could vary based on factors like status, wealth, location (higher death rates are seen in urban settlements), and possibly gender. Adults died from various causes, including plague, tuberculosis, malnutrition, famine, warfare, sweating sickness and infections.
Wealth did not guarantee a long life. Surprisingly, well-fed monks did not necessarily live as long as some peasants. Peasants in the English manor of Halesowen might hope to reach the age of 50, but by contrast poor tenants in same manor could hope to live only about 40 years. Those of even lower status (cottagers) could live a mere 30 years.
By the second half of the 14th century, peasants there were living five to seven years longer than in the previous 50 years. However, the average life expectancy for ducal families in England between 1330 and 1479 generally was only 24 years for men and 33 for women. In Florence, laypeople in the late 1420s could expect to live only 28.5 years (men) and 29.5 years (women).
Dying a ‘good’ death was very important to medieval people, and was the subject of many books. People often worried about ‘sudden death’ (whether in battle, from natural causes, by execution, or an accident) and what would happen to those who died without time to prepare and receive the last rites. Written charms, for example, were thought to provide protection against sudden death – whether against death in battle, poison, lightning, fire, water, fever or other dangers.
Dr Katharine Olson is a lecturer in medieval and early modern history at Bangor University. She specialises in the religious, cultural, social, political and intellectual history of medieval and early modern Britain, Ireland, Europe and the Atlantic world, c1100–1750.
This article was first published by History Extra in May 2015
Medieval battles
Medieval life
Peasants’ Revolt
Medieval Week
More on: Weird and wonderful
10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the Middle Ages
5 strange causes of death in the medieval period
The Library | Medieval tourism: pilgrimages and tourist destinations
A brief history of how people communicated in the Middle Ages
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4971
|
__label__cc
| 0.549703
| 0.450297
|
Canadian Franchise Association recognizes Home Instead Senior Care for Excellence in Franchising
Excellence-in-Franchising
Home Instead Senior Care achieved the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) Franchisees’ Choice Designation for the eight successive year at the annual Canadian Franchise Association National Convention. Home Instead was also awarded a Bronze Award of Excellence in Franchising in the Category of ‘Non-Traditional Franchises 30+ Franchisees,’ at the gala award presentation that took place in Ottawa, Ontario, on April 23.
The CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising are the pinnacle of franchising achievement in Canada.
“The CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising truly set a benchmark for franchises throughout Canada and we are pleased to recognize Home Instead Senior Care for their commitment to excellence in franchising,” says Lorraine McLachlan, CFA President and CEO. “A solid relationship between franchisor and franchisee is vital to the system’s success and Home Instead’s results show that they offer outstanding support to their franchisees.”
Home Instead representatives Rod Roberts, Business Performance Director; Roger Seier, Canadian Business Performance Manager; Phyllis Hegstrom, Government Affairs Director and franchise owners Lesley and Mark Sullivan from Ottawa, Ontario, accepted the award on behalf of the organization’s Canadian franchise owners.
Jeff Huber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Home Instead, Inc., paid tribute to Canadian franchise owners for their outstanding efforts. “On behalf of our franchise network, we are honoured to be recognized by the Canadian Franchise Association for our commitment to franchising in Canada. Our franchise owners and their teams are dedicated to enhancing the lives of seniors in communities across Canada through a network that now extends across more than 40 Canadian locations. We thank the CFA for their continued support.”
For more information on Home Instead Senior Care in Canada, visit: www.HomeInstead.ca.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4974
|
__label__cc
| 0.606879
| 0.393121
|
Home Global Village Can an increase in remittances boost Pakistan’s economy?
Can an increase in remittances boost Pakistan’s economy?
Waqas Shabbir |
Inflows of workers’ remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis have witnessed a much-needed surge. It has increased to $14.6 billion from $14.058 billion, exhibiting a 3.5% year-on-year growth, in the first nine months (July to March) of the current fiscal year.
Last year, the workers’ remittances stood at $14.058 in the first nine months compared to the $14.388 billion in FY 2016, which was the decline of 2.3% from FY2016. It reflects that this year, remittances have shown a better performance than the last two years.
According to the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in March, remittances reached a seven month high at $1.77 billion as compared to $1.69 billion received in March 2017, which is equivalent to a growth of 4.6%. The figure is also marginally ahead of the $1.711 billion witnessed in 2016.
Improvement in exports and remittances is a healthy sign, but besides this, if debt keeps on rising and if Pakistan is unable to increase its exports by enough magnitude to counter the rise of the import bill, then there will be a large liability in terms of dollars.
In Pakistan, traditionally, a major chunk of overseas workers remittance comes from KSA, US, UAE, UK and other GCC countries. KSA remains the biggest contributor towards the remittances, but, recent immigration curbs and the ongoing austerity measures have changed the situation in the KSA. This could disrupt the flow of remittances if Saudi economy fails to transform as prescribed under vision 2030. Employment in US has reached a pre-crises level and EU countries are slowly reverting back to normalcy, which could help in keeping the remittances flow steady.
The increase in exports of 24% in March along with remittances is indeed a positive development for Pakistan’s struggling economy.
Read more: Is the failing Foreign Policy causing a drop in remittances for…
Remittances can be crucial but Pakistan will have to improve its dollar-earning capacity. This surge in remittances is mainly attributed to the depreciation in rupee. People are not sure about the future course of the rupee, as the Government term is nearing an end. Though, there is a speculation that by June there will be a third round of depreciation. Nothing is clear; people want to take advantage of the current situation which might have led to this hike in remittances.
Moreover, according to the new amnesty scheme, if the remittances exceed $100,000 per year, they will be subjected to tax. Overseas Pakistani’s are aware of this fact which could have also encouraged them to send money home before the start of the scheme.
Though, the figures demonstrate a healthy sign for Pakistan’s economy derided by the ever-increasing twin-deficit and ballooning public debt. But, Pakistan remains in an acrimonious situation due to the stagnant tax revenue which has been historically hovering around 10% of the GDP, eroding foreign reserves.
Inflows of workers’ remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis have witnessed a much-needed surge to $14.6 billion from $14.058 billion, exhibiting a 3.5% year-on-year growth, in the first nine months (July to March) of the current fiscal year.
Pakistan mainly relies on loans from China, and other institutional lenders, to bridge the gap between the balance of payments and current account deficit and fiscal deficit, but unless it doesn’t improve its exports and if it does not utilize the borrowed money on asset building, it will continue its dependence on external factors to assist the economy.
Read more: Voting rights for Pakistanis living abroad to be guaranteed: CJP
The geopolitical or economic condition in countries responsible for a major chunk of remittances can change unfavorably, which can affect Pakistan drastically. Recently, when the oil prices dipped in KSA, the number of Pakistani who left KSA increased, and the number going in the opposite direction also declined. With the passage of time, Pakistan will have to improve its competitiveness, formulate effective export and industrial policy which may discourage debt accumulation [which is expected to reach $100 billion, if rupee is allowed to further depreciate to 124-25 in June]
If there is no tax policy or incentives, [since we don’t know, how the latest amnesty scheme will perform] and if the government fails to devise a strategy to develop industries along with an effective export policy, the economy will have to rely on remittances. Hence the conditions depict a bleak future for Pakistan’s economy.
Waqas Shabbir is a Derby Business School graduate in Finance, currently working as a freelance writer. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect GVS editorial policy.
Waqas Shabbir
Boris Johnson: The controversial Brexit Dark Horse
Iran is Master of its own: Bypasses uranium limit amid severe sanctions
EU leaders fail to agree zero net carbon gas emissions by 2050
Us – The best of cinema
NAB files references against three retired Generals and a Brigadier in Railway Land Scam
‘IS-Khurasan Province’ might drag Russia into the Afghan quagmire
Trump repeats Bush rationale for war
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4976
|
__label__wiki
| 0.983875
| 0.983875
|
Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. Please give now to support our work
February 18, 2011 10:12PM EST
Libya: Security Forces Kill 84 Over Three Days
End Attacks on Peaceful Protesters
(New York) - Government security forces have killed at least 84 people in three days of protests in several cities in Libya, Human Rights Watch said today, based on telephone interviews with local hospital staff and witnesses.
The Libyan authorities should immediately end attacks on peaceful protesters and protect them from assault by pro-government armed groups, Human Rights Watch said.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the eastern Libyan cities of Benghazi, Baida, Ajdabiya, Zawiya, and Derna on February 18, 2011, following violent attacks against peaceful protests the day before that killed 20 people in Benghazi, 23 in Baida, three in Ajdabiya, and three in Derna. Hospital sources told Human Rights Watch that security forces killed 35 people in Benghazi on February 18, almost all with live ammunition.
"Muammar Gaddafi's security forces are firing on Libyan citizens and killing scores simply because they're demanding change and accountability," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Libyan authorities should allow peaceful protesters to have their say."
Muammar Gaddafi has ruled Libya for 41 years.
The protests in Benghazi on February 18 began during funerals for the 20 demonstrators killed by security forces the day before. Eyewitnesses told Human Rights Watch that security forces with distinctive yellow uniforms opened fire on protesters near the Fadil Bu Omar Katiba, a security force base in the center of Benghazi. One protester told Human Rights Watch he witnessed four men shot dead.
By 11 p.m. on February 18, Al Jalaa Hospital in Benghazi had received the bodies of 35 people killed that day, a senior hospital official told Human Rights Watch. He said the deaths had been caused by gunshot wounds to the chest, neck, and head. Two sources at the hospital confirmed to Human Rights Watch that the death toll for February 17 was 20, and that at least 45 people had been wounded by bullets.
The senior hospital official told Human Rights Watch, "We put out a call to all the doctors in Benghazi to come to the hospital and for everyone to contribute blood because I've never seen anything like this before."
Witnesses said that after the February 18 shootings, protesters in Benghazi continued on to the courthouse and gathered there throughout the evening, the crowd swelling to thousands.
In Baida, further to the east, protesters on February 18 buried the 23 people who had been shot dead the day before. One protester told Human Rights Watch that police were patrolling the streets but he had seen no further clashes.
In Ajdabiya, to the south of Benghazi, one protester told Human Rights Watch that early on February 18 people had gathered to bury the three protesters shot dead the day before. He said that on February 17, Revolutionary Guard officers fired upon peaceful protesters who were calling for a change in government. He said the protests were ongoing as of 9:30 p.m. on February 18 but that he had seen no further violence.
Tripoli, Libya's political and economic capital, remained quiet compared to the east of the country. Human Rights Watch spoke to the family of a man who had been summoned by Internal Security because of his postings on Facebook. On February 18 Internal Security officers came to the family's home at around 6 p.m. and took both the man and his uncle away with them to an undisclosed location.
"The Libyan government doesn't allow journalists and human rights monitors to work freely," said Stork. "But the world is watching what's happening, and abusive forces and their commanders can be held to account."
Your tax deductible gift can help stop human rights violations and save lives around the world.
Middle East Uprising
July 16, 2019 News Release
Algeria/Western Sahara: Three Dissidents Behind Bars
Syria: Suspects’ Families Assets Seized
Syria: US Coalition Should Address Civilian Harm
First Public ‘Condolence’ Payment Provides Way Forward
Lebanon: Syrian Refugee Shelters Demolished
Coercive Measures Intensify Pressures to Return to Syria
UN: Unprecedented Joint Call for China to End Xinjiang Abuses
July 11, 2019 Statement
Written Testimony: "Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border"
US: New Rule Flouts Asylum Norms
June 21, 2017 Report
“Just Let Us Be”
June 27, 2019 Interactive
Collateral Damage: The Children of Duterte’s “War on Drugs”
Rigging the System
July 1, 2019 Dispatches
Three-Year-Old Girl Latest Philippines ‘Drug War’ Victim
June 27, 2019 News Release
Philippines: ‘Drug War’ Devastates Children’s Lives
Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Join our movement today.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4978
|
__label__wiki
| 0.629481
| 0.629481
|
Women Living With HIV Aim to Break the Glass Ceiling
A recent Canadian study of women living with HIV aims to break this glass ceiling, shedding important light on what opportunities exist and what barriers persist towards closing the gap for women living with HIV, a highly underserved community both in Canada and around the world.
Allison Carter Sexual health writer and researcher at UNSW Sydney
Activists of a non-governmental organization display red ribbons, symbol of HIV-AIDS awareness, as they pose for photographers during an awareness campaign on World AIDS Day, in a business district of Bangalore, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013. UNAIDS lists India as third worst Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) affected country with about 2.5 million infected people after South Africa with 6 million and Nigeria with 2.9 million. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
More than half of all people living with HIV worldwide are women, and yet they continue to be under-represented in the HIV response. A recent Canadian study of women living with HIV aims to break this glass ceiling, shedding important light on what opportunities exist and what barriers persist towards closing the gap for women living with HIV, a highly underserved community both in Canada and around the world.
The study was published in the journal Health Care for Women International and was led by, with, and for women living with HIV, in collaboration with allied researchers, clinicians, and community partners, as part of the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS).
The release of study findings was well-timed as people around the world marked the 26th Annual World AIDS Day on December 1, 2014 amid a new push by the United Nations to end the epidemic by 2030. This year's World AIDS Day theme, "Close the Gap," aims to raise awareness and action around empowering and enabling all people, everywhere, to access the HIV services they need to achieve and maintain health.
Study authors collected qualitative data from women living with HIV across British Columbia, Canada, to explore their experiences accessing HIV services and their visions for change to improve the care and support women receive. They found that while women living with HIV want a say in the development of policies and delivery of services that affect their lives, a glass ceiling exists which prevents many HIV-positive women from taking on leadership roles in their care communities, while also serving to compromise their overall health and access to care.
When asked to describe their experiences accessing services delivered by their peers, women in the study reported a range of informational, social, emotional, and practical benefits associated with care that is driven by lived experience. These supports not only helped women cope with their diagnosis and living with HIV but also navigate complex health and social care systems.
When it came to how women felt about providing those services, a mutual exchange of support and reciprocity was observed in which HIV-positive women, as providers, were also able to benefit from this kind of peer-driven care. Through capacity building, peer mentorship, and collaborative networks, women developed personal and community leadership skills. They also felt validated for their lived experiences and developed a sense of ownership and control over crucial areas of their lives.
Importantly however, study findings also revealed numerous structural barriers impeding women's meaningful involvement. Many women reported organizational policies against hiring patients, which put them in the distressing situation of having to choose between remaining clients or forgoing their access to essential care in order to become paid employees. Not surprisingly, most women settled for volunteer rather than paid positions.
In the study, women also reported disempowering attitudes towards their capacity to contribute, often being type-casted as poorly educated or very ill and thus assigned low-level activities rather than meaningful, challenging work. Additional barriers included unequal representation throughout levels of decision-making and balancing the need to protect confidentiality with women's desires for transparency around having women with HIV working in organizations. Overall, these challenges weakened women's sense of belonging and affective commitment to these organizations, which created barriers to maintaining access to their own care and attending to their ongoing health-related needs.
Several recommendations were offered to address these barriers, including ending employment discrimination against an agency's own clientele and advocating for equal pay for equal work without discrimination by gender, HIV status, or other forms of social difference. The study also called on clinics, AIDS Service Organizations, and other community agencies to continue to develop policies and structures that explicitly support women's involvement and better facilitate a range of peer roles. Supporting women living with HIV, study authors advocate, also requires that organizations address discrimination in the workplace and promote an understanding that different forms of knowledge and experience are equally valued.
"Women living with HIV bring a wealth of talent, skills, knowledge, experience, and passion to the table", says Valerie Nicholson, CHIWOS Peer Research Associate, study co-author, and Aboriginal woman living with HIV. "I would like to honor all the positive women who have fought for many years to crack this glass ceiling. Now we need to smash through it and make sure it doesn't reform on anyone else."
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for policy makers and care providers to listen and respond to what women living with HIV are saying.
Closing the gap is possible, but only by ensuring that the pathway to women's meaningful involvement in HIV response is unobstructed and that their health and access to care is uncompromised in the process.
Photo gallery World AIDS Day 2014 See Gallery
World AIDS Day 2014
MORE: aids close the gap hiv HIV/AIDS living women and HIV World AIDS Day World AIDS Day 2014
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4979
|
__label__wiki
| 0.791295
| 0.791295
|
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE: Tom & Laura Madison
Since their first donation 40 years ago, Tom and Laura Madison have become more and more moved to give back through United Way. “We believe in the mission of the United Way and have throughout our lives,” says Tom, a client executive at Hylant Group. “It’s a joint effort on our part. We feel thankful for the blessings we've been given and feel positive about sharing whatever we can, giving hope and a path forward to others.”
Tagged: Donor Profile
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE: Mary & Brian Hannon
When Mary and Brian Hannon settled their family in Grand Rapids, they searched for a way to reconnect with their community. Mary joined Heart of West Michigan United Way’s young professionals group, where she helped to plan volunteer opportunities and mobilize her peers. “Through our volunteer activities, Brian and I were able to see firsthand the good work that United Way and their partner agencies are doing in the community," says Mary. She went on to join United Way's Campaign Cabinet, Marketing Advisory Council, and Board of Directors! We sat down to talk to Mary about volunteering, community needs, and what it means to give back.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE: Michael Bohnsack
Early in his career, Michael became involved in United Way's annual fundraising campaign. As an advocate and volunteer, he found his passion in helping people who were living in poverty and making sure that all children had equal opportunities to thrive in school and in life. We sat down to talk about his family, philanthropy in West Michigan, and why he chooses to dedicate so much to United Way.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4981
|
__label__wiki
| 0.657979
| 0.657979
|
Lucretius (c. 99—c. 55 B.C.E.)
Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus) was a Roman poet and the author of the philosophical epic De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of the Universe), a comprehensive exposition of the Epicurean world-view. Very little is known of the poet’s life, though a sense of his character and personality emerges vividly from his poem. The stress and tumult of his times stands in the background of his work and partly explains his personal attraction and commitment to Epicureanism, with its elevation of intellectual pleasure and tranquility of mind and its dim view of the world of social strife and political violence. His epic is presented in six books and undertakes a full and completely naturalistic explanation of the physical origin, structure, and destiny of the universe. Included in this presentation are theories of the atomic structure of matter and the emergence and evolution of life forms – ideas that would eventually form a crucial foundation and background for the development of western science. In addition to his literary and scientific influence, Lucretius has been a major source of inspiration for a wide range of modern philosophers, including Gassendi, Bergson, Spencer, Whitehead, and Teilhard de Chardin.
Italy during the First Century BCE
Lucretius' Personality and Outlook
Canonic
The Design of the Poem
Lucretius as a Philosopher
Influence and Legacy
Critical and Scholarly Studies
Of Lucretius' life remarkably little is known: he was an accomplished poet; he lived during the first century BC; he was devoted to the teachings of Epicurus; and he apparently died before his magnum opus, De Rerum Natura, was completed. Almost everything else we know (or think we know) about this elusive figure is a matter of conjecture, rumor, legend, or gossip.
Some scholars have imagined that this lack of information is the result of a sinister plot - a conspiracy of silence supposedly conducted by pious Roman and early Christian writers bent on suppressing the poet's anti-religious sentiments and materialist blasphemies. Yet perhaps more vexing for our understanding of Lucretius than any conspiracy of silence has been the single lurid item about his death that appears in a fourth century chronicle history by St. Jerome:
[sic] BC. . . The poet Titus Lucretius is born. He was later driven mad by a love philtre and, having composed between bouts of insanity several books (which Cicero afterwards corrected), committed suicide at the age of 44.
Certainly the possibility that Lucretius (whose blistering, two hundred line denunciation of sexual love comprises one of the memorable highlights of the poem) may himself have fallen victim to a love potion is a superb irony. Unfortunately, there is not a shred of evidence to support the claim. Nor is it highly likely that Cicero (a skeptical-minded thinker with sympathies toward Stoicism) would have assisted to any large degree in the publication of an epic celebrating the Epicurean creed. As for the suggestion that Lucretius produced De Rerum Natura in lucid periods between intervals of raging insanity, the poem itself stands as a strong argument to the contrary. At the very least it must be considered improbable that a work of such scope and complexity, of such intellectual depth and sustained reasoning power, could have been the product of fitful composition and a diseased mind.
Fortunately, even if we dismiss Jerome's account as little more than an edifying fable and resign ourselves to the absence of even a scrap of reliable biographical information on Lucretius, there is still one source we can turn to for valuable insights into the poet's character, personality, and habits of mind, and that is De Rerum Natura itself. For although the poem tells us almost nothing about the day to day affairs of Lucretius the man, it nevertheless furnishes a large and revealing portrait of Lucretius the poet, philosopher, social commentator, critic of religion, and observer of the world.
Indeed one does not have to read very far into the poem to discover that not only is Lucretius a serious student of philosophy and science, but that above all he is a great poet of nature. He reveals himself as a lover of woods, fields, streams, and open spaces, acutely sensitive to the beauties of landscape and the march of seasons. He proves a keen observer of plants and animals and at least as knowledgeable and interested in crops, weather, soil, and horticulture as in the existence of gods or the motion of atoms. The preponderance of natural descriptions and images in the poem has led some readers to suppose that the author must have led some form of rural existence, perhaps as the owner of a country estate. True or not, it is clearly not the city, with its hurly-burly of commerce, money grubbing, social climbing, and political strife, but the quiet countryside with its contemplative retreats, solitude, and simple pleasures that inspires his poetry and (as was the case with his master Epicurus in his garden at Athens) his philosophical reveries.
It is generally assumed that the poet, as his name implies, was a member of the aristocratic clan of the Lucretii. On the other hand, it is also possible that he was a former slave and freedman of that same noble family. Support for the idea of his nobility comes in part from his suave command of learning and the polished mastery of his style, but mostly from the easy and natural way (friend to friend, rather than subordinate to superior) in which he addresses Memmius, his literary patron and the addressee of the poem.
Gaius Memmius was a Roman patrician who was at one time married to Sulla's daughter, Fausta. In 54 BC (one year after Lucretius' death), he stood for consul, but was defeated owing to an electoral violation, which he himself revealed but was afterwards condemned for. In 52 BC he went into exile at Athens, and it is unknown whether he ever returned to Rome. Lucretius dedicated his poem to him, and throughout the epic the poet is at pains to remind Memmius of the sweet rewards of the Epicurean lifestyle and the bitter tribulations of public life. No doubt it would have distressed the poet deeply to know that his chief literary sponsor, instead of following the lofty path to Epicurean tranquilitas, ended his career with a vain descent into the tarnishing world of power politics and personal ambition.
Literary tradition has supplied Lucretius with a wife, Lucilla. However, except for a line or two in the poem suggesting the author's personal familiarity with marital discord and the bedroom practices of "our Roman wives" (4. 1277), there is no evidence that he himself was ever married.
a. Italy during the First Century BCE
For the most part, the forty-four years of Lucretius' lifetime was a period of nearly non-stop violence: a time of civil wars, grueling overseas campaigns, political assassinations, massacres, revolts, conspiracies, mass executions, and social and economic chaos. Even a brief chronology of the times paints a grim picture of devastation, with each decade bearing witness to some new disturbance or uprising:
100 BC: riots erupt in the streets of Rome; two public officials, the tribune L. Appuleius Saturninus and praetor C. Servilius Glaucia, are murdered. 91 BC: the so-called Social War (between Rome and her Italian allies) breaks out. No sooner is this bitter struggle ended (88 BC) than Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a ruthless politician and renegade army commander, marches on Rome, and an even more convulsive and bloody Civil War begins. 82 BC: Sulla becomes dictator. His infamous proscription results in the arrest and execution of more than 4000 leading citizens, including 40 senators. 71 BC: Spartacus' massive slave revolt (involving an army of 90,000 former slaves and outlaws) is finally put down by Cassius and Pompey. More than 6000 of the captured rebels are crucified and their bodies left for display along the Appian Way. 62 BC: Defeat and death of Catiline. By this point in his career this former lieutenant of Sulla had become a living plague upon Roman politics and a virtual byword for scandal, intrigue, conspiracy, demagoguery, and vain ambition.Such was Rome from the rise of Sulla to the fall of Catiline, a period of seemingly endless bloodshed and civil unrest. With such a background, it is little wonder that the precepts of Epicurus - with their emphasis on contemplative pursuits and quiet pleasures and severe strictures against ambition, fame, and the world of politics - struck a responsive chord in the heart of a young Roman poet. To a sensitive intellectual like Lucretius, the teachings of Epicurus must have had the force of a philosophical revelation. In this respect, it is noteworthy (and ironic) that throughout De Rerum Natura whenever the poet writes about Epicurus he praises him not simply as a great teacher and brilliant philosopher, but virtually as a kind of oracle and even a god. Meanwhile, he seems to have viewed his own role as that of an Epicurean evangelist: he is a poetic apostle dedicated to spreading the master's gospel of liberation from the bondage of superstition and error, of inner peace attained through the study of philosophy and the enjoyment of modest pleasures.
b. Lucretius' Personality and Outlook
Unlike his hero Epicurus, who had a reputation for being gentle and self-effacing, Lucretius' excitable personality springs vividly from his pages. Though naturally passionate and intellectually contentious, he also reveals himself as reflective and prone to melancholy. Like his master, he detests war, strife, and social tumult and favors a life quietly devoted to sweet friendship (suavis amicitia) and intellectual pleasures.
At the beginning of Book 2 of his poem, the poet compares the prospect of a person armed with the insights of Epicurus to that of a secure spectator looking down upon a scene of strife:
Pleasant it is, when over the great sea the winds shake the waters,
To gaze down from shore on the trials of others;
Not because seeing other people struggle is sweet to us,
But because the fact that we ourselves are free from such ills strikes us as pleasant.
Pleasant it is also to behold great armies battling on a plain,
When we ourselves have no part in their peril.
But nothing is sweeter than to occupy a lofty sanctuary of the mind,
Well fortified with the teachings of the wise,
Where we may look down on others as they stumble along,
Vainly searching for the true path of life. . . . (2. 1-10)
This idea of philosophy as a private citadel or quiet refuge in a world of anxiety and turmoil, or of some form of contemplation as the true path to enlightenment, has been a recurrent theme in world literature from the Buddha to Boethius, from Socrates to Schopenhauer. The idea is a central component of Epicurean doctrine and a favorite theme and image of Lucretius, whose characteristic vantage point throughout the poem is that of a critical observer above the fray. As narrator, he stands aloof, a scornful yet at the same time sympathetic witness to mankind's dark strivings and tribulations:
Lo, see them: contending with their wits, fighting for precedence,
Struggling night and day with unending effort,Climbing, clawing their way up the pinnacles of wealth and power.
O miserable minds of men! O blind hearts!
In what darkness, among how many perils,
You pass your short lives! Do you not see
That our nature requires only this:
A body free from pain, and a mind, released from worry and fear,
Free to enjoy feelings of delight? (2. 11-19.)
Like his master, Lucretius obviously feels that the true purpose of moral philosophy is not merely to diagnose human miseries; but to heal them.
2. Philosophy
a. Epicurus
From the very start of the poem, and especially in the opening lines of Book 3 (a ringing tribute to Epicurus), Lucretius makes it clear that his main purpose is not so much to display his own talents as to render accurately in a suitably sublime style the glorious philosophy of his master:
O you who out of the vast darkness were the first to raise
A shining light, illuminating the blessings of life,
O glory of the Grecian race, it is you I follow,
Tracing in your clearly marked footprints my own firm steps,
Not as a contending rival, but out of love, for I yearn to imitate you.
For why should the swallow vie with the swan?
Why should a young kid on spindly limbs
Dare to match strides with a mighty steed? (3. 1-8.)
The poetry, Lucretius keeps reminding his readers, is secondary, a sugar coating to sweeten Epicurus' healing medicine. The Epicurean system is what is important, and the poet pledges all his skill to presenting it as clearly, as faithfully, and as persuasively as possible. In his view nothing less than universal enlightenment and the liberation of mankind is at stake.
Epicurus was born at Samos, an Athenian colony, in 341 BC. Reduced to its simplest level, the goal of his teaching was to free humanity from needless cares and anxieties (especially the fear of death) . By furnishing a complete explanation of the origin and structure of the universe, he sought to open men's eyes to a true understanding of their condition and liberate them from ignorant fears and superstitions. Though by all accounts he was a voluminous writer, only a tiny fraction of his original output has survived, with the result that Lucretius' poem has served as one of the primary vehicles for conveying his thought.
b. Epicureanism
The Epicurean system consists of three linked components: Physics, Ethics, and Canonic. These three elements are designed to be interdependent, each one supposedly uniting with and reinforcing the other two. (To cite just one example, Epicurus' physics supposedly validates both the existence of free will and the fact that the soul disintegrates with the body, ideas that are crucial to Epicurean ethics. The canonic claims to validate the authority and reliability of sensation, which in turn serves as a basis for Epicurean physical theories and ethical views relating to pleasure and pain.) In actual fact, however, the three components are quite separable, and it is certainly possible, for example, to accept Epicurus' ethical doctrines while entirely denying his canonic teachings and physics.
i. Physics
One of the great achievements of the scientific imagination, the Epicurean cosmos is based on three fundamental principles: materialism, mechanism, and atomism. According to Epicurus the universe covers an infinitude of space and consists entirely of matter and void. For the most part the philosopher upholds Democritus' theory that all matter is composed of imperishable atoms, tiny indivisible particles that can neither be created or destroyed. He also shares Democritus' view that the atoms are infinite in number and homogenous in substance, while differing in shape and size. However, whereas Democritus held that the number of atomic sizes and shapes is infinite, Epicurus argued that their number, while large, is nevertheless finite. (As Lucretius notes, if atoms could be any size, some would be visible, and possibly even immense.) As for atomic motion, Democritus had claimed that the atoms move in straight lines in all directions and always in accordance with the iron laws of "necessity" (anangke). Epicurus, on the other hand, contends that their natural motion is to travel straight downwards at a uniform high velocity. At random and unpredictable moments, moreover, they deviate ever so slightly from their regular course, their resulting collisions thus occurring not by strict necessity but always with some element of chance. This theory of atomic "swerve" or clinamen is a crucial feature of the Epicurean world-view, providing (so Lucretius and other adherents believed) a firm physical foundation supporting the existence of free will.
Armed with these basic principles, Epicurus is able to explain the universe as an ongoing cosmic event - a never-ending binding and unbinding of atoms resulting in the gradual emergence of entire new worlds and the gradual disintegration of old ones. Our world, our bodies, our minds are but atoms in motion. They did not occur because of some purpose or final cause. Nor were they created by some god for our special use and benefit. They simply happened, more or less randomly and entirely naturally, through the effective operation of immutable and eternal physical laws.
Here it should be noted that Epicurus is a materialist, not an atheist. Although he argues that not only our earth and all its life forms, but also all human civilizations and arts came into being and evolved without any aid or sponsorship from the gods, he does not deny their existence. He merely denies that they have any knowledge of or interest in human affairs. They live on immune to destruction in their perfectly compounded material bodies in the serene and cloudless spaces between the worlds (intermundia), perfectly oblivious of human anxieties and cares. Lucretius imagines that Epicurus rivaled them in their divine tranquility.
ii. Canonic
The so-called canonic teachings of Epicurus (from the Greek kanon, "rule") include his epistemological theories and especially his theories of sensation and perception. In certain respects, these theories represent Epicurus' thought at its most original and prescient - and in one or two instances at its most fanciful and absurd.
The central principle of the canonic is that our sense data provide a true and accurate picture of external reality. Sensation is the ultimate source and criterion of truth, and its testimony is incontrovertible. Epicurus considered the reliability of the senses a bulwark of his philosophy, and Lucretius refers to trust in sensation as a "holdfast," describing it as the only thing preventing our slide into the abyss of skepticism (4. 502-512).
But if our sensory input is always true and dependable, how are we to account for hallucinations, fantasies, dreams, delusions, and other forms of perceptual error? According to Epicurus, such errors are always due to some higher mental process. They arise, for example, when we apply judgment or reasoning or some confused product of memory to the actual data presented to us by sensation. As Lucretius remarks, we deceive ourselves because we tend to "see some things with our mind that have not been seen by the senses":
For nothing is harder than to distinguish the real things of sense
From those doubtful versions of them that the mind readily supplies. (4. 466-468.)
Epicurus' theory of sensory perception is consistent with and follows from his materialism and atomism. Like Democritus, he postulates that external objects send off emanations or "idols" (eidola) of themselves that travel through the air and impinge upon our senses. In effect, these subtle atomic images or films imprint themselves on the senses, leaving behind trace versions of the external world (auditory and olfactory as well as visual) that can be apprehended and stored in memory. Once again, perceptual errors can occur in this process, but not because of any inherent problem with sensation itself. Instead, mistakes arise due either to the contamination of the "idols" by other atoms or because of the "false opinions" that we ourselves, through defects in our higher mental operations, introduce.
In short, unless it is distorted by some form of external "noise" or by some processing error attributable to reason, all information conveyed through the senses is true. This is Epicurus' core canonic teaching. Unfortunately, this belief in the infallibility of sense perception and the unreliability of logic and reason led him and his followers (including Lucretius) into a number of strange conclusions - such as the absurd claim that the sun, moon, and stars are exactly the size and shape that they appear to be to our naked eye. Thus (as strict Epicurean doctrine would have it) the moon truly is a small, silver disc, the sun is a slightly larger golden fire, and the stars are but tiny points of light.
iii. Ethics
Epicurus' ethics represents the true goal and raison d’etre of his philosophical mission, the capstone atop the impressive (though hardly flawless) pillars of his physics and epistemology. Like Socrates, he considered moral questions (What is virtue? What is happiness?) rather than cosmological speculations to be the ultimate concerns of philosophical inquiry.
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to accept one component of the Epicurean system without necessarily subscribing to the others. But from Epicurus' (and Lucretius’) point of view, it is the ethical component that is of vital importance.
As many commentators have noted, the term "Epicure" (in the sense of a self-indulgent bon vivant or luxurious pleasure-seeker) is entirely out of place when applied to Epicureanism in general and to its founder in particular. By all accounts, Epicurus' own living habits were virtually Spartan, and it is said that he attracted many of his disciples more by his solid character and agreeable temper than by his philosophical arguments. His moral philosophy is a form of hedonism, meaning that it is a system based on the pursuit of pleasure (Gr. 'ēdonewhich it identifies as the greatest good. But Epicurean hedonism is hardly synonymous with sensual extravagance; nor is it a matter (in St. Paul's disparaging terms) of "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die." It is instead a system that requires severe self-denial and moral discipline. For Epicurus places a much greater emphasis on the avoidance of pain than on the pursuit of pleasure, and he favors intellectual pleasures (which are long-lasting and never cloying) over physical ones (which are short-lived and lead to excess). As for self-indulgence, he argued that it is better to abstain from coarse or trivial pleasures if they prevent our enjoyment of richer, more satisfying ones.
In Epicurean ethics physical pain is the great enemy of happiness and is to be avoided in almost all cases. Mental anguish is even more threatening and potentially debilitating. It follows that the fear of death - and especially the superstitious belief in an after-life of eternal torment - can be particularly devastating source of anxiety and take a terrible toll on humanity, which is why Epicurus sets out so determinedly to crush it.
c. The Design of the Poem
De Rerum Natura is an epic in six books and is expertly organized to provide both expository clarity as well as powerful narrative and lyric effects. In one respect, the poem represents the unfolding of a complex philosophical argument, and in many places the poet is challenged to explain abstract and often extremely prosaic technical material in a lucid and lively way. (At times during the poem he complains about the relative poverty of Latin as a philosophical medium compared to the technical richness of Greek.) At the same time, he must be careful not to overwhelm or upstage his philosophical presentation with a surplus of brilliant literary devices and gaudy stylistic displays. The basic organization is as follows:
Book 1: The poem begins with a justly famous invocation to Venus (the poet's symbol for the forces of cohesion, integration, and creative energy in the universe). Presented as a kind of life principle, the Lucretian Venus is associated with the figure of Love (Gr. philia, the unifying or binding force in the philosophy of Empedocles, and also identified with her mythical role as Venus Genetrix, the patron goddess and mother of the Roman people. In the remainder of the book the poet begins the work of explaining the Epicurean system and refuting the systems of other philosophers. He starts by setting forth the major principles of Epicurean physics and cosmology, including atomism, the infinity of the universe, and the existence of matter and void.
Book 2. This book begins with a lyric passage celebrating the "serene sanctuaries" of philosophy and lamenting the condition of those poor human beings who struggle vainly outside its protective walls. The poet explains atomic motion and shapes and argues that the atoms do not have secondary qualities (color, smell, heat, moisture, etc.).
Book 3. After a glowing opening apostrophe to Epicurus ("O glory of the Greeks!"), the poet proceeds with an extended explanation and proof of the materiality - and mortality – of the mind and soul. This explanation culminates in the climactic declaration, "Nil igitur mors est ad nos. . ." ("Therefore death is nothing to us."), a stark, simple statement which effectively epitomizes the main message and central doctrine of Epicureanism.
Book 4. Following introductory verses on the art of didactic poetry, this book begins with a full account of Epicurus' theory of vision and sensation. It concludes with one of Lucretius' greatest passages of verse, his famous (and caustic) analysis of the biology and psychology of sexual love.
Book 5. Lucretius begins this book with another tribute to the genius of Epicurus, whose heroic intellectual achievements, it is argued, exceed even the twelve labors of Hercules. The remainder of the book is devoted to a full account of Epicurean cosmology and sociology, with the poet explaining the stages of life on earth and the origin and development of civilization. This book includes the remarkable passage (837-886) in which the poet offers his own evolutionary hypothesis on the proliferation and extinction of life forms.
Book 6. Though partly unfinished, this book contains some of Lucretius' greatest poetry, with effective technical explanations of meteorological and geologic phenomena and vivid descriptions of thunderstorms, lightning, and volcanic eruptions. The poem closes with a horrifying account of the great plague of Athens (430 BC), a grim reminder of universal mortality.
d. Lucretius as a Philosopher
Critics universally recognize Lucretius as a major poet and the author of one of the great classics of world literature. But in part because of his accepted role as a spokesperson for Epicureanism rather than an originator, it has been more difficult to assess his merit as a philosopher.
In this respect, it is noteworthy that at least two important philosophers have voiced strong support for Lucretius' status as a philosophical innovator and original thinker. In 1884, while still a young faculty member at the Blaise Pascal Lycee in Paris, the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941) published an edition of De Rerum Natura with notes, commentary, and an accompanying critical essay. Throughout this work, Bergson commends Lucretius not only as a poet of genius, but also as an inspired and "singularly original" thinker. In particular, he points out that in his view the poet's instinctive grasp of the physical operations of nature and his comprehensive, truly scientific world-view exceed anything found in the theories of Democritus and Epicurus.
The Spanish poet and Harvard philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952) held a similarly high opinion of Lucretius' power as a scientific thinker. Democritus and Epicurus, he argues, are mere sketch artists who offer no more than bare hints and vague outlines of a thoroughly imagined and truly scientifically conceived universe. It thus remained for the deeper, more visionary poet not just to flesh out their rough drafts in fine words, but in essence to actually create and give body to the entire Epicurean system. In Santayana's view, Epicurus was but a supplier of half-baked ideas; it was Lucretius who was the true creator of scientific materialism and the real founder of Epicureanism.
Hyperbole aside, what both Bergson and Santayana are pointing to is the frequently underrated and misunderstood role of imagination in the production of almost all major systems of philosophy. Great philosophers from Plato and Aristotle to Kant and Nietzsche (and Bergson himself) have never been simply logic mills or thinking machines, but bold thinkers with an imaginative "feel" for abstract reality. In this respect, even if we dismiss the assessments of Bergson and Santayana as extravagant, we can still accept Lucretius as a bona fide philosopher and not just as a poetical embellisher and interpreter.
Every philosopher has strengths and weaknesses; those of Lucretius are conspicuous. In addition to his powerful imagination, his main strength (not surprisingly) is his verbal skill and force of expression. He is one of the most quotable of philosophers, with a flair for striking images and tightly packed statements. A few samples:
On superstition:
"So powerful is religion at persuading to evil." 1. 101.
On luxuries:
"Hot fevers do not depart your body more quickly
If you toss about on pictured tapestries or rich purple coverlets
Than if you lie sick under a poor man's blanket." 2. 34-36.
On life without philosophy:
"All life is a struggle in the dark." 2. 54.
"After a while the life of a fool is hell on earth." 3. 1023.
On new truths:
"No fact is so obvious that it does not at first produce wonder,
Nor so wonderful that it does not eventually yield to belief." 2. 1026-27.
On reason:
"Such is the power of reason to overcome inborn vices
That nothing prevents our living a life worthy of gods." 3. 321-22.
On the language of love:
"We say a foul, dirty woman is 'sweetly disordered,'
If she is green-eyed, we call her 'my little Pallas';
If she's flighty and tightly strung, she’s 'a gazelle’;
A squat, dumpy dwarf is 'a little sprite,'
While a hulking giantess is 'divinely statuesque.'
If she stutters or lisps, she speaks 'musically.'
If she's dumb, she’s 'modest’; and if she’s hot-tempered
And a chatterbox, she's 'a ball of fire.’
When she's too skinny to live, she’s 'svelte,’
And she's 'delicate’ when she’s dying of consumption. . .
It would be wearisome to run through the whole list." 4. 1159-1171.
Of all Lucretius' intellectual strengths, perhaps none is more characteristic or stands out more impressively than his hard, clear commitment to naturalism. Throughout the poem he consistently attacks supernatural explanations of phenomena and resists the temptation to give in to some form of natural religion or "scientific" supernaturalism. The world, he argues, was not created by divine intelligence, nor is it imbued with any form of mind or purpose. Instead, it must be understood as an entirely natural phenomenon, the outcome of a random (though statistically inevitable and lawful) process. In short, whatever happens in the universe is not the product of design, but part of an ongoing sequence of purely physical events.
Lucretius' principal philosophical shortcoming is that not only will he occasionally follow Epicurean doctrine to the point of absurdity (e.g., the supposedly tiny size of the sun and moon) but he will also introduce logical fallacies or scientific errors of his own (such as his claim that the atoms travel faster than light - 2. 144ff.). As Bergson points out, these howlers can usually be attributed to the defective method of ancient science, which, because it did not require that hypotheses be confirmed by experimentation, allowed even the wildest conjectures to pass as plausible truths. One further problem is that, for all his reliance on naturalistic explanations and his attempted reduction of metaphysics to physics, Lucretius at times seems to back away, if only ever so slightly, from a purely materialist world view. Indeed in his effusive descriptions of the creative power of nature, effectively symbolized by the figure of Venus, he seems almost (like Bergson) to postulate an immaterial life-force surging through the universe and operating above or beyond raw nature. To read this romantic streak into him is clearly a mistake. Lucretius remains a thorough-going naturalist. Yet when his verse is in high gear, one almost gets the impression that somewhere inside this staunchly scientific, fiercely anti-religious poet there is a romantic nature-worshipper screaming to get out.
e. Influence and Legacy
Lucretius' literary influence has been long-lasting and widespread, especially among poets with epic ambitions or cosmological interests, from Virgil and Milton to Whitman and Wordsworth. Not surprisingly, as one of the main proponents and principal sources of Epicurean thought, his philosophical influence has also been considerable. The extent of his communication with and influence on his contemporaries, including other Epicurean writers, is not known. What is known is that by the end of the first century A.D. De Rerum Natura was hardly read and its author had already begun a long, slow descent into philosophical oblivion. It was not until the Renaissance, with the recovery of lost Lucretian manuscripts, that a true revival of the poet became possible.
It is probably an exaggeration to say that the restoration and study of Lucretius' poem was crucial to the rise of Renaissance "new philosophy" and the birth of modern science. On the other hand, one must not ignore its importance as a spur to innovative sixteenth- and seventeenth-century scientific thought and cosmological speculation. Greek atomism and Lucretius' account of the universe as an infinite, lawfully integrated whole provided an important background stimulus not only for Newtonian science, but also (if only in a negative or contrary way) for Spinoza's pantheism and Leibniz’s monadology.
Lucretius' influence on early modern thought is most directly visible in the work of the French scientist and neo-Epicurean philosopher Pierre Gassendi (1592-1655). In 1649 Gassendi published his Syntagma Philosophiae Epicuri, a theoretical refinement and elaboration of Epicurean science. A Catholic priest with a remarkably independent mind, Gassendi seemingly had no problem reconciling his personal philosophical commitment to atomism and materialism with his Christian beliefs in the immortality of the soul and the doctrine of divine providence.
Every modern reader of De Rerum Natura has been struck by the extent to which Lucretius seems to have anticipated modern evolutionary theories in the fields of geology, biology, and sociology. However, to acknowledge this connection is not to say that the poet deserves accredited status as some kind of scientific "evolutionist" or pre-Darwinian precursor. It is merely to point out that, however we choose to define and evaluate its influence, De Rerum Natura was from the 17th century onward a massive cultural presence and hence a ready source of evolutionary ideas. The poem formed part of the cultural heritage and intellectual background of virtually every evolutionary theorist in Europe from Lamarck to Herbert Spencer (whose hedonistic ethics also owed a debt to the poet) - including (though he claimed never to have read Lucretius' epic) Darwin himself.
Bergson's early study of Lucretius obviously played an important role in the foundation and development of his own philosophy. In 1907 Bergson published Creative Evolution, outlining his bold, new vitalistic theory of evolution, in opposition to both the earlier vitalism of Lamarck and the naturalism of Darwin, and Spencer. It is hard not to see in the French philosophers' concept of the élan vital a powerful life force akin to and strongly influenced by the immortal Venus of his great Latin predecessor. Bergson's evolutionary philosophy influenced the later "process" philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) and the teleological scientific theories of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), with the interesting result that it is possible to trace out a fairly direct, if unlikely, line of descent from Greek atomism through the pagan anti-spiritualist Lucretius to the Catholic naturalist Gassendi and then on, via the Jewish-Catholic Bergson, to the highly abstract theism of Whitehead and the "spiritualized" evolutionism of Father Teilhard. That Lucretius' ideas wound up two thousand years after his death influencing those of a godly British mathematical theorist and a highly original and even eccentric French scientist-priest is remarkable testimony to their durability, adaptability, and persuasive power.
f. Conclusion
In conclusion, it seems fair to say that, far from being a mere conduit for earlier Greek thought, the poet Titus Lucretius Carus was a bold innovator and original thinker who fully deserves the appellation of philosopher. While his literary fame clearly (and properly) comes first, and although his philosophical reputation is based largely (and again properly) on his role as one of the principle sources and prime exponents of Epicureanism, his own ideas, especially his evolutionary theories and his entirely naturalistic explanation of all universal phenomena, have exerted a long and important influence on western science and philosophy and should not be underestimated.
The most authoritative manuscripts of De Rerum Natura are the so-called O and Q codices in Leiden. Both date from the 9th century. Recently, however, scholars have deciphered a much older and previously illegible manuscript, consisting of papyri discovered in Herculaneum and possibly dating from as early as the first century AD. All other Lucretian manuscripts date from the 15th and 16th century and are based on the one (no longer extant) discovered in a monastery by the Italian humanist Poggio Bracciolini in 1417.
a. Texts
Lucretius: On the Nature of Things. W.H.D. Rouse, trans. Revised and edited by Martin F. Smith. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992.
Bailey, C. ed. De Rerum Natura. 3 volumes with commentary. Oxford, 1947.
b. English Translations
Munro, H.A.J. (prose). Cambridge, 1864.Latham, R.E. (prose). Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin, 1951.
Humphries, Rolphe. (verse). Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1968.
Copley, Frank O. (verse). New York: Norton, 1977.
c. Critical and Scholarly Studies
Bergson, Henri. Philosophy of Poetry: The Genius of Lucretius. Wade Baskin, trans. New York: Philosophical Library, 1959.
Clay, D. Lucretius and Epicurus. Ithaca, NY, 1983.
Jones, H. The Epicurean Tradition. London: 1989.
Kenney, E. J. Lucretius. Oxford, 1977.
Santayana, George. Three Philosophical Poets. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Sikes, E.E. Lucretius: Poet and Philosopher. Cambridge, 1936.
Email: dsimpson@condor.depaul.edu
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4984
|
__label__wiki
| 0.795763
| 0.795763
|
Abu Ya'qub al-Sijistani (fl. 971)
Abu Ya‘qub al-Sijistani was first and foremost a member of the Ismaili underground mission — the da‘wa, as it is known in Arabic — that operated in the Iranian province of Khurasan and Sijistan during the tenth century. In the later part of his life, al-Sijistani was or had become a supporter of the Fatimids imams, then ruling from their headquarters far away in North Africa.Al-Sijistani was deeply inspired by Neoplanotism. His cosmology and metaphysics develop a concept of God as the one beyond both being and non-being. God is not a substance, not intellect, nor within the categories that pertain to the created universe in any way. Intellect is the first existent being, originated by God as an indivisible whole.
In contrast to many other Islamic philosophers, al-Sijistani insists that intellect does not divide or separate. The intellect remains a whole and is universal. Only one intellect engenders by procession the soul. The soul falls therefore on its higher side within the lower horizon of intellect whereas its own lower aspect is nature, a semi-hypostatic being between the spiritual and the physical realm. The goal of religion and prophecy is to reorient the soul toward its true higher self and ultimately to return to its original state.
Abu Ya‘qub al-Sijistani was first and foremost a member of the Ismaili underground mission — the da‘wa, as it is known in Arabic — that operated in the Iranian province of Khurasan and Sijistan during the tenth century. His activities and the works he wrote must be seen in that context; he was a partisan of a specific religious and political cause that involved the restoration of Shi‘ism as the dominant force in the Islamic world of the time. In addition al-Sijistani was an important advocate of philosophical doctrines that drew heavily on a current of Neoplatonism then circulating in intellectual circles of various kinds in the major centers of Islamic scholarship. For the latter reason in general and for his clear attachment in his philosophical writings to a fairly pure form of this branch of ancient thought, he earned an important place in the history of philosophy, even though he himself would have insisted that he was not a philosopher.
Although he is mentioned both in Ismaili and non-Ismaili sources, the amount of information about his life that survives is scarcely adequate. Two important details emerge from one of his late works: he was in Baghdad in the year 934 having just then returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca, and in about 971 or 972 he composed that treatise itself. Somewhat later he died a martyr. The one additional fact about him is a nickname, 'Cotton-seed,' recorded by several observers both in its Arabic and its Persian forms. By the time he wrote (or revised) those works of his that are now extant, al-Sijistani was or had become a supporter of the Fatimids imams, then ruling from their headquarters far away in North Africa. Hints in his own works and other information suggests, however, that he may have earlier belonged to a dissident wing of the Ismaili movement, as was the case with at least two of his philosophical predecessors in Iran. Accordingly, the works he wrote prior to his acceptance of the Fatimids as imams, would have been considered doctrinally false and they, unless revised, were abandoned and thus did not survive.
2. Neoplatonism
Those now available are certainly not all complete and one exists solely in a later Persian paraphrase of its original (lost) Arabic. Critical editions and translations are few in number. Moreover, the philosophical content in some works far exceeds that of others. It was al-Sijistani's custom to assemble his material in a series of, often disconnected, topical chapters and to mix Ismaili doctrinal teachings with philosophy in alternating, but most often not overlapping, short sections. Therefore, his Neoplatonism frequently appears in what he wrote separated — although not always — from his more specifically religious concerns. Thus his philosophical position becomes apparent only in portions of his works, in particular certain chapters of his The Wellsprings, The Keys, Prophecy’s Proof, and Revealing the Concealed. On these titles, their general contents, and the state of modern studies of them, see Paul E. Walker, Abu Ya‘qub al-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary (London, 1998) especially the appendix.
