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__label__wiki	0.525512	0.525512	Reader Letters Apr 11, 2006 Al Qaeda Could Not Be Bothered Dale Peck’s judging of McEwan’s and Smith’s novels shows that this self-proclaimed most-hated man in publishing, while lacking any critical acumen, possesses an unmatched ego. Contemporary fiction’s nothing more than an enabler of certain bourgeois illusions Social compact is spiritual and species suicideliterary novelirrelevant mea culpas This from a man who makes a living from publishing? Who says five pages in the Times magazine were very important to his career, who will ensure he gets publicity, even though it became clear to me when I sat down with James Atlas that his article was not about anything. His pretentious babble is most certainly not about anything, other than self-aggrandizement. He clearly had not read either book he is supposed to be judging and lacks the appropriate critical apparatus to do so. His own work is not of the same stature as either of these works, so he issues pronouncements about joining al Qaeda. Al Qaeda could not be bothered supplying him with explosives for a suicide mission, seeing him for the poseur he is. To quote him again, in another context, It’s all sadly reactionary and, frankly, a little pathetic. (The quoted passages that are not from Peck’s judging are all from Robert Birnbaum’s interview with him, published in The Morning News in December 2003.) Andrew Stancek Rosecrans Baldwin co-founded TMN with publisher Andrew Womack in 1999. He is the author of three books, including his latest novel The Last Kid Left (NPR’s Best Books of the Year). His nonfiction appears in a variety of magazines, mostly GQ. More information can be found at rosecransbaldwin.com. More by Rosecrans Baldwin Follow Rosecrans Baldwin on Twitter	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1107
__label__wiki	0.802439	0.802439	Tag: hipsters On June 6, 2016 March 15, 2018 By elliottIn Uncategorized1 Comment The Nice Guys spells summer like a curly straw in a cocktail. Scrambling together private-eye tropes with the counterculture is, by now, an old and venerable sport for the brightest minds in the business. I wrote about the subgenre last year, citing the continuity of hipsterism from Chandler to Vietnam. The detectives are only cosmetically different from Humphrey Bogart and other forebears; it’s the world that is perceived to have changed. In the post-’60s ecosystem, the P.I. is the patsy, the Establishment is the perpetrator. Holding the Establishment accountable is like betting against the house. You might win the battle, but the war rages on. Problem is, we’re coming up short on revelations. P. T. Anderson’s Inherent Vice, which is this movie’s nearest neighbor, was a postmortem on clichés that are old enough to stink like truths. Groovy trip, but still a trip. It butt up against the Establishment only to reaffirm its unknowability. Shane Black, who directed The Nice Guys, isn’t looking for truths he couldn’t find, concealed as they are behind an Establishment firewall. Hippie grievances, for which there is little evidence that the filmmaker feels much sympathy, are sweetened into an anachronistic whine. (Even though we’re supposed to be in L.A., in 1977, those knucklehead protesters should know that we’ll fix the smog problem eventually.) For Black, the counterculture clichés are alive and well—to the point: they are alive. The movie doesn’t aspire to that level of thought that freezes fusty clichés into knee-jerk despair, so the whole thing melts in one’s mouth like a daiquiri. It’s a slurper. Part of its sweetness comes from Black throwing another genre into the blender, the buddy movie. (N.B.: He wrote Lethal Weapon.) This probably seems like less of an adjustment than it is; having a partner sucks the bitter venom out of the gumshoe, the ur-loner of American cinema. The partners are Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, divinely paired and raising their own Nancy Drew (Gosling’s 13-year-old daughter, played by Angourie Rice). The plot is hardly worth mentioning—a genre staple, going back to The Big Sleep—though I’ll register my weariness at seeing the porn world thrown in, as it is whenever so much as a leisure suit is in wardrobe. Continue reading “The Nice Guys” → On June 5, 2014 November 23, 2015 By elliottIn Uncategorized1 Comment Can one truly be self-deprecating if willingness to make fun of oneself is one’s armor and source of pride? Experts refer to this as the Seth Rogen Paradox; it afflicts Neighbors like scoliosis. Being average isn’t just his shtick, it is his vanity; but he’s like the hipsters of yesteryear for whom trucker caps signified “ordinary.” He won’t even stay on the screen; he’s next to you in the theater, pointing out the not-so-obscure references despite the dirty looks. Somehow, he makes this double-secret-reverse jiu-jitsu work for him, in sort-of the way that Republicans get the poor to protect the rich: That could be you up there, Mr. Swollen Stoner in the Beanbag Chair. He’s the Buddha-bellied Everydude: totally “natural” but totally formed by pop culture: down for everything but above engaging with anything out of sheer ignorance that anything could be engaged with. Rogen is not pretentious or phony or unlikable or cynical, but for all his bulk he’s weightless; it’s like he’s in the theater because he seems to react to all experiences as if they were images on a screen. He represents, in attitude and physique, all of us greasy-fingered latchkey kids who felt superior to what we were watching and yet suspected, albeit doofily, that perpetual, passive viewership was a prediabetic Shangri-La—heaven on every channel. Rogen is glamorously irresponsible. Scratch that: post-responsible. Movie-star looks would handicap him because then he couldn’t say “How did a goober like me end up in a paradise like this?” He doesn’t know the answer; all he knows is that it makes him awesome. Self-consciously or not, Rogen is the poster child for indefinite adolescence and that’s a big blank check of hip. If cool is currency, this clump of gentrifried dough is rolling in it. And I think cool is the new currency because, like potential, it cannot be audited. Cool is what advertisers appeal to in consumers these days: our sense of being in touch with “the culture,” of catching its references—of contributing to it. It’s the fusion cuisine of communal and narcissistic, of democratic and élite. The “other” (in the ideal, one-world-order of advertising, not I.R.L.) doesn’t belong to a different race, class, gender, sexual preference, ideology, or creed anymore—that ain’t P.C., and, ipso facto, profitable. The other is the one who doesn’t get it. (By the way, I’ll toss age onto the heap of identity-politics labels. Baby boomers—a.k.a. my parents—were the test case for this Peter Panhandling, this socially diffused fiat to never grow old—a.k.a. uncool—and now they’re taking selfies in retirement.) I don’t think this mentality is all bunk, even if it’s skeezy any time someone sells his own products as the antidote for a condition he has made you think you have. But it’s bad for observational humor: a redoubt for smart, self-conscious flakes—like Rogen. In Neighbors, Rogen plays a recent father and homeowner whose loafers help him forget that he’s wearing a tie. His wife, Rose Byrne, doesn’t even get a generic workplace; it isn’t made clear whether she’s a homemaker or on maternity leave: a red flag for feminist critics and a showpiece missed opportunity, to boot. It wouldn’t seem such a missed opportunity if the movie didn’t start off as savvy about new parenthood as it does. Stella, the product of their coitus, is now its interruptus; they can’t reach climax with her bright eyes looking on, and they try to lug her out clubbing with their childless friend only to pass out from the strain of getting all her ducks (and diapers) in a row. When a frat house moves in next door, they try to get the brothers to keep their rager quiet without seeming lame, but, baby monitor in holster, they join the party instead; the fountain of youth they’ve been craving is kept in the kegs. Rogen even bonds with the fraternity president, Teddy (Zac Efron), who prefers carousing with these geezers to having them kill his buzz. But buzz they kill when the cops they call, and Hannibal Buress shows up in uniform, the spitting image of the college-town pensioner. The gist of it is that there’s a rivalry between frat house and suburban domicile. The not-so-subtext is that the parents don’t want to live next door to this symbol of their senescence and Teddy doesn’t want to face the prospect of growing up. In it are the makings of a FOMO opus. Continue reading “Neighbors” → On March 27, 2014 December 29, 2018 By elliottIn Uncategorized4 Comments Referring to his early career as a movie critic, Graham Greene once harkened back to the “dead ’30s.” The Grand Budapest Hotel begins, seemingly, in the present day, with a girl bringing her copy of a book of the same name to a memorial in a cemetery; we then flash back to 1985, when Tom Wilkinson is publishing the book; then to 1968 when his younger self (Jude Law) is interviewing his source, Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), at the hotel of the same name; and then, finally, to the story Zero is telling, about his mentor, the hotel’s concierge, M. Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), which takes place in 1932. It’s like an open-casket service for a nesting doll. Wes Anderson’s framing device is, perhaps, the film’s most ambitious gambit; I think he’s trying to indicate how heroic myths get corrupted: how time stretches tales like taffy, grows them good and tall. It’s a clever idea, for which a callback gets teased in at the end. But each leg of the trip down memory lane is done up in Anderson’s familiar style—with each nested corpse wearing the same mortuary makeup—so the point is lost: dead as the Nazi-killed ’30s. Style might be for Wes Anderson what a weight quota is for an anorexic. It no longer seems to express him or his material so much as his “personal brand,” and it’s about as blunt a force for getting laughs as an applause sign. I suppose it is a matter of taste whether one finds a claymation ski chase funny simply because it’s just so Wes, but that falls into the ongoing love-him-or-hate-him nonargument about his work that presupposes that whether one likes his films or not, their consistency of style and intentionality of design make them beyond reproach; he gets auteur points for directing movies that look as diverse as franchises of a restaurant chain. And while I think it is wonderful for an artist to have a vision, a vision should never be an end in itself, which, I fear, Anderson’s is too widely accepted for being. Hotel is not a bad film—it’s doughty, and chipper, and totally insignificant. To prove I’m not committing that basest sin of Internet conformity—being a hater—I’ll admit that, in retrospect, Moonrise Kingdom was a better film than I painted it to be, though Anderson’s aloof, egg-shell-walk detachment both enriched and impeded his subject matter. Apart from being a breeding ground for deadpan, his style instilled the sense of childhood as a beautiful straightjacket. Like Hotel, Moonrise was set in a calm before the storm—on a fictionalized Cape Cod in 1965—and one got the feeling that the alienation of the ~14-year-old protagonists would lose its innocence as they got closer to adulthood, that it was caught in Andersoninan cuteness like a fly in amber. This incipient fear suffused the performances of the authority figures who wanted to be the children’s protectors. Youthful rebellion and the security of childhood were contained—trapped—within a pantomime of storybook idyll which was ideally represented by Anderson’s style; from it flowed the pain and promise of growing up, and from the contrasting perspectives poured a melancholy that tended to justify the precious, cautious overcontrol. Continue reading “The Grand Budapest Hotel” → On February 20, 2014 February 15, 2019 By elliottIn Uncategorized4 Comments In the most intriguing scene in Her, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a writer, lets a woman into his apartment who has been summoned by Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), the operating system he has purchased and fallen in love with. The entrant has volunteered to be a “surrogate”: a flesh bridge between the writer and his lover in the cloud. (The substance of the gulf she spans is open to debate.) For foreplay, the surrogate lip-syncs sweet nothings that Samantha broadcasts from unseen speakers; she caresses Theodore’s body in a way that Samantha—vexed by her handicap but not stifled by it—cannot; and that elusive property of his—flesh—squirms at this virtual reality: this disconnect between body and soul: these two eyes that can be beheld and yet fail to hold his beloved’s infinity of ones and zeroes. (Maybe, with this conveyance as her sole intention, they fail to convey anything at all, least of all their owner’s soul.) Shame-faced, Theodore apologizes to the crestfallen woman as he edges her out the door; his cross-platform relationship remains unconsummated, at least in physical terms. As soon as she’s out of sight, the surrogate wails about having failed the couple, avowing her love for them as if she was part of their relationship and not just an accessory to it. She’s a creature to be pitied, as is any accessory that has fallen out of use. In a sense, the surrogate is Theodore’s real soul mate. He makes his living dictating personal letters from parents to their children or from one lover to another, and though it’s improbable that BeautifulWrittenLetters.com would generate enough profit for him to afford his spacious loft in a highrise, its thematic purpose is clear: in this world, people outsource their feelings. The surrogate, Theodore, and, presumably, his clients are so emotionally stunted that they can only express emotions ventriloquially. (That lovelorn surrogate is so cyberpunk’d she’s turned on by getting plugged in for a computer.) This movie’s exquisitely designed—and believable—aesthetic for a future Los Angeles is both geometrically austere and cheerfully colorful; it was shot, partly, in Shanghai, with a look inspired by Jamba Juice. But the dead space in each frame indicates that this a padded cell dressed up like a Mac Store. In ’60s art-house imports like L’Avventura, Last Year at Marienbad, La Dolce Vita, and Breathless, the malaise was “alienation”—moneyed indifference alternately led to and resulted from World War II. The director of Her, Spike Jonze, substitutes alienation with the trending buzzword of today: “self-involvement.” (Though the symptoms of the afflictions are very similar, the term implies that individuals now shoulder the blame.) He conflates, however, the self-involvement of creative people (which has probably always been thus, though it may have been muted in those eons of history when survival was too darn time-consuming to trifle with the luxury of self-expression) and that of everyone whose noses are glued to their iPhones because their productivity demands have soared and their attention spans have eroded. There is overlap in terms of the people doing these activities, but a vast difference in motive. Jonze also updates the tone of the art films. Her is a twee jeremiad—depravity is sad and adorable. This the first of Jonze’s four features for which he has the sole writing credit. His talent is for being a sympathetic observer, not a satirist; Her was made by someone who feels rather than by someone who questions. But there’s an unnerving incongruence between his being dyspeptic about humanity’s future and unwilling to raise his voice. Jonze’s focus on the central love story between Theodore and Samantha, with only fleeting glances at a culture that would sell sentient beings like these “artificially intelligent” operating systems as consumer goods—at a civilization that is stumbling into the dread Singularity—seems to me less like a critique of self-involvement than a symptom of it. To an impatient viewer, these people (and devices) who go on and on about themselves seem like the proverbial frogs in a warming pot; but Jonze seems lovingly invested in these hipsterisms, and it’s hard not to be fazed by his sweetness. When Theodore tells his ex-wife (Rooney Mara) that he’s upgraded sex partners to an O.S., she provides the only voice of opposition that isn’t in the writers’ (both Theodore’s and Jonze’s) own consciences: He’s too self-involved to have a partner he can’t control. It seems we’re meant to take that as a valid observation, but we must take it on faith; the flashbacks to his failed marriage are such nonspecific tableaux that they might as well have Instagram filters on them. (Is Mara as well-adjusted as she seems? If so, she must surely be the lone holdout.) This is where Jonze’s ideas start to need debugging. Though her maturation is poignant, and Johansson’s wide-eyed inflections toggle beautifully between inexperience and assurance, Samantha is unmistakably sentient from the moment she’s installed. Theodore isn’t projecting onto a gadget; he’s dating a teenager. Continue reading “Her” → On January 23, 2014 November 23, 2015 By elliottIn Uncategorized3 Comments Inside Llewyn Davis has a surprisingly unironic title. It begins with its title character (Oscar Isaac) performing at the Gaslight Café in Greenwich Village in the winter of 1961. “Performing,” in this case, is a loaded word; he’s on intimate terms with his guitar, and the sad lyrics, which he knows by heart, flow from him like a dirge—as dry as sand in an hourglass. When he finishes, Llewyn feebly chatters with his audience, chuckling into his woolly chin: “If it was never new, and it never gets old, then it’s a folk song.” Though it’s a canned joke, this is a Coen brothers movie; it resonates like Bert’s cryptic preface to Mary Poppins: “I fear what’s to happen all happened before.” Llewyn Davis has the richness that has been so painfully lacking in much of the Coens’ recent output. Even True Grit, with its fairy-tale effulgence, had the flatness of cold-in-the-ground history. If anything, the Village bohos here seem too much like people today—but that could proffer a greater authenticity than we are now accustomed to, especially as it pertains to the age-of-innocence early ’60s. (My suspension of disbelief was only challenged by the use of the word “fucked” as an abbreviation of “fucked up”; that variation only came about recently.) Some of the richness comes from the casting of Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake; their humanity—her sensitivity and his showmanship—can be dampened but not reduced to shtick. Unlike so many of the pawn-of-fate cartoons that waltz in and out of Coen brothers movies for an existential yuk, actors like Jeanine Serralles, Jerry Grayson, and F. Murray Abraham all give the impression of having a past. A caricature like the wizened hophead that Llewyn road-trips to Chicago with is more plausible in this light; it lets John Goodman be a real eccentric: an amusing exception rather than an excessive norm. It’s the difference between an ensemble cast and a lot of actors. Under the pale sunlight provided by the cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, however, all the world looks to be a stage; the spotlight is so bleak that even Goodman’s purple jacket is desaturated. Llewyn had some success when he was part of a duo—and he’s still appreciated by connoisseurs—but he’s an inveterate bridge-burner and couch-surfer when the film starts, lugging his guitar with him, and a cat who scurried out of a patron’s apartment once he’d locked the door. The Coens are stringent enforcers of Murphy’s Law, and Llewyn doesn’t get off easy; but the folk singer, who refuses to sell out and adhere to the new vogue in peppiness, makes bad decisions per a coherent inner logic. With the trilogy of No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading, and A Serious Man, the Coens had forged a new genre: the feel-bad movie. If their counterpoint is bound by a set of conventions that bring about an artificially happy result, these were determinist downers; they were cleverer than feel-good movies, but, with their arbitrariness, not particularly more substantial. No Country had its cold-sweat sensuousness, but A Serious Man was a distillate of the brothers’ crippling fatalism; even its autobiographical setting implied that it was the root of it, and it went deeper still—into Judaism—without bringing anything back up. It was to art what blue-balling is to orgasm; all roads led to the dead end of fate. As a hero, Llewyn is far more like the Dude in The Big Lebowski than the pischer in A Serious Man: all three are losers, but the Dude carried the loss of ’60s activism with him—and in him. He was a happy patsy, not just a pawn, in a story made of human frostwork rather than fate’s caprice. Continue reading “Inside Llewyn Davis” → On August 15, 2013 By elliottIn Uncategorized1 Comment Despite its present-day setting, Joe Swanberg’s Drinking Buddies has a sense of containment that recalls the studio films of the ancient past, which were free from paying homage to other pop culture and existed in their own censored simulacrum of life. It’s a good summer movie because it’s relaxing. You can haul in a six-pack, unfold a lawn chair, and giggle along without it making any sort of demands on you. Like the drinking buddies on Cheers, or any old sitcom that Americans once put their feet up for after a long day at work, it’s companionable. The plot consists of a love quadrilateral, with Olivia Wilde as its sharpest edge. She’s the sole chick in a sausage fest of a brewery; she’s dating a reserved record producer played by Ron Livingston, but has a workplace flirt-friend in Jake Johnson, who’s spoken for by adorkable Anna Kendrick. Drinking Buddies is literally an outline; Swanberg let the actors fill it in with improv, so, as in another mumblecore-gone-mainstream, Cyrus, the lines are often fun in the way of off-the-cuff chatter, but have little of the zing that tighter writing has spoiled us with. The payoffs are on the level of “That’s what she said!” Like the slicker Our Idiot Brother, Buddies has the over-parsed redundancy of gentrified cityspeak down pat—but it comes too naturally, too guilelessly, to be called satire. This is a hipster fantasy that doesn’t know it’s a fantasy because bobo glamour has gotten so low-key you wouldn’t know it’s glamour. Despite the movie having no backstory on offer, it’s pretty clear that Wilde—and possibly Johnson, too—is working class by choice. They work for a small craft brewery in Chicago; they have no reason not to get drunk every night because there’s nothing at stake except hurt feelings. And even those are just booboos. Though it doesn’t amount to much more than a domestic Vicky Cristina Barcelona, on tap at your local dive, Swanberg has a smooth sense of rhythm and pace, an ear for the awkward, and a knack for channeling bonhomie from cast to audience. His direction is less casual than the dialogue, even though it’s apparent that the marquee names were happy to unwind from the stress of bigger budgets. In some ways, the stars detract: a girl doesn’t have to be as ravishing as Wilde to get the attention her character gets from the blue-collar schlubs. It might have been a more interesting take if Kendrick had been in the role of Kate, the party girl who wears sunglasses indoors, and played against type. It would have come out differently, but the results might have been more fresh. Played by Wilde, she’s like the baby sister of Charlize Theron’s bitch par excellence in Young Adult; Kate’s good looks have protected her from having to learn how to be responsible. This revelation doesn’t have much under it—she’s a brat, and the film implies she’ll just grow out of it—but it dawns on the audience at just the right rate. The part of me that wanted to believe in Beasts of the Southern Wild was the same part that wants to believe in Santa Claus. I think it’s marvelous to see movies that bring their cameras to subsets of the population that don’t even have movies; and it’s more inspiriting still to see them get the recognition that this one has. That said, I’m disappointed to see such a subject underserved by a lack of imagination. The film is “mythic” by fiat–a sacrifice offered up by way of bashed fish, beating hearts, and bad poetry. Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) screams her nine-year-old head off frequently enough to be fodder for a supercut, and I take that to be emblematic. It isn’t a howl; it’s the equivalent of a dog tagging a fire hydrant. But it’s also a sign of life–a declaration of it. The film is set in the “Bathtub,” a little island floating tenuously beneath Louisiana. We learn just how tenuously, early on, when Hushpuppy’s teacher works climate change into her lesson plan, using tattoos of cave paintings as visual aides. (It’s the only sensible alternative to PowerPoint.) It’s a stretch to say that Hushpuppy lives with her widowed father Wink (Dwight Henry); they’re split between two dilapidated trailers on a stretch of swampland. The film is about their hot-cold relationship. Though he won’t tell her outright, Wink is dying of what appears to be sickle-cell anemia, which is meant to excuse his abuse and neglect of Hushpuppy because he’s toughening her up to face the world alone. The problem is that it’s impossible to separate his worldview from that of the director, Benh Zeitlin (who wrote the screenplay with Lucy Ailbar, on whose play Beasts is based). After a hurricane, FEMA comes to the Bathtub’s rescue, and Wink stages a prison break from the white walls of their hospital; he puts his daughter on a bus and closes the door behind her. It doesn’t seem to have crossed his mind that she could have a good life among those who I’d hesitate to call “more civilized,” but who, at the very least, accept modernity. We’re meant, it seems, to venerate him for wresting her from modernity’s clutches; and yet we’re constantly reminded that after one raindrop too many, the Bathtub will go down the drain. Her survival is secondary to his pride. This is one of those movies that makes a critic like myself, whose skin is the color of a celebrity’s tooth, feel like a dick when justifying his opinions to friends better endowed with melanin. Beasts is not duplicitous like Django Unchained is, Tarantino being a demonstration of the kind of huckster Billy Wilder decried in Ace in the Hole; but this is “magical realism” in the sense that Slumdog Millionaire was a “fairy tale.” Meaning: People group it in with magical realism despite the scarcity of realism or even any magic (the aurochs fantasy being the only exception I can think of) because it’s the polite way of engaging with an eccentric work about a black family that was made by white artists. Zeitlin’s the son of folklorists, and I can see that lineage in the film–including where it breaks down. Beasts skims off the top of folktales, netting archetypes at the expense of local color or detail. Screenwriters have applied the same hero’s-journey template to their mediocre blockbusters for years. What’s intended as a blueprint ends up a shortcut: Their themes are “primal,” so they’re taken for granted. Subtext floats to the surface like creativity’s corpse. Add a setting to match your themes, and you’ve fished yourself up the “world soul.” Continue reading “Beasts of the Southern Wild” →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1108
__label__cc	0.722055	0.277945	Posted by The Narrowing Path in Occult & Pagan Mysticism, Transformational Testimonies biblical discernment, eastern mysticism, eastern philosophy, false teachings, global religion, martial arts, meditation, oneness spirituality, spiritual deception, spiritual disciplines An excellent article and testimony from the team at the Lighthouse Trails blog: DANGERS & DECEPTIONS of The Martial Arts and Why One Woman Walked Away From a Championship Career By Linda Nathan Are you wondering if there’s a problem with involvement in the martial arts? You say your neighbor’s little boy is taking a class, and now your son wants to, too? Several women in your office are learning it for self-defense. And, why, even your church has a class! Perhaps you yourself are involved but feel uncertain and want more information. How can anything be wrong? How can you tell? This booklet’s aim is to help you understand and decipher the underlying dangers and deceptions of the martial arts. As we present this material, we remember the words of Scripture, which exhort us: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8) A True Story “Tonie, I don’t get it. How can you be a Christian and teach karate too?” Betty’s words stung, bringing into sharp focus the question Tonie Harris had managed to avoid so far. She knew she had to live her whole life for God—and she wanted to. But, after all, she reasoned for what seemed like the hundredth time, knowing and being able to teach karate was one of her talents, and the Bible says we should use our talents, not bury them, right? Tonie sighed and put down the book she’d been reading. Her own answers sounded hollow, and Betty’s words wouldn’t go away. Do you think karate is what God wants you to do? Doesn’t it teach you how to turn your body into a weapon, fill your thoughts and life with violence? Focus you on fear? Reveal a lack of trust? So she prayed. But when she looked for information, it was sadly lacking. After rededicating her life to Christ in 1984, Tonie had continued to teach karate for several more years. Now she’d just started co-teaching karate at a Christian high school with another black belt, and she sure didn’t like the implications of her thoughts. Recent memories of her experiences at the school floated up. She saw kids’ attitudes changing for the worse—bowing to her instead of to God, lured by power instead of by Christ‘s love. Some of the kids were bullies, and their parents thought that karate was going to teach them discipline. Instead, it was sowing more violence in their souls. Many were making trouble in the halls, using the things she was teaching them on each other. But she was a Christian now! She could use her karate to talk to people about the Lord and help them learn self-defense and self-discipline, too. Others were doing it—there was friendship evangelism at karate tournaments, Christian music during kata, and prayer at tournaments. Some Christian ministries incorporated Bible lessons with martial arts training. There were women’s groups and witnessing groups, and online chat groups and bulletin boards, all insisting that a Christian could grow in Christ while practicing karate and the martial arts. Why, there was even a karate ministry at a local Bible school. Karate was just a tool—wasn’t it? Have you ever wondered about that? When Tonie first walked into a karate school in 1972, she thought she’d found the answer to her years of childhood sexual abuse, her feelings of failure, and her abusive marriage: Train to fight. Fight to win. At first, she just wanted to defend herself. But soon it turned into something much more. As she turned herself into a fighting machine, she was on top for the first time in her life. In her meteoric career, Tonie Harris won 58 trophies in six years, held Karate Illustrated’s title of Top Female Karateka in the Pacific Northwest for seven years, and rose to national status. She was in Who’s Who, Karate Illustrated, Fighting Women News, and Black Belt Magazine. A 1983 book on women in the martial arts devotes a whole chapter to Tonie as one of the eight most accomplished women martial artists of the time. She was sensei—Master. But trying to solve her problems with karate left a wake of divorce and broken relationships, six abortions, the blight of lesbianism, and four deeply troubled children. Two became notorious gang leaders. And her plunge into Eastern religious thought and practice opened the door to disastrous spiritual deception. Thankfully the story doesn’t end there—because the woman who tried to solve her problems with the armor of karate finally put on the armor of God instead. But it didn’t happen in a day, or even in a year. Tonie has had to learn about the real spiritual battle and how to walk in the light with Jesus Christ. “After I rededicated my life to Christ in 1984, I continued teaching karate for several more years. And, although I’d slowly been becoming aware of its occult roots, it hadn’t seemed important. Until Isaiah 60:1-2 pierced my heart like a sword”: For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (vs. 2) “I was a new creation now, in a whole new universe based upon wholly different principles. In His light everything was looking different—even karate.” Now you may be saying, “But that was just Tonie. She wasn’t really living a Christian life while she practiced karate.” It’s true she wasn’t living a Christian life for many years, but even after becoming a Christian, she tried to walk with the Lord and continue karate, too. That’s when she discovered the answer goes much deeper. For there are vital biblical principles involved that are designed by God to help us walk in a godly manner, to avoid the devil’s snares, and to be protected His way. From Roots Come Fruits The martial arts didn’t arise out of a spiritual vacuum. They developed over many centuries, spreading through and acclimating to China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. In each culture, they were powerfully shaped by basic premises of Eastern religious thought: Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Hinduism, animism, shamanism, and Zen Buddhism; and many of their techniques and concepts of energy and life still manifest those influences.1 Final Goal: “Enlightenment” Although some people may use them mainly for sport or self-defense, at their core, the martial arts as traditionally taught embody a holistic view of life whose final goal is the Eastern objective of religious “enlightenment.” Unlike Westerners, Eastern cultures don’t try to separate physical techniques from religion and philosophy. It’s all rolled up into one system. God and energy are one. And in the transition to American soil in the early 1950s, the whole package came together. Empty Hand, Full Purse From 1950 on, the popularity of the martial arts exploded. Within twenty years of its release, Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon grossed 150 million dollars and spearheaded a worldwide martial arts tidal wave to people of almost every culture. By 1993, the martial arts industry as a whole was topping the billion-dollar mark.2 And by 2000, an estimated five million practitioners were busily absorbing the Eastern philosophies of the martial arts.3 The cultural storm has even taken the Christian church. It has been estimated that approximately 20 percent of instructors and 50-70 percent of practitioners call themselves Christians.4 And apparently many don’t see any more problems with it than Tonie did at first. Karate, the “art of the empty hand,” has a full purse. Fertile Soil in the United States Why did the martial arts find such fertile soil in the United States? There are six major factors: Spiritual Vacuum—Traditional moral and social structures based on a more biblical view of life continue to crumble as a result of the cultural upheaval of the ’60s and ’70s, creating a tremendous spiritual vacuum and hunger. The martial arts appeared during this rising tide of paganism and period of extreme social vulnerability, and their philosophies promised to fill that hole. Drugs—Psychedelic and other “mind-altering” drugs, visits by Eastern “gurus,” and a massive influx of Eastern thought have opened the way for experimentation with Eastern religions and techniques. With its primarily Taoist and Zen Buddhist foundations, the martial arts movement is a major player in the largest occult revival in history, called the “New Age Movement,” or, in today’s more popular terminology, “interspirituality.” Crime—The rise of immorality, crime, and violence has contributed to personal, family, and community breakdown, unsafe schools and neighborhoods, spiritual emptiness, and feelings of vulnerability and isolation, especially among women and children. Seniors, women, and children are the most frequently attacked people in our society.5 According to one report, 40 percent of the martial arts market consists of children between seven and fourteen.6 A “god” within—As faith in an outside creator God, Bible-based meaning and truth, and morality wanes, the search for stability and meaning keeps shifting inward. Eastern religions and personal spiritual disciplines are pouring into that gap. Witness the incredible spread of Yoga and meditation, which actually were created to foster Eastern-style “enlightenment” but are now popular in churches. Rebellion—Those in rebellion and involved in paganism are attempting to throw off a creator God who judges in exchange for a “god within” who doesn‘t. The Media—Martial arts may never have achieved such popularity had it not been for their phenomenal growth in the media. “If it were just a matter of sport or fun, I doubt the martial arts would’ve become so popular so quickly,” Tonie says. “People are searching for solutions to more urgent problems, and the arts promise them. The conditions in our culture have been just right for their growth.” She should know; she rode in on that wave. What Are “The Martial Arts” Anyway? Achieve total self-confidence and inner harmony; develop supernatural powers and wisdom; hone your ability to concentrate on achieving worthwhile goals; find inner peace; and unite the energy of the mind, the body, and the spirit—find and tap the energy of life itself. The claims for the martial arts are huge and many. Who wouldn’t want to achieve such goals? But what is the basis for these claims anyway? Are they true? Are they truly compatible with biblical Christianity? Can a Christian become more sanctified by the Holy Spirit through these practices? And are they the answer for the true battle? Why be concerned? Aren’t the martial arts just a neutral sport, like skiing or golf? Well, no. Although the phrase “martial arts” can refer to all kinds of fighting on many different levels, today it commonly means hand-to-hand fighting systems of Asian origin that merge spiritual and physical dimensions. It’s this integration of the physical and spiritual, based on Eastern religious principles, that leads its practitioners to make such extravagant claims, and wherein the problems lie. “Hard vs. Soft“ Martial arts that are used just for sport or physical discipline are called hard or external arts. These include intensive body conditioning, powerful foot and hand strikes, and the use of force (i.e., Kung fu, karate, and judo). Some people say you can separate these disciplines from the internal or soft arts, which emphasize mystical Taoist and Buddhist concepts. These include spiritual development, balance, form, and seeking control of the so-called chi or Ki force to become attuned with the universe (i.e., t’ai-chi ch’uan and aikido). The Ki concept is common and central to most Eastern religions and refers to a supposedly impersonal universal “life energy” or force. (More about that later.) While karate and some of the other martial arts have lost some of their overtly “soft” religious approach in their transition to the United States, this handy division is nevertheless much too simplistic for the actual facts. Elements continually overlap, and such worldview coloring can be very subtle indeed. Some of karate’s greatest living masters, including Joe Hyams, Herman Kauz, Masutatsu Oyama, George Parulski, Jr., and Yozan Dirk Mosig, all agree that Eastern religious concepts and techniques are key to mastering karate and the martial arts. Mosig, the influential chair of the regional directors for the U.S. Karate Association (USKA) and an eighth-degree black belt insists that Eastern philosophy should be central to all martial arts instruction. Kauz emphasizes that the martial arts really are training in Eastern meditation.7 The River is Wet As Tonie discovered, if you set foot in the river, sooner or later you’ll get soaked. Like some of those masters quoted above I started out just trying to get physical control. My first school even de-emphasized the spiritual aspects, but as I went on I got them anyway. Just because you think you‘re avoiding the mental and spiritual aspects of the martial arts doesn‘t mean you won‘t absorb and be subtly affected anyway. Bowing, specific methods of concentration, meditation, and breath control, emptying the mind, visualizing yourself doing the kata, calling your teacher “master,” centering in the Ki, and trying to “flow” with the “oneness of nature” and your “inner self” are all part of Buddhist and Taoist philosophy. Doing the arts without absorbing at least some of those influences is like trying to swim in a river and not get wet. Children are particularly vulnerable to spiritual influences, as Tonie discovered when teaching karate. One California karate teacher has been teaching Yoga, Native Spirituality, and Eastern philosophies to 800 children ages four to eight.8 Adults are often not much more discerning about the subtleties of such influences. “Christian parents,” says Tonie, “why place your children in a pagan system that teaches them to kill? Why put dirty rags on your kids? All the things advocated by the martial arts schools can only be found in Christ: discipline [Hebrews 12:1-13; 2 Timothy 1:7] family togetherness, peace [John 14:27; Romans 5:1; 8:6], power [2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 1:19], self-control [Galatians 5:23; 1 Peter 1:13], all the fruits of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:10]. Why be attracted to paganism? Why return to the world to get what’s in Christ? Where your heart is, there your treasure will be” (Luke 12: 30-31, 34). So What’s Wrong with Eastern Religions? When you think “martial arts,” what symbol comes to mind? The dragon, of course. It’s painted on studios, it covers clothing, and it’s in countless movie titles. Why is that? What does it mean? The dragon isn’t just an interesting symbol; it represents a deep cultural worldview—a view of God and energy. Despite the enormous variety of religious ideas in human experience, there are only two basic—and utterly antagonistic—views about the dragon, and they correspond with each view’s approach to salvation and life. Each system has its own unique view of truth, wisdom, energy, love, and harmony with God and the universe, and yet each is at war with the other. To accept one is to reject the other; you cannot serve two masters.9 The Eastern View: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism view the serpent-dragon as positive. Although these cultures differ in ways, their view of energy has basic similarities. The dragon represents a supposedly natural force that assisted in the world’s creation and exists “within” each person. Practitioners believe they can release its power (called the inner Kundalini or Ki force) through occult doctrines and techniques, many of which have been incorporated into the martial arts. This is the camp of salvation by works. It is human-centered and draws upon both human and demonic strength for its victory. The Biblical View: The Bible exposes the serpent-dragon as Satan, an evil fallen angel, who deceived the first man and woman into sin and death: “. . . that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” Salvation through Jesus Christ and walking in the light with Him is the only way of escape. (See Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12; 13:2; 20:2; Ephesians 2:1–9.) This is the camp of the Lord. It is God-centered, fueled by faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. And it offers the only true victory. Dangerous Techniques: Body, Breath, and Mind The Eastern religious approach dismisses the biblical teachings about the reality of sin, the need for salvation, God’s judgment, and the need for deliverance from a powerful spiritual enemy.10 Instead, it teaches that there is an impersonal universal psycho-spiritual-physical force within each person (the Ki) that we can manipulate for personal power and wisdom. Such a concept is the heart of witchcraft. To achieve this, practitioners of this view developed occult techniques that also became, over the centuries, incorporated into the martial arts. The Ki Force It’s often taken for granted that releasing the Ki force refers to some kind of physical centering, like getting comfortable with yourself, but it really refers to a psychic force said to be produced by the interaction of two basic forces that supposedly comprise nature (or the Tao). These two forces, called the yin and the yang (symbolized by a sphere split by a large “S” dividing black from white), supposedly interact back and forth in a wavelike process. In karate, the interaction of yin and yang is said to occur in attack and defense. Therefore, learning to use the Ki is viewed as very central to achievement in the martial arts. This central assumption of the nature of spiritual power has untold ramifications for the practitioner. And it can best be seen in the three areas of discipline: body, breath, and mind. Physical Discipline Physical discipline is the first level of training and does not necessarily have to conflict with Christian teaching, although it may. Christians are commanded not to let sin reign in their bodies but to offer them to God. Physical strengthening and self-discipline are useful but not central. And sexuality must be kept within heterosexual marriage. In the East, however, sexuality is seen as a vehicle of sexual energy, and many basic meditations center on bodily sensations alone, especially in the lower abdomen. Many techniques to arouse the Ki come from observing the snake’s writhing, sensuous movements. Severe problems can arise when Christians are not governed by the Holy Spirit but by doctrines of demons and that demonic power. These include mental derangement, delusion, sinful, immoral behavior, and oppression by evil spirits. At the very least, a Christian cannot fully receive the Holy Spirit’s joy and power. Besides physical discipline, practitioners also seek control of the Ki through breath control and mindlessness. Breathing Discipline Masutatsu Oyama says, “[K]arate brings spiritual concentration which depends for its life on breathing methods.” Thus, breath control in the martial arts is far more than just a physical discipline. It is an attempt to master the Ki, to gain immortality, and to control the universe. Sound far-fetched to our Western ears? Consider the philosophy contained in “Star Wars” about the “Force.” It’s exactly the same. Such concepts from Eastern religion saturate our culture. Mind Discipline: The dangers of mindlessness The fundamental state of meditative practice is also the prerequisite for mastery in the martial arts—author Peter Payne.11 The technique of suspending judgment and opening one’s mind to everything is extremely widespread today—from occult educational techniques in the public schools to relaxation techniques and New Age channelers. But the goal is the same: to reach an altered state of consciousness. The Bible, however, teaches that God is not a force to manipulate. It also teaches that God has given us all we need for godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and has instructed us to be sober minded (Titus 2:6), to “receive the word with all readiness of mind” (Acts 17:11), and to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh (Galatians 5:16; 6:8). And we are to test everything and weigh all against Scripture. The method of mindlessness is dangerous for several reasons: 1. One of Satan’s great snares is to lure a person into giving up thinking and discerning. 