The Neoplatonic background to al-Sijistani's thought is fairly complex. Beginning as early as the middle of the preceding century several important texts, or portions of them, were translated from Greek into Arabic, including the widely circulated Theologia, sometimes called the Theology of Aristotle. Others were a longer version of this same Theologia, the Liber de causis, and a doxographical work that goes by the name of the Pseudo-Ammonius. The Theologia contains for the most part passages from Plotinus’s Enneads IV to VI; the Liber de causis depends ultimately on Proclus’s Element of Theology. All of these texts and others were available to the Ismaili philosophers —and other Islamic thinkers — by the beginning of the tenth century. The Islamic world had time by then to digest this material thoroughly and to begin an elaboration of various specific doctrines expressed in it. From his position a generation or so later, al-Sijistani came to Neoplatonism as much from within a nascent Islamic tradition of it as of his own raw confrontation with specific individual Greek (or pseudo-Greek) texts, which his own writings reflect therefore only secondarily.
Nevertheless, the major Neoplatonic influences in the thought of al-Sijistani comprise a cosmology and metaphysics that adhere closely to important doctrines of Plotinus, among them an austerely rigorous concept of God as the one beyond both being and non-being. God is not a substance, not intellect, nor within the categories that pertain to the created universe in any way. Intellect is the first existent being, originated by God as an indivisible whole. It is the source of all else that exists. In contrast to many other Islamic philosophers, al-Sijistani adamantly insists that intellect does not divide or separate. There is only one intellect. It does, however, engender by procession the soul and the latter again remains a whole and is a universal. It does, even so, descend in parts into individual creatures who are thus animated by it. The soul falls therefore on its higher side within the lower horizon of intellect whereas its own lower aspect is nature, a semi-hypostatic being at the point of transition from the spiritual into the physical realm. The goal of religion and of prophecy is to reorient the soul toward its true unblemished higher self and ultimately to have it regain its original sublime existence.
Although the outline of standard Neoplatonic ideas can be observed in al-Sijistani's thought, there are curiosities that do not seem to belong. One is his doctrine that God creates by willful fiat — that is, by issuing a command to be. Another involves the notion that salvation — the restoration in the soul of its spirituality — is a historical development that runs upward step by step following the course of the cycles of prophetic revelations and the religious laws that each lawgiving-prophet establishes in turn.
H. Corbin, Trilogie ismaélienne (Tehran and Paris, 1961)
H. Corbin, ed., Kashf al-mahjub (Revealing the Concealed) (Tehran and Paris, 1949), French trans. Corbin, Le dévoilement des choses caches (Paris, 1988).
P. Walker, Early Philosophical Shiism: The Ismaili Neoplatonism of Abu Ya‘qub al-Sijistani (Cambridge, 1993).
P. Walker, The Wellsprings of Wisdom: A study of Abu Ya‘qub al-Sijistani's Kitab al-yanabi‘ (Salt Lake City, 1994).
Paul E. Walker
Email: info@iis.ac.uk
The Institute of Ismaili Studies
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4985
|
__label__cc
| 0.585596
| 0.414404
|
IFSW African Region Issues Statement on Human Rights Violations in Cameroon
Information Type: News, StatementTopic: Human Rights, IFSW, Social Protection, Social Work, Conflict
CONTACT: Joachim Mumba IFSW Vice President African Region
GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE CAMEROON
We the Social Workers in the Africa Region are concerned with the gross human rights violations in both the Southern Cameroons and the Northern Provinces of Cameroon. We are concerned by not only because Cameroon is a member of the IFSW but largely because as the Federation and its national members we strive for social justice, human rights and the promotion of human dignity. There have been reports of extra-judicial execution of civilians, burning of more than 100 villages in Southern Cameroon. The on-going Anglophone crisis has brought on unbearable sufferings on the civilian population and has forced about 200,000 inhabitants to be internally displaced and live in bushes while about 160,000 are living in refugee camps in the neighbouring Nigeria since the beginning of 2018. There have also been reports of many cases of arbitrary arrests, rape of women and children, abduction, detention and imprisonment incommunicado.
We therefore urge the African Union and other international organisations like the United Nations, European Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie to urgently intervene and rescue the Southern Cameroonians from the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the Cameroon military on innocent harmless civilians who have been slaughtered in cold blood, tortured and women raped in thousands.
We urge the African Union to intervene so that the regime of President Paul Biya should release all detainees and those imprisoned because of their political views and ensure freedom of expression and assembly. We are concerned about the loud silence of the world on the deteriorating human rights situation in the Cameroon. We hope and pray that Africa is not just about to witness another genocide.
Cameroon is a member of the Commonwealth and subscribed to the Charter of the Commonwealth which calls upon member states to uphold and promote the values and aspirations of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The same Charter expresses the commitment of its member states to the development of free and democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity to improve the lives of all peoples of the Commonwealth.
Based on these violations of the principles of the charter of the Commonwealth and other internationally subscribed human rights instruments and protocols, we demand that:
Women and children who have suffered traumatic violations are assisted to seek rehabilitative professional services
The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, the UN Human Rights Commission and the Commonwealth joins the African Social Work fraternity in demanding for an independent inquiry into the systematic abuse of human rights that have occurred since the beginning of the crisis and the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Cameroon be suspended from the Commonwealth until the government calls for genuine dialogue aimed at resolving the conflict.
The Commonwealth uses its influence to ask President Paul Biya to personally address the ongoing crisis in Cameroon
The United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) should take necessary steps in protecting the civilian population especially women and children in the Cameroon.
Below are videos documenting the human rights abuses in Cameroon – please watch with discretion:
https://www.ifsw.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/WhatsApp-Video-2018-09-19-at-14.45.39.mp4
Region: AfricaLanguage: EnglishCommission: Human Rights
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4986
|
__label__cc
| 0.618608
| 0.381392
|
Archive of numbers
Author’s Guide
Ethical Principles of authors of scientific articles
License contract
Oficial site of IMEMO
Archive of numbers Publication Information Editorial Board
General Requirements Reviewing Ethical Principles of authors of scientific articles Information for Authors License contract
Contacts Current Issue Archive Issues Authors Index
Oficial site of IMEMO Editions Login
Mirovaya ekonomika i mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya
Monthly academic journal
Included in VAC list, Science Index
Indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (RSCI and ESCI)
Subscription Index 70542
“World Eсonomy and International Relations” ranking in the Russian Science Citation Index (2017)
Overall ranking in the Science Index 25
Subject “Politics. Political science” 1
Subject “Economy. Economic science” 4
Current Issue – 2019, vol. 63, No. 7
The monthly publication “World Economy and International Relations” has been established in 1956 and its first issue appeared in January 1957. Now it is the leading multidisciplinary serial in Russia and CIS on the current theoretical and practical issues of the international policy, world economic relations, developments in the particular countries and macro-regions. “MEMO Journal” is published by the Russian Academy of Sciences. The co-founders of the Journal are the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
elibrary.ru | Scopus | ESCI
RYABOV Andrei Vilenovich – Editor-in-Chief
MATVEEVA Irina Eduardovna – Executive Secretary
“World Eсonomy and International Relations”Journal adheres to the norms generally accepted by the international academic community, including the editors’ and publishers’ ethics, the ethics of academic peer-reviewing, the authors’ ethics, and also the requirements of the current legislation of the Russian Federation.We act in in conjunction with the following fundamental documents:
- Code of Ethics of Scientific Publications of non-profit partnership “Committee on ethics of scientific publications”
- Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors (Committee on Publication Ethics)
- Declaration of the Association of scientific editors and publishers “Ethical Principles of Scientific Publications”
- Provisions of Chapter 70th “Copyright” of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation
The manuscripts submitted for publishing in the "World Economy and International Relations" Journal must comply with the followinggeneral requirements:
to correspond with the remit of the Journal (theoretical and practical issues of the present day world economy, of world politics and international relations, of social development of foreign countries, Russian problems in the light of international practices) (see About the Journal);
to be self-sufficient (that is to reflect the author(s) personal contribution to formulation and research of the chosen scientific topic). The use of someone else's texts, already published in other titles or in the Internet, without reference (plagiary) is prohibited and may lead to penalty, according to the current copyright and neighboring rights protection legislation of the Russian Federation (see Basic ethical principles of authors of scientific articles);
to be funded (that is to rest upon other scientists' and specialists' works, notably not only domestic, but also foreign, and to contain the correct references);
to be currently important (that is to contain the elements of scientific and informational novelty);
to correspond with the technical requirements to the manuscripts adopted by the Journal (see Standards of manuscript formatting).
“World Eсonomy and International Relations” Journal is mainly practicing the "double-blind" (anonymous) reviewingmethod, i.e. the reviewer and the author do not know each other.
The reviewing process takes between 2 to 8 weeks and consists of several stages. The newly received manuscript is firstly reviewed internally by the editorial experts, including Chief Editor. At this stage, the manuscript is tentatively evaluated and it may be rejected for the following reasons:
the manuscript does not fit the editorial policy and Journal’s topics (the editorial office has the priority in determining this);
the manuscript’s content does not correspond to its announced topic;
notoriously poor quality of the manuscript (ignorance of key sources and literature on the subject, poor empirical base, reproduction of findings and theses on the subject that are widely known and already available in the academic literature, journalistic nature of the text, etc.);
the submitted manuscript does not comply with the current formatting standards.
While the manuscript has passed the preliminary stage it is sent for an external peer-reviewing by an authoritative specialist in this subject area.
Author of a scientific article is the person who participate (to a considerable extent – in case if there are several authors) in is writing the work, namely, in formulating its concept, in its scientific designing, in collecting the background materials, their analysis and interpretation of received results. In case of collaborative article, all participants must meet these criteria. The consent of all authors for the publication is required.
Manuscript Formatting Standarts for "World Eсonomy and International Relations"
The sample text of the contract
23, Profsoyuznaya Str.
2019, vol. 63, No. 7
Topical themes of the issue:
• After the Elections: the Limits to Growth of Political Influence of Eurosceptics
• Launching a Sustainable Financial System in the European Union
• Africa Today and Tomorrow
• China Accepts Rules in the Arctic
View This Issue (2019, vol. 63, No. 7)
Send article
Dear readers!
This is to inform you that we begin to provide free access to full-text archive issues of the journal on our WEB-site. As of now, the releases of 2015–2017, as well as № 1–6 of 2018 are available. The work on deepening the open archive of full-text issues will be continued.
This is to inform the researchers of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations that electronic version of the 2-nd issue of 2019 of French magazine Politique étrangère is now available. Those who are interested, please personally address to the editorial staff of MEMO Journal (room 18-17) with an electronic media (e-mailing is not possible because of technical reasons).
In response to the challenges of our time the Editorial board continues to open new thematic rubrics:
“The Common Spaces”. The XX century was marked by the process of active development of the so-called common spaces, namely the World ocean, outer space and the Internet which, due to various reasons, were previously perceived as peripheral for the mankind and were not used at all or less intensively. Since then, the degree of their development and usage is constantly increasing. Even though the prospects of obtaining material dividends from their use are often extremely remote, the level of competition there is steadily increasing, resulting in growing inter-state conflicts’ potential.
“Silk Road and prospects of Great Eurasia”. It is planned to publish materials concerning the Chinese project of Silk Road and its impact on the socio-economic development of various countries in Eurasia and the integration processes in this mega-region.
“Africa today and tomorrow”. The rubric devoted to contemporary issues of Africa which is attracting growing interest of the world's leading actors. We plan to publish the articles analyzing the status of statehood, socio-economic and political development of the countries of Black continent, as well as the integration processes between them.
Dear colleagues, authors and readers!
We kindly request you to turn to editor-in-chief and executive secretary directly concerning reviewing scientific publications in our journal. Only editor-in-chief takes decision on order and publication the reviews!
"World Eсonomy and International Relations" announces a contest for the best joint academic publications of domestic and foreign researchers and experts in topical issues of the world economy and international relations. The winners will be selected according to the results of peer reviewing and discussion at the Editorial Board. The articles will be published in priority order.
The print version of “World Economy and International Relations” journal is distributed by advance subscription only, and is not offered for retail sale. To subscribe please address to any post office in Russia by referring to the Federal Postal Service Union Catalogue, section “ARSMI”, the journal index is 70542. The subscription may be made for the whole subscription period or starting from any nearest available month for desired number of issues.
To purchase the full-text electronic version of the journal’s issue/article please address to the WEB portal of Scientific electronic library eLIBRARY.ru or URL: https://press.gaugn.ru/.
WORLD ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Articles for the year
Authors for the year
The author’s opinions may not coincide with the position of editorial
If you found a typo, select it and click Ctrl + Enter buttons. Thank you
Views today: 867
Unique users today: 201
Total views: 4267027
At a reprint the reference to site IMEMO reserved. Commercial use of placed materials is prohibited.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4992
|
__label__cc
| 0.659342
| 0.340658
|
CETA: Canada Work Permits for High-Level Business People
by Colin R. Singer / Monday, 25 September 2017 / Published in 2017, Canada Immigration News Articles
September 25, 2017 – High-level European Union business people will get easier access to Canada work permits after a major trade deal between Canada and the European Union came into effect on Thursday, September 21.
The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) gives Canada access to the world’s largest market outside the U.S., with 98 per cent of Canadian goods now entering the EU free of tariffs.
With uncertainty over trade with the U.S. – Canada’s largest trade partner – the deal giving Canadian companies access to a $20 trillion market could not have come at a better time.
CETA: Key Numbers
98% of Canadian good to enter EU tariff-free
EU represents a $20 trillion market
Canada exported $42 billion in goods in 2016
Companies in Canada also sold $18 billion in services last year
Canadian companies can now bid for the EU government procurement market, worth $3.3 trillion
Federal government spent $350 million preparing dairy sector for increased competition
20% increase in bilateral trade
Canada’s income to grow $12 billion annually
Study says deal will increase average Canadian household income by $1,000
The deal not only means access to markets, but also means key business people will be able to move more freely on a temporary basis between Canada and the EU.
Both sides agreed that the movement of high-level individuals was central to the success of CETA, facilitating the exchange of services, investment, market access for goods, and government procurement between Canada and the EU.
A central element of the agreement is that the personnel can only move on a temporary basis, depending on which category they fall into as specified in the deal.
For Canada, the immigration program which covers these individuals is the International Mobility Program (IMP), a spin-off from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) that eliminates the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Business people covered under the deal are split into three broad categories. Here, immigration.ca discusses each of those categories and analyses what they will mean on a practical level for Canadian immigration.
1. Key Personnel
This category covers a broad range of professionals divided into inter-corporate transferees, independent investors and investors on behalf of businesses. The terms of the deal broadly state that all categories will be allowed temporary entry without restriction by numbers or by economic need. Investors will be allowed into Canada without the need for a work permit or any other prior approval, while intra-corporate transferees will be allowed to work on a temporary basis.
Permitted lengths by sub-category
Intra-corporate transferees: Specialists and senior professionals for the lesser of three years or length of contract. An 18-month discretionary extension is applicable. Graduate trainees for the lesser of one year or length of contract.
Canada has also stipulated that intra-corporate transferees also be entitled to an open spousal work permit, also covering common-law relationships that have co-habited for one year or more.
Investors: One year with discretionary extensions.
Business investors: 90 days in a six-month period.
2. Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals
Both contractors and independent professionals are limited to working as an employee of their firm or as a self-employed individual. Contractors must have three years of experience in their field, while independent professionals require six years of experience. As with the Key Personnel category, there can be no numerical or economic restrictions put on those authorized for entry.
Under both sub-categories, individuals cannot stay for longer than a year in any two-year period, or for the duration of their contract. Again, Canada may grant extensions as its discretion.
3. Short-Term Business Visitors
Individuals in this category must not engage in selling goods to the public, cannot be paid within Canada or provide any consumer service. They also do not require a work permit or any other prior approval to enter Canada. Temporary entry is only granted for a total of 90 days in a six-month period.
Allowable Activities of Short-Term Business Visitors
Meetings and consultations
Research and design
After-sales or after-lease service
Tourism personnel
The focus of CETA when it comes to the movement of business people is to eliminate factors that might previously have caused delays and added costs. These factors include the need for labour market – in Canada’s case the LMIA – or economic needs tests.
The rules set out above are aimed at increasing transparency and predictability when it comes to temporary entry decisions.
There is no provision for general labour or unskilled labour under the agreement. Neither is there any coverage of permanent employment, pathways to permanent residency or citizenship, nor visa requirements.
Canada has listed several exemptions and stipulations pertaining to the above criteria.
First, in the engineering and scientific technologist field, Canada stipulates that candidates with a three-year post-secondary degree will be favoured as holding the equivalent of a Canadian university degree.
There are also several sector-specific exemptions requested by Canada. These are concentrated in the Independent Professional category, and include scientific and technical consulting, tax advisory services, accountancy and bookkeeping, advertising, plus technical testing and analysis. Several medical field exemptions also exist across all categories.
Meanwhile, there are also several specific stipulations from individual EU member states. They can be accessed here.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4994
|
__label__cc
| 0.614984
| 0.385016
|
You are here: Home / Sexual Health Conditions / Male Sexual Health / Q&A / Is a penis transplant possible?
Is a penis transplant possible?
Yes, penis transplants have been performed, but they are not yet routine procedures.
The first successful penis transplant took place in South Africa in 2014. The patient was a 21-year-old man whose penis had been amputated after a botched circumcision. Since then, successful transplants occurred in the United States in 2016 and again in South Africa in 2017.
In March of 2018, a team of surgeons performed the world’s first penis and scrotum transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. This surgery was the first time both a penis and scrotum, along with a portion of an abdominal wall, were transplanted. (Note: The donor’s testes were not transplanted.)
The transplant process starts with finding a suitable donor penis, which comes from a deceased man with the consent of family members. It can take some time to find a penis that matches a patient’s blood type, age, and skin tone.
Once a match is made, surgery can proceed. The procedure itself is highly complex, as surgeons must connect an intricate network of nerves and blood vessels.
Patients may also receive bone marrow infusions from the donor and take medications to lower the risk of their bodies’ rejecting the new organ.
Recovery time may take weeks to months. The 2014 South African patient was reported to have urinated and had intercourse five weeks after surgery. He also impregnated his girlfriend the following year.
Doctors expected the 2018 penis and scrotum transplant patient to have penile sensation and erectile function about six months after surgery.
Some experts recommend psychological evaluations and counseling before penis transplant surgery so that patients will know what to expect.
In 2006, a penis transplant in China was physically successful in that the patient’s body accepted the new penis. However, two weeks later, surgeons removed the penis “because of a severe psychological problem of the recipient and his wife,” the journal European Urology reported.
In the case of the penis and scrotum transplant, surgeons did not transplant the donor’s testes. This was an ethical issue, as sperm produced by the testes could still contain genetic material from the donor.
Penile transplantation is still in its infancy, but future procedures are possible. Johns Hopkins is considering its next patients. However, transplants are not yet planned for transgender individuals undergoing gender reassignment surgery at that location.
European Urology
Hu, Weilie, et al.
“A Preliminary Report of Penile Transplantation”
(Full-text. Published online: August 10, 2006)
https://www.europeanurology.com/article/S0302-2838(06)00867-0/fulltext
HUB (Johns Hopkins University)
Nilaweera, Archana
“Johns Hopkins surgeons perform world's first total penis and scrotum transplant”
https://hub.jhu.edu/2018/04/23/penis-transplant-surgery-johns-hopkins/
“South African Surgeons Perform World’s First Penile Transplant”
https://www.issm.info/news/sex-health-headlines/south-african-surgeons-perform-worlds-first-penile-transplant/
Nitkin, Karen
“First-Ever Penis and Scrotum Transplant Makes History at Johns Hopkins”
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/first-ever-penis-and-scrotum-transplant-makes-history-at-johns-hopkins
“First penis transplant reversed after two weeks”
(September 19, 2006)
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14905485/ns/health-mens_health/t/first-penis-transplant-reversed-after-two-weeks/#.Wx52zkgvw2w
Grady, Denise
“‘Whole Again’: A Vet Maimed by an I.E.D. Receives a Transplanted Penis”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/health/soldier-penis-transplant-ied.html
SexHealthMatters
“Scientists Explore Possibility of Penis Transplants in the United States”
http://www.sexhealthmatters.org/news/scientists-explore-possibility-of-penis-transplants-in-the-united-states
“So Far, First Penis Transplant is a Success”
http://www.sexhealthmatters.org/did-you-know/so-far-first-penis-transplant-is-a-success
Shots (NPR)
“Veteran Receives Penis Transplant To Repair War Wound”
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/23/605054470/veteran-receives-penis-transplant-to-repair-war-wound
Next question: Does sex reduce a man’s risk for prostate cancer?
Previous question: What is the difference between sexual performance anxiety and erectile dysfunction (ED)?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4997
|
__label__wiki
| 0.888973
| 0.888973
|
Jazz Age Fashion
Newsmakers & Entertainers
London Film
Adapted from “Limelight,” by Terence Pepper
James Abbe deserves his place in the hall of fame of great photographers for the two important strands of his career: as portraitist to the glittering stars of the 1920s world of theater and film, and as a pioneer American Photojournalist observing firsthand the dramatically changing European cultural and political situation in his various travels throughout the late 1920s and 1930s.
Abbe was lured to the limelight of the east and west coast film studios of America and the theater stages of New York, London and Paris. In each place he managed to encapsulate the illusions of performance into still visions of enchantment.
James Edward Abbe, the third child of Octa Amelia Terry and James Edward Abbe Sr., was born on July 17, 1883, in Alfred, Maine, while the family was traveling around the state on one of his father’s book-selling expeditions. In 1892 the family moved to Newport News, Virginia, where Abbe’s father acquired a bookstore and stationery business, and the family lived in rooms above the premises.
In 1895, at the age of 12, James Abbe first became interested in photography after he saw the camera belonging to his sister’s beau, George Smith. James, with George, persuaded his father to apply for the Kodak agency license to sell cameras and develop and print film, and he acquired his first one-dollar Kodak camera.
Abbe became known as “Pictures, or sometimes “Pic” for short, as the boy photographer of Newport News covering the burning of a grain elevator, battleship launchings and troops starting off to war, as well as framed, sepia prints of atmospheric studies. Abbe’s photograph of the USS Maine in 1898 had newsworthy appeal when the ship blew up shortly afterwards in Havana Harbor.
Abbe landed his first important overseas photographic assignment, working for the Washington Post to document the voyage of a small fleet of US battleships as it traveled to England and France in a show of strength. The fleet anchored in Portland Harbor, Dorset, and during his three weeks in England, Abbe produced postcards of the nearby Weymouth docks and spent a week visiting London, where he witnessed a suffragette march on the Houses of Parliament led by Mrs. Pankhurst. He later recalled, “I saw just enough of London, of Londoners, music halls, pubs and their publicans to whet my appetite for more, and much more I got between 1923 and 1934,” when he returned as a renowned photographer and journalist.
The first film star Abbe photographed was Marguerite Clark. Although now more or less forgotten, Clark was one of the highest paid and most popular stars of her day. The New York Times ranked her as one of “the big four,” her fame rivaling that of Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr., all of whom Abbe also captured.
Perhaps his most enduring relationship in the film world was with the Gish sisters. Lillian Gish is thought to be the greatest dramatic actress of the silent era, and her sister Dorothy, capable of a wide range of acting styles, was one of the greatest comediennes of the time.
Abbe visited Hollywood in 1920 and 1922 where he took portraits of Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin, and also directed a film for Mack Sennett. After working for seven months on location in Italy on the Ronald Coleman — Lillian Gish film, The White Sister (1923), Abbe made his base in Paris. His main reputation as a theatre photographer preceded him and soon he was gravitating towards the best in French theatre and revue, including the Dolly Sisters, and Mistinguette, introducing them to a world-wide audience through his picture syndication.
Abbe soon became one of the leading celebrity photographers of the 1920s and is best known for his iconic portraits of stars of both cinema and stage. He quickly established an international reputation, appearing in Vanity Fair, Ladies Home Journal, Vogue, British Tatler, French Vu, and many other publications.
Throughout the 1920s, Abbe made regular trips back and forth between Paris and London to photograph theatre and film-making activities. He also traveled to Spain, Germany, Russia, the US, and Mexico as a correspondent.
Turning increasingly to photo-journalism, he became the first Westerner to photograph Stalin in the Kremlin, and wrote a book titled “I Photograph Russia,” containing photos forbidden by the Soviet regime.
After covering the Spanish Civil War, Abbe returned permanently to the US to work as a radio commentator during WWII. He retired from his final career as a TV columnist for a newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1960s.
© 2018 James Abbe Archive; All Rights Reserved
Site Design by Brady Kennedy
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4998
|
__label__cc
| 0.668344
| 0.331656
|
Devin Foley's blog
Understanding the Logic of our Cultural Chaos
We’re in a time of transition.
Devin Foley | June 13, 2016
Ruth Benedict was a cultural anthropologist who studied the Japanese extensively in World War II. She reflected on her findings in The Chrysanthemum and the Sword.
These days, many individuals have a sense of a culture in turmoil, of societal chaos. Everything seems to be in a state of flux and there is a great deal of uncertainty about the future. Indeed, many polls show a majority of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction and that our best days are behind us. From Benedict’s perspective, there is a reason for it. We are in a time of transition as we shift our cultural values.
A human society must make for itself some design for living. It approves certain ways of meeting situations, certain ways of sizing them up. People in that society regard these solutions as foundations of the universe. They integrate them, no matter what the difficulties. Men who have accepted a system of values by which to live cannot without courting inefficiency and chaos keep for long a fenced-off portion of their lives where they think and behave according to a contrary set of values. They try to bring about more conformity. They provide themselves with some common rationale and some common motivations. Some degree of consistency is necessary or the whole scheme falls to pieces.
Benedict continues:
Economic behavior, family arrangements, religious rites and political objectives therefore become geared into one another. Changes in one area may occur more rapidly than in others and subject these other areas to great stress, but the stress itself arises from the need for consistency. … Religious dogmas, economic practices and politics do not stay dammed up in neat separate little ponds but they overflow their supposed boundaries and their waters mingle inextricably one with the other.
We are in a time of “great stress” described by Benedict. Our country and society was built upon a very different set of founding ideas than those that are currently animating our society. In the past, there was broad acceptance of the Western worldview, rooted in the synthesis of Christianity and Hellenism. That outlook, with its ideas of a natural law and divine purpose, fundamentally shaped our society and its laws.
Today, though, the cultural leaders have largely rejected that worldview. They have embraced something quite different, grounded in a sort of secular, materialist egalitarianism. Over the past few decades, the culture shaping institutions of education, media, and entertainment have promulgated the new worldview. And they have met with success with increasingly larger percentages of younger Americans sharing the new thinking.
The reason for the sense of chaos and stress in our society is because the structure of our traditions and laws are in conflict with the new worldview. They must be modified and changed to conform to the new worldview. As Ruth Benedict argues, “economic behavior, family arrangements, religious rites and political objectives” are “geared into one another”. No part of our society is safe from the fundamental changes taking place, hence why there is such great uncertainty.
It’s likely that the sense of change and chaos is only going to increase in coming years as the logic of the new order finally works its way through “economic behavior, family arrangements, religious rites and political objectives”. And there is always the possibility that the new worldview will not succeed. The current chaos may create openings for other ideas and perspectives in unexpected ways. Whatever the case, successful or not, the stress will continue until all parts of our society are united around a dominant cultural worldview.
Devin is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Intellectual Takeout and a graduate of Hillsdale College where he studied history and political science. Prior to co-founding Intellectual Takeout, he served as the Director of Development at the Center of the American Experiment, a state-based think tank in Minnesota. Devin is a contributor to local and national newspapers, a frequent guest on a variety of talk shows, such as Minneapolis' KTLK and NPR's Talk of the Nation, and regularly shares culture and education insights by giving presentations to civic groups, schools, and other organizations. In 2011, he was named a Young Leader by the American Swiss Foundation. Devin and his wife have been married for seventeen years and have five children. When he's not working, Devin enjoys time with family the most while also relaxing through reading, horticulture, home projects, and skiing and snowboarding.
Watch Devin Foley and Christina Hoff Sommers recently discuss the question, "Is there a war against men?"
E-mail Devin
This T.S. Eliot Poem Describes Modern Males Perfectly
Poll: Americans Not Equipped to Make Good Political Decisions
It’s Okay to Be Westocentric
The Teen Who Wrote #BlackLivesMatter 100 Times on Stanford Application—and Got Accepted—is Emblematic of a Growing Problem
Chicago: 75% of Murdered Are Black, 71% of Murderers Are Black
Univ. of Chicago Pushes Back on Trigger Warnings, Safe Spaces
Snowden: Stop Putting So Much Faith (and Fear) in Presidents
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line4999
|
__label__wiki
| 0.807064
| 0.807064
|
Fans Think They Solved the Mystery of O.J. Simpson’s Accomplice “Charlie”
By Carly Sitzer
Ahead of plans to air O.J. Simpson’s 2006 interview — The Lost Confession — during which he lays out plans on how the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman happened “hypothetically” — fans are left with more questions than answers. During one teaser clip of the interview, the disgraced football player seems to imply that he had an accomplice that night — while maintaining that he was in no way responsible and that this how it would’ve happened, hypothetically speaking.
He mentions someone named Charlie, a friend of the murderer who assisted the night of Nicole’s and Ron’s deaths; he says that Charlie called him disbelief about “what was going on at Nicole’s house,” prompting O.J. to drive there. He also says Charlie went with the killer and was riding with him in the infamous white Bronco. At some point during the interview, O.J. stops speaking hypothetically and begins speaking in the first person — prompting many to ask, who is this “Charlie” who was alleged with “the killer” the night of the murders?
With “Charlie” first showing up in If I Did It — a book by O.J., written by a ghostwriter about the night of the crimes — followers of the case have offered their own theories as to who the mysterious accomplice is. On Quora, one person suggests that Charlie — like the rest of the book — is completely fictional. Another user offers a more compelling argument, sugguesting that “Charlie” represents another side of the once-celebrated athlete.
“My read is that ‘Charlie’ (as conceived and depicted by the ghostwriter) is a second side of O.J. Simpson’s personality — not a ‘split personality’ or anything like that, but, rather, the calm collected side of himself, like a ‘conscience’ or ‘superego.’ The fictitious Charlie character seems to speak to the O.J. character only in moments of introspection, including, ‘Oh my god, O.J., what have you done’ and ‘You’ve got to get out of here’ and similar,” this user writes.
“In short: I believe the author is painting O.J. as an unstable and rage-filled figure, prone to judgmental lapses or outright break-from-rational-awareness fugue states. ‘Charlie’ represents the better side of Orenthal’s nature, urging him to do the right thing, or shocking him back to his senses after such rage-explosions have passed.”
It does make sense. Especially since the interview was conducted in 2006 as a way to promote the book.
The decision to publish the book was met with outrage from people all over the country, including Ron Goldman’s family who successfully sued O.J.’s estate for 90 percent of the profits from the sale of the book, being that Ron’s father successfully sued O.J. for $33.5 million in a wrongful death suit. The Goldman family was outspoken when it came to the book, and appear to be just as horrified about the interview airing — though his sister Kim said they’d be tuning in.
“I think that [viewers] are going to see what we see, [which] is that he did it. He talks from what we understand is hypothetical and then he talks in the first person,” she told Extra. “What we’ve always said about the If I Did It book is, ‘What kind of innocent person writes a story about how they would kill their wife?’”
Reputation Expert: O.J. Simpson Would Need a “Biblical Miracle” to Be Trusted Again by...
Robert Kardashian Sr. and O.J. Simpson Bonded Over Their Alma Mater, Their Wives, and ...
Sacha Baron Cohen Under Fire for O.J. Simpson Payment (EXCLUSIVE)
R. Kelly Arrested on Federal Sex Crime Charges, Including Child Pornography
Michelle Carter, Who Encouraged Boyfriend's Suicide via Text, Is Appealing Her Convict...
Nick Godejohn Calls His Time With Gypsy Rose Blanchard the 'Best Days' of His Life: 'W...
'Teen Mom OG' Star Amber Portwood Arrested for Domestic Battery
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5001
|
__label__wiki
| 0.989777
| 0.989777
|
World Cup players shouldn't have fight for equal pay-Lilly
Soccer / 6 July 2019, 5:00pm / By Christian Radnedge
All 28 members of the defending World Cup squad were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit against U.S. Soccer filed in March. Photo: Michael Chow/USA TODAY Sports
LYON – The run to the World Cup final by the United States women's team has boosted their campaign for equal pay, but it should not have to be the responsibility of the players to force through change, former international Kristine Lilly said this week.
Lilly, a pioneer of women's soccer who won two world titles and two Olympic golds in a 23-year playing career, was part of the 1999 World Cup winning side on home soil which raised the profile of the women's game in the U.S.
The American team has continued to dominate, going for a record-extending fourth World Cup in Sunday's final against the Netherlands.
However, simmering in the background has been a lawsuit brought by the players against the U.S. Soccer Federation for being paid less than their male counterparts, despite superior performances.
All 28 members of the defending World Cup squad were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit against U.S. Soccer filed in March.
And Lilly told Reuters on the fringes of an equality conference in Lyon that their successful run to the final of the tournament in France had led to positive discussion on the subject.
"I think the World Cup brings another level of attention," Lilly said.
"We've made change on the field and also tried to make change off the field and continue that growth of support for the women's game," she said.
"And they see it as an opportunity to bring up conversation and make a difference and have this platform to not only get what they are asking for but also just let them know that 'hey, we're not going to stand for it anymore. We want some more proactive movements.'
"(But) We don't want the players to have to say to make a change, we want people to start the change without that."
The lawsuit also outlines years of institutionalised gender discrimination, claiming travel conditions, medical personnel, promotion of games and training are less favourable for female players than for their male counterparts.
A Wall Street Journal report last month said that U.S. Soccer had agreed to participate in mediation when the World Cup was over.
Lilly, who is the most capped footballer in history male or female with 352, added that, had there been more women in administrative positions, the dispute might never have arisen. U.S. Soccer has never had a female president.
"I think it's about educating and changing views sometimes. I think our society has grown up so male dominant but that's not the way it is anymore."
Such is the dominance of the U.S. women's team they have even been accused of arrogance, particularly for their exuberance when scoring 13 goals against Thailand in their opening game or even for forward Alex Morgan's teacup goal celebration in the semi-final against England.
But however much they looked to be indulging themselves on the pitch, Lilly maintained that the American players were working extremely hard off it. She would know, having played in five editions of the World Cup.
"When I look back at World Cups it was never easy. So people say the U.S. is always there, but it's never an easy process," said the 47-year-old former midfielder, who scored 130 goals for the national team.
"The training they're doing constantly to be the best is hard work. This World Cup, the quarters against France, the semis against England, those were two great games.
"But the U.S. is one of the strongest teams, not only the 11 but some players coming off the bench really make an impact. The game with Holland will be good, but I think Holland has a lot to handle."
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5003
|
__label__wiki
| 0.537015
| 0.537015
|
Brian Keogh July 14, 2008 Padraig Harrington, Royal Birkdale, The Irish Sun 2008, The OpenComment
Harrington's hole by hole guide to Royal Birkdale
From Brian Keogh at Royal Birkdale
Royal Birkdale has reduced some of golf’s superstars to quivering wrecks but Padraig Harrington still wishes the course was even harder.
Vulnerable to gale force winds from the Irish Sea, the Merseyside links is a fearsome beast when the weather gets rough.
In 1961, the tented village was reduced to wreckage, but the weather still didn’t stop Arnold Palmer producing a miracle par from impossible rough at the 15th to win his first Open.
Only St Andrews has hosted golf's biggest Major more often and that's because Royal Birkdale is regarded as the fairest of all Open courses.
But that’s not what Harrington wants to hear as he bids to become the first European to win back to back Opens Championships for 102 years.
He wants to see his rivals shaking with fear on the first tee rather than rubbing their hands with glee.
The tougher it is, the fewer players he has to worry about.
Harrington explained: "I can understand why a lot of players would rate this very highly. It's not a tricky course, there's nothing funky about it. Everything is there in front of you.
“There might be a lot of players coming here and liking it, which is not what I want.
“I'd be happier if everybody turns up and hates the place, that's a good thing for me.
“I prefer a difficult test because it limits the number of people who can compete on the golf course, though if there is more pressure on you, you’d prefer to be on a more straightforward golf course than one that throws up a lot.”
High dunes frame flat fairways at Birkdale and the challenge is relatively simple in Harrington’s eyes.
You must hit it straight, avoid the bunkers, hit the greens and take your chances with the putter.
For all the armchair fans out there, here’s the Dubliner’s TV guide to all 18 holes and how to play them:
1st (450 yards par 4)
A good testing opening hole, but one that can also help create some early momentum. Which club to hit off the tee will depend on the strength and direction of the wind, but there is a strong possibility of being aggressive with a driver. With a bunker in play at 232 yards, a safe tee shot requires a semi-blind second, whereas a driver would carry the trouble and make for an easier approach.
2nd (421 yards par 4)
At just over 300 yards to the bunkers, a 5-wood is my preference off the tee when it is down wind. As long as you are laying up short of the fairway bunkers, it is a big target off the tee. However, the difficulty of the hole will be seen when it plays into the wind, whereby if you have to force a driver, those bunkers come into the equation. Playing down wind, a lay up and a pitch make it more straightforward, but it will play very different and much tougher when it is into the wind.
3rd (451 yards par 4)
A super hole – as long as you hit the drive straight and avoid the bunkers at just over 300 yards. I think the tee shot will be the toughest part of the hole, leaving an approach to a green that gathers a little off the left edge. I think the 2nd and 3rd holes are the exact reverse of each other – one’s going to be easy and the other is going to be tough depending on the wind – so they should even themselves up over the four days.
4th (201 yards par 3)
A beautifully framed par 3. Interestingly enough, the danger first appears to be all at the front of the green with the bunkers, but anything turned over going long and left could well run into the bushes at the back, especially if it is firm. It is one of those holes you’d be happy to hit into the middle of the green everyday and take a chance on holing a putt from there.
A nice risk and reward hole. If you want to take on the dog-leg with the driver, then the green is obviously reachable in calm conditions. But on the other hand, you could find a nasty lie in the rough or greenside bunkers. However, if I go for the green and hit it in one of the bunkers I won’t be too unhappy. But if you were to hit the fairway each round and then a wedge, you could possibly score better over the four days.
A tough par 4 hole, usually played into the prevailing wind. Again, the premium is on the tee shot and finding the right spot, ideally just carrying the bunker at 282 yards. But the likelihood is that you lay up short of or level with the right hand bunker off the tee and play a longer approach shot into the long elevated green. A good solid hole.
A really nice par 3 with a lovely shape to the green. However, the ball can easily spill off the small green into the bunkers, leaving a tough up-and-down. So again, I’d be looking to hit the middle of the green and work from there. There is nothing about the hole that is unplayable.
A very good and very tough par 4. You need to negotiate your drive between the three bunkers on the right and one on the left, but I think once you’ve done that then you are pretty well set up. However, if you hit any of the fairway bunkers, then effectively it is a penalty shot. It’s a bigger fairway than the previous holes, but that’s because the punishment for missing it is more severe. It has a big, wide green, so even if you are hitting a long iron in, you should have a chance of setting up a birdie putt.
Not a long hole, but a challenging dog-leg. Unless you hit the fairway off the tee it could be a semi-blind second shot to the raised green. However, for The Open I wouldn’t normally be aggressive and cut the corner, but am likely to play it safe by getting to the top of the hill and playing it from there to the green. It depends on the wind, but the likelihood is that it is not going to be a driver hole.
10th (408 yards par 4)
Another hole that you could attack with a good drive – this time close to the corner of the dog-leg and avoiding the bunkers that are a 250 yard carry. Depending on the strength and direction of the wind, the second shot could be either a lob wedge or up to a 5-iron if I have played safe off the tee, to make the small green. It is a hole where I will need to formulate different plans to get the best results over the duration of the Championship.
This hole provides a very tight tee shot in order to miss the well placed fairway bunkers, especially the new one on the left at 270 yards if played into the wind. The second shot needs to be precise and well placed given the angle at which the green is set.
A really good par 3 with an attractive green setting. The wind is likely to be off the right side, so you need plenty of club and commitment to the shot in order to control the ball into the breeze. Missing the green leaves a tough up and down, especially from the deep front bunkers.
Getting a good drive away is vital on such a long par 4, although it will generally play downwind. A new bunker has been added on the right of the fairway at 290 yards and there are two others on the left at 324 yards and 350 yards, so will be a real challenge to avoid the traps. Once the tee shot is negotiated you are left with a shot to a green surrounded by sandhills.
It is difficult to measure the strength and direction of the wind from the tee on this hole due to a sandhill guarding the tee box. The approach to the large green is relatively narrow and pin placements can take the hole up to nearly 220 yards. The new bunkers are well placed so I’d be looking to hit into the middle of the green and go from there.
A good strategic par 5 that requires some thought. The tee has been moved to the left to make the drive tougher. The hole incorporates new bunkering at around 300 yards from the tee and the second shot has also been made tighter. Whilst it is generally played into the wind and has a green that is more undulating than most on the course, there will still be birdies.
A good hole normally played into the prevailing wind that has been lengthened recently. Tee shots have got to be straight, because of the thick rough on the left and some gorse and bunkering on the right. The approach to the green is testing, especially given the number of deep surrounding bunkers and the wind factor.
This is an obvious birdie opportunity as it is normally played downwind. If you can hit a good drive past the sandhill on the left and avoid the new bunkers on the right, then you give yourself a good chance of reaching the green and picking up a shot. But if you don’t hit a good drive, then it can be a very dangerous hole. The new green is undulating, but I think you need something like that at the end of a par 5.
A terrific finishing hole off the new Championship tee, with the wind normally at your back. A tight fairway means either a driver or a 3-wood is needed to avoid the bunker and out-of-bounds on the right and a new bunker on the left at 300 yards. Distance control on the approach shot is key, as you need to avoid the bunkers that guard the front of the green, but then avoid going too long and facing a tricky up and down in front of the famous clubhouse.
Brian Keogh July 17, 2008 Padraig Harrington, The Irish Sun 2008, The OpenComment
Harrington enjoys battle of fittest
Padraig Harrington survived a battle of the fittest at storm-lashed Royal Birkdale and roared: I hope it blows again.
The defending champion dug deep to card a four-over par 74 in the worst of the weather and believes another day of wind and rain can only boost his chances of retaining the old Claret Jug.
Harrington ready for Birkdale
Padraig Harrington with begin his Open defence on a high after claiming his fifth Irish PGA title and his first win for more than EIGHT MONTHS.
The Open champion got the perfect send off for Royal Birkdale when he cruised to a four-shot win over veteran Philip Walton at The European Club.
MajorsBrian Keogh July 20, 2008 Padraig Harrington, Royal Birkdale, The OpenComment
Harrington retains the Open and joins the greats
It will rank up there with the greatest achievements in Irish sporting history but as he cradled the old Claret Jug for the second year in succession, new world No 3 Padraig Harrington preferred bask in the glory of an imperious victory rather and reflect on where it might place him in the pantheon of Irish sporting greats.
Brian Keogh July 13, 2008 Irish Daily Mail, Irish PGA, Padraig Harrington, Royal BirkdaleComment
Padraig feeling good for Birkdale
Padraig Harrington is feeling good about his chances of hanging on to the Claret Jug for another year after retaining his Irish PGA title by four shots at The European Club.
The Dubliner grabbed his first win for more than eight months when he closed with a 72 to finish four shots clear of surprise Open qualifier Philip Walton on one-over par.
And while he spotted a flaw in his set up that he hopes to sort out before Thursday's opening round at Royal Birkdale, he arrived on Merseyside yesterday with an extra spring in his step
Walton sets his sights high
Philip Walton fancies his chances of leading the Irish challenge at Royal Birkdale and showing the world he's not a beaten docket.
The 1995 Ryder Cup, 46, hero is flying high after ending his decade-long absence from the Open by coming through the qualifiers and then finishing second to Padraig Harrington in the Irish PGA.
McDowell bubbling under
Brian Keogh July 14, 2008 Graeme McDowell, The Irish Sun 2008, The Open
Brian Keogh July 13, 2008 Irish Daily Mail, Irish PGA, Padraig Harrington, Royal Birkdale
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5004
|
__label__wiki
| 0.791185
| 0.791185
|
Las Braza's is the latest restaurant to close at 134 N. Main St. in downtown Anderson
The restaurant space at 134 N. Main St. in downtown Anderson has seen a lot of different eateries come and go.
Las Braza's is the latest restaurant to close at 134 N. Main St. in downtown Anderson The restaurant space at 134 N. Main St. in downtown Anderson has seen a lot of different eateries come and go. Check out this story on independentmail.com: https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/current/2018/02/27/las-brazas-latest-restaurant-close-134-n-main-st-downtown-anderson/376357002/
Jake Grove, Anderson Independent Mail Published 11:54 a.m. ET Feb. 27, 2018 | Updated 6:26 p.m. ET Feb. 27, 2018
Las Braza's Mexican Grill opened Aug. 16 at 134 North Main St. in downtown Anderson. It recently closed.(Photo: KEN RUINARD/INDEPENDENT-MAIL)
Last week, while driving past the wonderful restaurants and bars along Main Street in downtown Anderson, I looked over and noticed one was conspicuously dark. No "OPEN" sign blinked from the window, no lights were dimmed for ambiance. It was simply dark inside.
This might seem normal at midnight or 1 a.m. on a Saturday, but this was during peak dinner hours on a bustling weekend in the Electric City. Turns out the restaurant, Las Braza's, had shut down.
It's nothing new for the space. Las Braza's was at 134 N. Main St. in Anderson, and before that, the restaurant in the space was Downtown Cafe. And before that it was The Bombay Club. And before that it was Club Havana 134. And still before that, it was Halfway 2 Havana 2. In all, the bar and restaurant space at 134 N. Main St. has been no fewer than five different businesses in the past decade and, honestly, I believe I'm forgetting at least one.
It's inevitable that bars and restaurants will close in any community. Places open and close all the time no matter where you are. Heck, just a couple doors down from where Las Braza's used to be, John Angell has had Johnny Angell's, Catfish Johnny's and, now, The District, over the past two years. But there is something about the 134 N. Main St. space that seems, well, cursed.
When the building was first renovated into a bar and restaurant, it seemed like it would be a niche place to be. Halfway 2 Havana 2 was an offshoot of Halfway 2 Havana in Greenville and featured an array of cigars from around the world, crafted cocktails and a small, but refined, bar menu of paired foods with beer, wine or liquor.
But when the cigar bar left, things seemed to go a little sideways. The Bombay Club, I think, was the first to go in and even that took awhile to get up and running. It featured mostly American fare and tried to be a nightspot for anyone looking for a different feel to the downtown scene. But The Bombay Club never seemed to catch on and never seemed to know what kind of restaurant it wanted to be. The name and logo was more about the night life, but the menu featured club sandwiches, nachos and tacos. It tried to be a club offering cocktails and wines, but then turned around and tried to become a family restaurant during the day and for dinner.
More: Anderson County Church's Chicken restaurant abruptly closed
In fact, the only thing most people went to The Bombay Club for, as far as I could tell, was Taco Tuesday, when it offered three gourmet tacos with a drink for $5. That was a deal most could get behind, even if one of the tacos was pulled pork with mac and cheese on top.
It wasn't long after The Bombay Club closed that a new concept rolled into the 134 space. It was called Downtown Cafe, and this time the menu was expressly stated and there was no room for confusion.
Downtown Cafe offered Greek and Italian cuisine, including a variety of pastas as well as Greek pastries and standards like a gyro and more. The full bar concept remained, and Downtown Cafe even offered to-go food to some of the craft beer stores that were nearby.
More: New restaurant, The Local, coming to Stone Creek Cove in Anderson this April
Again, however, it was not long for this world. In early 2017, Downtown Cafe closed due to a lack of business and, to be honest, I think I only ate there once. It never stood out in the downtown restaurant scene and with Club 134 just upstairs, it couldn't find a foothold in the bar scene, either.
By the end of summer last year, Downtown Cafe was gone and quickly replaced with Las Braza's. It was a good idea, many thought. After all, there were many Mexican restaurants in Anderson, but none downtown. My Taco had shut down years before, and the new Taco Loco wouldn't open for at least another six months. Las Braza's had a chance to grab hold of the area's love of Mexican food and offer it in a downtown setting.
More: Clemson's SunnySide Cafe has closed and will move to Patrick Square this spring
Sadly, each night the restaurant was fairly empty. Perhaps people already had their favorite Mexican sit-down restaurants. Or maybe they simply never realized that Las Braza's was there. Whatever the reason, it is now closed and we wait to see if another bar, restaurant or other store will go into the 134 N. Main St. spot.
Personally, I don't think it's cursed. I just think that Anderson's diners are looking for something there that they aren't getting from any of the incarnations that have come in the past five years.
What do you think should go in the spot? Personally, I'm hoping for a barcade, but I won't hold my breath.
Read or Share this story: https://www.independentmail.com/story/life/current/2018/02/27/las-brazas-latest-restaurant-close-134-n-main-st-downtown-anderson/376357002/
Woodstock 2019: What we know, what we don't
March 20, 2019, 9:28 a.m.
Letter: SC should make sure voting machines are safe
Oct. 10, 2018, 11:44 a.m.
Bad Moms, Matt Damon & Snoop Dogg streaming now
Feb. 15, 2018, 2:13 p.m.
Greenville fun includes sweets, wine, brunch and more
Clemson Music Festival features 9 days of tunes
Lakes Hartwell and Keowee restaurants a big draw
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5007
|
__label__wiki
| 0.971999
| 0.971999
|
The Enduring Legacy Of Slaughterhouse-Five
by John Krull
Fifty years ago this spring, Kurt Vonnegut published the book that would make him famous: Slaughterhouse-Five. The anti-war novel endures as one of the 20th century’s most important. But much like the Indiana author’s sense of humor, that success had a dark side.
April 1, 2019 22 min read
Not long before he died, Kurt Vonnegut and I got together for lunch in New York at an Italian place he liked in Midtown. Somewhere around the second glass of red wine for each of us, the conversation turned to his legacy. He worried, he said, that he would be forgotten.
Because Kurt and I had been friends for a half-dozen years at that point, I did what a friend does. I offered reassurance—which, in this case, involved just telling the truth.
Of course he’d be remembered, I told him. He’d written timeless books that dealt with enduring themes.
He shook his head.
“No,” he said. “You’re lucky if you get to have some influence in the time in which you live. That’s all you can expect, and you’re lucky if you get that much.”
Come on, I said, Slaughterhouse-Five alone was going to guarantee he would be read for as long as war was a part of human life.
Kurt would have none of it. He shook his head again.
No, he insisted.
Not even Slaughterhouse-Five would keep his name alive.
Slaughterhouse-Five changed Vonnegut’s life.
Before the book’s publication on March 31, 1969, Kurt was a well-respected writer’s writer. He had published a handful of books. All were well-regarded. None sold many copies.
Most of the money he made came from the short stories he sold to magazines such as Collier’s.
“We called them the ‘slicks’ in those days,” says Sidney Offit, the author of Memoir of the Bookie’s Son and Kurt’s best friend for the last 30 or so years of his life. Offit also edited several posthumous collections of Kurt’s work, including all four Vonnegut volumes in the Library of America series.
Offit had experience with the slicks. Early in his career, he and his wife sweated over a short story they finally sold to a magazine. They got maybe $800 for it, serious money in the 1950s. They rejoiced because it was such a big deal.
“Kurt was routinely selling stories to the slicks at those rates,” Offit says. “He had the touch.”
But magazines weren’t enough to provide a living for Kurt and his growing family. He and his first wife, Jane, had three children. Then, in 1958, Kurt’s sister, Alice, and her husband, James Adams, died within 48 hours of each other, leaving four children without parents. Kurt and Jane adopted and raised their three nephews. The other child was adopted by a Vonnegut cousin.
When the slicks started to go under in the late ’50s and that market dried up, finances grew even tighter. Mark Vonnegut, Kurt’s son, says his father earned $30,000 one year. It was a decent sum for the mid-’60s, but raising six children on it was a stretch. “My sisters and I always had the perception that we had less than everyone around us and that money was always tight,” Mark says. “We were the poorer kids. That’s how it felt.”
To keep afloat, Kurt took on other work. He did public relations for General Electric. He even tried selling Saab automobiles.
“He was a shitty car salesman,” says Marc Leeds, the author of The Vonnegut Encyclopedia. “And he wasn’t very happy about writing other people’s copy.”
But that’s where Kurt was as 1969 dawned. He was 46, a husband, and the father of six children.
And he struggled to pay the bills.
According to his friends, Kurt Vonnegut’s work on Slaughterhouse-Five in the late 1960s was a kind of therapy for the psychological trauma he had experienced as a soldier during the firebombing of Dresden during World War II.Gil Friedberg/Pix Inc./The Life Images Collection/Getty Images
Then came Slaughterhouse-Five.
It did what Player Piano and Mother Night and Cat’s Cradle didn’t do.
It sold.
A tale of the Allied bombing of Dresden during the waning days of World War II, the book rose to No. 4 on The New York Times best-seller list, the first of Kurt’s books to appear there. All the ones that followed in his lifetime—Breakfast of Champions through Man Without a Country—would find spots on it. Some even climbed to the top.
Slaughterhouse-Five also was made into a movie. Other films drawn from his books would follow.
Kurt started doing television. He appeared on The Dick Cavett Show. He sat down with Charlie Rose. Eventually, he was even on The Daily Show.
He made cameos in movies such as Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield. He did voice-over work for documentaries, including Ken Burns’s The Civil War.
He even did TV commercials. Kurt helped pitch coffee and credit cards in the 1980s and 1990s.
And he hit the lecture circuit, commanding as much as $25,000 a talk.
He never had to sell Saabs again.
Slaughterhouse-Five was an odd bestseller.
The book opens with a famous line, “All this happened, more or less.”
It’s a signal that what follows will blend fact and fiction and blur the lines between reality and make-believe. Things grow stranger still. In the opening chapter that is presented as a true-to-life account, Kurt explains how he came to tell the story and violates a couple of presumed storytelling rules. He says the book is a failure and tells his readers how his tale will start and finish.
“It begins like this:
“Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time.
“It ends like this:
“Poo-tee-weet?”
That last word is the sound of a bird singing in springtime, a symbol, perhaps, of rebirth.
Through the course of the story, which bounces back and forth in time and space, people often die. Kurt acknowledges their passing with a mournful refrain: “So it goes.”
The story came from Kurt’s experience.He had been a promising student at Shortridge High School, where he was a member of the class of 1940. He was the editor of the Tuesday edition of The Shortridge Daily Echo. He discovered then that he liked writing and he was good at it.
“It just turned out that I could write better than a lot of other people,” Kurt told an interviewer in 1999. “Each person has something he can do easily and can’t imagine why everybody else has so much trouble doing it.”
College was a different story. He went to Cornell University. He wanted to study in the humanities, but his father, an architect whose career and fortunes had been pounded by the Great Depression, wanted him to pursue a degree that would be more “useful.” He studied biochemistry and struggled with it. His grades weren’t good. In the spring of 1942, he found himself on academic probation. In January of 1943, he left school.
World War II had come.
After dropping out, Kurt served in the U.S. Army. He became a scout and was sent to Europe in mid-1944. It was a difficult time for him. Three months before he was sent over, his mother, Edith Lieber Vonnegut, committed suicide—on Mother’s Day. When he had been in the theater of war for only a few days, Kurt and 6,000 other members of his division were overrun and captured. About 500 were killed.
A prisoner of war, he found himself transported to Dresden.
“It was our misfortune to have sadistic and fanatical guards,” Kurt wrote in 1945. “We were refused medical attention and clothing. We were given long hours at extremely hard labor. Our food ration was 250 grams of black bread and one pint of unseasoned potato soup each day. After desperately trying to improve our situation for two months and having been met with bland smiles, I told the guards just what I was going to do to them when the Russians came. They beat me up a little.”
He added that beatings were “very small time.”
One of the POWs—a “boy,” Kurt called him—died of starvation. SS troops shot two others for stealing food.
Kurt remained a prisoner as Valentine’s Day approached, when U.S. and British planes firebombed Dresden, killing as many as 135,000 people.
During the carnage, Kurt and other POWs were imprisoned in a meat locker.
A slaughterhouse.
Afterward, the Germans ordered the POWs to collect and dispose of corpses by the thousands. The six-month-long experience left Kurt with psychological scars that never entirely healed. He often battled depression. He also was hospitalized after a suicide attempt.
His son Mark doesn’t think his father was truly suicidal, but he does believe Kurt struggled with mental health issues from the day he went to war to the day he died. “I think he was a veteran with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” he says.
When Kurt came home from the war, PTSD wasn’t called by that name. If it went by any name, it was called “shell-shock” or “battle fatigue.” It often wasn’t treated as a medical condition. Instead, it was considered a character defect or a failure of nerve.
That meant veterans such as Kurt didn’t get the help they might have needed to deal with a mental health condition that leaves survivors trapped reliving horrible events. The consequences could be tragic. People with PTSD struggle more often with severe anxiety, with depression, with chemical dependency, and with other challenges. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that veterans commit suicide at more than twice the rate of the rest of the U.S. adult population.
Mark says writing was more than a career for his father. After Kurt’s war experiences, it was a lifeline.
“It’s not that complicated,” Mark says. “He saw and was forced to do things no 22-year-old could see and be forced to do without being extremely traumatized. What saved him from being a suicide or hopeless drunk was writing, telling his story.”
Vonnegut encyclopedist Leeds agrees. He says Kurt came back from the war desperate to reckon with his war experience. Part of the reason the early Vonnegut books struggled to find an audience, he says, is that they “were novels of ideas”—attempts to figure out things that troubled him. Kurt couldn’t find a way to tell his war story, but he kept returning to it, searching for a way to put his pain into words and earn himself some solace.
“All the while, he kept saying, ‘I absolutely have to unload this,’” Leeds says.
So Kurt kept writing, both to provide for his family and to save his sanity.
What would have happened if he hadn’t been able to write?
“He would have drank himself to death,” his son Mark writes.
Kurt told me a joke once that cracked him up. It was about a letter he had sent his family about victory bonds during the war.
“I wrote them that if they stopped buying those damn things, I might get to come home,” he said.
Almost 60 years after he had returned from the war, Kurt laughed so hard he almost cried.
The breakaway success of Slaughterhouse-Five came at a cost.
“I think my father would have agreed that money and fame is a pretty awful thing to do to someone,” Mark says.
Kurt enjoyed some of the trappings of celebrity. He liked good food and good wine. He enjoyed seeing doors opened to him that had been closed before.
But in other ways, he was ill-equipped to deal with the sudden rush of attention. It left him feeling exposed and cut off at the same time.
“He was a very, very self-conscious man,” Mark says. “Someone said something once about his skinny legs and he refused to play tennis in shorts ever again.”
Kurt didn’t know how to cope with those who saw him as a target. He couldn’t disengage from hangers-on and semi-stalkers.
His friend Sidney Offit says Kurt couldn’t say no to requests for blurbs. He wasn’t gifted at polite evasions. Many times, he would find himself trapped at a party. Someone would press him to read a manuscript or a screenplay or an essay, and Kurt didn’t know how to beg off with a smile and an excuse.
“He had no capacity for false dialogue,” Offit says. “When someone pressed him, he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t deal with it. He just would leave—and almost leave in depression.”
Kurt’s inability to confront people who wanted to use him, Mark says, brought “parasites” into his life. They drained him of energy, of time and of focus. They created a barrier between him and the people he had been close to before he became famous.
He was always on stage and all alone at the same time.
“That wasn’t good for him,” Mark says. “And it certainly wasn’t good for the rest of us.”
Offit says Kurt learned how to find places and people who offered him respite. Offit had been a television personality in New York for years and could commiserate with Kurt about fame’s challenges.
They formed a “three amigos” kind of friendship with the late Morley Safer, the veteran CBS newsman and star of 60 Minutes. Kurt, Offit, and Safer got together for lunch or dinner on a regular basis, moments, Offit says, that had a soothing effect on Kurt.
“Once, when we were all together, I asked why it was that the three of us got along so well and had such a good time together,” Offit recalls. “Morley said, ‘It’s because we don’t need anything from each other.’”
Once, Kurt and I were at an event in Indianapolis together. He was signing copies of his books. The line contained hundreds of people, many of them holding several Vonnegut volumes in their hands.
He asked me to get him a Scotch and soda.
When I came back from the bar, glass in hand, Kurt was gone.
I found him hiding, all by himself, in a dark corner under a staircase. I handed him the drink. He took one sip, then another.
“They started coming at me in waves,” Kurt told me, as he hunched further in the corner, clutching the Scotch. “I just had to get away.”
Some of the damage fame did to Kurt’s life involved more than social discomfort.
When Slaughterhouse-Five was published, he had been married to the former Jane Marie Cox for nearly 25 years. She had been his girlfriend when they both were students at Shortridge High School. They had known each other since kindergarten.
Mark says his mother supported Kurt’s writing, that she encouraged him to keep submitting stories even when sales were slow and rejections were many. He says his father might have quit writing if it hadn’t been for Jane’s encouragement.
Offit echoes that.
“I thought she was the perfect wife for him,” he says. “She got him. She understood him and supported him.”
He pauses.
But after the success of Slaughterhouse-Five, “it was clear he had grown bored with the repetition of that marriage.” Kurt was enamored, Offit says, with the entrée to elite social circles his new fame allowed him.
Mark says his father thought that meant he had arrived. Kurt, Mark claims, always felt that people measured him against his older brother, Bernard, and found him wanting. Bernard had been a star student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while Kurt’s academic career had been checkered with, among other things, withdrawals from school and rejected dissertations. Bernard found professional success as a chemist early and secured 28 patents over the course of his career. Kurt’s literary career didn’t take off until he was a middle-aged man.
The pattern continued throughout his literary career. Kurt believed other, less-talented writers earned more respect than he did. No matter how many books he sold or how many fan letters he received, he thought of himself as the underachieving younger brother, hungry for attention.
For that reason, Mark says, “I think he had a bottomless pit of a need for praise.”
Kurt’s hunger for acceptance and approval, he adds, were disorienting for the entire family.
“One day I was looking around and wondering where all these rich people came from,” Mark says.
His parents fought over the direction of their lives and their marriage. Jane had become more devout in her Christian faith. Kurt’s spiritual beliefs wavered between agnosticism and atheism.
Kurt’s celebrity exacerbated those tensions.
“Ultimately,” Mark says, “it destroyed my parents’ marriage.”
Kurt and Jane separated in 1971, two years after Slaughterhouse-Five was published, divorcing in 1979.
Slaughterhouse-Five’s success cut Kurt off in other ways, too.
He was a painstaking writer, one who revised and revised. He didn’t write just to please himself. He wanted to connect with an audience. He needed feedback to refine his stories.
That became more difficult after his breakthrough book was published.
According to Leeds, Kurt found it harder to get good editing. “After success on the scale of Slaughterhouse-Five, who was going to question his judgment?” he says.
Mark says his father’s work suffered after Slaughterhouse-Five came out. He doesn’t think the books that followed Kurt’s most celebrated work are as good as the ones that came before it.
“And I think he felt that way, too—that the early books were better than the later ones,” Mark says.
Offit and Leeds disagree. They argue that a powerhouse performance like Slaughterhouse-Five would make almost any other book suffer by comparison.
“One’s masterpiece should not become the standard,” Leeds says. “That’s not a fair way to judge.”
Offit puts it even more simply.
“How do you follow something like Slaughterhouse-Five?” he says. “It can’t be done.”
Leeds says he often rereads Kurt’s later novels—particularly Bluebeard and Timequake, both of which deal with some of the themes in Slaughterhouse-Five—and he finds the books satisfying.
Offit argues that all of Kurt’s books worked on some level because he was such an acute observer of humanity and a gifted storyteller.
“Kurt couldn’t express anything that wasn’t totally entertaining,” Offit says.
The reality, though, is that Slaughterhouse-Five flipped things for Kurt. Before that novel’s publication, he was something of a critic’s darling, a writer whose books didn’t sell many copies but always were well-reviewed. After Slaughterhouse-Five, he sold lots and lots of books, but the critics often were less than glowing in their assessments.
When Breakfast of Champions came out four years after Slaughterhouse-Five was published, The New York Times book reviewer said Kurt “self-destructs” as a novelist in the book’s pages. Other critics were even more harsh.
Although some of Kurt’s later books earned critics’ praise, that praise often was slight, even dismissive. When Deadeye Dick came out in 1982, The New York Times review dismissed his post-Slaughterhouse-Five body of work as “mannered.”
Almost as if it were an afterthought or anticlimax.
Kurt called me once to ask for a favor. His passport had been destroyed in a fire. He needed a copy of his birth certificate as fast as possible so he could replace it, but he didn’t know how to get one. I called some people in Indiana state government and got one overnighted to him.
When I called him back to say it was on its way, I asked what the rush was.
“Well, John,” he said, “you know they do have these things called the Nobel Prize for Literature, and I’ve got to be ready.”
Then he laughed.
As was often the case with Kurt, though, the joke gave voice to frustration, even pain. He thought his writing wasn’t respected because it was accessible. He believed his peers—Norman Mailer, William Styron, and John Updike, for example—were held in higher regard than he was.
“There are critics,” Kurt told me, “who think that any idea that can be easily understood by definition must not be profound.”
When I tell Mark about Kurt’s Nobel Prize joke, he laughs, then shares one of his own.
Kurt was convinced, he says, that the Swedes on the Nobel committee had a dislike for him that went back as far as his days as a failed Saab salesman.
“He always said the Swedes had long memories and short dicks,” Mark says, and laughs again.
Kurt could not accept his own success, his son says. He felt he wasn’t respected or treated seriously.
“He had specific grudges against The New York Times, against The New Yorker, specific grudges against critics who dismissed him,” Mark says.
I ask Mark if his father would take any satisfaction from the fact that, in death, he’s outselling his onetime contemporaries and competitors—and that his books have remained in print, while some of theirs haven’t.
Mark laughs once more.
“Nah,” he says, “he’d still be bitter about Updike and Styron and Mailer.”
The questions linger: Why was Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt’s breakthrough success? What made it a classic, the book against which all his other work would be judged?
His son, his best friend, and the scholar who compiled the encyclopedia of his work all say timing played a factor. The book came out at a point when the concern, skepticism, and revulsion over the Vietnam War had intensified.
But there were many anti-war novels published in those days. Few of them are read or even remembered today, and Slaughterhouse-Five is a fixture on the reading lists for many colleges and high schools. When the Random House Modern Library surveyed scholars to determine the best novels of the 20th century, Slaughterhouse-Five came in at No. 18.
That’s 33 places higher than Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead. William Styron’s Sophie’s Choice landed at No. 96. None of John Updike’s novels made the list.
Slaughterhouse-Five now belongs in the canon of modern literature.
“It’s part of the pantheon,” Leeds says.
One reason is the book’s tone. It’s written more in sorrow than in anger. That’s what separates it from many other anti-war tomes.
It didn’t start out that way.
Kurt had been trying to write about his war experiences almost from the moment he had them.
“The Germans herded us through scalding delousing showers. Many men died from shock in the showers after 10 days of starvation, thirst and exposure. But I didn’t,” he wrote in a letter to his family on May 29, 1945.
Further down in the letter, he wrote:
“The Americans came over, followed by the R.A.F. Their combined labors killed 250,000 people [sic] in 24 hours and destroyed all of Dresden—possibly the world’s most beautiful city. But not me.”
When Kurt got home from the war and was trying to launch his literary career, he wrote an account of his Dresden experience, “Wailing Shall Be in All Streets.” Fury bubbled just beneath that piece’s surface, too.
Kurt kept working at it, though, because his war experiences gnawed at him. He wrote in the preface to the 25th anniversary edition of Slaughterhouse-Five that he tried to craft “a nonjudgmental expression of astonishment at what I saw and did” and the loss of innocence that followed.
The refrain “so it goes” was his attempt to accept what he had experienced.
Leeds believes working on Slaughterhouse-Five in the late ’60s was almost like therapy for Kurt. “This is a guy who sits you down with a Pall Mall in hand and says, ‘This is what I’ve seen. This is what I’ve done. This is what we did to other human beings—what human beings did to each other. And I’m still trying to deal with it all,’” he says. “That honesty speaks to us.”
Kurt gave Slaughterhouse-Five a subtitle: “The Children’s Crusade.”
At another of our lunches, Kurt and I talked about the harsh economics of writing. He knew what had happened to him didn’t happen to many people. Roughly one author in 200 makes enough money to live off his or her books.
All the others struggle, as he did before Slaughterhouse-Five became a hit.
“You can’t write for money, because for most writers, there won’t be much money,” he said. “You have to write for the same reason you do any art—because it feeds your soul.”
Mark Vonnegut says he has reread several of his father’s books in the years since Kurt’s death.
But not Slaughterhouse-Five.
He hasn’t been drawn back to it, he says. He also says the book is not his favorite among his father’s works. That honor goes to The Sirens of Titan. Mark says he finds Slaughterhouse-Five “a bit facile.” He doesn’t think some of the characters are fully developed. And he responds more to the honest anger and pain in his father’s earlier writings about the war.
He acknowledges, though, that his judgment may not be objective. He says he may have conflicted feelings about the book perceived to be his father’s masterpiece.
“I see it as a transition,” Mark says. “It took away the father I grew up knowing and transformed him into the public figure he became. It’s difficult for me to see it the way other people do. It’s hard for me to see it as just a book.”
Kurt Vonnegut died 12 years ago, in the spring of 2007. He was 84.
Slaughterhouse-Five is 50 years old. Thanks to its place in high school and college curricula across the country, the book now draws its fourth and fifth generations of readers. Leeds says Kurt continues to sell more than a quarter-million books a year—and that probably at least a third of those sales are copies of Slaughterhouse-Five.
The book is the reason a new word was coined to describe Kurt’s work: “Vonnegutian.” To Leeds, it suggests a wry acknowledgment of tragedies too deep for tears.
There’s little sign Slaughterhouse-Five will disappear any time soon.
“The book has lasted because it’s dealing with a universal theme,” Offit says. “And that’s the awful stupidity of war.”
For that reason, Kurt’s best friend says, Slaughterhouse-Five will remain eternal, as perennial a fixture on bookshelves and reading lists as the annual return of spring.
Tags Indiana Author, Kurt Vonnegut, Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, Slaughterhouse-Five, vonnegut
John Krull
The Next Neil Armstrong
Purdue’s shaping of the American astronaut—now and in the years to come.
Hoosier Astronauts Share Their Stories Of Space
Hoosier astronauts describe the thrill of liftoff, the horror of mistakes, and that view.
The Right Stuff: Indiana Is Building The Things To Carry Us To Mars
Indiana: Crossroads of the Cosmos.
Is the Dunes’ promotion a one-time victory for conservation in Indiana, or the start of a new era of environmental activism in the state?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5008
|
__label__wiki
| 0.968382
| 0.968382
|
Inphi is the leader in data movement interconnects. We move big data fast, around the globe, between and inside of data centers.
Corporate Presentation >
Dado Banatao
Managing Partner, Tallwood Venture Capital
View Board Bio
Diosdado P. Banatao has served on our board of directors and as chairman of our board of directors since December 2000 and served as our Interim President and Chief Executive Officer from October 2006 to August 2007. Mr. Banatao has been a Managing Partner of Tallwood Venture Capital, a venture capital firm, since July 2000 and served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer at Ikanos Communications, Inc. from April 2010 to August 2010. From April 2008 to June 2009, he also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., which was acquired by CSR plc in June 2009. Prior to forming Tallwood, Mr. Banatao was a venture partner at Mayfield Fund from January 1998 to May 2000. Mr. Banatao co-founded three technology startups: S3 Incorporated, Chips & Technologies and Mostron. He also held positions in engineering and general management at National Semiconductor Corporation, Seeq Technologies, Intersil Corporation and Commodore International. Mr. Banatao currently serves on the board of directors of Ikanos Communications, Inc. He previously served on the board of directors of SiRF Technologies Holdings, Inc. from 1995 to 2009 and Marvell Technology Group Ltd. from 1995 to 2003. He has also served on the board of directors of various privately held companies in the semiconductor industry. Mr. Banatao holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering, cum laude, from the Mapua Institute of Technology in the Philippines and an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
Mr. Banatao’s background as a technologist, as well as a senior manager of, board member of, and investor in numerous semiconductor companies provides a diversity of experience for his service on our board of directors. The companies with which he has been involved range from start-up companies to very large public corporations.
Nicholas Brathwaite
Founding Partner, Riverwood Capital
Nicholas E. Brathwaite is a founding Partner of Riverwood Capital, a growth equity, middle market technology investment firm with investments in Asia, Latin America and the United States. Mr. Brathwaite has been involved with semiconductor companies, hardware development and electronic services (including manufacturing) since 1986.
Mr. Brathwaite served as the Chief Executive Officer of Aptina Imaging Corporation for approximately two years and is currently its Chairman of the Board.Prior to Aptina, he joined Flextronics International Ltd. in 1995 as its Vice President of Technology and then from 2000 to 2007 served as its Chief Technology Officer. Flextronics acquired nChip, where Mr. Brathwaite held the position of Vice President and General Manager of operations from 1992 to 1996. Mr. Brathwaite also spent six years with Intel Corporation in various engineering management positions in technology development and manufacturing.
Mr. Brathwaite has served as a director of Power Integrations since January 2000 and as a member of the board of Lighting Science Group since April 2011. He also served as a member of the board of directors of Tessera Technologies, Inc., from February 2008 until May 2011 and of Photon Dynamics, Inc. prior to its acquisition in 2008.
Mr. Brathwaite received a B.S. in Applied Chemistry from McMaster University, and an M.S. in Polymer Science & Engineering from University of Waterloo. He has also completed the Wharton Executive Education Training Program on Corporate Governance.
Dr. Chenming Hu
University of California, Berkeley, EECS, Professor of the Graduate School
Dr. Chenming C. Hu has served on our Board since August 2010 and serves on the compensation committee. Since 1976, Dr. Hu has been a professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at University of California, Berkeley, and since 2010 he has been a Professor of the Graduate School. From 2001 until 2004, Dr. Hu was the Chief Technology Officer at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Dr. Hu also serves on the board of directors of Ambarella, Inc. (since 2012), ACM Research, Inc (since 2017), and the charitable nonprofit, Friends of Children with Special Needs (since 2008). He previously served on the board of directors of SanDisk Corp., acquired by Western Digital Corporation (2009-2016), Fortinet (2012-2015), FormFactor, Inc. (2009-2010), and MoSys, Inc. (2005-2010) and was the founding board chairman of Celestry Design Technologies, which was acquired by Cadence Design Systems in 2002. Dr. Hu is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Academia Sinica. Dr. Hu received his B.S. degree from National Taiwan University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, all in electrical engineering. Dr. Hu’s background as an academic in electrical engineering and computer science provides a diversity of experience for his service on our Board and valuable insight into our industry.
Dr. David Liddle
Private Investor
Dr. David Liddle joined U.S. Venture Partners in January 2000, after retiring as president and CEO of business incubator, Interval Research Corporation. Prior to co-founding Interval, Dr. Liddle founded and served as CEO of Metaphor, which was acquired in 1991 by IBM, where he became Vice President of Business development for IBM Personal Systems. Dr. Liddle’s extensive experience in research and development includes 10 years at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and as head of the System Development Division (SDD). He has been a director of Sybase, Broderbund Software, Borland International and Ticketmaster, and is currently on the board of the New York Times Company. His board involvement at USVP also includes Electric Cloud, Instantis, Karmasphere, Klocwork and Optichron and, previously, MaxLinear.
Dr. Liddle earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan and an MSEE, MSCS, and Ph.D. at the University of Toledo, where his dissertation focused on reconfigurable computing machines. His contributions to human-computer interaction design earned him the distinction of Senior Fellow at the Royal College of Art. He has served as a Consulting Professor of EE and also of CS at Stanford.
Dr. Liddle has served on the DARPA Information Science and Technology Committee and as chair of the NAS Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB). In addition, he recently chaired the CSTB study on Wireless Technology Prospects and Policy Options. He has served on the boards of the Colleges of Engineering at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan and the University of Toledo and previously chaired the board of the Santa Fe Institute. He is currently on the boards of the SETI Institute and the Public Library of Science (PLoS), an open access online science and medicine publishing organization.
Dr. Bruce McWilliams
President and Chief Executive Officer, Intermolecular
Dr. McWilliams is President and Chief Executive Office of Intermolecular. He was the CEO of SuVolta, Inc., a developer of low-power, high-performance integrated circuit technology. Dr. McWilliams also served as a director of Tessera Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSRA) and was its CEO from 1999 to 2008. His management experience includes a senior vice president role at Flextronics International, a position he assumed upon Flextronics’ acquisition of nCHIP, Inc., a multi-chip module packaging company he co-founded and led as CEO. Dr. McWilliams also founded and was CEO of S-Vision, a silicon chip-based display company. He is also a trustee and member of the executive committee of Carnegie-Mellon University. He holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in physics from Carnegie Mellon University.
Elissa Murphy
Vice President, Google
Elissa Murphy is currently a Vice President at Google. Most recently, she was the CTO and EVP of Cloud Platforms at GoDaddy. Ms. Murphy previously served as Vice President of Engineering at Yahoo! where she oversaw the world’s largest private Hadoop cluster, a technology essential to massive-scale computing that is the basis of big data today. Prior to her time at Yahoo!, Ms. Murphy spent 13 years at Microsoft in various engineering positions including High Performance Computing and the Cloud. She was also part of the original team responsible for Microsoft’s shift to the Cloud, which led to the creation of Azure. Ms. Murphy began her technology career designing and building many of the best-selling computer security and system utilities with 5th Generation Systems, Quarterdeck and the Norton Group, a division at Symantec responsible for Norton Antivirus and other Norton products.
Ms. Murphy brings expertise in global-scale platforms, big data and predictive analytics. She currently has 29 patents issued and more than 10 patents pending in the areas of distributed systems, cloud, machine learning and security.
William J. Ruehle
Mr. Ruehle joined the Inphi Board in 2017. He had been CFO of ClariPhy Communications, Inc. from 2015 until its acquisition by Inphi in late 2016. From 2007 to 2015 he advised a number of technology companies on financial strategy and operations. Previously, he joined Broadcom Corporation in 1997 when it was at a $20 million annual revenue run rate, took them through a very successful IPO and hyper growth to a $1 billion revenue level in 2000. When he left Broadcom in 2006 the company was the leader in broadband communications semiconductors with revenues of $3.6 billion, a market cap in excess of $20 billion and listing on Nasdaq. In 1987 he became CFO of SynOptics Communications, Inc. as employee #30 in a company with a $2 million annual revenue run rate. He led the very successful IPO in 1988 and the merger with Wellfleet in 1994 that created Bay Networks. When he left Bay in 1997 it had grown to $2 billion in revenue, a multi-billion dollar market cap and a listing on the NYSE. He holds a BA in Economics from Allegheny College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sam Srinivasan
Sam S. Srinivasan has served on our board of directors since June 2007, and as lead director since February 2011. Mr. Srinivasan is the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Health Language, Inc., a leader in the development, delivery and marketing of software that reduces the complexity of incorporating medical vocabulary and coding standards into healthcare information technology applications. He served as Chief Executive Officer at Health Language, Inc. from May 2000 until November 2001 and Chairman from May 2000 until March 2002. He also served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Cirrus Logic, Inc. from November 1988 to March 1996. Prior to this, he served as Director, Internal Audits and subsequently as Corporate Controller of Intel Corporation from May 1984 to November 1988. Mr. Srinivasan previously served on the board of directors of SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. from 2004 to 2009, Centillium Communications, Inc. from 2006 to 2008, and Leadis Technology, Inc. from 2008 to 2009.
Mr. Srinivasan holds a B.A. in commerce from Madras University, India and an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and a former member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India.
Dr. Ford Tamer
President and CEO, Inphi Corporation
Dr. Ford Tamer serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Tamer brings to Inphi over 20 years of experience building successful technology businesses, with particular expertise in the semiconductor sector. Prior to joining Inphi, Dr. Tamer served as CEO of Telegent Systems, Senior VP and General Manager of Broadcom’s Infrastructure Networking Group, which he grew to $1.2 billion in revenue in five years, CEO of Agere Inc. which was acquired by Lucent Microelectronics, and VP at Agere Systems. Dr. Tamer was also a partner at Khosla Ventures, where he assisted in the growth of cleantech and IT businesses. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Sentons Inc. Dr. Tamer holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in engineering from MIT.
Management Team >
View all Available Positions
Current Openings > Apply Via LinkedIn >
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5010
|
__label__wiki
| 0.722031
| 0.722031
|
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE AND ITS HOUSING AUTHORITY AGREE TO BUILD
NEW PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS TO COMPLY WITH FAIR HOUSING ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The City of Jacksonville, Florida, and the Jacksonville Housing Authority will create 225 new public housing units in designated areas in Duval County where there is currently little or no public housing, in an agreement finalized today with the Justice Department.
The agreement, filed today in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, is designed to remedy what the Justice Department describes as a long standing pattern and practice by the City and the Jacksonville Housing Authority of refusing to site public housing anywhere except predominantly black neighborhoods in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. Approximately 90% of the Housing Authority's tenants are African-American.
"When making decisions about the location of public housing, local officials have a legal responsibility not to create or perpetuate racially segregated housing patterns," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Bill Lann Lee. "This agreement will remedy this inequality and will expand housing opportunities for low-income minority families throughout the Jacksonville area."
In the lawsuit filed with the proposed settlement today, the Justice Department alleges that the City and Housing Authority discriminated on the basis of race when they failed to implement a plan to site public housing in non-minority areas when they were building replacement units after the demolition of Blodgett Homes. The government alleged that the City and Housing Authority only constructed replacement housing in predominantly black neighborhoods and abandoned their plans for construction in white areas in response to opposition from white neighbors.
The Justice Department also alleges in its lawsuit that the City of Jacksonville violated the Fair Housing Act when it passed a 1994 amendment to its zoning code which required a special permit for public housing that was not required for other kinds of housing. The City Council used the amendment, which was repealed last year, to veto the Housing Authority's decisions regarding the location of public housing and to prevent the construction of public housing units in white neighborhoods.
The case stemmed from complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which were referred to the Justice Department in 1998. The settlement, which was approved unanimously by the Jacksonville City Council, must still be approved by the court before going into effect.
The Justice Department recognizes the efforts of the City and Housing Authority officials in responding promptly to the United States concerns to arrive at today's settlement. The Jacksonville Housing Authority has made positive strides in recent years to improve the physical condition of many public housing units.
Under the agreement, which will remain in effect for seven years, the City and the Jacksonville Housing Authority will:
create 225 new public housing units in designated areas of Duval County where public housing has not previously been built;
develop and operate a Section 8 mobility counseling program for Northwest Jacksonville families to provide counseling and moving expenses to those who currently receive Section 8 rent vouchers and are interested in renting in other areas of Duval County;
implement a fair housing training program for city and housing authority officials and employees; and
award a total of $380,750.00 in damages to the individuals who filed the initial complaints with HUD.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and family status. This prohibition includes discriminatory land use and zoning practices by local governments and housing authorities.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5011
|
__label__wiki
| 0.896718
| 0.896718
|
Bush extends PLO presence in US for six months
President George W. Bush extended for six months permission for the Palestine Liberation Organization to maintain an office in Washington. Bush acted by waiving provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 that prohibited the PLO from having an official presence in Washington. "I hereby determine and certify that it is important to the national security interests of the United States to waive the provisions," Bush wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. After the ban became law, PLO founder and longtime chief Yasser Arafat renounced violence and recognized Israel the next year, and official US-PLO contact began a month later, in December 1989. President Bill Clinton was the first to waive the restriction, in 1993, and it has been waived continually since then.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5013
|
__label__wiki
| 0.909469
| 0.909469
|
How Dorit Beinisch might secure Aharon Barak's legacy
Ironically, the new Supreme Court president's best path forward may be to act less like her mentor.
dorit beinisch 88 298. (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
New President of the Supreme Court Dorit Beinisch quite rightly pointed out, at the farewell ceremony for her predecessor, that there is only one Aharon Barak and that she was not blessed with his gifts. Now she has five and a half years to turn that into an advantage. Beinisch has reached as far as she has thanks to her mentor Barak; he handpicked her for his court almost as soon as he was appointed president, in the clear knowledge that by dint of the seniority system she would eventually succeed him in the top job. Yet there was no certainty that she would get the job. Former justice minister Haim Ramon was an opponent of seniority and was planning to place at least a few obstacles in Beinisch's way. His forced resignation last month, following the attorney-general's decision to press charges against him over an accusation of sexual harassment, made way for replacement Meir Sheetrit, who immediately affirmed Beinisch's appointment. Dark mutterings can already be heard from Ramon's camp as to the real motive behind the decision to push a less than watertight case against him. If he is exonerated and restored to his post, Beinisch will have an implacable foe. But whatever the outcome of the Ramon case, Beinisch already has no shortage of potential enemies. Barak might have been an undisputed legal giant but he was also the most unpopular Supreme Court president in history. He alienated not only the Orthodox communities with controversial rulings on state and religion, but also the right-wing and defense establishment with decisions seen as straitjacketing the military and security forces and giving succor to Palestinians. Beinisch was his resolute partner in many of these rulings and even before that, in two and a half decades as state attorney, time and again she took on the government, the IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel's Security Agency). As state attorney in 1993, she refused to defend the government in the Supreme Court over the mass expulsion of Hamas members to Lebanon. All the expectations are that Beinisch will continue Barak's activist policy of intervening in matters that many believe are the proper preserve of the politicians and generals. There are still landmark rulings to be made on delicate issues such as conversion, army service of yeshiva students and the security barrier. Beinisch could easily be launched on a collision course. But despite sharing Barak's beliefs, she doesn't enjoy anything close to the prestige and respect he commanded, from friends and critics alike. When Barak caused one of his periodical storms, he was assured of the automatic support of most of the legal and political establishment and the media. He easily saw off threats, quietly lobbying politicians and journalists, whenever a piece of legislation designed to limit the court's powers was presented. Beinisch will have very little backing when she embarks on her next crusade; there is little love lost between her and most of the politicians who see her as encroaching on their authority, and she is far from universally popular even within the legal world. She earned the enmity of the Tel Aviv University Law School clique last year when she opposed the appointment of Prof. Nili Cohen to the Supreme Court, and is accused of using underhand tactics. Many are waiting for her to fall. And things could get even worse for Beinisch. Opinion polls are of course notoriously fickle but if elections were to be held today, a coalition consisting of Likud, Israel Beiteinu, the National Union-National Religious Party and the haredi parties would have a handy majority. None of these parties are fans of an activist, interventionist Supreme Court, and many of their leaders are ardent supporters of legal reform, bolstering the supremacy of the elected parliament and government over the judiciary. Beinisch's legacy might be a drastically weakened court. Yet she's an experienced operator and probably realizes that she may have to chart a careful course through what may soon be stormy waters. A possible indication of her future direction was her willingness this year to act as chairperson of the Central Elections Commission and the conciliatory fashion in which she carried out her duties there. Whether that was a just a tactic to smooth her ascent to the top or a more long-range policy remains to be seen. Her next hurdle is the appointment of four new justices to the court. Technically Beinisch has only one vote on the appointments committee but the court president usually gets his, or her, way. Whether she puts her weight behind activist justices in Barak's mold, or prefers candidates from outside, will be a key decision with implications for her entire term. Whether she rushes to deliver a ruling on the conversion controversy or employs delaying tactics will also be a way to gauge how gung-ho she is. Ultimately, it might turn out that the best way for Beinisch to preserve Barak's legacy is to be less like him.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5014
|
__label__wiki
| 0.892541
| 0.892541
|
HISTORY, Feb. 13: Allies begin bombing of Dresden, Germany
Today is Wednesday, Feb. 13, the 44th day of 2019. There are 321 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
On Feb. 13, 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia, the influential conservative and most provocative member of the U.S. Supreme Court, was found dead at a private residence in the Big Bend area of West Texas; he was 79.
On this date:
In 1633, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before the Inquisition, accused of defending Copernican theory that the Earth revolved around the sun instead of the other way around. (Galileo was found vehemently suspect of heresy, and ended up being sentenced to a form of house arrest.)
In 1861, Abraham Lincoln was officially declared winner of the 1860 presidential election as electors cast their ballots.
In 1935, a jury in Flemington, New Jersey, found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnap-slaying of Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. (Hauptmann was later executed.)
In 1943, during World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve was officially established.
In 1945, during World War II, Allied planes began bombing the German city of Dresden. The Soviets captured Budapest, Hungary, from the Germans.
In 1974, Nobel Prize-winning Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the Soviet Union.
In 1984, Konstantin Chernenko was chosen to be general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee, succeeding the late Yuri Andropov.
In 1988, the 15th Winter Olympics opened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
In 1996, the rock musical "Rent," by Jonathan Larson, opened off-Broadway.
In 1998, Dr. David Satcher was sworn in as the 16th Surgeon General of the United States during an Oval Office ceremony.
In 2013, beginning a long farewell to his flock, a weary Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his final public Mass as pontiff, presiding over Ash Wednesday services inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
In 2017, President Donald Trump's embattled national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned following reports he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, died after falling ill at an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; two women are accused of killing him by smearing a nerve agent onto his face.
Ten years ago: A $787 billion stimulus bill aimed at easing the worst economic crisis in decades cleared both houses of Congress. Peanut Corp. of America, the Lynchburg, Va.-based peanut processing company at the heart of a national salmonella outbreak, filed for bankruptcy. A female suicide bomber targeted Shiite pilgrims in Musayyib, Iraq, killing at least 40.
Five years ago: Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland dominated her favorite event at the Sochi Olympics, winning the women's cross-country 10-kilometer classical race despite skiing with a fractured foot; Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu won the men's short program on a night that four-time Olympic medalist Evgeni Plushenko retired from competitive skating. Actor Ralph Waite, 85, died in Palm Desert, California.
One year ago: President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, said he had paid $130,000 out of his own pocket to a porn actress who claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Trump. Ahmad Khan Rahimi was sentenced in New York to multiple terms of life in prison for setting off small bombs in New York and New Jersey, including a pressure-cooker device that blasted shrapnel across a New York City block; the attacks in September, 2016, left 30 people injured. A bichon frise named Flynn was named best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club in New York, a choice that seemed to surprise most in the packed crowd at Madison Square Garden.
Today's Birthdays: U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager (ret.) is 96. Actress Kim Novak is 86. Actor George Segal is 85. Actor Bo Svenson is 78. Actress Carol Lynley is 77. Singer-musician Peter Tork (The Monkees) is 77. Actress Stockard Channing is 75. Talk show host Jerry Springer is 75. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is 73. Singer Peter Gabriel is 69. Actor David Naughton is 68. Rock musician Peter Hook is 63. Actor Matt Salinger is 59. Singer Henry Rollins is 58. Actor Neal McDonough is 53. Singer Freedom Williams is 53. Actress Kelly Hu is 51. Rock singer Matt Berninger (The National) is 48. Rock musician Todd Harrell (formerly with 3 Doors Down) is 47. Country musician Scott Thomas (Parmalee) is 46. Singer Robbie Williams is 45. Singer-songwriter Feist is 43. Rhythm-and-blues performer Natalie Stewart is 40. Actress Mena Suvari (MEE'-nuh soo-VAHR'-ee) is 40. Rock musician Dash Hutton (Haim (HY'-ehm)) is 34. Actress Katie Volding is 30. Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (also known as Prince Michael Jackson I) is 22.
Thought for Today: "The world has no sympathy with any but positive griefs; it will pity you for what you lose, but never for what you lack." — Anne Sophie Swetchine, Russian-French author (1782-1857).
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5016
|
__label__cc
| 0.641753
| 0.358247
|
« The Poetry of Jason Boone (1971-2008) | Main | Haitian Earthquake Relief »
Thursday Translation #12
From the Краткий философский словарь [Short Philosophical Dictionary] (Moscow, 1951).
Existentialism (Lat. existentia- existence). A decadent, subjective-idealistic philosophical current of the epoch of imperialism, the fundamental purposes of which are the demoralization of social consciousness, the battle against revolutionary proletarian organizations, the moral and political disintegration of progressive social movements. Existentialism is particularly widespread at present in France. This reactionary philosophy was founded by the Danish obscurantist Kierkegaard (1813-1855), a most venomous enemy of socialism and democracy, who considered even Schelling's philosophy of revelation to be insufficiently reactionary. By 'existence' he understands 'individual spiritual life', and he juxtaposes 'existence' to 'being', that is, to the material world, to real physical and social life. Disgust with life, fear of death, despair: these are the basic themes of his works, which it would be largely justified to ascribe rather to psychopathology than to philosophy. This degenerate, misanthropic 'philosophy' was adopted as a weapon by the ideologues of German imperialism (Heidegger, Jaspers). With the new historical circumstances this perverted philosophy presents itself under the falsified guise of 'atheist philosophy', of 'the philosophy of freedom'. Its reactionary essence has remained unchanged; all that changed were its strategies in the battle against revolutionary theory, as well as its methods of disguise. The renegades of the 'Resistance movement' --Sartre, Camus, and their loyal supporters-- now strive to blacken the legacy of the battle against fascism, of the revolutionary workers' struggle for socialism, of the battle of all progressive humanity for peace and democracy, promoting instead an intellectual and moral nihilism, and disregard for science and morality. They call to mind the gang of fashionably reactionary authors of the time of the Stolypin Reaction in Russia, who 'wore their Marxism loosely', pouring scorn on the idea of revolution, boasting about their treachery, and celebrating sexual promiscuity in the name of the 'cult of personality'. Setting out from subjective-idealist premises, making 'pure self-consciousness' into their philosophy's point of departure, the existentialists fight zealously against dialectical and historical materialism, against the Marxist, scientific understanding of the world. Metaphysically separating 'existence' from 'essence', the existentialists set these up in opposition to one another, demonstrating the primacy of 'existence'. This theory is directed against the materialist doctrine of the primacy of matter, and, in application to social life, against the scientific understanding of the role of historical laws. The existentialists understand 'freedom' not as a real social relationship that prevails in the battle against the enslavement of classes and nations, and that is attained with the arrival of socialism, but rather as the idealistic 'freedom of the will' that gives the bourgeois individual the freedom to act according to his whim. In this way the sophistry of the existentialists serves as a defense of the baseness of imperialism, justifying treachery, and libelling all forward-thinking and progressive social movements. The imperialists make broad use of the existentialists for the formation of the cadres of traitors of class and national interests. Another branch of existentialism (Jaspers in Germany, Marcel in France, Lowrie in the USA) amounts to an explicit defence of Papism, and is one of the current manifestations of Catholic or Protestant propaganda.
This is such a pleasure to read! Thank you so much for translating/posting it. I don't know which part I like best: psychopathology? the battle against revolutionary theory? support for bourgeois freedom? a defense of imperialism? It is just one great zinger after another.
Posted by: paris | January 9, 2010 at 06:51 PM
Lots of specialists state that business loans help a lot of people to live their own way, because they are able to feel free to buy necessary things. Furthermore, some banks present bank loan for young and old people.
Posted by: Josefa35Cantu | July 13, 2011 at 02:38 PM
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5017
|
__label__wiki
| 0.856219
| 0.856219
|
Reports on Religious Freedom: Algeria
Category » Reports on Religious Freedom
U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor International Religious Freedom Report: 2016
Reports on Religious Freedom: Religious Freedom Reports: Table of Contents
The Constitution declares Islam to be the state religion but prohibits discrimination based on religious belief, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. Islam is the only legal religion, and the law limits the practice of other faiths; however, the Government follows a de facto policy of tolerance by not inquiring into the religious practices of individuals. Terrorists continue to justify their killing of security force members and civilians by referring to interpretations of religious texts. The level of violence perpetrated by terrorists declined during the period covered by this report.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
Both government policy and religious homogeneity of society contribute to the free practice of religion. A very small number of citizens practice nonmainstream forms of Islam or other religions. These groups do not seek political rights as groups, and there is minimal societal discrimination against them.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights. The U.S. Embassy has worked with Islamic organizations to promote exchanges with U.S.-based organizations, with a view toward promoting democratic principles within these organizations.
Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution declares Islam to be the state religion but prohibits discrimination based on religious belief, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. Islam is the only legal religion, and the law limits the practice of other faiths; however, the Government follows a de facto policy of tolerance by not inquiring into the religious practices of individuals.
Religious Demography
The vast majority of citizens belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. There are no official data available on the number of non-Muslim residents. Many citizens who practice non-Muslim faiths have fled the country as a result of the civil war. Thus, the number of Christians and Jews in the country is significantly lower today than the estimated total before 1992. The small Christian community, which is predominantly Roman Catholic, has approximately 25,000 members, and the Jewish community numbers perhaps fewer than 100.
For security reasons, both Christians and Jews have concentrated in Algiers and the larger cities of Constantine and Oran. There is also a Christian community in the eastern region of Kabylie. The small Christian and Jewish populations practice their faiths without government interference.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. However, there are Roman Catholic churches, including a cathedral in Algiers, which is the seat of the Archbishop, that conduct services without government interference. In 1994 the size of the Jewish community diminished significantly, and its synagogue has since been abandoned. There are only a few smaller churches and other places of worship; non-Muslims usually congregate in private homes for religious services.
Because Islam is the state religion, the country's education system is structured to benefit Muslims. Education is free to all citizens below the age of 16, and the study of Islam is a strict requirement in the public schools, which are regulated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Private primary and secondary schools are not permitted to operate.
The Government appoints preachers to mosques and gives general guidance on sermons. The Government monitors activities in mosques for possible security-related offenses. The Ministry of Religious Affairs provides some financial support to mosques and has limited control over the training of imams.
Conversions from Islam to other religions are rare. Because of safety concerns and potential legal and social problems, Muslim converts practice their new faith clandestinely. The Shari'a-based Family Code prohibits Muslim women from marrying non-Muslims, although this regulation is not always enforced. The code does not restrict Muslim men from marrying non-Muslim women.
Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for widespread distribution. Personal copies of the major works of other religions, such as the Bible, may be brought into the country. Occasionally, such works are sold in local bookstores in Algiers. However, many vendors refuse to sell these works due to fear of reprisal by Islamic extremists, and, to a lesser extent, because of government policy. The Government also prohibits the dissemination of any literature that portrays violence as a legitimate precept of Islam.
Under both Shari'a (Islamic law) and Algerian law, children born to a Muslim father are Muslim, regardless of the mother's religion. Islam does not allow conversion to other faiths at any age.
Religious affiliation is not noted on identity documents issued by the Government.
During the period covered by this report, an indeterminate number of persons were serving prison sentences because of their alleged Islamist sympathies or membership in Islamist groups; however, there were no reports of cases in which it was clear that persons were arrested or detained based solely on their religious beliefs.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
The country's 8-year civil conflict has pitted self-proclaimed radical Muslims against moderate Muslims. Approximately 100,000 civilians, terrorists, and security forces have been killed during the past 8 years. Extremist self-proclaimed Islamists have issued public threats against all "infidels" in the country, both foreigners and citizens, and have killed both Muslims and non-Muslims, including missionaries. During the period covered by this report, Islamic extremists continued attacks against both the Government and moderate Muslim and secular civilians. The majority of the country's terrorist groups do not, as a rule, differentiate between religious and political killings. In the majority of cases during the period covered by this report, in which both security forces and civilians died at the hands of terrorists, the preferred methods of assault were knifings (particularly throat-slitting), and shootings. Terrorists, claiming religious justification for their actions, set up false roadblocks to kill civilians and security forces personnel. Terrorists also killed villagers and shepherds in their homes and fields, with firearms and knives.
Section II. Societal Attitudes
The majority of cases of harassment and security threats against non-Muslims come from radical Islamists who are determined to rid the country of those who do not share their extremist interpretation of Islam (see Section I). However, a majority of the population subscribes to Islamic precepts of tolerance in religious beliefs. Through joint communiques, moderate Islamist religious and political leaders have criticized publicly acts of violence committed in the name of Islam.
In general, noncitizens who practice faiths other than Islam enjoy a high level of tolerance within society. However, citizens who renounce Islam generally are ostracized by their families and shunned by their neighbors, and expose themselves to the risk of attack by radical extremists. The Government generally does not become involved in these kinds of internal family disputes.
Section III. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy maintains frequent contact with the National Observatory for Human Rights (ONDH), a quasigovernmental institution that was established by the Government in response to international and domestic pressure to improve Algeria's human rights record. The Embassy assists wherever possible to augment the ONDH's ability to address human rights abuses. The Embassy also maintains contact with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and discusses religious freedom issues.
Because Algiers was rated as a "critical threat" post during the period covered by this report, the U.S. Embassy's staff level was one-third the size that it would have been under normal circumstances. Officers were confined to the Embassy grounds and moved outside its walls, for business purposes only, with armed escorts. For practical and logistical purposes, the Embassy could not maintain regular contact with leaders in the Muslim community or with the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Nevertheless, the Embassy tracked human rights issues, including religious freedom, as closely as possible under these restrictive working conditions.
The Embassy maintains close contact with religious leaders in the non-Muslim community, who cite the dangers posed by radical Islamists as their principal concern regarding the safe practice of their faith.
The Embassy has established contacts with several moderate Islamist organizations, including a social service nongovernmental organization and a scholarly institute.
Sources: U.S. State Department - Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5019
|
__label__wiki
| 0.558481
| 0.558481
|
LIFE-IN-BALANCE
Life in Balance: Food recalls increase due to foodborne illnesses and what you need to know about them
While it may be concerning to hear more cases of E. Coli or salmonella in foods, new technology and a quicker recall time are improving public health.
Author: Kim Fields
Published: 8:45 PM MDT March 10, 2019
Updated: 10:34 PM MDT March 10, 2019
BOISE, Idaho — Nationwide food recalls have increased by 10% since 2013 according to a national research group.
That means more people are hearing about more chicken with salmonella or lettuce with E. Coli bacteria in the news and on social media but it can be difficult to know if you have food poisoning.
Doctors like Melanie Brown say they're treating more cases each year.
"The food will taste fine and you don't know that you're getting anything," she said. "Last year we saw a lot of salmonella cases."
The CDC reports staggering numbers about foodborne illnesses, it estimates 48 million people get sick.
128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 people die from food-borne diseases each year in the United States. Well over 99% of people with food poisoning tough it out without a hospital visit.
MORE: Food recall: Perdue issues second chicken nugget recall in 11 days
Brown said, "Exactly, you never hear about them. They have a couple of days of diarrhea and they feel better and that's that."
She says those are seriously sick can tell that they need medical attention.
"They know. They are absolutely miserable. They're miserable" she said. "They can't get out of the bathrooms, they're having high fevers. They're having complications. They know that something is wrong."
Doctors say there are some signs to look out for when someone thinks they may be sick from a foodborne illness. They say the number one sign is diarrhea. Other symptoms include fever, chills, shakes, and vomiting.
"It feels like they have the flu," Brown said. "I mean, they are similar symptoms."
The increase in the frequencies of food recalls may be concerning but it is part of a plan.
RELATED: VERIFY: What is the process of recalling food?
FDA leaders say the 2011 food safety modernization act improved the detection of food pathogens and created a quicker way to respond to outbreaks.
"Now we have tests that can give us results in a few hours," she said. "So it has been a game changer."
While food recalls are becoming more common and everyone can be affected, doctors say more alerts are improving public health.
Watch more 'Life in Balance'
See them all in our YouTube playlist here:
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5021
|
__label__cc
| 0.680488
| 0.319512
|
City-operated safe house for abuse victims to shut down
by: Sara Mattison
Posted: Jun 7, 2019 / 04:43 AM HST / Updated: Jun 7, 2019 / 04:43 AM HST
After nearly three years, an apartment complex for sex trafficking and domestic abuse victims is shutting down. That’s after the City Council made significant cuts to the City Prosecutor’s Safe House budget.