2. The mind will become filled with one thing or another. 3. Trying to “open” one’s mind this way is actually a form of self-hypnosis leading to a passive state that invites domination by other wills and demonic influence—and even possession. The truth is that one must enter the Eastern mystical experience—and obtain so-called control of the Ki—through a dangerous, trance-like state. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John14:6). The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man. He IS the path to God, and there is no other. What’s more, Scripture promises us this: His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3–4) Therefore, why walk under the dragon’s system? THE BATTLE For Which The Martial Arts HAVE NO SOLUTION “I began to realize that ‘putting on the armor of God’ wasn’t such an easy thing,” Tonie says. “Just putting on my karate gear and quoting Ephesians 6 wasn’t going to do it—because first there was a lot of taking off to do! Greed, lust for power, position, and authority. It’s a daily, fierce battle with self, Satan, and the fallen world. It’s the kind of battle karate never prepared me for—the battle that counts the most—for the state of my soul.” It’s the battle that Eastern religion doesn’t deal with—because it can’t. There is no sacrifice for sin, no Christ-centered system of sanctification, no true holiness. “The martial arts are man-made victory,” Tonie says. “And it’s a miserable failure. With God you work from a different foundation and fight a different battle. You begin with repentance of sin (acknowledging we are sinners who cannot save ourselves and are in need of a Savior) and new birth through faith in Jesus Christ. Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit flows the transformation of mind, emotions, will, and body. It’s just the opposite of the self-made Eastern method. There’s warfare all right, but it’s with sin, Satan, and a fallen world—and it really can’t be discerned except by God’s light. “To those Christians who say there’s no problem training in the martial arts if you have the ‘right’ instructor, I say that, even when occult methods aren’t taught directly, enormous changes can take place training under the dragon’s image. Just the sheer hours and hours of repetitious, concentrated kicking, striking, blocking, and focusing upon becoming a powerful killing machine can deceive you into thinking you’re superior—and even godlike—and quench new life in Christ. There are many powerful, ungodly situations in the martial arts scene. The homosexual lifestyle is popular. You’re all increasing each others’ sin natures. And there’s a terrific war that goes on within yourself to be on top that’s devastating in the end. That’s not what God calls Christians to be.” Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:3–7) The real question is not: Can I avoid spiritual influences? The real question is: Whose spiritual influences am I going to get? The Armor of Karate Versus THE ARMOR OF GOD For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3–5) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:11–12) While it is true that we live in a fallen world full of physical trials and dangers, and there are times when we need to train and defend ourselves on a physical level, obviously wearing the armor of an ungodly world-system is not the answer. This is the real problem with the martial arts: the worldview hidden within it. “To really succeed in karate, you have to go its way. Use its principles. Think its thoughts. And become its creation,” says Tonie. “The Lord showed me that I was still depending on my karate armor rather than on Him. I hadn’t really understood how different His armor is. I saw I’d been trying to combine the two. “I cried out, ‘Dear God, show me your way!’ And He did.” Through His Word, we can obtain the wisdom and understanding we need to walk through life with Him: [F]or what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2 Corinthians 6: 14-15) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:16-18) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2) “Through such verses, I came to see my life and my sins in the light of Jesus’ forgiveness. As I began to weep and call upon that Person Who lived and died for me, I put my complete trust in Him, and He took away my sins and gave me His armor. What a Great Exchange! “Now I don’t believe we should become pacifists. God forbid Christians should be passive in the face of evil! But we have to use discernment and not the world’s systems to gain victory.” Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19) “If we let God teach us to fight His own way and direct us to the battles that He chooses, we’ll grow holier and draw closer to Him, experience more joy and love and peace, and be more able to really help others. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10) “Let’s put on the whole armor of God.” Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. . . . And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12: 12, 17) DANGERS & DECEPTIONS of The Martial Arts and Why One Woman Walked Away From a Championship Career, click here. 1. For a detailed chart of the Religious and Historical Elements in the Development of the Martial Arts, see pp. 17–19 of the book The Dark Side of Karate by Linda Nathan and Tonie Gatlin (AuthorHouse 2003). 2. Erwin De Castro, B. J. Oropeza, and Ron Rhodes, “Enter the Dragon? Wrestling With The Martial Arts Phenomenon,” Christian Research Journal (Fall 1993), pp. 26-27. 3. U.S. Industry estimates for 2000 for participants six years or older. Martial Arts Industry Association. http://web.archive.org/web/20011104064144/http://www.masuccess.com/industry/stats.htm. 4. De Castro, et. al., op., cit., p. 27. The authors of the article obtained this information from a personal interview dated 7-14–93 with Scot Conway, founder of the Christian Martial Arts Foundation. 5. Linda Atkinson, A New Spirit Rising (New York,NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1983), pp. 2-3. A chapter on Tonie Harris Gatlin as one of the eight leading women martial artists of the time also appears in this book. 6. De Castro, et. al., “Enter the Dragon,” op. cit., p. 27. 7. See The Dark Side of Karate, pp. 24–26, for full quotes and details. 8. John Bishop, “Karate School Queenpin: L.A.’s New Business Star Raises the Bar!” http://www.masuccess.com/features/barnes.htm. 9. For a complete Worldview Comparison Chart comparing the biblical and Eastern religious worldviews in six different categories (the nature of reality, the problem of evil, the nature of good and evil, the solution to evil, the nature of Jesus Christ, and the view of the serpent/dragon), see The Dark Side of Karate, Figure 7.1, p. 48. 10. See Ephesians 2. 11. Peter Payne, Martial Arts: The Spiritual Dimension (London, England: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1981), p. 47. Published in the United States in 1987 by Thames and Hudson, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10110. For the whole amazing story, order the book The Dark Side of Karate: The Story of Tonie Harris Gatlin by Linda Nathan and Tonie Gatlin. AuthorHouse, 2003. ISBN #9781410717665 in e-book ($3.95) and soft cover ($10.25). Call 1-888-519-5121 to order, or order online at http://www.AuthorHouse.com. Read the original article or order the booklet here. 5 thoughts on “Dangers & Deceptions of The Martial Arts” shepherdguardian said: Reblogged this on The Shepherd/Guardian. Shade of the Moriah Tree said: An excellent and Biblically balanced post. Amen to that! Rick Wilcox said: I am a martial artist of 37 years and a Christian. The two are compatible if you truly understand where martial arts came from and their true purpose. There are many misconceptions. there is a great book on amazon that explains much of this. It’s called Reflections of a Christian Kungfu master. I respect this person’s decision but a lot of what most Christians thing of martial arts is wrong. ewilson7th said: I spent more than 24 years active training and teaching in the martial arts, tai-chi and eastern “healing” techniques, until 2007, when the Lord Jesus Christ, in His love and Sovereign power opened my blind eyes and set me free ! The testimony which this lady gives is remarkable, and we praise the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) for the miracles which He is doing in so many lives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhdojV40ZAM – The Dragon Revealed ! Here is the story of one man’s journey from darkness to Light. The Dragon Revealed comes as a 2 disc set. And while the first disc is available online for free, the full 2 disc film set disc can be found at Little Light Studios. My family and I pray that this film will be a blessing to you ! May the LORD bless and keep you strong in faith, and the power of His Life-giving Word ! your brother in Christ Jesus, Eric Wilson – Isaiah Ministries	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1109
__label__cc	0.599966	0.400034	Thank you MARCO and thank you Mudar... Maybe now people will understand who America's true allies and friends are...and who really understands foreign affairs. لن نغادر قرشا واحدا أهدره النظام من أفواه أطفال الأردنيين...وسنعمل مع أصدقائنا الأمريكيين وغيرهم حتى نستعيد كافة حقوق الشعب الأردني العظيم....‫#‏الأردن‬ ادناه نص الخطاب كاملا: Senator Marco Rubio 12/28/15 284 Russell Senate Office Building RE: S.2184 – Support-As introduced Dear Senator Marco Rubio; On behalf of the Jordanian Opposition Coalition (JOC), we would like to go on record as SUPPORTING your S 2184 – Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015. From the outset, the concepts embodied in this legislation are greatly appreciated and exhibit true commitment to accountability and good governance in relevance to spending US taxpayers’ money. Even so, the JOC believes that the bill could be improved in a manner that brings more effectiveness and transparency to the way US taxpayers’ money is being spent. For example: 1. ON COUNTLESS OCCASIONS, YOU PERSONALLY HAVE EXHIBITED SUPPORT FOR JORDAN’S KING, THE JOC FEARS THIS COULD BE CONTRADICTORY TO THE BILL, BECAUSE JORDAN’S KING EXHIBITS NO TRANSPARENCY AND HEADS A HIGHLY-CORRUPTED REGIME, THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THE MEASURE MUST BE EXTENDED TO SECURE THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION ON HOW US TAXPAYERS MONEY IS SPENT BY MIDDLE EASTERN ALLIES WHO RECEIVE US AID MONEY; JORDAN IN PARTICULAR. Specifically, the JOC is concerned that your measure does not indicate that a huge amount of the US foreign aid and defense budget is allocated to US’ Middle Eastern allies like Jordan’s king. Because of the way they are structured and operate, most Middle Eastern countries lack transparency, and that makes the US money pouring into them of major concern because of the presence of terrorist groups whose members, on countless occasions, have become part of the Middle Eastern government that we are giving the money to. a. For example: A senior Jordanian police officer shot and killed two American trainers in November 2015 in an apparent terrorist attack. Also, a Jordanian Royal Air Force captain, Majali, defected and joined ISIS. The JOC doesn’t believe that simply stating that a certain amount of money is being spent to support an ally is enough to establish transparency and/or secure that money will not end up supporting terrorists. b. For example: Jordan receives up to $1.5 billion regular and military aid annually from the US, and Jordan’s King who controls the country with an iron fist, fails to exhibit any transparency or governance for anything he does. And although he receives generous aid and support from the USA and other Western Countries, he exhibits an expensively lavish life style that calls into question whether he needs the money he is given or that he is using the given money to support Jordan’s economy and defense. c. The JOC believes that your measure must seek to exhibit and implement deeper accountability for US allies that receive(s) US aid and to present the outcome from those to the taxpayers. This will force the foreign recipients of the military aid to use the money more effectively. 2. YOUR MEASURE FAILS TO PROVIDE PUNISHMENT MEASURES FOR GOVERNMENTS WHO INCITE TERRORISM AND ISLAMIC RADICALISM. The JOC is hereby obligated to confirm to you that some US allies have been fully engaged in promoting and supporting radicalism and anti-Semitism. a. For example: Jordan’s government has launched an active anti-Semitic Campaign in their state media against Israel and Jews by calling on Palestinians to stab Jews. Israel’s government has protested that twice, on 25 June and on 4 September. b. On 21 September 2015, Israel has also confirmed that: “Jordan is a contributor to unrest in Jerusalem”, “through exacerbating tensions”, and the famous Israel news website, Jerusalem Online, which is affiliated with Israeli Channel 2, reported on 22 November 2015 that “Jordan’s king stands behind present wave of terrorism”, in fact, Jordan’s king has claimed on state TV back in November 2015 that “There is Zionist terrorism” and “Israel kills our kids every five minutes in Gaza and Jerusalem”. Therefore, the JOC believes that US aid money should not be given to Jordan’s government or other allies unless they refrain from promoting radicalism and state-sponsored anti-Semitism. Your measure must establish clear warnings and concrete punishment measures for those countries who engage in such acts, including Jordan. It should also state that any money received cannot be used for those purposes. In closing, The JOC is confident that you would not allow US taxpayers’ money to be wasted over incompetent and anti-Semitic Middle Eastern regimes in a manner that harms US interest and therefore those of our region. The JOC looks forward to working with you on improving the effectiveness of your measure now that it has passed the US Congress and heads to the US Senate for adoption. Mudar Zahran, Secretary General of the Jordanian Opposition Coalition Conservatives Need To Avoi... Jihad video featuring Trump also includes Hillary ... Obama’s “favorite” ally, Tur... Thank you MARCO and thank you Mudar... Maybe now p... Rep. Ha...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1112
__label__cc	0.544756	0.455244	About The Public Relations and Marketing Group A Long Island-Based PR, Marketing and Social Media Agency Serving New York Metro Area Clients The Public Relations and Marketing Group, LLC has been helping businesses, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and other entities find their way to success since it opened in 2002. Like his enterprising predecessors at Apple and Hewlett Packard, John C. Zaher founded the company out of an office in his father’s West Islip home, after working for nearly a decade in public relations and marketing for government and the telecommunications industry. In the years since, PRMG has grown into a full-service public relations and marketing firm providing integrated services to New York Metro area companies, non-profits and governmental organizations out of its Long Island and New York City offices. In the relatively short time since the company first opened its doors, the influences of the Internet have had a dramatic impact on the way people make buying decisions. The result is that traditional marketing and advertising approaches are not as effective as they once were. PRMG’s integrated approach, with an emphasis on public relations and social media, has given the firm an edge by allowing it to develop strategies that use a full range of tools to reach people through the Web. While its approaches have changed, the firm’s mission has remained the same: to help its clients grow by allowing them to worry less about their own public relations, marketing and advertising efforts and focus more on the business that is their business. PRMG is one of the fastest-growing local agencies. Its success has been rooted in providing the highest-quality services at competitive prices, along with a commitment to help its clients become more successful. However, the company is most proud of the fact that its first three clients are still clients and that many of the organizations it works for have been using the firm for more than five years. PRMG’s executive staff has years of experience in public relations, marketing, Web development, graphic design and video production. In the last decade, members of PRMG’s staff have won numerous awards for their public relations, advertising and marketing campaigns, for their writing and photography and for their video productions and television commercials.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1113
__label__wiki	0.597208	0.597208	FIND US & CONNECT Loma Has Arrived by Jason Mundok in I’ve been a Shearwater fan for over a decade starting with the album Winged Life (2004). At the time Shearwater was still a side project for quieter collaborations between band leader Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff, Meiburg’s bandmate in Okkervil River. Meiburg developed Shearwater into his primary focus and released some of my all-time favorite albums, Rook (2008) and Jet Plane and Oxbow (2016). On the Jet Plane and Oxbow tour I was introduced to Cross Record, a Texas based duo made up of Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski. I became a fan of the duo’s latest album Wabi-Sabi, so I was extra excited to hear that Meiburg and Cross Record joined forces to create a brand new project called Loma, with a self-titled debut album coming to world via Sub Pop. I heard Meiburg comment at some point about how it was interesting for him to write songs for someone else to sing and I was intrigued to hear the result. After a few spins of the pre-release album stream, I could definitely hear Meiburg’s vocal style coming through Cross’ vocals, particularly at the top of the track called “Joy”. It works…really really well! This album is the best of both bands. It has the intensity of the most recent Shearwater albums and the soft experimental qualities of Cross Record, but the sound somehow transcends both, becoming much greater than the sum of its parts. Highly recommended for anyone interested in pop music that has an experimental edge and stretches the boundaries of convention but is still incredibly easy to listen to. Loma will be at Johnny Brenda’s on Saturday, May 5. Details here. Loma by LOMA Tags: art rock, Cross Record, experimental pop, Johnny Brendas, Philly, pop, Shearwater	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1115
__label__wiki	0.785173	0.785173	Baseball’s Hall of Fame changes its election procedures (again) Posted on July 28, 2010 by Sandlapper Spike Some observations on the revised election procedures for the Veterans Committee… In case you were wondering why the procedures were revised, it’s fairly simple — the Hall wants more players elected. It needs more people traveling to Cooperstown for Hall of Fame weekend. Darren Rovell wrote about this, and that was prior to this weekend’s paltry attendance at the induction ceremony. Since the BBWAA is struggling to elect more than one player per year (although I think both Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar will be elected this winter), the Hall needs the Veterans Committee to elect some players to excite fans of a certain age. It hasn’t been easy. The previous iteration of the VC (which Chris Jaffe refers to as the “Joe Morgan SuperFriends Committee” ) managed to elect no post-1960 players in three years of trying. Now the VC has morphed into the following: There will now be one composite ballot consisting of managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players divided into three eras, rather than four categories with separate electorates. The “categories with separate electorates” voting resulted in the election by the VC of no “modern” players (courtesy of the SuperFriends, as noted above). The only modern-day players elected were those few selected by the BBWAA. The only player actually enshrined courtesy of any VC committee was Joe Gordon. Gordon is one of two players elected by the VC in the last decade (Bill Mazeroski was elected in 2001). The VC setup did produce several other Hall of Famers — two managers (Billy Southworth and Dick Williams), two owners (Barney Dreyfuss and Walter O’Malley) and former commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Thus, the past three years of voting by the VC resulted in six new Hall of Famers, only one of whom (Williams) was still alive to accept the honor. So what are the new divisions/categories? The new divisions are as follows: Pre-Integration (1871-1946), Golden (1947-1972) and Expansion (1973-1989 for players; 1973-present for managers, umpires and executives)… …One election will be held each year at the annual Winter Meetings, but the eras rotate, resulting in one era per year. The Expansion era will be first, followed by the Golden Era election in 2011 and the Pre-Integration Era election in 2012. The new rules take effect immediately and will be put into practice at the first election at this year’s Winter Meetings, to be held on December 5, 2010, in Orlando, Fla., with the Expansion Era up first. First, who thought it would be a good idea to call one of the divisions the “Golden” era? What a way to sell your current on-field product, guys. It’s a sop to some of the baby boomers, and certain syrupy writers, I guess. Then there is the actual dividing line between the categories. Why does the “Expansion” era start in 1973, rather than in real expansion years like 1961 or 1968? What is so special about 1973? It was the first year of the DH. Maybe that’s what it is. Or maybe… Maybe it’s because George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees in 1973. I have to say that I’m not completely sure I’m going to buy the Big Stein Line of Demarcation theory, if only because I’m not sure Steinbrenner’s election would automatically result in overflow crowds venturing to Cooperstown next July. However, let’s take a look at a potential ballot. Remember, the “Expansion” era is up first, so The Boss is up for election immediately. There will be 12 names on the expansion era ballot, made up of players, managers, umpires, and executives. I figure that around eight of them will be players. If I were to pick the top eight eligibles among this group of players, the list might look like this: Tommy John Bobby Grich Ted Simmons Buddy Bell Bobby Bonds Sal Bando Jose Cruz, Sr. I think it will be hard for any of these players to get 75% of the vote from a committee of 16 people. John would have the best shot, and Grich likely would get serious consideration (at least, he should). Then we have the non-players who would be on the ballot. Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella would not be eligible for consideration this year. Who would? Steinbrenner, of course. Charlie Finley. Ewing Kauffman. Marvin Miller. John Schuerholz. Davey Johnson. Allan H. Selig… That’s right. Bud is a potential candidate. I don’t think he’ll be on the ballot this time, but just wait three years. Just wait. If I had to guess at four non-players on the ballot, the spots would be taken by Steinbrenner, Miller, Kauffman…and Billy Martin. Imagine the press if Steinbrenner and Martin are enshrined at the same time. So will the VC elect anyone this winter? Probably. There is one potential hitch, though. As Tom Tango observes, past iterations of the VC mandated that each voter could only vote for up to four candidates, making it very hard, if not impossible, for an individual to get 75% of the vote. That will be particularly true for a 12-man ballot (as opposed to the 10-man ballot for the Golden and Pre-Integration eras). If instead each candidate gets an “up or down” vote, with no further restrictions for those on the committee, then I think there could be three or four candidates elected. If not? Then it’s Steinbrenner, and nobody else. Somewhere, Frank Constanza weeps. Filed under: Baseball \| Tagged: Barney Dreyfuss, Baseball, Bert Blyleven, Bill Mazeroski, Billy Martin, Billy Southworth, Bobby Bonds, Bobby Cox, Bobby Grich, Bowie Kuhn, Bud Selig, Buddy Bell, Charlie Finley, Chris Jaffe, Cooperstown, Darrell Evans, Darren Rovell, Davey Johnson, Dick Williams, Ewing Kauffman, George Steinbrenner, Hall of Fame, Joe Gordon, Joe Morgan, John Schuerholz, Jose Cruz, Lou Piniella, Marvin Miller, New York Yankees, Roberto Alomar, Sal Bando, Ted Simmons, Tommy John, Veterans Committee, Walter O'Malley \| Leave a comment » To be a Hall of Famer — the 2008 ballots (Part 3) Posted on December 13, 2008 by Sandlapper Spike In the first two parts of this series, I took a look at the pre-1942 nominees ballot and the post-1943 ballot. Part 3 covers the BBWAA vote, which this year features only 23 players. First, a brief summation of the results of the first two elections… However, in the case of the post-1943 ballot it’s a “I’m not surprised” booing situation, because it is by no means shocking that no one was elected. The natural tendency of some of the Hall of Famers to favor exclusivity in admitting new members to their club, plus the restrictions on voting (the you-can-only-vote-for-up-to-four rule) combined to make it practically impossible for any candidate to get the required 75% of the vote. Ron Santo came closest, with 39 of the 48 votes he needed, but that’s not really that close. Santo’s reaction was predictable, as he would like a return to the system that elected Bill Mazeroski. Of course, it was the election of Mazeroski that led to the current system. At this point, it seems doubtful to me that Santo will ever get elected, at least in his lifetime. The same is true of all the other men on the ballot, with the exception of Joe Torre, who will presumably be enshrined whenever he decides to quit managing. As I’ve stated before, the failure of the VC to already elect Torre shows a complete disregard by the voters of the Hall’s own rules for considering nominees. The pre-1942 committee did elect someone, Joe Gordon. I have no problem at all with Gordon’s election, as he is a solid choice. I am concerned that the voters came very close to electing Allie Reynolds, who in my opinion was one of the weaker choices on the ballot, and that the most qualified of the nominees, Bill Dahlen, got less than three votes. Since it appears that the committee is not inclined to support the candidacy of any player who started his career prior to 1920, perhaps the Hall should consider a special committee (similar to the Negro Leagues Committee from 2006) for those players, to wrap up that era and make it easier on the VC to focus on post-Dead Ball era players. On to the BBWAA ballot… Harold Baines: He played forever, but if I’m going to support the candidacy of a DH-type he needs to put up a little more than a career 120 OPS+. Baines led the AL in slugging in 1984. That’s the only time he ever led the league in a significant statistical category. Jay Bell: I don’t think he will get 5% of the vote (you need 5%+ to remain on the ballot), but he was a good player for quite a long time — underrated, really. What I remember most about him was there was a two-year stretch where Jim Leyland would have Bell sac-bunt in the first inning whenever the leadoff man reached base. I mean he did this every time. I never understood that. Bert Blyleven: He’s up to almost 62% in the balloting, so he’s probably going to get elected in the next few years. It appears that the bulk of the BBWAA membership has come around on his candidacy, which is good. I understand the problem with trying to evaluate him (I think he has one of the more unusual pitching careers in MLB history), so I’m not going to criticize the writers for not electing him yet. If you’re still not sold on him, just consider all those shutouts. He’s ninth all time, and he’s going to stay in the top 10 for many, many years to come. David Cone: The “hired gun” is on the ballot for the first time. He might get to 5% and hang around for another year, although he’s not going to get in the Hall unless some future Veterans Committee elects him. I think he would be getting a lot more votes if he hadn’t moved around so much, and if he had managed to get to 200 wins. His closest comp is Dwight Gooden, which is interesting, although I think Cone had a better overall career than Doc. Gooden, incidentally, got 3.3% of the vote in 2006 and fell off the ballot. Andre Dawson: He’s up to almost 66% in the balloting and is going to get in. I support his candidacy, despite the .323 OBP. I think people sometimes evaluate him as a corner outfielder and forget he won four of his eight Gold Gloves as a centerfielder. He’s a very close case, but he also gets bonus points on the character issue and for having a cool nickname. When he was active, I think the majority of baseball fans thought of him as a future Hall of Famer. Of course, you could also say that about Steve Garvey… Ron Gant: He’s not a Hall of Famer, obviously, but he did finish in the top 6 in the MVP voting twice, which I bet would surprise some people. Gil Hodges never finished in the top 6 of the MVP voting. Mark Grace: It wouldn’t surprise me if some Veterans Committee of the future elected him, since Mickey Vernon got serious consideration by this year’s VC, and Grace was a similar player. That’s not saying it would be a good decision, of course. Rickey Henderson: Everyone awaits with great anticipation his enshrinement speech. Tommy John: This is his last year on the ballot. I go back and forth on his candidacy, to be honest…he was a very good pitcher for a long time, but for me his playing career tends to be a borderline-no situation. Then you have the operation that bears his name, for which some people give him extra credit, while others quite reasonably suggest that the credit belongs to Frank Jobe. However, it’s also true that the rehabilitation (obviously unprecedented at that time) came through John’s hard work (and was mostly developed by him, apparently), and that aspect of the surgery and recovery may be underappreciated. If he were elected, it would in part be as a pioneer, which means no one else could really compare his career to John’s as a way of saying “if him then me” when it comes to the Hall. I think that works in his favor. He’s not going to be elected this year, but a future VC is going to seriously consider him, and rightfully so. Don Mattingly: Some of the people supporting his candidacy have been known to argue that if Kirby Puckett is in the Hall, so should Mattingly, because their batting statistics are similar. Of course, they never seem to mention that Puckett was a centerfielder and Mattingly a first baseman. Comparing a first baseman’s batting stats to those of a borderline Hall of Fame centerfielder is not the way to get your man in the Hall. Mark McGwire: I would vote for him. The rules were the same for him as they were for everyone else, which is to say, there were no rules. You have to evaluate him by the era in which he played. In that era, he’s a Hall of Famer. Jack Morris: One game doesn’t make up for a career ERA+ of 105. He was a workhorse, but he was never an elite pitcher. Guys like Tommy John and Bert Blyleven (just to name two pitchers also on the ballot) pitched a lot longer and were more effective. Dale Murphy: Like Dawson, a lot of people forget that Murphy played the majority of his career as a centerfielder, including the bulk of the six-year period (1982-87) during which he was arguably the best player in baseball. Murphy’s career was short, which hurts him, and the argument against him is that his peak wasn’t long enough to offset that. I think it’s close. There is something else about Murphy that doesn’t get discussed much, but I think is worth mentioning. Murphy was a Superstation Star, perhaps the first. Everyone around the country could follow the Braves via TBS, even when they were bad, as they were through much of Murphy’s time with the club. Because of that, along with his reputation as an individual of high character, Murphy has to be one of the most popular players of his era, and maybe of any era. Personally, I think it’s possible that the success (and in some cases, existence) of programs like East Cobb Baseball can be traced to kids following and being inspired by the Braves, and the main, if not only, reason to follow the Braves in the mid-to-late 1980s was Dale Murphy. It’s worthy of study, at least. That type of influence on the game should be recognized. Jesse Orosco: He was his league’s oldest player in each of his last five seasons. Dave Parker: There is a five-year doughnut hole in his career which is basically going to keep him out of the Hall of Fame. It’s nobody’s fault but his, though. Dan Plesac: I’m not familiar with his TV work, but I understand it’s good, so I’m looking forward to seeing him on the new MLB Network. Tim Raines: Raines got less than 25% of the vote his first time around with the writers, in part because he played his best years in Montreal, the Witness Protection Program of baseball, and in part because he is compared to Rickey Henderson. That’s a tough comparison for just about anybody, so Raines loses out. Never mind the fact that Raines was better than Lou Brock, who is already in the Hall. Raines was a truly great player, and belongs in Cooperstown. I think he will eventually get there, but it’s going to take a while. I’m hopeful the BBWAA votes him in sometime in the next decade. Jim Rice: In my opinion, he would already be in the Hall if he hadn’t annoyed enough writers (or carried a rep as being difficult) so that a significant percentage of them won’t vote for him out of spite, as opposed to not voting for him because his career is borderline for a Hall of Famer. I am inclined to support his candidacy, because I think his peak was very high, higher than some saber-stats would suggest. I don’t feel that strongly about it, though, which evidently differentiates me from a lot of folks in the online baseball community, some of whom think the world will end if Rice is elected. It won’t, trust me. Now if Mo Vaughn is elected, all bets are off… Incidentally, I am less sure than most about Rice’s election this year being an inevitability. I think it will be very close. Lee Smith: Trying to define a Hall of Fame relief pitcher is difficult. Of the relievers already enshrined, I would rate all of them above Smith except maybe Bruce Sutter, who is a questionable selection to say the least. On the other hand, among other eligibles and active pitchers, I would only rate Mariano Rivera as being clearly ahead of Smith. Ultimately, I can’t support Smith’s candidacy, mainly because he never “seemed” like a Hall of Famer to me. I reserve the right to reconsider… Alan Trammell: The biggest injustice in the balloting the last few years, easily, is Trammell not even being close to election. His problems are at least twofold: he played at the same time as Cal Ripken Jr., essentially, and then after his career ended the ARod-Nomar-Jeter triumvarite appeared on the scene, closely followed by Miguel Tejada. He suffers in comparison to Ripken, and his batting stats don’t measure up to the new wave of shortstops that followed him. He also got jobbed of the 1987 MVP award, which would have helped his case (he did win the World Series MVP award in 1984). In the New Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James rated him the 9th-best shortstop of all time, which struck me as a reasonable placement. In the last BBWAA election, the 9th-best shortstop of all time got 18.2% of the vote. The 10th-best shortstop, according to James, is Pee Wee Reese. Curiously, Reese was not elected by the BBWAA, but by the Veterans Committee. The BBWAA also failed to elect another great shortstop, Arky Vaughn. This doesn’t bode well for Trammell’s chances on the BBWAA ballot, not to mention those of Barry Larkin, who becomes eligible for election next year. Greg Vaughn: What I remember most about Vaughn is in that magical year of 1998, before everyone decided 1998 didn’t really happen (although royalty checks for several books about that season were cashed anyway), he hit 50 home runs and got a place in a really good article by Gary Smith in Sports Illustrated. Smith decided to go watch the great home run chase, and got super-lucky, because in three consecutive games he attended games in which Vaughn, McGwire (in the same game), Ken Griffey Jr., and Sammy Sosa all homered. Mo Vaughn: He’s not going to make the Hall of Fame, but at least he has Albert Belle’s MVP award. Matt Williams: Would he have hit 62 homers in 1994? We’ll never know. Could he have stayed at shortstop and put up similar offensive numbers? We’ll never know. I don’t have a vote, but if I did, my ballot: Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Alan Trammell, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, Mark McGwire, Jim Rice. What I expect: Rickey and probably Rice will make it. Filed under: Baseball \| Tagged: Alan Trammell, Albert Belle, Allie Reynolds, Andre Dawson, Arky Vaughn, Barry Larkin, BBWAA, Bert Blyleven, Bill Dahlen, Bill James, Bill Mazeroski, Bruce Sutter, Cal Ripken Jr., Dale Murphy, Dan Plesac, Dave Parker, David Cone, Don Mattingly, Dwight Gooden, East Cobb Baseball, Frank Jobe, Gary Smith, Greg Vaughn, Hall of Fame, Harold Baines, Jack Morris, Jay Bell, Jim Leyland, Jim Rice, Joe Gordon, Joe Torre, Kirby Puckett, Lee Smith, Lou Brock, Mariano Rivera, Mark Grace, Mark McGwire, Matt Williams, Miguel Tejada, Mo Vaughn, Pee Wee Reese, Rickey Henderson, Ron Gant, Ron Santo, Sammy Sosa, Sports Illustrated, TBS, Tim Raines, Tommy John, Veterans Committee \| Leave a comment » Posted on December 5, 2008 by Sandlapper Spike In Part 1 of this 3-part series, I took a look at the candidates from the ballot for players who began play in 1942 or earlier. In this post, I’m going to discuss the ballot for players who began play in 1943 or later (and who have been retired for at least 21 years). Part 3 will concern the BBWAA ballot. In the case of this ballot, it’s very important to understand the process of selecting (or not selecting) players for enshrinement. The reason the procedures were changed (for the umpteenth time) after the last Veterans Committee election was due to the fact that no one was getting elected. The powers that be at the Hall weren’t happy about that, so the process was streamlined. Only Hall of Fame players and managers will vote for the players on this ballot (previously, Spink and Frick winners also voted). That cuts the list of potential voters down to 64 (from 80+). To be elected, a candidate has to be named on 75% of the returned ballots. Assuming all 64 ballots were submitted, that would mean a candidate would have to be listed on 48 ballots. The good news for candidates this year is that that the final ballot has been cut to 10. In the last election, for example, voters had to choose from among 27 players. This time a winnowing-out process by a pair of different committees reduced the field of candidates to 21, and from there the living Hall of Famers submitted preliminary ballots, resulting in further reducing that number to 10. It would seem easier for the voters to develop a consensus resulting in at least one player being elected when the number of candidates is limited. There is one catch, though, and it’s a significant one. Voters can vote for up to four candidates. They can’t vote for more than four. That strikes me as potentially disastrous, if the goal is to elect somebody. In last year’s election, when no candidate got 75% of the vote, the average ballot contained 5.96 names. Let’s say, for example, that in the last election a voter cast a ballot listing Tony Oliva, Dick Allen, Jim Kaat, Maury Wills, Gil Hodges, Joe Torre, Vada Pinson, and Ron Santo. Well, this time around all eight of those guys are on the ballot again, but the voter would only be able to vote for four of them. If he decides that his “top four” are Oliva, Allen, Kaat, and Wills, that’s one less vote for the other four (including Santo, who came closest to election last time). The elector’s vote would essentially count against the Hodges-Torre-Pinson-Santo group. Ron Santo got 57 votes in the last election (out of a possible 82). There is no guarantee that all 57 of those voters considered him to be one of their top four candidates. The same is true for the other candidates, of course, including the three other players to receive greater than 50% of the vote in the last election (Kaat, Hodges, and Oliva). I think by limiting the electors to four choices, the Hall risks another shutout. All ten of the nominees appeared on the ballot for the prior election. In fact, the top six vote-getters in that election are on this ballot, along with the 8th-place finisher (Pinson), 11th-place finisher (Tiant), 13th-place finisher (Al Oliver), and 17th-place finisher (Allen). The most surprising omission may be Don Newcombe, who did not even make the list of 21 candidates on the preliminary ballot (Newcombe finished 7th in the last election, with just over 20% of the vote). Other players from the ballot for the last election who did not make the “semi-finals” despite being eligible were Curt Flood, Sparky Lyle, and Bobby Bonds. Roger Maris, Minnie Minoso, Ken Boyer, Mickey Lolich, Thurman Munson, and Rocky Colavito were on last year’s ballot and made this year’s preliminary ballot, but did not make the final 10. The players who were on the preliminary ballot who did not appear on the ballot for the last election were Steve Garvey, Bert Campaneris, Mike Cuellar, Ted Kluszewski, and Lee May. Okay, on to the ten candidates. I’m going to start by stating that there is one guy on this list who absolutely should be in the Hall of Fame, more so than any of the other players, and I think the electors should draw some criticism for not already electing him. I’m talking, of course, about Joe Torre. Maybe you thought I was going to say Ron Santo, and I’ll get to him (he belongs in the Hall too) — but to me, the one guy who you just have to vote for if you are an elector is Torre. Let’s go to the rules for election for the post-1943 candidates. Rule number 6-B, to be precise: Those whose careers entailed involvement as both players and managers/executives/umpires will be considered for their overall contribution to the game of Baseball… So when the electors are considering Torre, they are to take into account his complete contribution to the game, which includes his borderline Hall of Fame career as a player AND his no-questions-asked Hall of Fame career as a manager. If the electors are supposed to vote based on his entire career in baseball, is there any doubt that they should be voting for him? Of course, that was also true in the last election, and in the last election Joe Torre received less than 32% of the vote. Basically, two out of every three voters disregarded his managerial career. (For all I know, all