Councilman Brandon Elefante tells us this is the first time they’ve cut the budget for this program because after all these years the Safe House hasn’t served it’s full potential.
After the city spent $6.2 million to buy and renovate the safe house it’s closing its doors.
When it first opened, the City Prosecutor said the safe house would not only provide housing but services to give victims a better life.
“We’ll look for jobs for them we have sex trafficking victims who come here and the only life they know is prostitution we want to get them out of prostitution and what we do is we give them job training and we find jobs for them,” said Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro in an interview back in 2016.
However, this week the City Council approved a spending cap of about $274 thousand for the Safe House. That’s a significant drop from a previous budget of about $448 thousand.
This time around, council members cut funding for 24-hour guard and security services, operating expenses, and salaries.
“Based on those particular cuts in the budget draft yesterday (Wednesday) that the council did approve, according to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, they said they would have to close the Safe House down,” said Councilman Elefante, the Budget Vice Chair.
Elefante tells us they scaled down the funding because the safe house has been underutilized for nearly 3 years.
“Not many clients were using it. I think at one time they had like 4, so it wasn’t a high number and we are paying a lot for staff that was there to basically service the folks in the Safe House.
Currently, the Prosecutor’s Office tells us 16 residents live at the facility, which has 20 apartments. 41 people have lived there since it opened in September of 2016. Elefante says we’re the only county in the nation that operates a safe house.
“Other municipalities have different programs and I think that’s something we could look into and reevaluate on how they are doing it when it comes done to issues like this,” said Elefante.
We asked when the residents will have to move out but that date has not been determined.
by Manolo Morales / Jul 16, 2019
Frustration for a Waimanalo farmer who's been a victim of multiple thefts. The latest incident involved three men who stole about 200 coconuts in one night.
The farmer says other farms in Waimanalo are dealing with the same problem. He points out that it's hurting their livelihood.
Board of Water Supply seeking public input for the Haiku Stairs Draft EIS
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) will do a brief presentation regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Haiku Stairs at the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board meeting this Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at Ben Parker Elementary School.
BWS is inviting the public to comment on the Haiku Stairs Draft EIS by submitting the Public Comment Form no later than Wednesday, August 7, 2019.
Maui Police needs assistance in identifying a suspect who assaulted someone at Haiku Cannery
On June 8, 2019 at about 6:39 p.m., a male victim was assaulted in the parking lot of the Haiku Cannery by a masked assailant wearing a “V for Vendetta” mask using a coconut water can.
The victim suffered multiple injuries as a result of the attack. The masked assailant was in the company of another male, who is known to the victim.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5023
|
__label__wiki
| 0.732251
| 0.732251
|
States Lower Estate Taxes to Lure Retirees
States Are Lowering Their Estate Taxes to Lure Retirees
Several states are increasing their estate-tax exemptions.
By Sandra Block, Senior Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance, December 2014
It's not unusual for states to claim that they're terrific places to live. But increasingly, states are trying to get out the message that they're also great places to die.
See Also: SLIDE SHOW: 10 States With the Scariest Death Taxes
In 2015, four states will increase the amount that's exempt from state estate taxes, reducing or eliminating the tax that heirs will have to pay. On January 1, Tennessee's estate tax exemption will jump to $5 million from $2 million, Maryland's exemption will increase to $1.5 million from $1 million, and Minnesota's exemption will rise to $1.4 million from $1.2 million. On April 1, 2015, New York's estate tax exemption will increase to $3.125 million from $2.062 million.
More relief is on the way. Tennessee's estate tax will disappear in 2016. Maryland and New York will increase their thresholds every year until 2019, when they'll match the federal exemption (currently $5.34 million). Minnesota's exemption will rise in $200,000 annual increments until it reaches $2 million in 2018.
In the past, most people didn't have to worry about state estate taxes. Federal law provided an estate tax credit that reduced the federal tax bill by the amount paid in state estate taxes. In 2005, though, the credit was repealed, leaving big gaps between federal and state estate tax thresholds in the states that still had estate taxes on the books. The 2013 law that lifted the federal estate tax threshold to more than $5 million (adjusted for inflation) ensured that the tax remains a nonissue for the vast majority of taxpayers. But state estate taxes remain a real threat to some family legacies.
Lawmakers in states with estate and inheritance taxes are concerned that well-off retirees will vote with their feet, depriving those states of much-needed income tax revenue, says Scott Grenier, a certified financial planner for Baird's Private Wealth Management group, in Milwaukee. Taxes are one of the most common reasons retirees relocate to another state, Grenier says.
It's not hard to understand why. Hawaii and Delaware have estate tax exemptions that match the federal level. But 14 states and Washington, D.C., have lower thresholds, with maximum tax rates ranging from 12% to 19%. New Jersey's estate tax threshold is just $675,000, which could affect heirs of relatively modest estates. Seven states have an inheritance tax, with maximum rates ranging from 9.5% to 18%. Unlike an estate tax, which is levied on an estate before it's distributed, an inheritance tax is typically paid by the beneficiaries. Maryland and New Jersey have both estate and inheritance taxes.
If you live in a state that still has an estate or inheritance tax and you don't want to move, talk to an estate-planning professional about other tax-saving strategies. Connecticut is the only state that imposes a gift tax while you're still alive, but in the remaining states you can take advantage of gifts during your lifetime to reduce the size of your estate. (Minnesota enacted a gift tax in 2013 but repealed it earlier this year.)
If you already have an estate plan, make sure it's regularly updated to reflect revisions in your state's law. More changes are likely as states try to make their jurisdictions more attractive to retiring baby boomers. For example, legislation has been introduced in New Jersey to phase out the state's estate tax over a five-year period.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5025
|
__label__cc
| 0.513646
| 0.486354
|
Joel J. Havlicek
Joel J. Havlicek, 82, of Burnt Hills, passed away peacefully at home on May 7, 2016, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Johnstown, NY on July 7, 1933, to the late Joseph H. and Ruth E. (Wilbur) Havlicek. As an only child, he was lovingly called “Sonny” by his parents.
Joel was a graduate of Johnstown High School, class of 1951. Upon graduation he enrolled in the G.E. Apprentice Course, becoming a draftsman. The majority of his time with G.E. was spent in engineering at the Knolls Atomic Power Lab, from which he retired in 1993, after 40 years with the company.
Joel was a G.E. Apprentice Alumni and a member of the G.E. Quarter Century Club, Elfun Society and an honorary member of the Guan-Ho-Ha Fish and Game Club.
Joel married his loving wife Carol on May 25, 1974, in Amsterdam, NY. Together they built a home, raised a family, traveled, enjoyed great times with friends, and in most recent years found joy spending time with and caring for their grandchildren.
Joel enjoyed life. He was passionate about the outdoors. From a young age he enjoyed hunting, camping, fishing, boating and loved spending time on Sacandaga Lake, where his family still gathers every summer. A very handy man, Joel took pride in his home and his tools, of which he had two of every kind. He enjoyed carpentry, welding, gardening and welcoming friends with a seat and a drink on his front porch.
Joel is survived by his devoted wife of 42 years, Carol (Crucitti) Havlicek. Joel also leaves behind five children, Jo-An Havlicek, Gary Havlicek (Brigitte) and Karen Havlicek-Dwyer all of Johnstown, Michele Black of Scotia and Jennifer (David) Moen of Saratoga Springs. He was blessed with eight grandchildren, Elizabeth and Emily Havlicek, Courtney Dwyer, Taylor and Kendall Black, and Chase, Trevor Joel, and Parker Moen. He is also survived by his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Anthony Messineo, nieces and cousins, and will be missed greatly by his furry companion, his lap cat, Simon.
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Glenville Funeral Home, 9 Glenridge Road, Glenville, NY.
A memorial service will be held on the morning of Thursday, May 12, 2016, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Joel to the Community Hospice of Saratoga, 179 Lawrence Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, or to an organization of choice.
If you wish to express your online condolences or view the obituary, please visit our website at www.glenvillefuneralhome.com.
Eagle Scout’s project creates outdoor classroom at PTECH
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5026
|
__label__wiki
| 0.651897
| 0.651897
|
What the Google Memo (Really) Exposed
In barely the time that it takes to write an email, a Google software engineer’s internal memo about how increasing the ranks of women in tech is a misguided goal because men are better suited for tech jobs had spread throughout the company and then to the outside world.
The Google executives fired the engineer, saying his memo violated the company's code of conduct by "advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." Beyond that, however, some experts say that the memo indicates that there’s a lack of a critical skill—empathy—among members of the workforce. “Empathy is not only about ‘feeling someone’s pain,’ it is the ability to see things from another’s viewpoint,” says Doug Maxfield, a senior client partner with Korn Ferry Hay Group.
The memo states that Google’s left-leaning bias shames dissenters into silence when it comes to discussion on diversity and inclusion. It goes on to say that women are more neurotic than men and have a harder time negotiating salaries and leading.
Empathy is a way to gather information about the people around you. A leader who lacks it can miss crucial information, while a high degree of empathy can strengthen a leader's understandings of their staff, customers and external stakeholders. “This is a critical characteristic for success in today’s workforce,” Maxfield says.
Empathy comes in two forms, both of which, experts say, are helpful in the workplace. There’s cognitive empathy—the ability to understand another person's perspective, reflect on her situation, and consider the forces that may be acting upon her. Experts say leaders can use cognitive empathy to answer difficult questions, such as “What questions might a customer have about a new product?” or “How will an employee react to a job transfer?”
Emotional empathy is the ability to sense unspoken feelings by reading facial expressions, tone of voice, or other non-verbal forms of communication. Leaders with high levels of emotional empathy can pick up on frustration, excitement and other feelings that can help improve the outcome of sales negotiations, customer focus groups and a variety of other situations. The writer of the Google memo stated that this type of empathy should be de-emphasized because “relying on affective empathy—feeling another’s pain—causes us to focus on anecdotes, favor individuals similar to us, and harbor other irrational and dangerous biases.”
Andrés Tapia, a senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s Diversity, Inclusion & Workforce Performance practice, says that the memo likely reflects the feelings of more than one Google employee. “This guy has put into words what a lot of people think and feel,” he says. The good news is that leaders can use this moment to engage with their workers who may feel that way, listen to their concerns, and explain why efforts to increase diversity are important.
Douglas Maxfield
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5029
|
__label__wiki
| 0.960663
| 0.960663
|
Basketball Around the World
During March Madness, as we carefully fill in our NCAA tournament brackets, we tend to think about basketball as a quintessentially American pastime. But the United States hardly has a monopoly on a love of hoops. The sport has thriving leagues and devoted fans across the globe -- in Europe, Asia and South America -- as well.
Here are a few countries where basketball's big:
Israel: Basketball has been bouncing around in Israel for decades. The Israeli Basketball Super League, known in Hebrew as Ligat HaAl, was founded way back in 1954 and has, over the years, exported players to the NBA and pitted its star players against NBA teams in exhibition games. In October 2005, the Maccabi Tel Aviv got a lot of attention when it defeated the Toronto Raptors in an exhibition game in Toronto. It was the first victory for any European or Israeli team over an NBA team on an NBA home court.
China: Hoops is one of China's most popular sports, with hundreds of millions of people both playing and watching the game. (It actually embraced the sport shortly after it was invented in 1891.) The country's most prestigious professional basketball league (yes, there's more than one) is the Chinese Basketball Association, founded in 1995, which has produced NBA players including Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue. The CBA has imported talent as well, with NBA players like Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and Gilbert Arenas traveling to play with teams like Beijing Ducks and Shanghai Sharks. Beijing even recently erected a life-size bronze statue of Marbury, who led the Ducks to their first-ever CBA championship win last year.
Spain: Yes, they're mad for soccer in Spain, but they're also big into basketball – or "baloncesto," as it's called in Spanish. Spain's Liga ACB is not only the top-tier professional basketball league in Spain, it's among the best in the world and has turned out NBA superstars like Barcelona-born L.A. Laker Pau Gasol. Last year, Spanish B-ball fans got something new to brag about, when their national team gave Team USA – a new dream team that included NBA superstars like Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryan and LeBron James – a serious run for the gold at the 2012 Olympics before ultimately settling for silver.
With basketball mania raging and rebounding through countries from Argentina to Australia, as well as Italy, Macedonia, Greece, the Philippines and France, basketball has become a big-time global sport, crossing cultures and languages. Turns out the whole world's mad for hoops – and not only in March.
Tagged: basketball, china, israel, spain, sports
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5030
|
__label__wiki
| 0.687287
| 0.687287
|
Tag: Sea of Japan
The Pyeongchang Winter Games: Maps and Toponyms
The official Pyeongchang 2018 website has maps of the various facilities for the Winter Games, though except for the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza and Gangneung Olympic Park maps, there isn’t a lot of detail. Some of that is ameliorated by this Story Map of Olympic venues, which makes use of DigitalGlobe satellite imagery; the interface is a little less than obvious, but you can navigate around each facility. See also Explore Pyeongchang in Google Earth (Chrome required). [Maps Mania]
There’s an interesting story behind the name of Pyeongchang (평창군). It’s often spelled PyeongChang, which is odd because you don’t expect camel case in romanized Korean; and before 2000 it was spelled Pyongchang. Both changes have an explanation: as The New York Times explains, “it was often confused with Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. So in 2000, the town added a letter, capitalized another and changed its name to ‘PyeongChang,’ though most foreign news agencies declined to use the capital C.” [CityLab]
Speaking of toponyms. As I watch more Olympics coverage than is strictly good for me, I can’t help but notice the CBC’s sports commentators make frequent reference to the “East Sea”—the body of water that Gangneung, which hosts a number of ice venues, is on the coast of. It’s better known as the Sea of Japan, but as I’ve mentioned before, that name is disputed by Korea, where there’s a push to have it called the East Sea (동해), reflecting longstanding Korean practice. CBC’s use of the name is likely simply good manners.
Author Jonathan CrowePosted on 13 February 2018 Format LinkCategories Sport & Recreation, ToponymsTags East Sea, Korea, naming disputes, Olympics, Pyeongchang, Sea of Japan, South Korea
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5036
|
__label__wiki
| 0.902272
| 0.902272
|
Matthew Rosenberg Celebrates the Impact of 1991’s ‘X-Men’ #1
A look back at one of the most seminal X-Men comics ever created.
X-Men Seminal Moments: Matt Rosenberg and 90s X-MEN
This summer, Jonathan Hickman is sending the X-Men into a new epoch with HOUSE OF X and POWERS OF X. As we build towards the next big X-Event, some of Marvel’s top creators are taking a fond look back at other important moments from the franchise. Current UNCANNY X-MEN scribe Matthew Rosenberg has chosen 1991’s X-MEN #1 by Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee. You may have heard of it, because it’s the all-time best-selling issue of American comics. It sold somewhere around 8.2 million copies, if you want to be more precise.
X-Men (1991) #1
publishedOct 10, 1991
added to marvel unlimitedMay 17, 2011
penciller (cover)
Joe Rosas
Tom Orzechowski
Suzanne Gaffney
What is Marvel Unlimited?
The thing to remember about 1991 is that relaunching the X-Men had never been done before. Even when the All-New, All-Different X-Men arrived, they still took over the primary series with 1975’s UNCANNY X-MEN #94. But in the summer of ‘91, Marvel had the ambitious plans to start a second X-MEN ongoing monthly series. Lee was coming off a white-hot run on UNCANNY X-MEN that turned him into a superstar. As for Claremont, he had been the guiding force behind the franchise for 15 years. The first three issues unexpectedly served as Claremont’s swansong for his initial X-Men run. But he was far from finished with the franchise.
One of the key reasons X-MEN #1 remains such an important issue in the mythos is that it redefined and reignited the conflict between Professor X and Magneto. From UNCANNY X-MEN #150 and onward, Claremont had put Magneto on a redemptive path. He was so sincere that Charles Xavier fully accepted Magneto as an ally and they restored their friendship. When Xavier was deathly ill and transported away from Earth in UNCANNY X-MEN #200, Magneto agreed to become the team’s new leader and mentor.
Of course it couldn’t last. But for a time, the X-Men and Magneto were truly on the same page. However, Magneto simply wasn’t Xavier no matter how much he wanted to be. He had a few moral lapses here and there, but he genuinely tried to live up to Xavier’s faith him. By X-MEN #1, Magneto was all done trying to be someone he wasn’t.
Yet Magneto couldn’t simply go back to being a cackling villain or the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Claremont had put so much humanity in Magneto that he became a three-dimensional character. That’s what made his new battles with Xavier so interesting, because on some level, Magneto was right. Humanity was never going to fully accept mutants, and mutants needed someone to protect them from the worst of humanity.
Magneto did fall back on his old tricks by building Avalon, a new orbiting satellite, which made the nations of Earth very wary about his intentions. However, Magneto initially had no desire to take part in Earthly conflicts. It was only when Magneto encountered mutant refugees and fugitives who revered him as a holy figure that he realized he couldn’t abandon his people. His new followers became the Acolytes, a more complex version of the Brotherhood.
Within this issue, many of Magneto’s personal ties with the X-Men were broken. Cyclops and Wolverine were all too ready to believe the worst in him. Only Rogue gave Magneto the benefit of the doubt after they became so close in the Savage Land in UNCANNY X-MEN #269-275.
More importantly, X-MEN #1 established Magneto as an adversary who could no longer be dismissed as a megalomaniac. He was also more than enough to handle the X-Men’s Blue team all by himself. His renewed war with the X-Men eventually led to Wolverine’s near demise in FATAL ATTRACTIONS, which in turn laid the groundwork for the AGE OF APOCALYPSE and ONSLAUGHT epics.
Almost everything that came after X-MEN #1 can be traced back to this story. That’s why it’s still an important milestone regardless of how many copies it sold.
Stay tuned to Marvel.com for more information about the upcoming HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X events and more!
In this article: X-Men, Professor X, Magneto (Max Eisenhardt)
'Legion' Cements Charles Xavier and Gabrielle's Tragic Love Story and David's Doomed Fate
Harry Lloyd and Stephanie Corneliussen shed light on their approach to two of Marvel's iconic characters.
This Week's New 'Legion' Unlocks David Haller's Family History
A new episode airs tonight, Monday, July 8 at 10 PM ET/PT on FX!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5039
|
__label__wiki
| 0.503935
| 0.503935
|
LITTLE NIGHT comes out tomorrow, the very same day the Transit of Venus will occur for the last time in our lifetimes. Coincidence? I'm not sure... Some of you know how inspired I am by nature, especially celestial events. The full moon on the ocean enchants me. I've never missed a Perseid meteor shower--every August 11th night you'll find me on a beach blanket, watching for meteors to streak across the sky. Sometimes it's raining or too cloudy to see, but I still try. This year the planets have been lining up at dusk, sometimes with the crescent moon, to cast a spell and remind us not to remain overly earthbound.
The title, LITTLE NIGHT, has layers of meaning...I hope you'll discover them when you read the novel. They're all connected to love, and the mysterious ways we move in and out of the dark with each other. There are secrets in the sky and in our hearts...tomorrow the Transit of Venus might help translate a little of both.
When I was a young writer I lived for a short time in Providence Rhode Island--the city of my grandmother Mim's birth. I and my then-love lived at the corner of Benefit and Transit Streets and became best friends with two writers who lived in an old Victorian house at the other end of Transit. They occupied the second floor, and there was a crooked staircase lined with books, and he wrote under one eave on the landing, and she wrote under another eave in the kitchen, and she covered her typewriter with his boxer shorts--long before computers--and we were all in love and great friends and talked about books and fly-fishing and our lives and worst fears and fascinations and acted out sketches of our families and first dates and everything else while eating cozy dinners and drinking much scotch.
There was something about that house. The fact it was on Transit Street explained some of the magic. The street was named after the Transit of Venus, a phenomenon observed in Providence in 1769 by Joseph Brown and his brother Moses using a telescope from the top of a tall wooden platform. The event was commemorated by the naming of two Providence Streets--Transit and Planet.
I wrote one of those writers today to ask about the street, and he replied: It was named after the Transit of Venus. And it happens once every 100 years. I don't know much more about it. Did you know it was scheduled for your book date?
Actually I hadn't put that together. But it seems auspicious, considering that LITTLE NIGHT is dedicated to him. We've stayed friends all these years, still bound by our loves of books, family, fishing, sharks, celestial events, dogs, cats, and a thousand million other things. We wrote THE LETTERS together. It's a paradoxically singular experience, writing a novel with another person, and I can't imagine doing that with anyone but Joe.
LITTLE NIGHT, long friendship, the Transit of Venus; it's all Providence.
In Luanne's Blog, Notes Tags Benefit Street, Joe Monninger, Little Night, Luanne Rice, Mim, Providence, Rhode Island, The Letters, Transit of Venus, Transit Street
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5040
|
__label__cc
| 0.510747
| 0.489253
|
the month of september
has inspired a lot of music;
here's one song i really love:
september, when it comes
by rosanne cash (featuring johnny cash)
rosanne sang it with her father, then sang it at his memorial.
the lyrics really touch me, and the music is beautiful.
i'm practicing it on my guitar for a very select audience.
In Luanne's Blog, Notes Tags guitar, Johnny Cash, Luanne Rice, Maggie, Martin guitar, music, Rosanne Cash, September When it Comes, songs
Maura Fogarty
Maura was such a dear friend. She was an amazing singer-songwriter, and I was always touched and honored when she would come to my apartment and play music with me. We shared being Irish Catholic, living in New York, having sisters, seeing the dark behind the light. I wrote a song, You’re the Sea, and Maura sang on the recording.
One summer morning Maura and I went to the Irish Hunger Memorial in lower Manhattan. There was a slight drizzle, and the fog rolling up the Hudson obscured the tallest buildings, enhancing the feeling we’d stepped out of time, out of New York. We walked through the ruins of a stone cottage, up the winding path through a field to the hilltop.
“Feels like Ireland,” she said.
“Because of the weather?” I asked.
She nodded. “And because every stone, every plant on the memorial comes from the different counties, all thirty two of them.”
She carried a certain knowledge, a bone-deep connection with that memorial. It symbolized suffering, and striving, and Maura’s love of Ireland. Maura had a heart unlike anyone I’ve ever known. She felt other people’s pain right through her skin, and it came out in her songs. She found a great songwriting partner, John Bertsche, and to hear her describe their sessions, there was something mystical at work.
Maura’s music broke your heart. She sang with such deep emotion—every song. And it was real, as if she was truly reliving the experience about which she sang. She loved fiercely, starting with her family. She spoke of her mother so often, with great devotion. I remember when she played “Our Lady of Fatima” for me, telling me she’d written it for her mother.
She loved her sisters, and her cousins, her dearest friends, her writing partner. All of that love poured into her music, yet there was often a sense of loss, or melancholy, an unspoken understanding that nothing, not even the strongest love could last forever. She grasped the truth of impermanence. Some songwriters compose around it, but Maura faced it head-on. Perhaps it was her father’s death that taught her, or perhaps it was just that Maura was an old soul.
A mutual friend says Maura had the voice of an angel. She did, but not your every-day-pious white-winged Seraphim. Her voice broke with emotion. She was an angel of the Bronx. I think of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris’s Grievous Angel. For Maura and her work with John, it was more like Heartstruck Angel, Devastated Angel, take your pick. Her voice was like no other, and her inspiration was earthbound. She and John wove together songs of the here and now: love, loss, betrayal, and—with into the sun—hope.
We lost her too soon.
In Notes Tags angel, Bronx, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, into the sun, Irish Catholic, John Bertsche, Luanne Rice, Maura Fogarty, mother, music, New York, recording, singer songwriter, sisters, You're the Sea
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5041
|
__label__wiki
| 0.75627
| 0.75627
|
Susiya under renewed threat of demolition by Israel
Nov. 25, 2017 5:20 P.M. (Updated: Nov. 27, 2017 7:32 P.M.)
A Palestinian man sits outside his tent in the southern West Bank village of Khirbet Susiya. (AFP/Hazem Bader, File)
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- The Palestinian village of Susiya, located in the South Hebron Hills area of the southern occupied West Bank, is under renewed threat of expulsion by the Israeli state, according to a statement from international activists working in the area.
The activists released a statement on Saturday saying that on Wednesday, November 22, the Israeli State Attorney’s Office announced that within 15 days, it would demolish some 20 buildings in the village, representing approximately one-fifth of the total number of buildings in Susiya.
Israel claimed that the buildings were constructed in violation of a judicial order, though the Palestinians in Susiya deny such claims.
“In accordance with international law, Israel has no right to change the local legislation, including local practices relating to property and settlement, unless there is a clear security need to do so,” the statement said.
Susiya is considered “illegal” by the Israeli state and has been embroiled in legal battles with the Israeli state for years. The village is located in Area C -- the more than 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli military control, where Israel refuses to permit Palestinian construction.
Rights groups have pointed out that this policy lines up with Israel’s goals of expanding Israeli settlements throughout Area C while depopulating Palestinian villages there.
In the case of Susiya, many of the village’s 200 residents have ties to the land that predate the creation of the state of Israel, and Ottoman-era land documents to prove it. However, the village lies between an Israeli settlement and Israel-controlled archaeological site, making them a target for Israeli demolitions.
“The day residents are expelled from their land will seal their fate as a farming community with a unique tradition. It will also seal the fate of their farmland, as settlers from the adjacent settlement will gradually invade their land without the law enforcement authorities taking any action to prevent them,” the statement said, adding that “this is precisely what has already happened to 400 dunams (100 acres) of land that belonged to neighboring communities.”
Susiya’s attorney, Quamar Mishriqi-Assad, co-director of Haqel: In Defense of Human Rights, said that "the demolition of one-fifth of the village is an extreme step that will damage the most basic humanitarian needs and the very humanity of those involved, without it even having been proved that they have violated the law.”
Assad pointed out that the demolition will leave 100 people, half of them children, without shelter just as winter weather has begun to settle in.
“Israel is guided neither by law nor justice, but by the desire to evacuate the area,” Assad said, adding that “over the years, residents have attempted to regulate their residence of their land, however, all their requests for permits, appeals, and a plan have been rejected - not even a single building has received a permit.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5042
|
__label__wiki
| 0.596541
| 0.596541
|
Connectivity as problem
Luis Lobo-Guerrero
Security, mobility, liberals, and Christians
in Security/ Mobility
This chapter explores the notion of connectivity as making possible forms of security and mobility in different historical periods. Starting from a reflection on present day liberal forms of mobility and security that rely on the active circulation of various elements, the mainstay of the chapter is an exploration of a sixteenth century Christian travel account mapping the biblical world and the kind of connectivity regarding mobility and security inscribed by this account. Their work unsettles today’s taken-for-granted notion of effortless mobility and connectivity through the description of dangerous travels in the sixteenth century, thus providing a change of perspective that highlights the contingency of contemporary mobility and security.
ON 20 MAY 2015, Professor Smith landed at London Heathrow airport to examine a PhD thesis at one of the colleges of the University of London. After showing his passport and clearing customs, he headed towards the airport’s Underground station where he took a train to Piccadilly Circus. Once there he took out his smartphone, opened a navigation application that a colleague had recommended to him by saying ‘it will make you a local anywhere’, and entered the address where he was expected within the next hour. From there on he followed the visual and audio instructions emitted by his phone and reached his destination in thirty-five minutes. With the aid of the public transport network and its information maps as well as with the smartphone, the navigation application, and its instructions, Prof. Smith felt confident that he would arrive at his destination in good time for the PhD defence. In fact, his colleague’s statement was right: an observer would not have noticed he was foreign to the city although this was his first visit. The trip was an easy one. Only four hours earlier he had woken up at his home in Hamburg, and he was now in Central London conducting his academic business.
After the PhD defence and whilst resting at his hotel Prof. Smith had a chance to reflect on how smooth his journey had been and what had made it so. He thought first of the security aspects of it, of how he had to demonstrate via documents and inspections that he was a good citizen and a safe traveller. The way in which he had been security-checked at the airport in Hamburg and had been asked to identify at passport control when travelling to a country outside the Schengen Agreement were for him examples of forms of sovereign security (cf. Edkins et al. 2004). He also had to provide some information to his airline in advance so they could check that he was not on a restricted travel list. Had any of his data matched a profile that the technology had been set to identify, his case would have raised a flag and more questions would have followed (see Hagmann and Dunn Cavelty 2012). He also had to alert his employer, by completing a form, that he would be travelling for academic business to a different country. If the country was considered to be of high risk, meaning outside the generally agreed liberal world, this might not be covered by the employer’s liability insurance under normal terms and the university might have had to ask him not to travel or seek appropriate cover. That constituted for him a case of risk-based security (cf. Aradau et al. 2008; Muller 2008; Amoore and De Goede 2008; O’Malley 2004), which contrasted with the way in which sniffer dogs at the luggage reclaim area of the airport had smelt his luggage, searching for unauthorised goods or substances. He also observed the CCTV cameras that recorded all his movements from the airport to the university, the posters and announcements that alerted travellers to report any unaccompanied luggage or suspicious behaviour, and the police officers in high-visibility jackets, but by this time he was too tired to make up his mind as to what exact form of security these represented (e.g., Rasmussen 2004; Bigo and Tsoukala 2008; Stephens and Vaughan-Williams 2008).
By the time he began to think about the mobility elements that had made his journey so easy, he was already falling asleep. If he had kept awake, he would have had to think about the politics, logistics, and economics involved in international air travel (cf. Salter 2008), in planning cities, in designing, upgrading, and operating the urban transport systems so that places could be connected and in which ways, on the technologies involved in making digital pocket navigation applications possible, and the politics, economics, and socialities at play in allowing such instruments and technologies to be available to the everyday person. Had that not made him dizzy already, he could have gone deeper, reflecting on how his particular way of life, that of a liberal academic working in a Western European country producing and authorising forms of knowledge that liberal societies, governments, and industries demand, depends on him being able to connect almost seamlessly with ideas, goods, services, and people, within spaces made (liberally) secure through a plethora of security technologies and practices (cf. Muller 2009). In sum, he would have been able to realise that what makes his life liberal is a particular form of connectivity that requires the secure mobility of all those elements. Needless to say that, had he remained awake, thinking about the digital dimensions of his security and mobility would have led to permanent insomnia through reflections on what his connectivity had to say about liberal subjectivity.
Meanwhile, in a completely different historical setting, Hans Emius,1 a friar and scholar from the city of Munster, began in the spring of 1590 his pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the biblical lands. Although he had never travelled further than a hundred miles, influenced by the study of M. Henricum Bünting’s Itinerarium Sacræ Scripturæ (Bünting 1587) he had a rough idea of the regions he would travel through and to, and the distances between them. In Bünting’s book, first published in Magdeburg in 1581, he had been able to examine neatly compiled tables listing the journeys of the biblical characters together with the distances between the places they travelled. Bünting even provided conversions of those distances into German miles that helped Emius get a rough idea of the time his pilgrimage would take; it would be a very long journey. A fellow friar had heard Bünting talk about his work years before and had recommended the book to Emius, stating that it provided a most reliable compilation of biblical travels. Since distant travel at the time was not customary, aids for travellers were scarce and detailed knowledge of remote places was valuable. With his faith in God and relying on the scriptures as well as the geographical guidance of Bünting, Emius set off knowing that the journey would be dangerous and tortuous. However, the purpose of his trip justified it all, it was for him a moral and spiritual duty to visit Jerusalem and spread the word of God. But his legs … well, they had until now been an impediment to the journey.
Reflecting on what a traditional journey of this kind would entail, he thought that on the way he would rely on his community of faith to provide him with shelter, food, information, and spiritual comfort. He would try to organise his journeys so that he could reach places where he would seek the support of the local church or fellow Christians. When possible he would try to travel with Christians and through Christian territories and settlements. At times he would seek the protection of those who would provide it. He would use his Latin as the lingua franca of educated people and would carry some gold as universal currency. As long as he could keep within the known markers of his faith, he would feel secure. In his actual journey, the one he began to conduct with the help of Bünting, none of these issues should be a problem. The kind of mobility involved rested on a new imaginary of travel which is detailed later.
Both our friar and our professor shared a concern for security. Their security, however, differed in principle, or to put it better, they differed at the level of rationality, understood here as that which enshrines the principles of formation of an apparatus. The principles of formation on which Emius’s security operated differed starkly from those of Smith’s. Whereas the ultimate principle for Emius’s security was to serve and please God and His will, which in this case was to travel to the Holy Land, the principle for Smith’s security was to remain free to be a liberal subject, which involved in his case to produce and sanction (liberal) knowledge by, for example, examining doctoral theses. The security of our friar derived from working towards the salvation of his soul, an arduous and continuous task. The security of our professor was that of his liberal freedom. In both cases, however, mobility was deeply interlinked with security and this interlinkage could be observed through the kind of connectivity that characterised their Christian and liberal life.
These two hypothetical cases highlight an issue at the core of contemporary critical security studies. Mobility is not simply a phenomenon through which to analyse how to provide security more effectively and more thoroughly. Both mobility and security are phenomena that relate to the specificities of forms of life. In both the cases of Prof. Smith and Friar Emius, their ways of life rely on forms of mobility and forms of security that promote and protect the values on which they operate. Whereas the security of individuals within the European Union is expected to take a liberal form, the security of Christianity relied on the preservation of the core values of a community of faith.
To speak of a liberal or a Christian way of life is of course an intellectual generalisation (cf. Dillon and Lobo-Guerrero 2009). When what is taken to be a specific liberal or Christian life within a particular historical period and region is analysed in its details, it becomes possible to observe that each way of life requires and thrives on very particular forms of mobility and security. Just as it is not possible to speak of a liberal way of life in general, forms of mobility and security are expressions of how individuals and collectives understand their being in the world in relation to movement and danger. They will change as understandings of life change over time.
Although mobility and security respond to different logics, the former to one of position and movement and the latter to a logic of danger, they are both related to understandings of space and power as expressions of lived lives. As noted by Peter Adey (2009: xvii), mobility is ‘a lived relation, an orientation to oneself, to others and to the world’. Security is understood here as related to the form of life in need of promotion and protection (Dillon and Lobo-Guerrero 2008). As characterised by relationality, the confluence between mobility and security can be observed in how forms of life are connected, the forms of connectivity that characterise them, and their understandings of connectedness. Such understandings will leave historical registers in the form of lived experience. These registers can be explored as empirical sites, as demonstrated below.
Before proceeding, we need to note that connectivity is never an abstract issue. It relates to how worlds are imagined and made, and imagination and crafting are power-imbued practices that should be taken as subjects of investigation. Connectivity is therefore an expression of power relations. How people connect and what makes connections possible are the result of the effective interaction of a myriad elements that need to be combined in strategic ways. The case of early modern practices of European mapping and atlas-making in the sixteenth century attests to this. In these practices, for example Bünting’s Itinerarium Sacræ Scripturæ (henceforth Itinerarium), the mapping of connectivities is also the mapping of a theography that resembles a particular Christian imaginary of Europe and of the Christian life of educated people.
In what follows, this chapter takes Bünting’s Itinerarium to explore three specific issues. First, how the imagination of security and mobility relate to understandings of how things, ideas, and beliefs are connected. Second, how material and discursive manifestations of security relate to the forms of authority they enact and/or legitimate. And third, how the framing of the imagination of security and mobility structures the production of subjectivity. The relevance of examining these three issues through this very particular historical travel book is to provide a contrast to, and hopefully disrupt, contemporary liberal security analyses conducted within the loose academic framework of critical security studies.
Mapping the biblical world
In Bünting’s Itinerarium security and mobility relate through the biblical portrayal of the world in which humans (must) live. The world, therefore, is conceived as the creation of a creator, called God, who pre-arranged and pre-determined this. Accordingly, Bünting’s treatise relates security and mobility to a world in which humans (must) live together with other creatures and things according to an arrangement, the fixation of which stems from God. Yet, humans are conceived as relating to the world and its biblical (hi)story – i.e. the narrative or story of the historical coming into being of the world, including all of its creatures and things – by mental processes, namely, imagination and experience (Bünting 1587: Advertisement to the reader). As a biblical or ‘scriptural geography’2 (Aiken 2009: 1), which, literally, shows the way to the Promised Land, among other things, Bünting’s treatise is meant to serve as a manual or script for worship and pilgrimage leading to Salvation. To this end, the treatise presents maps and explanations, as well as travel reports of the biblical characters, which together reconstruct the place and ‘places in which the story, or the narrative, of the Bible takes place’ (Aiken 2009: 1), and translates the biblical world in terms of the biblical (hi)story.
In the following, we elaborate on the world as constituted by the maps and text in the first volume of Bünting’s Itinerarium and discuss the implications of this world view for the relation between security and mobility. In doing so, we conceive of Bünting’s treatise as an attempt to intervene in the conception of the world and produce subjectivities such as that of our fictitious Friar Emius travelling to and in the Promised Land.
Bünting’s treatise accepts the truth of the Bible as an instance of the ‘extraordinary / sublime / great grace / gift and welfare / of the pious and faithful God / … his … revealed word’ (Bünting 1587: Advertisement to the reader, transl. Friederike Kuntz (FK)). The topology of the world, as well as life and events in its interior, are thus presented as grounding in God and as deriving their meaning from the same source. Given that Bünting was Vicar (Pfarrherr) to and a subject of the Duke and Master of Brunswick and Lüneburg, as the treatise indicates (Bünting 1587: Dedication to Duke and Master, transl. FK),3 this view of the world seemed to have come naturally to him. Yet, drawing on the Bible for the constitution of the world has costs for the thus constituted world and the relation between security and mobility applying to and in this.
To start with, based on the Bible, the world is constituted in Bünting’s treatise as having three parts grouped around a centre, the latter being Jerusalem and, more generally, the Promised Land. As the treatise frankly acknowledges, in doing so, it neglects America or ‘the new world’, which, however, seems to be acceptable as America is not mentioned in the Bible as part of the world (Bünting 1587: 7). The treatise, furthermore, counts all of the distances indicated on its maps in relation to Jerusalem and zooms in on and unfolds the world by following the chronology of the biblical (hi)story (apparently), turning after the presentation of maps of the world and its parts to such cartographic motifs as the Exodus from Egypt (Bünting 1587: 29–30). Most important for the relation between security and mobility, however, is the point where Bünting’s treatise begins its reconstruction and re-narration of the world of the biblical (hi)story. Unsurprisingly, this starting point is ‘[t]he place / where the first human Adam was made / and created by God of red soil’ (Bünting 1587: 71, transl. FK). According to the treatise, this place was called ‘Paradise’ and was eradicated from the surface of the world by ‘the Deluge’, punishing Adam’s and Eve’s sin (Bünting 1587: 71, transl. FK).
Bünting’s treatise does not only gain from the Bible its account of the world and the first humans that had to live and wander in this world. Most importantly, Bünting’s treatise gains from the Bible an account of the present world as having originated in human sin and divine punishment, that is, a (hi)story of alienation of humans from God.4 However, the treatise also nourishes hope for humans’ reconciliation with God when humans live piously in the world, which is framed as bringing eternal life and rest in the Heavenly Paradise (Bünting 1587: 258). The world of Bünting’s treatise is thus situated after ‘[t]he first Paradise’ and long after the biblical (hi)story, ‘[t]he other Paradise’ being considered ever since only ‘at God or in heaven’ (Bünting 1587: 71, transl. FK). In other words, the world of humans – i.e. the earth – is divided from and referred back to heaven, where the promise of eternal life and happiness awaits those who qualify on earth for this grace and reward granted by God in exchange for a pious life. As a result, the movement and mobility of humans in the world are related to the security of ‘[t]he other Paradise’ (Bünting 1587: 71, transl. FK). Yet, this security needs to be undertaken as a constant effort by humans to secure their entrance cards to this Paradise in heaven while living in the world by following the ways and examples of the biblical characters, in a transferred sense. Thus, the movement and mobility of humans in the world is marked by divine punishment and yet holds as well the promise of Salvation, which is presented, in turn, as a departure from this world to a place of eternal life and rest. Bünting’s treatise, therefore, does not only construe the world and the significance and basic parameters of human life and existence in it in accordance with the Bible as being ordered and fixed. The treatise also addresses and, thus, construes its readers as being in charge of the security of their entrance cards to ‘[t]he other Paradise’ (Bünting 1587: 71, transl. FK), as it were, and as creatures that relate to their world by the medium of their minds. Thus, the treatise tasks its readers to make sense of, follow, and implement the ways and example(s) of the biblical characters presented to them, while attributing to them the faculties to do so. For the relation between mobility and security this implies that humans are called upon to become active in securing their eternal life and rest by living a pious life. Yet, for this, humans need to comprehend the biblical (hi)story of their world and its implications for (their) life. And, to this end they need to imagine and grasp this first in its true materiality, that is, as the world together with the lay of the land, distances, sites, and places, as well as (first) humans and events. Therefore, the treatise’s concern is to assist and support humans in imagining and grasping the biblical (hi)story of their world in its true extent.
Next to the pre-arranged and pre-determined relation between security and mobility in terms of world and heaven, Bünting’s treatise constitutes a relation between security and mobility in the world that humans must secure by means of their movement, as it were. To comprehend the significance and implications of all of this from the Bible, humans need to be shown a reconstruction and description of the biblical topology and geography as well as the characters, deeds, and events taking place in them corresponding to the Bible. Yet, what is more, all of this needs to be translated truthfully and correctly for humans following the content and significance given to it in the Bible. Together, these two issues are needed for humans to imagine and grasp the true extents of the biblical (hi)story of the world and its implications for their life and existence in the world.
Figure 1 Cover of Bünting’s treatise.
The actual full title of Bünting’s treatise – as seen in figure 1 – is ‘Itinerarium Sacræ Scripturæ That is / A Travel Book, about the entire holy Scripture / divided into two Books.’ (Bünting 1587: Title, transl. FK). The title goes on to specify:
The first part / covers [and/or grasps] all travels of the beloved Patriarchs / Judges / Prophets / Princes / etc. calculated according to German Miles / and the Lands / Cities [and/or locations, sites] / Water[s] / Mountain[s] and Valley[s] / thought of [and/or remembered] in the holy Scripture / Described according to all opportunity [and/or circumstances, and/or situatedness] and form / and Germanizing their Hebraic and Greek names / with attached short Allegories and Spiritual significances. (Bünting 1587: Title, transl. FK)
The second or ‘Other [part]’, in contrast, ‘goes to the New Testament / and indicates / how the Virgin Maria / Joseph / the Wise from the Orient / the LORD Jesus Christus / and the beloved Apostles have travelled / collected by means of the most trustworthy and noblest Books and calculated in Geometrical manner’ (Bünting 1587: Title, transl. FK). It is announced, furthermore, that the treatise is ‘augmented’ by a ‘small’ book on the money and measures featuring in the Bible (Bünting 1587: Title, transl. FK).5 The treatise’s engagement with measures and translations already in its title underscores the idea that humans are capable of imagining and grasping the biblical (hi)story of the world in which they live. Measures and translations are not simple tools to adapt biblical history to each and every individual experience. It presupposes, instead, a confrontation of lives and experiences with a truthful and correct image of what a Christian life should be, according to the Bible.
Altogether, Bünting’s treatise, its maps, and travel reports are a glossary-like instrument having the function of assisting humans in imagining and grasping the biblical (hi)story of the world they still (must) inhabit to make them comprehend its significance and implications for their way of life in the world. By the same token, from the vantage point of the treatise, humans appear as being capable of imagining and understanding this (hi)story only if and when this is truthfully and correctly translated and transcribed onto the surface of the earth. Doing so, supposedly, the treatise crafts and charts a truthful image of the biblical world and calls this into a fleshly existence in (biblico-)historically and geographically correct form, thus allowing humans to form a truthful idea of it which, in turn, helps them to understand its significance and implications for human life.
Mapping and measuring the biblical world
The world, as well as the geographical translation and re-narration of its (hi)story, which are thus presented in Bünting’s treatise, claim their truthfulness and authority based on a mixture of fundamentals: the Bible; truthful methods of the translation of measurements of distances and names, and explanations of biblical characters and their (hi)story, etc.; finally, truthful reports of pious and trustworthy travellers to and in the Holy Land. All of these fundamentals are central for the truth of the projected image and, therefore, to the idea that readers can imagine and grasp. Based on these fundamentals, Bünting’s treatise translates, measures, and reconstructs the biblical world and (hi)story in a truthful and correct way according to biblical (hi)story, and, in doing so, proceeds in four steps.
Figure 2 Bünting’s map ‘The Whole World in a Cloverleaf’ (1587: 4–5).
It begins by showing the already-mentioned maps of the world with its three parts (see figure 2), centred around Jerusalem, the Holy Land, and the travel of ‘the children of Israel out of Egypt’ (Bünting 1587: 29–30, transl. FK), etc. Secondly, it explains to its readers the maps as well as the method by means of which it translates and calculates the measures, distances, and locations featuring in the Bible. Thirdly, it offers a map and description of the Holy City of Jerusalem at several points in time (see figure 3) – for example, before its second destruction, in the then present. Finally, the treatise assembles and recounts the travels of the main characters of the books of the Old Testament. In so doing, it starts, as indicated, with God’s creation of Adam and the once earthly location of the first Paradise before the fall. In its presentation of the travel reports of the biblical characters, the treatise seems to follow the order of the books of the Old Testament. The travel reports begin mostly with a list and a sum total of the distances the respective character travelled. They further comprise descriptions of sites, translations of names, and explanations of events and deeds associated with the character, as well as of their allegorical and spiritual significance, though this latter does not hold for all the accounts. Sites and cities already dealt with are indicated, but descriptions and explanations are not repeated.
Figure 3 Bünting’s map of the Holy City of Jerusalem (1587: 37–8).
The treatise’s emphasis on truthful and correct measurement and translation shows that a truthful and correct imagination and grasp of the biblical world and its (hi)story are not considered possible without them. At the same time, based on such measurement and translation, Bünting’s treatise also seeks to ensure the intelligibility of the biblical world and (hi)story, and its reproduction of them, and so claims its own usefulness, inter alia. In relation to the methods used, the Bible, as ‘the’ testimonial of God’s will and word is and remains the first fundament of the world. It provides a description of the world as well as information on its origin, and distances and locations in it. Yet, to make sense for humans, all this needs to be translated into a language familiar to them. Methodologically speaking, this means the world described in the Bible needs to be imagined and drawn in accordance with the measures it uses. However, to be imaginable and graspable, these need to be translated into more familiar measures – in particular, German, but also French and Walloonian (Welsch), miles. In the text of its explanation of its method, Bünting’s treatise refers to names such as ‘Gualtherus H. Riuius’, ‘Doctor Martinus Luther’, ‘Greek and Latin historians’, including ‘Strabo’ and ‘Hieronymus’, and to names such as ‘Ptolomeum … Palaestinam’, etc. (Bünting 1587: 31–3). On its first pages it shows, furthermore, a list displaying ‘the noblest authors’ used in it (Bünting 1587: ‘The noblest authors based on whom the work is put together’, transl. FK). Yet, in spite of all of those names, the translation of the biblical measures into more familiar ones actually is more an assertion of common knowledge, and is not introduced by explicit reference to any of the just-mentioned names.6 The text states, for example:
[O]ne stage [or degree] of heaven / comprises fifteen German miles on earth. Four minutes make a German mile. One minute makes a fourth of one German mile. … The Holy Evangelists … count by means of Stadia. … One stage [or degree] covers four hundred and eighty Stadia on earth / from which it follows / that thirty and two Stadia make one German mile. One minute of heaven covers eight Stadia on earth / which make a forth of a German mile (Bünting 1587: 31, transl. FK)
Besides the Bible, understood as ‘the’ testimonial of God’s will and word, the method on which Bünting’s treatise claims its authority and truthfulness basically consists of a translation of biblical measures into familiar measures and a calculation of distances and locations mentioned in the Bible along these lines.
For further clarification regarding sites and locations mentioned and described as part of its attempt to remap and recount the biblical (hi)story of the world, not only scholarly works but also eyewitness reports of travellers to and in the Holy Land are drawn upon. For instance, Bernhard von Breitenbach is referred to, inter alia, for a description of Mount Sinai (Bünting 1587: 97) and the claim that in the city of Memphis ‘there are so many people / as are around in Italy or Wallonia [Welschland]’ (Bünting 1587: 160).
In short, the world constituted in Bünting’s treatise depends not only on the Bible as a testimonial of God’s will and word. It also depends on a method allowing for a supposedly truthful translation of measures used in the Bible in relation to the world, allowing, in turn, a reconstruction and calculation of the distances and locations in the Bible in familiar terms. Together the Bible and the method of translation applied to it provide the basis for the (claimed) truthfulness of the presented world. The purpose of the thus supposedly truthful and intelligible reconstruction of the world in which humans live and of its (hi)story is to assist and guide humans in imagining and grasping the two, when reading the Bible, and comprehending thus their implications and significance. The maps, their explanations, the explication of the method of measurement, the translations, and so on serve thus a didactic purpose, first and foremost.
Cartography and human imagination
The didactic purpose of Bünting’s Itinerarium shows particularly in the maps’ figurative form, for which the treatise is probably best known among geographers and art historians.7 For instance, the portrayal of the world as a three-leafed clover (Bünting 1587: 4–5), which is the first map, is introduced, inter alia, as a form that corresponds to the three parts into which the world is divided (Bünting 1587: 6) and thus helps ‘the common man … in learning to understand the lay of the earth’ (Bünting 1587: 6, transl. FK). The treatise indicates as well, however, that the form of the earth does not correspond to the cloverleaf in every regard (Bünting 1587: 6). Both the correspondence and discrepancy between the world and its portrayal in the form of a cloverleaf are underscored by the map entitled ‘the actual and true form of the earth and the sea’ (Bünting 1587: 8–9, transl. FK) following the map entitled ‘the world in a cloverleaf’ (Bünting 1587: 4–5, transl. FK).8 The two figurative portrayals of Europe in female form – or ‘IN FORMA VIRGINIS’ as the text says (Bünting 1587: 13, emph. in orig.) – and of Asia as Pegasus function similarly. Against the backdrop of the world map entitled ‘the actual and true form of the earth and the sea’ (Bünting, 1587: 13), the shape of Europe is presented, for instance, as lending itself to a comparison with ‘a virgin lying down’ (Bünting 1587: 7, our transl.), and the figurative portrayal of Europe that implements this correspondence is stylised as assisting humans in ‘imagining the lay of the whole of Europe’ (Bünting 1587: 14, our transl.):
The head [of Europe] / as you [can] see / is Hispania and right above in the crown / lays Lusitania otherwise called Portugal. The right ear is Aragon / and on the left ear / one has the kingdom Navarra / The breast of this Europe is Gallia or France / there one finds as well the royal city Paris. The Alps or mountains of the Alps / and the river Rhine / equate chains that Europe wears on the neck / and the Bohemian Forrest / together with the entire kingdom Bohemia / is like a golden cent / or like a round hanger and treasure / having been hung on the chains of the river Rhine / by means of the Main and the Hardtwald / as if by means of golden joints and silver robes. … The mountains Albani / and the water Danubius / otherwise called the Danube / are like long belts and bodily chains / hanging down to the food. See thus [,] by means of this portrayed Europe / you can imagine yourself / the lay of the whole of Europe. (Bünting 1587: 14, our transl.)
The figurative maps or portrayals of the world and of its parts9 do not pretend thus to correspond point for point to the real world and its parts. But they pretend to correspond sufficiently to the real world so as to be able to serve humans as aides-memoire with a view to the geography and topology of the world. That there is sufficient correspondence between the figurative maps and the real world is demonstrated by the map entitled ‘the actual and true form of the earth and the sea’ (Bünting 1587: 14) on the basis of which the female form of Europe is rationalised, as is the centre of the world in Jerusalem.