of them did, and the guys who voted for him did so because they thought just as a player he was Hall-worthy.) I realize there might be some hesitation from some of the voters who are unsure whether to consider his managerial career (particularly when he’s still active). I would tell them that from a practical standpoint, it doesn’t matter if Torre goes into the Hall classified as a “player” or a “manager” — there is no real distinction, a point proven by the fact that both managers and players are voting in this election. This is something that Joe Morgan or one of the other leaders among the Hall of Famers probably needs to emphasize to his fellow voters. What is a bit contradictory to this is the possibility that the voters are applying managerial credit to Gil Hodges and not Torre. At least, that could be the explanation for the continuing support for Hodges’ candidacy (61% in the last election). It probably isn’t the full explanation, however. Hodges is most likely getting credit as a player/manager/icon. As a player, he is similar to a raft of non-Famer first basemen, like Boog Powell and Norm Cash (or Tino Martinez, perhaps an apt modern comparison). The difference is Hodges’ status as a beloved symbol of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After all, nobody ever wrote a book called Praying for Roy Sievers. I would like to support Hodges’ candidacy. I respect the consistent support he received from a large portion of the BBWAA during his time on that ballot (in his final year, he received 63.4% of the vote). He was obviously an impressive man. The facts are, though, that his playing career doesn’t measure up, and his managerial career, tragically, isn’t long enough to compensate. Ron Santo is (at worst) one of the seven greatest third basemen of all time. You could argue he’s as high as fifth-best. If you go by the rankings in Bill James’ New Historical Baseball Abstract (which ranks him sixth), the seventh-best second baseman of all time is Ryne Sandberg. The seventh-best shortstop is Ozzie Smith. The seventh-best first baseman is Harmon Killebrew.The seventh-best catcher is Bill Dickey. The seventh-best center fielder is Junior Griffey. You get the idea… Now, that doesn’t mean that the position of third base is as strong historically (in terms of number of great players) as those other positions. Maybe it isn’t. It’s certainly an undervalued position as far as Hall of Famers go. Despite the relative paucity of players at that position in the Hall, however, Santo would rank in the upper half of third basemen so honored. However, in his final year on the BBWAA ballot, Santo only received 43.1% of the vote. He hasn’t been elected because of the era in which he played (depressing offensive stats across the board), general confusion over how to evaluate third basemen, and the fact that the Cubs never made postseason play during his career, despite having three current Hall of Famers on the roster with Santo for much of that time. As far as the too-many-Famers-already argument, I think it’s inherently lame. It’s not like there is a quota on how many Hall of Famers can be on a team at any given time. The fact the Cubs could not get over the hump during that period (or any other over the last 100 years) is just a testament to the fact that having a collection of great players isn’t enough. You generally have to be solid across the board to be a championship team. The strength-of-the-chain-is-only-its-weakest-link concept applies in baseball, because in 162 games, that weak link is going to eventually be exploited. Santo also played his entire career with Type 1 diabetes, which even today would be very impressive. Perhaps he should get some consideration for that as well. His case doesn’t really need it, though. Vada Pinson is a guy who doesn’t really compare to any other player, which in a way is a point in his favor. His similarity scores list Steve Finley as his best comp, but Pinson was better than Finley. Bill James wrote in one of his books that Pinson was as a player essentially at the halfway point between Roberto Clemente and Willie Davis (who are both in his similarity score list as well). James reported in the New Historical Abstract that Pinson was actually two years older than was believed (he was 23 in 1959, not 21). This in part explains why he never rose to the heights expected of him after his first three seasons in the National League. He still managed to fashion an outstanding career. I’m not quite sure he has Hall of Fame numbers, but you could make a very good case for him. It should be pointed out that for about two-thirds of his career, he was a center fielder. Pinson spent 15 years on the BBWAA ballot; he never received more than 15.7% of the vote. Pinson was probably a better player than Al Oliver, though. Oliver could hit (.303 lifetime average) but didn’t walk much. Oliver played centerfield for about a third of his career, first base for about a third, and left field/DH for the remainder. He compares to Steve Garvey; Oliver was a better hitter and maybe a better all-around player (it depends on how good a fielder you think Garvey was). Oliver was only on the BBWAA ballot once, in 1991. He received 19 votes (4.9%) and was dropped from future ballots. Dick Allen never received more than 18.9% of the vote from the BBWAA electorate, despite very fine career batting totals (career OPS+: 156), albeit in a relatively short career. Of course, that doesn’t begin to tell the Dick Allen story. I don’t think any player’s Hall of Fame case is quite as polarizing as that of Allen. His numbers are generally outstanding, but he never seemed to improve his teams, short-term or long-term. Despite his hitting prowess, he got traded frequently, almost always for lesser players (including Jim Essian twice). He missed a lot of games during the heart of his career due to injuries, was suspended for following the ponies at the expense of a doubleheader in 1969, and walked out on the White Sox with two weeks to play in 1974, when Chicago was still involved in a pennant race. He was, in short, disruptive. My sense is that people who don’t remember Allen (the majority of baseball fans) are more supportive of Allen’s candidacy than people who were on the scene, so to speak (although there are exceptions). Allen received 11 votes (13.4%) in the most recent Veterans Committee election. I’m guessing that he gets a similar percentage this time. Maury Wills isn’t the most popular guy around, either. Wills finished fifth in the last Veterans Committee election (receiving 40.2% of the vote). That’s a similar percentage to what Wills got in the 1981 BBWAA vote. The next year, his vote total dropped by almost half (163 votes to 91); he never approached his high-water mark in votes again. Wills stole 104 bases in 1962 — you may have read about it — and his Hall of Fame candidacy has fed off that one year. That’s about all it can feed on, because once you get past 104, you’re left with a leadoff hitter who didn’t walk and had no power, and who was a decent but not great defensive shortstop. Plus, if Gil Hodges and Joe Torre are getting credit for their managerial careers, surely Wills has to get negative credit for his. There are two pitchers on the ballot. Jim Kaat won 16 Gold Gloves and 283 games in a long career that was extended several years by his conversion into a reliever. He later became a respected broadcaster. Kaat was a very good pitcher for a long time, but here I think the expression “compiler” does apply somewhat. I’ve seen other players saddled with that unfairly (Bert Blyleven, for example), but Kaat does seem to fit the bill. Kaat never received as much as 30% of the vote in 15 BBWAA elections, but he received a surprising 63.4% of the vote in the last Veterans Committee election, suggesting that he may indeed have a Cooperstown plaque in his future. If that happens, it won’t be a tragedy. Kaat is quite close to the border, and a case could be made he crosses over it. Luis Tiant received just over 18.3% of the vote in that particular election, in line with the vote in his final BBWAA ballot. Tiant actually got over 30% of the BBWAA vote in his first go-round, in 1988, but the ballot was swamped with distinctly better pitchers the next year, and Tiant’s vote total crashed, never to recover to its initial level. Tiant had a career ERA+ of 114 in just under 3500 innings. His closest Similarity Scores comp is Catfish Hunter, only you could make a good argument that Tiant was better than Hunter. That’s something for Tiant backers to emphasize, since Hunter was actually elected by the BBWAA, and not the Veterans Committee. Very rarely has the BBWAA elected a borderline candidate (most of those get put in the Hall by the VC). However, Jim Hunter is one of the exceptions to the rule. He’s yet another guy who is quite close. I think he’s just on the wrong side of the line, but the line is really hazy. Being somewhat famous will help El Tiante’s cause. Tony Oliva, on the other hand, isn’t famous. That probably has hurt his cause a bit. For whatever reason, I get the impression he may be the least known (to the general public and/or casual baseball fan) of the ten nominees; it’s either him or Pinson. That’s too bad, because he was quite a player. In his rookie season he led the league in hits; in his second season he was the runner-up for league MVP. He was named to the All-Star team in his first eight seasons. He led the league in batting three times, in slugging once, in doubles four times, and added another runner-up finish in the MVP voting in 1970. For eight years, he was on a no-doubter Hall of Fame track. He had bad knees, though, and his career went downhill after 1971. He played in only 10 games in 1972, and finished his career as a DH. In that role, however, he was not nearly as productive as he had been as a regular position player. Oliva basically had eight great seasons and three other seasons as a league-average batting DH. That’s not enough for a lot of people, including the majority of BBWAA voters (his vote totals peaked at 47.3% in 1988). Interestingly, he seems to have a solid base of support from the Hall of Famers. Oliva got 57.3% of the vote in the last VC election. I have a sneaking suspicion that he could be surprisingly close to election this time around. If I were voting, Torre and Santo would get my vote. I would seriously consider Kaat, Tiant, Pinson, and Oliva. As to what I think will actually happen, I think there is a decent chance that no one is elected again. If anyone is elected, it’s going to be Santo. We’ll find out on December 8. Filed under: Baseball \| Tagged: Al Oliver, BBWAA, Bert Blyleven, Bert Campaneris, Bill Dickey, Bobby Bonds, Boog Powell, Brooklyn Dodgers, Catfish Hunter, Curt Flood, Dick Allen, Don Newcombe, Gil Hodges, Hall of Fame, Harmon Killebrew, Jim Essian, Jim Kaat, Joe Morgan, Joe Torre, Ken Boyer, Ken Griffey Jr., Lee May, Luis Tiant, Maury Wills, Mike Cuellar, Minnie Minoso, Norm Cash, Ozzie Smith, Roberto Clemente, Rocky Colavito, Roger Maris, Ron Santo, Roy Sievers, Ryne Sandberg, Sparky Lyle, Steve Finley, Steve Garvey, Ted Kluszewski, Thurman Munson, Tino Martinez, Tony Oliva, Vada Pinson, Veterans Committee, Willie Davis \| Leave a comment »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1116
__label__wiki	0.98751	0.98751	Michigan International Speedway Names New President (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) Minor league baseball executive Rick Brenner is taking over as president of Michigan International Speedway. The International Speedway Corporation announced Brenner's move Thursday. It takes effect September 19th. Brenner replaces Roger Curtis, whose departure was announced shortly after MIS hosted NASCAR races in late August. Brenner served for over a decade as president of DSF Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, a Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. This season was his 23rd in minor league baseball. He also was chief operating officer and general manager of the Trenton Thunder. Here's our story about Roger Curtis stepping down.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1122
__label__cc	0.636049	0.363951	Home » Photo Galleries » Photos of the week:… Photos of the week: Sept. 8-15 Here are photos from stories that happened last week. Scroll through to see if you've missed any. Here are photos from stories that happened last week. Scroll through to see if you’ve missed any. Russ Lewis looks for shells along the beach as Hurricane Florence approaches Myrtle Beach, S.C., Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. “We might get lucky we might not we’ll find out,” said Lewis of the storm. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (AP/David Goldman) The community where slain teenager TaQuan Pinkney lived come together Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, to bring an end to the violence which has plagued the neighborhood. (WTOP/Mike Murillo) (WTOP/Mike Murillo) The release of the star-rated restaurants in the 2019 Michelin Guide brought a wave of excitement to D.C.’s culinary community Sept. 13. The Inn at Little Washington became the area’s first three-star restaurant since the Guide’s D.C. launch in 2016. The design for the kitchen at The Inn at Little Washington came from Windsor Castle. (Courtesy The Inn at Little Washington) (Courtesy Gordon Beall/ The Inn at Little Washington) Americans commemorated the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks with somber tributes Tuesday. A member of the military walks the grounds of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial before the start of the September 11th Pentagon Memorial Observance at the Pentagon on the 17th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Heavy rain that poured over the region Sunday and throughout the weekend is causing flooding in the area, most prominently in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Almost a block and a half of King Street in Alexandria was flooded 50 minutes before high tide on Sept. 10, 2018. (WTOP/John Domen) (WTOP/John Domen) Members of the Catholic Church are gathering across the nation Sunday to speak out against sexual abuse. The campaign, called Time’s Up, Catholics Demand Truth, is also demanding change within the church’s leadership. Protesters outside the Apostolic Nunciature in DC demanding Leaders in the Catholic Church resign amid sexual abuse allegations. Protests taking place across the nation Sunday. (WTOP/Melissa Howell) (WTOP/Melissa Howell ) Tim Ferry stands guard near a lifesaver post on Fenwick Island beach, which he’ll be leaving at the end of the season. (AP/Jason Minto) (AP/Jason Minto) Walkers gather in Freedom Plaza for the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. (WTOP/Melissa Howell) (WTOP/Melissa Howell) Callie Brownson, an Alexandria, Virginia, native who coached football at Mount Vernon High School, is the first woman hired as a full-time Division 1 coach. Brownson was hired by Dartmouth College as the team’s offensive quality control coach. Brownson also played with the D.C. Divas with the Women’s Football Alliance for several years. (Courtesy Callie Brownson) (Courtesy Callie Brownson) Baltimore native author Tom Clancy’s 537-acre Chesapeake Bay estate, named Peregrine Cliff, is up for sale. The as-is asking price for Tom Clancy’s Peregrine Cliff is $6.2 million. (Courtesy Cummings & Co. Realtors) (Courtesy Cummings & Co. Realtors) North Korean students take part in a torch light march held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of North Korea’s founding day celebrations in Pyongyang, North Korea, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (AP/Ng Han Guan) Palestinian boy scouts march during a protest on the beach near the border with Israel in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. Thousands of Palestinians gathered on the beach Monday in a Hamas-led protest to demand end of an 11-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) (AP/Felipe Dana) A couple hugs across the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J., as the “Tribute in Light” is projected in the sky above the lower Manhattan area of New York, on the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki) (AP/Andres Kudacki) Candelaria Cabrera plays with a soccer ball in Chabas, Argentina on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. “Cande,” as she is known by friends and family, is the only girl playing in a children’s soccer league in the southern part of Argentina’s Santa Fe province, birthplace of stars including Lionel Messi, Gabriel Batistuta and Jorge Valdano. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP/Natacha Pisarenko) People use their phones to take pictures of the annual Virgin of Charity procession in Havana, Cuba, late Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. Cuba’s patron saint is also recognized as a powerful deity in the African-influenced religion of Santeria, which refers to her as “Ochun.” (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan) (AP/Desmond Boylan) The Associated Press contributed to this gallery. photos of the week pictures SEPT. 8-15	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1123
__label__cc	0.674269	0.325731	Cody: AEW won’t do a PPV every month, and not every show will be four or five hours Thread starter Wrestling News The People's Champion As good as Double or Nothing was as AEW’s debut event, there were a couple of issues some fans seemed to have with the show: it was long, running for just under five hours, and it cost $50, at least, to watch it on pay-per-view (PPV). The former is an issue those same fans have long had with WWE shows, and the latter is an issue precisely because WWE only charges $10 a month for a subscription to the Network, where every PPV is included. There is good news on that front, however. During his post-show media scrum, Cody Rhodes revealed you won’t be asked to pay that every month: ”So I think we’ll probably look at Double or Nothing and All Out as tentpole events. And there may be another one. We’re not going to do a pay-per-view every month. I realize it was $50 and to ask people to part with their money you gotta make sure it’s worth it. So we’re going to be... not every show is going to be four or five hours either. TV, I’ve kind of indicated with you, is a two hour TV broadcast.” If AEW is going to be an alternative to WWE, avoiding long run times for PPV events is a great start. Double or Nothing was the promotion’s debut show, and everyone was given time to put forth their best effort. There’s no reason to think they can’t trim that down a bit for the next outing. Then again, if they’re only going to do three or four PPV’s a year, that run time doesn’t seem so bad.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1124
__label__wiki	0.770411	0.770411	Crop Watch Des Moines, IA (50310) Mostly clear. Low 72F. Winds light and variable.. Mostly clear. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Andrew Dunham owns and 80-acre organic farm with his wife near Grinnell, Iowa. Rain also leaves veggie farmers struggling DES MOINES (AP) — Like farmers throughout the Midwest, this spring's torrential rains turned Andrew Dunham's land into sticky muck that set him back nearly a month in planting his crops. Unlike other farmers, though, Dunham won't get a piece of a $16 billion aid package to offset his losses, and he can't fall back on federally subsidized crop insurance because he grows herbs, flowers and dozens of vegetable varieties, but not the region's dominant crops of corn and soybeans. “There are no federal bailouts for vegetable farmers,” said Dunham, who owns an 80-acre organic farm with his wife near Grinnell, about 50 miles east of Des Moines, and is enduring weeks without sales as his crops ripen. “We'll just miss out on three weeks of income.” Although the lack of federal safety net programs for farmers who grow everything from arugula to zucchini isn't new, one of the wettest springs in U.S. history has focused attention on the special status of commodity crops, primarily corn, soybeans, cotton, rice and wheat. Growers of some of those crops received $11 billion in aid last year and could get $16 billion more this year to offset losses caused by trade disputes that led to tariffs and resulting drops in demand. The wet spring has also put growers of specialty crops in a tight spot, as they scramble to seed their fields and kill weeds that grew unhindered until recently. The persistent rain has been especially worrisome for farmers in central Illinois who grow most of the nation's pumpkins and the processors who turn the squash into pie filling for the nation's Thanksgiving feasts. “We had rain and rain and rain,” said Mohammad Babadoost, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who closely follows the state's pumpkin crop. “They're planting from dawn to dusk and even during the night to catch up because they’re about three weeks behind.” Pumpkin seeds usually are planted in April or May, but Jim Ackerman, agriculture manager for Libby's, the largest producer of pumpkin filling, said that if warm weather settles in over June and July, the crop should ripen in time to meet demand and prevent shortages. A cool, wet summer could cause problems, he said, but at least the seeds are in the ground. Although corn is the nation’s biggest crop, nearly all of it is field corn that is used for animal feed, ethanol production and as seed for future crops. Only about 1% is sweet corn grown for human consumption. For Scott Alsum, whose family owns Alsum Sweetcorn in central Wisconsin, rain made it nearly impossible to plant on schedule in mid-April. They planted some seeds between storms, but they won't know if it will be enough to meet the demand for corn sold at seven roadside stands, some farmers markets and to wholesalers. “I don't know if I'll have enough corn to keep me going every day of the week or not,” Alsum said. “It's going to depend on the weather. Right now it's a little sketchy looking.” In northeastern Iowa, Daquan Campbell, market manager for the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market, said many area farmers are in a similar situation and it has kept about a third of fresh produce growers from selling produce. The market still has plenty of baked goods and crafts, but customers shouldn't expect to find asparagus or spring onions, which typically would be available this time of year. “Customers are probably expecting a little bit more,” Campbell said. “We've been trying to educate them about the farmers and how the weather is dictating what's available right now.” In Minnesota, apple growers were more concerned about the cold temperatures than the persistent rain, said Ross Nelson, who owns Nelson's Apple Farm, about 40 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Nelson said trees in his orchard bloomed about a week late, setting back his crop just a bit, but that growers in other parts of the state have had trouble with Honeycrisp and Haralson varieties. Nelson, who has been growing apples since 1974, said he's glad federal programs help growers of commodity crops and that he has never minded that he doesn't benefit from such support. Why the difference between crops? Chad Hart, an Iowa State University economist, said the reason giant crops such as corn and soybeans have been treated differently is because they're so important to the national economy. There isn't a replacement for such crops, and a shortage would be painful, particularly to the livestock industry. “There are only so many things you can feed to our livestock and keep the meat production going,” he said. Vegetable Farmer Commodity Crop ‘Cash flow is king’ during tough year for farms Livestock editor DeYoung to lead IFT Publications Pork leader sees need for ‘boots on the ground’ engagement Patience on futures may pay off for producers Iowa farmers deal with replants, N losses IowaFarmerToday.com 1065 Sierra Court NE, Suite B Email: sales@iowafarmertoday.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1131
__label__cc	0.578204	0.421796	Book your private jet charter to Mardi Gras New Orleans 2018 New Orleans is always a fun-loving town, but it’s never more alive than during Mardi Gras. The raucous Shrove Tuesday festival is famous for its extravagant parades with over-the-top floats, costumes and performers who throw beads and brightly-coloured doubloon coins into the crowd. The celebration has grown from a local festival to a veritable bucket-list event for any dedicated reveler. How did Mardi Gras start? A purple Mardi Gras mask on Bourbon Street in New Orleans Mardi Gras dates back as early as 1699, when French explorers Iberville and Bienville first landed in Louisiana and threw a small Shrove Tuesday celebration just south of present-day New Orleans.The first official celebration in New Orleans took place in over 150 years later 1857, when a secret society of businessmen named the Mistick Krewe of Comus led a parade with marching bands and floats. In 1875, Governor Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act, declaring it a legal holiday in Louisiana. French for ‘Fat Tuesday’, the festival’s name reflects the practice of consuming rich, fatty foods the night before fasting begins for Lent. What are Mardi Gras Krewes? Beaded necklaces hanging on railings as part of Mardi Gras Since that first celebration, krewes have been an integral part of the Mardi Gras tradition. These membership-based organizations, some of which date back centuries, throw Mardi Gras parades and balls every year. Each krewe chooses an annual theme and plans a parade with elaborate floats and costumes. The most famous krewes are the Zulus, who throw coconuts into the crowd, and the Rex Krewe, whose members give out collectable doubloon coins engraved with their emblem. The Mardi Gras Indians are known for their spectacular beaded and feathered handmade costumes, while the Rolling Elvi is a scooter-riding krewe whose members wear Elvis costumes. In addition to the parades, many krewes host post-parade parties, some of which are elegant invitation-only black-tie balls. When is Mardi Gras celebrated? Book your private jet charter to Mardi Gras New Orleans Mardi Gras is the last hurrah before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. This year’s festival falls on Tuesday, February 13, but the festivities begin the previous weekend. Mardi Gras is free to attend, but those who would rather avoid the crowded streets and look out over the action from above can purchase bleacher seats to the parade. How can I get to Mardi Gras? Commercial flights to New Orleans for Mardi Gras are expensive and often sell out several months in advance. Instead, allow us to help you book a private jet charter to Mardi Gras. No matter where you’re traveling from, you can fly directly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), just 11 miles from the center of the festivities.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1133
__label__cc	0.582031	0.417969	Home » Judaism 101 » History » Crash Course History Crash Course #13: The Tragedy of the Spies Jan 27, 2001 \| by Rabbi Ken Spiro Every major disaster in Jewish history is connected to the 9th of Av. It all began with the 12 spies. After a year at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people pack up their portable sanctuary and come to the borders of the Land of Israel. They should have entered the land at this point, but the Jewish people came to Moses and said, "Wait a minute, let's scout out the land first before we enter." So they select 12 "scouts" or "spies" -- one from each of the 12 tribes -- and send them in to do some reconnaissance work. We have to spend a little time talking about the tragedy of the spies, because the implication of this event is going to reverberate throughout all of Jewish history. It's going to put into place one of the most significant and certainly most depressing dates in the Jewish calendar -- the Ninth of Av -- Tisha B'Av. Virtually every major disaster in Jewish history is going to be connected to the Ninth of Av -- which is the exact date when both the first and second Temples were destroyed. Again, actions of the Jews have huge consequences which reverberate throughout history. Jews have suffered throughout history because of that mistake they made "back then." So what was the terrible mistake of the spies? These 12 spies spend 40 days scouting out the land and they come back with a huge cluster of grapes saying, "You all see the size of these grapes? You should see the size of some of the people who eat them. They are giants! No way can we beat them. We may as well go back to Egypt."(1) Only two of the spies dissent from this report: Joshua ben Nun, who is Moses' chief student, and Caleb ben Yefuna from the tribe of Judah. But the Jewish people accept the majority report of the spies. The people break down in tears at the news and refuse to budge. Moses is absolutely horrified and God is very angry. He issue two decrees of punishment: God tells the Jews that because they displayed this lack of faith after He had brought them so far, they are doomed to wander in the desert for 40 years (One year for every day they spied out the land) until the entire adult male population (except for the Levites who did not listen to the spies) had died off. (The women, who always carried the standard of faith in Judaism, didn't listen to the spies and lived to go into the land.) God tells the Jews that because they cried on this day for no good reason, they will cry on this day in history for some very good reasons. (We will see how this is carried out in future installments in this series.) DEATH OF MOSES The Jews wander for 40 years. It's interesting to note that virtually none of the text of the Bible deals with the details of the wandering. If you examine the text in the Book of Numbers you will notice that between the Torah portion dealing with Korach's rebellion (Num. 16-18) and the next Torah portion Chukot (Num. 19-20), there is a gap of 38 years. The only brief mention of the travels that took place during those 38 years comes at the end of the Book of Numbers in the portion entitled Masei. We see these gaps many times in the narrative. Since the Bible is meant to teach us lessons and was not meant to be a diary or history book, only events that have a lesson relevant to us today are recorded; others are mentioned only briefly or skipped altogether. Near the end of the 40 years of wandering, they find themselves -- as they did a number of times before -- without water.(2) And as they did a number of times before, they are complaining. God tells Moses to speak to the rock and water will flow. For the past 40 years Moses has had the hardest job on the planet earth -- leading an unruly group of people God himself described as "stiff-necked." We've talked about the Jewish people's greatest strength and greatest weakness. What's their greatest strength? Their complete dedication to an idea, which enabled them to, exist for 2,000 years as the only monotheists in the world, outlast the greatest nations in history and die for an ideology that would change the world. What's their greatest weakness? This national characteristic of idealism and independence is a double-edged sword that has a negative side to it. Their complete, stubborn dedication to an idea that makes every Jew think he's right and every Jew think that he's going to change the world his way. This is a group that is very, very difficult to unify and almost impossible to lead. It is far easier to be the premier of a billion Chinese than the prime minister of a few million Jews. (3) (A humorous story illustrating this point is told about a meeting between former US President Harry Truman and the future Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir. Truman was bemoaning the difficulties of leadership and remarked, "You have no idea what it is to be a president of a country of 200 million people." To which Meir responded, "You have no idea of what is to be a prime minister of a country of 2 million prime ministers.") So after 40 years of trying to lead this stubborn nation, Moses loses his temper for one moment. "You rebels!" he shouts. And instead of speaking to the rock as he was commanded to do, he hits it. (4) And God says to Moses, "Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel, you're not going to go into the Land of Israel with the Jewish people." (Num. 20:12) The Sages say that anger is a form of idolatry, because if God runs the world, then everything that happens to you, whether for bad or for good, is the will of God. Losing your temper is a form of denial that God is running the world, a rejection of the idea that whatever happens is for your own good. For Moses -- the ultimate prophet to whom God spoke face-to-face -- to get angry even for a few seconds, the consequences are awesome. It's a desecration of God's name, done publicly in front of the Jewish people. The consequences show just how accountable people on such high levels are for the little mistakes they make and the repercussions of those mistakes. This theme will repeat itself over and over again throughout the Bible. Moses, of course, sees his error right away and accepts God's judgment. THE FINALE Moses now prepares the people for their entry into the Promised Land. The last of the Five Books of Moses is his farewell address to the people. When Deuteronomy begins, Moses already knows he's not destined to bring the Jewish people into the Land of Israel, and this entire book is Moses' farewell address to the people. Here Moses reviews the commandments, and reiterates the Jewish national mission. The most common idea he repeats over and over again is: "Keep the Torah." In a nutshell, Moses says, "If you keep the laws between 'man and God' and between 'man and man', everything will go fine for you. No other nation will touch you. You'll have material prosperity, and you will live to change the world. But if you don't keep the Torah, if you break your end of the bargain, then the land will vomit you out, your enemies will attack, and you will suffer." The message is clear. The solution to all our problems has nothing to do with external threats-external threats are merely symptoms of the deeper problem which is always the Jewish people not keeping their side of the bargain. It always has to do with the Jews' relationship to each other and their relationship to God. The late 19th and 20th centuries were the first time in Jewish history where large numbers of Jews left God (by choice and not by force, a la the Expulsion from Spain in 1492) , and were left wondering, "Where is God?" World War One broke out on the Ninth of Av. The German sweep into Eastern Europe beginning in 1914, uprooted Jewish communities and demolished centuries of tradition. It was the precursor to the horrendous Holocaust. A Holocaust survivor writes: "The quintessential element that distinguishes this event (the Holocaust) was the search for God. Every Jew who remained in the ghettos and the camps remembers "the God Syndrome" that shrouded everything else. From morning till night we cried out for a sign that God was still with us... We sought Him, but we did not find Him. We were always accompanied by the crushing and unsettling feeling that God had disappeared from our midst." (Machshavot Magazine, Vol. 46, p. 4) Throughout the rest of Jewish history, Jews in even the worst circumstances have viewed external problems, even the worst problems like being slaughtered en masse in the Crusades, as divine retribution for their mistakes. You will rarely find Jews, until the 20th century, saying "Where is God?" They are almost always saying, "It's because of wrongdoing that God has done this to us." Prior to his death, Moshe completes the writing of the first Torah scroll. In addition, he writes another twelve scrolls which were given one to each of the twelve tribes. The thirteenth was placed in the Ark of the Covenant and eventually deposited in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. This last scroll, which was occasionally removed from the Ark, served as the proof text for future scrolls to insure the accuracy of transmission of the text of the Oral Law. (5) Having delivered this final message, Moses dies and is buried on Mount Nebo somewhere across the mountains in Jordan. We are deliberately not told where it is, so nobody will worship his grave over there. Joshua assumes leadership. Judaism is a meritocracy. Real leadership in Jewish history goes not to those who were born into the right families, but to the people who are best suited for the job. (A great Torah scholar with integrity and leadership skills) So the job of successor does not go to Moses' sons (who are barely heard of) but to Joshua ben Nun, Moses' chief disciple who had proven his mettle in the incident with the spies. In addition to Joshua ( and from the time of Moses-see Numbers 11:16) there was a supreme legislative body of the seventy top Torah scholars know as the z'kenim, or Elders -- later known as the Sanhedrin (Greek word for 70). These too were chosen on the merit of their scholarship and integrity thus creating history's first meritocracy. (6) At this point in our story we have finished the Five Books of Moses and now enter the next phase of Jewish history and the next section of the Bible-The Book of Joshua. 1) The obvious question that would be asked at this point is: The Jewish people had just seen God destroy the most powerful civilization in the ancient world-Egypt. Why should they be afraid of the Canaanites? The answer seems to be that that while they we in the desert they lived a supernatural existence: manna from heaven, water from a rock, clouds of glory and pillars of fire. They recognized that upon entering the land all that would end and they would have to resort to a normal and more difficult existence of fighting and farming. Their desire not to enter was, therefore primarily fueled by a desire to prolong their supernatural existence. Their mistake was in not trusting in God enough to see that even through natural means they would be able to conquer, settle and prosper in the land. 2) The supernatural phenomenon of the Manna, water from the rock and clouds all came on the merit of Moses (manna), Aaron (Clouds) and Miriam (water). As each of them die toward the end of the wanderings, the supernatural phenomenon cease. 3) A number of years ago I was sitting in lecture given by one of Israel's foremost military historians, Meir Pe'il. He mentioned something which beautifully illustrates this point: He told the audience that he has taught in numerous war colleges around the world: West Point, Sandhurst etc and viewed many of the world's armies in action. Then he said: "On one point every army in the world is the same. In every army in the world the officers give orders, but in the Israeli army the officers have to explain things." 4) Immediately after the Exodus from Egypt (see Exodus 17:5-7) God had commanded Moses to strike the rock in-order-to get it to bring forth water. 5) Ramban, Intro. to the Yad; Dvarim Rabbah9:4; Midrash Tehillim 90:3; Tosafoth, Bava Matra 14a. The accuracy of the transmission process of both the Written and Oral has always been a crucial factor in the preservation of both the Torah and the Jewish people. The laws regarding the accuracy of a Torah Scroll are very, very strict. During the weekly reading of the Torah portion, even the smallest mistake on the part of the reader is corrected by the entire congregation. A Torah scroll (which is always copied by hand) that has even the smallest error (one missing or wrong letter of the 304,805) cannot be used and must be fixed within 30 days or buried. A brief quote from the Talmud illustrates this point: Rebbe Meir said: When I came to study with Rebbe Yishmael, he said to me, "My son, what is your line of work?" I told him I was a scribe. He said to me: "My son, be careful with your work, for it is the work of heaven. Should you perhaps omit one letter or add one letter- you could destroy the entire world." Talmud, Eruvin 13a. 6) For more on the Sanhedrin see: Deut. 1:17; Deut. 16:18; Ex. 23:2. The best detailed description can be found in Miamonides Yad,Shoftim: Laws of the Sanhedrin.. Also see Chapter 11 of WorldPerfect-The Jewish Impact on Civilization. Article 13 of 68 in the series Jewish History Rabbi Ken Spiro Rabbi Ken Spiro, originally from New Rochelle, NY, graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has rabbinic ordination from Aish Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs such as BBC, National Geographic Channel and The History Channel. He lives near Jerusalem with his wife and five children, where he works as a senior lecturer for Aish Jerusalem. Crash Course in Jewish History is "a comprehensive, thoughtful and highly educational survey of Jewish history.” - Sir Martin Gilbert In one volume, Crash Course in Jewish History explores the 4,000 years of Jewish existence while answering the great questions: Why have the Jewish people been so unique, so impactful, yet so hated and so relentlessly persecuted? Crash Course in Jewish History is not only comprehensive and readable, it is also entertaining and enlightening. Novices and scholars alike will find Crash Course in Jewish History to be thought-provoking and insightful, as well as a valuable and relevant guide to understanding the challenges we all face in the 21st century. • Order Crash Course in Jewish History • Order WorldPerfect History Crash Course #12: The Golden Calf History Crash Course #1: Why Study History History Crash Course #38: Exile History Crash Course #8: Reunion History Crash Course #67: The Miracle of Jewish History History Crash Course #66: War (16) Galit, May 13, 2012 12:08 AM For this wonderful course. Galit, Colombia. (15) William, March 31, 2009 6:11 PM Very interesting and informative. I wish I knew of this site earlier, in my youth years. Theres so much to know and learn of history of our People. Needless to say that I knew almost nothing of our, Jewish, history when growing up in Poland in 1950's. And I would blame our parents as well as leaders of our communities for not trying harder to bring this knowlege into our young minds, and never mind "indoctrination or brainwashing". (14) Jean Akers, October 16, 2007 7:02 PM (13) Esther, September 16, 2007 1:04 PM Is God responsible for the Shoah? The way Rabbi Spiro presents the Jewish history of the 20th century CE we are left with the preposterous idea that the Shoah was God's punishment for Jews assimilating into European cultures. As an attempt to explain the Shoah this view fails since a) it violates the Jewish view that God is benevolent, and b) it confuses the domain of God with the domain of men. God does not cause wars or massacares, since this is the province of men acting under freedom of the will. Neither will God, who is supremely good, wish a genocide to his people as a penalty for any transgression. Anonymous, November 30, 2011 4:10 AM Reply to Esther @Esther: Sorry, you're making a mistake. There's no separate "domain of G-d" vs. "domain of men." Nothing can happen unless G-d deems it appropriate. Of course He didn't wish genocide on His people. Look! We're still here! Obviously He wanted us to survive. Your position implies that even if G-d wants otherwise, the Germans' free will can allow them to commit genocide, against G-d's will. That contradicts omnipotence. It does not violate the view that G-d is benevolent. It simply means that our understanding of "good" and "bad" is very limited. The truth is that if not for that wake-up call assimilation would be a lot worse today. The tremendous yeshiva world of people dedicated to Torah study, in Israel and America etc., might not exist. Would a benevolent G-d allow His people to assimilate completely? Furthermore this is not conjecture. This was prophecied over and over. The Torah states numerous times that assimilation (idol worship etc.) causes persecution. Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, who lived not long before, said it would happen. (12) Anthony C. McLean, June 3, 2007 11:24 PM Jewish History Crash Course#5 Dear Rabbi Ken Spiro: Thank you for the crash course its very educational and truly inspiring. From Panama, Panama AM (11) Menashe Kaltmann, May 14, 2007 12:26 AM Three quick questions/comments Thanks again Aish.com and R. Spiro for these truly fantastic history series. Jewish History becomes so enjoyabkle and comes alive after reading these wonderful articles. Three quick/questions/comments: (1)You've written "The late 19th and 20th centuries were the first time in Jewish history where large numbers of Jews left God (by choice and not by force, a la the Expulsion from Spain in 1492)" I am unsure of this. Didn't many thousands of Jews convert albeit become insincrere converts to Chrtianity during the 1200''s and 1300's and early 1400's in Spain in oreder to 'get ahead' in Spanish society? (2) Tishab Baav is a tragic day isn't it the day World War 1 started that in a way was the trigger for World War 2. (30 When Moshiach Please G-d comes isn't Tishba Baav then going to become/ transformed into a day of Feasting? (10) JJ Levin, February 26, 2007 4:21 PM The Humanness Of Moses The Anger of Moses at the Rock showed that he was very Human; and therefore, not a god. Over and Over in the Torah it shows our Leaders and Prophets, not only were Divinely inspired, but Human as well. (9) Dvirah, February 25, 2007 2:30 PM Reply to Bob s. 8/19/2002 G-d does not truely get angry because he has infinite patience; however the reaction of "getting angry" is one understood by people. So G-d is depicted as getting angry to make the point that such and such behavior is not to our benefit. After all, we learn from our very human parents who get angry whenever they see us doing things which are dangerous. Until we are "grown" enough to understand Godliness directly, G-d will continue to teach us via the methods we have already experienced. (8) gwen, February 18, 2007 5:22 PM Moses - Just like Us The man (MOSES) momentarily forgot Who God was and lost entrance. The same with us today; if we lost sight of God - we lose valuable time. We are here to redeem the time, not waste it. (7) Ben Temalion, October 22, 2005 12:00 AM Anger is a form of idolatry I find this thought very helpful and comforting. I will keep it the rest of my life. (6) Bob s., August 19, 2002 12:00 AM Harsh Punishment For one moment Moses after 40 years, loses his temper and goes such a harsh punishment! This - from a loving kind, merciful god? G-d hinmself has repeatedly gotten angry. We are "in the image of G-d, so we also get angry. Is angry a human condition? Since G-d is poerfect, why would he get angry. Surely he could understand Moses frustration as even G-d was frustrated with the Jewish people. Like much of Judaism, this story raises more questions than it answers. NG, November 30, 2011 4:00 AM Re "Harsh Punishment" @Bob s.: 1) As Dvirah said, G-d does not get angry. He does not have human emotions, and everything He does is pure wisdom. When we speak of G-d's anger it's a way of describing his mode of behavior, which He has deemed wise and correct. 2) G-d's punishment is not a form of retribution. Sin damages the world (e.g., it lessens awareness of G-d) and its consequences "repair" that damage (e.g., raise awareness that G-d is real and life is not a game). 3) The "image of G-d" has several specific meanings, but that's another discussion. 4) Of course He "understands" it, that's besides the point. It still needs to be "fixed." 5) G-d made the rules. If He would overlook them for no reason it would mean that He "wasn't serious" so to speak when He made them. Of course that's not possible. He is kind, that doesn't mean life's a game. (5) Rex Rambo, July 23, 2002 12:00 AM I am more in awe of Moses now than before. Rabbi Ken Spiro has given me a deeper and better insight with this history of Moses. For instance, I believe that the covenant with Jews is unique with Jews, and this has convined me that it is more valid now than ever. We should honor this covenant because to do otherwise is to do so at ones individual and collective peril. Rex (4) Steven Parker, July 16, 2002 12:00 AM Fascinating historical and philosophical story of the Jewish people. This history is so complete and the writer is extremely knowledgeable. I have rarely read anything containing more though provoking material for any person, but as a Jewish person it answered many questions which were not covering in my Jewish education. (3) Laura Goguen, February 2, 2001 12:00 AM I just found this site and it is great. I understand more of the Bible than I ever did before. I have pass on to others about this site, they also enjoy it. I thank you or it. (2) Bill Steo, January 30, 2001 12:00 AM Very good for my Catholic students, too. The "Spies" chapter is the first I've read. Very well written (says this former magazine editor). Your exegesis and spiritual insights are admirable (says this former theology prof.) Thank you! (1) Deborah Betz, January 28, 2001 12:00 AM i truly enjoy this series, i look forward to every installment. My general knowledge of Jewish history and thought have increased and your series has encouraged me to pursue futher study I have been reading material at asih.com and on other places on the web. i want to become a praticing informed Jew and this series has helped me in journey. this series has been important to me. thank you Most Popular In History History Crash Course #18: David: The King History Crash Course #19: King Solomon History Crash Course #68: Timeline: From Abraham to the State of Israel History Crash Course #14: Joshua and Conquest of the Promised Land History Crash Course #16: King Saul History Crash Course #57: The Czars and the Jews History Crash Course #9: Moses Receive the Aish.com Weekly Email Sign up to our Aish Weekly Update Jewsletter. History Crash Course #7: Joseph History Crash Course #2: The Bible as History History Crash Course #48: The Inquisition	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1135
__label__wiki	0.854214	0.854214	Home\|Alumni\|Alumni Spotlight\|Gannon '34 Wrote Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" Gannon '34 Wrote Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" \| 12/10/2012 \| “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” co-written by James Kimball Gannon '34, became a hit by Bing Crosby in 1943, jumping ahead of “White Christmas” that year. Gannon was known as the “crooning counselor,” according to the law school’s 1933 yearbook The Verdict. He broadcast on radio station WGY from “the smoking room” between classes at night. “Give Kim time and he will have all the law set to music.” The Brooklyn native who lived for a considerable time in Greenwich, N.Y., wrote around 100 other songs for radio, Broadway and films. "It was my understanding that Kim Gannon had the tune running through his head and how that should sound. He suggested the tune and the composer filled in the harmony," according to friend Culver Teft cited in an article in the Glens Falls, N.Y., newspaper The Post-Star. “Writes most of his own songs and probably most of that phoney fan mail he shows us,” quipped a Verdict editor next to Gannon’s photo. The Verdict lists his home as Ballston Spa, N.Y., and his undergraduate school St. Lawrence University. Click here to hear YouTube versions of the song by Frank Sinatra, Bing Croby, Rascal Flatts, Kelly Clarkson and more.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1136
__label__wiki	0.93551	0.93551	By: Melissa Kandel November 13, 2018 December 7, 2018 Awards, Film10 to Watch, Crazy Rich Asians, Deadpool, Eight Grade, featured, film festival, Gemma Chan, Henry Golding, Hollywood, Letitia Wright, movie stars, movies, NBFF, Newport Beach, Variety Hollywood’s Awards Season Just Kicked Off in Newport Beach In a room twinkling with some of Hollywood’s brightest, new stars, you’d think there’d be a least some small hint of ego. A sideways glance, an eyebrow raise, a question left unanswered, dangling in the awkward silence of a “Don’t you know who I am now?” stare. But at the 2018 Variety 10 to Watch Actors celebration Nov. 11, the mood inside the grand ballroom of The Resort at Pelican Hill was light, set afloat by humility and a genuine spirit of unpretentious gratitude. Henry Golding and Gemma Chan attend the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) The day started with the obligatory red carpet, though for this event it was ocean-blue, offset by a sumptuous buffet of appetizers and craft cocktails. More than two hundred guests indulged in and sipped on the libations as they walked a sun-bathed patio perched above the immaculate greens of the Pelican Hill Golf Course. “I love the movies!” Henry Golding told a reporter as he made his way down the blue-carpeted media line. When he spoke about upcoming projects in his richly smooth British accent—new films include “Monsoon,” “Last Christmas” and “Toff Guys” with Kate Beckinsale, Matthew McConaughey and Hugh Grant—you could almost see the shine emanating off this ever-rising star. Golding was one of ten actors to receive the Variety honor, named as “10 to Watch” among what Jenelle Riley, deputy awards and features editor at Variety, would later in the day call a “blood bath of people who want to be on the list.” Other honorees included: Zazie Beetz (“Deadpool 2”); Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians”); Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”); Russell Hornsby (“The Hate U Give,” “Creed II”); Anthony Ramos (“A Star is Born”), who couldn’t make the event due to scheduling reasons; Cailee Spaeny (“On the Basis of Sex”); Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman”); and Letitia Wright (“Black Panther”). In addition to the Variety accolade, Elsie Fisher and John David Washington garnered Golden Globe nominations for Leading Actress and Leading Actor. Gary C. Sherwin, president and CEO, Newport Beach & Company, speaks onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) “This is the first time many of [you] have been south of LA,” joked Gary C. Sherwin, president and CEO of Newport Beach & Company, who took the stage following a minutes-long sizzle reel of Newport Beach—The waves! The sand! The sunshine!—and spoke briefly about what it meant to have the coastal city host such an iconic event. (Variety 10 to Watch was produced this year in partnership with the Newport Beach Film Festival and Visit Newport Beach.) After Sherwin came Newport Beach Film Festival Executive Director and CEO Gregg Schwenk. For his presentation, Schwenk couched the importance of the day inside the 20th anniversary of one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the world. “The Newport Beach Film Festival was born out of passion,” he said, before introducing a Newport Beach Film Festival Fall honoree. Colman Domingo speaks onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) Colman Domingo nabbed the afternoon’s first Artist of Distinction Award for his ability to write, direct and produce with enviable creative aplomb. Domingo delivered a moving acceptance speech about path to success—”I just wanted to be a working artist”—explaining how his late mother, Domingo’s greatest confidant and supporter, passed before seeing ever seeing his name in bright lights. “I don’t know what to do with all this love,” the actor had told a friend at the time. The friend replied: “You’re going to put it into your work.” So, he took the advice to heart and put that love into every piece of work he produced. And though the award affirmed Domingo’s rightful place among the new Hollywood elite, the entertainer said he’s felt like a real actor all along. “If you wake up every morning and you want to write, then you’re a writer,” Domingo said. “And I like that sentiment of even if you’re not working but you want to, and you’re waiting tales and trying to get a job, you are still an actor.” Topher Grace attends the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) After eyes were wiped and happy tears shed, Topher Grace (“Spider-Man 3,” “That ’70s Show,” “Win A Date with Tad Hamilton”) accepted his own Artist of Distinction Award, an honor also given to Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“10 Cloverfield Lane,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”) later in ceremony. NEWPORT BEACH, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Mary Elizabeth Winstead speaks onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) The final award was given at the end of the day to Robert Forster, (“Twin Peaks,” “Jackie Brown,” “The Descendents”) who accepted the Icon Award with signature humor, asking if “career over” was also etched onto the glass plaque. (It wasn’t.) For several moments of unexpected motivation, Forster outlined his own philosophy for success: “You’ve got to do the best you can do with what you’ve got to work with right now, and that will give you the best future you’ve got coming,” he said. “And never quit. You can win it in the late innings. It’s not over ‘til it’s over. Unless you’re dead. Then it’s over.” Robert Forster speaks onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) Between Forster’s impromptu comedic stylings and Domingo’s impassioned artistic elocution, Variety Features Editor Riley moderated a panel with the 10 to Watch winners, asking questions about the life and times of their dewy, fresh stardom. Henry Golding attends the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) Henry Golding, who shot to fame earlier this year with a winning turn in “Crazy Rich Asians,” detailed how despite the film’s popularity, he still didn’t feel like a real actor until he wrapped several more movies. The one-time hairstylist and broadcast reporter had left his honeymoon to audition for the now-iconic “Crazy Rich Asians” role and laughed with the crowd as he explained that he’s “still making amends” with his wife. (In the end, she was fine with it.) Golding also spoke about how his foray into the entertainment world was about moving in the direction of what felt right. He said: “I follow my passion and I’ve always thought that will be your greatest fuel in life, if you throw yourself into something you love to do.” Gemma Chan speaks onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) His co-star, Gemma Chan, spoke in broader terms about the far-reaching impact of the messages actors deliver onscreen and off. “I think the stories we tell and to each other will really shape how we see each other going forward,” she said. (L-R) Russell Hornsby, Henry Golding, Elsie Fisher, Gemma Chan and Zazie Beetz speak onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) Deadpool 2’s Zazie Beetz discussed the dichotomy of on-camera glitz and off-camera humanity. She said as the “fingers of her fame” spread, Beetz sees an image building in the general public that’s vastly different from the person she is at home with her cat. (Her Instagram offers an unfiltered glance at the latter life.) In a sobering moment, the Deadpool 2 star recognized the pitfalls of celebrity for those at the top, referencing Jennifer Aniston and a story she heard about how the A-lister once had to get thrown in the back of a car to avoid a mob of fans, but Beetz said luckily, she’s not there yet. Her followers, so far, have been supportive and “cool.” Letitia Wright, breakout star of “Black Panther,” waxed poetic about what it means to have people know your name. “There’s gratitude but also the sense of, ‘you haven’t changed,'” she said, describing acting as not a search for fame but a hunt for truth. “Just chasing that [truth] is like a euphoria,” she said. (L-R) Letitia Wright, John David Washington and Marina De Tavira speak onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) And John David Washington, the son of Denzel Washington but a veritable star all his own, referenced Ralph Waldo Emerson in his reply about the realities of fame: “Once the mind expands it can never go back to its original form,” he said, explaining how he now nods at those who recognize him on the New York subway. (L-R) Jenelle Riley, Deputy Awards and Features Editor, Variety, Letitia Wright, John David Washington, Marina De Tavira, Cailee Spaeny, Russell Hornsby, Henry Golding, Elsie Fisher, Gemma Chan and Zazie Beetz share a laugh onstage at the Newport Beach Film Festival Fall Honors and Variety’s 10 Actors To Watch at The Resort at Pelican Hill on November 11, 2018 in Newport Beach, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Visit Newport Beach) The sentiment was a fitting descriptor for a day of mind-expansion, as some of the most trailblazing celebrities working in Hollywood today shared a stage together and after, spent almost an hour mingling with the crowd, snapping selfies, sipping coffee, watching us as we watched them, as if the marquees of multi-million-dollar movies didn’t bear their names. ♦ Posted by:Melissa Kandel Melissa Kandel is the founder/editor-in-chief of West Oceanfront Magazine. She enjoys avocados, the beach and hanging out with her crooked-eared, little dog, Austin. Fiction Tuesday: The Tale of Astrid the Beautiful 1 reply to Hollywood’s Awards Season Just Kicked Off in Newport Beach Alex50 says: Wow , what great writing I felt as though I was attending the event.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1137
__label__cc	0.623506	0.376494	The End of an Era – The Old German Village Being Torn Down Photo Courtesy of Amy Laudenslager For anyone who attended GVSU or lived in West Michigan back in the hay day of the German Village, this is going to be sad news. Sure, the former bar and restaurant closed its doors way back in 2006, but as long as the building still stood, the sight of it reminded us of the good times had there. I very fondly remember hanging out with fellow members of my capstone class drinking pitchers of Killian's after our final one semester. Since closing, the German Village has been a couple of different things, including one of those "We Buy Gold" signs for a bit. The building has sat vacant for quite some time, and now whoever owns it has decided it's time for it to go. It's probably for the best, honestly, as this photo from Google Street View shows that the building had definitely seen better days. What will become of the former site of the German Village? I guess we'll find out. Categories: Grand Rapids News	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1138
__label__cc	0.688148	0.311852	Category Archives: fear Three Essays Advocating The Abolishing Of Money: II. “The Travail of Wage Labor” Posted by essaybee2012 in addiction, alcoholism, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), bankruptcy, Brautigan Library - Washington State (1990- ), capitalism, career, cheating, civil society, civilization, compromise, consumers, corporations, creativity, earnings, Earth Day (22 April 1970- ), Eden, escape, existence, fear, fence, foreclosure, freedom, fruits of the earth, Genesis 3: 17-19, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), labor, Lawrence Ingrassia (WSJ), Lucretius (c. 99-55 B.C.), lying, mankind, marketing children, marketing drugs, money, motivation, needs, On The Nature of Things (Lucretius c. 55 B.C.), On The Origin Of Inequality (Rousseau 1754), ownership, Petro-Lewis, prostitution, Richard Brautigan (1935-1984), salary, slavery, Socialism, soil, suicide, survival, sweat, talents, The Nation, time, Time Warner, Inc., toil, wage labor, Wall Street Journal (WSJ), wants, work, workers 18 April 1990, DENVER, COLORADO: “Painfully will you get your food from it [the soil] as long as you live. . . . By the sweat of your face will you earn your food, until you return to the ground, . . . So Yahweh God expelled him [Adam] from the garden of Eden, to till the soil. . . .” From those preceding words from Genesis 3: 17-19 (NJB), many people find the root cause of the “W” word—WORK! From that instance of man’s fall from grace and expulsion from Eden to the present day, few would disagree that work has remained essential to the survival of human life. Work brings the reward of life yet causes pain and frustration in the process, as the Genesis text has shown, and as the Roman poet Lucretius (c. 98-95 B.C.) has further illustrated in the following passage from Book Five of his philosophical poem, On The Nature of Things: “Unless by turning up the fruitful clods with the share and labouring the soil of the earth we stimulate things to rise, they could not spontaneously come up into the clear air; and even then . . . when things earned with great toil . . . are all in blossom, either the ethereal sun burns them up with excessive heats or . . . the blasts of the winds waste them by a furious hurricane.” As if it was not excruciating enough to have to labor for existence, a most unfortunate event occurred along the path of civilization to cause labor to become truly torturous. This sad moment in time was illumined by Swiss music teacher and political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his On the Origin of Inequality (1755). He wrote: “The first man who, having enclosed a piece of ground, bethought himself of saying ‘This is mine,’ and found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society. From how many crimes, wars and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not anyone have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, . . . and crying . . . the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody.” For the approaching twentieth anniversary of Earth Day, on April 22, 1990, there are, perhaps, no words more ripe than the final fifteen words of the preceding passage by Rousseau. The birth of the idea of ownership, specifically the owning of land, led to the idea of having others work the land for the owner. This required motivation for others to do the work, which led to slavery (the owning of the workers themselves), which led, ultimately, to a more subtle form of slavery—wage labor. Today, the owners of the earth are the corporate directors. One of the largest corporations is Time Warner, Inc., which in June of 1989 had a work force of 35,460 employees (The Nation, June 12, 1989). The motivation to labor for these owners is to earn wages with which to buy the fundamental necessities of human survival (blue jeans; mesquite-barbecued fajitas; a Victorian townhome; a Volkswagen; insurance coverage for one’s car, home and life; and so on). As a further motivation, it is possible to earn beyond one’s needs of survival to one’s wants of comfort, such as a movie (Batman), a magazine (Batman), music (Prince: the Batman soundtrack) or television (Unsolved Mysteries)–all the enjoyable additions to life that just happen to be owned by Time Warner, Inc. or its corporate siblings. Ownership today has moved far beyond Rousseau’s “piece of ground” to the entire earth, the people of the earth and all that the people of the earth consume—mentally, digestively, and physically. The instrument of ownership today is the system of wage labor, in which people labor to own the right to exist and to experience comfort beyond existence. The historical progression of labor into wage labor, as the result of the idea of ownership, is also a progression from the simple effects of labor (pain and frustration) into more complex effects of wage labor (torture, anguish and despair). These hellish fruits of wage labor are presently found from the bottom to the top of the work force. At the lower depths, people struggle simply to exist. Their torture is a fear of the icy gray-tinged human skin that precedes the relief of their death. Those in the middle struggle to prosper. Their anguish is a fear of the cramps that accompany a shrinking stomach. At the top, people struggle to tighten the grip on their prosperity. Their despair is twofold: they fear the fall from the “financial high wire” to the abyss of poverty, and they fear the confinement of a prison cell that comes if their methods of reaching the top are deemed foul. Within the system of wage labor, fear is the prime motivator that causes all laborers to struggle and to suffer the travail of contemplating a possible drop in earnings. Two effects that branch from this fear of being without income are escape and compromise. On the lower end, some escape into the extreme of crack addiction and some into alcoholism; others escape through suicide. Some compromise their sense of dignity and value by deviating their creative talents in order to pursue the wages necessary for survival and comfort. They compromise through prostitution or by marketing drugs; some even compromise by marketing children. In the middle, people escape to the endless fantasy worlds found in the movie theatre; they escape to the mall to spend money on a new book or a CD that should be spent for an overdue credit card bill (providing the illusive relief of being prosperously free); they escape to the beguiling freshness of life found in an extra-marital affair, or a divorce. They compromise by cheating on their income taxes, and by lying to their employers by calling in “sick”when they really wanted a day just to kick back and relax. People at the top are like Donald Trump; they escape to Aspen, Colorado and compromise by giving donations to charity. Their fur coats give them all the warmth necessary to keep them as distant as possible from the icy gray-tinged skin that precedes death. There are tortures born from the system of wage labor that are of a more personal nature. Nine years ago, my wife and I both worked for oil companies. Our wages soared to new heights. As our income rose, our lifestyle followed suit. We purchased a house in the spring of 1983. At first, it was simply a piece of ground with a hole dug for the basement. We watched the concrete foundation as it was poured, the wooden framework as it was assembled and the panels of dry wall as they were set into place. We chose the carpeting, the floor tiles and the oak cabinets. We took pictures at least once a week for a before-and-after album. We watched the fence go up. Then, in 1985, my wife lost her job with Petro-Lewis when they laid off all but a handful of employees. In 1986, I lost my job with Atlantic Richfield Company when they closed their Denver office. As our income from the oil companies evaporated before our eyes, we struggled to replace it with income from other jobs. My wife worked as a daycare provider for infants and toddlers, and I worked as a temporary draftsman for less than half of my oil company salary. As a result of the drastic loss of wages, we eventually filed bankruptcy and lost the house to foreclosure. My wife wept as we drove away from the house and moved into a smaller townhome. I held my tears inside along with the feeling of wanting to put my clenched fist through the nearest plastered wall. Now, I work eight hours a day (still for less than my oil company salary); I attend night school in order to finish my degree and to push towards a career change; and I spend, with my wife, the little time that is left. In his treatise of 1762, The Social Contract, Rousseau wrote, “Man is born free, yet he is everywhere in chains.” Today, Rousseau’s words are more valid than ever in our own country that is known ironically as the land of the free. In the system of wage labor, true freedom does not exist. In its place, there is only the fear that fuels the struggle for earnings, the escape into transient illusions of freedom, and the compromise of human dignity and value for the required dollars that buy what is, in fact, our most fundamental human right—a comfortable existence. by S.A. Bort / 2 August 2013 (18 April 1990) Three Essays Advocating the Abolishing of Money: III. “Imagining Earth (Without Money)” Three Essays Advocating The Abolishing Of Money: I. “The Lower Depths of Capitalism” 1). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Song_of_the_Lark_(Jules_Breton,_1884).jpg 2). http://www.artistrising.com/products/166305/the-invisible-man-37.htm 3). http://www.tv.com/shows/unsolved-mysteries/ 4). http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/man_on_wire/pictures/#2 5). http://strategicchange.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/draftsman_advert-lg.gif I originally wrote this April 18, 1990. After twenty-three years, I thought I would tune it up a bit and publish it here on the blog, along with the two accompanying essays. I sent these three essays to Burlington, Vermont’s Brautigan Library, named for Richard Brautigan and initiated by his daughter Ianthe. The essays were among the first (in 1990) accepted, bound and placed on the shelves under the “Mayonnaise System Catalog Number” of: “Social/Political/Cultural: SOC 1990.007.” My accompanying certificate states: “LET NO MAN block the light of wisdom and inspiration found therein.” See: http://dtc-wsuv.org/brautiganlibrary/?s=Stephen+Bort , http://www.cchmuseum.org/research/the-brautigan-library/ , http://www.thebrautiganlibrary.org/Blank.html , http://www.brautigan.net/responses-library.html , http://brautigan.cybernetic-meadows.net/tiki-index.php?page=The+Brautigan+Library and https://www.facebook.com/BrautiganLibrary for current information on the library. Shortly after I was added to the shelves, I was contacted by Lawrence Ingrassia of the Wall Street Journal, who was writing an article on the opening of the library. He had seen the above foreward to the first essay and was curious about the concept of “abolishing money.” He asked if I was a socialist. I answered no. He asked other questions, but in the end, his article of May 28, 1991 did not mention me. His article can be found here: http://brautigan.cybernetic-meadows.net/tiki-index.php?page=Ingrassia+1991+Fictional+Library+Becomes+a+Real+Place DRONE! In 3D surround sound (and odorama?) Posted by essaybee2012 in 12-gauge shotgun, 40mm grenade launcher, 63 American drone sites, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), aerospace industry, Afghanistan, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), anxiety, Associated Press (AP), Brie Sachse (FAA spokeswoman), Chris Calabrese (ACLU lobbyist), citizens, civil liberties, civilian airspace, civilian government agencies, civilians, congressional privacy caucus, Congressman Jeff Landry (R) LA, Dan Elwell (VP of AIA), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), drone legislation, drone manufacturers, drone markets (civilian and military), drones, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), farmers, fascism, fear, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Governor Bob McDonnell (R) VA, information gathering, John Whitehead (president of Rutherford Institute of Charlottesville VA), journalists, law enforcement, left - right consensus, Liz Klimas, Michael Huerta (FAA Administrator), NetRightDaily, newsgathering, power companies, privacy, private companies, private individuals, public, public safety, ranchers, Randy McDaniel (Montgomery County TX chief deputy), real estate agents, regulations, Rep Austin Scott (R) GA, Rep Ed Markey (D) MASS, Rep Joe Barton (R) TX, Rep Rush Holt (D) NJ, rubber bullets, Rutherford Institute, Sen Rand Paul (R) KY, ShadowHawk helicopter drone, spying, surveillance society, tear gas cannisters, technology, TheBlaze.com, U.S. Congress, U.S. drone integration, unmanned aircraft, warrants, WTOP - Washington From: TheBlaze.com: Expanding Drone Legislation ‘Raising an Alarm With the American Public’ Posted on June 19, 2012 at 11:12pm by Liz Klimas http://www.theblaze.com/stories/expanding-drone-legislation-raising-an-alarm-with-the-american-public/ (Image: Wikimedia) WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of drones patrolling U.S. skies? Predictions that multitudes of unmanned aircraft could be flying here within a decade are raising the specter of a “surveillance society” in which no home or backyard would be off limits to prying eyes overhead. Law enforcement, oil companies, farmers, real estate agents and many others have seen the technology that was pioneered on battlefields, and they are eager to put it to use. It’s not just talk: The government is in the early stages of devising rules for the unmanned aircraft. So far, civilian use of drones is fairly limited. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued fewer than 300 permits for drones by the end of last year. (Related: Where are the 63 drone sites approved by the FAA in the U.S.) Public worries about drones began mostly on the political margins, but there are signs that they’re going mainstream. Jeff Landry, a freshman Republican congressman from Louisiana’s coastal bayou country, says constituents have stopped him while shopping at Walmart to talk about their concerns. “There is a distrust amongst the people who have come and discussed this issue with me about our government,” Landry said. “It’s raising an alarm with the American public.” Fear that some drones may be armed, for example, has been fueled in part by a county sheriff’s office in Texas that used a homeland security grant to buy a $300,000, 50-pound ShadowHawk helicopter drone for its SWAT team. The drone can be equipped with a 40mm grenade launcher and a 12-gauge shotgun. Randy McDaniel, chief deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, told The Associated Press earlier this year his office had no plans to arm the drone, but he left open the possibility the agency might decide to adapt the drone to fire tear gas canisters and rubber bullets. Earlier this year Congress, under pressure from the Defense Department and drone manufacturers, ordered the FAA to give drones greater access to civilian airspace by 2015. Besides the military, the mandate applies to drones operated by private companies or individuals and civilian government agencies, including federal, state and local law enforcement. Below is a timeline created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation of drone integration in the United States. See the larger image here. (Image: EFF.org) The military, which is bringing home unmanned aircraft from Afghanistan, wants room to test and use them. But the potential civilian market for drones may far eclipse military demand. Power companies want them to monitor transmission lines. Farmers want to fly them over fields to detect which crops need water. Ranchers want them to count cows. Journalists are exploring drones’ newsgathering potential. Police departments want them to chase crooks, conduct search and rescue missions and catch speeders. (Related: See other articles on the Blaze covering drone use by civilians and local law enforcement) But concern is spreading. Another GOP freshman, Rep. Austin Scott, said he first learned of the issue when someone shouted out a question about drones at a Republican Party meeting in his Georgia district two months ago. When Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, suggested during an interview on Washington radio station WTOP last month that drones be used by police since they’ve done such a good job on foreign battlefields, the political backlash was swift. NetRightDaily complained: “This seems like something a fascist would do. … McDonnell isn’t pro-Big Government, he is pro-HUGE Government.” (Related: Drones over D.C.? Metro police chiefs grilled on UAVs, illegal immigrants, cops on cellphones — see how they respond) John Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute of Charlottesville, Va., which provides legal assistance in support of civil liberties and conservative causes, warned the governor, “America is not a battlefield, and the citizens of this nation are not insurgents in need of vanquishing.” Drone operators (Photo: Wikimedia) There’s concern as well among liberal civil liberties advocates that government and private-sector drones will be used to gather information on Americans without their knowledge. Giving drones greater access to U.S. skies moves the nation closer to “a surveillance society in which our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinized by the authorities,” the American Civil Liberties Union declared in a report last December. An ACLU lobbyist, Chris Calabrese, said that when he speaks to audiences about privacy issues, drones are what “everybody just perks up over.” “People are interested in the technology, they are interested in the implications and they worry about being under surveillance from the skies,” he said. The anxiety has spilled into Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have been meeting to discuss legislation that would broadly address the civil-liberty issues. A Landry provision in a defense spending bill would prohibit information gathered by military drones without a warrant from being used as evidence in court. A provision that Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., added to another bill would prohibit the Homeland Security Department from arming its drones, including ones used to patrol the border. Scott and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have introduced identical bills to prohibit any government agency from using a drone to “gather evidence or other information pertaining to criminal conduct or conduct in violation of a regulation” without a warrant. “I just don’t like the concept of drones flying over barbecues in New York to see whether you have a Big Gulp in your backyard or whether you are separating out your recyclables according to the city mandates,” Paul said in an interview, referring to a New York City ban on supersized soft drinks. (Related: Cola Wars: Full-page ads in the New York Times challenge and mock Bloomberg’s sugary drink ban) He acknowledged that was an “extreme example,” but he added: “They might just say we’d be safer from muggings if we had constant surveillance crisscrossing the street all the time. But then the question becomes, `What about jaywalking? What about eating too many donuts? What about putting mayonnaise on your hamburger?’ Where does it stop?” Calabrese, the ACLU lobbyist, called Paul’s office as soon as he heard about the bill. “I told them we think they are starting from the right place,” Calabrese said. “You should need some kind of basis before you use a drone to spy on someone.” In a Congress noted for its political polarization, legislation to check drone use has the potential to forge “a left-right consensus,” he said. “It bothers us for a lot of the same reasons it bothers conservatives.” The backlash has drone makers concerned. The drone market is expected to nearly double over the next 10 years, from current worldwide expenditures of nearly $6 billion annually to more than $11 billion, with police departments accounting for a significant part of that growth. “We go into this with every expectation that the laws governing public safety and personal privacy will not be administered any differently for (drones) than they are for any other law enforcement tool,” said Dan Elwell, vice president of the Aerospace Industries Association. Discussion of the issue has been colored by exaggerated drone tales spread largely by conservative media and bloggers. Scott said he was prompted to introduce his bill in part by news reports that the Environmental Protection Agency has been using drones to spy on cattle ranchers in Nebraska. The agency has indeed been searching for illegal dumping of waste into streams, but it is doing it with piloted planes. In another case, a forecast of 30,000 drones in U.S. skies by 2020 has been widely attributed to the FAA. But FAA spokeswoman Brie Sachse said the agency has no idea where the figure came from. It may be a mangled version of an aerospace industry forecast that there could be nearly 30,000 drones worldwide by 2018, with the United States accounting for half of them. Reps. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Joe Barton, R-Texas, co-chairs of a congressional privacy caucus, asked the FAA in April how it plans to protect privacy as it develops regulations for integrating drones into airspace now exclusively used by aircraft with human pilots. There’s been no response so far, but Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will probably be asked about it when he testifies at a Senate hearing Thursday. Don’t be afraid of overshooting the goal post and only scoring the goal. Posted by essaybee2012 in 1984 (1949), affluency, Alexis de Tocqueville, Animal Farm (1945), anxiety, art, artificiality, beauty, capitalism, choice, civilization, class struggle, collectivism, Constitution, democracy, Dr. Ron Paul, dystopia, E. F. Schumacher, economics, elite, equality, F. A. Hayek, fear, free will, freedom, George Orwell, goals, Goldian VandenBroeck, green planet, Individualism and Economic Order (1948), John Maynard Keynes, Less is More (1978 1996), libertarianism, nature, Obamacare, partisanship, power, practical, President Barack Obama (1961- ), progressivism, regulation, Robert Henri, rules, servitude, simplicity, Small Is Beautiful (1973), social engineering, Spanish Inquisition, stress, Supreme Court, The Art Spirit (1923), The Road to Serfdom (1944), tyranny, utopia, vision “We are living in a strange civilization. Our minds and souls are so overlaid with fear, with artificiality, that often we do not even recognize beauty. It is this fear, this lack of direct vision of truth that brings about all the disaster the world holds, and how little opportunity we give any people for casting off fear, for living simply and naturally. When they do, first of all we fear them, then we condemn them. It is only if they are great enough to outlive our condemnation that we accept them.” –Henri, Robert. Collected by Margery Ryerson. The Art Spirit. Philadelphia, 1923. http://www.henrirobert.org/ The above quote strikes deeply within my heart. I found it in the following essential book for any home library: [VandenBroeck, Goldian, ed. Less is More: An Anthology of Ancient & Modern Voices Raised in Praise of Simplicity. Foreward by E. F. Schumacher (Author of Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered. 1973.). Inner Traditions: Rochester, Vermont, 1978, 1996. p. 219.]. The beauty or the fear of simplicity. How the right and left of our civilization have seemingly forever feared the beauty of simplicity! Artist, Robert Henri’s quote resonates so strongly alongside the following quote by economist and philosopher F. A. Hayak, whose birthday (although he has long passed) was three days ago: “There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal. While the first is the condition of a free society, the second means as DeTocqueville describes it, ‘a new form of servitude.'” –Hayek, Freidrich August. Individualism and Economic Order. 1948. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hayek#cite_note-68 CRITICISM OF F. A. HAYEK: “Your greatest danger is the probable practical failure of the application of your philosophy in the United States.” – John Maynard Keynes in a letter to Hayek. [ –Hoover, Kenneth R. Economics as Ideology. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. 2008. p. 152.] “In the negative part of Professor Hayek’s thesis there is a great deal of truth. It cannot be said too often – at any rate, it is not being said nearly often enough – that collectivism is not inherently democratic, but on the contrary, gives to a tyrannical minority such powers as the Spanish Inquisitors never dreamed of.” –Orwell, George. 1944. Writing in response to Hayek’s book: The Road to Serfdom (1944)”. Author of the classic dystopian novels 1984 (1949) and Animal Farm (1945), Orwell was no fan of capitalism and yet he found it within himself to step away from partisanship to pen the above, historically-informed forewarning. Please note Keynes’ inclusion of the word “practical.” Both the right and left have seemingly forever criticized as an impractical (and unregulated) ideal the simplicity of “treating people equally” as opposed to just making everyone equal (regulated). One example that comes to mind is the issue of who should fund the caring of the present multitude of those who are unable to work and create income. One side argues that the government should stay out of it and that community programs should oversee the need. The other side calls this impractical because, likely, community programs won’t be able to fund or handle the load. The poor will instead get shuffled off under bridges, to the gutters and into the back alleys. Is it a matter of practicality? Is it true that citizen-funded community programs can’t or won’t handle the load? Is a governmental equalization and regulation of incomes or subsidies the only solution? Attempting to make people equal is collectivism, as Orwell calls it, which he then describes as “not inherently democratic” but “tyranical,” worse so even than historically imposed by the merciless Spanish Inquisitors. Please also note how artist Robert Henri and economist F. A. Hayek seem to resonate in the above quotes. Economist Robert Maynard Keynes and artist Robert Henri, on the other hand, do not seem to me to resonate at all. Art synonymous with simplicity? Art in opposition to practicality? How many times has a creatively-gifted student pursuing a degree in writing been told by parents that such a degree would not be practical? How many such students have listened to such regulatory and collectivist advice? Where would our world be without gifted writers on the left, the right and all points in between? Hmmm, based on the insights from the above quote from Orwell, I wonder if he had parents like those mentioned above, and if so, chose instead to pursue his gift as a writer? I learned from an influencial person in my life that if I place my palm against another’s and push, that is a difficult, forceful and stressful path that leads to anxiety, fear and artificiality. If I place my palm against another’s and relax, let go of pushing, then that is a stress-free way of simplicity, non-tension. A natural equality. The two palms can exist alongside without either pushing at the other, and they can get by on their own. Too simple? Allowing people to empower themselves toward their own pursuits, allowing a free society–whether to live modestly according to one’s meager means or affluently, left or right, craftsman or entrepreneur–whatever, is the simple way of beauty–the beautiful way of simplicity. An ideal? Yes. So what. Impractical? No. In a football game, the kicker doesn’t aim at the goal post but beyond it. He may not make 100 percent of the attempted distance, but 80 or 90 percent may put the ball over the post–a score. 100 percent is a goal likely never to be achieved. It is a utopian ideal, impractical. Don’t confuse that with a score. The ideals of libertarianism, most fully realized in the aims of Ron Paul, are not to hit an idealistic 100 percent, I don’t believe, but to hit as close as possible. The goal is to score a realistic and beautiful win. Of course, the kick is only as good as the kicker. Players’ records speak loudest on who to place one’s trust in. In speaking of progressivism, the object is to progress. The art of football is to progress down the field to a score, to progress in scoring to a win and to progress in winning to take the beautiful Super Bowl. If you lose, you come back again. You make progress. The art is not, however, to progress in injuring the other team’s players to the point of taking them out of the game, or to bypass the rules. The most obvious and current example that comes to mind is President Obama’s push to the Supreme Court of what has come to be known as “Obamacare.” By most accounts, the court (now considering the case) will ultimately block his attempt at a “score.” Why? Because it directly conflicts with our constitutional guarantees for a right to choose our individual pursuits. The president is attempting to push aside the Constitution along with all those who oppose him–to bypass the refs and the rule book. Maybe the refs will turn a blind eye, and he’ll score. Likely he won’t. For myself, I choose not affluence but a more simple life. Who am I to shove it down my affluent neighbor’s throat that his choice is wrong, and that I aim to not only make him swallow it but to kill affluence altogether and ultimately to make her or him enjoy the experience? Creating a “green” planet” by killing off affluence and consumption are separate concepts, to raise another example. The first is admirable for all to work towards. It takes cooperation and compromise to reign in the real dangers of out-of-control consumption. The second is social engineering for the sake of “making people equal”–a power grab; a purely and politically partisan imposition on OUR equality through nature–“our,” meaning ALL–right and left, Black and White, male and female, gay and straight, spiritual or atheist, simple or affluent. It’s the equivalent of saying: “I’m right and you’re wrong.” “I’m smart and you’re stupid.” “I’m elite, and you’re of a lower class.” Servitude. By the nature of equality and free will, no one person or group has a right to impose their ideals on any other person. Simple? Don’t be afraid of overshooting the goal post and scoring the goal. Without Power, Starfish Prime and the Good Side of Fear Posted by essaybee2012 in agenda, art, Austin Powers, awareness, bad, balance of powers, Barack Obama, BBC, big people, blog, Canada, Carrington Event (1859), communication, Congress, conveniences, crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, drama, Election Year Fear, electronics, EMP devices, equaled out, executive office, family, fear, fiction, film, friends, futurescience.com, geomagnetic storm, global, good, Goodness Breeds ~ Goodness!, Hawaii, history, home, Honolulu, humans, ideas, Infrastructure, instinct, James Bond, John F. Kennedy, little people, local, Mexico, microchips, mobility, Nikita Khrushchev, non-fiction, NPR, nuclear devices, One Second After (2009), Operation Fishbowl, outages, Pacific ocean, political science, power, power grid, premise, president, radiation, regions, safety, satellites, scenario, science, self-sufficiency, sleep, solar flares, solar storms, Soviet Union, Starfish Prime, story line, struggle, supernatural, Supreme Court, survival, talk radio, technology, telegraph, Telstar I, thermonuclear warhead, thriller, villains, Without Power I’d like to add some comments on a political science subject, with a bit more emphasis on the science–which is not to say the political implications are less important in our present day. I write a lot, more non-fiction than fiction, but I have written fiction and still have ideas along those lines. I had an idea, about 12-15 years ago, that I have yet to fully develop, which I titled “Without Power.” The premise was that suddenly during morning rush hour, all power goes out around the globe. Wherever you happen to be at the moment, you’re stuck there. Your car won’t work, your cellphone, anything with electronics including microchips won’t work. NPR goes out. Talk radio goes out. BBC is down. Your cigarette-lighter powered shaver goes out during a last-minute cleanup up in the rear-view mirror. So, what do you do? You get out of your car and walk. Where do you walk? Home. How do you survive without communication, conveniences, ease of mobility, all of the things we take for granted? Not just that, but the infrastructure of world power goes out as well. How well is that one going to work out? One of my thoughts that I never fully researched was how electrical systems would just suddenly go out throughout the world. One early thought was that it would remain unexplained, mysterious and supernatural. The story, instead, would focus on the drama of everyone suddenly being “equaled out.” Struggles for power would form on local and regional levels. What system(s) would develop out of the crisis? I found out recently, to my surprise, that country-wide power outages are possible, and I thought I would give some resources in case anyone is curious–because, as we all know, if the technology is there, then those who would use it are there. Any naysayers can just check out the villains in Austin Powers or any of the James Bond films:) I’ve written, on this blog, about some results of fear (“Election Year Fear” and “Goodness Breeds ~ Goodness!”) The full truth is that fear can be a good thing. Generally, it’s true that good has a bad side, and bad has a good side. That’s why the balance of powers between Congress, the President and the Supreme Court is a good thing. Balancing power so that the bad can’t get an edge over the others is a good thing. On a current note, President Obama last night stated that he would seek more power for his executive branch and that he would bypass Congress, if necessary, any time they didn’t agree with his political agenda. This is not a good thing. Let’s say he does consolidate power around the presidency, and then Mitt Romney wins the November election. How well is that one going to work out for Democrats? Fear is now and has seemingly forever been used politically from every direction as a bad thing, but it’s also a natural, human instinct. If you hear someone walking around your house at night, leaves are rustling around outside when they shouldn’t be, you’re probably going to get up and take a look. It’s natural. So, the first step to eliminating any fear that develops is that you make yourself aware of what’s really going on outside. Probably a deer or racoon, or a stray dog, and then you can sleep good that night. That’s the same premise here, with the concept of suddenly being “without power.” Awareness is the first step. You know the technology exists. You know there are those who would use it for not-so-good purposes. You’re hearing the leaves rustling outside. Awareness allows you to sleep good each night–or, to take further steps toward your own, your family’s and your friends’ safety. It’s simply saying that given that this scenario can happen, ask yourself: “What would I do if…?” It’s up to you. My aim here is just toward the awareness part. Or, to give some writers out there a decent story line about this dark premise. NOT! It’s my story. Actually, a thriller, titled “One Second After,” was written in 2009, and has been optioned a second time as a film. (A lesson that when you get an story idea, jump on it. I could have had a book out on the subject ten years ago if I had knuckled down.) The author of the 2009 book, however, is tied as a cowriter of separate books with a prominent politician now running for president, so it’s up to you if you want to check it out. Here’s where to find the scoop on the technology itself, and its “already-tested” history that dates back to July, 1962. Funny how it usually takes so long for the “little people” to become more aware of what the “big people” have been up to. Makes you wonder what else they’ve hidden up their sleeves since 1962. A lot, I think. As an aside, I was seven years old, almost eight, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union detonated a series of these nuclear EMP devices over the Pacific and the Soviet Union. This was during the Cuban Missile Crisis with John F. Kennedy as president and Nikita Khrushchev as leader of the Soviet Union. Maybe because I’ve always been more on the arts side than the science side, I never became aware of those tests, and the technology, until now. [ http://www.futurescience.com/emp.html ]. [Excerpts from the article]: Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse by Jerry Emanuelson, B. S. E. E. Futurescience, LLC Colorado Springs, CO In testimony before the United States Congress House Armed Services Committee on October 7, 1999, the eminent physicist Dr. Lowell Wood, in talking about Starfish Prime and the related EMP-producing nuclear tests in 1962, stated, “Most fortunately, these tests took place over Johnston Island in the mid-Pacific rather than the Nevada Test Site, or electromagnetic pulse would still be indelibly imprinted in the minds of the citizenry of the western U.S., as well as in the history books. As it was, significant damage was done to both civilian and military electrical systems throughout the Hawaiian Islands, over 800 miles away from ground zero. The origin and nature of this damage was successfully obscured at the time — aided by its mysterious character and the essentially incredible truth.“ The Starfish Prime Nuclear Test from nearly 900 miles away Although nuclear EMP was known since the earliest days of nuclear weapons testing, the magnitude of the effects of high-altitude nuclear EMP were not known until a 1962 test of a thermonuclear weapon in space called the Starfish Prime test. The Starfish Prime test knocked out some of the electrical and electronic components in Hawaii, which was 897 miles (1445 kilometers) away from the nuclear explosion. The damage was very limited compared to what it would be today because the electrical and electronic components of 1962 were much more resistant to the effects of EMP than the sensitive microelectronics of today. The magnitude of the effect of an EMP attack on the United States, or any similar advanced country, will remain unknown until one actually happens. Unless the device is very small or detonated at an insufficiently high altitude, it is likely that it would knock out the nearly the entire electrical power grid of the United States. It would destroy many other electrical and (especially) electronic devices. Larger microelectronic devices, and devices that are connected to antennas or to the power grid at the time of the pulse, would be especially vulnerable. The Starfish Prime test (a part of Operation Fishbowl) was detonated at 59 minutes and 51 seconds before midnight, Honolulu time, on the night of July 8, 1962. (Official documents give the date as July 9 because that was the date at the Greenwich meridian, known as Coordinated Universal Time.) It was considered an important scientific event, and was monitored by hundreds of scientific instruments across the Pacific and in space. Although an electromagnetic pulse was expected, an accurate measurement of the size of the pulse could not be made immediately because a respected physicist had made calculations that hugely underestimated the size of the EMP. Consequently, the amplitude of the pulse went completely off the scale at which the scientific instruments near the test site had been set. Although many of the scientific instruments malfunctioned, a large amount of data was obtained and analyzed in the following months. When the 1.44 megaton W49 thermonuclear warhead detonated at an altitude of 250 miles (400 km), it made no sound. There was a very brief and very bright white flash in the sky that witnesses described as being like a huge flashbulb going off in the sky. The flash could be easily seen even through the overcast sky at Kwajalein Island, about 2000 km. to the west-southwest. After the white flash, the entire sky glowed green over the mid-Pacific for a second, then a bright red glow formed at “sky zero” where the detonation had occurred. Long-range radio communication was disrupted a period of time ranging from a few minutes to several hours after the detonation (depending upon the frequency and the radio path being used). In a phenomenon unrelated to the EMP, the radiation cloud from the Starfish Prime test subsequently destroyed at least 5 United States satellites and one Soviet satellite. The most well-known of the satellites was Telstar I, the world’s first active communications satellite. Telstar I was launched the day after the Starfish Prime test, and it did make a dramatic demonstration of the value of active communication satellites with live trans-Atlantic television broadcasts before it orbited through radiation produced by Starfish Prime (and other subsequent nuclear tests in space). Telstar I was damaged by the radiation cloud, and failed completely a few months later. A nuclear EMP attack could come from many sources. A missile launched from the ocean near the coast of the United States, and capable of delivering a nuclear weapon at least a thousand miles inland toward the central United States, would cause problems that would be devastating for the entire country. A thin-cased 100 kiloton weapon optimized for gamma ray production (or even the relatively-primitive super oralloy bomb of more than 56 years ago) detonated 250 to 300 miles above Nebraska, would destroy just about every unprotected electronic device in the continental United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. Such a weapon would also knock out 70 to 100 percent of the electrical grid in this very large area. Nearly all unprotected electronic communications systems would be knocked out. In the best of circumstances, as completely unprepared for such an event as we are now, reconstruction would take at least three years if the weapon were large enough to destroy large power grid transformers. The more that preparations are made for an EMP attack, the less severe the long-term consequences are likely to become. In comparative terms, being ready for an EMP attack would not cost a lot, and the benefits would include a much higher reliability of the electrical and electronic infrastructure, even if a nuclear EMP attack never occurred. Adequate preparation and protection could keep recovery time to a month or two, but such preparations have never been made, and few people are interested in making such preparations. Hardening the electronic and electrical infrastructure of the United States against an EMP attack is the best way to assure that such an attack does not occur. Leaving ourselves as totally vulnerable as we are now makes the United States a very tempting target for this kind of attack. By not protecting its electrical and electronic infrastructure against nuclear EMP, the United States invites and encourages nuclear proliferation. These unprotected infrastructures allow countries that are currently without a nuclear weapons program to eventually gain the capability to effectively destroy the United States with one, or a few, relatively simple nuclear weapons. Severe solar storms can cause current overloads on the power grid that are very similar to the slower E3 component of a nuclear electromagnetic pulse. There is good reason to believe that the past century of strong human reliance on the electrical systems has also, fortunately for us, been an unusually quiet period for solar activity. We may not always be so lucky. In 1859, a solar flare produced a geomagnetic storm that was many times greater than anything that has occurred since the modern electrical grid has been in place. We know something about the electrical disruption that the 1859 Carrington event caused because of the destruction it caused on telegraph systems in Europe and North America. Many people who have studied the 1859 event believe that if such a geomagnetic storm were to occur today, it would shut down the entire electrical grid of the United States. It is likely that such a geomagnetic storm would destroy most of the largest transformers (345 KV. and higher) in the electrical grid. Spares for these very large transformers are not kept on hand, and they are no longer produced in the United States. Protection against nuclear EMP is also protection against many kinds of unpredictable natural phenomena that could be catastrophic. Goodness breeds ~ goodness! a poem Posted by essaybee2012 in airwaves, animals, choice, fear, goodness, hate, humans, instincts, satellites, seed, sheep, will goodness! ~ this world has so much hate but i don’t have to ~ airwaves generate so much fear but i don’t have to ~ hate breeds ~ fear takes seed ~ animals follow instincts ~ humans make choices ~ instincts are easy ~ sheep know this ~ to break free is not easy ~ not always easy ~ sheep fight back but not by will ~ by instinct ~ we beings fight back by will ~ break free by will ~ by choice we break free ~ this world has so much hate but i don’t have to ~ satellites spew too much fear ~ but i don’t have to ~ goodness breeds ~ courage takes seed ~ goodness breeds ~ courage takes ~ goodness breeds ~ courage ~ goodness breeds ~ goodness! –SB Election Year Fear Posted by essaybee2012 in capitalism, choice, decision-making, Donald Trump, fear, Fox News Channel (FNC), George Soros, Glenn Beck, global communication, golden age, information, Koch Brothers, Lady Gaga, Lawrence Welk, MSNBC, PBS, President Barack Obama (1961- ), progressivism, Reality Shows, Rupert Murdoch, Socialism, Supercomputers, Web From an email I sent last month to my oldest brother on December 27, 2011: There will be lots of chatter between now and the end of 2012, perhaps more than within any previous year, especially considering the ever-expanding web that has only allowed this level of global communication for a relatively short span of time. Certainly, too much information in one-year’s time for any one person to be able to absorb properly. How can anyone today make a sane decision when it’s impossible for any one person to sort through all of the facts, opinions and outright bias? Will this lead to reliance on supercomputers to decide for us? It’s all too tortuous on the mind to fret over for very long. I had to break away from Glenn Beck and much of FOX News, because both encourage specific fears in order to promote “proper” responses to those fears. Beck wants us to fear the Obama socialists (he has done an immeasurable service to America for shining light on those cockroaches), and FOX wants us to fear any threat to the capitalist machine (cockroaches of another genus). Fear can be a very good thing. It’s a natural instinct that protects us from imminent danger that can’t be sensed otherwise. But, fear takes its toll in heavy doses. On Christmas day, with family, MSNBC happened to have been on. The channel was spewing continuous half-hour “reality” programming with police shootouts, blood flowing down one officer’s neck, a 72-year-old woman being tazed by police, a 19-year old Black lady being punched in the face by a policeman, a show dedicated to sex slaves . . . ad nauseum. This was all day on MSNBC on Christmas day! I had to get the courage up, since it wasn’t my home, to ask for the channel to be changed. None of us remembered who had left the TV on that channel, and I think everyone was afraid that someone there actually wanted to watch it. I think someone had been flipping channels, was interrupted and walked away without realizing what the programming was. The next morning, I put on a PBS recording of a 1966 Lawrence Welk Christmas show. Welk’s programming was steeped in centuries of European ethnic music and culture, all of which promoted family bonds. Ahhhh, Joe Feeney, The Lennon Sisters and Joanne jamming out a Frosty the Snowman boogie on her upright piano. It was great therapy! I was eleven when that show first aired. Times were sure different back then. It doesn’t seem like forty-five years could make that much of a difference, but today, instead of Joanne on piano, you’re more likely to see Lady Gaga in harlot’s underwear on the piano, singing Poker Face with her black-eye makeup. In fact, there was a Lady Gaga Christmas special this year. I didn’t watch it. I guess we can thank the “progressive” minds out there for those polar shifts in cultural values that took years of political maneuvering to put in place. Hmmmm, could it have been global warming that caused those polar shifts and not the progressives at all? Politics, with all of its fear, dread, nastiness and danger to one’s mental stability will certainly flow like raging sewage in 2012. I’ve resolved myself to participate as fully as possible without losing my mind any further in the process. It will, after all, be the most viciously fought-over election in our times, possibly in all of the history of American elections. Much is at stake. There are a handful of elite power brokers in this game with all of their chips forward and AK-47 derringers (not tazers) hidden under the table to take out the winner. Soros, Trump, the Koch brothers, Rupert Murdoch . . . ad nauseum. –SB	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1140
__label__wiki	0.824466	0.824466	Tag Archives: Emir Kusturica An Eastern-European Cinema Primer I originally intended this as a companion piece to my Sound-Era Soviet Cinema Primer, in which I was going to discuss key films from various Eastern-Bloc countries outside of the Soviet Union that were made only prior to the worldwide collapse of Communism. I eventually reconsidered to include more recent films from Bulgaria and Hungary — but even these post-Communist films are arguably relevant mainly for what they reveal about life before and after the dissolution of the “iron curtain.” Ashes and Diamonds (Wajda, 1958 Poland) Andrzej Wajda is probably the greatest Polish director to have worked mainly in Poland (as opposed to, say, Roman Polanski or Krzysztof Kieslowski, who are mostly known for the films they made outside of their native country) and Ashes and Diamonds is an ideal introduction to his work. Although it is the third part of a loose “war trilogy” (following A Generation and Kanal), each film features different characters and a self-contained plot, with Ashes arguably providing the dramatic high point of the three. The WWII-set story follows Maciek, a disillusioned Polish resistance fighter who becomes involved in a plot to assassinate a Communist leader (after the Soviets had driven off the invading Nazis). In addition to the complex ethical issues it raises, Ashes and Diamonds is also of interest for the performance of Zbigniew Cybulski (the “Polish James Dean” who helped to set a new standard for cinematic cool) as well as some strikingly poetic cinematography — what Wajda and D.P. Jerzy Wójcik do with a fireworks display will etch itself into your brain. Knife in the Water (Polanski, 1962, Poland) After a couple of promising shorts, Roman Polanski burst onto the international stage with Knife in the Water, his first full-length feature that, although it would be the last film he ever made in Poland, introduced most of the motifs for which he would soon become famous: a suspenseful scenario with psycho-sexual underpinnings, a penchant for shooting in claustrophobic settings, and strong, naturalistic performances from a small cast. The story, a three-person show, concerns a married couple who embark on a yachting expedition and decide at the last minute to take a long a young hitch-hiker. Once they’ve set sail, the husband and the drifter engage in a game of shifting power dynamics with the attractive young wife unwittingly caught between them. An auspicious debut. The Shop On Main Street (Kadar/Klos, 1965, Czechoslovakia) This incredible Holocaust movie illustrates, with commendable subtlety and complexity, how insidiously Nazi ideology pervaded Europe during WWII. The main character, Tono (Jozef Kroner), is an out-of-work carpenter who is granted by fascist authorities the opportunity to take ownership of the title location from an elderly Jewish woman (Ida Kaminska) in a small Slovak town. The woman, however, is hard of hearing and oblivious to the process of “Aryanization” — she thinks Tono is merely looking for a job and agrees to hire him. As the two work together, they begin to like one another but soon the Nazis begin deporting all of the Jews from the town . . . Very few fictional movies on this subject are capable of illustrating the kind of impossible moral choices that faced many ordinary European citizens at this time as well as this masterpiece co-directed by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos from a screenplay by Ladislaw Grosman. Too bad only a small fraction of the people who have seen Schindler’s List will ever see this. Closely Watched Trains (Menzel, 1966, Czechoslovakia) One of the seminal films of the Nová Vlna (or Czech New Wave) movement is Jiri Menzel’s comedic 1966 account of a young man’s tenure as a train station employee in WWII Czechoslovakia. As the war is nearing its end, partisans are attempting to blow up Nazi supply trains while Milos (Václav Neckár), the protagonist, is mostly interested in trying to get laid. Like Milos Forman’s similarly groundbreaking Loves of a Blonde, Menzel’s depiction of his characters’ earthy desires (including a hilarious subplot about a scandal caused by a train dispatcher’s literal stamping of a woman’s bare ass) was not without ideological import: the Czech New Wave filmmakers took full advantage of the “new freedoms” afforded to them (in terms of form and content) by the brief period of reform known as the Prague Spring. Closely Watched Trains deservedly won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1968. Daisies (Chytilova, 1966, Czechoslovakia) My favorite Czech movie ever is this astonishing piece of radical feminist pop art from director Vera Chytilova. Almost impossible to accurately describe, Daisies is a plotless examination of two women, both named Marie (Ivana Karbanová and Jitka Cerhová), who engage in colorful, madcap adventures that involve going on dates with — and ripping off — old men, dancing, wearing outrageous clothes and make-up, and consuming copious amounts of food and alcohol. While the style veers from Godardian bricolage to silent slapstick, with an innovative employment of color filters throughout, the tone of the film is consistently pitched at a level of joyous anarchy. I’m not entirely sure to what extent Chytilova is railing against patriarchy under Communist rule vs. merely having a bit of dada-esque fun (though the fact that Czech authorities banned Chytilova from making another film until 1975 suggests the former) or perhaps she’s doing both, but I do feel certain this looks as fresh and delightful in the 21st century as it must have looked to audiences in 1966. The Firemen’s Ball (Forman, 1967, Czechoslovakia) Milos Forman’s last Czech film before departing for America is an amazingly subversive comedy about a fire brigade in a small Czech town holding its annual ball, during which time they plan on staging their first “beauty contest” (whose participants turn out to be unwilling female attendees) and honoring the 86th birthday of their former chairman. Perhaps the definitive “Prague Spring” movie, The Firemen’s Ball clearly views the fire brigade at its center as a microcosm of the Communist government: an inefficient bureaucracy presided over by old men whose approach to organization is to essentially make everything up as they go along. This is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen and it actually depresses me to think that the man who made it wound down his career making generic biopics in Hollywood. The Red and the White (Jancso, 1967, Hungary) During Russia’s civil war, circa 1919, the “reds” are the Russian bolsheviks and their Hungarian allies, the “whites” are the tsar’s government troops. In many ways, this is like a modern update of Battleship Potemkin: both are propagandistic period pieces that show the brutality of the tsar’s old regime by focusing on teeming masses instead of individuals but, in terms of style, the two films couldn’t be more opposite. While Eisenstein’s movie is virtually one long rapid-fire montage, Miklos Jancso employs a long take/long shot style that features stunningly elaborate camera choreography instead. Indeed, some of the shots in this film are among the most impressive ever captured on celluloid and the complexity of the camera-choreography clearly exerted an influence on the late style of Jancso’s countryman Bela Tarr. Ward Six (Pintilie, 1978, Yugoslavia/Romania) Lucian Pintilie is widely considered the greatest Romanian director of all time and the godfather of the highly regarded “Romanian New Wave” of the 21st century. While his influential films of the 1960s are virtually impossible to find today (at least with English subtitles), this lesser known 1978 masterpiece is ripe for rediscovery. Shot in Yugoslavia with a Serbo-Croatian cast but set in Tsarist Russia, Ward Six is an adaptation of a Chekhov story (Palata No. 6) about a doctor who befriends a patient in a mental hospital. The two engage in lengthy philosophical conversations that precipitate the doctor’s own descent into madness. I loved the lengthy tracking shots used to follow the doctor as he makes his daily walk from home to the hospital, accompanied by industrial noises on the soundtrack as well as internal monologues fraught with moral dilemmas (e.g., if it is natural for humans to get sick and die, why bother trying to help them at all?). I should also note that this uniquely austere work of great cinematic artistry appears to have been appreciated more in Chicago than anywhere else: it won the Chicago International Film Festival’s top prize in 1979 and the only North American video release it has ever received is via Chicago’s Facets Multimedia. The Decalogue (Kieslowski, 1988, Poland) My opinion of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s monumental achievement — 10 one-hour movies that correspond to the 10 commandments, originally broadcast on Polish television — is inextricably bound to the circumstances under which I first saw it. I watched all 10 hours projected in 35mm, exhibited in two-hour installments a piece, while standing in the back of a movie theater that had sold out all of its screenings. As Stanley Kubrick noted, what may be most impressive about The Decalogue is the way Kieslowski and his collaborators were able to successfully dramatize ideas. It’s fun to think about how the individual episodes relate to the commandments: the first episode is a literal adaptation (a man puts his faith in the “false God” of technology — with tragic results) while others are more oblique (the “thou shall not commit adultery” episode is a tale of romantic obsession and voyeurism in which none of the characters are married). Kieslowski went on to even greater fame by subsequently making arthouse blockbusters in France (The Double Life of Veronique, the “Three Colors” trilogy) but The Decalogue easily remains my favorite of his movies. Time of the Gypsies (Kusturica, 1988, Yugoslavia) Though his critical reputation seems to have diminished in recent years, Serbian director Emir Kusturica was considered one of the key directors of the 1980s and 1990s during which time he was a mainstay at prestigious international festivals. My favorite of his films is this gypsy epic set in the former Yugoslavia about Perhan (Davor Dujmovic), a young man who goes to great lengths to prove himself worthy of the woman he loves (after her mother disapproves of his courtship), which includes becoming involved with a local crime kingpin. The gypsy setting allows for Kusturica to provide a feast for the eyes and ears: the non-professional performers, production design, use of color and, especially, Goran Bregovic’s original score (later appropriated by Borat) are all top-notch. Guiding all of it with a sure hand is Kusturica, whose darkly comic approach can be ascertained by the film’s tagline: “When God came down to earth he could not deal with the gypsies . . . and he took the next flight back.” Canary Season (Mihailov, 1993, Bulgaria) Until recently, I had never seen a movie from Bulgaria (a country whose cinematic output has admittedly always been sparse) but tracked down this well-regarded film in the hopes that I might be able to include it on this list. I was not disappointed. Canary Season is a powerfully realistic — and occasionally shockingly brutal — portrayal of life during the country’s recently dismantled Communist regime. It begins in the present as 20-year-old Malin is released from prison following a year’s stretch for assault. After Malin aggressively confronts his mother, Lily, about the true identity of his father, whom Malin has never known, the movie then flashes back to the early 1960s to recount a sad tale rape, forced marriage, and detention at a labor camp and mental hospital — all of which occurs under a cloud of paranioa and fear in a country where the threat of being denounced to a corrupt government is ever-present. High production values and excellent performances make this a formidable addition to the Eastern European cinema canon although this is obviously not for those who shy away from the grimmer realities of life. Satantango (Tarr, 1994, Hungary) Based on László Krasznahorkai’s famed novel, which I haven’t read but which has been favorably compared to the works of William Faulkner, my favorite American author, this seven-and-a-half hour Hungarian epic is one of the defining — and most purely cinematic — movies of recent decades (unlike The Decalogue, director Bela Tarr wants you to see this on the big screen in a single sitting). The plot has something to do with a pair of con artists, Irimias (Mihály Vig, who also scored) and Petrina (Putyi Horváth), arriving at a farm-commune and swindling its members out of their money, but story seems like a mere pretext for Tarr’s despairing allegorical portrait of life in post-Communist Hungary. Krasznahorkai’s ingenious structure, said to be based on the tango (i.e., six steps forward and six steps back), shows the same narrative events multiple times from the perspectives of different characters and is perfectly complemented by Tarr’s utterly singular visual style, which combines epic long takes with elaborate camera movements. But don’t let anyone’s description, including mine, or the running time fool you: this eye-filling black-and-white epic is a much easier watch than its reputation suggests — there is plenty of dark humor to go around and even a fart joke for good measure. 11 Comments \| tags: Andrzej Wajda, Ashes and Diamonds, Bela Tarr, Canary Season, Closely Watched Trains, Csillagosok katonák, Daisies, Dekalog, Dom za vesanje, Elmar Klos, Emir Kusturica, Evgeni Mihailov, Horí má panenko, Ján Kadár, Knife in the Water, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Lucian Pintilie, Miklos Jancso, Milos Forman, Nóz w wodzie, Obchod na korze, Ostře sledované vlaky, Paviljon VI, Popiól i diament, Roman Polanski, Satantango, Sedmikrásky, Sezonat na kanarchetata, The Decalogue, The Firemen's Ball, The Red and the White, The Shop on Main Street, Time of the Gypsies, Vera Chytilova, Ward Six \| posted in Film Reviews, Historical Movement / National Cinema Primers Top 25 Films of the 1980s 25. The Cyclist (Makhmalbaf, Iran, 1987) Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s incredible film centers on Nasim, an Afghan immigrant living in Tehran who is virtually forced to perform a circus sideshow-like endurance test in order to pay for his wife’s medical bills: he agrees to the scheme of a shady promoter to attempt to ride a bicycle continuously for a week. As Nasim rides in circles in the same town square night and day, a crowd of spectators mounts (including politicians, gamblers and the media), all of whom attempt to manipulate the poor man’s plight for their own benefit. This powerful allegory is not unlike Bresson’s Au Hasard, Balthazar in that a holy fool character serves as a blank slate upon which the sins of mankind are imprinted. 24. The Shining (Kubrick, USA/UK, 1980) 23. Why Has Bodhi Dharma Left for the East? (Bae, S. Korea, 1989) 22. The Asthenic Syndrome (Muratova, Russia, 1989) 21. The Green Ray (Rohmer, France, 1986) 20. Time of the Gypsies (Kusturica, Yugoslavia, 1988) 19. Distant Voices, Still Lives (Davies, UK, 1988) 18. Sans Soleil (Marker, France, 1983) 17. The Road Warrior (Miller, Austraila, 1981) George Miller’s 1981 action-movie masterpiece is the best and most influential of the post-apocalyptic Eighties trend. Even more impressive is the fact that he did it all on a relatively meager budget of $2,000,000 — with old-fashioned (i.e., “real”) stunts and exceedingly clever production design in which an assortment of 20th century detritus is reconfigured in surprising ways (e.g., punk rock fashions and S&M gear happily co-exist with pieces of athletic uniforms). The film is set in the future, when gasoline is an even more precious resource than it is today, and concerns a former cop (Mel Gibson, reprising his role from the non-post-apocalyptic Mad Max) helping a gasoline-rich colony fend off attacks by a gang of marauding bandits. The climactic action set-piece, a long chase involving many different types of vehicles barreling through the barren Australian outback, takes up most of the second-half and ranks as one of the most exhilarating such scenes ever captured on celluloid. 16. Blue Velvet (Lynch, USA, 1986) 15. Once Upon a Time in America (Leone, USA, 1984) 14. Blade Runner (Scott, USA, 1982) 13. Hail Mary (Godard, France, 1985) 12. A Nos Amours (Pialat, France, 1983) 11. Mon Oncle d’Amerique (Resnais, France, 1980) 10. A City of Sadness (Hou, Taiwan, 1989) 9. Love Streams (Cassavetes, USA, 1984) 8. Vagabond (Varda, France, 1985) 7. Brightness (Cisse, Mali, 1987) Perhaps my favorite African movie ever is Yeelen, a hypnotic, deliberately paced art film that has all of the deceptive simplicity, power and beauty of a primeval myth. Niankoro is a boy living in rural West Africa who must undergo various rites of passage in order to become a man, which culminates in challenging his evil sorcerer father in a duel to the death. Western critics are fond of invoking Oedipus Rex when reviewing writer/director Souleymane Cissé’s masterpiece but all of this film’s potent and elaborate symbolism is apparently based on local folklore and not influenced by outside sources. 6. Raging Bull (Scorsese, USA, 1980) 5. Come and See (Klimov, Russia, 1985) 4. Berlin Alexanderplatz (Fassbinder, Germany, 1980) 3. The Ballad of Narayama (Imamura, Japan, 1983) 2. The Decalogue (Kieslowski, Poland, 1988) 1. L’argent (Bresson, France, 1983) Robert Bresson’s swan song, as tight and compressed as a Ramones song, is a masterful update of Tolstoy’s short story The Forged Note. Bresson’s ingenious narrative follows a counterfeit bill, initially passed off in a shop as a schoolboy prank, which sets off a chain of events (an “avalanche of evil” in the director’s own indelible words) that ends with a young man murdering an entire family with an axe. This vital, rigorous movie, made when the director was 82 but seeming like the work of a much younger man, is the ultimate artistic statement about the destructive power of money. 2 Comments \| tags: A City of Sadness, A Nos Amours, Agnes Varda, Alain Resnais, Bae Yong-Kyun, Berlin Alexanderplatz, Blade Runner, Blue Velvet, Brightness, Chris Marker, Come and See, David Lynch, Dekalog, Distant Voices Still Lives, Elim Klimov, Emir Kusturica, Eric Rohmer, George Miller, Hail Mary, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Je vou salue Marie, Jean-Luc Godard, John Cassavetes, Kira Muratova, Krzysztof Kieslowski, L'argent, Le rayon vert, Love Streams, Mad Max 2, Martin Scorsese, Maurice Pialat, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Mon Oncle d'Amerique, Once Upon a Time in America, Raging Bull, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Ridley Scott, Robert Bresson, Sans Soleil, Sergio Leone, Shohei Imamura, Souleymane Cisse, Stanley Kubrick, Summer, Terence Davies, The Asthenic Syndrome, The Ballad of Narayama, The Cyclist, The Decalogue, The Green Ray, The Road Warrior, The Shining, Time of the Gypsies, Vagabond, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?, Yeelen \| posted in All Best of Lists, Best Films of the 1980s	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1141
__label__wiki	0.691007	0.691007	Hidden Influence, Threats to Democracy December 15, 2014 \| Martin Hellman Manufacturing War: A Primer Defense Secretary Robert McNamara explains rationale for Vietnam War. Now that President Obama’s administration is giving itself the option to have “boots on the ground” in Iraq, there has never been a more important time to look at how we get sucked into unending wars. Professor Martin Hellman examines how it’s been done for the last 70 years. Of course, the people don’t want war… But… it is always a simple matter to drag the people along… All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism… It works the same way in any country. So said Hermann Göring, Hitler’s right-hand man, before he committed suicide while facing the death penalty for war crimes in 1946. Unfortunately, what might be called The Göring Doctrine has proved as tempting to democratic leaders as to fascist dictators. Witness these examples drawn from recent American history. Remember the Maine? In March 1962, seven months before the Cuban missile crisis, the Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously recommended to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and President Kennedy that the United States use Göring’s prescription for dragging the people into war with Cuba. They suggested a number of false flag operations including: We could blow up a U.S. ship in Guantanamo Bay and blame Cuba. … [Or] we could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington. … [fostering] attempts on lives of Cuban refugees in the United States even to the extent of wounding [anti-Castro Cubans]. While McNamara and JFK rejected these proposals, Bobby Kennedy resurfaced the idea during the Cuban missile crisis: We should also think of whether there is some other way we can get involved in this, through Guantánamo Bay or something. Or whether there’s some ship that … you know, sink the Maine again or something. [Tuesday, October 16, 1962, 6:30 PM meeting in the Cabinet Room, recorded on JFK’s secret taping mechanism]. While that suggestion was also rejected, the Göring Doctrine came into its own two years later, when the Tonkin Gulf incidents of August 2 and 4, 1964, provided the legal basis for the Vietnam War. Remember the Gulf of Tonkin? At the time, the Johnson Administration portrayed America’s full-scale, boots-on-the-ground entry into the civil war between North and South Vietnam as a response to unprovoked acts of communist aggression. But a now-declassified phone call that LBJ made to former Treasury Secretary Robert Anderson on August 3 reveals the truth: communist naval forces in the Tonkin Gulf were in fact responding to U.S. covert operations in North Vietnam. Unbeknownst to the American public, Johnson told Anderson, American forces were already blowing up some bridges and things of that kind, roads, and so forth. So I imagine they wanted to put a stop to it. So they come out there and fire and we respond immediately with five-inch guns from the destroyer and with planes overhead. In other words, contrary to what he later told Congress and the world, LBJ knew that prior American actions had provoked this North Vietnamese attack. Equally startling is the fact that the second (August 4) Tonkin Gulf attack never happened at all—a conclusion reached by several sources. A formerly top secret NSA history states unequivocally: “no attack happened that night.” Adm. James Stockdale, who was overhead in a jet fighter sent to provide air cover for the American destroyers corroborates that this second attack never occurred: I had the best seat in the house from which to detect boats – if there were any … but no wakes or dark shapes other than those of the destroyers were ever visible to me. There something wrong out here. Those destroyers are talking about hits, but where are the metal to metal sparks? And the boat wakes – where are they? And boat gun flashes? The day before yesterday [August 2, 1964, the date of the first incident], I saw all those signs of small-boat combat in broad daylight! Any of those telltale indicators would stand out like beacons in this black hole we’re operating in. During his over seven years as a POW in North Vietnam, Stockdale’s greatest concern was that his captors would realize he was flying air cover during the second “incident” and torture him into making statements which would hurt the war effort by proving that we had gone to war on false pretenses. Stockdale thought that war was inevitable, but was deeply disturbed that President Johnson had lied to win public support for it. In spite of the first incident being provoked by our covert operations and the second never even occurring, when LBJ went on television on August 4 to beat the drums for war, he portrayed the U.S. as the innocent victim of aggression in Vietnam: … renewed hostile actions against United States ships on the high seas in the Gulf of Tonkin have today required me to order the military forces of the United States to take action in reply. … it is my considered conviction, shared throughout your Government, that firmness in the right is indispensable today for peace; that firmness will always be measured. Its mission is peace. [August 4 television address] Remember 9/11 and the Weapons of Mass Destruction? The Göring Doctrine came into play again after 9/11, when the Bush Administration rallied public support for an attack on Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. This was done by continually linking Saddam to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Several years later, when a reporter asked, “What did Iraq have to do with … the attack on the World Trade Center?” President Bush replied, “Nothing. … nobody has suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack.” Colin Powell’s famous speech about WMD at the UN While Bush was technically correct, he was employing sophistry. A week before the invasion of Iraq, the Christian Science Monitor noted: In his prime-time press conference last week… President Bush mentioned Sept. 11 eight times. He referred to Saddam Hussein many more times than that, often in the same breath with Sept. 11. [T]he overall effect was to reinforce an impression…that the Iraqi dictator did play a direct role in the attacks. A New York Times/CBS poll this week shows that 45 percent of Americans believe Mr. Hussein was “personally involved” in Sept. 11… In a Knight Ridder poll, 44 percent of Americans reported that either “most” or “some” of the Sept. 11 hijackers were Iraqi citizens. The answer is zero. And then there was the second of the shifting justifications for going to war. Speaking to the UN Security Council on February 5, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell spelled out the case for attacking Iraq because it was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. The media at the time hailed this speech. But it was based on blatant fabrications. Powell’s Chief of Staff, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, who worked on the speech, later lamented his part in crafting that speech: I participated in a hoax on the American people, the international community and the United Nations Security Council. Ironically, al Qaeda-linked groups, which were virtually non-existent in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, today control large swaths of Iraqi territory and are threatening Syria as well. Back to the Future? Unfortunately, the West risks repeating the mistakes of Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq in the current Ukraine crisis. A bipartisan chorus of opinion inside and outside Washington has pinned all of the blame for the conflict on Putin. A New York Times editorial summed it up this way: “There is one man who can stop it—President Vladimir Putin of Russia.