Next to the maps of the world and its parts, the translation of the measures used in the Bible for distances and locations is also a device designed to help humans imagine and understand the biblical (hi)story. By being recounted in German miles, distances and locations in the Holy Land become intelligible, as do the travels and the loads of the biblical characters. As it is put in ‘the [second] preface by the author’:
When following this guide of ways and travel book / the holy Land / and also all other Lands / which are not remembered in the holy Scripture / become so [well] known / as if you had roamed around in them / and had seen them with your own eyes. (Bünting 1587: 2, transl. FK)
Thus, by providing a supposedly truthful reconstruction of the world, its parts, the Holy Land, and the Holy City of Jerusalem and an explanation of methods used to this end, Bünting’s treatise seeks to underscore its own authority in teaching humans to imagine and grasp the significance and implications of the biblical (hi)story. The figurative maps, on the one hand, are grounded in the Bible and function as aides-memoire given their sufficient correspondence to the world. German versions of measures and names, on the other hand, translate conditions that in the Bible feature in another language. Both the aides-memoire and the translations are geared to and address we humans’ minds, and seek to facilitate, inter alia, readings of the Bible as well as the comprehension of its significance and implications.
Yet, the treatise goes deeper into framing the subjectivity of its readers by way of colonising their imagination. As noted earlier, the largest portion of the treatise recounts and lists the travels of biblical characters. In so doing, it also gives an account of deeds and events associated with them and describes the featured places and sites. Often, but not in every case, the treatise explains as well the spiritual significance of the discussed biblical character. A case in point and model account is the report and description of Abraham’s travels:
MASTER Abraham travelled from his fatherland / from Ur in Chaldea / until the city Haran in Mesopotamia / eighty and four miles / Gene. 11 / From Haran he travelled by God’s order to Sichem / a hundred miles / From Sichen he travelled through the forest More / to the mountain between Bethel and Ali / seven miles … From the forest Mamre Abraham travelled in the direction of Dan / thirty and one miles / and hit there the four Kings / that had captured Loth … From Berseba Abraham travelled with his Sara again to the forest Mamre in the direction of Hebron / four miles / and there they died and are … / Gen. 23. 25 / Sum of all travels of the Patriarch Abraham / Four hundred and forty-nine miles / Following now the description of cities and places / Ur / The city Ur in Chaldea / where Abraham was born / is called Orchot in our times / as Petrus Appianus writes / and is situated one hundred and fifty-six miles from Jerusalem in the direction of the sunrise. Ur means in German a light or fire / and might well have received its name / from the worship / that one has enflamed there fire sacrifices … The spiritual Significance of the Patriarch Abraham / Abraham means … Father / and thus Abraham is an image of God the Heavenly Father / who although he is father of many peoples / has nonetheless a single Natural Son / who goes by the name of Jesus Christus. Abraham he loved God so much that he did not spare his own son / in turn / God loved Abraham and the world so much / that he did not spare his sole son Jesus Christ. (Bünting 1587: 75–9, transl. FK)
By recounting the travels of the biblical characters according to this model, the biblical (hi)story takes shape as nothing but a huge travel event. This, along with the travel reports, gives us above all an idea of the landscapes and the places and parts of the world that feature in the Bible and the Holy Land. It also explains the spiritual significance of selected biblical characters as well as the quality of their deeds and God’s reaction to them. ‘King Jojakim’, for instance, is described as ‘a tyrant and bloodhound / who also wanted to kill the Prophet Jeremiam’ and who was killed by Nebucad Nezar whom ‘God … had awakened’ to this end (Bünting 1587: 193, transl. FK).
Yet, more importantly, by recounting and listing the travels of the biblical characters, including the sum total of the travelled distance(s), the treatise reveals their travel loads and their painstaking and restless lives, but also the marvels and punishments associated with them. The biblical (hi)story of Samson, for instance, who carried the gate of Gaza on his shoulders up on to the mountain close to Hebron, is intelligible and comprehensible as a miracle only, as the treatise holds, when we know that Samson had to carry this gate upon his shoulders for five miles (Bünting 1587: 2). Following this schema, the measurement and translation of names of and in the travel reports make the biblical (hi)story imaginable and graspable for humans in terms of the physical pains that the lives of humans on earth imply, but also in terms of the divine assistance and promise that awaits those who travel or wander piously and patiently on earth, and, in so doing, do good and refrain from evil.
In the end, the truthful maps and figurative portrayals or aides-memoire of the world, as well as the truthful accounts of the travels of the biblical characters, the measurement of distances, the translations of names, and the explanations of spiritual significances, etc., all help the readers to materialise the biblical (hi)story in their minds and to comprehend by this means of its implications and significance for their life and existence on earth. This being so, the biblical (hi)story in Bünting’s treatise takes shape as one true (hi)story of the world in which humans (must) live, and as a parable of the pains of human life on earth and the promise of God in heaven. The purpose of all of these efforts is, as it were, to assist and guide then contemporary humans in empathising with the biblical characters, thus repeating their travels, to enable them to imagine and understand the same, along with their significance and implications. The function of the mapping and travel reports as parable and mental journey through the biblical (hi)story that operate through empathising repetition is underscored by the remarks with which the treatise ends:
And thus I have now (thanks to God) described all travels consecutively / that are remembered in the Old Testament / by means of which one can nicely learn / how the holy Archfathers / Kings and Prophets / etc. have travelled occasionally in this vale of tears here on earth / and have accomplished some difficult / long and far-reaching travels / at great pains and with much work / until the beloved God has taken them from this miserable and painstaking life / to himself in joyful heaven / and thus has brought them to rest. God give to us all also once one / a blissful hour / that we bring together with the beloved Jacob the time of our Pilgrimage to an end / That may give the graceful and pious God / for the sake of his beloved Son Jesus Christ / who has acquired us with his costly Blood / Amen. (Bünting 1587: 258, transl. FK)
As the description of the Holy City of Jerusalem in its then present state underscores, such interior reconstruction and examination of the biblical (hi)story – that is, its mental and empathic re-enactment – is shown to readers to be the sole way to comprehend the biblical (hi)story along with the sorely afflicted existence of humans on earth and humans’ painstaking pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem (that is, the Jerusalem of the heavens), and the way to get there. This is all the more so because, as the treatise maintains, the sects guarding Jesus Christ’s graveside and paying tribute to the Turkish Emperor indicate that ‘the Lord Christus must no longer be searched for in the grave at the same place / but in his holy and saving word’ (Bünting 1587: 70, transl. FK).
To reach the Promised Land of God, humans must thus travel through the Bible and, correspondingly, through their lives and they must fulfil in so doing their pious and painstaking pilgrimage on earth. Bünting’s Itinerarium does not only map and measure this biblical world of humans and its (hi)story, along with its places, sites, characters, travels, deeds, and events. By allowing humans to mentally re-enact the characters’ journeys, it lets them comprehend empathically the allegory or parable of human life and the promise of Salvation from life on earth. Bünting’s treatise assists humans in understanding and leading their life as part of the Biblical life story.
Secure subjects
When Friar Emius realised that the new day was already dawning, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and closed with regret Bünting’s Itinerarium which he had been reading during the night. He was tired. But he also felt content and was confident that the day before him would bring good things. As he left his room for Morning Prayer with his brothers he glanced at the book as it now lay on his desk. In the night, he had read about ‘[t]ravels of the ships of Salomonis’ of 2,400 miles (Bünting 1587: 155, transl. FK), and the ‘[t]ravel of the Queen of Saba … From Saba in Ethiopia [Morenland] / … in the direction of Jerusalem / or two hundred and forty-one miles’ (Bünting 1587: 155, transl. FK). He had read the description of the kingdom and city of Saba, its true location and people, and so on with great marvel and growing astonishment. He now also had an idea of the geography of the world in which the biblical characters travelled and just how long and painful their constant journeys must have been. The maps, the explication of method and other explanations in the treatise had helped him greatly with this. For the first time, Emius could imagine and grasp the world and its (hi)story in which he had to live and endure. Yet, it had been his readings about the first Paradise on earth, and about a ‘worm’-like animal called a crocodile living in the Nile and Ganges (Bünting 1587: 73), that had caught his imagination the most. The treatise had told him, as well, about another animal, called ‘Ichmeunon’ (Bünting 1587: 73), which was described as the natural opponent and enemy of the crocodile. The relation between these two animals, as the treatise had explained, corresponded to and translated into the struggle between the Devil and Jesus Christ. After his readings, Emius felt a desire to please God and confidence in his ability to do so. Compared to the biblical characters, his life seemed less hard. He would continue to live piously and patiently, and as God had foreseen for him, to reach the Heavenly Paradise and God, and eternal life and rest. Yet, the book had also left Emius curious. Throughout the day, he felt a growing desire to see the Promised Land one day with own eyes, and to live through the painful travels and harsh life of his biblical ancestors. But his legs … if only they had not had to be amputated two years before. Nowadays he relied on crutches to move around. In spite of this, he had, with the help of Bünting, moved a little further towards Salvation.
In the meantime, Prof. Smith, in his hotel in London, checked emails for information on his airline’s online check-in procedures to return to Hamburg. After finalising the process and assuring himself that he had his passport as always in the left pocket of his jacket, he prepared himself for a tour of London, guided by his smartphone and monitored by cameras. To return to Hamburg, he thought, he would need to go through passport control, security checks, and customs clearance at the airport, proving once again his good liberal citizenship. Prof. Smith thought for a moment just how much the people in Europe and elsewhere in the world were used to these procedures, protecting them from others and themselves. Yet, Prof. Smith thought, he would not reflect any further on this now. He would rather enjoy the day in London, with a good portion of trust in God and confidence in himself, the people and things around him.
1 The name and story are fictitious.
2 This term refers to ‘[non-fictional] literary works dealing with the places in which the story, or the narrative, of the Bible takes place’ (Aiken 2009: 1). We rely on the term here as we feel this helps to give an idea of Bünting’s book.
3 The place where Bünting was Vicar is not decipherable in the edition of the book used.
4 For a history of diplomacy drawing productively on this bifurcation see James Der Derian (1987).
5 This treatise is contained in the second volume of Bünting’s treatise from 1585 (Bünting 1585).
6 The treatise indicates only that ‘Doctor Martinus Luther’ translated the term ‘Stadium’ into the German measure ‘field road [Feldweg]’ (Bünting 1587: 31, transl. FK and that Gualterus H. Rivius provides insight into the number of steps that together constitute a Welsh, French, and/or German mile (Bünting 1587:31).
7 For examples, see, for instance, Peter Meurer (2008) and Bret Rothstein et al. (2014).
8 The three-leaved cloverleaf neglects, on the one hand, America as a fourth part of the world (see ‘Mapping the biblical world’ earlier in this chapter) and it conceals, on the other hand, that ‘the earth together with the ocean makes a round sphere’ (Bünting 1587: 7, transl. FK).
9 It must be noted at this point that Africa, in contrast to Europe and Asia, does not appear in a figurative form, nor is it explained.
Adey, P., 2009. Mobility, London/New York: Routledge.
Aiken, E. J., 2009. Scriptural Geography: Portraying the Holy Land, London: IB Tauris.
Amoore, L. and M. De Goede, eds, 2008. Risk and the War on Terror, London/New York: Routledge.
Aradau, C., L. Lobo-Guerrero, and R. Van Munster, 2008. ‘Security, Technologies of Risk, and the Political: Guest Editors’ Introduction’, Security Dialogue 39(2–3): 147–54.
Bigo, D. and A. Tsoukala, eds, 2008. Terror, Insecurity and Liberty: Illiberal Practices of Liberal Regimes After 9/11, London/New York: Routledge.
Bünting, H., 1585. Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae Vol. 1, Helmstadt.
Bünting, H., 1587. Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae Vol. 2, Magdeburg.
Der Derian, J., 1987. On Diplomacy: a Genealogy of Western Estrangement, Oxford/New York: Blackwell.
Dillon, M. and L. Lobo-Guerrero, 2008. ‘Biopolitics of Security in the 21st Century: An Introduction’, Review of International Studies 34(2): 265–92.
Dillon, M. and L. Lobo-Guerrero, 2009. ‘The Biopolitical Imaginary of Species-being’, Theory, Culture & Society 26(1): 1–23.
Edkins, J., V. Pin-Fat, and M. J. Shapiro, eds, 2004. Sovereign Lives: Power in Global Politics, London: Routledge.
Hagmann, J. and M. Dunn Cavelty, 2012. ‘National Risk Registers: Security Scientism and the Propagation of Permanent Insecurity’, Security Dialogue 43(1): 79–96.
Meurer, P., 2008. ‘Europa Regina. 16th Century Maps of Europe in the Form of a Queen’, Belgeo. Revue belge de géographie (3–4): 355–70.
Muller, B. J., 2008. ‘Securing The Political Imagination: Popular Culture, the Security Dispositif and the Biometric State’, Security Dialogue 39(2–3): 199–220.
Muller, B. J., 2009. Security, Risk and the Biometric State: Governing Borders and Bodies, London: Routledge.
O’Malley, P., 2004. Risk, Uncertainty and Government, London: The GlassHouse Press.
Rasmussen, M. V., 2004. ‘‘It Sounds Like a Riddle’: Security Studies, the War on Terror and Risk’, Millennium – Journal of International Studies 33(2): 381–95.
Rothstein, B., W. Merlion, and M. Weemans, eds, 2014. The Anthropomorphic Lens, Leiden: Brill.
Salter, M. B., ed., 2008. Politics at the Airport, Minneapolis, MN/London: University of Minnesota Press.
Stephens, A. C. and N. Vaughan-Williams, eds, 2008. Terrorism and the Politics of Response, Milton Park/New York: Routledge.
Security/ Mobility
Politics of movement
Editors: Matthias Leese and Stef Wittendorp
security; mobility; critical security studies; geography; politics; movement
Series: New Approaches to Conflict Analysis
View raw image
Authors: Alexis Heraclides and Ada Dialla
Preface and acknowledgements
Humanitarian intervention today
This chapter examines the main issues at stake in the present-day heated debate regarding intervention between those adamantly opposed to any such notion, which they regard as an oxymoron; and those supportive of saving lives with the use of external armed force in exceptional cases, even without UN authorization, when extended massacres take place with no end in sight. The chapter also presents the situation on the ground during the Cold War and from 1989 onwards and refers to the recent notion of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) adopted at UN level in 2005. It concludes with the main nine questions discussed among supporters of humanitarian intervention, including legitimacy, the threshold of suffering (ethnic cleansing, genocide, etc.), the timing of intervention, the motives and the question of abuse by large powers.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5044
|
__label__wiki
| 0.891022
| 0.891022
|
The maintenance of heg...
Anna Greenwood and Harshad Topiwala
The maintenance of hegemony
The short history of Indian doctors in the Colonial Medical Service, British East Africa
in Beyond the state
Histories of the Colonial Medical Service have considered the European Medical Officers forming their elites and also the subsidiary auxiliary staff who provided supporting healthcare provision. No research has, however, taken account of the Indian ‘middle-men’ who were also relied upon in many parts of the African Empire to provide healthcare to local communities. These men, despite being of lesser rank in the colonial hierarchy, were qualified in western medicine and undertook duties identical to their European superiors. The policy of recruiting Indians abruptly stopped however in 1923. This chapter discusses why this happened and argues that part of the reason for the definite, if surreptitious, policy to squeeze Indians out of government medical positions was that it did not fit in with the public image the British government wanted to portray from the 1920s onwards. As such, the authors show that the Colonial Medical Service was not always the white organisation that most histories have assumed.
It is known that an increasing number of Indian doctors came to reside in the East African Protectorate (Kenya after 1920), following its formal colonisation by the British in 1895. What is less known, however, is that although some of these medical immigrants established themselves as private practitioners, the majority of them – at least in the period before 1923 – joined the Colonial Medical Service. Although these Indian practitioners were not appointed to the same rank as the European Medical Officers (MOs), they nevertheless were medically qualified individuals who had undergone training in Western medicine in India, usually for a minimum of three to five years, depending upon when and where the diploma or certificate was obtained.1 Despite being awarded the less-prestigious rank of Assistant Surgeon, Sub-Assistant Surgeon (SAS) or Hospital Assistant within the Colonial Medical Service, and being paid lower salaries than MOs, these Indians to all intents and purposes fulfilled clinical roles and responsibilities similar to those of their European counterparts. Indeed, ample evidence exists that, before 1923, Indian practitioners were regarded as an invaluable constituent part of the medical infrastructure in the East African Protectorate. At their peak in 1920, there were almost twice as many Indian doctors as European MOs in the Government Medical Department. Furthermore, these men often took sole responsibility for regional hospitals, conducted large-scale disease surveys and serviced, without supervision, large and remote areas.2
This situation changed between 1922 and 1923, when the Indian contingent of the Colonial Medical Service was dramatically reduced by over a half in one year and the recruitment of Indian doctors abruptly stopped.3 Suddenly, and largely without any detailed official explanation, Indians were dropped from the medical department staff lists and their work was no longer mentioned in colonial documentation. After more than two decades of successfully relying on Indian personnel, colonial officials silently, yet forcibly, wrote Indians out of the medical administration, and subsequently also out of later medical histories of this colonial possession.4 Even the few Indian individuals that tenaciously remained in service in some of the outlying areas were no longer mentioned in the Annual Medical Reports or counted in departmental statistics.
Yet, as this chapter will show, the discreet turnabout in policy, although rarely mentioned in any official capacity at the time, can be quite easily explained retrospectively, most notably through tracing the several officially enshrined recommendations made against Indians in Kenya in the years immediately preceding 1923. Reports such as the 1919 Economic Commission Report, the 1922 Economic and Finance Committee Report (known as the Bowring Report) and the well-known 1923 Devonshire White Paper5 all clearly set the scene for a newly hardened exclusionist attitude towards the participation of Indian immigrants in East African affairs. It was therefore quite in keeping with the mood of the time that official medical statements echoing these sentiments also appeared around this period. As we will discuss, the 1915 Simpson Report and the 1921 Public Health Ordinance provide two clear examples of this tendency.6 Both documents explicitly condoned the implementation of segregative measures, justified on the grounds of the apparent link between Indians and poor hygiene. This was a new anti-Indian climate, fuelled partially by contemporaneous developments in other African territories (particularly South Africa), in which Indian workers and traders were increasingly portrayed as dirty and pathological bodies, while Indian doctors, precisely because they held some social status, were evidently felt to be challenging to white settler ideals of how the elite and responsible echelons of Kenyan society should be constituted.
Telling the little-known story about the way Indians were squeezed out of government positions offers valuable insights that can burst the historical myth of a Colonial Service staffed by the ‘thin white line’ famously described by Anthony Kirk-Greene in 1980.7 Although, to be sure, the British colonial state in Africa principally consisted in its middle and higher echelons of white, elite personnel, in fact state representatives in roles of responsibility were sometimes of other nationalities and ethnicities. In short, non-whites were not limited to lower departmental staffing roles in the early history of the colonial medical department. Caught in the middle between the white elites and the (mostly) black subordinates, these Indian doctors became entirely overlooked in the medical history of Kenya. Even more recent moves to restore the often forgotten voices of the colonial nurses, subordinates and intermediaries to their rightful places within colonial history omit to mention this relatively large ‘middle’ cohort of qualified practitioners.8
Further, the short history of employing Indians within the colonial medical department shows that ideas of what was deemed appropriate in terms of representing the state locally were changeable. What was considered in one decade to be fitting to the times was evidently thought not to be appropriate in another. As such, this contribution to the history of Indians in the East African Colonial Medical Service highlights the way that colonial staffing policies were shaped by factors that went beyond the organisational effectiveness or the practical expediencies of the state (Indian doctors were cheap, Indian doctors had an acceptable level of training). Rather, the decision to squeeze Indians out of government employment was tied to changing social and political pressures that influenced ideas about the way the colonial project should be conducted. As ideas of trusteeship advanced from the 1920s, it became increasingly appropriate to Africanise the Colonial Medical Service, in terms of training and employing more African dressers; but at the same time (and with no apparent sense of contradiction) as the Service became more inclusive towards Africans, it became less inclusive towards Indians. This implies that, despite British rhetoric, something more complicated than progressive racial inclusion was going on. In key ways, Indians working in roles similar to those of Europeans in Africa posed a threat to British ideas of colonial hegemony.
Indians, migration and medicine
The migration of Indians to East Africa has been the subject of much scholarly attention, although no work has concentrated upon medical migration per se.9 Between 1900 and 1948, more than 150,000 Indians settled in the East African colonies, although this trend for Indians to seek opportunities in the area was far from new.10 Evidence from as early as AD 120 suggests the movement of people and trade between the Indian subcontinent and the African East Coast, and by the thirteenth century trading excursions by both Indians and Arabs to the African coast were commonplace, with dhows regularly moving between the shores of India, the Persian Gulf and East Africa using the seasonal winds.11 Much of the early trade centred upon the island of Zanzibar, which for several centuries was the regional hub of trade, particularly in slaves, ivory and spices. Although much of the commerce was in the hands of the wealthy Omani elite, Indians were vital cogs in the commercial successes of the region and Indian models of business organisation came to be highly esteemed by both the Portuguese colonisers of Zanzibar in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and the Omani rulers who subsequently came to power in 1698.12 Through several centuries of trading contact, Indians had come to know the geography of the region well and were key players in both local and international commerce. As such, they became relied upon as organisers of potentially risky caravan expeditions into the interior, and also as financiers in trading initiatives to both India and the Americas.13
By the time the British arrived in East Africa in 1888 with the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC), a sizeable Indian community already resided along the coast and its adjacent islands. The presence of this resident community, combined with the colonial power that Britain already wielded in the Indian subcontinent, meant that it was no surprise that Britain looked to Indians as key personnel to aid in the establishment and consolidation of power in its new Protectorate.14 From the mid-1890s Indian army regiments were brought in to secure military control, and between 1898 and 1902 approximately 31,000 indentured labourers from India were employed to expedite the first major colonial construction project in the region, the Uganda Railway – stretching from the coastal city of Mombasa to the edges of inland Lake Victoria.15
At the formation of the IBEAC the directors had positioned themselves on this issue:
The question of immigration from India appears to the Directors to be of great importance, with a view to colonisation by trained agriculturalists of the unoccupied districts of the Company’s territory, more notably at Witu, in the country between the Tana and Juba Rivers and in the Sabaki Valley where the climate, soil and general conditions are particularly favourable to their settlement. The entire trade of East Africa has long been carried on by wealthy resident British Indian merchants, themselves large plantation owners, who would greatly welcome and encourage their countrymen to settle in Africa. The Directors have under consideration the expediency of initiating the movement by offering grants of unoccupied lands to approved families. With such support and encouragement Africa may in future become to the natives of India what America and the British colonies have proved to the mother country and Europe.16
Others shared these views. During the early years of the Protectorate many respected colonial experts, including Sir Bartle Frere, John Ainsworth and Harry Johnston, the Special Commissioner for Uganda, also put forward compelling reasons for promoting Indian settlement in East Africa.17
It is in the light of this context of enthusiasm that the early employment of Indians in the colonial medical department can be understood. The early Indian doctors, since 1897, hailed from a mix of Indian communities, although Christians, including Goans, (if available), were preferred by the British administration for their adoption of European habits.18 Concurrently, Indian doctors were also employed in other capacities supportive to British colonialism: they were imported to serve the health of the Indian regiments billeted in East Africa, and also to provide basic medical services to the thousands of indentured Indian labourers working on the Uganda Railway.19
Western medical education in India
One of the reasons why Indian doctors were employed was because they provided relatively cheap labour, but nevertheless medical labour that had been trained in standards comparable (although never deemed equal) to those on offer in medical schools in the West. A comprehensive history of the development of Western medical education in India remains to be written, but some regional accounts of medical professionalisation provide useful insights, showing clearly that Western medical education became well established in India by the midnineteenth century.20 Calcutta Medical College opened its doors in February 1835 as the first institution explicitly designed to train young Indian boys, irrespective of caste, in the principles of Western medicine in English. By 1846 qualifications earned from this college were formally recognised by the London Royal College of Surgeons, and by 1857, the year in which the institution was confirmed as having full university status, Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS), Bachelor in Medicine (MB) and Doctor of Medicine (MD) were all offered, in line with the medical degrees available in the UK.21
The Western medical education established at Calcutta was soon copied elsewhere. Madras Medical College admitted its first students in 1842; Grant Medical College in Bombay (a key provider of doctors for Kenya) in 1845; and Lahore Medical School (also called King Edward Medical School) was established in 1860.22
One confusing issue was that, upon qualification from a medical school in India, there was little systematisation in terms of how these newly qualified practitioners were titled.23 Deeply rooted ideas of racial superiority in the Colonial Service meant that Indian colleagues, even if in possession of LMS or MD degrees, were seldom allowed the job title of Medical Officer, which was reserved mainly for Europeans. Instead, Indian medical graduates were variously called Assistant Surgeons, SASs and even sometimes Hospital Assistants once they took up posts with the British government services. Although the higher-ranked Assistant Surgeons are usually relatively easy to identify, before the Medical Registration Ordinance of 1910, SASs were sometimes also referred to as Hospital Assistants. This variety of job titles means that, especially in the first decade of the colonial medical department in East Africa, it is difficult to tell from the job title whether the individual mentioned was a doctor with a General Medical Council recognised medical degree or a medical subordinate with a less prestigious diploma or a certificate.24 The disparities in nomenclature are revealing both of the lower status that Britain attributed to Indian medical qualifications and also of deeply embedded racial beliefs that ultimately saw the true leaders of the British Empire as white.
Indians in the Colonial Medical Service before 1923
In East Africa, Indian Assistant Surgeons and SASs were present in the medical department as an obvious force soon after its inception. Indians were part of the medical provision offered by the Uganda Railways and then, later, part of the colonial medical department, which was founded in 1895. Although official records from this period are scant, four Indian medical staff are named in early archive material before 1900: Edward Oorloff, who had joined the medical department in 1897; E.W. Rodrigo and G.P. Vinod, who had served since 1898; and Maula Buksh who joined the department in 1899.25 It was apparent from very early on that, even if the healthcare focus was primarily on the needs of the European community, few European doctors were available and the department relied on supplementary staffing.26 Correspondence between Kenya, London and India confirms a heavy dependence on Indian staff for the provision of medical services, with numerous examples in the records of calls to secure more Indian doctors.27 In 1921, even John Langton Gilks, the Principal Medical Officer (PMO) who was to actively squeeze Indians out of Colonial Medical Service employment, had drawn attention to the problem of the Indian medical staff being ‘inconveniently low’.28
As might be expected, conditions of employment for the assistant surgeons and SASs were less favourable than those offered to European MOs. Although both groups had their passage to East Africa paid, the salaries offered were far from equivalent and the allowances were very different. While European MOs were paid £400 per annum (in 1939 this changed to £600 per annum), the salary of an Assistant Surgeon was approximately £200 and that of an SAS (or Hospital Assistant) was under £70.29 Furthermore, unlike the European doctors, who were provided with government housing, subordinate Indian staff had neither an accommodation allowance nor guaranteed government housing, no gratuity for long service, no passages paid for spouses and family and no formal provision was made for their pension, unless they first passed a three-year probationary period.30
For almost three decades, Indian Assistant Surgeons and SASs were the vital cogs in the machinery of the Government Medical Department. In fact, in the years before 1923, all the available evidence indicates that Indian doctors were present in equal or greater numbers than their European counterparts. At their high point in 1919, almost twice as many Indian practitioners (seventy-three) worked for the East African Colonial Medical Service as did Europeans (forty-three) – a fact that makes their omission from the subsequent histories of medicine in East Africa all the more remarkable. Although a rhetoric of economic saving was cited as justification for the drastic cull of Indian personnel in 1922, it is thought-provoking that European staffing numbers, after a small reduction in 1923, nevertheless steadily grew from 1925 to almost double in the 1930s, despite the fact that European MO salaries were much higher than those offered to Assistant Surgeons or SASs.31
Colonial Medical Service doctors32
The lack of source material makes it difficult to gain a full picture of the typical experiences of Indian doctors.33 Similar to European doctors, most Indian doctors posted outside of the main townships conducted very independent professional lives, able to make their own decisions, and often responsible at a comparatively early stage of their careers for thousands of patients.34 District medical reports for 1915–23 from Meru, 1914–22 in Malindi and 1921 in Kabarnet give an indication of the high levels of responsibility many Indian subordinate doctors had.35 Many of the Indian subordinate doctors were in sole charge of hospitals and managed sizable staff. For instance, an Indian Assistant Surgeon was responsible for the hospital at Fort Hall during 1919 and an SAS was in charge of the Machakos hospital in the Ukamba reserve for several years before 1922.36 Although theoretically Indian subordinates were always under the supervision of the local MO, in reality those in remote locations were only infrequently visited, in some instances only once a year.37 Furthermore, evidence can be found that some of the Indian members of the Colonial Medical Service were actively engaged in medical research. Between 1922 and 1940 fifteen different Indian medical department colleagues contributed to the Kenya Medical Journal (after 1932, East African Medical Journal), reporting on topics as varied as pellagra, pneumonia, surgical methods and memory loss. Some individuals undertook large surveys of their local African communities and were committed to the improvement of standards of care and the expansion of knowledge about African diseases and their mitigating factors. For example the 1913 Annual Medical Report describes in significant detail the anti-plague campaigns of three Indian doctors, A.N. Nyss, K.H. Bhatt and Murari Lal.38 Another article, from 1927, by Assistant Surgeon T.D. Nair, described his extensive yaws eradication campaign along the Tana River.39 A medical report authored by Minoo Dastur reveals in vivid detail his substantial initiatives to improve public health provision in the Baringo district of Kenya.40
Before the 1920s it is not difficult to find positive comments concerning the use of Indian subordinate doctors. Individuals working in East Africa, India and the UK regularly praised the quality of Indian staff. E.B. Horne, who was the District Officer in Meru, for example, was immensely impressed by the performance of Abdulla Khan, who commenced work in Meru in 1915, describing his ‘relations with the natives’ as ‘excellent’. Horne further commented that because of Khan’s professional efforts and good personal relations there had been a substantive increase in patient consultations under his tenure.41 Similarly, the author of a report issued in 1921 concerning the remote Kabarnet station, which was considered to have ‘deplorable’ facilities and to be ‘notoriously unhealthy’, made strikingly appreciative comments about the improvements that occurred in the health of the region under the Indian doctor’s charge.42 Six months after Gokul Chand’s appointment to the station, the District Commissioner was happy to report that ‘his work has been eminently satisfactory, the sanitation of the station is looked after by him with great care’.43
In his published reminiscences of 1928 in the Kenya and East African Medical Journal, former PMO Arthur Milne also extolled the contribution of Indian doctors, along with those of Goan clerks, in glowing terms, describing them as ‘the two main-springs which have kept the wheels of the department turning’.44 He singled out a number of individuals for their gallantry and dedication to the establishment of colonial medicine in the region, describing Assistant Surgeon de Cruz as one of the ‘never to be forgotten comrades who laid down their lives in building up of these colonies’.45 Other European MOs provided similar positive testaments of the Indian medical staff. Robert Hennessey made particular note of the vital role of the Indian doctors in the running of the hospitals and their importance in undertaking much of the routine surgery.46 Another senior European MO, Peter Clearkin, who worked for some time at Kisumu Hospital, described some of the Assistant Surgeons whom he worked with as ‘very good indeed’, making specific reference to the outstanding efforts of one individual, Kartar Singh.47
The demise of Indian Colonial Medical Service careers
Although by the early 1920s it seemed that Indians were an integral part of the colonial medical administration, the glowing endorsements of their service came to an end in 1922. The reason for this abrupt turnabout in attitudes was never articulated beyond generalised statements about the need to enforce economies within the department, some comments about the new preference to Africanise the Colonial Medical Service, and a few references to the alleged lack of suitability of Indians to perform medical duties for Africans.
Although a number of short-term factors can be identified as inducing this policy shift, in many important ways the groundwork for this sea-change in attitudes had been gradually established since the beginning of the twentieth century. Despite the apparent enthusiasm for the employment of Indian doctors before 1922, nearly every positive remark about them was nevertheless made in a climate that concurrently also assumed that Indians were neither as able nor as desirable as European doctors. Kenya, with its politically powerful white settler community, was particularly a place where Indians were routinely discriminated against. The prominent roles some Indians played in business and commerce in the region made settlers not only suspicious of the possibility of Indian encroaching political power but also desirous to limit it at every available opportunity. Frequent portrayals of Indians in the settler-led local press made allusion to their thrift and business acumen, characteristics which were portrayed not as qualities to be praised but as traits of which other members of the colonial community should be suspicious.48 Running alongside this discourse, with apparently no sense of contradiction, was another prominent stereotype propagated by the British, namely that Indians, particularly those of poor socio-economic standing, were a public health risk and were therefore actually a threat to the prosperity of the colony. Sentiments such as ‘whenever one finds the Indian in Africa, he appears so dirty’ were commonplace and profoundly affected the way Indians were regarded not only as patients, but also as doctors.49 Prominent European doctors, such as Roland Burkitt, supported this view, even publicly lecturing on the allegedly deplorable habits of Indians and making no attempt to disguise their hostility towards the community.50
In addition to this climate of gradually increasing racial animosity to the East African Indian community since 1900, several tangible points can be identified as marking significant stepping-stones on the path to outright hostility. One of the most dramatic shifts in attitude can be pinpointed to the change in Commissionership (Governorship after 1906) in 1900 from Sir Arthur Hardinge to Sir Charles Eliot. This marked the concerted beginnings of the ‘White Highlands Policy’, which favoured the white settlement of the area located to the north of Nairobi and the west of Mount Kenya, which was thought to have the most fertile land and the most agreeable climate.
During his time as Commissioner of the East Africa Protectorate (1895–1900) Hardinge had established a model of colonial administration that drew heavily on Indian personnel, not only as indentured labourers but also as he sought staff in positions of responsibility, such as at the head of the Works and Transport departments.51 While Hardinge was agreed that the Highlands would be the best place for white settlement, he nevertheless accepted Indian landownership as part of the cultural landscape of the East Africa Protectorate.52 When Eliot succeeded to the headship of the Protectorate it was quite clear that his sympathies were elsewhere. His candid statement of 1905 could not have been further away from the integrationist ideas of his predecessor: ‘I think it is a mere hypocrisy not to admit that white interests must be paramount, and the main object of our policy and legislation should be to found a white colony.’53
Immediately upon his investiture Eliot drove a private bargain with the leader of the ‘white frontiersmen’ of Kenya, Lord Delamere, and invited Europeans including, White South Africans, to migrate.54 Eliot was to be only the first of a series of governors to fall ‘willingly into settler clutches’.55 Many of his successors, including Sir Edouard Girouard (1909–12), Sir Henry Belfield (1912–17), Sir Charles Bowring (1917–19) and Sir Edward Northey (1919–22), displayed sympathy for the settler position and, increasingly, an accompanying disregard for the Indian community of East Africa.56
Towards the end of the First World War the issue of whether Indians should be awarded land grants in East Africa in formal recognition of their contribution to the war effort was seriously discussed. The subject was considered so important that it became the subject of parliamentary debate in London, but nevertheless the motion eventually suffered a crushing defeat, with settler opposition to the proposal playing no small part in its decisive demise.57 During the next four years, undoubtedly in the light of fears raised through the serious discussions about possible land grants for Indians, a number of blatantly anti-Indian reports were produced concerning Kenya colony.
The first such document came in the form of the findings of the Economic Commission of 1919. This Commission had been set up by Governor Belfield with the specific aim to inquire and report on a sustainable future for the colony. The conclusions of the final report of this commission were unambiguous:
Physically, the Indian is not a wholesome influence because of his incurable repugnance to sanitation and hygiene.…The moral depravity of the Indian is equally damaging to the African, who in his natural state is at least innocent of the worst vices of the East. The Indian is the inciter to crime as well as vice, …The presence of the Indian in this country is quite obviously inimical to the moral and physical welfare and the economic advancement of the native.58
The final recommendations of the report explicitly stated that senior posts in government, railway, municipalities and European firms should be reserved exclusively for Europeans. Among its recommendations were a complete halt to Indian immigration and a call that all government departments ‘should, as quickly as possible replace Indian employees by Europeans in the higher grades and Africans in the lower’.59 Indians were described as displaying an aversion to sanitation and hygiene and as having disproportionately large numbers of their community associated with crime and vice.60 With the findings of the 1919 Economic Commission, anti-Indian sentiment within East Africa palpably strengthened. Calls started to be made by both settlers and members of colonial government demanding the complete cessation of Indian immigration and the transfer of Indian-held jobs in government to Europeans and Africans, in line with the Commission’s recommendations.61
This new, unambiguously exclusionist line of argumentation was further reiterated with the findings of the 1922 Economic and Finance Committee (Bowring Committee). This committee, which had been set up along the lines of the Geddes Committee in the UK to evaluate the need to reduce public expenditure and introduce protective tariffs in the colony, proposed in its conclusions a 20 per cent reduction in the number of all Asiatic civil servants working for the British government in East Africa.62 With seemingly no sense of contradiction, this projected staff reduction was justified on the grounds of ameliorating the deteriorating financial situation of the colony. Indian leaders were quick to point out the illogicality of removing Indian staff as ‘the salaries of some of the Asiatic staff are at present less than a quarter of the minimum salaries drawn by European staff’ who were being retained, but this reasoning appeared to carry no weight in a colonial administration determined, under settler pressure, to reduce the influence of the Indian community.63 The budget cuts recommended in the Bowring Committee Report inflicted the biggest hardships on Indians, who were deemed to be too expensive and not suitable to work in the colonial administration. It was stated that it would be more economical to replace Indians gradually with cheaper African labour and, furthermore, that only Europeans could act as trustees for the Africans, who were not yet considered to be in a position to represent their own interests. Indians were regarded as being fundamentally unsuitable for colonial service, as they could not provide the necessary moral and social guidance to the majority African community.
Finally, the most decisive watershed was to occur in the following year, in the form of the 1923 Devonshire White Paper.64 The debates leading up to, and during, the passing of the Devonshire Declaration have been the subject of extensive scholarship and it is necessary here just to summarise its main conclusions.65
The Devonshire Declaration signified the formal pronouncement of the British government’s intentions for Kenya colony. Native rights were to be paramount in the long term and, in order to prepare the indigenous population for self-rule, European interim trusteeship was to be the short-term focus. In this framework there was little space for Indian rights (similar to those enjoyed by Europeans). Indians were not seen as the natural inhabitants of Kenya, neither through inheritance nor conquest, and their rights to political representation were severely curbed. There would be no common franchise. Indians were to be allowed five elected seats in the Legislative Council, compared to eleven for Europeans. Additionally, Devonshire confirmed that the Highlands would be reserved for Europeans and the option of a future ban on Indian immigration was maintained.
The anti-Indian sentiments which manifested themselves in the recommendations of the Economic Commission, the Bowring Committee and the Devonshire Declaration also permeated colonial medical policy in areas of public health: the Simpson Report of 1915 and the Public Health Ordinance of 1921. The Simpson Report came about as a direct result of the frequent complaints about the sanitary condition of Nairobi, particularly stimulated by objections to the insanitary state of the Indian bazaar. In response to these issues, Governor Henry Belfield in 1912 sought the help of a sanitation expert to provide a professional assessment of the situation. Professor W.J. Simpson, a member of the Advisory Committee on Tropical Medicine, was the natural choice for the job. By the time of his appointment he had already been on missions to investigate sanitary conditions in Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Nigeria on behalf of the British colonial government.66 Simpson visited Kenya in 1914, travelling extensively throughout the country for six months. In compiling his assessment he drew upon many interviews, although notably few with non-Europeans.67
Simpson’s final report of 1915, illustrated with town plans and photographs, was unambiguous in its support of racial segregation and became much cited as official justification for colonial health policies thereafter. He was unswerving in his recommendations:
Lack of control over buildings, streets and lanes, and over the general growth and development of towns and trade centres in East Africa and Uganda, combined with the intermingling, in the same quarters of town and trade centres of races with different customs and habits, accounts for many of the insanitary conditions in them and for the extension of disease from one race to another…. Also … the diseases to which these different races are respectively liable are readily transferable to the European and vice versa, a result specially liable to occur when their dwellings are near each other.… [I]t is absolutely essential that in every town and trade centre the town planning should provide well defined and separate quarters or wards for Europeans, Asiatics and Africans … and that there should be a neutral belt of open unoccupied country of at least 300 yards in width between European residences and those of the Asiatic and African.68
Although not accepted without controversy, the Simpson Report became used as the authoritative medical reference to defend East African Protectorate policies of racial segregation. It became the basis for the first comprehensive Public Health Ordinance of 1921, which was instructed as means to simplify navigation of the numerous health ordinances against specific diseases or procedures that had been accumulating in the Protectorate since its earliest days.69 The story of the passage of this Ordinance is long and complicated, but ultimately the British government rejected clause 15, which advocated racial segregation along the lines recommended by Simpson in 1915.70 Nevertheless, the debates over the inclusion of this clause and the evident enthusiasm for segregation among members of the settler community show how urgent the need to limit Indian rights was perceived to be by some sectors of the colonial community. It was no surprise that racial segregation of township areas in Kenya did not end with the removal of clause 15. Europeans found other ways of maintaining de facto segregation and the administration did little to intervene and ensure compliance. Instead, subtle ways were found to conform to most resident Europeans’ preferences to live in a segregated society, for example by turning down planning applications by non-Europeans and refusing to sell land to Indians. Officials in Whitehall were aware that the law was being circumvented, but were content to turn a blind eye. A handwritten comment on an internal Colonial Office memorandum is revealing: tacit support of these continued practices of segregation was provided as long as a way could be found ‘of avoiding official correspondence’ on the subject.71
The final piece in the jigsaw in understanding the dramatic retrenchment of more than half of all Indian staff from the Colonial Medical Service lies in the actions of the PMO at that time – John Langton Gilks. Although, to be sure, Gilks was influenced by the broader social and political environment around him, it was his eventual support for the scheme which directly lay behind the fact that many Indians lost their jobs in 1922. Gilks was extremely cautious of recording in any detail the impetuses behind his policy decisions, and his motives can only be guessed at through relatively limited evidence. Enough evidence exists, however, to verify that he became a close ally of the Kenyan settler community and that his views about Indians for the most part accorded with the dominant settler mood of negativity towards them.72 Despite initial wavering on Gilks’s part, Legislative and Executive Council minutes record his ultimate acquiescence to the segregation of Indians in townships and the reduction of non-European salaries and his support for communal voting, which all Indians vehemently opposed.73 He additionally refused to back a proposal to grant licensed Indian doctors a permanent right to practise medicine provided that they had completed three years’ satisfactory medical service in the colony. Gilks openly criticised the quality of medical degrees from India, stating that ‘certain degrees [of India] were not recognised. All sub assistants were not good doctors and some were not fit to practise without supervision.’74 In his short, characteristically dry, memoirs of his time in Kenya, Gilks referred to the staffing reductions only as a means of achieving the economic savings recommended by the Bowring Committee. The second pretext he put forward for the action in 1922 was that, under the new priorities of trusteeship, Indians were unsuited to colonial medical work because the ‘inclinations of these Indian SASs were not towards the care of Africans’ and their withdrawal from the outstations ‘would not appear to have been followed by serious results’.75
This was a theme that was echoed in other quarters. The local branch of the British Medical Association (BMA) was much less reticent in vocalising its support for the policy to cull Indians from the Colonial Medical Service.76 In a memorandum to the London-based Dominions Committee the Kenya branch of the BMA declared:
A specific question having been asked by the Commission as to the efficiency of Indian sub-assistant surgeons, the Branch wishes to express the opinion that though they may fulfil a useful function when working under the supervision of medical officers, yet, owing to their attitude towards the African they are as a rule unsatisfactory for independent medical work amongst natives. At the time of retrenchment the establishment of sub assistant surgeons was greatly reduced. This was a step in the right direction and the Branch considers that the eventual replacement of Asiatics is desirable. The replacement of an Asiatic sub-assistant surgeon in charge of an outstation by a medical officer entails additional expense yet the increase in value of the public health service rendered is out of all proportion to the increase in cost.77
Furthermore, the new, pressing priority was to Africanise colonial medicine, so it is no coincidence that the scheme to employ Africans in larger numbers was promoted in earnest in 1924, less than two years after Indian staffing was cut.78 Indeed, the increase in numbers of African dressers within the colonial medical department was dramatic: numbers rose from a handful in 1920 to 648 fifteen years later.79 By 1932 more than 1,000 Africans were said to be working for the colonial medical department, over half of them categorised as dressers.80
A reduced number of Indian Assistant Surgeons and SASs continued to operate in rural East African locations, despite the official cull. In 1937, an annual report indicated that a third of the hospitals in the African reserves were still under the charge of an Indian doctor, though they were barely mentioned in government reports.81 A few tenacious Indian doctors, even if they were largely ignored and severely depleted in numbers, formed a constituent part of the colonial department. It is difficult to gauge their relative contribution, but estimates collated for 1937 suggest that twenty-six continued to operate in the country, with more than half in outlying regions.
Although accounts left by Indian members of the medical service are few and evidence has had to be pulled together from disparate sources, it is still possible to build up a picture of the short history of Indian doctors in the Colonial Medical Service.82 Indian doctors, although employed on less favourable contractual terms – and typically posted to the less popular, remote stations – nevertheless were an extremely valuable part of the health service infrastructure, easily outnumbering European doctors during the first twenty-five years of the colonial medical department.
The disappearance of Indian doctors from the record after 1923 in large part explains their disappearance from colonial medical history. Indeed, reading the currently available literature, one might be forgiven for assuming that the East African Colonial Medical Service was entirely staffed by white, European doctors.83 It is hoped that the new insights offered by this study will extend understandings not only through providing more empirical data about how the Colonial Service was staffed, but also in terms of helping historians to reflect on the processes of recording history; ones that sometimes bury important aspects for generations. The policy of dropping Indians from the Colonial Medical Service was rarely directly spoken about at the time, which meant that subsequently their history also became overlooked. This story provides a cautionary tale: in the struggle to escape the positivist, triumphalist white histories of the early post-colonial era more recent historical attention has refocused our interests on the history of black participation in Empire.84 Understandably, but inevitably too simplistically, the history of the black African doctors was assumed to be the only crucial missing part of the story.85 In fact, the way Empire was staffed in East Africa was more nuanced. Although Indians were themselves divided as a group and should by no means be seen as homogeneous in opinion and stance towards the British government (or even towards members of their own community), omitting their contribution to the East African Colonial Medical Service fails to acknowledge some of the diversity of the British Empire and some of the subtleties within the colonial politics of race.
The contextual analysis offered in this chapter shows that of the events around 1923 are (retrospectively at least) explicable, if they were surreptitiously conducted. The abrupt change in official attitudes towards Indians in the Colonial Medical Service shows that broader social and political dynamics were at play in decisions about their large-scale retrenchment. While it became acceptable – perhaps precisely because it was relatively non-threatening – to provide training for indigenous Africans as dressers and Hospital Assistants, the idea of working side by side with similarly qualified Indian individuals had less political appeal. This prospect became progressively more problematic after the First World War, when the potentially destabilising effects of increased Indian social and political influence were hotly debated issues within East Africa and Indians became increasingly cast in official reports (such as the 1919 Economic Commission Report, the 1922 Bowring Report and the 1923 Devonshire White Paper) as a potentially large public nuisance whose ambitions were to be curtailed before they got out of hand. The British government could not risk alienating the powerful white settler community, so, while limiting the worst excesses of their demands, it also tacitly understood the importance of keeping policies at a level in accordance, at least nominally, with settler desires. In this way, looking beyond the immediate boundaries of medical priorities or organisational efficiency, the decision to drastically reduce Indian members of the Colonial Medical Service can be better understood. Despite almost three decades of good service, educated Indian doctors were ultimately feared as a threat to British dominance in Kenya.86
1 British Library (BL) IOR/L/MIL/7/5334 Collection 116/62 Minutes of the Indian Legislative Assembly, 2 May 1924, pp. 1905, 1966; The National Archives, UK (TNA) CO/535/3 Correspondence, Dr Donaldson, Senior Medical Officer to Governor of Somaliland, 6 May–24 July 1933
2 ‘Assistant Surgeon Nyss in Charge of Plague Camps’, Annual Medical Department Report, East African Protectorate (AMR), 1914, p. 89. See also AMR, 1913, p. 78
3 The cull is fleetingly mentioned in: John Langton Gilks, ‘The Medical Department and the Health Organization of Kenya, 1909–1933’, The East African Medical Journal, 9, 1932–33, pp. 340–54, at p. 350. Earlier, the 1922 AMR detailed the reductions to make economies and listed the closure of eleven out stations in the charge of Sub-Assistant Surgeons.
4 Ann Beck, A History of the British Medical Administration of East Africa, 1900–1950, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1970; Megan Vaughan, Curing Their Ills: Colonial Power and African Illness, Cambridge, Polity Press, 1991; John Iliffe, East African Doctors: a History of the Modern Profession, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998; Anna Crozier, Practising Colonial Medicine: the Colonial Medical Service in East Africa, London, I.B. Tauris, 2007
5 BL IOR/L/PJ/6/1718 Economic Commission Report, Nairobi, Swift Press, 1919; BL IOR/L/E/7/1264 ‘Indians in Kenya’, The Devonshire Declaration, White Paper, Cmd. 1922, July 1923. No copy of the Bowring Report has been located: second-hand reporting of its findings in other sources has been used throughout.
6 W.J. Simpson, Report on the Sanitary Matters in the East Africa Protectorate, Uganda and Zanzibar, London, Colonial Office, Africa No. 1025, February 1915; Kenya Colony, Public Health Ordinance, Nairobi, Kenya, Government Printers, 1921.
7 See Anthony M. Kirk-Greene, ‘The Thin White Line: The Size of the British Colonial Service in Africa’, African Affairs, 79, 1980, pp. 25–44
8 See chapters relating to Africa in Ryan Johnson and Amna Khalid (eds.), Public Health in the British Empire: Intermediaries, Subordinates, and the Practice of Public Health, New York and London, Routledge, 2012; Anne Digby, Diversity and Division in Medicine: Healthcare in South Africa from the 1800s, Oxford, Peter Lang, 2006
9 Uchhrangrai Keshavrai Oza, The Rift in the Empire’s Lute: Being a History of the Indian Struggle in Kenya from 1900 to 1930, Nairobi, Advocate of India Press, 1930; Lawrence William Hollingsworth, The Asians of East Africa, London, Macmillan and Co. Ltd., 1960; George Delf, Asians in East Africa, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1963; J.S. Mangat, A History of the Asians in East Africa, c.1886–1945, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1969; Dharam P. Ghai and Yash P. Ghai (eds.), Portrait of a Minority: Asians in East Africa, Nairobi and London, Oxford University Press, 1970; Robert G. Gregory, India and East Africa: A History of Race Relations within the British Empire, 1890–1939, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971; Agehananda Bharati, The Asians in East Africa: Jayhind and Uhuru, Chicago, Nelson-Hall Co., 1972; Cynthia Salvadori, We Came in Dhows, 3 vols, Nairobi, Paperchase Kenya Ltd, 1996
10 C.J. Martin, ‘A Demographic Study of an Immigrant Community: The Indian Population of British East Africa’, Population Studies, 6, 3, 1953, pp. 233–47
11 Some of this early evidence before Vasco de Gama’s voyage of 1497 is disputed and inconclusive. R. Coupland, East Africa and its Invaders from the Earliest Times to the Death of Seyyid Said, London, Oxford University Press, 1938, p. 16; Gregory, India and East Africa, pp. 9–15; M.N. Pearson, Port Cities and Intruders: The Swahili Coast, India and Portugal in the Early Modern Era, Baltimore, MD, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998, p. 11
12 M. Reda Bhacker, Trade and Empire in Muscat and Zanzibar: The Roots of British Domination, London, Routledge, 1992, p. 12
13 Rhodes House Library, Oxford (RHL) MSS.Brit.Emp.s.22G5 IBEAC, Sir Francis de Winton, memorandum, 18 August 1890; see also quotation from Sir Bartle Frere in T.M. Metcalf, Imperial Connections: India in the Indian Ocean Arena, 1860–1920, Berkeley and London, University of California Press, 2007, p. 166
14 Mangat, History of the Asians in East Africa, p. 28
15 The precise figure quoted by Gregory is 31,983, India and East Africa, p. 52
16 RHL MSS.Brit.Emp.s.22G5 IBEAC, Report of the Court of Directors to the Annual Shareholders Meeting, 27 July 1891, p. 4; Gregory, India and East Africa, p. 49
17 Frere is cited in Mangat, History of the Asians in East Africa, p. 12; similarly, Ainsworth’s comments on the positive role of Indians can be seen in his farewell speech reported in East African Chronicle, 14 August 1920, p. 14; See also Harry Johnson, Letter to the Editor, The Times, 22 August 1921, p. 4; BL IOR/L/PJ/6/807 shows that in 1907 Churchill also refused to rule out Indian settlement from the Highlands.
18 TNA CO/544/14, Kenya Executive Council Minutes, 1918, p. 363, where mention is made of bonus awards to Assistant Surgeons ‘who looked and behaved as English gentlemen’; the essential role of Goan clerks together with Indian subordinate doctors in the administration of the Medical Department was also pointed out in Arthur Dawson Milne, ‘The Rise of the Colonial Medical Service’, Kenya and East African Medical Journal, 5, 1928–29, pp. 50–8, at p. 58
19 Because of the scant evidence available for this period, regrettably, not a great deal is known about the background, precise qualifications and activities of Indian medical men working for the British military in East Africa. Nevertheless, some positive comments about Indian medical contributions can be found, occasionally naming names. See, for example: BL IOR/L/MIL/7/2188 and BL IOR/L/MIL/7/2189, Despatch 2 March 1899 (outlining military awards to six named individuals, including the Indian MO in charge, Surgeon Lt H.M. Masani, and Hospital Assistants B. Kasinath, Maula Baksh, Rahim Baksh, Sheikh Ahmed and Niyamtullah); W. Lloyd-Jones, K.A.R.: Being an Unofficial Account of the Origin and Activities of the King’s African Rifles, London, Arrowsmith, 1926, pp. 48, 64; W. Lloyd-Jones, Havash Frontier Adventures in Kenya, London, Arrowsmith, 1925, p. 290. A little more is available on Indian doctors working for the Uganda Railway. See BL IOR/ MIL/7/2153 Indian Hospital Assistants accompanying the Railway Survey, 1891; BL IOR/MIL/7/2175 and BL IOR/MIL/7/2188 Recruitment of Medical Staff for Railways, 1895–6, 1897–9; BL IOR/MIL/7/14462 Rahmat Ali Petition, 24 May 1899
20 Poonam Bala, Imperialism and Medicine in Bengal, New Delhi, Sage Publications, 1991; V.R. Muraleedharan, ‘Professionalising Medical Practice in Colonial South India’, Economic and Political Weekly, 27, 4, 1992; pp. PE27–30, PE35–7; Mridula Ramanna, Western Medicine and Public Health in Colonial Bombay, 1845–1895, Delhi, Orient Longman, 2002; M. Gopal, D. Balasubramanian, P. Kanagarajah, A. Anirudhan and P. Murugan, ‘Madras Medical College, 175 Years of Medical Heritage’, The National Medical Journal of India, 23, 2, 2010, pp. 117–20
21 Calcutta Medical College, The Centenary of the Medical College, Bengal, 1835– 1934, Calcutta, Calcutta Medical College, 1935; Bala, Imperialism and Medicine in Bengal; S.N. Sen, Scientific and Technical Education in India 1781–1900, New Delhi, Indian National Science Academy, 1991
22 Gopal et al. ‘Madras Medical College’; Abdur Pashid, History of the King Edward Medical College Lahore, 1860–1960, Lahore, 1960
23 Another potentially confusing issue lies in trying to distinguish Indian Christians, Goans, Eurasians and Europeans by their names alone. It is theoretically possible, although unlikely, that some of the Assistant Surgeons listed may have been Europeans born in India.
24 ‘An Ordinance to make Provision for the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Dentists through the 1910 Medical Practitioners and Dentists Ordinance’, The Official Gazette, 1 October 1910, p. 575
25 BL, microfilm, Government Publications Relating to Kenya, 1897–1963, East African Protectorate Blue Book, 1901/1902
26 H.A. Bödeker, ‘Some Sidelights on Early Medical History in East Africa’, The East African Medical Journal, 12, 1935–36, pp. 100–7, at p. 105
27 BL IOR/MIL/7/2177, Collection 48/36 Dr A.D. Mackinnon to Mr Jackson, memo, 13 April 1895; BL IOR/L/MIL/7/14471, Collection 323/49 Medical Subordinates for Service in East Africa, letter, 28 January 1907
28 AMR, 1921, p. 21
29 BL IOR/MIL/7/2177 Collection 48/25 Uganda Railway, Memo to Lord Hamilton, Secretary of State, 11 March 1896; John Iliffe states that MOs got two or three times higher pay than Assistant Surgeons. Iliffe, East African Doctors, p. 78. For European MO salaries see Crozier, Practising Colonial Medicine, pp. 27–8
30 BL IOR/MIL/7/2177 Memo to Lord Hamilton, 11 March 1896; BL IOR/L/MIL/7/14626 Collection 324A/122,COD No 855: Revised Rules for the Employment of Assistant Surgeons and Compounders in the British East Africa and Uganda Protectorates Recruited from Sources Outside of the Service of the Government of India, 9 November 1917
31 For the necessity to make economic savings through retrenchments see Gilks, ‘The Medical Department’, p. 350
32 It proved frustrating to reconcile the staffing figures variously presented in The Medical Register of the Official Gazette of the East Africa Protectorate (after 1920 The Official Gazette of the Kenya Government), The Medical Department Annual Medical Reports, The Medical Directory and the Colonial Office ‘Blue Books’. All four sources slightly differently defined what ‘medical staff’ constituted and not all held information for all periods. For consistency, this study uses the figures given in the AMR each year (aside from 1903, when no AMR was available, so the Blue Book was used).
33 Although some accounts do exist. See RHL Papers Collected by H. Topiwala Related to Indian Doctors in Kenya, expected deposit date 2015 (although this documents the experiences of private doctors, there were undoubtedly some similarities with Indian government doctors in terms of the socio-medical worlds they faced); district medical reports are also very useful (see below, note 33). Very early experiences are recorded in BL IOR/L/MIL/7/12673, H.D. Masani, Report on the Health of the Mombasa Force, including 24th Bombay Infantry, 3 June 1896 and BL IOR/ MIL/7/14462: 1899–1901, Collection 323/40 Promotion of Uganda Railway Hospital Assistant Rahmat Ali, which records a rare personal story.
34 RHL MSS.Afr.s.702 Robert Arthur Welsford Procter, ‘Random Reminiscences, Mainly Surgical’ [no date]; Crozier, Practising Colonial Medicine, pp. 87–8
35 Syracuse University (SU), Kenya National Archive Records (KNA), Microfilm Number 2801, Annual and Quarterly Reports (Provincial and District) Reel 15: Provincial Medical Report, E.B. Horne, Meru, 1915 and 1916; Provincial Medical Report, Abdulla Khan, Meru, 1918–20; Provincial Medical Report, Ali Baksh, Meru, 1922; Reel 21: Provincial Medical Report, Gokul Chand, Kabarnet, 1921; Reel 56: Provincial Medical Report Maula Buksh, Kilifi, 1918–19; Reel 59: Provincial Medical Reports, Maula Buksh, Malindi, 1918–19
36 A.N. Nyss, AMR, 1919, p. 14; AMR, 1921, p. 22
37 SU KNA Microfilm Number 2801, Annual and Quarterly Reports (Provincial and District), Reel 21: Provincial Medical Report, Gokul Chand, Kabarnet, 1921, Provincial and District Reports, Gokul Chand, Kabarnet Medical Report, p. 30; See also: Wellcome Library, Contemporary Medical Archives Centre, PP/HCT/ A5 Elizabeth Bray, ‘Hugh Trowell: Pioneer Nutritionist’, unpublished biography, London 1988
38 A.N. Nyss, AMR, 1913, pp. 77–80
39 T.D. Nair, ‘A Tana River Yaws Campaign’, Kenya and East Africa Medical Journal, 1927, pp. 201–7
40 Salvadori, We Came in Dhows, vol. 3, p. 140
41 SU KNA Microfilm Number 2801, Annual and Quarterly Reports (Provincial and District) Reel 15: Provincial Medical Report, E.B. Horne, Meru, 1915 and 1916; Provincial Medical Report, Abdulla Khan, Meru, 1918–20
42 SU KNA Microfilm Number 2801, Annual and Quarterly Reports (Provincial and District) Reel 21: Provincial Medical Report, Gokul Chand, Kabarnet, 1921
44 Milne, ‘The Rise of the Colonial Medical Service’, p. 58
46 RHL MSS.Afr.s.1872/75 Robert Samuel Hennessey, ‘Memorandum on Experiences in the Colonial Medical Service in Uganda, 1929–55’
47 RHL MSS.Brit.Emp.r.4 Peter Alphonsus Clearkin, ‘Ramblings and Recollections of a Colonial Doctor 1913–58’, Book I, Durban, 1967, typescript, p. 126
48 BL IOR/L/PJ/6/1718 Economic Commission Report 1919, Nairobi, Swift Press, 1919, pp. 20–1
49 Ethel Younghusband, Glimpses of East Africa and Zanzibar, London, John Long, 1910, p. 219
50 ‘Mass Meeting and Dr Burkitt’, East African Chronicle, 13 August 1921, pp. 4, 8, 9
51 ‘Hardinge’s Administrative Proposals, 6 July 1895’, in G.H. Mungeam, Kenya: Select Historical Documents 1884–1923, Nairobi, East African Publishing House, 1979, pp. 69–75
52 M.P.K. Sorrenson, Origin of European Settlement in Kenya, London, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 34
53 Charles Eliot, 1905, quoted in Gregory, India and East Africa, p. 46
54 Bruce Berman and John Lonsdale, Unhappy Valley: Conflict in Kenya and Africa, Book 1: State and Class, London, James Currey, 1991, p. 34; B.M. Du Toit, The Boers in East Africa: Ethnicity and Identity, London, Bergen and Garvey, 1998, p. 24; C.S. Nichols, Red Strangers: The White Tribes of Kenya, London, Timewell Press, 2005, p. 49
55 Diana Wylie, ‘Confrontation over Kenya: The Colonial Office and Its Critics, 1918–1940’, Journal of African History, 18,3, 1977, pp. 427–47, at p. 445
56 Mangat, History of the Asians in East Africa, pp. 97–131. R.M. Maxon, Struggle for Kenya: The Loss and Reassertion of Imperial Initiative, 1912–1923, London, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1993, pp. 52, 111
57 Keith Kyle, ‘Gandhi, Harry Thuku and Early Kenya Nationalism’, Transition, 27, 1966, pp. 16–22, at p. 17; Robert J. Blyth, The Empire of the Raj: India, Eastern Africa and the Middle East, 1858–1947, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2003, pp. 104–19
58 BL IOR/L/PJ/6/1718 Economic Commission Report 1919, Nairobi, Swift Press, 1919, p. 21
61 Edward Paice, Lost Lion of Empire: The Life of ‘Cape to Cairo’ Grogan, London, Harper Collins, 2001, pp. 291, 450
62 TNA CO/544/29, Kenya Legislative Council Minutes, 3 January 1922; re proposal to set up the Committee, see W.G. Ross, Kenya from Within: A Short Political History, London, George Allen, 1927, pp. 159–60. See also Delamere’s representation to Churchill regarding the high cost of Asian clerks and medical staff in the absence of trained African staff: TNA CO/533/451/2 memorandum 14 February 1922 on colonial expenditure. Information on the proposed 20% reduction can be found in: Anon, ‘Asiatics Salaries Cut: Indian Reply to Geddes Committee Suggestion’, The Leader, 20 May 1922, p. 8
63 TNA CO/544/29 B.S. Varma, Minutes of the Kenya Legislative Council, 22 October 1922
64 BL IOR/L/E/7/1264 The Devonshire Declaration, White Paper, Cmd 1922
65 Christopher P. Youé, ‘The Threat of Settler Rebellion and the Imperial Predicament: The Denial of Indian Rights in Kenya, 1923’, Canadian Journal of History, 12, 1978, pp. 347–60; Blyth, Empire of the Raj, pp. 93–131; Randolph M.K. Joalahliae, The Indian as an Enemy: An Analysis of the Indian Question in East Africa, Bloomington, IN, Authorhouse, 2010; Sana Aiyar, ‘Empire, Race and the Indians in Colonial Kenya’s Contested Public Political Sphere, 1919–1923’, Africa: The Journal of the International African Institute, 81, 1, 2011, pp. 132–54
67 W.J. Simpson, Report on the Sanitary Matters in the East African Protectorate, Uganda and Zanzibar, London, Colonial Office, Africa No. 1025, 1915, pp. 9–10
68 Simpson, Report on Sanitary Matters, 1915, pp. 9–10
69 The most important concerned: Epidemic Control (1902), Infectious Diseases (1903), Sleeping Sickness (1903), Plague and Cholera (1907), Vaccination (1912), Mosquito and Malaria in Townships (1912) and Quarantine (1913).
70 BL IOR/L/E/7/1265 Winston Churchill, memorandum, 29 April 1921. For the discussion of clause 15 in the Kenya Legislative Council see The Leader, 29 January 1921, p. 3
71 TNA CO/533/394/1 Racial Segregation in Towns, memorandum, 25 March 1931
72 Peter Clearkin described Gilks as having the ‘great weakness of trying to curry favours with settlers or their hangers on’, RHL MSS.Brit.Emp.r.4 Peter Alphonsus Clearkin, ‘Ramblings and Recollections of a Colonial Doctor 1913–58’, Book II, Durban, 1967, typescript, p. 162; See also TNA CO/544/29 Kenya Legislative Council Minutes 1921–29, Debate on the Medical Department, 29 October 1923, when Varma, the Indian member, proposed an unsuccessful motion to reduce Gilks’s salary by £100 to emphasise that Indian and African communities were not served well by him.
73 TNA CO/544/29, Kenya Legislative Council Minutes, 24 January 1921; TNA CO/544/14 Kenya Executive Council Minutes, 7 May 1921, pp. 640, 761; BL IOR/E/7/1265 [unidentified newspaper cutting on Gilks’s change of heart over the segregation clause], 29 January 1921
74 Our parenthesis. TNA CO/544/29 Kenya Legislative Council Minutes, 27 March 1922
75 AMR, 1921 p. 18; AMR, 1923, p. 1
76 British Medical Association Archive (BMA) B/162/1/9, BMA Dominions Committee Documents, Session 1921–22, Meeting 30 June 1922, p. 1
77 BMA B/162/1/12 Dominions Committee Documents, Session 1924–5, 6 March 1925, p. 3; Memorandum on Medical and Sanitary Services from Kenya BMA Branch, 5 March 1925
78 AMR, 1924, p. 1; Iliffe, East African Doctors, p. 24
79 AMR, 1936, p. 7
80 AMR, 1932, p. 2. The others could have been nurses (confusingly called Hospital Assistants), but also in other junior roles, such as orderlies, storekeepers, clerks gardeners, sweepers etc. The competence of African dressers was sometimes praised in the official AMRs but the judgement was contradicted in the PMOs’ own internal memos (e.g. TNA CO/533/426/8 Native Medical Service, 1932), which were highly critical.
81 AMR, 1937, p. 7, Table III
82 See note 31 above.
83 Beck, A History of the British Medical Administration; Crozier, Practising Colonial Medicine
84 But, interestingly, all the studies of middle-level healthcare workers have been of black Africans. See, for example, Anne Digby, ‘The Mid-Level Health Worker in South Africa: The In-Between Condition of the “Middle”’, in Ryan Johnson and Amna Khalid (eds.), Public Health in the British Empire: Intermediaries, Subordinates, and the Practice of Public Health, New York and London, Routledge, 2012, pp. 171–92. See also the discussion in Marku Hokkanen, Medicine and Scottish Missionaries in the Northern Malawi Region, 1875–1930, Lampeter, Edwin Mellen Press, 2007, pp. 412–20
85 Adeloya Adeloye, African Pioneers of Modern Medicine: Nigerian Doctors of the Nineteenth Century, Ibadan, University Press Limited, 1985; Adell Patton, Physicians, Colonial Racism and Diaspora in West Africa, Gainesville, FL, University of Florida Press, 1996; Iliffe, East African Doctors; Anne Digby, ‘Early Black Doctors in South Africa’, Journal of African History, 46, 2005, pp. 427–54
86 For a fuller, book-length exploration of this history of Indian doctors, including GPs, in Kenya see: Anna Greenwood and Harshad Topiwala, Indian Doctors in Kenya: The Forgotten Story, 1895–1940, London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015
Beyond the state
The Colonial Medical Service in British Africa
Editor: Anna Greenwood
Colonialism; Medicine; Colonial Service; Empire; Missionaries; Government
Series: Studies in Imperialism
Author: Jonathan Colman
The Washington summit, 7–9 December 1964
The Washington summit was useful to Lyndon B. Johnson mainly because it allowed him to impress upon the British the need for them to retain their traditional 'great power' role and also to allow him to bring the multilateral force (MLF) to a conclusion. Harold Wilson accepted the American view that Britain should preserve its current position in defence, telling the Cabinet on 11 December that 'the most encouraging fact about the conference was America's emphasis on Britain's world wide role'. Johnson not only wanted Wilson to maintain Britain's defence commitments, but to extend them into South Vietnam. After Wilson's visit to Washington, most observers, including the President, anticipated that he would face a serious challenge in explaining what he had agreed to in Washington to the House of Commons in the foreign affairs debate scheduled for 16-17 December.
From discord to cordiality, January–April 1965
From January to April 1965 the character of the Harold Wilson-Lyndon B. Johnson relationship traversed the spectrum from discord to cordiality. Discord erupted over the Vietnam War when Wilson telephoned Washington in the early hours of 11 February to suggest to Johnson an urgent visit to the White House. Wilson agreed to the US initiative, even though the visit might have caused a political storm in Britain had it become public knowledge - it would appear that the United States was dictating British economic measures. Wilson noted that unlike the December summit and the telephone conversation in February, Johnson did not make 'any suggestion of our committing troops to Vietnam nor even any reference to police, medical teams, or teams to handle the flow of refugees'. On 10 April, Patrick Dean advised that to help strengthen the Anglo-American relationship, Britain should provide more support for the United States in Vietnam.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5045
|
__label__wiki
| 0.737188
| 0.737188
|
Lothal
Saragwala, Gujarat
#Historical and Heritage
BEEN HERE
Lothal is one of the most prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization, located in the Bh?l region of the modern state of Gujar?t and dating from 3700 BCE. Discovered in 1954, Lothal was excavated from 13 February 1955 to 19 May 1960 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the official Indian government agency for the preservation of ancient monuments. Lothal's dock—the world's earliest known—connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra when the surrounding Kutch desert of today was a part of the Arabian Sea. It was a vital and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and valuable ornaments reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa. The techniques and tools they pioneered for bead-making and in metallurgy have stood the test of time for over 4000 years.
When British India was partitioned in 1947, most Indus sites, including Mohenjo-daroand Harappa, became part of Pakistan. The Archaeological Survey of India undertook a new program of exploration, and excavation. Many sites were discovered across northwestern India. Between 1954 and 1958, more than 50 sites were excavated in the Kutch (notably Dholavira), and Saurashtra peninsulas, extending the limits of Harappan civilisation by 500 kilometres (310 miles) to the river Kim, where the Bhagatrav site accesses the valley of the rivers Narmada and Tapti. Lothal stands 670 kilometers (420 miles) from Mohenjo-daro, which is in Sindh.
The meaning of Lothal (a combination of Loth and (s) thal) in Gujarati to be "the mound of the dead" is not unusual, as the name of the city of Mohenjo-daro in Sindhi means the same. People in villages neighbouring to Lothal had known of the presence of an ancient town and human remains. As recently as 1850, boats could sail up to the mound. In 1942, timber was shipped from Broach to Saragwala via the mound. A silted creek connecting modern Bholad with Lothal and Saragwala represents the ancient flow channel of a river or creek.
Speculation suggests that owing to the comparatively small dimensions of the main city, Lothal was not a large settlement at all, and its "dock" was perhaps an irrigation tank. However, the ASI and other contemporary archaeologists assert that the city was a part of a major river system on the trade route of the ancient peoples from Sindh to Saurashtra in Gujarat. Lothal provides with the largest collection of antiquities in the archaeology of modern India. It is essentially a single culture site—the Harappan culture in all its variances is evidenced. Two sub-periods of Harappan culture are distinguished: the same period (between 2400 and 1900 BCE) is identical to the exuberant culture of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.
After the core of the Indus civilisation had decayed in Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, Lothal seems not only to have survived but to have thrived for many years. Its constant threats - tropical storms and floods - caused immense destruction, which destabilised the culture and ultimately caused its end. Topographical analysis also shows signs that at about the time of its demise, the region suffered from aridity or weakened monsoon rainfall. Thus the cause for the abandonment of the city may have been changes in the climate as well as natural disasters, as suggested by environmental magnetic records. Lothal is based upon a mound that was a salt marsh inundated by tide. Remote sensing and topographical studies published by Indian scientists in the Journal of the Indian Geophysicists Union in 2004 revealed an ancient, meandering river adjacent to Lothal, 30 kilometres (19 miles) in length according to satellite imagery— an ancient extension of the northern river channel bed of a tributary of the Bhogavo river. Small channel widths (10–300 m or 33–984 ft) when compared to the lower reaches (1.2–1.6 km or 0.75–0.99 mi) suggest the presence of a strong tidal influence upon the city—tidal waters ingressed up to and beyond the city. Upstream elements of this river provided a suitable source of freshwater for the inhabitants.
22.522715, 72.2487924
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothal
Similar Destinations
Madhya Pradesh, India
Chhatris of Shivpuri
Mausoleum of Bahu Begum | Bahu Begum ka Maqbara
Rukmini Temple
Mahabodhi Temple
Jharkhand, India
Deori Temple | Maa Dewri Temple
Kans Qila
Ashoka Pillar Sanchi
Adalaj Vav | Adalaj Stepwell
Adalaj, Gujarat
Baroda Museum and Art Gallery
Vadodara, Gujarat
Calico Museum of Textiles
Champaner-Parvagadh Archeological Park
Champaner, Gujarat
Gopnath Beach
Bhavnagar, Gujarat
Hazira Beach
Hazira, Gujarat
Laxmi Vilas Palace
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
Sanand, Gujarat
About Maniac Travellers
Far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics
Photoshoot Technique
Copyright © All rights reserved | Maniac Travellers
View in Profile
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5046
|
__label__wiki
| 0.989804
| 0.989804
|
Lupe Fiasco returns on Cove Manila stage
LUPE FIASCO, one of hip hop’s most prominent artists, brings his lyrical stylings to Cove Manila for one night of intense partying and dropping beats on June 22nd.
With Grammy recognitions and several gold and platinum certifications, Lupe Fiasco (Wasalu Muhammad Jaco in real life) carved out a space in the hip hop and rap community as a formidable artist at a very young age.
The Chicago-based Fiasco started exploring rap in junior high school. Later, he joined a group called Da Pak which disbanded shortly after signing with Epic Record and releasing one single. Barely in his twenties, Fiasco was signed as a solo artist to Arista thanks, in part, to the vocal support of Jay-Z. Eventually, Fiasco found his way to another major label, Atlantic, where he was given the opportunity to release his first album, Food & Liquor, preceding several mixtapes, his debut single “Kick, Push”, and an appearance on Kanye West’s “Touch the Sky”.
Peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200, Food & Liquor earned Fiasco three Grammy nominations and a win for “Daydreamin’” featuring Jill Scott for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. In 2007, his second, highly conceptualized album, The Cool was released and gained a gold certification leading to four more Grammy nominations including a platinum certification for his first Top Ten single, “Superstar”.
Fiasco’s next album, Lasers, was released by Atlantic in 2011 following a signed petition by his fans due to the long delay. The album topped three charts: Hot R&B Hip Hop Albums, Hot Rap Albums, and the Billboard 200 with hits like “The Show Must Go On” hitting the Top Ten on Hot 100, and “Out of My Head” peaking at number 40 on Hot 100 and number 11 on Hot R&B/Hip Hop.
Between 2014 and 2015, a few non-album related singles were released including Fiasco’s collaboration with Ed Sheeran called “Old School Love”; and in 2016, he issued to singles, “Pick Up the Phone” and “Made in the USA”. By February 2017, Lupe Fiasco released his album Drogas Light after a brief hiatus. Featuring appearances with artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Big K.R.I.T., and Rick Ross, Drogas Light proved to be a successful independently issued album.
Come see Lupe Fiasco as he returns to the Philippines at Cove Manila. With his unique brand of rhymes and beats, Manila is definitely going to have one lit night!
Doors open at 10:30pm. Tickets begin at Php 500.00.
For more information, visit covemanila.com and follow Cove Manila’s official Facebook page.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5047
|
__label__wiki
| 0.794283
| 0.794283
|
Practice Management > Information Technology
Measles Outbreak Story Broken by Doctor, Not Media
Online-savvy docs tweeting the Disneyland outbreak got the ball rolling.
by Greg Matthews February 20, 2015
Who hasn't seen this news, about the measles outbreak linked to Disneyland?
Since the story broke on Jan. 6, doctors have shared over 4,000 links to other articles and sites when they use any #measles hashtag. The most-shared article by U.S. doctors between Jan. 6 and Feb. 19 was penned by the American Academy of Pediatrics (shared 66 times by 44 doctors).
The headlines from Jan. 7 and 8 told an increasingly serious story about America's vaccine civil war -- a story that was to explode in the weeks ahead, and in some cases change physician practice. We've come to expect that kind of story to be uncovered by a major news network with expertly trained, experienced reporters. And it was, of course.
But it wasn't a reporter who broke the story about the connection between Disneyland and the measles. It was a pediatrician. A tweeting pediatrician, Jaime Friedman, MD, with Children's Primary Care in San Diego, where some of the first related measles cases were seen.
On Jan. 6, she received an alert from the San Diego Department of Health -- a standard operating procedure, apparently -- that the recently treated measles cases in San Diego were linked to a specific range of dates and a specific place -- Disneyland. As a public health-minded physician, Friedman knew that she needed to share the information right away. She turned to the most immediate form of communication around -- one that doctors, patients, and the media have adopted in significant numbers -- Twitter.
Because online doctors tend to be highly connected to one another, it's not particularly surprising that five of the first 10 people to note Disneyland's connection to the measles outbreak were doctors ... all of whom were retweeting Friedman's original tweet (it was retweeted 11 times overall as of this writing). What is a bit surprising is that there was no media activity until after the California Department of Public Health issued its formal statement on Jan. 7 -- over 15 hours after Friedman's tweet. Jennifer Thang, an assignment editor at KTLA5 TV and Susan Abram, a healthcare and public health reporter at the L.A. Daily News, tweeted about the story at that point, kicking off what would turn out to be more than 176,000 tweets, 5,200 blog posts and 22,000 news stories over the next 4 weeks, according to Sysomos data.
The phenomenon we saw playing out here is becoming increasingly common. As more and more doctors are establishing online identities and audiences, they have become primary sources for the reporters that cover the healthcare space. In fact, Friedman's tweet led to an interview with Liz Szabo of USA Today for her Jan. 23 piece, "Measles Outbreak Raises Question of Vaccine Exemptions."
While none of the five doctors who were early reporters of the news have achieved celebrity status, they're followed by 27 unique reporters and media outlets as well as 475 other physicians. And Szabo happens to follow all five of them. In fact, Szabo's Twitter account shows that she follows 1,541 doctors around the world, and, in return, is followed by over 1,900.
This interplay between doctors and the media has become more and more pronounced over time. In an analysis of doctors and the media tweeting about vaccinations, the doctors have been clear leaders for the past year. However, a few recent events have clearly shaken up the status quo, bringing the media very much into the conversation that doctors began long ago.
For 2014, doctors' tweets about vaccines and common childhood diseases (e.g., measles) outnumbered those of the media by nearly 3:1. However, with the break of the Disneyland story, the media began to redress that balance. January's count saw physicians' tweets outpacing those of the media contingent by a ratio of only 1.7:1. And on Feb. 2 and 3, the media outpaced the doctors for the first and only days ever -- thanks for the most part to Chris Christie and Rand Paul, two GOP presidential hopefuls who chose that day to speak out on vaccines.
First, from Christie, in his remarks after touring a vaccine plant in England:
Christie said that he and his wife had vaccinated their children, describing that decision as "the best expression I can give you of my opinion." He said they believe doing so is an "important part of making sure we protect their health and the public health."
"But," Christie added, "I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that's the balance that the government has to decide."
Paul was even more controversial in an on-camera interview:
Republican Sen. Rand Paul is standing by his statement that most vaccinations should be "voluntary," telling CNBC that a parent's choice not to vaccinate a child is "an issue of freedom."
In an interview with the network Monday, Paul said that vaccines are "a good thing" but that parents "should have some input" into whether or not their children must get them.
And he gave credence to the idea -- disputed by the majority of the scientific community -- that vaccination can lead to mental disabilities.
"I have heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," he said.
These statements naturally received tremendous press coverage. In addition to the fact that the media had finally outpaced the doctors in terms of their vaccine conversations, there was another interesting element that came to the fore as a part of this analysis; it's not only the quantity of the conversation that's important here; it's also the nature of that conversation.
In performing a content gap analysis on the two data sets (doctors versus media in vaccine-related conversations), it became immediately clear that the media largely "played it straight" with regard to reporting the news about Christie and Paul -- and that the doctors were not happy about it. The most important phrase in the doctors' conversations related to the "false balance" that had been embraced by the media.
Sometimes "balanced" coverage isn't actually appropriate. In a case where scientific fact overwhelms illogical superstition to an overwhelming degree, presenting "balanced" coverage is actually giving far more credence to the superstition than it deserves -- something akin to the media hosting an open "debate" between a scientist explaining that the earth revolves around the sun, and a traveling salesman who was convinced that the reverse was true.
And while it's true that the anti-vaccine voice is still loud, I have a feeling that the media will come around to the doctors' point of view without much delay. Now that the doctors are online -- effectively members of the media themselves -- it's awfully hard to ignore the fact that nobody in the world is positioned as well as they are to share good, scientifically-based health information with the public.
Thanks are due to Friedman and the tens of thousands of other doctors who have made it their business to ensure that the public has access to the wisdom and insight of real doctors when they're searching online for health information.
Greg Matthews is managing director at MDigitalLife. All of the statistics in this post (except as noted) are from the MDigitalLife database -- a map of the digital footprints for over 500,000 doctors around the world, plus thousands of patients, advocacy organizations, healthcare companies, and reporters. Contact MDigitalLife to learn more. This article first appeared on the MDigitalLife blog.
More in Practice Management
Surprise Billing Fixes: Not a Fast-Track to Medicare for All
In-Basket Message Overload From EHRs Tied to Doctor Burnout
Cancer-Focused Urgent Care Reduces ER Visits; Why Nurses Need to Listen
Those Messages From Your EHR May Be Burning You Out
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5051
|
__label__cc
| 0.732309
| 0.267691
|
Walking for Clare
Home Strides for Melanoma a Walk for Awareness Walking for Clare
Clare’s Team is walking in memory of our dear Clare; my beautiful twin sister. Clare lost her life to Melanoma in 1998, when she was 35 years old. It is hard to believe that this year marks the 20th anniversary of her death. Her son Alex was just 8 years old. At that time, there was no Canadian melanoma organisation, there was very little treatment for the disease. Thankfully, this is no longer the case.
Clare; my beautiful twin sister
Clare was a truly wonderful person. She worked in marketing as a creative director, which was very fitting as she was could always think outside the box. She had a wonderful sense of humour and could find the funny side of any situation. Last year Clare’s Team honored this part of Clare with a “Cat in the Hat” costume dress up theme for the walk. She would have loved this!
Clare really shaped me in many ways, but especially as a social worker. At the time of her diagnosis, I was working as a community social worker and didn’t know much about cancer and health care. She changed all that. I will always be inspired when I think back to the grace and courage she showed in fighting melanoma. She could take things in stride one step at a time, find love and joy in every day, appreciate the little things. She taught me about what patients and families need, the power of kind words, the fierceness behind coping mechanisms that simply command respect. I now draw on this experience everyday to try to be the best possible oncology social worker and do her proud.
Looking back I remember feeling lost at times; I don’t recall having access to anyone to provide practical guidance about drug coverage, income support programs, how to talk to kids about cancer or how to navigate the health system… we were left to figure this out for ourselves. Emotionally, all of our family was devastated by news that seemed to go from bad to worse. It was such a hard time for everyone. Clare also didn’t have any access to professional or peer support. I know she didn’t want us to be upset or worry and was always very protective of her family. Even with a supportive husband and family around her, I wonder if she was alone with some of her fears?
Clare, along with our family, would have so benefitted by the support that an organisation like the Melanoma Network of Canada has to offer. I wish she had had an opportunity to connect with MNC staff and the Peer Support Program. This is why I volunteer with MNC, became a Board member and the captain for Clare’s Team. I am so passionate about MNC and the vital programs which support patients and families. No one should have to go through this alone.
On September 23, Clare’s Team will be walking with some sadness in our hearts and missing our dear Clare. We will also walk with joy; in celebration of her life, of the progress made in treating this disease, of the work that MNC is doing and with hope for the future.
Being part of MNC and walking with Clare’s Team means the world to me. Your generous financial support to MNC makes an important difference to patients and families and is greatly appreciated.
Margo Kennedy, Captain of Clare’s Team
Make a donation or visit Clare’s Team Strides Page
REGISTER TODAY STRIDES FOR MELANOMA
Find a location near you. 20 locations across Canada. Make a donation or join today
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5052
|
__label__wiki
| 0.993363
| 0.993363
|
Kikuchi signs 4-year deal with Mariners
By Greg Johns
SEATTLE -- A rebuilding Mariners team added a strong piece to its pitching rotation as Japanese standout Yusei Kikuchi finalized a deal on Wednesday that will keep him in Seattle anywhere from three to seven years, depending on how it plays out.The Mariners didn't release the financial terms of the
SEATTLE -- A rebuilding Mariners team added a strong piece to its pitching rotation as Japanese standout Yusei Kikuchi finalized a deal on Wednesday that will keep him in Seattle anywhere from three to seven years, depending on how it plays out.
The Mariners didn't release the financial terms of the contract and are listing it as a four-year contract, though a source confirmed to MLB.com that the unique deal is for $43 million over an initial three years, with a $13 million player option for 2022. But the option can potentially be replaced by an additional four-year, $66 million extension by the club that would convert the deal to seven years total.
If Kikuchi declines the option for 2022 and the Mariners don't pick up the four-year extension, he would become a free agent at that point. If Kikuchi stays all seven years, he'd earn a total of $109 million, or about $15.6 million per season.
• Get to know Kikuchi
The 27-year-old Kikuchi was one of the prime free-agent starters available this offseason, and he had to sign with an MLB team by 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday or he would've had to return to the Seibu Lions, his team in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League, for the 2019 season. Under the new Japanese posting system, the Mariners will pay his former club a release fee that will be a percentage of his contract.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto has traded away a number of prominent veterans this offseason while reworking his roster with younger prospects in taking aim toward a push in 2020-21, but he believes Kikuchi can be part of that future wave of talent.
"Yusei's combination of character, talent, experience and relative age made him a primary target in our roster building plans," Dipoto said. "He is an exciting young pitcher with the ability to impact the Mariners, both in the present and future."
GM Jerry Dipoto on the signing of the highly-touted Japanese starter. pic.twitter.com/lb7pjFr8wB
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) January 2, 2019
The Mariners will introduce Kikuchi at an 11 a.m. PT press conference on today that will be streamed live on Mariners.com.
Dipoto sees Kikuchi as being of similar age and remaining team control as All-Star right fielder Mitch Haniger, newly acquired center fielder Mallex Smith and fellow left-handed starter Marco Gonzales, who are part of the new core he's looking to build around after adding a number of young prospects via trades this offseason.
At this point, the Mariners' rotation for 2019 figures to include Gonzales, Kikuchi and veterans Felix Hernandez, Mike Leake and Wade LeBlanc.
But several promising prospects are now waiting in the wings to join Gonzales and Kikuchi in the longer term, including 22-year-old Justus Sheffield, who is ranked as the club's No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline, after he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade for James Paxton.
Justin Dunn, a 23-year-old right-hander, was the Mets' top pitching prospect before being acquired by Seattle in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal, and 25-year-old right-hander Erik Swanson also figures into the mix after coming over from the Yankees in the Paxton deal.
Kikuchi went 69-45 with a 2.69 ERA over seven seasons in Japan. He features a mid-90s fastball and quality slider among his four-pitch repertoire.
"He's very good. His performance speaks for itself," Dipoto said at the Winter Meetings two weeks ago. "He's got real stuff, and he's had a lot of success in Japan. We've probably scouted him as much as any player in [Nippon Professional Baseball] in recent years, just because he's been there for a number of years and we've had a lot of volume."
The Mariners made a big push for two-way star Shohei Ohtani last offseason before he signed with the Angels. But Seattle has a strong history of Japanese players, and the club's majority ownership was the Japanese-based Nintendo of America from 1992-2016.
The Mariners have had at least one Japanese player on their roster every year since 1998, including Ichiro Suzuki, Hisashi Iwakuma, Kenji Johjima, Kazuhiro Sasaki, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Norichika Aoki, Munenori Kawasaki and Mac Suzuki.
Iwakuma spent the past seven seasons as a starting pitcher with Seattle, though he dealt with right shoulder issues in 2018 and has returned to Japan to finish out his career.
The Mariners don't have any Japanese players on their 40-man roster, though Ichiro closed out last season as a special assistant to the club's chairman. He will be invited back to Major League camp this spring and given a chance to earn a roster spot at least for the two-game season-opening series in Tokyo against the A's in March, when the club can carry two extra players.
That strong Japanese connection figured to be a plus in recruiting Kikuchi.
"I think so," Dipoto said at the Winter Meetings. "We're a great market for any player, really, but specifically a pitcher. And specifically a pitcher from Japan, because we offer a lot of comforts that make us unique among the MLB markets with our great diversity in the city, and the way our market has taken the star players from Japan and really maximized their potential, whether that's from a marketing perspective or within the community.
"Those players -- whether Kaz Sasaki, Ichiro, Kuma -- those players turned into stars. And some of that comes from the market. We do have a great Japanese-American community. We are heavy in our influence organizationally, whether it was Nintendo or those great players and the way they're still connected in some way to the organization."
Greg Johns has covered the Mariners since 1997, and for MLB.com since 2011. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5056
|
__label__cc
| 0.729714
| 0.270286
|
Cadillac Man Accused of Child Pornography Facing Charges in Federal Court
Brian Sevrey, a 56-year-old Cadillac man who is accused of child pornography, was facing state charges in Wexford County in connection with allegedly sexually exploiting a 2-year-old girl, according to news articles at Mlive.com. Sevrey will now face federal charges as an indictment has been filed and Sevrey transferred to Grand Rapids from the Wexford County Jail.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children was notified by Google; Michigan State Police were then notified by the agency of Sevrey’s activities which allegedly included using a computer to commit a crime. In all, Sevrey faces five charges which include child sexually abusive activity and distributing child pornography. If convicted of the charges against him, Sevrey will spend a minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to 30.
Court records revealed that Sevrey had the 2-year-old girl engage in conduct that was “sexually explicit” so that he could photograph her private areas. According to the indictment filed in Grand Rapids U.S. District Court, the defendant also touched the girl while photographing her. Sevrey was scheduled for an arraignment and detention hearing on April 28 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh Brenneman Jr., and is being held without bond.
Cases involving the alleged sexual abuse of young children are indeed sickening. In some cases, the evidence against the accused individual is difficult to argue with. However, there are many situations in which young children are coerced by adults to say things that are not true. For example, a mother of a young child may attempt to make it look as though the child’s father is somehow sexually abusing the child in order to prevent the father getting custody or even visitation rights.
Regardless of the circumstances and whether the accused is innocent or guilty, it is imperative to consult with a skilled and aggressive sex crime defense attorney when accused of child pornography, rape, Internet sex crimes, or any related offense. The criminal penalties are extremely harsh and may include years in prison, a criminal record, and the requirement to register as a sex offender; ruin of your reputation and career is almost guaranteed without the support of a capable lawyer.
Posted in: Child Sexually Abusive Actvity or Materials and Child Molestation and Abuse
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5061
|
__label__wiki
| 0.908299
| 0.908299
|
Christmas In Summer? Gadget Makers Reveal Lineups
Associated Press | By ANICK JESDANUN
CUPERTINO, Calif. - It's still officially summer, yet major electronic companies have already announced a slew of holiday gift ideas: iPhones of different colors, video game players and a new category of wristwatches designed to mimic the functionality of smartphones.
Much of the early attention has been on smartwatches. Although the devices have been around for years, consumer interest has been low. Samsung Electronics Co. is hoping to change that with its $300 Galaxy Gear. When it's linked wirelessly with newer Samsung phones and tablets, the Gear lets you set alarm clocks, check email and Facebook updates, and make phone calls on your wrist, secret agent-style. The watch will be available in a few weeks in six colors.
The Gear's unveiling came as Qualcomm Inc. said it will start selling its Toq smartwatch before the end of the year. Sony Corp., meanwhile, has an updated SmartWatch 2 device coming. And Apple Inc. is widely believed to be working on an iWatch.
What's behind the sudden rise of the smartwatch? Consumer electronics companies are trying to create a new type of device for people to spend money on now that many of them already own smartphones and tablet computers. That doesn't mean companies have given up on phones and tablets, or other gadgets.
Here's a look at what's in store as manufacturers and retailers try to get a jump on the holiday shopping season.
The iOS software that runs iPhones is showing signs of aging, so Apple is refreshing its look and functionality. Recent phones can get the iOS 7 update for free, starting next Wednesday. The software also comes with the new iPhones going on sale on Sept. 20.
Apple is departing from its practice of keeping choices simple. In the past, Apple released one iPhone a year, in black or white. This time, the company has a regular model, the iPhone 5S (selling for $199 with a two-year service agreement) and a less expensive model, the iPhone 5C (which goes for $99). The 5S comes in three colors and the 5C in five.
Samsung, meanwhile, announced the Galaxy Note 3, the latest phone in a line that comes with a stylus for handwriting on its large, 5.7-inch (measured on the diagonal) touch screen. Sony will have the Xperia Z1, notable for its high-resolution, 20.7-megapixel camera and the ability to attach better lenses. Both devices use Google's Android operating system.
Even more devices are expected around this fall's release of a new version of Android, which goes by the name Kit Kat.
Tablets with screens that measure about 7 inches diagonally are becoming popular because they're cheaper than full-sized tablets and are easier to carry around. Amazon.com Inc. and Google Inc. paved the way with their Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 devices. Apple followed with the iPad Mini last fall.
Google updated its Nexus 7 in July, offering the basic model for $229. Amazon and Apple will likely update their devices, too. Meanwhile, several companies are expected to release smaller tablets running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 8.1 operating system when the software update comes out on Oct. 17. The current Windows 8 system wasn't designed for smaller touch screens.
Want big? Google, Amazon and Apple are also due to update their full-size models. Lenovo, Dell and other computer makers have also unveiled Windows tablets that can convert into traditional laptops.
Meanwhile, a company that specializes in e-book readers, Kobo, plans tablets of both sizes. Many of the tablets currently available emphasize the ability to play video and music. Kobo's new Arc HD tablets can do that, too, but the company hopes to address the needs of readers with a mode designed to minimize battery use while reading. The 7-inch version starts at $200, and the 10-inch model goes for $400. They will be out Oct. 16.
Many people have shifted to smartphones and tablets to play games, but hard-core gamers still like standalone video game consoles. Although Nintendo Co. released its Wii U console last year to lackluster sales, Microsoft and Sony are hoping to do better with their game machines this fall.
Microsoft's Xbox One wants to be the all-in-one device that lets you watch television, play movies, listen to music and browse the Internet -as well as play video games. It will start selling on Nov. 22 and cost $499. A Kinect motion-control system will be included.
Sony's PlayStation 4 is coming out Nov. 15 for $399. It's touted as a supercharged PC, which should make it easier for developers to create games for it. But that also means the new machine won't be able to play older games, other than by streaming them over the Internet. The machine's other new features revolve around social networking and remote access.
AND THE REST ...
Although much of the attention is on phones and tablets, people are still buying traditional desktop and laptop computers.
Expect to see new PCs out with the release of Windows 8.1 in October. The update is designed to address some of the frustrations people have had with last year's Windows 8. Among other things, the new version will make it easier to bypass Windows' tile-based interface and use a desktop mode that's more familiar to long-time Windows users.
Apple is also coming out with a Mac Pro computer for high-end, professional users. It's notable in that it will be assembled in the United States, rather than in Asia. Apple also may refresh its popular line of MacBook Pro laptops. A new MacBook Air came out in June, sporting longer battery life.
Avid readers will have at least two major e-book readers to choose from: an updated Kindle Paperwhite device from Amazon (starts at $119) and the Aura from Kobo ($150). Both start selling this month. Many people prefer tablets because they do more, but those who only want to read digital books, e-readers are a good choice.
People will also have choices when it comes to standalone devices for watching TVs and movies.
Last month, TiVo Inc. released a digital video recorder that lets people watch recorded shows outside their homes starting this fall, using an app for iPhones and iPads.
Apple, Roku Inc. and other companies have devices for streaming video from Netflix and other services on big-screen TVs. An updated Apple TV is possible this fall.
If you need a new TV, Sony and other companies are continuing to promote so-called 4K sets - those with ultra-high resolution, far more than current high-definition sets. The 4K sets are coming down in price - to just a few thousand dollars!
It's your choice: Spend $3,500 on a Sony 55-inch 4K TV. Or buy an iPhone 5C, an iPhone 5S, a Kindle e-reader, a 10-inch Kobo tablet, both new game consoles and six Gear smartwatches, one in each color.
© Copyright 2019 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Becomes a Live-In Video Game With Disney Parks App
Air Force 1st Lieutenant Beats 4-Star Dad in Livestreamed Dogfight Game
Score a win for the Viper pilot in the battle over which Air Force fourth-generation aircraft brings the heat.
'Super Mario Maker 2' Gives Aspiring Game Designers a Richer Canvas
It performs a delicate balancing act that gives players more tools without making the creation process overwhelming.
Anthony Davis, Dwyane Wade to Cover NBA 2K20 Video Game
Anthony Davis will be the cover athlete for the second time of a popular 2K Sports basketball video game.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5062
|
__label__cc
| 0.617758
| 0.382242
|
Home Arts & Entertainment Bold and beautiful
Bold and beautiful
Ceramicist Washington Ledesma passes along his skills in latest exhibit.
Brooks Robards
Washington Ladesma creates shapes and figures spontaneously, sketching around the paint. – Gabrielle Mannino
Pottery in progress in Washington Ladesma's home studio. — Gabrielle Mannino
Washington Ladesma's work table, scattered with half completed pieces of art and pottery. — Gabrielle Mannino
Washington Ladesma shapes a vase on his pottery wheel. — Gabrielle Mannino
The outlines for a vase Washington Ladesma is working on. — Gabrielle Mannino
Washington Ladesma scrapes clay from the bottom of the vase, to make the base stable. — Gabrielle Mannino
This metal vase is in the final stages of being finished. — Gabrielle Mannino
Small painted animal figurines, for sale at his home gallery. — Gabrielle Mannino
Gabrielle Mannino
Vineyard ceramicist Washington Ledesma and Donald O’Shaughnessy will exhibit a joint ceramics show on Friday, July 13, Saturday, July 14, and Sunday, July 15. The art display will be held at the Washington Ledesma Gallery in Oak Bluffs.
Ledesma, originally from Uruguay, is well known on-Island for his colorfully painted and glazed ceramics. Nineteen-year-old Islander O’Shaughnessy is the grandson of Ledesma’s partner, the photographer Alida O’Laughlin, and has been throwing pots for five years. A graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and a student at UMass Boston, O’Shaughnessy works on his pottery at home on weekends and during summers, since UMass Boston doesn’t have a ceramics department.
Ledesma’s unique style harks back to many ancient cultures. He has researched symbols from 50 different civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Africa, as well as Celtic, Mayan, and Incan regions. “My skill is in the drawing,” he said. It is something practiced by few potters, who instead concentrate on form. Ledesma is a master of form as well as painting.
He uses five different techniques, relying on underglazes and then drawing on them. The result is fired only once. Color inspires the drawing, along with the action of the painting. Ledesma uses both porcelain and white clay. Porcelain is a challenge to work with, and is the most expensive, he said. White clay is also expensive, and must be fired at a high temperature.
O’Shaughnessy is at the beginning of his career as a ceramicist, and has a flair for pulling up pots, according to his grandmother O’Laughlin. She describes the relationship between Ledesma and O’Shaughnessy as like grandfather and grandson. “Ledesma is a terrific teacher,” she said.
Eyes play a prominent role in one of Ledesma’s works, “Flor de Lis.” It is a female figure covered with faces and animals in a palette that is more muted than much of the artist’s current work. One colorful lamp has a pot-shaped base covered with vibrant fish and what looks like an octopus. Other pieces are animal figures. In addition to clay, he paints on glass, another three-dimensional surface for his work.
One vase features a lively figure with flowers, leaves, and birds on a red background. In many of his works, the vivid painting is alive with activity. Another arresting work is a totem, topped by two heads with large ears. The artist will also demonstrate how he works during the show.
“Donald is at the first stage,” O’Laughlin said of her grandson. “He has a natural feel for his pots.” O’Shaughnessy may eventually move on to other aspects of pottery, including how thick or thin a piece is, how the clay is used, and architectural ceramics. Much of O’Shaughnessy’s work is traditional in form and pure in shape, with handsome glazes. He makes cups as well as vases, and is already experimenting with colors and designs.
After the exhibit, Ledesma and O’Shaughnessy’s work will be available for purchase through Wednesday, July 25, by appointment. Ledesma’s next shows include one starting Friday, July 27, titled, “Washington’s World: Light, Lamps and Animals.”
Washington Ledesma Gallery is located at 5 Murrant Ave in Oak Bluffs. For more information, call 508-693-1823.
Previous articleNorton Point reopens after storm closure
Next articleChecking in with Patient Centric of West Tisbury
Don’t-miss summer concerts
Art & Galleries
Nadine Epstein’s photo exhibit takes a close look at life in shadows
‘Lighting by Jean Rosenthal’
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5067
|
__label__wiki
| 0.557458
| 0.557458
|
You have now viewed 1/10 free articles
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188
Page 70, June 2014
View Original Pages
Called to account
Mark Hughes’ April column sums up brilliantly what us long-term addicts could not have done so pointedly. That having been said, we the spectators/paying public, have long been sacrificed to the Gods of the almighty dollar, as he states so well, but good luck getting any of them to react.
May I suggest a running challenge and a new monthly feature for the FIA (Todt), Ecclestone, past GP greats (Stewart, Moss, Hill, Webber et al, most of whom will speak their minds entertainingly) to constructively answer your points.
Second, why not conduct a reader poll and see the size of support for your suggestions. I expect it to be huge.
Yes I know I’m dreaming, but hope springs eternal…
Stephen Goss OBE, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Wow, what a great explanation by Mark Hughes of the McLaren saga. I’ve been a Motor Sport reader since at least 1972 and Mark’s explanation of the Team McLaren/Ron Dennis/Anthony Hamilton contretemps was extremely insightful and so well written. Congratulations to the world’s very best magazine of its kind. Keep up the great journalistic standards you espouse.