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a front-runner for her party’s presidential nomination in 2016, has compared Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler–-implying that if the West doesn’t intervene in Ukraine, Americans may well be fighting Russian aggression on their own shores in the future. It has, paradoxically, been left to advisers to former Republican presidents to raise serious doubts about this rush to judgment. For example, Ronald Reagan’s Ambassador to Moscow, Jack Matlock, wrote: I believe it has been a very big strategic mistake – by Russia, by the EU and most of all by the U.S. – to convert Ukrainian political and economic reform into an East-West struggle. (emphasis added) Dmitri Simes, who advised President Nixon on Soviet matters, stated in an interview: I think it [the Obama administration’s approach to the Ukraine] has contributed to the crisis. … there is no question in my mind that the United States has a responsibility to act. But what Obama is doing is exactly the opposite from what should be done in my view. Henry Kissinger wrote: The politics of post-independence Ukraine clearly demonstrates that the root of the problem lies in efforts by Ukrainian politicians to impose their will on recalcitrant parts of the country, first by one faction, then by the other. … A wise U.S. policy toward Ukraine would seek a way for the two parts of the country to cooperate with each other. We should seek reconciliation, not the domination of a faction. Some may wonder if these criticisms are motivated by a partisan instinct to criticize foreign policy while Democrats hold the White House (although I do not). But a voice from overseas also challenges the emerging anti-Putin consensus from another perspective. Tony Brenton, British Ambassador to Moscow from 2004 to 2008, has warned against basing a foreign policy on the “narrative” that Putin is an insatiable expansionist: Western policy has been built on two false premises. … As this narrative runs: yesterday Russia took Crimea; today Eastern Ukraine; tomorrow – who knows – Estonia, Poland? This precisely mirrors the Russian nightmare of predatory NATO expansion; yesterday Poland and Estonia, today Georgia, tomorrow – who knows – parts of Russia itself? The mutual suspicions of 1914 spring worryingly to mind. Brenton goes on to warn that “the Russians are ready to go to the brink to achieve their political objectives in Ukraine.” The Russian bear has lost many of its teeth, leaving nuclear threats—and therefore, potentially, nuclear use – as its only ace in the hole. Which makes the mutual saber-rattling over Ukraine that much more dangerous. After 70 years, it is high time to learn from the mistakes of the past, and stop following Göring’s script from dragging us into needless wars. NOTE: Other historical examples of the malign influence of The Göring Doctrine on U.S. foreign policy can be found in Prof. Hellman’s 10-part series on Avoiding Needless Wars.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1142
__label__wiki	0.716283	0.716283	Rising Deficits, Falling Revenues The Fiscal Damage Caused by the New Republican Tax Law By Seth Hanlon, Alan Cohen, and Sara Estep Posted on November 29, 2018, 9:00 am Download the PDF here. The law commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act1 (TCJA), enacted in December 2017 by the Republican-controlled Congress, is substantially increasing federal deficits—and will for years to come. Regrettably, the law increased federal borrowing while addressing none of the nation’s most pressing challenges. In particular, after decades of growing income inequality and stagnant real wages for working-class Americans, the law conferred its largest benefits on the wealthiest Americans. The law did nothing to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, advance education, or prevent climate change. Moreover, by increasing federal deficits and debt, the law will increase pressure to cut vital programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. This issue brief assesses the fiscal damage from the TCJA and finds: The law will increase deficits by about $1.9 trillion over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). This increase would constitute major fiscal damage. If core features of the law are extended, the TCJA would increase deficits by another $650 billion over 10 years and add roughly $3 trillion to deficits over the second decade after enactment. The law has already drained revenue and thus hiked deficits. Indeed, the TCJA was the biggest contributor to the large increase in the deficit for the fiscal year that ended in September 2018. The law could cost much more than official estimates because it includes numerous fiscal time bombs, including expiring tax cuts that future Congresses could extend and delayed tax increases that future Congresses could further forestall. The law is also replete with loopholes that are already being exploited in ways that were not fully recognized during the bill’s hasty consideration. These are not unintended effects of the law. The tax law was part of a deliberate strategy to increase budget deficits and thereby raise pressure to cut programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. And the aspects of it that will likely cost more than advertised are, for the most part, also the result of a deliberate strategy: Congressional leaders rushed the bill through Congress with no hearings and little time for public scrutiny in order to obscure its effects. Wealthy individuals and corporations are the law’s biggest beneficiaries, and it is no coincidence that they will have many opportunities to stretch the law’s myriad loopholes even further and press Congress for even more tax breaks. The TCJA will increase federal deficits by $1.9 trillion over 10 years When the TCJA was finalized in Congress in December 2017, Congress’ nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimated that the legislation would increase federal budget deficits by about $1.5 trillion, or $1.1 trillion if scored dynamically, over the 10-year period from FY 2018 through FY 2027, not including the government’s interest costs resulting from the increase in debt.2 Because the JCT is Congress’ official scorekeeper on revenue bills, $1.5 trillion was the bill’s official score upon passage. In April 2018, the CBO, likely in consultation with the JCT, issued a new estimate of the budgetary effects of the law. The CBO’s report estimated that the law would increase deficits by nearly $1.89 trillion over the FY 2018–2027 period—more than $400 billion greater over the same period than the JCT had estimated four months earlier.3 The CBO attributed its higher estimate in part on technical revisions and explained: “Many of those adjustments reflect information that has become available in recent months about the 2017 tax act.” In other words, new information had caused the underlying cost estimate of the bill to increase by more than $400 billion. The CBO also produced estimates covering the current budget window, which extends through FY 2028. Between FY 2018 and FY 2028, the CBO estimates that the TCJA will cost slightly less, or $1.84 trillion, than over the original FY 2018–2027 budget window because the law is projected to reduce deficits beginning in 2027. However, as discussed below, there is reason to doubt whether that will be the case. The CBO also produced a dynamic estimate, which included the budgetary impact of macroeconomic feedback, and estimates of the additional interest costs. These latter two effects roughly offset each other, resulting in deficit increases of $1.9 trillion from FY 2018 to FY 2028. In sum, regardless of how it is measured, the legislation inflicts major fiscal damage. The tax law inflicts this fiscal damage while also worsening one of the nation’s most fundamental problems: economic inequality. The TCJA’s benefits were heavily weighted to high-income Americans. The highest-income 1 percent of Americans—people with annual incomes of at least $732,000, averaging $2.25 million—are receiving an average tax cut of more than $50,000 this year from the bill.4 This is more than 50 times greater than the benefit for the average middle-income family. High-income Americans even receive a disproportionately large benefit as a percentage of their income. (see Figure 1) Moreover, the law was poorly timed and misdirected. It increased federal borrowing to boost demand several years after the U.S. economy needed it most, yet it also failed to seriously address underlying structural challenges in the economy. In the years when the economy was struggling to recover from the Great Recession, the federal government—due to the Republican-led House’s demands—shifted prematurely to budget austerity, keeping millions out of work and prolonging the economic pain.5 Only now, nine years into the recovery, have President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans shifted to expansionary fiscal policy, albeit through a tax bill that delivers low bang for the buck. The tax cuts are likely providing some economic boost this year, but they come at a tremendous cost and in the most inefficient way possible: through long-lasting tax cuts that are weighted toward the already-wealthy. By increasing federal debt, the tax law could worsen future economic downturns by making policymakers more reluctant to address them with aggressive fiscal policy.6 This wasteful approach to fiscal policy completely ignores the deeper structural challenges facing the U.S. economy, particularly in areas that have been hit hard by deindustrialization. Tax cuts provided to companies are failing to deliver job opportunities, wage growth, or hope to those workers and hard-hit communities, who will have to live with the debt that the TCJA created for years to come. The tax cut is already draining revenues and increasing deficits The negative fiscal effects of the tax law are already materializing. In FY 2018, federal revenue fell well short of pre-tax cut projections.7 Revenue for FY 2018 was $202 billion less than the CBO forecast before the TCJA’s passage. FY 2018 revenue was $325 billion less than the Trump administration projected in its initial budget, which ostensibly incorporated the effects of the president’s tax proposals. Moreover, the core provisions of the tax law did not take effect until three months into FY 2018, and the tax payments that individuals made in April 2018 were based on the pre-TCJA tax code. Since May 2018, overall revenue has decreased by 3 percent compared with the same period in 2017, without even adjusting for inflation or growth.8 Tax revenue from corporations has fallen dramatically as a result of the massive corporate tax cut that was at the core of the TCJA. The law slashed the corporate tax rate by two-fifths, or from 35 percent to 21 percent, while expanding the already substantial depreciation deductions (moving from bonus depreciation to the more generous full expensing). And rather than phasing in over time, the corporate rate was made immediate, taking effect only days after the bill was signed into law in December 2017. As predicted, corporations paid $92 billion, or 31 percent, less in taxes in FY 2018 than they did in the year before.9 The decline was more dramatic compared with what corporations would have paid in FY 2018 under pre-TCJA law. Compared with the CBO’s pre-TCJA forecast, the decline in corporate tax revenue for FY 2018 was $119 billion, or 37 percent.10 The TCJA was the primary reason the federal budget deficit increased by 17 percent to $779 billion, or 3.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), for FY 2018.11 Revenue fell to 16.5 percent of GDP. The draining of revenue and corresponding rise in the deficit is particularly striking given that the economic recovery has continued apace in 2018, with unemployment levels continuing on the downward trajectory that began in 2009. The level of revenue as a share of GDP in FY 2018 was the lowest in more than 50 years except for six years during and following recessions, FY 2003–2004 and FY 2009–2012.12 The draining of revenues belies the predictions made by the TCJA’s proponents. Upon the bill’s passage in the Senate, then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said: “I not only don’t think it will increase the deficit, I think it will be beyond revenue neutral.”13 Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed that “this tax plan will not only pay for itself but in fact create additional revenue for the government.”14 All credible nonpartisan analysts rejected claims that the tax cut would pay for itself, and their warnings of reduced revenue are now bearing out. The TCJA’s proponents’ claims were premised on the law sparking an enormous boom in private investment, but to date, there is little to no sign of any such investment boom.15 The fiscal damage may be far worse than it appears Official estimates of the TCJA may significantly understate how much the law will drain revenue over time. Packed within the law are three kinds of fiscal time bombs, the costs of which are not reflected in official estimates. This was deliberate on the part of the bill’s authors. As President Trump’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney has admitted, the timing of many of the bill’s provisions was “simply trying to essentially manipulate the numbers and game the system so that you can fall into this square peg”—in other words, to fit within budget constraints.16 Expiring provisions Almost all of the TCJA’s individual tax provisions expire after 2025, and the law’s proponents are already seeking to extend them. The TCJA’s authors inserted the 2026 expiration date to manipulate the official scoring of the bill so they could pass it without any support from congressional Democrats. They also chose to advance the bill through the budget reconciliation process, shielding it from a potential filibuster by Senate Democrats. Under the Byrd Rule, bills moved through the reconciliation process cannot score as increasing deficits over the long term, or else they effectively require 60 votes in the Senate.17 The score of reconciliation bills also must fit under the maximum deficit increase allowed in the House-Senate budget resolution, which, under a deal struck by Senate Republicans, was $1.5 trillion over 10 years.18 To fit within these two constraints, the TCJA’s authors chose to sunset the bill’s individual tax provisions so that the JCT’s official scores would reflect the revenue drain ending after just eight years.19 While the TCJA gave corporations a permanent net tax cut, it managed to offset that cost in the official estimates through a permanent, broad-based tax increase on individuals—through a technical change in the tax code’s inflation adjustments—and the permanent repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate—which scored as reducing deficits because it will result in fewer people having government-subsidized health insurance.20 The artificial sunsets reduced the bill’s official cost to just less than $1.5 trillion over 10 years. That allowed the bill to be passed despite unified Democratic opposition and helped some Republican members who had frequently decried rising deficits to rationalize their support for the bill.21 But no sooner had the TCJA passed than Republican leaders announced they would take up legislation making its costly individual and estate provisions permanent without offsetting the cost. The House passed such legislation in September 2018.22 On top of the original tax cuts, the House bill was estimated to cost an additional $631 billion within the 10-year budget window, which would bring the total cost from the TCJA and its extension over 10 years to about $2.5 trillion. The revenue loss would continue in the following decade. Together, the TCJA and the extension of the individual provisions would drain roughly $3 trillion in revenue over FY 2029–2038, raising the total cost of the legislation over two decades to more than $5 trillion. (see Table 1) As with the original TCJA, the extension of its individual and estate tax provisions favors people with high incomes. The average household in the top 1 percent of incomes would receive a $40,000 annual tax cut; this is more than 80 times greater than the average tax cut for households in the bottom-earning 60 percent. The TCJA also included other temporary provisions that lose revenue and would continue to do so if extended. The largest is full expensing of business investment, which would add $122 billion to the TCJA’s cost over the next decade if extended beyond its scheduled phasedown.23 Other sunsetting provisions would add around another $60 billion over that period.24 If permanently extended, the cost of these provisions would continue beyond the next decade as well. Delayed revenue-raising provisions The TCJA included many provisions that raise revenue from corporations and other businesses, which partially offset the cost of the corporate and business tax cuts. However, several of the biggest of these provisions do not begin or take full effect for several years, giving the business community plenty of time to lobby Congress to stave them off. For example, the TCJA’s authors reduced the official 10-year cost of the bill by $120 billion with a provision requiring businesses to spread their deductions for research and experimentation expenses over a five-year period rather than claiming them immediately. But that provision does not take effect until 2022 and will certainly be the subject of intense lobbying before then. Other corporate and business provisions take effect in 2018 but become more stringent in later years, creating the same dynamic. Two of the most significant are the tax on certain foreign income of U.S. companies, known as the global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) tax, which starts at a rate of 10.5 percent—half the U.S. domestic rate—but rises to 13.125 percent after 2025; and the limit on interest deductions, which becomes tighter starting in 2022. If these two provisions are not dialed up on schedule, the TCJA’s cost would increase by tens of billions of dollars. Although it was billed as a once-in-a-generation tax reform, the TCJA failed to permanently resolve the fate of the so-called tax extenders—the temporary tax breaks that Congress has habitually extended for one or two years at a time. In 2015, and at a sizeable cost, former President Barack Obama and Congress reached agreement on legislation to make many of these extenders permanent while letting others expire after 2016 or gradually phase down. At the time, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said: “We are ending Washington’s days of extending tax policies one year at a time.”25 Any legislation worthy of being called tax reform should have resolved the fate of these provisions once and for all. But the TCJA was silent on them, and soon after, Congress extended them for yet another year, retroactively for 2017, at a cost of $13 billion. If these provisions continue to be extended, they would drain $92.5 billion of revenue over the next decade.26 Gaping loopholes The revenue drain from the TCJA could also be greater than initial estimates as clever lawyers and accountants find ways to exploit the law’s loopholes. The TCJA is an enormously complex piece of legislation that was rushed through Congress in only 50 days with no public hearings—a shocking departure from norms of tax policymaking.27 Whereas Congress worked on the Tax Reform Act of 1986 for 53 weeks, the TCJA went from introduction to enactment in just seven weeks.28 The process gave tax experts and the public very little chance to scrutinize the legislation. A group of tax law scholars hurriedly assembled an extensive list of ways that taxpayers, and particularly corporations and well-heeled individuals with expensive tax advisers, could game the new tax system.29 But Congress did not address the red flags that they raised, and corporations and wealthy taxpayers are already actively gaming the new law.30 In fact, some large corporations began gaming aspects of the law even before it was passed, such as the differential rate on offshore earnings held in cash and noncash assets, which was telegraphed well ahead of the law’s enactment.31 The JCT’s cost estimates seek to account for this kind of tax avoidance, but given the law’s truncated consideration, it is unlikely that the JCT, with its first-rate but fairly small staff of about five dozen people, anticipated all of the schemes that would develop over time. Such a rushed and secretive process inevitably creates an asymmetry: Powerful corporations and interest groups will speak up when they are disadvantaged by draft provisions under consideration but may stay silent when they spot hidden loopholes that work to their advantage. Furthermore, congressional Republicans have waged a sustained effort to starve the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the resources that it needs to prevent illegal tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance by corporations and individuals wealthy enough to hire high-priced tax advisers. The number of IRS enforcement personnel is down by one-third since 2011.32 Following are examples of major provisions of the law that may lose much more revenue or raise much less revenue than anticipated at the time of enactment. Passthrough business deduction Before the TCJA, people who own passthrough businesses such as partnerships, S-corporations, and LLCs paid taxes on the income from those businesses at ordinary income tax rates. The TCJA created a special new deduction that effectively cuts the rate on such income by 20 percent, with various, highly complex rules, or so-called guardrails, restricting the deduction for some owners and types of businesses. As tax expert Michael J. Graetz explains: The new law creates important new differences in tax rates between employees and sole proprietorships—including individual independent contractors—and among businesses depending on their levels of income, their kinds of business, and, for higher income businesses, the wages they pay and the size of their business assets … Never before 2018 have such sharp distinctions in tax rates been applied so broadly to varying industries and lines of business.33 These arbitrary rules invite massive tax gaming, which undermines the integrity of the tax system. And indeed, the collective brainpower of the tax and accounting worlds is now being applied to exploit the new provision by recharacterizing income as the kinds eligible for the deduction—as well as to lobby the IRS and Treasury Department for more businesses to receive the favored treatment.34 The passthrough deduction was estimated to reduce revenues by $414 billion over 10 years. But, as many experts have warned, the recent tax expenditure estimates from the JCT suggest that it will prove much more costly.35 And the CBO’s April report cautioned that its estimates of the law’s costs are subject to significant uncertainty, noting specifically that the estimates “incorporate the expectation that the Treasury will be able to enforce the limits that the [TCJA] places on the types of income that are eligible for the deduction.”36 Few tax lawyers share that expectation, which means that the deduction could prove far more costly than estimated. Opportunity Zone tax shelter The TCJA carved out new and very generous capital gains tax breaks for investments linked to certain geographical areas, ostensibly in an effort to spur investment in economically distressed communities. Investors who have unrealized capital gains can delay taxes by rolling over their investments into Opportunity Funds. Over time, these investors receive a generous tax break on their original gains and zero tax on their gains from the fund. Official estimates were that the provision would reduce revenues by $1.6 billion over 10 years—mere pennies in the scheme of the tax bill—partly because of budget window gaming.37 But early real-world indications are that this incentive may prove to be a much bigger boondoggle than was fully understood during the TCJA’s rushed consideration, adding to its fiscal cost.38 Moreover, it seems increasingly unlikely that residents of distressed communities will be the main beneficiaries of this new incentive, as opposed to wealthy investors and intermediaries. The magnitude of the tax benefits for investors is potentially limitless, while there are no hard rules to ensure that zone residents benefit in the form of jobs, subcontracts, or other opportunities.39 State and local tax deduction cap One of the biggest revenue-raising provisions in the TCJA is the $10,000 limit placed on the personal itemized deduction for state and local taxes (SALT). That provision, in conjunction with other changes to itemized deductions, reduced the bill’s official cost by $668 billion. But experts warned that state legislatures could respond by changing their tax systems in ways that would allow their residents to continue claiming uncapped SALT deductions on their federal taxes.40 Since the TCJA was enacted, legislators in several states have introduced bills providing so-called workarounds to the SALT cap, and Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Oregon have enacted versions of such workarounds. The IRS and Treasury Department have proposed regulations curbing one such workaround, but states may push forward with others.41 Repatriation tax The TCJA’s 10-year cost was reduced by $339 billion through a one-time transition tax on the large amounts of earnings that U.S. corporations had booked in their foreign subsidiaries, on which they had never paid U.S. tax. The bill provided for a two-tiered transition rate: 8 percent for earnings held in illiquid assets and 15.5 percent for liquid assets.42 Because it was fairly well-known in advance that Congress would adopt this basic structure for taxing overseas earnings, companies engaged in tax planning by moving assets around.43 Based on actual corporate earnings reports released this year, Bloomberg Tax has estimated that the revenue haul from the one-time tax could be less than half of the $339 billion estimate.44 Implications and solutions The fiscal damage from the TCJA is only one of the law’s unfortunate effects. The law will also increase income and wealth inequality and widen the racial wealth gap.45 It sabotages the ACA by repealing the individual mandate, which the CBO estimates will raise health insurance premiums by 10 percent and result in roughly 9 million more people without insurance.46 The law sold out the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling.47 And according to estimates, it will reduce charitable giving by 5 percent, which will mean about $20 billion less for the nation’s charities each year.48 The loss of revenue from the TCJA is severe, and unless policymakers address it, it will grow. From the initial cost estimate of $1.5 trillion over 10 years and the revised estimate of $1.9 trillion, the cost will grow if Congress extends its revenue-draining provisions and/or staves off its revenue-raising provisions. The cost could also grow if the Treasury Department and IRS do not aggressively guard against gaming. The law’s proponents claimed that the TCJA would pay for itself. Some even claimed that it would raise revenue. But those predictions were baseless to begin with and are already being proved wrong. Now the law’s proponents are suggesting that the costs will need to be made up by cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—effectively making working Americans and the elderly pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Policymakers should take the following steps to mitigate and reverse the fiscal damage from the TCJA. Stop extending tax breaks Congress should stop extending tax breaks, including the new ones that the TCJA created, without offsetting the revenue loss. Moreover, the so-called extenders were extended through 2017 retroactively, and House Republicans are now seeking to extend them retroactively for 2018 in the lame-duck session of Congress.49 Congress should fully offset these provisions or let them remain expired.50 Congress should also resist pressure to further delay revenue-raising provisions or address supposed errors in the TCJA by expanding tax breaks without offsetting the resulting costs.51 Prevent tax evasion by strengthening the IRS Congress must strengthen the IRS’ ability to prevent tax avoidance. The complexities and special tax breaks in the new law will reward those with resources to exploit them and those who are most willing to push legal boundaries.52 In addition, the United States was already losing more than $400 billion in revenue each year due to noncompliance.53 Recent high-profile stories illuminate the problem of tax evasion by wealthy individuals, including, allegedly, by President Trump and his associates, and its tie-in to corruption.54 Congress should significantly boost the IRS’ budget, including its enforcement resources, to minimize the revenue loss from the TCJA and protect the integrity of the tax system. Reverse the tax breaks for those who need them least Most importantly, future Congresses must fundamentally restructure the TCJA to reverse all of the tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, end egregious loopholes such as the passthrough deduction, and raise revenue to meet national challenges. In sum, the TCJA was a deeply fiscally irresponsible giveaway that favored profitable corporations and wealthy Americans. The law will increase federal borrowing by nearly $2 trillion—and in all likelihood much more than that amount due to the fiscal time bombs it includes. Moreover, the legislation failed to address the nation’s most urgent challenges. And by increasing federal debt, the law will raise the pressure to cut vital programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Finally, the legislation could make policymakers much more reluctant to respond aggressively to future economic downturns. Congress should address the TCJA’s deep flaws as soon as possible through real tax reform. Seth Hanlon and Alan Cohen are senior fellows at the Center for American Progress. Sara Estep is a research assistant at the Center. An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, Public Law 115–97, 115 Cong. (December 22, 2017), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1. ↩ The TCJA is the unofficial name of An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018. For the JCT’s official score, see Joint Committee On Taxation, “Estimated Budget Effects of the Conference Agreement for H.R. 1, The ‘Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’” (2017), available at https://www.jct.gov/publications.html?func=startdown&id=5053. Using so-called dynamic scoring, the JCT found that the bill’s cost would be $1.1 trillion over FYs 2018–2027, without counting additional interest on the debt. See Joint Committee On Taxation, “Macroeconomic Analysis of the Conference Agreement for H.R. 1, The ‘Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’” (2017), available at https://www.jct.gov/publications.html?func=select&id=76. ↩ Congressional Budget Office, “The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2018 to 2028” (2018), table B-3, p. 129, available at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files?file=115th-congress-2017-2018/reports/53651-outlook.pdf. The CBO’s estimate of the deficit increases for the FY 2018–2028 period was $1.843 trillion. ↩ Tax Policy Center, “T17-0312 – Conference Agreement: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; Baseline: Current Law; Distribution of Federal Tax Change by Expanded Cash Income Percentile, 2018,” December 18, 2017, available at, https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/model-estimates/conference-agreement-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-dec-2017/t17-0312-conference-agreement. ↩ See, for example, Jared Bernstein, “What’s wrong with upside-down Keynesianism,” On The Economy: Jared Bernstein Blog, October 17, 2018, available at http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/whats-wrong-with-upside-down-keynesianism/; Andrew Fieldhouse, “Speaker Boehner pledges to hijack the debt ceiling and jeopardize recovery again,” Economic Policy Institute: Working Economics Blog, May 17, 2012, available at https://www.epi.org/blog/john-boehner-debt-ceiling-spending-cuts/. ↩ Christina D. Romer and David H. Romer, “Why Some Times Are Different: Macroeconomic Policy and the Aftermath of Financial Crisis,” (Berkeley, CA: University of California, Berkeley: 2017), available at https://eml.berkeley.edu/~dromer/papers/Romer&RomerCrisesandPolicyRevised.pdf. ↩ Actual FY 2018 revenue is reported in Bureau of the Fiscal Service, “Monthly Treasury Statement: October 2018” (2018), available at https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsreports/rpt/mthTreasStmt/current.htm. The CBO’s last forecast before the enactment of the TCJA was in June 2017, available at Congressional Budget Office, “Revenue Projections, by Category: June 2017,” available at https://www.cbo.gov/about/products/budget-economic-data#7 (last accessed November 2018). For the Trump administration’s pre-TCJA revenue forecast, see Office of Management and Budget, “Mid-Session Review: Budget of the U.S. Government: Fiscal Year 2018” (2018), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18msr.pdf. ↩ Bureau of the Fiscal Service, “Monthly Receipts, Outlays, and Deficit or Surplus, Fiscal Years 1981-2019,” available at https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsreports/rpt/mthTreasStmt/current.htm (last accessed November 2018). ↩ Federal corporate income tax receipts were $297 billion in FY 2017 and dropped to $205 billion in FY 2018. See Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Monthly Treasury Statement (U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2018), table 3, available at https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsreports/rpt/mthTreasStmt/mts0918.pdf. ↩ Congressional Budget Office, “Revenue Projections, by Category: June 2017.” The CBO projects $324 billion of corporate income tax revenues for FY 2018. ↩ See Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, “Treasury: 2018 Deficit was $779 Billion.” ↩ Office of Management and Budget, “Historical Tables,” table 1.3, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/historical-tables/ (last accessed November 2018). ↩ Bob Bryan, “Republicans are still making a huge claim about the tax bill that every independent analysis rejects,” Business Insider, December 4, 2017, available at https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-republican-tax-reform-bill-deficit-debt-claims-2017-12. ↩ Bob Bryan, “Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin doubled down on a claim about the tax bill that almost every independent group says is wrong,” Business Insider, August 28, 2018, available at https://www.businessinsider.com/mnuchin-gop-trump-tax-law-pay-for-itself-deficit-rising-debt-2018-8. ↩ Matt O’Brien, “The Trump tax cuts were supposed to set off an investment boom. They haven’t so far,” The Washington Post, October 27, 2018, available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/27/trump-tax-cuts-were-supposed-set-off-an-investment-boom-they-arent-so-far/?utm_term=.c41becc91771. ↩ CNN, “Mick Mulvaney defends GOP tax bill,” YouTube, November 19, 2017, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8XjeJTRkmI&feature=youtu.be&t=309. ↩ The Byrd Rule is codified at section 313(b) of the Congressional Budget Act (2 U.S.C. section 644(b)). ↩ The Republican budget provided for reconciliation directives instructing the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee to report legislation increasing deficits by up to $1.5 trillion over 10 years. See H.Con. Res. 71, 115 Cong., (October 26, 2017), sections 2001 and 2002, available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/71/text#toc-H0F605C511C0E43AEB1946695B2D9AEA6; Sarah Ferris and Jennifer Scholtes, “Corker, Toomey reach deal on Senate GOP tax-cut package,” Politico, September 19, 2017, available at https://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/19/bob-corker-pat-toomey-tax-breaks-budget-242888. ↩ Joint Committee On Taxation, “Estimated Budget Effects of the Conference Agreement for H.R. 1, The ‘Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.’” ↩ Ibid. See also Congressional Budget Office, “Repealing the Individual Health Insurance Mandate: An Updated Estimate” (2017), available at https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53300. ↩ Disregarding the sunsets was illogical, as the authors explained in Seth Hanlon and Alex Rowell, “The Senate Tax Bill Is Even More Costly Under Current Policy Assumptions,” Center for American Progress, December 13, 2017, available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2017/12/13/444103/senate-tax-bill-even-costly-current-policy-assumptions/. ↩ Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018, H. Rept. 6760, 115 Cong., (Government Printing Office, 2018), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6760. ↩ Congressional Budget Office, “The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2018 to 2028,” tables 4–5. ↩ Authors’ estimates from the CBO’s April outlook, revenue spreadsheet, estimating the cost of extending the medical expense deduction limit beyond 2018, as proposed in the House’s second-round tax bill and the temporary business tax credit for paid leave. For estimates on the cost of temporary tax breaks for alcohol producers, see Joint Committee On Taxation, “Estimated Budget Effects Of The Conference Agreement For H.R.1, The ‘Tax Cuts And Jobs Act.’” ↩ Speaker Ryan Press Office, “Speaker Ryan: ‘This is a Big Win for American Jobs,’” Press release, December 16, 2015, available at https://www.speaker.gov/video/speaker-ryan-big-win-american-jobs. ↩ Seth Hanlon, Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Ways and Means, “Tax Policy Hearing on Post Tax Reform Evaluation of Recently Expired Tax Provisions,” March 14, 2018 available at https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180314TP-Testimony-Hanlon.pdf. ↩ Edward Kleinbard, “Senators picked Americans’ pockets via degraded tax policy process,” The Hill, December 4, 2017, available at https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/363096-senators-picked-americans-pockets-via-degraded-tax-process. ↩ Michael J. Graetz, “Forward—The 2017 Tax Cuts: How Polarized Politics Produced Precarious Policy,” The Yale Law Journal 128 (2018), available at https://www.yalelawjournal.org/forum/foreword-the-2017-tax-cuts. ↩ David Kamin and others, “The Games They Will Play: Tax Games, Roadblocks, and Glitches Under the 2017 Tax Legislation,” Minnesota Law Review 103 (2018), available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3089423. ↩ Alexandra Thornton, “11 Ways the Wealthy and Corporations Will Game the New Tax Law” (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2018), available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2018/07/25/453981/11-ways-wealthy-corporations-will-game-new-tax-law/. ↩ David Morgan, “Corporations may dodge billions in U.S. taxes through new loophole: experts,” Reuters, January 11, 2018, available at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tax-repatriation/corporations-may-dodge-billions-in-u-s-taxes-through-new-loophole-experts-idUSKBN1F035Q. ↩ Jesse Eisinger and Paul Kiel, “After budget cuts, the IRS’ Work Against Tax Cheats Is Facing ‘Collapse,’” ProPublica, October 1, 2018, available at https://www.propublica.org/article/after-budget-cuts-the-irs-work-against-tax-cheats-is-facing-collapse. ↩ Graetz, “Forward—The 2017 Tax Cuts: How Polarized Politics Produced Precarious Policy.” ↩ Thornton, “11 Ways the Wealthy and Corporations Will Game the New Tax Law”; Samantha Jacoby, “Industry Groups Lobby to Broaden Pass-Through Deduction,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, October 19, 2018, available at https://www.cbpp.org/blog/industry-groups-lobby-to-broaden-pass-through-deduction; Kamin and others, “The Games they Will Play: Tax Games, Roadblocks, and Glitches Under the 2017 Tax Legislation.” ↩ See Brendan Duke, “8:05 a.m., September 5, 2018,” Twitter, available at https://twitter.com/Brendan_Duke/status/1037356124767494146; Kamin and others, “The Games they Will Play: Tax Games, Roadblocks, and Glitches Under the 2017 Tax Legislation”; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Pass-Through Deduction Benefits Wealthiest, Loses Needed Revenue, and Encourages Tax Avoidance” (2018), available at https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/pass-through-deduction-benefits-wealthiest-loses-needed-revenue-and-encourages#_ftn3; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ cites Mihir A. Desai, “Tax Reform, Round One,” Harvard Magazine, May 2018, available at https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2018/05/mihir-desai-tax-reform; Daniel Shaviro, “Evaluating the New US Pass-Through Rules,” British Tax Review (1) (2018), available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3141521; Shaviro suggests that the guardrails on the passthrough deduction “may have been directed more at Congressional revenue estimators, with an eye to lowering the Act’s hastily computed revenue score, than at the aim of creating strong impediments in practice.” ↩ Congressional Budget Office, “The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2018 to 2028,” p. 129. ↩ The 10-year score was very modest in large part because under the legislation, the program expires, and deferred gains must be recognized by 2026, which was within the TCJA’s 10-year budget window. However, Congress could of course extend the program. ↩ Major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and major law firms are establishing Opportunity Zone groups. See Jim Tankersley, “Treasury Outlines Tax Breaks for Investing in Distressed Areas,” The New York Times, October 18, 2018, available at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/business/treasury-opportunity-zones.html. ↩ Steven Rosenthal, “Opportunity Zones May create More Opportunities for Investors and Syndicators Than Distressed Communities,” Tax Policy Center, August 2, 2018, available at https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/opportunity-zones-may-create-more-opportunities-investors-and-syndicators-distressed; Tatiana Kimbo and Richard Phillips, “How Opportunity Zones Benefit Investors and Promote Displacement,” Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, August 10, 2018, available at https://itep.org/how-opportunity-zones-benefit-investors-and-promote-displacement/. The law made more than half of all neighborhoods in America eligible for designation as Opportunity Zones, and many of the areas chosen to receive the designation by states are hardly distressed. The recently proposed Treasury Department regulations require less than two-thirds of the physical investment to be located in a zone, and similar policies attempted in the past have resulted in zone residents being displaced rather than uplifted. See Olugbenga Ajilore, “The Treasury Department’s Regulations for Opportunity Zones Ignore the Communities They Should Serve,” Center for American Progress, October 19, 2018, available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2018/10/19/458989/treasury-departments-regulations-opportunity-zones-ignore-communities-serve/. ↩ Kamin and others, “The Games they Will Play: Tax Games, Roadblocks, and Glitches Under the 2017 Tax Legislation.” ↩ The Treasury Department and IRS proposed regulations issued in August 2018 to crack down on the scheme whereby states essentially allow taxpayers to make charitable contributions to public entities instead of paying taxes, so that the payments are deductible at the federal level as charitable contributions, which are not subject to a similar cap as deductions for SALT. Taxpayers may challenge these regulations in court. See Internal Revenue Service, “Contributions in Exchange for State or Local Tax Credits,” August 27, 2018, available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/08/27/2018-18377/contributions-in-exchange-for-state-or-local-tax-credits. The Treasury and IRS probably lack the authority to curb other workarounds that replace individual taxes with economically equivalent entity-level taxes, such as Connecticut’s workaround for passthrough businesses. ↩ An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, Public Laws 115–97, 115 Cong. (December 22, 2017), section 14103, available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1. ↩ Morgan, “Corporations may dodge billions in U.S. taxes through new loophole: experts.” ↩ Bloomberg estimates that corporations will pay $131 billion of transition tax. Bloomberg’s estimate does not include the capital gains tax or tax on dividends that corporate shareholders would pay when earnings are repatriated. However, given that tax-exempt entities own most corporate stock, that is unlikely to close the gap with the original estimate. See Allyson Versprille and Alison Bennett, “Early Numbers Show Repatriation Tax Haul Likely to Miss Estimates,” Bloomberg BNA, May 31, 2018, available at https://www.bna.com/early-numbers-show-n57982093122/. ↩ Meg Wiehe and others, “Race, Wealth and Taxes: How the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Supercharges the Racial Wealth Divide” (Washington: Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, 2018), available at https://itep.org/race-wealth-and-taxes-how-the-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-supercharges-the-racial-wealth-divide/. ↩ Congressional Budget Office, “Repealing the Individual Health Insurance Mandate: An Updated Estimate”; Matt Fiedler, “9:20 a.m., May 24, 2018,” Twitter, available at https://twitter.com/MattAFiedler/status/999686491184955392. ↩ Ari Natter and Jennifer A. Dlouhy, “Congress Is About to Allow Oil Drilling in Alaska’s Arctic Wildlife Refuge,” Time, December 20, 2017, available at http://time.com/5074312/alaska-anwr-oil-drilling-tax-bill/. ↩ Howard Gleckman, “21 Million Taxpayers Will Stop Taking the Charitable Deduction Under the TCJA,” Tax Policy Center, January 8, 2018, available at https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/21-million-taxpayers-will-stop-taking-charitable-deduction-under-tcja; Howard Gleckman, “Will the TCJA Upend the Non-Profit World?”, Tax Policy Center, October 22, 2018, available at https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/will-tcja-upend-non-profit-world; American Enterprise Institute, “Recent tax cuts will hurt charitable giving. Could new policy re-incentivize donations?”, June 18, 2018, available at http://www.aei.org/press/recent-tax-cuts-will-hurt-charitable-giving-could-new-policy-re-incentivize-donations/. ↩ Brian Faler, “House Republicans unveil giant tax package,” Politico, November 26, 2018, available at https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/26/house-republicans-tax-package-1017368. ↩ Hanlon, Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Ways and Means, “Tax Policy Hearing on Post Tax Reform Evaluation of Recently Expired Tax Provisions.” ↩ Michael Cohn, “Industry groups urge fixes for errors in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” Accounting Today, August 22, 2018, available at https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/retail-and-restaurant-industry-groups-urge-fixes-for-technology-errors-in-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act. ↩ Chuck Marr, Emily Horton, and Roderick Taylor, “IRS Budget Needs to Be Restored and Supplemented to Implement and Enforce the New Tax Law,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, January 25, 2018, available at https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/irs-budget-needs-to-be-restored-and-supplemented-to-implement-and-enforce-the. ↩ Internal Revenue Service, “The Tax Gap,” available at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/the-tax-gap (last accessed November 2018). ↩ David Barstow, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner, “Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father,” The New York Times, October 2, 2018, available at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/02/us/politics/donald-trump-tax-schemes-fred-trump.