We in the former colonies greatly appreciate your efforts.
Bill Canfield, McLean, Virginia, USA
Don’t forget the driver
As the battle rages over the future of F1, surely the big picture is that we’re all in it because we love it, regardless of money, reputation or anything else.
It is a human endeavour; do not under-estimate the cost of belittling that same human element. Spectators empathise with the driver, not the machinery; no one goes to a Grand Prix to see KERS in action, or marvel at a flapping paddle – we go to see ‘derring-do’, bravery and skill. Big, bad Bernie might well be right on the noise issue, time will tell, but attracting fans to GP2 and GP3 might be the right way to broaden appeal, letting F1 be the vehicle for manufacturers to test their technologies, advertisers their hoardings and investors their money machines.
I remember Bruno Senna running away from an F3 pack with only Mike Conway remaining within spitting distance. What happened to their F1 careers? If it depends so much on financial backing, proper talent will not be recognised. Have you ever heard anyone say “who do you think you are, Pastor Maldonado?”?
As a musician I remember when engineers ruled the roost and musicians were marginalised – it didn’t work then, either.
Nick Reece, Llanelltyd, Dolgellau, Gwynedd
Hushed up
I went to the Australian GP meeting (below) – what a let-down. The approaching cars are silent in racing terms and little better from behind. What interests me is that journalists attending the winter testing must have known that. It was woeful and you all kept saying it was just different. Vested interests everywhere it seems, but the truth is now out.
John Winterburn, Melbourne, Australia
Bin your earplugs
Like Nigel Roebuck, I have some great memories of the turbo tearaways from Formula 1 in the 1980s.
My favourites were watching Ayrton Senna wrangling the bucking Lotus-Honda through the first chicane at the Adelaide street circuit and seeing Nelson Piquet emerging like a bullet from a cloud of thick black exhaust smoke down the pit straight at Monza. The sound and the fury were amazing and scary.
On both occasions I was privileged to be watching trackside as a journalist, a role I filled again for the 19th straight year at the Australian Grand Prix.
I can report from Albert Park that the new-generation V6 turbos sound awful, a view shared by my colleague and veteran F1 reporter Mark Fogarty.
They are so quiet that you cannot hear the whistling, popping and banging that made the Eighties cars so entertaining. In fact, they were quieter than the Porsches racing in the Carrera Cup at the AGP and you no longer even need earplugs.
The reason they are so quiet is that all the energy from the exhaust is being captured for energy storage.
Since Nigel was not at Albert Park, I think he’s going to get an unpleasant surprise when he actually hears the cars on a grand prix weekend in Europe.
The final verdict, rightly, goes to the paying punters and was easy to assess. Dozens of people at the AGP people told me they wanted to watch the V8-powered Red Bull being driven by David Coulthard in demonstration runs “because it sounds like a real Formula 1 car”.
Paul Gover, Queensland, Australia
Silence can be golden
My wife and I have just returned from honeymoon in Malaysia, during which we attended the F1 Grand Prix. Having watched Melbourne and seen the numerous discussions surrounding the noise of the new F1 power units, I was intrigued to hear the cars live.
Having been to numerous Grands Prix during the past 20 years, I have heard the various V12, V10 and V8 configurations. I have to say, it was a great relief to sample first-hand the 2014 cars at speed. The sound is different, but remains loud and certainly ‘racy’. The biggest change is that you cannot hear the cars unless one is passing in front of you.
We were seated in the start/finish grandstand, but you couldn’t hear the cars on the straight behind us, or once they had turned past the first corner. This is significantly different, as last year I was in our Hungarian holiday home – 30km from the Budapest track across open countryside – and could hear the cars during free practice.
The engine/turbo combo creates a loud enough noise to increase one’s pulse, but still have a comfortable conversation with the nearest and dearest sitting in the next seat. It also means I can hear the commentary over the PA, which was almost impossible in the past, and therefore have a better understanding of what is happening during the race.
Back at home I sped through my TV recording to see how it was conveyed by 5.1 television audio – nothing like the real thing. Therefore, I think the armchair viewer is not getting the best experience. Perhaps FOM TV needs to make a change to microphone positioning and how they set the audio levels for the global feed?
In summary, this could be a good thing for circuits and promoters. Fans need to be encouraged to buy tickets and go to the races, and circuits won’t get the NIMBY brigade complaining about noisy cars spoiling their Sunday potterings. Perhaps we could see this new era of F1 leaping through Dingle Dell once again? We can all dream.
Paul Genge, by e-mail
How can Formula 1 claim to be going green with the inclusion of yet another floodlit race (Bahrain)? The inclusion of night and twilight races on the calendar must use considerably more energy than the V8s did when entertaining us.
The new V6 turbo era having begun, we have not failed to be disappointed by the lack of noise.
Bernie should forget about New Jersey and Long Beach and try to secure a race on the moon, which would be perfect in this new era of Formula 1 – no atmosphere.
Anthony Delaine-Smith, Bourne, Lincolnshire
Where sports cars lead…
In your May issue Nigel Roebuck reflected on a earlier era of F1 turbos.
In his article he refers to “Renault’s debut in 1977”, but the pioneering began when the firm entered the 1976 Le Mans 24 Hours and tried to beat Porsche (succeeding two years later).
As we see at the present time, it is in endurance racing that we find the new advances in power sources that are relevant to motor cars we will soon be able to buy for use on the public highway. Long live Le Mans and sports car racing.
Brian Joscelyne, Braintree, Essex
Max Revson
I want to thank you for including Andrew Frankel’s retrospective on Peter Revson in the April issue of Motor Sport. Those of us who saw the man drive knew he was good. He was Jackie Stewart-smooth, if not quite Stewart-quick. I saw the famous Sebring 1970 race in which he carried movie star Steve McQueen to second place in the Porsche 908/2, behind Mario Andretti’s Ferrari 512. Every time I looked up, it was Revson in the car; whenever I timed a lap, he was five seconds quicker than McQueen (although let’s give McQueen credit for making arguably the best racing movie, Le Mans, until Rush).
I also saw a different side to Revson at Watkins Glen in 1973. During the pre-race parade, a detractor in the stands yelled out to him and called him a “candy-ass”. From his perch atop the back of the car, Revson challenged the heckler to come out of the stands and see if he could whip a candy-ass. Good looking? Yes. Serious? Oh, yes.
Denny Gioia, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
A book worth finishing
I was particularly interested to read Andrew Frankel’s article about the career of Peter Revson (April 2014), having just read Phil Kerr’s excellent book To Finish First. In the book Phil Kerr makes the same point about Peter Revson – he was a playboy by reputation only, and was dedicated to his sport.
I came across To Finish First in the bargain book section of a garden centre of all places, attracted by the superb Michael Turner painting of a McLaren Can-Am car on the front cover; a quick look inside confirmed I had to buy it.
At that time I had not come across Phil Kerr before, nor had I any idea of his contribution to motor sport and F1 in particular. The book documents his journey, initially with his close friend Bruce McLaren, to the UK from New Zealand in the late 1950s. It goes on to give a fascinating account of his time with Cooper, Jack Brabham and McLaren, where he was a director until 1974. Phil then resigned from McLaren to return home to New Zealand.
The book also includes an account of Bernie Ecclestone’s early and significant contribution to the Formula One Constructors Association, a timely reminder of his excellent work in those early days. For anyone wishing to read up on F1 history, To Finish First is a very good place to start.
Mick Miller, Burghfield Common, Berkshire
Beauties or beasts
It used to be said that if it looks right, it probably is right.
What, then, are we to make of the Porsche 919, Audi R18 or, horror of horrors, the Toyota TS040?
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but I think I prefer a Porsche 917, Ford GT40 or Maserati 250F.
John Clegg, Chadderton, Greater Manchester
Healey achievements
Your report of Erle Morley’s death in the May issue omitted two of the great achievements Donald and Erle recorded.
Driving the big Healey they won the Alpine Rally in 1961 and 1962, and were well placed in the 1963 event before retiring when the back axle failed, losing the opportunity to emulate Ian Appleyard and Stirling Moss by winning a golden Coupe des Alpes.
I attended a celebration dinner organised by the Eastern Counties Motor Club when they won the Alpine in 1961.
Don Wright, Bucklesham, Suffolk
Page 20, January 1975
Two Sides of the Coin
Two Sides of the Coin McLaren's effort on both sides of the Atlantic IT IS little more than ten years Since the first European constructor seriously designed a car to run at Indianapolis and took...
Page 98, April 2014
All work no playboy
Forty years have passed since the sport lost one of its most misunderstood – and underrated – talents Writer Andrew Frankel I’d known about the autobiography of Peter Revson for years, but never...
Page 128, February 2008
Classic view of Aussie tracks
A return to the Classic Adelaide Rally provided the perfect opportunity to explore the circuits that historically hosted the Australian Grand Prix As I write I’m sitting here with heavy eyelids,...
Page 87, February 2000
A French Kiss With Death
By Michael Keyser and Jonathan Williams ISBN 8376 0234 3 Published by Bendy, £39.99 What a simply terrible title for a simply brilliant book. Brilliant, that is, if you have seen the film Le Mans...
Page 72, May 2008
Lunch with.. Jody Scheckter
From World Champion racing driver, to million-dollar businessman, to his current guise as an award-winning organic farmer: all his life, Jody Scheckter has been driven to succeed By Simon Taylor...
Andrew Frankel
Anthony Delaine-Smith
Bill Canfield
Brian Joscelyne
Bruno Senna
David Coulthard
Don Wright
Erle Morley
Ian Appleyard
Jackie Stewart-smooth
John Clegg
John Winterburn
Mark Fogarty
Mark Hughes
Mick Miller
Mike Conway
Nick Reece
NIGEL ROEBUCK
Paul Genge
Paul Gover
Peter Revson
Phil Kerr
Australian GP
Eastern Counties Motor Club
Formula One Constructors Association
NIMBY brigade
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5073
|
__label__wiki
| 0.977111
| 0.977111
|
Lawmakers don't want Texas tent city's contract renewed
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, second from left, speaks with four other Democratic members of Congress after touring a camp where several thousand immigrant teens are being housed Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, east of El Paso, Texas. With him are, from left, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif.
Rudy Gutierrez | The El Paso Times via AP
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, Rep. Beto O'Rourke and three other Democratic members of Congress toured a remote tent city in West Texas on Saturday, where they said that 2,700 immigrant teens are being held at a cost of about $1 million per day.
The lawmakers urged the nonprofit running the facility not to renew a federal contract that expires Dec. 31, a longshot request that could effectively shutter the camp. It was supposed to be temporary but has instead taken in more children and taken on a permanent feel with soccer fields, a dining facility and tents housing separate sleeping quarters for boys and girls.
Smith, DFL-Minn., and O'Rourke — a Texan who has been mentioned as a potential 2020 presidential candidate after nearly upsetting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in his deep-red state — were joined by U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and California Rep. Judy Chu.
O'Rourke said he and his colleagues weren't allowed to speak to the children in any meaningful way.
"They kind of nodded their heads, but what are they going to say when everyone around them is watching?" O'Rourke said after touring the facility. "But there was something in the look on their faces that we saw, the way that they weren't really engaged in the sports that they were playing out on those fields."
"We need to shut it down," Chu added. "It is inhumane. It is a child prison. It has no right to exist."
In this Nov. 15, 2018 photo provided by Ivan Pierre Aguirre, protesters talk to a guard inside the Tornillo detention camp holding more than 2,300 migrant teens in Tornillo, Texas. The Trump administration announced in June 2018 that it would open the temporary shelter for up to 360 migrant children in this isolated corner of the Texas desert. Less than six months later, the facility has expanded into a detention camp holding thousands of teenagers.
Ivan Pierre Aguirre | AP
O'Rourke made no mention about his possible White House aspirations after making his fourth visit to the camp just outside Tornillo. He noted the area was about an hour's drive from his native El Paso, which borders Mexico at the westernmost tip of Texas.
"It's in a remote location on purpose so that the American people do not know what's happening here," O'Rourke told reporters.
The lawmakers said 2,700 boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 17 were being held at Tornillo. They described touring the tents housing the teens, but could only ask light questions. O'Rourke said he asked a few of them what countries they were from — Guatemala and Honduras, they said — and received assurances that the conditions were "OK."
Tornillo opened as a temporary facility in June, amid what President Trump's administration described as an emergency situation on the U.S.-Mexico border. Since then, the contract keeping it open has been renewed, and the numbers of kids being held inside has grown, though determining how fast and by how much has proven difficult.
The lawmakers said the contractor running the facility, BCFS Health and Human Services, told them that the tent city has cost taxpayers $144 million since opening, or about $1 million a day.
The Democrats said they urged BCFS Health and Human Services to refuse to renew its contract with the U.S. government. But even if that happened, the lawmakers said they weren't sure where the children being held at Tornillo would be transferred as a result.
The Associated Press previously reported that the Trump administration waved FBI fingerprint checks for caregivers and short-staffing mental health workers at Tornillo.
O'Rourke said Saturday that the contractor told him that a recent agreement with Texas now allows for state background checks, but that the facility still doesn't have the capacity to do FBI fingerprint checks.
The lawmakers said many of the teens have family already in the United States who would like to take them. But federal authorities have begun fingerprinting and conducting background checks on would-be "sponsors," resulting in 170 apprehensions on possible immigration violations.
They also said that even with the added scrutiny, the contractor said 1,300 children have relatives ready to take them but have remained at Tornillo due to unexplained federal delays.
O'Rourke said public pressure could force federal authorities to close Tornillo but in the meantime federal polices mean the country is "turning our backs on these people."
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5074
|
__label__wiki
| 0.801885
| 0.801885
|
MSF resumes Search and Rescue activities in the central Mediterranean
MSF Search and Rescue boat Dignity I
© Juan Matias Gil/MSF
Press Release24 April 2016
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has resumed search, rescue and medical aid operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, between Africa and Europe, and conducted its first operation of 2016.
Due to the lack of safe and legal alternatives for people to flee and seek protection, the deadly stretch of water between Libya and Italy, which in 2015 claimed the lives of 2,892 men, women and children, is now almost the only way for thousands to reach European shores and it is already as busy as ever.
“This time last year, as MSF launched our first search and rescue operation, we called the Mediterranean Sea a mass grave – and little has changed since then,” said Joanne Liu, International President of Médecins Sans Frontières.
”As crises and conflicts across the world continue to cause people to flee in their millions, the absence of a global solution to the current refugee crisis, and the European states’ policies of deterrence, as well their refusal to provide alternatives to the deadly sea crossing, continue to kill thousands. As humanitarians, we again refuse to look on from the shore.”
The first MSF search and rescue ship to be deployed this summer, the 50 meter MSF Dignity 1, set sail from the port of Valletta, Malta on 21 April. The ship, which has the capacity to take on board 400 rescued people, has a crew of 16, including experienced medical staff, and will be proactively positioned in the waters north of Libya and actively searching for boats in distress.
MSF staff attends to one of the people rescued in Dignity I's first operation of 2016.
Juan Matias Gil/MSF
MSF's first operation of 2016 occurred yesterday, on Saturday 23 April, with the Dignity 1 accepting a transfer of 308 rescued people (205 men, 80 women, 23 children), mainly Eritrean, from an Italian rescue boat. The Dignity 1 is now on the way to Sicily where the 308 people will disembark on Monday.
In the coming weeks MSF will reinforce search and rescue capacity with highly skilled and experienced MSF medical teams on board two larger ships. The teams will have the skills and necessary equipment to provide lifesaving emergency care as well as treat dehydration, fuel burns, hypothermia and skin diseases which were the most pressing medical needs of those rescued by the organization in 2015. MSF will also provide psychological first aid at sea and MSF teams in Sicily will ensure continuity of care through several medical projects supporting the people after disembarkment.
“Refugees and migrants are looking for a safer or better life. It is not acceptable to treat them as criminals, or worse, let them die in their search for it. Rather than focusing on deterrence and surveillance, European states must provide safe alternatives to sea crossings and a search and rescue mechanism that is both dedicated and proactive. The lives of hundreds of thousands depend on it," ended Liu.
In 2015 MSF teams on board three search and rescue ships in the Central Mediterranean assisted over 23,000 people in 120 separate rescue interventions. In the Aegean Sea, north of the island of Lesbos, MSF, in partnership with Greenpeace assisted over 14,000 people crossing from Turkey to Greece. Overall in 2015 MSF treated more than 100,000 people on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and in Greece, Italy and the Balkans.
As counted by IOM’s Missing Migrant Project. More information on the project as well as data from other migratory routes is available online at http://missingmigrants.iom.int/mediterranean
As a doctor, I feel outraged
Voices from the Field 15 Apr 2016
EU Migration Crisis Update - March 2016
Crisis Update 21 Mar 2016
MSF rescued nearly 2,000 people in less than seven hours
Project Update 2 Oct 2016
Voices from the Field 15 April 2016
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5075
|
__label__wiki
| 0.853389
| 0.853389
|
Eat the Galley
By Ligaya Mishan
We received a message the other day asking us to discard our galleys of the Atlas anthology “How They See Us: Writers from Around the Globe Reflect on America,” which had been scheduled for release this coming February. The book, described in the original press materials as “a primer of international literature, an aid to self-criticism, and, more frequently than one might expect, an invitation to celebrate our national virtues and our shared humanity,” is now set for publication next September. Last month, Atlas announced that due to financial troubles it would be postponing its spring list until next fall, but this anthology appears to have been pulled for a different reason, as James Atlas, the publisher, explains:
Since this book was conceived, compiled and set in galleys, the election of Barack Obama as our 44th President has altered not only the United States, but the world, in whose eyes we are now seen as a place where sudden strange miracles occur, where literally overnight the luster of the American dream can be restored. President Obama won’t be leading us down the Yellow Brick Road; he’s just a man. But his election has transformed our image in the eyes of the world. How they see us now bears little resemblance to how they saw us then…
A number of the writers we invited, perhaps solipsistically, to reflect on our national character produced essays that stand as written: they are personal, and revolve around no defining moment. Others were preoccupied by Bush, or by the coming election. These writers I invited to revise their essays in accordance with our new reality. The result is a book that conforms to its original intention: to put the focus as much on the contributors as on their subject. We wrote to writers we admired. They replied with essays about a country they admired in varying degrees; where the disapprobation was perhaps too strong, I proposed revision. Six months later, the title holds; what’s changed is the object of contemplation.
Earlier this year, Atlas confided in Dwight Garner, over at Paper Cuts, his slight exasperation at writers begging him not to send out galleys that had errors in them: “Are you aware that it costs $4.50 to produce a galley? Believe me, no one will notice.”
Dive into the world of literature with The New Yorker’s weekly fiction newsletter.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5076
|
__label__wiki
| 0.955232
| 0.955232
|
MAN CHARGED WITH PINCHING LIL’ KIM’S JEWELS
NME Jul 2, 2003 11:24 am BST
John Acheson was reportedly demanding $25,000 for the return of a necklace...
A US man has been charged after demanding $25,000 (£15,400) for the return of LIL’ KIM‘s stolen jewellery.
John Acheson, 31, was charged on Monday (June 30) in New York with attempted grand larceny, attempted grand larceny by extortion and attempted coercion. If found guilty, he could face up to four years in jail.
Acheson allegedly contacted Lil’ Kim‘s lawyer last week, saying that he had her trademark ‘Queen B’ necklace, which is studded with diamonds, and wanted money for its return. He is then said to have handed himself over to police on Monday, where he was kept in custody, awaiting his first court appearance to enter a plea.
As previously revealed on NME.COM, Lil’ Kim lost a reported $250,000 worth of jewellery after a mix-up at JFK airport on June 20. The rapper was waiting to fly to Los Angeles for the BET Awards, but when boarding the 8.45am flight from the airport in New York, realised that she had accidentally checked her Louis Vuitton bag, containing around $500,000 worth of jewellery, into the baggage hold of the jet.
The missing jewels were found last week by a United Airlines employee, wrapped in rags in a staff locker at the airport.
According to BBC News, the investigation into the jewellery’s theft is still continuing, the New York Port Authority said.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5079
|
__label__cc
| 0.625386
| 0.374614
|
Meet Dr. Irizarry-Roman
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Platelet Rich Plasma Injection (PRP)
Medical Cannabis Evaluations
About Moises Irizarry-Roman, MD
No Mercy Sports Medicine Moises Irizarry-Roman, MD About
About No Mercy Sports Medicine
As one of South Florida’s leading sports medicine physicians, Moisés Irizarry-Román, MD, is an expert at diagnosing and treating the most complex types of sports and musculoskeletal injuries. To help athletes and active patients get the unique, comprehensive care they need, Dr. Irizarry-Román founded No Mercy Sports Medicine in Miami.
Dr. Irizarry-Román earned his medical degree from the Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Afterward, he completed an internship at San Juan City Hospital, followed by a residency at the Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramon Ruiz Arnau, before relocating to the United States.
Because of his passion for sports medicine, Dr. Irizarry-Román then opted to go through a rigorous sports medicine fellowship at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
Throughout his career, Dr. Irizarry-Román has remained at the forefront of innovative sports medicine solutions. Before he entered private practice, Dr. Irizarry-Román served as the head of Mercy Hospital’s sports medicine department in Miami and has been a go-to practitioner for all levels of athletes.
Not only has Dr. Irizarry-Román written multiple articles for Box Life magazine, but he’s also a consultant for Univisión’s nightly news program, “Noticias Univisión Edición Nocturna,” as well as “Mira Quién Baila.” Dr. Irizarry-Román is also an expert witness for Telemundo's “Caso Cerrado.”
Since he’s active in the CrossFit® community, Dr. Irizarry-Román is affectionately nicknamed “The BoxDoc.” He’s covered multiple major CrossFit events, including Summer Crush Games and Clash of the Fittest. Dedicated to serving the sports medicine community, Dr. Irizarry-Román even works as a team sports physician for the Mississippi Braves minor league baseball team, the Dixie Rodeo, and the Puerto Rico Islanders professional soccer team, to name a few.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and Swedish, Dr. Irizarry-Román can help patients and athletes from diverse cultural backgrounds. Patients commend his thoroughness, kindness, and dedication to helping them recover from sports injuries as quickly as possible. Dr. Irizarry-Román is also known for being punctual and having zero wait time, often because patients get in the habit of arriving 10 minutes early.
"I am grateful to have Dr. Moises Irizarry as my physician and know he is someone I can trust with my health; I feel very confident recommending him. "
"Dr. Irizarry was recommended to me by a friend. It was easy to get an appointment, my wait time as an initial patient was pretty quick, and his staff were friendly."
"I had a wonderful experience at Dr. Irizarry's office. I loved his professionalism and expertise."
Moises Irizarry-Roman, MD, Miami, FL
Address: 3661 South Miami Avenue, 902, Miami, FL 33133
Moises Irizarry-Roman, MD, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Address: 2000 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5081
|
__label__wiki
| 0.566861
| 0.566861
|
Could Economic Troubles Doom Putin’s Plans?
House Democrats Overcome Internal Fissures to Approve Defense-Spending Bill
House Report: CBP Detained Migrant Children Longer than Legally Permitted
U.K. Accuses Iranian Boats of Attempting to Block British Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf
Is a Truly Cold War Emerging in the Arctic?
Iran Announces Breaking Nuclear Deal Limit for Uranium Enrichment
A Bit of Perspective on ‘Trump’s Tanks’
Iran Warns It Will Increase Enriched Uranium Stockpile to ‘Any Amount We Want’
Iran Would Be Unwise to Play the Long Game with Trump
Iran and the Levers of Global Power
Trump Should Assemble a Multinational Naval Convoy
CIA Contrarian Herbert E. Meyer, R.I.P.
NATO Demands Russia Destroy New Missile System
Iran Says New U.S. Sanctions Mark ‘Permanent Closure’ of Diplomacy
What a Border Crisis Looks Like
China and the Major Powers
Trump Announces ‘Hard Hitting’ New Sanctions on Iran
National Security & Defense
By Nat Brown
About Nat Brown
December 1, 2014 9:00 AM
Russia’s economic problems are making his aggression abroad quite costly.
As oil prices have dropped dramatically over the past month, Russia has been one of the nations hurting most. In fact, it’s possible that collapsing prices, combined with a raft of other economic problems, may be enough to force Vladimir Putin to back off of his domination of eastern Ukraine — which has begun to feel almost permanent just eight months after the annexation of Crimea.
Between the more than 4,000 dead in Eastern Ukraine and Russia’s continued acts of military provocation against Europe and the West, the country has grown significantly more aggressive abroad since March, and seems to have little interest in backing off. Ukraine’s defense minister is now reporting that there are 7,500 Russian troops in the eastern part of the country. The strategic port city of Mariupol continues to face assault by pro-Russian separatists with Kremlin-supplied weapons. Other border nations, including Estonia and Finland, are seeing signs of aggression too.
But Russia’s current destabilization of Eastern Europe may not be here to stay — and there were signs of that development even before the oil news.
The country’s military escalation abroad has been accompanied by a steep economic downturn at home. Since the beginning of the year, the ruble has lost 30 percent of its value, and Russia’s central bank has already spent 20 percent of the country’s foreign-exchange reserves in an attempt to prop it up. The IMF has cut its Russian economic growth projection for 2015 to just 0.5 percent, and the outlook will only worsen with oil prices plummeting over the past several weeks.
While the country has sufficient reserve funds to weather the short-term storm, the medium-to-long term is another question entirely, says Natasha Udensiva, a managing partner at Eurasia Energy Associates and a lecturer in international affairs at Columbia University. How long might the Russians be able to maintain their current stance? “They say they’ll be fine for two, three years,” Udensiva tells NRO. “I think they’ll be fine for at least one year and a half. Despite this huge inflation and all the terrible things going on in the country, they still have a lot of assets.”
A large factor in the ruble’s erosion of value has been the fall in global oil prices, which have declined steadily since the summer and fallen off even quicker in the past couple weeks. A large part of the currency’s dive is connected to the markets’ view of Russia’s economy as dependent on the price of oil, and Russia’s economy is pegged to high oil prices. Leon Aron, resident scholar and director of Russian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute tells NRO. “According to Russian and Western economists, Russia can balance the budget only at $117 a barrel; the national economy can only grow at $92–93 a barrel; and it goes into a recession at $80 or less.” As of this writing, the price hovers around $70 a barrel.
Sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and the European Union on top Russian-government officials, state-controlled oil companies, and major Russian banks are keeping the pressure on its economy — as much through perception as practical value. “Russian economists call them ‘gray’ sanctions,” Aron says. “That is, they create a sensibility, one very damaging in the mid to long run.” One of their particularly damaging effects is that Russian corporations, even those not directly affected by the sanctions, are now all but unable to borrow money from Western banks. Meanwhile, the country has $300 billion in corporate debt maturing over the next two years, and it’ll need to be refinanced. Udensiva agrees: “The sanctions are really squeezing them. There are a lot of projects they have to put on hold — mega projects — because they have absolutely no cash flow.”
Even without the external pressure of sanctions and cheap oil, Russia’s economy is hardly healthy. Rife with corruption and cronyism, lacking a true free market and or functional infrastructure, the economy has been headed for trouble for quite a while. According to Udensiva, economists had been predicting a decline well before the crisis in Ukraine. Only high oil prices had papered over the problems, she says, and fundamental reforms to the economy (such as a more independent legal system, less state control of industry, and lower levels of subsidies) are necessary.
#page#In the midst of Russia’s general economic malaise, some have touted its recently signed $400 billion gas deal with China as a sign of an economic pivot to Asia away from Europe, even of a burgeoning political alliance between the two countries. But Aron is skeptical, arguing the deal is uniquely advantageous to China and will have little effect on Russia’s continued dependence on exporting gas to Europe. “Gas sales to China — even if everything goes as planned — are not likely to reach even one-fifth of Russia’s exports to Europe,” he says. Unlike Europe, he explains, China still gets most of its energy from coal, and has signed the agreement only because it came at a steep discount to the prices Russia offers to Europe and because China only has to make minimal investments. And with an economic model is grounded in exports to the West, China isn’t about to join Russia in a political alliance against the West. Pursuit of that chimerical alliance is a sign of Putin’s desperation, Aron says — it’s “something that Putin wants from China so much that he is willing to conclude energy agreements that most Russian independent economists have described as at best questionable and at worst losing money for Russia in the long run.”
One might hope that the economic consequences of Russia’s actions abroad will lead to political pressure on Putin at home, but that’s never a sure thing. According to the Levada Center, Russia’s most trusted polling source, Putin’s approval rating hit an all-time high of 88 percent in October 2014.
Yet it’s clear that Putin’s rule and Russia’s actions in Ukraine increasingly come at a real economic cost to Russian citizens.
An example: This summer, massive capital flight forced Putin to divert funds from Russia’s main pension fund in order to finance infrastructure projects, something he had promised he would never do just a year before. One of Putin’s early accomplishments in office was to stabilize Russia’s pensions, which had been ravaged by the economic turmoil of the 1990s; one of his main blocs of support is state workers and retirees. Aron asks, “Will Putin’s political base — the pensioners and the state employees (doctors, teachers) — accept beggaring?”
In addition, talk of expensive government bailouts has begun. Rosneft, Russia’s (state-controlled) largest oil company, is asking the government for a $49 billion bailout in order to continue financing its $55 billion debt. If the government accedes, more companies may ask for similar deals, and the government’s remaining reserve funds will become increasingly depleted. And as The Economist notes, it was Russia’s massive increase in military spending starting in 2008 that first caused its reserve funds to cease to grow. Putin will find it difficult to back off of his defense buildup if he’d like to continue meddling in Eastern Europe.
None of these questions seemed to be on Putin’s mind during a recent interview he gave to the state-controlled TASS news agency. Instead, he simply declared that Russia’s actions in Crimea and afterward have all been strategic decisions that will end well for the country. How is he so sure? “Because we are right. Truth is power.”
Indeed it is. Russia’s economic numbers are in, and they don’t lie.
— Nat Brown is an associate editor of National Review Online.
Nat Brown is a deputy web editor at Foreign Affairs and a former deputy managing editor of National Review Online.
More in National Security & Defense
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5083
|
__label__cc
| 0.675469
| 0.324531
|
Philosophy and War: World War II in the…
Normandy & the Seine River: From the D…
Italy: 1944
World War II in the Philippines
Victory in the Pacific
The River Seine to the Beaches of…
D-Day—The Invasion of Normandy &…
Easy Company: England to the Eagle's…
The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Germany
Inaccessible
Student Educational Tours
The 75th Anniversary of D-Day
June 24, 2019 (SOLD OUT)
September 23, 2019 (SOLD OUT)
Easy Company: England to the Eagle's Nest
AN EPIC JOURNEY ACROSS EUROPE
September 4 - 16, 2019
Book Your Trip!
Tour Overview
In 1992, Museum founder and award-winning author Stephen E. Ambrose published the New York Times bestseller Band of Brothers—which became not only a successful HBO miniseries, but also a cultural phenomenon that continues today. Join staff from America's official WWII museum and notable historians for the real-life epic journey across Europe. This exclusive travel opportunity includes tour stops and special guests not featured anywhere else.
Additional Tour Dates
May 9 - 21, 2020
June 24 - July 6, 2019 (SOLD OUT)
September 23 - October 5, 2019 (SOLD OUT)
FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF EASY COMPANY
The National WWII Museum provides vivid insight into the war that changed the world. But nothing can tell the story of that war more dramatically than a visit to the actual places where victory was fought for and won. Our program allows you to experience these journeys in first-class comfort as you go to the beaches, bridges, cities, and villages where crucial battles took place and history-making decisions were made. Guided by top experts in WWII history and the Museum's exclusive guides in Normandy, you’ll hear the personal stories and walk in the footsteps of the Citizen Soldiers who fought for the freedom we enjoy today.
Book Your Trip With Us!
Book by July 31, 2019, and save $1,000 per couple!
Travel in the company of cast members from the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers
Full-time logistical tour manager
Expert local battlefield guides
Roundtrip airport transfers (when arriving and departing on scheduled group tour dates)
Boutique hotel accommodations in prime locations
Private, first-class air conditioned motor coach transportation
VIP access to sites not offered on other tours
Entrance fees to all sites, museums, and historic attractions in itinerary
Personal listening devices on all included touring
Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, and servers
Breakfast each morning, 7 lunches, and 8 dinners
Beer, wine, and soft drinks with included lunches and dinners
Informative map book with useful battlefield maps and archival images to be used throughout the journey
Personalized luggage tags and name badge
Keepsake journal and pen to document your journey
Additional pre and/or post-hotel nights
Flight assistance
We’re pleased to assist you with additional services you may require, ensuring you a worry-free journey with The National WWII Museum.
Download the official Easy Company: England to the Eagle's Nest brochure for a full listing of inclusions, accommodations, and other useful information.
Tour Itinerary & Map
Full Tour Itinerary
Extension - Optional Two-Night Pre-Tour
"Churchill's London"
September 2 - 4, 2019
Prior to the commencement of the main tour, guests enjoy two nights at the luxurious Rubens at the Palace Hotel, an historic 5-star property that dates back to the 1700s and has served royalty throughout the centuries. One and a half days of touring include St. Paul’s Cathedral, which managed to escape complete ruin during the Blitz of 1940; the storied Churchill War Rooms, hidden beneath the streets of Westminster; and the Imperial War Museum, home of artifacts of British conflicts from the First World War to the present. Breakfast at the hotel is included each morning, and lunch during the full day of touring is included at a traditional British pub.
Rubens at the Palace Hotel
September 4, 2019 - Day 1
London Arrivals / Aldbourne, England
After individual arrivals into London-Heathrow (LHR) proceed west of London to the training areas of Easy Company. After lunch in Aldbourne, enjoy a walking tour with local villagers and members of the Aldbourne Historical Society, who recount what it was like to welcome Easy Company and other American troops more than 75 years ago. This evening, get to know your fellow travelers at a Welcome Reception and Dinner at the hotel.
Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa (L, R, D)
Portsmouth / Cross the English Channel
After breakfast at the hotel, head south to Portsmouth to visit The D-Day Story museum. Refurbished in the spring of 2018, this museum tells the story of D-Day through the personal accounts of people who were there. The galleries bring the story to life through stunning audio-visual presentations alongside iconic artifacts from the museum’s collection. The legacy gallery features the magnificent Overlord Embroidery commissioned to remember those who took part in D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. For lunch, enjoy classic English pub fare in the picturesque village of Southwick, renowned for the planning of the D-Day landings and the historic location where Eisenhower and Montgomery met. This afternoon, cross the English Channel by ferry, landing in Normandy late in the evening.
Le Manoir De Mathan (B, L, D)
Utah Beach / US Airborne
After breakfast, depart for the Utah Beach area to tour the landing beach and visit the Utah Beach Museum. View and original B26 bomber in the museum’s hangar and listen to the oral history of Dick Winters on the 2nd floor of this magnificent museum. Next, take an exclusive tour of Brécourt Manor, made famous by Easy Company’s action here on June 6, 1944. In the small town of Sainte-MèreÉglise, enjoy lunch independently then visit the Airborne Museum and the church made famous by the film The Longest Day. En route to the hotel, the coach makes a photo stop at Marmion Farm, the makeshift rendezvous point for paratroopers during the D-Day invasion. Enjoy dinner with the group this evening.
Le Manoir De Mathan (B, D)
La Fière, Easy Company in Normandy
Today, travel along rural lanes, past hedgerows, and over causeways to La Fière bridge, where elements of the 82nd Airborne fought off four days of attacks from German troops trying to retake this strategic bridge. Next, visit the historic Château de Bernaville, where a little-known event involving US paratroopers factored heavily into the Allies’ D-Day success. Next, travel to Beuzeville-au-Plain to view the monument to Lt. Thomas Meehan’s downed C-47, and hear his story. After an included lunch during your visit to the Normandy Victory Museum, learn the story of Easy Company at the important town of Carentan, which linked the Utah and Omaha Beach forces. End the day’s touring at the Dead Man’s Corner Museum and with a visit to the church at Angoville au Plain. A shuttle to Bayeux is provided this evening for guests enjoy dining independently at one if this town’s many quaint cafés.
Le Manoir De Mathan (B, L)
Pointe du Hoc / Omaha Beach / Normandy American Cemetery
On the final day in Normandy, touring is devoted to the ground troops who came ashore in the Omaha Beach area. First, visit to Pointe du Hoc, where Army Rangers faced tough odds coming ashore and scaling the imposing 100-foot cliff. Next, visit Dog Green Sector of Omaha Beach. A Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry of the 29th “Blue and Gray” Division landed at “H- Hour” on D-Day. A 250-meter stretch of beach untouched by preliminary bombardments lay in front of them, and they could clearly see German bunkers in the distance. Within 15 minutes A Company was reduced from an assault company to a small rescue party. These events inspired the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. After an included lunch overlooking Omaha Beach, spend the afternoon at the Normandy American Cemetery, where more than 9,000 Americans are laid to rest in the ground they helped liberate. Guests will be given time to walk the grounds, visit the small museum and remember the sacrifices made here. Reflect on the day’s touring during dinner with the group this evening.
Normandy to the Netherlands
Bid farewell to Normandy and head to The Netherlands. Along the way, view episodes from the Band of Brothers miniseries. Stop in picturesque Amiens, France, a city along the Somme River. Enjoy lunch and independent exploration, with time to visit the Amiens Cathedrals, the tallest complete cathedral in France, and a UNESCO world heritage site. Relax on the coach this afternoon. An included dinner at the hotel greets you upon arrival in Eindhoven.
Hotel Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne (B, D)
September 10, 2019 - Day 7
Eindhoven / Arnhem / Nijmegen
In September 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden, a daring airborne operation meant to secure crucial Rhine River crossings and advance into northern Germany. Although it ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, the determination and courage shown by the airborne troops and the units that assisted them made Market Garden one of World War II’s most famous battles. During today’s tour, visit the actual battle sites where Easy Company fought and learn how the 101st Airborne fit into Operation Market Garden at Nuenen, Zon Bridge, and Logtenburg. After lunch, visit Schoonderlogt Farm to see where Dick Winters led the attack at “The Crossroads,” the subject of Episode 5 of Band of Brothers. Near Arnhem, members of the company helped rescue more than 100 British airborne troops who were stuck behind enemy lines across the Rhine during Operation Pegasus in October 1944. The touring day ends in Nijmegen and “A Bridge Too Far” before returning to Eindhoven where guests enjoy an evening at leisure.
Hotel Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne (B, L)
Netherlands American Cemetery / Journey to the Ardennes
This morning, guests may choose to take a guided walking tour of Eindhoven, explore the area independently, or relax at the hotel. The optional morning tour includes details on the actions that occurred around Eindhoven, with visits to the Joe Mann Memorial and the Robert Cole Memorial. After lunch at leisure, visit the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten – the only American military cemetery in The Netherlands. A unique aspect of this cemetery is its connection with the Dutch people. Since 1945 members of the local community have adopted the grave sites of the American fallen. They bring flowers to the cemetery and research the life of the service member they adopt as a way to honor their sacrifice. After paying respects to members of Easy Company who are buried there, continue to the medieval market town of Clervaux, Luxembourg, in the heart of the Ardennes. Along the way, the tour guide presents an overview of the Battle of the Bulge – Hitler’s last-ditch effort to defeat the Allies in the west, and the largest land battle fought by the US Army in World War II.
Hotel International (B, D)
Battle of the Bulge / Bastogne / Bois Jacques
This day is dedicated to the heroic defense of the besieged crossroads town of Bastogne. Band of Brothers Episode 6: ”Bastogne,” along with today’s visits to the Mardasson Memorial, a monument honoring the memory of the American soldiers wounded or killed during the Battle of the Bulge. Next, a visit to the Bastogne War Museum provides insight into the experiences of the troops during the harsh, cold winter of 1944 - 45. In the Bois Jacques forest guests may choose to climb in the foxholes of that provided some shelter to Easy Company. Tour Bastogne Barracks, where on December 22, 1944, Gen. Tony McAuliffe of the 101st gave his famous reply of “NUTS!” to the Germans’ request that Americans surrender the encircled town of Bastogne. Free time in Bastogne is also provided during the day for lunch – and perhaps some shopping for Belgian chocolates. The evening is at leisure.
Hotel International (B)
September 13, 2019 - Day 10
Luxembourg American Cemetery / Haguenau
Before departing the Ardennes, the final stop is at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, where guests visit the graves of Easy Company members and of Gen. George S. Patton. Continue to Haguenau for lunch and then walk the “Last Patrol” of Easy Company, where they held fast against Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive of the war in the west, for more than a month. Visit the MM Park (Musee Militaire), a new museum with an impressive collection of tanks and other large artifacts of the era. Arrive in Stuttgart this evening and enjoy dinner and exploration on your own.
Maritim Stuttgart (B, L)
Dachau / Zell Am See
Located ten miles northwest of Munich, the Dachau Concentration Camp was established in 1933 to hold political prisoners. Throughout the rest of the 1930s, the camp grew to hold Jews, Roma, Slavs, and more groups deemed unworthy by the Nazis. In 1943, as war raged across the continent, the Nazis constructed more than 150 subsidiary camps near Dachau where prisoners were often worked to death. The terrible conditions in Dachau and throughout the subsidiary camps led to a widespread typhus epidemic by the end of 1944, as the Allied armies were preparing to enter Germany. When the first American troops approached the camp in April 1945, the sight of the prisoners and the living conditions tested even the most battle-hardened soldiers. Episode 9 of the miniseries portrays Easy Company discovering one of Dachau’s subsidiary camps at Landsberg. After discussing why World War II was fought, the group heads to the Bavarian Alps, as Easy Company did, for the final chapter of the journey.
Grand Hotel Zell am See (B, D)
On the final day of touring, guests take in the spectacular views from Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, captured by Allied forces in May 1945. A gift to Adolf Hitler for his 50th birthday in 1939, Eagle’s Nest was funded by Hitler’s inner circle. Legend says that Mussolini gifted the fireplace to the project. Although a fortune was spent to build the perch, Hitler only made 14 official visits. Return to Zell Am See and reflect on the journey during a farewell dinner at the hotel, overlooking the lake featured in the final scenes of Band of Brothers.
Grand Hotel Zell Am See (B, L, D)
Zell Am See / Munich
Early this morning the entire group transfers together to the Munich Airport (MUC) for individual flights home.*
*Please note that flights should be scheduled to depart no earlier than 12:00 noon. Weather and/or local government and venue conditions may change the final schedule. Each evening you will receive a detailed schedule for the following day, including the timing of meals and tours. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Travel Team.
Actor, Band of Brothers
James Madio
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, James “Jimmy” Madio is one of seven children. At the age of thirteen, on his very first audition, James landed a role in the Steven Spielberg family adventure, Hook, and never looked back. Madio's big break as a young actor then came when he costarred with Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg in the highly acclaimed film, The Basketball Diaries. After a number of independent roles, Madio found himself once again, on another Spielberg set, this time as a lead cast member in the Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers, portraying WWII hero Sergeant Frank Perconte. This would become a turning point in Madio’s career, putting him in the national and international spotlight in a timeless piece that continues to air today. Moreover, Madio continues to support troops by speaking at WWII veteran engagements around the world. Currently, Madio's career has extended to behind the camera, having acted, produced and written several award-winning independent projects (both features and shorts). His voice can also be heard in the DreamWorks animated movie, Shark Tale, and on the Call of Duty video game franchise.
Tour Accommodations
Pre-Tour Hotel
Rubens at the Palace
Red Carnation Hotels’ newest 5-star hotel, the Rubens overlooks Buckingham Palace and lies within easy walking distance to Victoria Station, this historic hotel has been fully renovated and offers a host of new restaurants and bars. Guests can enjoy live music in The New York Bar, a Royal Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge, delicious cuisine in the newly opened English Grill, and authentic flavors in The Curry Room.
Each of the beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites is elegantly furnished with meticulous attention to detail and personal thoughtful touches. Traditional style blends seamlessly with the latest modern amenities, including complimentary Wi-Fi, an entertainment system with interactive TV, a huge selection of on-demand movies, and a music library.
Tour Hotel
Donnington Valley
Situated in the heart of the Berkshire countryside just outside of Newbury, Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa is a privately owned country hotel. Designed for work, relaxation, and play, the hotel boasts a 2 AA Rosette restaurant, state-of-theart spa and health club, and a stunning 18-hole golf course. All of the 111 bedrooms and suites are elegantly designed with marble bathrooms, flat screen TVs, a selection of films to choose from, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Bedrooms include Egyptian cotton duvets, laptop-sized safes, and complimentary bottled water.
Manoir de Mathan
This boutique hotel is in an ideal location to explore the beaches of Normandy and the surrounding area. Nestled between Bayeux and Arromanches, and once home to the king, the hotel will leave you with a lasting impression of your stay. With its beautiful gardens and rich historical heritage, the hotel combines comfort, charm, and romanticism.
This beautiful 4-star hotel is located in the charming heart of Eindhoven just opposite the luxury De Heuvel shopping center. The Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne is well-known for their Vestdijk 47 restaurant & bar. Rooms are spacious and include complimentary Wi-Fi, minibar, high-definition television, in-room safe, and room service.
Hotel International, Clervaux, Luxembourg
The 4-star Hotel International is located in the center of the charming city of Clervaux, at the heart of the Luxembourg Ardennes. Two restaurants, a lounge, a spa, an indoor swimming pool, and a fitness center will ensure you enjoy your stay.
The Maritim
This beautiful hotel located right next to Hoppenlau Park showcases three restaurants, a café, piano bar, and an exclusive wellness area with swimming pool, fitness area, and beauty lounge. Guests will enjoy seasonal and regional delicacies at the Reuchlin Restaurant, discover the popular Swabian “Maultaschen” (filled pasta) at Café Espresso, and drink from a generous selection of cocktails in the Piano Bar. Recently renovated in 2016, each room boasts a modern bathroom design including a rain shower with digital temperature settings.
Grand Hotel—Zell Am See, Austria
At the end of the war, Grand Hotel Zell am See was occupied by US forces for ten years, and is best known as the hotel where the Band of Brothers spent time.
Today, it is the perfect end to a pilgrimage honoring Easy Company. This superior 4-star hotel is located in a unique location on a private peninsula directly on the shore of Lake Zell. In existence for more than 120 years, it provides the highest level of Gemütlichkeit, or regional hospitality, to our guests. A farewell dinner at this breathtaking property provides an excellent end to your tour.
"This trip was the most memorable, moving experience I have ever had. Our tour operator and battlefield guide were both exceptional and the entire trip ran smoothly and without incident. Our time spent following Easy Company was powerful."
Patricia K.
Blaine, Washington
"Extremely well organized; locations visited follow the book very closely."
—James M., Arnold, Massachusetts
"Great value, no way you could do something like this on your own for comparable money."
—Greg E., Lexington, Kentucky
“I taught history for 35 years and was amazed at how much I learned on this trip. I felt that the bottom line was that I received excellent value for the money spent.”
—Stan W., Pamona, New York
“The program was well organized and run very well. We were treated excellently by all concerned. From the outset everyone involved was courteous, helpful and interested in seeing that we got maximum attention and value. We were extremely pleased.”
—Andrew S., Fredricksburg, Virginia
“It was the trip of a lifetime. Very well planned and executed. All aspects were five star.”
—Constance S., Chelsea, Alabama
“This was an excellent tour. As usual for the WWII Museum everything was first rate. The guides,bus drivers and the tour director were great. Enjoyed every aspect of the trip.”
—Chester M., Houma, Louisiana
Price per person based on Double Occupancy
Price per person based on Single Occupancy
$329 per person taxes and fees will be included on final invoice
Pre-Tour Extension Options
Optional three-day pre-tour extension program
$129 per person taxes and fees are included in the prices listed above
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5084
|
__label__wiki
| 0.70896
| 0.70896
|
Vitamin D, Green Tea and Cocoa Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Sunday, August 02, 2009 by: Michael Jolliffe
Tags: green tea, health news, Natural News
https://www.naturalnews.com/026758_disease_Alzheimers.html
(NewsTarget) A nutrient found in grapes, green tea and cocoa could have a significant impact on the brain cell damage that leads to Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a new study carried out by scientists at Kings College, London (UK).
A research team headed by Dr Robert Williams, a lead scientist at the Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, examined the effects of epicatechin, a nutrient found abundantly in the three foods, in a model of Alzheimer's disease and assessed the potential effectiveness it might have to slow signs of deterioration leading to the illness.
Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by a build up of sticky proteins in the brain called 'amyloid plaques'. Results revealed that epicatechin may prevent their formation.
"We have found that epicatechin protects brain cells from damage. This is interesting because epicatechin and its breakdown products are one of the relatively few flavonoids known to access the brain, suggesting it has the potential to be bioactive in humans", said Dr Williams.
"Our findings support the general concept that dietary intake of flavonoid-rich foods or supplements could impact on the development and progression of dementia." [1]
Also published this week was a new study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggesting that a combination of Vitamin D and curcumin, the main component of the spice turmeric, may clear the brain of amyloid plaques in individuals already suffering from the disease.
Scientists at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that the two nutrients may stimulate the immune system in such a way that the body is prompted to remove the toxic build-up.
Through a series of experiments, the researchers were able to determine that curcumin and vitamin D could 'double team' Alzheimer's plaques through a joint mechanism of action. Curcumin was shown to help white blood cells latch onto plaque proteins, while vitamin D could bring up the rear and increase the speed at which the cells were able to gobble it up.
"We hope that vitamin D3 and curcumin, both naturally occurring nutrients, may offer new preventive and treatment possibilities for Alzheimer's disease," said study author Dr. Milan Fiala. [2]
Curcumin has been investigated for a number of years in relation to the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Recent research also suggests that low levels of vitamin D may be a significant risk factor.
[3] However, this is the first study directly linking it to a possible treatment for the condition.
[1] Presented at the British Pharmacological Society's Summer Meeting, Edinburgh, July 10 2009.
[2] Masoumi et al. 1á,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 Interacts with Curcuminoids to Stimulate Amyloid-â Clearance by Macrophages of Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2009 Jul;17(3):703-717.
[3] Evatt et al. Prevalence of vitamin d insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2008 Oct;65(10):1348-52.
Michael Jolliffe is a freelance writer based in Oxford, UK.
Green tea at FETCH.news
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5085
|
__label__cc
| 0.625238
| 0.374762
|
Rosangela Bando
Institutional Affiliation: Inter-American Development Bank
December 2016 The Effects of Non-Contributory Pensions on Material and Subjective Well Being
with Sebastian Galiani, Paul Gertler: w22995
Public expenditures on non-contributory pensions are equivalent to at least 1 percent of GDP in several countries in Latin America and is expected to increase. We explore the effect of non-contributory pensions on the well-being of the beneficiary population by studying the Pension 65 program in Peru, which uses a poverty eligibility threshold. We find that the program reduced the average score of beneficiaries on the Geriatric Depression Scale by nine percent and reduced the proportion of older adults doing paid work by four percentage points. Moreover, households with a beneficiary increased their level of consumption by 40 percent. All these effects are consistent with the findings of Galiani, Gertler and Bando (2016) in their study on a non-contributory pension scheme in Mexico. Thus, ...
Books or Laptops? The Cost-Effectiveness of Shifting from Printed to Digital Delivery of Educational Content
with Francisco Gallego, Paul Gertler, Dario Romero: w22928
Information and communication technologies, such as laptops, can be used for educational purposes as they provide users with computational tools, information storage and communication opportunities, but these devices may also pose as distractors that may tamper with the learning process. This paper presents results from a randomized controlled trial in which laptops replaced traditional textbook provision in elementary schools in high poverty communities in Honduras in 2013 through the program Educatracho. We show that at the end of one school year, the substitution of laptops for textbooks did not make a significant difference in student learning. We additionally conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis, which demonstrated that given the low marginal costs of digital textbook provision, th...
January 2014 Non-Contributory Pensions
The creation of non-contributory pension schemes is becoming increasingly common as countries struggle to reduce poverty. Drawing on data from Mexico's Adultos Mayores Program (Older Adults Program) - a cash transfer scheme aimed at rural adults over 70 years of age - we evaluate the effects of this program on the well-being of the beneficiary population. Exploiting a quasi-experimental design whereby the program relies on exogenous geographical and age cutoffs to identify its target group, we find that the mental health of elderly adults in the program is significantly improved, as their score on the Geriatric Depression Scale decreases by 12%. We also find that the proportion of treated individuals doing paid work is reduced by 20%, with most of these people switching from their former a...
Published: Galiani, Sebastian & Gertler, Paul & Bando, Rosangela, 2016. "Non-contributory pensions," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 47-58. citation courtesy of
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5088
|
__label__wiki
| 0.74661
| 0.74661
|
Jerry Nelson
Actor, Soundtrack, Miscellaneous Crew
Residence: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
BirthDay: 10 July 1934
Sigh: Leo
Died On: August 23, 2012(2012-08-23) (aged 78) Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.
Children: 1
Puppeteer, actor, musician, and master of voices, Jerry Nelson originally joined Henson & Company as a temporary replacement for Frank Oz, who had been drafted into the armed services in the 60's. He later re-joined the crew as a full-time performer in the 70's, and has since been heavily involved in almost every major Muppet project, including Sesame Street (1969), The Muppet Show (1976), Fraggle Rock (1983) and feature films. Memorable characters include "The Count", "Herry Monster", "Mumford the Magician", "Robin the Frog", "Crazy Harry" and "Gobo". Come the late 1990s, Nelson has begun to focus more on his musical career but continues his involvement in The Muppets.
Come the late 1990s, Nelson has begun to focus more on his musical career but continues his involvement in The Muppets
He later re-joined the crew as a full-time performer in the 70's, and has since been heavily involved in almost every major Muppet project, including Sesame Street (1969), The Muppet Show (1976), Fraggle Rock (1983) and feature films
Jerry Nelson net worth Jerry Nelson networth 2018 Actor Soundtrack Miscellaneous Crew
Kamal Sadanah
Baki Davrak
Stig Henrik Hoff
Mike Still
Billy Meade
Mark DellaGrotte
Nathan Sutton Actor, Producer, Writer 24 August 2017
Rudy Quintanilla Actor, Casting Department, Director 24 October 2017
S.A. Griffin Actor, Director, Writer 24 March 2017
Michael Pas Actor, Miscellaneous Crew 24 July 2017
Frank Howard Actor 24 October 2017
Hardie Albright Actor, Soundtrack 24 September 2017
Kyle Edward Cranston Actor 24 February 2017
Harry Hickox Actor, Soundtrack 18 January 2017
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5091
|
__label__wiki
| 0.824395
| 0.824395
|
More legal battles crop up over medical pot
Dara Kam | The News Service of Florida
Separate cases challenge pot smoking, license awarding
TALLAHASSEE — Two more clashes over medical marijuana have cropped up this week.
In the first, lawyers representing two ailing Florida women asked a Tallahassee judge Monday to lift a hold on her ruling that a state law banning patients from smoking pot is unconstitutional, but attorneys for the state argued that there’s no need to rush while her decision is under appeal.
In the second, a Tampa-based orchid grower is challenging a rule proposed by state health officials, arguing the proposal fails to properly carry out a law giving preference for up to two highly sought-after medical marijuana licenses to applicants who own facilities that were used to process citrus.
In the smoking case, Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers heard arguments in the plaintiffs’ request to lift a stay in the lawsuit, which was initiated by Orlando trial attorney John Morgan after the Legislature included the smoking ban in a law carrying out a voter-approved constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.
Gievers last month agreed with Morgan and the plaintiffs, who argued that the text of the constitutional amendment allows patients to use any form of marijuana as their treatment. Morgan largely bankrolled what was known as Amendment 2 on the 2016 ballot.
Lawyers for the Department of Health have maintained the amendment does not expressly permit smoking and that the state has the authority to approve regulations to implement the law and to protect the public from the negative side effects of smoking.
The state immediately appealed Gievers’ May 25 decision striking down the smoking prohibition. The appeal put her ruling on hold, but the plaintiffs then went back to Gievers and asked her to lift the stay.
Failing to lift the stay would cause “irreparable harm” to plaintiff Cathy Jordan, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease more than three decades ago and who credits smoking marijuana with saving her life, lawyer Jon Mills told Gievers on Monday. And hundreds of thousands of other Floridians who are eligible for medical marijuana, including veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, would benefit from smoking their medicine, Mills argued.
“It would seem that, taking the facts as a whole, and that is the irreparable harm to the parties and to the citizens of Florida, it’s hard to imagine more a compelling circumstance,” said Mills, a former state House speaker and former dean of the University of Florida law school.
But Assistant Attorney General Karen Brodeen argued there’s no hurry for Gievers to lift the stay, in part because of a lengthy state rulemaking process. Smokable pot “won’t be available for a long time,” if the courts ultimately decide that it is legal, Brodeen said.
Gievers, who agreed to a seven-day delay after Mills assured her his clients did not object, did not immediately rule on the request to lift the stay.
The citrus preference was included in a law passed last year that implemented a voter-approved constitutional amendment broadly legalizing medical marijuana. The law required health officials to issue 10 new licenses to applicants that meet certain requirements.
The state overall has issued licenses to 13 operators, including a handful of new operators who met the criteria laid out in the 2017 law, but has yet to begin accepting applications for four new licenses from potential vendors that may not have participated in the process before. The new rule challenge will likely delay the application process even further.
The 2017 law requires health officials to give special preference for up to two licenses to applicants that “own one or more facilities that are, or were, used for the canning, concentrating, or otherwise processing of citrus fruit or citrus molasses and will use or convert the facility or facilities for the processing of marijuana.”
The proposed rule, however, “seeks to grant a preference to a broader group of applicants than the statute permits” by giving the preference to applicants who own “property” that was once used for the citrus-processing purposes but will be used for growing, processing, or dispensing medical marijuana, if the applicants are chosen for licenses, lawyers for Louis Del Favero Orchids Inc. wrote.
“By using the broader word ‘property’ rather than ‘facility,’ the department is granting the citrus preference to a broader group of applicants than the statute permits, such as owners of packinghouses and other parties that fail to meet the definitions of ‘processor’ or were not used for ‘canning’ or ‘concentrating.’ The statute is clear and unambiguous,” lawyers Seann Frazier and Mark Ito wrote in the 18-page administrative complaint.
The complaint alleges that the proposed rule “is an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority,” “exceeds the department’s rulemaking authority,” “enlarges and modifies” the provisions of the statute and is “arbitrary and capricious.”
In addition to the issue about the use of “property” or “facility,” the proposed rule is flawed in at least two other ways, according to the orchid grower’s lawyers.
The proposed regulation would give 35 additional points to the two highest-scoring applicants seeking the citrus preference, but that means some applicants seeking the citrus preference won’t get any extra points, the lawyers argued.
In addition, the proposed rule “provides no assurance that any applicant qualifying for the citrus preference will actually receive a license,” the lawyers argued.
In addition to the citrus rule challenge, the Department of Health is currently involved in at least seven pot-related lawsuits.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5096
|
__label__wiki
| 0.972795
| 0.972795
|
Adam Blair excited for opportunity to represent Warriors
Newshub reporter
The forward signed a three-year deal with the club in October. Credits: Photo - Photosport; Video - Newshub
New Warriors recruit Adam Blair is excited for what lies ahead in his first season with the Auckland club.
The 31-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Warriors in October and he will bring much-needed experience to the Warriors forward pack, following the departures of Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman and Ryan Hoffman.
The Northland-born Blair has played in 266 NRL games with the Melbourne Storm, Wests Tigers and, most recently, Brisbane Broncos. On top of that, he has donned the Kiwis jersey on more than 40 occasions.
New Zealand Warriors submitting tender for one of six women's NRL franchises
Warriors new trainer Alex Corvo could prove the best buy of the 2018 NRL season
News of Blair's arrival drew mixed reactions from Warriors fans, but despite that, he is excited to play for the team he grew up watching.
"I'm enjoying it," Blair told media. "This is my fourth week so to put on the jersey the other day, when we did the photos and stuff, felt a little surreal."
"As a kid, I didn't watch much rugby league, but I watched the Warriors growing up and always thought I'd play for the Warriors, and now I have an opportunity to work hard and get a position to play for them.
"It feels good to be a part of the Warriors and it's exciting."
Despite captaining the national side, Blair will not lead the Warriors in 2018 season, with the club confirming Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will keep the armband for the upcoming season.
Blair was supportive of the decision to keep Tuivasa-Sheck on as captain, indicating that being skipper wasn't a priority for him.
"For me, it's about making sure that I get here, work hard, grind away, do my time and all those things will come in the future.
"Roger's done a great job here, we're all here to support him and we've got some great boys around him."
Newshub.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5097
|
__label__wiki
| 0.55188
| 0.55188
|
Home | Politics
Tags: Trump Administration | Donald Trump | Immigration | US | Trump
Trump to Police Chiefs: Even a 'Bad High School Student' Would Uphold Travel Ban
By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 10:35 AM
In a speech to major city police officers Wednesday, President Donald Trump continued to press the case for his executive order banning banning travel from some Muslim-majority countries, slamming the nation's court system as "so political."
He read from U.S. law before insisting that even a "bad high school student" would rule in favor of him the president having broad control over who enters the country.
"This isn't just me. This is for Obama, for Ronald Reagan, for the president. This was done, very importantly, for security," Trump told the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
"It was done for the security of our nation, for the security of our citizens, so people don't come in who are going to do us harm. That is why is was done. It couldn't have been written more precisely."
In his attack on the courts, Trump assured his audience that "I don't ever want to call a court biased. So I won't call it biased. And we haven't had a decision yet. But courts seem to be so political. And it would be so great for our justice system if they would be able to read the statement and do what's right.
"I think it's a sad day. I think our security's at risk today," Trump said.
"If these judges wanted to, in my opinion, help the court in terms of respect for the court, they'd do what they should be doing," he said.
Last week Trump labeled the judge who put his directive on hold, U.S. District Judge James Robart of Seattle, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, a "so-called judge." Last year Trump sharply attacked a judge who was presiding over a case involving one of his businesses.
In a Twitter post earlier on Wednesday, Trump wrote, "If the U.S. does not win this case as it so obviously should, we can never have the security and safety to which we are entitled. Politics!"
If the U.S. does not win this case as it so obviously should, we can never have the security and safety to which we are entitled. Politics!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017
He later telegraphed the topic of his speech to the chiefs in another tweet, saying he would be "discussing the horrible, dangerous and wrong decision."
I will be speaking at 9:00 A.M. today to Police Chiefs and Sheriffs and will be discussing the horrible, dangerous and wrong decision.......
He followed up with a thank-you tweet after the speech.
Thank you to our great Police Chiefs & Sheriffs for your leadership & service. You have a true friend in the @WhiteHouse. We support you! pic.twitter.com/niwuK5rgXR
During an oral argument lasting more than an hour on Tuesday, the appeals court panel in San Francisco pressed an administration lawyer over whether the Trump administration's national security argument was backed by evidence that people from the seven countries posed a danger.
This report contains material from The Associated Press and Reuters.
US, Trump
Wednesday, 08 February 2017 10:35 AM
Sen. Scott: Trump 'Injected GOP Into a Democratic Fight'
President Donald Trump has "injected [Republicans] into a Democratic fight," Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C, the lone Republican . . .
Administration Nixes TPS Status for Venezuelans in US
A request by a group of 24 senators to provide Venezuelans in the United States temporary immigrant benefits in light of . . .
Poll: Republican Support for Trump Rises After Racially Charged Tweets
Support for U.S. President Donald Trump increased slightly among Republicans after he lashed out on Twitter over the wee . . .
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5098
|
__label__cc
| 0.617821
| 0.382179
|
Listen as Marylou O’Donnell, director of business process and project management at Boston University, explains how they dramatically improved admissions processing by implementing OnBase.
Boston University: A Revolutionary Process
My role is to look at business processes to work with the people who do the actual processing of documents and services that we provide and try to make them more efficient. And I've been doing this for a long time, 25 years at the university.
I never have, and I don't think ever will again have the opportunity to bring so much change with a single project implementation as we did with OnBase. So life before OnBase was pretty hectic in the admissions office, the year before OnBase we had 36,000 applications, which had steadily increased.
From Three Shifts to One
We had people coming in working at 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and then a regular 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and then a 2:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m. shift generally. So it was a full-out run from January to the end of March to get it all done. And every year, we tweaked the process to make it more efficient, but every year, with the volume increasing, we just put more on the people who actually had to do the work to get it all done.
We saw a lot of companies that could meet our document imaging needs, but when OnBase came in, they were, first of all, so attentive to what our goals were and where we are trying to go. And secondly, they provided a workflow tool that really set them aside from anyone else we had looked at.
The year after we implemented OnBase we cut out all three shifts. We went to a single regular workday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. And that year, that very first year, we finished two weeks earlier than we did when we were all paper. I just can't say enough about the support that we felt and the help that we got and how much the individual people who came in to help us cared about getting it right.
What I always tell people when they call for references about OnBase is if you're in a foxhole, those are the people that you want in the foxhole with you. So from a customer service standpoint, it just revolutionized what we did and allowed us to serve more families every day because we could answer more calls because there weren't callbacks as the customer service staff went and looked for things. And it was immediate response for the family during a really anxious time.
You have to really see it to understand what a huge difference it made in the office. It was incredible.
Case Study OnBase helps Boston University pinpoint the best applicants
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5099
|
__label__wiki
| 0.710374
| 0.710374
|
My OTF Apply
My OTF
News, updates, and announcements
Alternative Sources of Support - September 2018
Fri, 2018-09-28 20:19 | By: Dan McDevitt
Funding opportunities from OTF and elsewhere
Each month, OTF sends an announcement of upcoming funding deadlines relevant to internet freedom to our OTF-announce mailing list. The announcement includes funding opportunities from both OTF and alternative funding sources. Below you can find the September 2018 edition.
If you’d like to receive this announcement directly in your inbox, you can sign up for our low traffic OTF-announce mailing list here. In addition, you can find our compiled list of alternative funding sources here. The opportunities listed below are only for those with approaching deadlines, while a number of funders accept applications on a rolling basis.
OTF Funding
OTF - Internet Freedom Fund
Next deadline: November 1, 2018
The Internet Freedom Fund is OTF's primary way to support projects and people working on open and accessible technology-centric projects that promote human rights, internet freedom, open societies, and help advance inclusive and safe access to global communications networks. Successful applicants are awarded monetary support up to $900,000 and no less than $10,000, with preference given to projects and people who are new to the internet freedom community, directly serving those living within repressive environments, and are requesting less than $300,000 for a duration of 12 months or less.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/internet-freedom-fund
OTF - Core Infrastructure Fund
The Core Infrastructure Fund supports the development, improvement, and increased adoption of foundational 'building block' technologies that are relied upon by digital security and circumvention projects. This may include efforts focused on sustaining or improving PGP, SSL, SSH, Tor, OTR, pluggable transports, code libraries, or other technologies, infrastructures, and standards that make up the core building blocks of everyday internet freedom technologies and which are used by people throughout the world to increase their access, privacy, and security online.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/core-infrastructure-fund
OTF - Rapid Response Fund
Deadline: Ongoing
The Rapid Response Fund is part of a broader OTF initiative which aims to facilitate the development of a strong digital emergency response community that can work together to resolve threats in a timely and comprehensive manner. OTF offers both direct financial support as well as technical services from trusted service partners to resolve digital emergencies experienced by high-risk Internet users and organizations, such as bloggers, activists, journalists. and human rights defenders.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/rapid-response-fund
OTF - Labs
For more specific, one-off support needs and services, check out OTF's Labs: Localization, Community, Engineering, Usability, Red Team, and Legal.
Learn more about OTF’s Labs here: https://www.opentech.fund/labs
Alternative Funding
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Internet Freedom Core Support for Anti-Censorship Technology
Deadline: November 9, 2018
The State Department’s Internet Freedom program issued a call for “organizations interested in submitting applications for long-term, core support for proven anti-censorship technologies.” DRL “anticipates having approximately $7,000,000...available to support approximately two to three successful applications” for technologies “that can be expanded to serve a larger and more diverse user base,” which have a “proven track record of successfully circumventing online censorship in highly Internet-restricted environments,” and which have a “significant existing global user-base,” among other requested specifications.
More information: https://www.state.gov/j/drl/p/284036.htm
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Internet Freedom: Advancing and Promoting Anti-Censorship Transport Libraries
The State Department’s Internet Freedom program has announced “an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for long-term development, core support, outreach, and implementation of censorship-defeating pluggable transports (PTs).” DRL “anticipates having approximately $2,000,000...available to support approximately one successful application” for “a multi-year program to expand the existing open-source pluggable transports library, provide support for emerging and innovative pluggable transports, engage in outreach to support the implementation of open-source transports into a variety of communication tools that are vulnerable to blocking by censorious regimes, and provide ongoing measurement and testing to determine the effectiveness of transports in different censorship environments,” among other requested specifications.
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Secure and Sustainable Human Rights Documentation Solutions
Deadline: December 7, 2018
The State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) has announced “an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support the research, development, and implementation of secure human rights (HR) documentation solutions,” in furtherance of DRL’s goal “to promote accountability for perpetrators of genocide and mass atrocities...Programs should provide civil society actors with sustainable solutions for usable and secure documentation-gathering, short and long-term storage, delivery and interface with international and national truth, justice, and accountability bodies and processes, and training in the implementation of such technologies and strategies.” DRL “anticipates having approximately $1,000,000...available to support approximately one successful application” for projects which “may span multiple years as appropriate[.]”
IBM - Call for Code Global Challenge
Deadline: September 28, 2018
IBM’s Call for Code Global Challenge is offering awards to projects seeking to “build applications that improve disaster preparedness and build resilient communities” which can be “deployed effectively and easily around the world,” with the first place grantee receiving a $200k USD cash prize and “long-term open source project support from The Linux Foundation,” while second and third prize awards total $25k USD. IBM stipulates that all submissions “must be deployed and run on the IBM Cloud.” Potential project goals include improving supply chain management through blockchain technology and utilizing analytics to predict the impact of extreme weather events.
More information: https://callforcode.org/challenge/
Data Transparency Lab (DTL) - Call for Tools 2018
“The main purpose of DTL is to support the development of software on data transparency & privacy. With this aim DTL has launched this international funding opportunity to enable startups, companies, entrepreneurs, students, universities and research centers to develop apps, tools, libraries and other forms of software that provide privacy and transparency to users on how their data is being used when they connect to online services: which data is collected, who is collecting that data and how it is used.” DTL will award a total of €50,000 to projects, with each receiving somewhere between €10,000 and €25,000, in addition to other non-monetary benefits.
More information: https://datatransparencylab.org/call-for-tools/
Prototype Fund
The Prototype Fund “supports ideas in civic tech, data literacy, data security, and software infrastructure.” Grants of up to €47.500 are available, and projects have up to 6 months to implement ideas from a concept to prototype. The Prototype Fund is able to support up to 25 projects per funding round, and outputs “must be made publicly available under an open source license.” This funding round features a specific theme of “Letting machines learn,” calling for submissions which “encourage more people to participate in shaping...new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.”
*Note: Limited to German residents*
More information: https://prototypefund.de/en/
Ethics and Governance of AI Initiative - News and Information Quality Challenge
The Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Initiative (the AI Initiative) has announced $750,000 in funding aiming to ensure “the use of artificial intelligence in the news ecosystem” is applied “ethically and in the public interest.” The AI Initiative will accept proposals focused on four specific topics: “governance,” “platform design,” “bad actors,” and “journalism.” Proposals will be accepted through an open call.
More information: https://aiethicsinitiative.org/news/2018/8/5/ai-initiative-announcing-750000-challenge-on-news-and-information-quality
National Endowment for Democracy (NED) - Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program
NED’s Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program “offers five-month fellowships to leading democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders, and scholars from around the world.” Fellows work out of NED’s International Forum for Democratic Studies in Washington D.C. for the duration of their fellowship. Intended candidates include “practitioners from developing and aspiring democracies, and those from non-democratic countries.” The fellowship offers “monthly payments to cover living expenses, plus basic health insurance, travel reimbursement, and research support” and runs from October 1, 2019–February 29, 2020 (Fall Session) or March 1–July 31, 2020 (Spring Session).
More information: https://www.ned.org/fellowships/
OpenCellular - OpenCellular Grants Program
Deadline (to submit a Letter of Interest): October 20, 2018
The OpenCellular Grants (OCG) program supports “the non-commercial development and non-traditional deployment of OpenCellular (OC) in rural areas where access to cellular is limited due to availability of service, price of service or limited consumer demand.” OpenCellular is a Facebook project focused on advancing “rural connectivity” by “developing of hardware, software and testing frameworks,” “manufacturing equipment for small scale production,” “connecting rural communities,” and “empowering/building capacity/knowledge.” Most grantees receive “between $10,000 to $25,000 USD,” though some larger grants may be available.
More information: http://oc.telecominfraproject.com/opencellular-grant-program/
Facebook - Request for Proposals: Statistics for Improving Insights and Decisions
Facebook is offering $150k in research grants “to address problems of applied statistics that have direct applications for producing more effective insights and decisions for data scientists and researchers” in order to improve Facebook’s platform while also “producing generalizable knowledge” and the creation of “useful, easy-to-use and open-source software.” Facebook is looking to support studies in areas such as the design and analysis of experiments; surveys, nonresponse bias and missing data; forecasting; statistical models of complex social processes; and the efficiency and correctness of human analysts, among others.
More information: https://research.fb.com/programs/research-awards/proposals/statistics-for-improving-insights-and-decisions-request-for-proposals/
Outreachy - Paid Internships
Outreachy “help[s] newcomers to Free and Open Source Software make their first contributions,” with a goal of supporting “people from groups underrepresented in tech” through paid ($5,500) 3-month internships with a variety of open source projects, including Debian, Mozilla, Fedora, Git, and Wikimedia. Note that some projects have deadlines later than September 30th; these can be found at the link below.
More information: https://www.outreachy.org/apply/project-selection/
Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy - Individual Grants
The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy provides individual grants for current PhD students working on “projects with a social policy application on either a global or local level” and which “address contemporary issues in the social sciences.” Grants are worth $7,500 and recipients have five years to complete their project.
More information: https://www.horowitz-foundation.org/apply
National Science Foundation (NSF) - America’s Seed Fund
NSF’s “America’s Seed Fund” program helps “startups and small businesses transform their ideas into marketable products and services,” focusing on “high-risk, high-impact technologies — those that show promise but whose success hasn’t yet been validated” in a variety of areas including “ IoT, edtech, smart health, [and] robotics.” The program awards $200 million in funding for entrepreneurs each year. Successful applicants may receive up to $225,000 for 6 to 12 months for Phase I funding, and are eligible to apply for second round funding of up to $750,000 over 24 months. Note that eligible applicants may not be non-profit institutions and must qualify as an American “Small Business Concern,” per the program’s stated eligibility requirements.
More information: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) - FY 2018 DRL Internet Freedom Annual Program Statement
Deadline: February 8, 2019
The State Department’s Internet Freedom program has issued its annual program statement detailing its desired criteria for applicants interested in submitting a Statement of Interest (SOI). There are four funding themes: 1) “Technology: Uncensored and Secure Access to the Global Internet,” 2) “Digital Safety,” 3) “Policy and Advocacy,” and 4) “Applied Research,” with preference given to open source technologies and projects that include a long-term sustainability model, feature collaborative partnerships, and which benefit at-risk and vulnerable populations. In order to remain eligible, SOIs should not request “less than $500,000” or “more than $3,000,000.” Organizations may submit up to two SOIs per deadline.
National Science Foundation (NSF) - Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) FY19 Solicitation
Application opens: October 1, 2018
NSF’s SaTC program “welcomes proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy,” with preference given to “proposals that advance the field of cybersecurity and privacy within a single discipline or interdisciplinary efforts that span multiple disciplines.” NSF estimates that there will be $68 million available for project funding, with 93 awards in total expected. Funding is available for small (up to $500k, up to three years) and medium (from $500,001 to $1.2 million, up to four years) projects across three designations (CORE, Education, and Transition to Practice). This year, NSF is accepting SaTC submissions on a rolling basis over the course of a year, from October 2018 until September 2019. There are a number of other notable changes made from past NSF SaTC solicitations, which can be found in the posting linked to below.
More information: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18572/nsf18572.htm
Newly Added Alternative Funding Sources
Given the large amount of funding requests OTF receives, we’re always on the lookout for new funding sources that may be of interest to the community, keeping a special eye out for funders that are relevant in some way to Internet freedom, technology development, or the broader intersection between human rights and technology. Here are a few recently added to our list:
Tidelift - support for open source maintainers
Tidelift has committed $1 million to support maintainers of open source projects such as Babel, Vue, and Paramiko, among others. Additionally, any open source project can register to join the Tidelift platform.
Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society - Digital Civil Society Lab Fellowships
“The Digital Civil Society Lab’s Non-Resident Fellowship supports social sector leaders to dedicate some of their time working on ideas that apply to broad swaths of civil society.” Non-resident fellows are paid $20,000 for year-long projects, along with up to $5,000 in travel support.
Microsoft - AI for Accessibility
A $25 million program focused on “harness[ing] the power of AI to amplify human capability for the more than one billion people around the world with a disability.”
Microsoft - AI for Humanitarian Action
AI for Humanitarian Action is “a new $40 million, five-year Microsoft program” focused on “ leverag[ing] AI to support disaster recovery, address the needs of children, protect displaced people, and promote human rights.”
In addition to the open application windows listed above, you can always check our compiled list of alternative sources of support: https://guide.opentech.fund/appendix-iv-alternative-sources-of-support
To receive this and other funding or OTF-related announcements, sign up for our low-traffic OTF-announce mailing list here: https://groups.google.com/a/opentech.fund/forum/#!forum/otf-announce/join
Program Update
Get the latest internet freedom news
Email Address * First Name Last Name
@OpenTechFund
2025 M Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036 USA
PGP: 67AC DDCF B909 4685 36DD BC03 F766 3861 965A 90D2
Test the OTF website for censorship
Run OONI!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5101
|
__label__cc
| 0.742508
| 0.257492
|
Search on nutri-facts for
What We Know About Alzheimer's Disease and Nutrition
Julia Bird
Alzheimer’s Disease is globally the most common form of dementia in older people. The disease is characterized by a slow decline in cognitive function: the first sign of Alzheimer’s Disease is normally loss of memory, particularly of recent events [1]. Later on, the ability to make decisions, use language and write are impaired [1]. Patients cannot care for themselves in the final stages of the disease and are totally dependent on others. These cognitive and functional decreases mirror changes in the brain. Total brain volume shrinks, and there is a gradual breakdown in the brain tissue firstly in areas responsible for memory, then through the rest of the brain.
Alzheimer’s Disease and other related dementias currently affect around 24 million people worldwide. The number of cases have shown a steady increase over the past decades, and dementia now the global number 4 cause of death in the world [2]. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, healthcare costs for treating patients are considerable, exceeding those from cancer or cardiovascular disease in high-income countries such as the United States [3].
Unfortunately, we still do not know the exact underlying causes of Alzheimer’s Disease [4]. A complex combination of genes and environment determine the onset and progression of the disease. There is no cure, and current medication can only slow the progression of the disease or treat certain symptoms [5]. However, certain genetic and lifestyle factors are known to affect the risk of developing the disease [6]. It seems that there is overlap in many of the risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease. For example, smoking, physical inactivity and obesity tend to increase risk, while the use of statin medication (a first-line treatment for high cholesterol levels) could decrease risk according to several meta-analyses [7,8]. In addition, it seems that low social interactions, poor sleep, and a history of head injuries can increase risk, while engaging in intellectually stimulating activities can decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease [6].
Diet and nutrition are also thought to play a modest role in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. For example, people with type II diabetes are at greater risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, and the development of diabetes is related in part to dietary intakes of energy-dense foods. Currently, risk of Alzheimer’s Disease is lowest in people who have a healthy dietary pattern, such as in the Mediterranean [9] or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets [10]. These diets follow standard dietary guidelines and contain plenty of fruit and vegetables, healthy fats from nuts and fish, are high in fiber and contain limited sugar [11]. On the other hand, the Western diet, containing higher intakes of red and processed meat, refined grains and sugar was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease [11].
It is difficult to identify specific nutrients that affect risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Ultimately, the total nutrient content of the diet seems to be important rather than specific components. Even so, several nutrients have been identified as potential influences of some of the processes that underlie Alzheimer’s Disease [12]. For example, the two antioxidant vitamins C and E may support antioxidant defences, which could protect the brain from oxidative stress in the highly metabolically active brain [12]. Vitamin C, along with folate, are found in higher concentrations in the brain [13,14], and researchers believe this may protect DNA in cells in the brain from damage [12]. Many of the B-vitamins are involved in the production of energy in cells, which is particularly important in the brain where energy needs are much higher than in other organs [15]. Deficiencies in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, vitamin B12 and folate impair the way that cells make their energy [12]. It is prudent to avoid deficiencies in the B-vitamins, for general health, and also the health of the brain.
This Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness month, think about how to nourish your brain by choosing a healthy lifestyle and diet.
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not worried at all and 5 being extremely worried, how worried are you about your brain health declining later in life?
Joubert, S.; Gour, N.; Guedj, E.; Didic, M.; Gueriot, C.; Koric, L.; Ranjeva, J.P.; Felician, O.; Guye, M.; Ceccaldi, M. Early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer's disease are associated with distinct patterns of memory impairment. Cortex 2016, 74, 217-232. 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.10.014.
Collaborators, G.B.D.C.o.D. Global, regional, and national age-sex specific mortality for 264 causes of death, 1980-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet 2017, 390, 1151-1210. 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32152-9.
Kelley, A.S.; McGarry, K.; Gorges, R.; Skinner, J.S. The burden of health care costs for patients with dementia in the last 5 years of life. Ann Intern Med 2015, 163, 729-736. 10.7326/M15-0381.
Jack, C.R., Jr.; Bennett, D.A.; Blennow, K.; Carrillo, M.C.; Dunn, B.; Haeberlein, S.B.; Holtzman, D.M.; Jagust, W.; Jessen, F.; Karlawish, J., et al. NIA-AA Research Framework: Toward a biological definition of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2018, 14, 535-562. 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.02.018.
Sahoo, A.K.; Dandapat, J.; Dash, U.C.; Kanhar, S. Features and outcomes of drugs for combination therapy as multi-targets strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease. J Ethnopharmacol 2018, 215, 42-73. 10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.015.
Reitz, C.; Mayeux, R. Alzheimer disease: epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, risk factors and biomarkers. Biochem Pharmacol 2014, 88, 640-651. 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.12.024.
Hersi, M.; Irvine, B.; Gupta, P.; Gomes, J.; Birkett, N.; Krewski, D. Risk factors associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review of the evidence. Neurotoxicology 2017, 61, 143-187. 10.1016/j.neuro.2017.03.006.
Xu, W.; Wang, H.F.; Wan, Y.; Tan, C.C.; Yu, J.T.; Tan, L. Leisure time physical activity and dementia risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ Open 2017, 7, e014706. 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014706.
Cao, L.; Tan, L.; Wang, H.F.; Jiang, T.; Zhu, X.C.; Lu, H.; Tan, M.S.; Yu, J.T. Dietary Patterns and Risk of Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. Mol Neurobiol 2016, 53, 6144-6154. 10.1007/s12035-015-9516-4.
Pistollato, F.; Iglesias, R.C.; Ruiz, R.; Aparicio, S.; Crespo, J.; Lopez, L.D.; Manna, P.P.; Giampieri, F.; Battino, M. Nutritional patterns associated with the maintenance of neurocognitive functions and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: A focus on human studies. Pharmacol Res 2018, 131, 32-43. 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.03.012.
Hu, N.; Yu, J.T.; Tan, L.; Wang, Y.L.; Sun, L.; Tan, L. Nutrition and the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Biomed Res Int 2013, 2013, 524820. 10.1155/2013/524820.
Fenech, M. Vitamins Associated with Brain Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease: Biomarkers, Epidemiological and Experimental Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Knowledge Gaps. Adv Nutr 2017, 8, 958-970. 10.3945/an.117.015610.
Hyland, K.; Shoffner, J.; Heales, S.J. Cerebral folate deficiency. J Inherit Metab Dis 2010, 33, 563-570. 10.1007/s10545-010-9159-6.
May, J.M. Vitamin C transport and its role in the central nervous system. Subcell Biochem 2012, 56, 85-103. 10.1007/978-94-007-2199-9_6.
Porter, K.; Hoey, L.; Hughes, C.F.; Ward, M.; McNulty, H. Causes, Consequences and Public Health Implications of Low B-Vitamin Status in Ageing. Nutrients 2016, 8. 10.3390/nu8110725.
DHA Omega-3 Nutrition for the Athlete – The University of Wyoming’s Sports Program
Julian Bailes, M.D., initiated some of the earliest research focused on DHA omega-3 to support an athlete’s brain, and the University of Wyoming is now embracing it with their athletes.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5109
|
__label__wiki
| 0.985093
| 0.985093
|
Politics|Andrew Kohut, Pew Pollster Who Shed Light on Public Opinion, Dies at 73
Andrew Kohut, Pew Pollster Who Shed Light on Public Opinion, Dies at 73
Mr. Kohut, in his office in Princeton, N.J., in 1980, when he was president of the Gallup Organization.CreditCreditFred R. Conrad/The New York Times
By Sam Roberts
Andrew Kohut, a leading pollster who for three decades mined the public’s views on subjects like sex, race and religion but who, as an impartial professional, rarely revealed his own, died on Tuesday in Baltimore. He was 73.
The cause was complications of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, his wife, Diane Colasanto, said.
Mr. Kohut (pronounced KO-hut) was the founding director of the Pew Research Center and served as its president from 2004 until his retirement in 2013.
He was the president of the Gallup Organization from 1979 to 1989, founded Princeton Survey Research Associates, was the founding director of surveys for the Times Mirror Center in 1990, and, in 1993, became the director of what became the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
He continued to write, however; as recently as May, on the website RealClearPolitics.com, he assessed the electoral outlook of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Among fellow public opinion professionals, social scientists, politicians and journalists, Mr. Kohut was widely respected for his nonpartisanship, expertise and clarity in interpreting the findings of polls and what they portended.
“As good as he was at writing questionnaires — arguably the hardest and most important part of the survey process — he was a genius at crafting a story about data that brought the evidence to bear with a minimum of words, using sharp declarative sentences that elevated the important findings out of the thicket of numbers,” said Scott Keeter, director of survey research for the Pew Research Center.
In the introduction to one of several books Mr. Kohut was a co-writer of, he explained that what followed was drawn principally from survey data. “This is not a work of speculation, opinion or theory,” he wrote.
Yes, he wrote in a 2012 Op-Ed article in The New York Times, income inequality had become a volatile political issue, but he cautioned: “While Americans are hearing more and more about class conflict, there is little indication that they are increasingly divided along these lines. People don’t necessarily want to take money from the wealthy; they just want a better chance to get rich themselves.”
Andrew Kohut in an undated photo. He was the founding director of the Pew Research Center and served as its president from 2004 until his retirement in 2013.Creditvia Pew research Center
And in 2008, explaining why pre-primary polls had exaggerated Senator Barack Obama’s potential in New Hampshire, Mr. Kohut wrote in another Times Op-Ed article that the surveys had undercounted poor whites, who tend to look more unfavorably on blacks.
“In 1989, as a Gallup pollster, I overestimated the support for David Dinkins in his first race for New York City mayor against Rudolph Giuliani,” he wrote. “Mr. Dinkins was elected, but with a two-percentage-point margin of victory, not the 15 I had predicted. I concluded, eventually, that I got it wrong not so much because respondents were lying to our interviewers but because poorer, less well-educated voters were less likely to agree to answer our questions.”
Mr. Kohut was born in Newark on Sept. 2, 1942, the son of Peter Kohut, an industrial glassblower, and the former Lena Grieco, a factory worker.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University in New Jersey in 1964 and did graduate work in sociology at Rutgers.
His first marriage, to Marybeth Kelman, ended in divorce. In addition to his wife, Ms. Colasanto, he is survived by a daughter, Amy Kohut; a son, Matthew; a stepson, Nicholas Cohn; a grandson; and a sister, Roseellen Cutter. He lived in Washington.
Mr. Kohut was a past president of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the National Council on Public Polls and a co-author of four books, most recently “America Against the World: How We Are Different and Why We Are Disliked,” with the former journalist Bruce Stokes, a Pew scholar.
The book, drawn from 91,000 interviews in 50 countries conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, examined attitudes toward Americans after President George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004. The authors found that opinion abroad was encapsulated the next day by the British tabloid The Daily Mirror in a headline: “How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?”
Anti-Americanism, directed at United States government policies, had been pervasive for years, the authors wrote, but the world had always “held Americans in higher esteem than America.” Now, they wrote, foreigners are “increasingly equating the U.S. people with the U.S. government.”
And public opinion, they found, was becoming an ever more powerful global force with the rise of digital communications technology. News now travels incredibly swiftly, they wrote, and “the spread of news across borders is not neutral: it has consequences.”
“It stimulates thought that produces opinions,” Mr. Kohut and Mr. Stokes added. “Today, the views of ordinary people abroad — especially those in Western democracies — play an increased role in shaping the political reactions in their countries to international events.”
Correction: Sept. 16, 2015
An obituary on Wednesday about Andrew Kohut, the founding director of the Pew Research Center, misstated the surname of the center’s director of survey research. He is Scott Keeter, not Keeler.
A version of this article appears in print on , Section B, Page 13 of the New York edition with the headline: Andrew Kohut, Who as Pew Founder Revealed Public Opinion, Dies at 73 . Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5110
|
__label__wiki
| 0.942593
| 0.942593
|
Indians trade Encarnacion, Diaz; Carlos Santana returning
Dec 13, 2018 at 1:23 PM Dec 13, 2018 at 8:37 PM
LAS VEGAS — Just as several key members of the Indians front office boarded their return flight from the winter meetings Thursday, they finally struck the type of restructuring deal for which they had been searching but unable to complete the previous three days.
The Indians finalized a major three-team deal to acquire first baseman Carlos Santana and $6 million from the Seattle Mariners along with first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers from the Tampa Bay Rays.
To acquire those two pieces and the cash, the Indians sent designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and a compensation pick (No. 77) to the Mariners and infielder Yandy Diaz and minor-league right-hander Cole Sulser to the Rays. To facilitate the deal, the Rays sent $5 million to the Mariners.
The deal gives the Indians some financial flexibility while also retooling much of their infield with added versatility. Both elements were needed.
“First off, I think we’re acquiring two players who we feel will help us next year,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “Both Carlos and Jake are productive major-league players that not only will contribute but will enhance the versatility to your roster, and beyond that it adds some payroll flexibility in 2019.”
Santana, 32, is still owed $40 million over the next two seasons, along with a $17.5 million club option for 2021, which has a buyout of $500,000. Encarnacion is slated to make $20 million in 2019 and has a club option for 2020 valued at $20 million with a $5 million buyout. Their salaries, at least for 2019, essentially offset before factoring in the cash the Mariners included in the deal.
The Indians were clear during the week they weren’t looking to rebuild. Rather, they were trying to position every asset they could in order to compete in 2019, extend their contention window beyond next year and find the necessary room financially to accomplish each goal. It was an attempt to reposition their resources on the roster.
More moves could very well be coming in direct relation to what the Indians did on Thursday.
Last season as a rookie, Bauers, 23, hit .201 with a .700 OPS (11 HR, 22 doubles), 48 RBI and six stolen bases in 388 plate appearances with the Rays. He primarily played first base but does have experience in left field, potentially giving the Indians some options.
“We like the fact that he can play both,” Antonetti said. “We feel he’s an above-average defender at first but also has some experience in the outfield and can also play out there if that’s where we have an opportunity. That versatility was an attractive element to us in addition to what we think he has the ability to develop into offensively.”
Santana, Bauers and Yonder Alonso are now all on the roster as primarily first basemen/designated hitters. If Bauers is moved to the outfield full time, Alonso can remain at first base. Otherwise, another deal could be in the works.
“A lot of it depends on what the final construction of the roster might be,” Antonetti said when asked how the trade might affect Alonso. “But both Carlos and Jake do have some versatility. We could configure the roster in a variety of different ways.”
In his first year way from Cleveland after signing a three-year, $60 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Santana hit .229 with a .352 on-base percentage, 24 home runs, 28 doubles and 86 RBI last season. He was traded to the Mariners earlier this month.
“We have a long history with him,” Antonetti said of Santana. “We know what makes him tick. We know what things he brings to a team and to a clubhouse, so that does help.”
This deal could also have further ramifications for the infield. Without Diaz, the Indians as currently constructed would likely move Jason Kipnis back to second base and Jose Ramirez to third base, although a secondary move could shift the Indians’ versatile lineup.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5111
|
__label__wiki
| 0.960589
| 0.960589
|
© Simon Warmer
Coloured Vases © Gerrit Schreurs
ESU © Marc Eggimann / Vitra
Polder Sofa © Vitra
Shippo Plates © Gerrit Schreurs
Swatch Table © Morgane LeGall / Galerie Kreo
Born in De Meern, the Netherlands, in 1963, industrial designer Hella Jongerius studied at the Academy for Industrial Design in Eindhoven between 1988 and 1993. She started her own design studio, Jongeriuslab, in 1993 in Rotterdam. Between 1993 and 1998, she initiated her own designs while contributing multiple projects to Droog, the Amsterdam-based design company. Since that time, she has worked for a select group of major clients, including the likes of Vitra, KLM, IKEA, Maharam, and Royal Tichelaar Makkum, among others. Jongerius moved to Berlin in 2008 and, since 2012, has taken on the role of art director for colors, textiles, and surfaces at Vitra.
Jongerius is known for works that fuse industry and craft, high and low technologies. Among noted works are her three series of Colored Vases (2003, 2007, and 2010), each an experiment in glazes and pigments; Frog Table (2009), a table dominated by the presence of a large, three-dimensional frog that revels in the role of decoration; and the Polder Sofa (2005), Jongerius’s first collaboration with Vitra and her first industrially produced piece of furniture, which was inspired by the typical Dutch “polder” landscape—artificial land composed of long horizontal dykes and drainage canals.
Since its inclusion in the first Droog design exhibition at the Milan Furniture Fair in 1994, her work has been exhibited at renowned institutions across the globe, including, among others, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; the Design Museum, London; and Villa Noailles, Hyères, France.
Jongerius lives and works in Berlin.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5114
|
__label__wiki
| 0.647199
| 0.647199
|
Nye Beach banners mark 10 years of flying their freak flag
The project, begun to address the Newport community's identity problem, nearly didn't get off the ground because of one controversial offering
November 6, 2018 // COAST, CULTURE, VISUAL ART // Lori Tobias
Organizers can smile about it now, but 10 years ago, few involved in the fledgling Nye Beach Banner Project saw the humor. It all came down to one banner, the work of Rowan Lehrman. The front featured a topless woman painted in the style of bathing suit model Bettie Page, cavorting in the ocean waves, arm reaching up, ending not in a hand, but a crab claw. On the opposite side was the legend: “Nye Beach is 4 Freaks.”
Eileen Hearne created this banner, part of the “10 x 10” show, in 2015. All banners are 22-by-44-inch canvases. Photo by: Tom Webb, Newport Visual Arts Center
“I wanted to make a statement on inclusivity and beauty standards and the way our culture twists things,” said Lehrman, chef at Tables of Content restaurant. “That was the first year of the project, and it really got off to a shaky start. People took offense. They thought a man painted it and it was pornographic. Someone said the word freak bothered them. It was very tense in the beginning. There was talk about not proceeding with the project.”
What few knew was that the work had been inspired by a tale about Lehrman’s birth, when she was treated like a freak.
That was 2009, the kick-off of a project that this month is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a show commemorating its most prolific artists, as well as its annual auction this weekend.
The Nye Beach banners were envisioned as a way to help the little oceanside neighborhood with its perceived identity problem. It was a time of change — both welcome and not. Once known for its blocks of tumbledown cottages and boho spirit, Newport’s Nye Beach was transitioning into a place of multi-level condos, upscale gift shops, and newcomers, some of whom seemed intent on changing Nye Beach into whatever town they’d left behind. It went from being a place once described as not feeling very safe at night, to one touted as having the economic potential to become the next Carmel, which few residents would have considered a good thing.
Julie Lamberson’s whimsical bicyclists decorated Nye Beach streets in 2015. Photo by: Tom Webb, Newport Visual Arts Center
That was the climate shopkeeper Veronica Willemin found herself in. Nye Beach was being discovered, but it was also losing its identity. Visitors were either loving it to death, or they didn’t know it at all. Willemin, director of the Nye Beach Merchant Association, wanted to make sure the tourists kept coming, but she was also committed to honoring the artistic flair that made Nye Beach what it was — colorful, humble even.
Someone suggested they buy and hang banners. Commercially produced banners would certainly tell visitors where they were, but they wouldn’t represent the area’s artists. So, Willemin decided she’d make blank banners and invite artists to decorate them. Thirty-five artists, including the late Rick Bartow, a pivotal figure in Native American art, took her up on the invite. Soon the hand-painted banners were flying from streetlights all around the neighborhood.
Then the grumbling started.
When Lehrman learned of the trouble, she offered to change the text on her banner, but Willemin stopped her.
The late Lynn Bishop’s crows decorate a 2017 banner. Photo by: Tom Webb, Newport Visual Arts Center
“I said, ‘No I don’t want you do to that,’” she recalled. “It will look like we are a bunch of little old ladies and we are censoring the artist.”
Instead, Willemin called a meeting of the merchant association and invited Lehrman to tell her tale.
“I have a very large birthmark in the center of my chest, and when I was born, they told my mom I had a severe deformity and they took me away,” Lehrman said. “This was 1974. My mom was thinking I was missing a limb or something.
“They didn’t bring me back for 24 hours and when they put me in her arms, she said, ‘What’s wrong with her?’ They showed her the birthmark. My mom was like, ‘That’s it?’ They warned my parents that I would have all sorts of problems and that men wouldn’t want to date me. Every year until I hit puberty, my parents would ask me if I wanted to get it removed, but I always thought, this is just who I am.”
When Lehrman finished her story, some of the members had tears in their eyes. One of the biggest critics asked to hang the banner in front of her business. The banner project would go on.
Rowan Lehrman’s 2018 effort pays sly homage to her contentious offering in the inaugural Nye Beach banner project. Photo by: Tom Webb, Newport Visual Arts Center
Ten years later, the project and its culminating silent auction have raised about $70,000 for the children’s art program, Art Fridays. It’s also inspired similar projects in states as far away as Florida.
The project is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a show titled 10 x 10: A Decade of the Nye Beach Banner Project. Previous auction winners have loaned the show 14 banners — 10 representing the work of the artists who have created the most banners over the years, plus four in memory of Bartow, Lynn Bishop, Chad Buckingham and Andrew Rodman. They are hanging in the upstairs gallery of the Newport Visual Arts Center through Nov. 24.
The silent auction of this year’s banners will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, also in the Visual Arts Center.
That’s where you’ll find Lehrman’s 2018 banner, a riff on the original piece and still freakish after all these years.
“This year I wanted to revisit the ‘Nye Beach is for freaks’ theme and kind of bring it full circle since it was the 10-year anniversary,” she said. On the front of her banner, a scantily clad woman kneels on the beach, her crab claw hand resting atop her head. The back reads, “Nye Beach is Still 4 Freaks.”
Laughed Lehrman, “People on the inside will definitely get the joke.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5116
|
__label__wiki
| 0.850418
| 0.850418
|
GLORY DADS RELISH CHANCE TO GIVE BACK
Glory's players and coaching staff have established a proud tradition of engaging closely with the local South African community since the club's first pre-season trip to the Republic in 2011 and that tradition has been very much upheld during the current tour.
Earlier this week, Alistair Edwards, Gareth Naven and Scott Miller conducted a well-attended clinic for local coaches close to the club's training base in Nelspruit and the entire travelling party was involved in running a training session for youngsters in the nearby township of Kabokwene. And as fathers to young children themselves, Jacob Burns and Steven McGarry found the Kabokwene visit an especially profound experience.
"It was a fantastic and really humbling day for a lot of the players," said Burns. "I've been on similar trips here before in previous years, but it still hits home every time and really pulls at the heartstrings. "It makes me realise how lucky I am to come from Australia. "A lot of the kids are doing the drills without shoes on, let alone boots and it really drives home how fortunate we are in Australia. "As a father myself, it's something I'm very mindful of in raising my kids. "I want them to appreciate everything they have and not to expect things just to be given to them. "It's something my parents instilled in me and I'm trying to do the same to my own kids now. "It really hits home seeing these young, innocent little faces and knowing that they are in really tough situations. "I think a lot of the boys felt really good to be able to give something back and also to have the opportunity to see how things work in another country and another culture and try to help out in any way they could. "We've got similar sessions planned for when we move on to Johannesburg and they are definitely a very important part of the trip."
Those sentiments were echoed by McGarry who managed to provide some practical help for at least one talented local youngster.
"Even just driving up to the townships," he said, "you see the shanty houses that these people are living in and it really makes you very appreciative of what you've got. "I took a pair of boots along and towards the end there was a freestyle skills competition and I gave the boots as a prize to one of the lads involved. "He'd never had a pair of boots before as he couldn't afford any, so it was brilliant to be able to do that. "You could see from their reaction that the kids there loved it and it's great to be able to have an impact on kids like that and spread the message of football and the name of Perth Glory as well."
Perth Glory's 2013 South Africa tour proudly sponsored by Kaboko Mining, Live2Learn and Europcar
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5119
|
__label__cc
| 0.571514
| 0.428486
|
Sailing in the Solent
This weekend saw not one but two high profile racing events head into Solent waters. The America’s Cup World Series came to Portsmouth in not so ideal weather, and the Transatlantic Race crews spent the weekend relaxing and preparing their yachts after a gruelling Atlantic crossing.
The America’s Cup is the oldest international trophy in world sport, pre-dating the modern Olympics, and Sir Ben Ainslie hopes to bring it home. With the 25th America’s Cup taking place in Bermuda in 2017, the action came to Portsmouth this weekend for the first of many test events, and local team Land Rover BAR proved they already have what it takes to compete.
The Transatlantic Race wasn't far behind with the first race organised in 1866. After a revamp in 2011 by the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron, this year the race saw over 30 yachts set sail from Rhode Island with the sole aim of crossing the finish line at Lizard Point as quickly as possible. Many of the yachts then sailed straight to Cowes in a Coastal Race before Cowes Week and the Rolex Fastnet later in August.
Craig Stanbury, Operations Director Peters & May commented: “It’s been a brilliant weekend for yacht racing on the South Coast, and despite the weather, Land Rover BAR pulled out all the stops to show the rest of the America’s Cup fleet what they're made of.”
He continues: “Having spent a couple of weeks out in Rhode Island arranging the required logistics for the start of the Transatlantic Race, it was brilliant to see most of them arrive safely in Cowes, with only a few yachts being forced to retire. The teams’ kit has now returned from the US, and they are either preparing for their next regattas, or getting ready to head home after a truly spectacular race.”
Peters & May hosted a welcome reception at the Royal Yacht Squadron, and attended the awards ceremony where Lucky took home the IRC Overall position, closely followed by Outsider and Mariette of 1915. In one of the hottest contests of the season, Rambler also beat Comanche in a corrected time of just under 5 hours in IRC Class 1. You can find a full breakdown of the podium positions here.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0009.json.gz/line5120
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.