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage; Damian Paletta, Robert O’Harrow Jr., and Michelle Ye Hee Lee, “Manafort, Cohen cases reveal weaknesses in enforcement of tax and election laws,” The Washington Post, August 25, 2018, available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/manafort-cohen-cases-reveal-weaknesses-in-enforcement-of-tax-and-election-laws/2018/08/25/3dace2f8-a79e-11e8-a656-943eefab5daf_story.html?utm_term=.c6f396f4501b. ↩ Get the Latest on the Economy Ryan Collins ‮gro.ssergorpnacirema&commat;snillocr‭	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1145
__label__wiki	0.572046	0.572046	« How big a tax cut would you need to vote for Jeb Bush? \| Let's applaud the GOP for going the Judge Judy route to fight Obamacare » Gay Marriage and the 10th Amendment By Raymond Richman Elected Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis refused to grant a marriage license to homosexuals. She did so on religious grounds but it is not the freedom of religion clause of the First Amendment that justified her refusal but the 10th Amendment which recites: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people.” What the U.S. Supreme Court rules is not the “Law of the Land.” The Law of the Land is the Constitution of the United States. Relying on a single clause, the due process clause of the 14th Amendment which was designed to protect the rights of former slaves, the majority of the Court consisting of four political appointees and one “independent” made a decision “at odds not only with the Constitution but with the principles upon which our nation was built”, as Justice Thomas wrote in his dissent. The majority decision held...(Read Full Post)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1146
__label__wiki	0.868238	0.868238	Stephen Hawking makes bold claim about the future Megan Barreto, AOL.com May 14th 2015 7:03AM Artificial intelligence is often heralded as a potential path for the ending of everything from car accidents to world hunger. Stephen Hawking recently cautioned that such power will not likely come without consequences, particularly if it goes unchecked. While speaking at Zeitgeist 2015, a conference held in London, Hawking noted, "Computers will overtake humans with AI at some within the next 100 years. When that happens, we need to make sure the computers have goals aligned with ours." LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Professor Stephen Hawking attends the UK Premiere of 'The Theory Of Everything' at Odeon Leicester Square on December 9, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: The world's best know scientist Professor Stephen Hawking takes VisitLondon.com's Official Guest of Honour Adaeze Uyanwah on a personal guided tour of his favourite places in the city's famous Science Museum on February 18, 2015 in London, England. On the tour Professor Hawking said he was pleased to lend his synthesised 'voice' to actor Eddie Redmayne for his Oscar-nominated performance in The Theory of Everything but added ' unfortunatley Eddie did not inherit my good looks.' (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for London & Partners) Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking poses for a picture ahead of a gala screening of the documentary film 'Hawking', a film about his life, at the opening night of the Cambridge Film Festival in Cambridge, eastern England on September 19, 2013. Hawking tells the extraordinary tale of how he overcame severe disability to become the most famous living scientist in a new documentary film premiered in Britain. (Photo credit: ANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images) Also of concern to Hawking is where the focus on AI is being placed. It's his feeling that instead of fixating on who's controlling the manufactured intelligence, the matter of whether it can be controlled is the true issue needing to be tended to. In stressing the importance of developing AI advancements both carefully and with foresight, Hawking offered, "Our future is a race between the growing power of technology and the wisdom with which we use it." More on AOL: House approves bill banning late-term abortion Report: Amtrak train didn't have safety system US citizen killed in Taliban attack on Afghan hotel	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1153
__label__wiki	0.895962	0.895962	Scouting family strengthens Overlea parish St. Michael the Archangel School and parish in Overlea have forged a mutually beneficial bond with the Kempske family. Eight years ago, Mike and Linda Kempske wanted their oldest, Elizabeth, to return to Catholic schools after commuting for second and third grade to a private school in Bel Air they had considered best suited to meet her dyslexia. They found an ally in Patricia Kelly, the principal of St. Michael the Archangel, who welcomed Elizabeth, accommodated her needs and watched her flourish. In turn, Kelly discovered a most giving family, one that has used the ideals of the Scouting movement to better themselves and their community. “This family,” Kelly says, “puts forth service to others as one of their core beliefs.” It’s been a very good week for the Kempskes. A Dec. 5 ceremony at St. Michael the Archangel combined recognition of Elizabeth’s Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout 14-18 can earn, with an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for her brother, Jacob. He’s a sophomore at Archbishop Curley High School; she’s a senior at The Catholic High School of Baltimore. Their sister, Rebekah, an eighth-grader at St. Michael the Archangel, served as mc. A day later, a memorable 55th birthday for Mike Kempske included the family, maternal grandmother Betty Prindeze included, meeting Archbishop Edwin. F. O’Brien. “To draw over 130 people last night to share in their accomplishment, that shows great life in the parish,” Archbishop O’Brien said. “The family is so much a part of this, the parents, the grandmother, the sister. It’s the way things work, when we’re on all cylinders.” Their energy is decades in the making. Mike Kempske is a shift supervisor for Constellation Energy, and Linda is an operating room nurse who teaches at the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County. Both have Scouting roots, and both went to Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Baynesville and then Towson Catholic High School. “Both of us went to Catholic schools for 12 years, and want to give the same opportunity to our children,” Mike Kempske says. “This is about more than reading and writing. This is about character-building, helping you grow into a confident, contributing member of society.” Elizabeth’s Gold Award project provided students at The Highland School, which she attended before St. Michael, with a tactile experience designed to showcase Maryland’s counties. Jacob’s Eagle Scout project created an outdoor learning area at the Bel Air school. At Catholic High, Elizabeth is captain of the It’s Academic team, works in the library, and is president of the Library club and TV studio. In the summer of 2009, she was one of two dozen Catholic High students to tour Italy. Jacob aims to be part of a Curley crew visiting World War II historic sites in Europe next summer. He plays JV soccer and lacrosse for the Friars, is involved in student government, the literary magazine Visions and the cooking club, an interest sparked by his mother. “At the beginning of the school year, each unit gets a lemon meringue pie baked by Mrs. Kempske,” said Kelly, the St. Michael the Archangel principal. “For Catholic Schools Week, she brings in her ‘Death by Chocolate.’ She is a go-getter, who leaves no stone unturned to raise money for our school.” The Kempske children have provided their own inspiration. Jacob let his St. Michael the Archangel classmates know it was cool to be on the chair committee, which helps set up the hall for school functions, and join the parish’s Boy Scout Troop 419. His sister’s leadership reaches far beyond the parish’s Girl Scout Troop 1881. “Elizabeth was the genesis of our Lenten Meals outreach,” Kelly said. “When she was in the eighth grade, she organized her troop to prepare meals for Friday night. The community came in for a meal, and then Stations of the Cross. We still do that every Friday during Lent, as the parish has continued what she began.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1154
__label__wiki	0.936874	0.936874	London’s “Olympicopolis” Aims to Host Smithsonian’s First International Venue by Karissa Rosenfield © Kevin Allen/London Legacy Development Corp The Smithsonian is considering opening its first international exhibition space in “Olympicopolis” - London’s former Olympic park that is to be transformed into a world-class cultural hub by 2021. Should the self-financed proposal be approved, it will be the first time in the institution’s 168-year history to build a public venue outside of the United States. “We see this as an unprecedented opportunity to show the breadth of the Smithsonian in one of the most diverse cities in the world,” stated Smithsonian acting secretary Al Horvath. British officials first approached the Smithsonian in the spring; London Mayor Boris Johnson and the site’s developers pledged $50 million to the Smithsonian’s proposed section of the cultural campus. If built, the building is expected to be roughly 3700-square-meters and showcase relics from the institution’s existing collections, of which only five-percent is typically on view at any given time. As the Washington Post suggests, the new outpost would elevated the Smithsonian’s status, making it part of an elite group of museums - such as the Guggenheim in New York and the Louvre in Paris - with a global presence. Other key cultural venues planned for the developing educational and cultural district includes the Victoria and Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, University College London East and the University of the Arts London. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, designed by Adjaye Associates, is expected to open near the US National Mall next year. BIG also recently unveiled an ambitious 20-year restoration plan for the institution's Washington DC campus. News via the Washington Post, BDOnline Karissa Rosenfield News Architecture News OlympicopolisLondonSmithsonianMuseums and Libraries Cite: Karissa Rosenfield. "London’s “Olympicopolis” Aims to Host Smithsonian’s First International Venue" 29 Jan 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/592870/london-s-olympicopolis-aims-to-host-smithsonian-s-first-international-venue/> ISSN 0719-8884	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1155
__label__cc	0.620313	0.379687	Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research Nominations for the 2018 Gold Medal Award are now closed. Learn more about the Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research Sponsorship and Objective The Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research is sponsored by the American Dental Association together with Church & Dwight Co., Inc. Established in 1985 and presented every three years, the Award honors individuals who, through basic or clinical research, have contributed to the advancement of the profession of dentistry or to major improvement in the oral health of the public. The Gold Medal Award recipient receives a $25,000 honorarium, a gold medallion and, if eligible, serves a three-year term as a member of the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs. Each candidate's qualifications should be set forth in a formal letter of nomination accompanied by a full curriculum vitae and list of publications. Nominations for the 2018 Gold Medal Award are due June 30, 2018. Please submit letters of nomination via email or hard copy to Ms. Kelly Mangold 211 East Chicago Ave., 4th Floor mangoldk@ada.org Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research Gold Medal Award for Research 3M Innovative Research Fellowship	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1157
__label__cc	0.540856	0.459144	How We Move By Michael Wolff Is The Daily the Heaven’s Gate of mobile? Not just expensive, but inexplicable. Not just a bomb, but an albatross. In fact, you just paused for the briefest moment trying to remember what The Daily is—because you haven’t heard a word about it since its launch back in February. It’s a product so full of bugs that it actually may be possible that there is no one who has successfully subscribed to it all—or at least who hasn’t given up on trying to download it before the morning commute. But, even more bewildering, it’s a newspaper, or version of a newspaper, so aggressively bland that it seems to have jumped out of 1950s Wichita rather than the digital world. In Los Angeles recently, I ran into Richard Johnson, the former New York Post Page Six editor, who made an abrupt and unlikely transition from mangy newsroom to anodyne tablet. He looked stupefied and lost—possibly the most hapless pilgrim from the old world in the new. It seemed obvious enough not to have to pretend otherwise: “What’s happened, Richard, for Chrissake? It’s dead on arrival!” I said. “What? Yeah. Well…” “It can’t last.” “It’s just starting. And…could work…Could. They’ll keep it going.” It is unfair, in a way, to single out the worst example of tablet strategy because there are many better examples and they don’t seem to be making any more impact than The Daily, either. The folks at MediaVest, the big media buying firm, recently declared that they’d no longer accept ad rates based on numbers that include tablet editions—believing that, in effect, they are worthless. And yet, on the part of publishers, there is an Ahab-like or lemmings pursuit of tablet existence. After resisting Apple’s lopsided terms, almost all the major publishers are now agreeing to them. It is one of those stark cultural divides. Everybody who makes his or her living in the digital world is skeptical if not utterly bemused about tablet publishing (or republishing); everybody from the print world, on the other hand, is charging off the cliff. But, back to Rupert. The Daily is a pure I-don’t-get-it-but-I’ll-be-damned-if-that-stops-me play (and who can stop me, anyway?). It was conceived by Murdoch himself, willed into being by Murdoch, and executed by him. A man who has an absolute belief in the medium of newspapers and almost no firsthand experience or interest in digital media—save for having sometimes to awkwardly pose next to a computer to suggest he might use one, although he doesn’t—decided to address the problem of old ways and new technology with the greatest certainty and resolve. The Daily is the result—a hopeless misreading of the form. At other publishing companies there are hipper, more adroit people. But they are not that hip and not that adroit, and all of them are fundamentally connected to the old ways, too. And their cumbersome, inert, buggy, too-long-to-load, jazzy design, para-publishing products are the result. Meanwhile, the mobile form expands and grows, driven by a basic question that most publishers have seemingly not asked: How does information relate to movement? Books work because they require enough concentration to blunt the world around you. They provide anonymity. Music works, increasing everyone’s privacy. Games are the ultimate narrow focus. Constructing little cubicles is the art. Private when public—that’s the goal. I am not here, really. Blank me, please. I am blanking you. There’s a loud, jarring, jumpy, desperate, look-at-me sense of tablet publishing—it tries too hard. It’s not just that tablet design invites people to look over your shoulder and enter your space—but it makes the reader self-conscious too. So much design, so little function. So much brand, so little purpose. Vulgar. Curiously, periodical publishers used to be the experts on information and movement—specialists in portability. “People carry newspapers so other people see who they are,” Murdoch once explained to me. But we move differently now, quietly, discretely, contemplatively, using technology to make ourselves smaller as we go. http://adweek.it/2jOJO63	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1159
__label__wiki	0.708824	0.708824	A clear-cut aim for Shane after goal plan almost goes awry Interview with Irish midfielder seeking to build on his first Dons goal Sign in or register to watch Subscribe to watch Shane keen to add to his target after first goal New midfielder quick to impress The Dons fans Shane McLoughlin is aiming to stick to the survival plan after losing his cool during the celebrations that followed his first Wimbledon goal! The midfielder’s landmark career moment came in injury-time on Saturday, but he said that he almost forgot to celebrate it with his friends that had travelled across the Irish Sea to watch him. Speaking to our iFollow channel, Shane said: “After I scored, I kind of forgot that they were there for a second! I was going off one way, but then I remembered! It was nice to be able to share it with them. I was joking around with them the night before and I said that if I did score I would go over and celebrate with them and take the yellow card! Thankfully, I didn’t get one! “My uncle was at the game on Saturday, he’s been to quite a few games recently. I think it’s nice for him to have someone in the family playing here, that makes it extra special for him as he’s always been a Wimbledon fan.” Despite three league wins out of the last five, Shane is fully aware that Wimbledon must keep the momentum going. Peterborough at home is up next tonight and Shane is hungry to build on his goal-scoring contribution from Saturday. “Four goals during the rest of this season was the target and if I can get to that I will be pretty happy! As I said when I signed, I couldn’t wait to come here and start playing some games. Thankfully, I’ve had plenty of minutes recently and we’ve been on a bit of a run. We are doing a lot better. We just want to stay with the pack and not let them get away from us, we are trying to drag some more teams into it. “You need people that have been though this and who know what it takes to get out of this. The experienced lads can help the younger boys feel more comfortable in this situation. I think it’s working at the moment. The manager has said that all the games are cup finals now, as we’ve got to look to win all these matches. There are always areas that you can improve upon, I hope the boys have taken in the information, and we can get going again tonight. “After the Walsall and Rochdale games, there was that great feeling about it all. The fans really got behind us as well, so hopefully we can kick-start a revival. The support can really spur us on, it can act as a 12th man. All the energy and adrenaline kicks in, but it goes back and forth. We need to give them something to scream about and they have to stay with us. We have to try to get out of it together.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1161
__label__wiki	0.990267	0.990267	Asian Voice > News > International > Pakistan Hafiz Saeed, aides booked for 'terror' financing Pakistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has lodged 23 cases on charges of terror financing and facilitation against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and a dozen accompliances of the terror group,... Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue unveiled in Lahore Fort A life-size sculpture of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who ruled over Punjab for close to 40 years in the early 19th century, was unveiled at the historic Lahore Fort in Pakistan to mark his 180th death anniversary Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan receives honorary degree from Oxford University Pak gets another warning from anti-terror watchdog Pak Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa gets more powers Special courts in Pakistan to tackle violence against women Crackdown on more Pak opposition leaders Pakistan appoints hardliner as new ISI chief Pakistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has lodged 23 cases on charges of terror financing and facilitation against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and... A life-size sculpture of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who ruled over Punjab for close to 40 years in the early 19th century, was unveiled at the historic Lahore... Iconic Pakistani singer Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan received an honorary degree from the world renowned Oxford University last week. The prestigious ceremony... For the second time, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has issued warning to Pakistan after it failed to meet targets set by the anti-terror watchdog In a move that would further expand the powerful Pakistani military's influence, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been made a member of the newly-formed... Pakistan will set up more than 1,000 courts dedicated to to tackle violence against women, the country's top judge announced The founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), one of Pakistan’s biggest political parties, was arrested during a raid by Scotland Yard in London last week but was later released on bail. Pakistan on Sunday appointed a hardliner general as new chief of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, replacing the agency's current... Terror funding: Pak faces downgrade by IMF, World Bank Pakistan has failed to complete 25 of the 27 action points given by the international terror financing watchdog FATF to check funding to terrorist groups... Boosting religious tourism: Sikh bussinesses pledge £500mn donation to Pakistan In a major victory for Imran Khan's Government in Pakistan, representatives of the Sikh community and leading businessmen in London have pledged to donate...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1167
__label__wiki	0.743621	0.743621	Asian Voice > Opinion > Columnists > Keith Vaz > Rajesh Agrawal... Rajesh Agrawal Wednesday 03rd April 2019 07:13 EDT Born & raised in Indore, India, Rajesh moved to London in 2001. He was appointed as the first ethnic minority Deputy Mayor for London for Business. As an entrepreneur, he founded RationalFX in 2005, and Xendpay in 2014, both companies utilising technology to reduce the cost of international money transfer for businesses and individuals. RationalFX started as a two-person company and grew to become one of the leading foreign exchange provider in Europe. Rajesh is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. He is the Chair of Oxfam’s Enterprise Development Programme, a Patron of the Prince’s Trust & a former Trustee of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. In June 2016, Rajesh was appointed as Deputy Mayor of London for business. As Deputy Mayor Rajesh aims to be a strong voice for London’s business community, protecting jobs and growth, and ensuring that the capital remains the most open and attractive place to do business in the world. 1 Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in? I feel at home wherever I am! India is where I was born, raised and my parents live. London is where I started my business, met my wife and both my children were born. Both the places are very close to my heart. 2 What are your proudest achievements? There are many! Part of my role is to bring foreign investment in London. Since 2015, investment from India coming into London has more than doubled! 3 What inspires you? Everyone who is passionate about what they do & work hard with honesty and integrity. 4 What has been biggest obstacle in your career? I was appointed as Deputy Mayor 6 days after the Brexit referendum 2016. Nearly 3 years on it is still a challenge I battle every day. 5 Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date? There is no one person but I have learned from so many people along the way. 6 What is the best aspect about your current role? I get to give back to London - the city that gave me so much! 7 And the worst? I love every aspect of my job but sometimes public sector red tape can really test the patience. 8 What are your long term goals? To play my part in building a strong economy that works for everyone. 9 If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change? To put the country's interest above party's interest! 10 If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why. I think I would really enjoy the company of Gautam Buddha.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1168
__label__wiki	0.893087	0.893087	1 man killed, 5 injured in Baltimore shootings By Colin Campbell and Scott Dance Dec 30, 2015 \| 11:19 PM One man was killed and five others were injured in Baltimore shootings since Tuesday night, police said. An unidentified man was found shot to death in a vacant home in the 500 block of McElderry St., in East Baltimore's Oldtown neighborhood just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, police said. It was the 344th killing in Baltimore in 2015, the city's deadliest year in killings per capita. About 20 minutes earlier, officers were called to the 500 block of Walker Ave. near York Road Plaza in North Baltimore's Lake Walker neighborhood, where a 21-year-old had been shot, police said. On the northeast side just before 9 p.m., police found an 18-year-old man was found lying shot in a parking lot near the 2200 block of Corona Court in Hamilton Hills. [More news] 'I don’t understand what made him snap’: Victim, suspect identified in Baltimore methadone clinic shooting » Police did not identify either victim or describe their injuries or conditions. Earlier Wednesday, a 27-year-old man was shot in the chest during a dice game in West Baltimore, just blocks from a killing two days earlier, police said. Officers were called at 11:35 a.m. for a shooting in the 1800 block of Baker St., one block from where a 22-year-old was killed in an execution-style shooting Monday afternoon. Finding no victim, investigators searched the area before receiving a call that the man had arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest. There, they determined he had been shot around the corner "during an illegal dice game" in the 1500 block of Fulton Ave., police said. Two other men were shot overnight on the east side of Baltimore, police said. Just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, officers found a 35-year-old man shot multiple times in the 1600 block of East 25th St. in the Darley Park neighborhood of East Baltimore. The man was taken to an area hospital and was in critical condition, police said Wednesday morning. Early Wednesday, about 12:40 a.m., police found a 25-year-old man with gunshot wounds to the face and back in the 200 block of Dallas Court, in the Dunbar-Broadway neighborhood of Southeast Baltimore. No suspects or motives were announced in any of the shootings. Anyone with information about any of them may call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP. sdance@baltsun.com twitter.com/ssdance	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1170
__label__wiki	0.979786	0.979786	Digest: State foosball tournament set for this weekend in Jessup Sports Digest State tournament scheduled for Friday through Sunday The Maryland State Foosball Championships will be held at the Holiday Inn Columbia in Jessup from Friday through Sunday. More than 150 players are expected to vie for the $12,000 prize. Competitors who wish to participate should arrive before 10 a.m. Saturday. Admission for spectators is free. For information, go to mdfoosball.com, call 410-905-5074 or email Marylandfoosball@gmail.com. Former Gilman standout Holman gets ACC award North Carolina senior attackman Marcus Holman (Gilman) was named Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week. Holman had two goals and six assists for the Tar Heels, the most assists in a game by a Tar Heel since April 12, 1997. Conferences: The Atlantic Sun Conference will debut men's lacrosse as an NCAA Division I championship sport in the spring of 2014. Schools that will field teams are Jacksonville, Mercer, Furman (affiliate), High Point (affiliate), Richmond (affiliate) and Virginia Military Institute (affiliate). Furman and Richmond will play their inaugural seasons in 2013-14. The six teams will play a single round-robin schedule, along with the championship to be scheduled in May 2014. Commitments: Boys' Latin junior midfielder Brady Dashiell has committed orally to play at Furman. ... Senior midfielder Wyatt Wood of Cathedral High in Indianapolis has committed to Maryland. More colleges Mount's Wiggins named NEC's Rookie of the Week Mount St. Mary's freshman Shivaughn Wiggins was named the Northeast Conference men's basketball Rookie of the Week. Wiggins has four NEC Rookie of the Week honors this season, matching him with Chris McGuthrie for the most all time by a Mount player. Women's basketball: Iman Scott had team-highs of 21 points and 14 rebounds and teammate Tiara France added 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to lead No. 7 Baltimore City Community College to a 78-50 win over No. 10 Prince George's Community College in the opening round of the Maryland JUCO Conference Tournament. Football: Bowie State released its 2013 schedule, which includes the home opener Sept. 21 against Concord and home games against St. Augustine's, Chowan, Virginia Union and Lincoln. The season opener will be a road game Sept. 7, the Bulldogs' first game ever against Saint-Anselm. The Bulldogs also have away games against Johnson C. Smith, Winston-Salem State, Virginia State and Elizabeth City. Wrestling: Maryland junior Jimmy Sheptock was named Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week, an honor he has won outright or shared three times this season. Field hockey: Courtney Barnwell (Howard), who will graduate this spring, has signed to play at Towson. Track and field: Salisbury senior thrower Chelsea Tavik (Seton Keough) was named Capital Athletic Conference Track Athlete of the Week. ... Tom Fisher has resumed his role as head coach of the St. Mary's men's and women's cross country programs. "Meet the Mascots" set for Sports Legends Museum The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation will host its second annual "Meet the Mascots" program Feb. 23 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m at Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards. The family-oriented program will feature a "behind the mask" discussion from popular local mascots, including the Ravens' Poe, the Oriole Bird, Doc (Towson University), Louie from Bowie (Bowie Baysox) and Wild Stang (Stevenson University). Fans also will have the opportunity to meet the Baltimore Ravens real-life birds, Rise & Conquer, courtesy of the Maryland Zoo. The event is free with the price of admission to Sports Legends Museum. Paid parking is available in the North Warehouse Lot behind the museum. For more information, contact John Ziemann at 410-727-1539, ext. 3023, or JohnZ@BabeRuthMuseum.org. Women's soccer: The Washington Spirit announced its 11-game home schedule for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League. The home opener at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown will be April 20 against the Western New York Flash and Olympic gold medalists Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd. The Spirit will face the Portland Thorns FC with Alex Morgan and Rachel Buehler on May 4 and will close the regular season Aug. 18 against Sky Blue FC and its star, U.S. national team captain Christie Rampone. The Spirit also announced the signing of 23-year-old defender Kika Toulouse. Toulouse, a graduate of the U.S. Under-23 women's national team, attended Virginia and played at Bishop O'Connell in Arlington, Va. Atlantic Coast Conference	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1171
__label__cc	0.679649	0.320351	ASOS Meetings ASOS 2018 Meeting ASOS 2018 Delegates Useful weblinks Click a letter to view medical terminologies belonging to that letter… Anterior chamber drainage angle : The area at the root of the peripheral iris where aqueous humor drains from the eye into the annular canal of Schlemm, and thence away from the eye. Failure of drainage can lead to raised intraocular pressure, which if untreated can lead to atrophy (decay) of the optic nerve fibres (glaucomatous optic neuropathy). Anterior lamella : The skin of the eyelids. Shortage of skin can cause incomplete eyelid closure, or the eyelids to be held away from the eyeball (ectropion). Anterior segment : The front section of the eye, including the cornea, the anterior chamber which lies in front of the lens, the iris, and the crystalline lens. Arnica montana : Arnica is a genus of about 30 herbaceous plants which belongs to the sunflower family, and has been used in medicinal preparations since the sixteenth century. Currently available in tablet and gel form, patients often report that Arnica formulations reduce swelling, bruising and scarring after surgery, although the medical evidence for its use remains limited. Artificial eye : Refers to the prosthesis worn in the socket. This is made of an inert material, and with good colour-matching with the fellow eye, can even be indistinguishable from a real eye. Readily removed for regular cleaning at home, it requires periodic polishing and occasional replacement to maintain a good fit within the socket. “Ball” : Often refers to an inert synthetic sphere inserted into the eye socket after an eye has had to be removed. If not inserted at the time of surgery, a ball may subsequently need to be inserted under general anaesthetic (secondary implant) to give ‘volume’ to the socket and prevent a hollowed appearance. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) : A surface skin cancer with relatively slow growth which can extend locally and which very rarely (if ever) spreads to more distant sites. Being more common in sun-exposed areas, BCCs are relatively common on the face, and commonly involve the medial canthal region (inner corner of the eyelids) and the lower eyelid. Treatment includes complete excision, and reconstruction only after confirmation by the pathologist that no tumour remains. Confirmation of clearance can be achieved with Mohs’ micrographic surgery (see below), paraffin section, or frozen section analysis. With all techniques, recurrences can occur. Bell’s palsy : A facial paralysis with no clearly identifiable cause, Bell’s palsy, described by the Scottish anatomist in 1821, is presumed to be due to inflammation along the course of the nerve. Symptoms can include ocular dryness, discomfort, and / or watering. In the great majority there is spontaneous improvement within the first few weeks, but during the recovery phase ocular lubricants are required until eyelid blinking and closure (particularly at night) returns to normal. However, even following an apparent complete recovery, patients can still experience a watery eye due to persistent muscular weakness of the inner eyelids (where tears are ‘pumped’ away from the eye), or due to subtle incomplete closure of the eyelids (due to eyelid retraction). Bell’s phenomenon : The natural tendency for the eyeball to move upwards under a closed eyelid – a protective mechanism. Blepharitis : Inflammation of the eyelid margins. This includes anterior lid margin disease, and posterior lid margin disease. Frequently associated with rosacea (v.i.). Treatment is seldom completely curative, but can provide very significant relief. Blepharitis is a common cause of a watery eye, and is associated with lid cysts. Where symptoms occur on only one side, other potentially serious causes for redness or irritation must be excluded. Blepharitis can also cause conjunctival inflammation (termed blepharoconjunctivitis). Blepharoplasty : Surgery to change the contour and/or fullness of the eyelid(s). This may include any combination of skin, muscle and fat. Blink cycle : The complete cycle of eyelid closure and opening during involuntary blinking. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) : BDD is defined as ‘a preoccupation with imagined or slight defect in appearance that leads to significant impairment in functioning’. BDD is not uncommon among certain patients seeking facial or eyelid surgery. It is important that, when present, BDD is recognised before surgery is considered, as frequently the patient has unrealistic expectations of surgery, and is dissatisfied after surgery irrespective of the objective outcome. Brow elevation : Frequently adopted unconsciously to compensate for a droopy upper eyelid (ptosis) Brow lift : Surgery to raise the brow is indicated where the brow tissues have become heavy or appear to droop (brow ptosis). This can be achieved in many different ways, including (i) directly by removing skin and muscle from above the eyebrow or beneath the hairline (a highly effective technique, but one that leaves a fine linear scar), (ii) indirectly by lifting the brow with internal sutures via a skin crease incision, and (iii) indirectly by operating with an endoscope via small incisions in the forehead skin. Few techniques last indefinitely. Canaliculus : The fine tear drainage channel in each of the lower and upper eyelids. Canaliculitis describes a chronic inflammation of the canaliculus, this resulting in a chronic discharge from the punctum and requiring a minor procedure to release the build up of debris and micro-organisms from the canaliculus. Cellulitis : Inflammation of soft tissues – e.g orbital cellulitis. Frequently due to an infection although not necessarily so. Conjunctiva : The transparent membrane covering the white coat (sclera) of the eye. With surface irritation or inflammation (e.g., allergy), the conjunctiva becomes red (‘injected’). Conjunctival fornix : The space under the eyelids lined by the conjunctiva which allows free and full movement of the eye relative to the eyelids. The fornix can be shortened as a result of injury, or cicatricial disease, such as mucus membrane pemphigoid, or chronic topical treatment or blepharoconjunctivitis. Cornea : The clear ‘window’ of the front of the eye. Injury, inflammation, or dryness (exposure) of the cornea can cause blurry vision. The cornea is clear, the coloured structure behind being the iris. The function of the eyelids is to protect the cornea and to distribute the tear film efficiently. Corneal exposure : Local or generalised areas of corneal dryness. In its most severe form, this can result in microbial infections of the cornea, scarring with visual loss, and even corneal perforation. The treatment depends on the severity, ranging from lubrication drops to surgery to help the eyelids to close. Rarely, the eyelids need to be sutured together on a temporary basis to prevent immediate complications. Computed Tomography Scan (CT scan) : Imaging frequently used to assess orbital disease. The scan takes a few minutes and may involve an intravenous injection of contrast to outline any changes around the eye in more detail. The patient lies on a couch and passes through a large open ‘ring’ which is the scanner, and patients do not tend to feel claustrophobic. The results are usually available within an hour, and the images are subsequently interpreted and reported by a radiologist (doctor). The CT scan can be copied onto a CD for subsequent review. CT imaging exposes the patient to a very small small amount of radiation, and this is always taken into account when considering the scan, particularly in children. Where possible, other imaging techniques, such as ultrasonography, can be performed first, and may obviate the need for CT scanning. Another commonly used imaging modality is magnetic resonance imaging – this is more useful where details of the optic nerve and cranial structures (brain) are required. Cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) An estimation of the width of the optic cup (the central area of the optic nerve seen end on, this area containing no nerve fibres)relative to the overall diameter of the optic disc. ‘Normal’ values vary considerably, although in glaucoma, in which retinal ganglion nerve fibres have decayed, the CDR increases, and the cup becomes deeper. Dacroadenitis : Inflammation of the lacrimal gland. Dacrodenitis is typically viral in origin. Where this does not settle completely within a few months on oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets (NSAIDs, such as Froben), a biopsy of the lacrimal gland is required to exclude unusual inflammations and very rare cancerous changes. Dacrocystitis : Inflammation of the lacrimal sac (this lies in the inner corner of the eyelids against the bone of the side of the nose). See also mucocoele. Dacrocystorhinostomy (DCR) : An operation to allow the tears to drain more directly into the nose, thereby bypassing any resistance in the nasolacrimal duct. This can be achieved either with a small incision on the side of the nose (the external approach), or using an endoscope and operating only on the internal aspect of the nose. Each technique has advantages and disadvantages, although the external technique currently has the highest success rate in experienced hands. Dermis fat graft : Transferred from the abdomen or buttock, fatty tissue with its overlying tougher bonding layer (the dermis, this being the layer immediately beneath the skin) can be used to increase the volume around the eye or in the eye socket. A similar technique involves aspirating the fat through fine incisions in the skin (a form of liposuction) and, after removing unwanted fluid and oil by centrifugation, injection of the fatty cells in or around the eye socket (Coleman fat injection). Dermolipoma : This congenital ‘fatty’ lesion is rarely encountered on the outer surface of the eye between the two eyelids. It may be debulked for aesthetic reasons, although surgery carries a very small risk of surface dryness and double vision. Diplopia : Double vision occurs when the eyes are not each orientated towards the same intended visual target. This is known as a squint, or strabismus. All individuals have a tendency for an eye to drift either inwards or outwards, but this is subconsciously controlled in order to maintain single vision. If the vision in one eye is poor, then there is a higher risk of strabismus developing, although double vision will not be appreciated (because of the reduced vision in the eye). Causes for diplopia include neurological impairment (impairment of the 3rd, 4th, and/or 6th cranial nerves which control eye movements), disease of the muscle (such as myasthenia gravis), orbital diseases (such as thyroid eye disease) and orbital or ocular injury. Patients with double vision should always seek medical attention. Droopy eyelid : See ‘ptosis’ Dry eye : A much misused term. True dry eye, as a diagnosis, is due to a very rare systemic immunological disorder called Sjögren’s syndrome. As a symptom, a ‘dry’, or ‘gritty’, eye is usually due to instability of the tear film (also called evaporative dry eye), and is typically due to blepharitis. See tear film below. Duction : Ocular duction – referring to movement of the eye. Ectropion : This describes an ‘out-turning’ of the eyelid from the surface of the eye, and has different causes, including age-related laxity of the tissues, impaired facial nerve function (such as Bell’s palsy) and contracture of the skin of the lower eyelid. Endoscopy (nasal) : Examination of the nasal space can be done with a rigid endoscope in the clinic after a small amount of anaesthetic spray to the nose. This examination can provide valuable information on the natural tear drainage into the nose in patients who have had previous lacrimal drainage surgery, as well as identify other intra-nasal pathology which can reduce the natural flow of tears from the eyelids into the nose. Endoscopy is sometimes necessary when removing a tube after DCR surgery. Entropion : Frequently with a similar aetiology (cause) to ‘ectropion’, entropion describes an ‘in-turning’ of the eyelid towards to surface of the globe, and may account for a red, watery and uncomfortable eye. Epiphora : The medical term for a watery eye, implying overflow of tears onto the cheek. Exenteration : Removal of all the contents of the socket, including the eye and its muscles, the fatty tissue, and the eyelids. Usually performed to remove a life-threatening eyelid or orbital tumour where less invasive options could compromise life expectancy. Exophthalmos : A forward movement of the eye relative to its normal position within the socket. Also termed ‘proptosis’. Measured with an exophthalmometer. Eyelid : A multi-layered structure which both protects the cornea and produces meibomian secretions – a component of the tear film. Any distortion of the eyelid can cause ocular discomfort, and may require surgical correction. The function of the eyelid is also dependent on normal innervation by the facial nerve, hence the laxity of the lower eyelid which can occur after complete or partial paralysis (for example Bell’s palsy). Facial nerve : The facial nerve (the seventh of twelve cranial nerves) innervates the muscles of facial expression, and injury to the nerve (including facial trauma, Bell’s palsy, surgery to the parotid gland or for an intracranial tumour such as an acoustic neuroma) can cause weakness of the orbicularis muscle. Depending on the severity, this can cause drooping of the side of the face and an inability to close the eye fully, particularly when asleep. Symptoms include a dry burning eye (due to ocular exposure), and also a watery eye (due to reflex watering and failure of the lacrimal ‘pump’ which propels the tears into the nose.) Filler : Typically in the form of Hyaluronic acid gel, this material can be injected under the skin to provide more volume where there has been a volume deflation due to ageing or injury. Fluorescein : A fluorescent orange dye which absorbs from the blue spectrum and emits in the green/yellow spectrum. Normally blinked off the corneal surface, any irregularities in the cornea (such as punctuate erosions – as seen in a dry eye, a scratch, injury or foreign body) can readily be detected by the instillation of fluorescein onto the eye. It is not permanent and is readily wiped off the skin. Fluorescein also has other applications, such intravenous angiography to examine the integrity of blood vessels within the eye itself. Fornix : Used in the context of ‘conjunctival fornix’, this refers to the redundant peripheral conjunctival tissue (between the eyelids and the eyeball) which allows the eye to move freely to all positions of gaze. Ganglion : A ‘relay’ centre for peripheral nerves. In the neck, the sympathetic nerves travel upwards through a number of ‘ganglia’ to reach their target organs. In 80% of individuals, the inferior cervical and first thoracic ganglion are fused to form the stellate ganglion, which lies close to the first rib. Glaucoma : Glaucoma is a form of optic neuropathy. It is has many different causes but all lead to a gradual loss of retinal nerve fibres in the back of the eye, this resulting in visual field defects and, if untreated, eventual loss of vision. It is the second most common cause of visual loss in the industrialized world, and, as of 2013, accounts for 12% of all global blindness with over 4.5 million people affected.The most common cause of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), this representing over 90% of all forms of the disease, and occurring in up to 2% of the general population. The main risk factors for POAG are age, family history, vascular factors (including blood pressure in some populations), and raised intraocular pressure, although glaucoma can occur even if the pressure is not raised (‘normal tension glaucoma’, NTG).Increasingly effective medical treatments (in the form of drops) are available, although frequently different drops, or combinations of drops, are required to stabilise the visual field. Where drops are ineffective, surgery (‘trabeculectomy’) to allow the fluid in the front of the eye (the aqueous humor) to be absorbed away from the eye can also be effective in controlling the intraocular pressure. In certain complex or resistant cases, a microscopic drainage tube is placed in the front of the eye to improve fluid absorption.Because there are no symptoms until a visual field defect is well established, patients with a family history of glaucoma (there are hereditary factors) should have a regular eye test and intraocular pressure check. Although the visual field loss is irreversible, medical and surgical treatments are typically effective in slowing or stabilising the disease. Goldman tonometry : Assessment of the intraocular pressure in primary position using an applanation tonometer after the instillation of topical anaesthesia and fluorescein. Considered to be more accurate than non-contact (‘air-puff’) tonometry. A normal intraocular pressure lies between 10mmHg and 21 mmHg, although higher of lower values are normal in a small percentage of the population. Raised intraocular pressure with evidence for secondary ocular change(s) (e.g., in the visual field, optic nerve or retinal nerve fibre layer) is called glaucoma. Horner’s syndrome : Due to interruption of the sympathetic nerve chain, Horner’s syndrome may cause hemifacial anhydrosis (lack of sweating), hemifacial erythema, a smaller pupil (this typically being more apparent in a dark environment), and mild upper eyelid drooping (because the sympathetic supply to the lid plays a small role in elevating the eyelid). More central interruptions (i.e. closer to the brainstem, also termed ‘pre-ganglionic) cause a greater number of symptoms and signs, whereas more peripheral disease (e.g. disease in the neck, ‘post-ganglionic), cause only pupil asymmetry and ptosis. Hypotropia : Describing an eye orientated in down-gaze relative to the fellow eye. Hypertropia: Describing an eye orientated in up-gaze relative to the fellow eye. Inferior scleral show : The amount of visible sclera, measured in millimetres, between the lowest part of the cornea and the edge of the lower eyelid. Typically there is no, or minimal scleral show, although occurs in some patients with naturally ‘prominent’ eyes. Any orbital disease resulting in proptosis (such as thyroid eye disease), or where there has been previous lower eyelid surgery or skin removal can also increase the inferior scleral show. Injected : When used to describe the eye, this signifies a redness (engorged blood vessels – episcleral and scleral) over the white coat of the eye. Itchy eye : An itchy eye is commonly due to allergic eye disease, this more prevalent in sufferers of hayfever, and other allergic disorders. Blepharitis can cause an instability of the tear film, which can also cause itchy and ‘burning’ eyes. Keratopathy : Disease of the anterior (front) surface of the eye. ‘Exposure keratopathy’ refers to irregular wetting, or drying, of the anterior surface with secondary abnormalities in the superficial corneal epithelium, or deeper substance (stroma) of the cornea. This can occur in thyroid eye disease (due to upper lid retraction and proptosis), and with any structural abnormalities of the eyelid. Lacrimal gland : Situated alongside the outer upper aspect of the eye, and immediately behind the bony rim of the orbit, the lacrimal gland produces the aqueous (watery) component of the tear film and can become enlarged due to infection (dacroadenitis) and systemic inflammatory disorders (e.g. sarcoidosis). Lacrimal sac : Situated under the skin at the inner corner of the eyelids, and collecting the tears from the surface of the eye via the puncti and canaliculi, the lacrimal sac drains via the nasolacrimal duct into the nose. If the duct becomes narrowed or occluded, the sac (which is ‘upstream’) can become distended, or inflamed, and becomes apparent as a swelling (a mucocoele) at the inner corner of the eyelids against the side of the nose (the medial canthus). Lagophthalmos : The inability to close the eyelids fully with minimal effort (e.g when asleep). Lateral canthus : The lateral, or outer corner of the upper and lower eyelids. Levator function : Describing the maximum upper eyelid excursion (measured in mm) from down to upgaze, (and examined with gentle pressure on the eyebrow to stop brow elevation), ‘levator function (‘LF’) gives an indication of the efficacy of the levator muscle (levator palpebrae superioris) in raising the upper eyelid. Normal levels lie between ~12 and 20 mm. Levator function is reduced in the following forms of ptosis: congenital (e.g.congenital levator dystrophy), neurological (e.g. third nerve palsy) and myopathic (e.g.myaesthenia gravis). LF can also be reduced following trauma, or adhesions with other eyelid or orbital structures. LF is usually normal, or minimally reduced in age-related ptosis. Levator Palpebrae Superioris : The strap-like muscle which, together with the Mullers muscle, elevates the upper eyelid. The muscle originates at the back of the eye socket, and passes above the superior rectus muscle and over the eye to insert by means of a broad collagenous ‘aponeurosis’ into the top and front of the tough ‘tarsus’ of the eyelid. Drooping of the eyelid can occur with advancing years (ptosis) and is generally amenable to surgical correction. The levator muscle is controlled by the third cranial nerve, and rare neurological disorders can also cause ptosis. Lester Jones tube (LJT) : Also known as a lacrimal bypass tube, this glass tube allows the tears to drain from the eye into the nose, and can be highly effective where other lacrimal operations have been unsuccessful. To be effective, insertion of such a drainage tube requires a previous dacrocystorhinostomy (DCR). Macula : The central area of the retina which corresponds to the central visual field. The clear structures of the eye – the cornea, anterior chamber, natural crystalline lens, and vitreous cavity. Medial canthus : A term describing the inner corner of the eyelids and side of the nose. The medial canthus contains numerous structures, these including the upper and lower medial (inner) lids, the canaliculi of the lids (tear drainage channels), the anterior and posterior limb of the medial canthal tendon (this securing the eyelids at the medial canthus), the lacrimal sac, and sensory nerves to this region. Medial canthal injuries can be complicated by tearing because the various delicate structures in this region play important roles in conducting the tears away from the eyes. Medial rectus muscle : A strap-like muscle which begins at the back of the eye socket and which runs forwards along the inner aspect of the socket, inserting into the white of the eye approximately 5 – 6 mm from the limbus (the beginning of the clear cornea). Contraction of the muscle turns the eye inwards towards the nose. When changing gaze from a distant to a near object, the medial rectus muscles on both sides contract to turn the eyes inwards. Meibomian cyst : A Meibomian ‘cyst’ is not a ‘true’ cyst histologically, but rather contains retained oily secretions produced within the Meibomian glands in the eyelid. A ‘cyst’ (also referred to as a chalazion) can also become inflamed (causing a red uncomfortable pea-sized lump within the eyelid), and even cause generalised eyelid inflammation or infection. Many chalazia resolve spontaneously and need no treatment. Others require local hygiene and antibiotic ointment to the lid margins, and some require release of the inflammatory contents under local anaesthesia. Meibomianitis : The Meibomian glands are orientated vertically within the upper and lower eyelids, and open onto the eyelid margin immediately behind the eyelashes. Inflammation of these glands can cause an irregular tear film, and consequently an uncomfortable ocular surface. Treatment includes local warm compresses to improve the flow of the oily glandular secretions, and frequently topical antibiotic preparations. Mucocoele : A dilation of a mucosal-lined cavity, mucocoeles may occur in the air sinuses (sinus mucocoele), and lacrimal sac (lacrimal sac mucocoele). The latter occurs with narrowing of the nasolacrimal duct and is associated with a watery eye, gummy discharge from the eye, sticky eyelids (particularly on waking), and/orinflammation of the walls of the mucocoele (dacrocystitis). Surgery (DCR) offers a cure for a sticky eye in over 98% of patients. Nasolacrimal duct : This duct drains tears from the lacrimal sac into the nose. Narrowing or closure of the lower end is a common cause of a watery or sticky eye, and can lead to a swelling (mucocoele) at the inner corner of the eyelids. Neuropraxia: Impaired function of a nerve, usually due to a blunt injury. Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) : Ocular manifestation of mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), an autoimmune disease in which surface inflammation can lead to scarring over the front of the eye. Prompt recognition and systemic immunosuppression are essential, and typicaly involves corneal and eyelid specialists. Surgery can be required to correct eyelid entropion and deepen the conjunctival fornices to allow full closure of the eyelids. Omega oil : Considered to improve the consistency of the Meibomian gland secretions, Omega oils are often taken as a dietary supplement as an adjunctive treatment in blepharitis. Optic nerve : The second of 12 ‘cranial nerves’, the optic nerve relays visual information from the eye to the brain. Optic disc: The ‘end-on’ view of the optic nerve at the back of the eye when viewed with a specialised lens or ophthalmoscope. Optic neuropathy : This describes reduced function of the optic nerve, which can cause reduced colour sensitivity, blurred vision, loss of visual sensitivity in different parts of the visual field. Loss of optic nerve function can be inherited or acquired, and reversible or irreversible, depending on the cause and duration of disease. External pressure on the nerve (such as may occur in severe thyroid eye disease, or orbital haemorrhage) can lead to reduced function and therefore blurred vision. This is usually reversible but treatment should not be delayed. Orbital injury can also result in direct injury to the nerve (traumatic optic neuropathy), and this tends to be irreversible. Other acquired causes of optic neuropathy include glaucoma, nutritional diseases, vascular disease (inadequate blood supply to the nerve), and inflammation of the nerve (optic neuritis). Orbicularis muscle : The flat ‘purse-string’ muscle within the upper and lower eyelids which is responsible for closing the eyes on blinking and with voluntary effort. Orbital fracture Blunt or sharp trauma may result in fracture of the bony wall(s) of the eye socket. Associated injury to the eye must be excluded. A fracture does not always require surgery, unless there is persistent double vision or a sunken appearance to the eye. Prompt examination by an eye doctor is always required. Palpebral aperture : The horizontal or vertical opening of the eyelids, measured at rest, in millimetres. The vertical aperture typically measures 8 – 10 mm, and the horizontal aperture approximately 27 – 30 mm. Parasympathetic nerve supply : An ‘involuntary’ nervous system with many systemic effects. Is also responsible for ocular pupil constriction (has the opposite effect on the eye to the sympathetic nervous system). Perimetry : Assessment of the width, height and sensitivity of the over all visual field (see visual field). Phthisis : Also referred to as ‘phthisis bulbi’. Describes a severely diseased eye which has become shrunken and is usually blind, or may perceive light at best. Such a residual eye has no potential for improved vision, and is often associated with other severe intraocular disease such as a retinal detachment. Common cause for phthisis bulbi include ocular injury and inoperable retinal detachment. Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) : See under ‘vitreous’ Primary repair : The first surgery performed on a damaged eye to address the most significant injuries and to closed any defects in the coats of the eye. Subsequent ‘secondary repair(s)’ may be required to address other less urgent defects (such as lid abnormalities, cataract surgery, etc). Proptosis (Exophthalmos) : A forward movement of the eye within its socket caused by structural changes behind the eye. The commonest cause (affecting one or both eyes) is thyroid eye disease. Prosthesis : Literally meaning an ‘attachment’, an ocular prosthesis can be an acrylic or glass artificial eye which is worn in the socket and can be removed for cleaning (used after evisceration or enucleation surgery). More complex spectacle-borne (or magnet fixating) silicone prostheses are required for patients who have had undergone extensive surgery such as an exenteration. A well-crafted prosthesis has a good colour-match with the fellow eye, and to the observer can even be indistinguishable from a real eye. Ptosis : Upper eyeliddrooping, or ptosis, may be congenital (due to an abnormal eyelid levator muscle), or acquired (typically age related, in which the tendon of this muscle becomes ‘stretched’, or due to a generalised muscle weakness). In its most severe form, the visual field can become obscured. Correction of ptosis depends on its cause. Punctate epithelial keratopathy (PEK) : With inadequate wetting of the corneal surface (the clear ‘window’ of the eye), localised areas of dryness (keratopathy) may develop, these detectable as irregular surface pinpoints by instilling 2% fluorescein into the eye and examining with a blue cobalt light. Punctum : The opening of the canaliculus at the inner aspect of the upper and lower eyelids. Narrowing of the punctum (punctual stenosis), or ectropion (in which the punctum is turned away from the eye) are causes of a watery eye. Where there is no other identifiable cause for watering, opening of the punctum under local anaesthesia (punctoplasty) can relieve the symptoms. Retraction : Usually in relation to the upper lid, and most commonly due to thyroid eye disease or facial weakness in facial nerve palsy (for example, Bell’s palsy). Rosacea : A common inflammatory skin disorder typically affecting the periocular region and cheeks, and associated with blepharitis. Often treated with a 3- month course of low dose antibiotic (such as doxycycline or lymecycline) to reduce the irritant effect of the normal skin flora (microbes). Sarcoidosis : A systemic inflammatory disease which can cause inflammation within the eye (uveitis), lead to enlarged lacrimal glands (noted as a fullness in the outer aspects of the upper eyelids), and which can also impede tear drainage through the nasolacrimal duct. Sarcoidosis can also lead to troublesome systemic problems such as skin rashes, swelling of the lymph glands, joint pain and respiratory symptoms, and frequently requires treatment with an immunosuppressant such oral prednisolone. Schirmer’s test : A simple test to determine the quantity of tears produced at rest. A strip of filter paper is folded over the lower eyelid, and the degree of wetting is measured with a ruler after 5 minutes. Reduced tear production, which is rare, occurs in true dry eye, a form of autoimmune disease of the lacrimal gland (see also Sjögren’s syndrome). Sclera : The strong outer white ‘coat’ of the eye ball. Inflammation of this structure is called scleriti; inflammation of the fine episcleral tissues overlying it is called episcleritis. Skin crease : The eyelid skin creases on itself on up-gaze, this occurring between 6 to 9 mm above the eyelashes. The position of the skin crease may help to determine the cause of ptosis, being higher than normal in cases of age-related ptosis. Surgery on the upper eyelid or orbit can often be performed via the skin crease to minimise any visible scarring. Surgery to lower the upper eyelid in cases of thyroid eye disease can sometimes result in a troublesome visible secondary skin crease. Sjögren’s syndrome : An autoimmune disease which results in loss of lacrimal gland and salivary tissue, causing the so-called ‘sicca symptoms’, which include a dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) and a dry mouth( xerostomia). Such patients are at risk of corneal infections, thinning and even perforation and require very frequent topical lubrication. Smoking and eye disease :Smoking is a serious global public health concern, referred to by some authors as the “20th century’s silent epidemic.” Indeed, of the 1.3 billion smokers in the world, some 6 million die each year from tobacco-related diseases. The toxic byproducts from smoking are thought to lead to an increase in ‘free radicals’ and a decrease in ‘antioxidants’, this leading to cellular stress and tissue damage.Smoking is also considered to play a key role in the deterioration of the tissues of the eye, and is known to be a risk factor for ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and optic neuropathies. Snellen visual acuity : A universal measurement of visual acuity, the Snellen chart consists of text lines of diminishing size, these labelled as ‘60’, ‘36’, ‘24’, ‘18’, ‘12’, ‘9’, ‘6’, and ‘5’, the number indicating the distance in metres at which the letters would always appear to be the same size – i.e, at 6 meters the ‘6’ line would appear the same size as the ‘60’ line read at 60 metres. By convention the measurement is taken at 6 metres (20 feet in the US), and the smallest line of letters is recorded. Acuity is recorded as a/b, with ‘a’ being the distance from the chart (6 metres), and ‘b’ indicating the smallest (labelled) line that can be read. In order of increasing visual acuity, these measurements are: 6/60 (at which only the large single top letter of the chart is seen), 6/36 (the top two lines can be seen), 6/24, 6/18, 6/12, 6/9, 6/6 and 6/5. A patient with normal vision would see 6/6 or better, and, if positioned closer to the cart, would see smaller lines of text. Socket : Refers to the eye socket either after removal of an eye, or with a sunken non-seeing eye (phthisical eye, or congenital microphthalmia or anopthalmia). Sticky eye : A sticky eye has many causes, including nasolacrimal duct occlusion with an associated mucocoele, allergy, or any socket disease (e.g., a poorly-fitting prosthesis causing irritation of the socket lining.) Sulcus : Referring to the hollow depression above the upper eyelid, the sulcus becomes more prominent with age, and where there has been contracture of the orbital contents. A deep upper sulcus can occur with age, or where the socket contains insufficient volume following loss – or shrinkage – of an eye after severe injury. Superior rectus muscle : One of six strap-like muscles which moves the eye. The superior rectus elevates the eye and enables upgaze. It originates at the back of the eye socket, and passes under the levator muscle to insert into the tough coats of the eyeball approximately 7 – 8 mm from the superior corneal limbus. Sympathetic endophthalmitis : Very rarely, inflammation can occur in an eye following a previous injury to the same or the fellow eye. The inflammation results from exposure of the immune system to intraocular antigens (self-proteins) during the initial injury (or surgery) with a secondary inflammatory response against such proteins which can occur days to decades later. Sympathetic nerve supply : An ‘involuntary’ nervous system with many systemic effects. The sympathetic nervous supply to the eye is responsible for involuntary upper eyelid elevation and dilation of the pupil (occurring with emotion, e.g. fear, excitement). Interruption to this nervous chain leads to Horner’s syndrome. Tarsorrhaphy : A temporary or permanent, complete or partial, closure of the eyelids performed to protect the cornea where there is exposure keratopathy. Facial palsy is one indication for a tarsorrhaphy, although is only rarely required in Bell’s palsy. Tear film : Tears are a complex 3-layer ‘sandwich’ composed of: a fine mucus layer to enable the tears to adhere to the ocular surface, the watery, or ‘aqueous’ component which also contains nutrients and antibacterial agents (immunoglobulins) to protect the cornea, and the superficial oily layer – produced from the sebaceous glands in the eyelids – to reduce evaporation of the aqueous component. Thyroid eye disease : A constellation of symptoms and signs usually (but not always) associated with abnormal activity of the thyroid gland, in which anti-thyroid antibodies cross-react with orbital structures and lead to orbital inflammation. This can cause ocular irritation, and swelling of the normal muscles and fatty cushions around the eye. In more severe cases, proptosis (bulging of the eye), double vision and even loss of vision (optic neuropathy) can occur. Trichiasis : Aberrant eyelashes, either in terms of their position, or direction of growth, and which may abrade the surface of the eye. Typically occur following lid injury or inflammation. ‘Tubes’ : In the context of lacrimal surgery (DCR), ‘tubes’ refer to the fine silicone stent, or ‘string’, typically left in place until 3 – 4 weeks after surgery. The tubes are thought to influence healing in the nose, although are probably not required in all patients. Tumour : A tumour refers to a new growth, and can be benign (implying limited growth with no distant spread), or malignant (implying an ability to grow, to invade and replace adjacent structures, and to spread to other parts of the body – or ‘metastasise’). The character of malignant tumours can vary from those which take many years to grow (and with little metastatic potential), to those which grow rapidly (and which can even metastasise before the primary tumour is discovered). Most tumours around the eyelids are basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) – these do not spread elsewhere, but require treatment, usually by complete excision and reconstruction of the eyelid. Ultrasound (USG) : A form of non-invasive imaging and without irradiation, ocular ultrasonography is able to detect abnormalities within the eyelids, globe, and anterior one-third of the orbit. USG is particularly good at detecting the interface between two different structures (such as sclera and vitreous, vitreous and free blood, cystic structures, etc) and can be used to detect the integrity of the globe and the presence of intraocular haemorrhage after injury. Ocular ultrasonography is also an accurate method to detect abnormal vessels within the orbit, such as a change in flow in the superior ophthalmic vein in a dural fistula, and unusual collections of blood vessels, such as a congenital capillary haemangioma. Upper lid show : The vertical distance in millimetres of lid skin between the eyelashes and the skin crease with the patients looking directly ahead (primary position). Upper lid skin : The length of skin, measured in millimetres, between the eyelashes and the lowest part of the eye brow. Where the amount of skin is reduced, as can occur with previous injury or surgery, lagophthalmos (incomplete eyelid closure with minimal effort) and exposure keratopathy can occur. Upper lid skin crease : The eyelid skin creases on itself when the eyelid moves upwards on up-gaze. This crease, or fold, runs parallel to the eyelid margin and typically occurs between 6 – 9 mm above the eyelid margin. Upper lid sulcus : Refers to the hollow between the upper lid and the eyebrow (which overlies the orbital rim) Visual field : The field which an individual is visually aware of, either using one eye (monocular field of view) or two eyes (binocular field of view). For each eye, the normal visual field extends from about 60 degrees nasally from the midline to 100 degrees temporally from the midline, and about 60 degrees above and 75 beneath the horizontal. Various methods exist to measure the extent and sensitivity of the visual field, and depend on the patient detecting either moving targets of different sizes, or a static targets of increasing intensity. The visual field can be reduced in either or both eyes due to ocular disease (e.g., glaucoma), or to other disorders which affect the optic pathways within the brain (e.g., a stroke). Vitreous humour : The gel which fills the posterior segment and which is attached to the retina at the ora serrata (the vitreous base) and to the disc. ‘Detachment’ of the vitreous from its attachment at the disc (due to trauma, surgery, or spontaneously) is termed ‘posterior vitreous detachment’ (PVD). This does not require intervention, but a PVD can also be associated with traction and retinal tears at the vitreous base, and this requires intervention to prevent progression of the detachment. The symptoms of a PVD can include painless photopsia (‘flashing lights’), ‘floaters in the visual field, and/or reduced vision if there is any associated haemorrhage in the eye. Watery eye : Essentially occurring as a result of over production of tears (for any reason) and/or under-drainage of tears (for any reason). ‘Epiphora’ refers to over-flow of tears from the corner(s) of the eyes, or onto the cheek. Xanthelasma : Deposition of fatty deposits in the eyelid skin, typically the inner aspect of the lids, and is sometimes an indication of raised cholesterol in the blood stream. Recurrence or development of new xanthelasmata can occur after excision. Please click here to view information leaflets in English and Spanish ASOS - Created by 2able	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1172
__label__cc	0.720075	0.279925	John L. Mays, Attorney at Law Home Contact John L. Mays, Attorney at Law Individual and Collective Actions The number of wage and hour lawsuits has increased dramatically over the last few years. Because it involves a number of gray areas, wage and hour law is a complicated area to litigate. Since most wage and hour disputes are completely avoidable, it is important that employers have a clear understanding of the laws and have policies that comply with them. Whether you are an employee or an employer, John L. Mays, Attorney at Law can help explain your rights and options. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes federal standards for minimum wage, overtime, child labor, and recordkeeping. In Georgia, wage and hour issues are governed both by the FLSA and by state law. Overtime Laws If your employer fails to pay you for overtime work, you may be entitled to overtime pay, even if your employer tells you otherwise. Many employees are misclassified as exempt employees even though they should be eligible for overtime pay. Some employers spread misinformation about overtime laws in order to save the cost of overtime expenses. The FLSA entitles employees to receive overtime pay for any time spent working over 40 hours per week. Under the FLSA, overtime pay is equal to one and a half times the employee's hourly rate. The FLSA allows exemptions from overtime pay for certain types of positions, including managers, executives, administrators, teachers, scientists, and independent contractors. A job title does not automatically exempt an employee from overtime pay. When considering whether overtime pay is appropriate, job duties are the most important consideration. Employees who believe that they have wrongly been denied overtime pay should contact John L. Mays, Attorney at Law to examine their case. John L. Mays specializes in wage and hour claims. We can evaluate your situation to determine if your position was wrongly designated as exempt or if you are being wrongfully denied overtime pay in other ways. If you were denied overtime pay you rightfully earned, we will help you secure the compensation that you deserve. You may be entitled to receive liquidated damages equal to twice the amount of your unpaid wages. Minimum Wage Requirements While the federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour, Georgia's minimum wage is only $5.15 per hour. The Fair Minimum Wage Act (FMWA) raised the federal minimum wage to its current level in 2010, but not all employers are governed by FMWA. Companies with fewer than six employees do not have to meet the requirements of the FMWA. While most of Georgia's workers are paid at or above the federal rate, some employees receive less than the federal rate. Employees who earn tips or who earn a salary may end up earning less than the federal minimum wage. For example, managers of fast food restaurants may routinely work well over 40 hours a week. However, since managers are often exempt from overtime pay, they sometimes end up earning less than the federal minimum wage. Employees who have been wrongfully paid less than minimum wage may be entitled to receive liquidated damages equal to twice the amount of their unpaid wages. Contact John L. Mays, Attorney at Law to learn whether you have a viable claim. Individual and Collective Actions An employee with wage and hour claims may be eligible to pursue either an individual or collective action. As opposed to an action on behalf of an individual, a collective action allows large numbers of claims to be considered in one lawsuit. If several employees have been subjected to similar wage and hour violations, they may wish to file a collective action. Under the FLSA, an employee is not presumed to be part of a class when filing a collective action. Each employee must opt in to the collective action. Exempt employees are not eligible to join a collective action lawsuit. Once an employee opts in to the collective action, the two-year statute of limitations begins running. Because wage and hour claims involve a significant number of gray areas, this area of employment law is exceedingly complex. Assessing these claims can be labor-intensive, as they involve significant documentation and recordkeeping. Whether you are an employer or an employee, it is a good idea to contact the attorney John L. Mays to ensure that your rights are protected and to maximize your chances of a successful outcome. Name (Required) Email (Required) Phone (Required) Message Unpaid Commissions Severance Package Negotiation 75 14th St NE We serve the following localities: DeKalb County including Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Stone Mountain, and Tucker; Forsyth County including Cumming; Fulton County including Alpharetta, Atlanta, Roswell, and Sandy Springs; Glynn County including Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and Sea Island; and Gwinnett County including Auburn, Berkeley Lake, Braselton, Buford, Dacula, and Duluth. Individual and Collective Actions \| Atlanta Employment Litigation Lawyers Copyright © 2019, John L. Mays, Attorney at Law	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1173
__label__wiki	0.608576	0.608576	By: Max Hastings Narrated by: Cameron Stewart Battle for the Falklands The Falklands War was one of the strangest in British history - 28,000 men sent to fight for a tiny relic of empire 8,000 miles from home. At the time, many Britons saw it as a tragic absurdity, but the British victory confirmed the quality of British arms and boosted the political fortunes of the Conservative government. An Epic History of a Divisive War 1945-1975 Narrated by: Peter Noble, Max Hastings - introduction Vietnam became the Western world’s most divisive modern conflict, precipitating a battlefield humiliation for France in 1954, then a vastly greater one for the United States in 1975. Max Hastings has spent the past three years interviewing scores of participants on both sides, as well as researching a multitude of American and Vietnamese documents and memoirs, to create an epic narrative of an epic struggle. He portrays the set pieces of Dienbienphu, the Tet offensive, the air blitz of North Vietnam and less familiar battles such as the bloodbath at Daido. Very disturbing and Depressing By Richard on 12-11-2018 A World History By: Odd Arne Westad Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble As Germany and then Japan surrendered in 1945, there was a tremendous hope that a new and much better world could be created from the moral and physical ruins of the conflict. Instead, the combination of the huge power of the USA and USSR and the near-total collapse of most of their rivals created a unique, grim new environment: the Cold War. For over 40 years the demands of the Cold War shaped the life of almost all of us. There was no part of the world where East and West did not ultimately demand a blind and absolute allegiance. Excellent overview. By Tim on 12-07-2019 The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 Narrated by: Stewart Cameron With an introduction read by Max Hastings. A companion volume to his best-selling ‘Armageddon’, Max Hastings’ account of the battle for Japan is a masterful military history. Featuring the most remarkable cast of commanders the world has ever seen, the dramatic battle for Japan of 1944-45 was acted out across the vast stage of Asia: Imphal and Kohima, Leyte Gulf and Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Soviet assault on Manchuria. Balanced view By Jan on 09-07-2015 All Hell Let Loose The complete magisterial history of the greatest and most terrible event in history, from one of the finest historians of the Second World War. This shows the impact of war upon hundreds of millions of people around the world - soldiers, sailors and airmen; housewives, farm workers and children. Reflecting Max Hastings's 35 years of research on World War II, All Hell Let Loose describes the course of events, but focuses chiefly upon human experience. mac daddy By aidan on 22-03-2018 D-Day and the Battle for Normandy 1944 Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards The famous D-Day landings of 6 June, 1944, marked the beginning of Operation Overlord, the battle for the liberation of Europe. Republished as part of the Pan Military Classics series, Max Hastings’ acclaimed account overturns many traditional legends in this memorable study. Drawing together the eyewitness accounts of survivors from both sides, plus a wealth of previously untapped sources and documents, Overlord provides a brilliant, controversial perspective on the devastating battle. Panzer Ace The Memoirs of an Iron Cross Panzer Commander from Barbarossa to Normandy By: Richard Freiherr von Rosen, Robert Forczyk Narrated by: Nigel Patterson Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944 commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak company) against the Russians in Hungary in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of these King Tiger tanks were ever built. Interesting historical account By: Ian Kershaw Narrated by: Damian Lynch Hailed as the most compelling biography of the German dictator yet written, Ian Kershaw's Hitler brings us closer than ever before to the heart of its subject's immense darkness. From his illegitimate birth in a small Austrian village to his fiery death in a bunker under the Reich chancellery in Berlin, Adolf Hitler left a murky trail, strewn with contradictory tales and overgrown with self-created myths. One truth prevails: the sheer scale of the evils that he unleashed on the world has made him a demonic figure without equal in the 20th century. Splendid, sobering, scholarly account By Jill Brown on 24-11-2016 With an introduction read by Max Hastings. Bomber Command's offensive against the cities of Germany was one of the epic campaigns of the Second World War. More than 56,000 British and Commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 Germans died in the course of the RAF's attempt to win the war by bombing. The struggle began in 1939 with a few score primitive Whitleys, Hampdens and Wellingtons, and ended six years later with 1,600 Lancasters, Halifaxes, and Mosquitoes razing whole cities in a single night. Very detailed account of bomber command By Adam on 28-02-2016 Blood Red Snow The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front By: Günter K. Koschorrek Gunter K. Koschorrek was a machine-gunner on the Russian front in WWII. He wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some 40 years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow. Realistic day by day week by week account of life in the Eastern Front By Mark on 17-09-2018 Ghost Wars The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 By: Steve Coll Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner The explosive first-hand account of America's secret history in Afghanistan. With the publication of Ghost Wars, Steve Coll became not only a Pulitzer Prize winner, but also the expert on the rise of the Taliban, the emergence of Bin Laden, and the secret efforts by CIA officers and their agents to capture or kill Bin Laden in Afghanistan after 1998. The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945 By: John Toland Narrated by: Tom Weiner This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox." Amazing historical and insigful. By Attila on 17-11-2016 By: Andrew Roberts Narrated by: Stephen Thorne Napoleon Bonaparte lived one of the most extraordinary of all human lives. In the space of just 20 years, from October 1795, when as a young artillery captain he cleared the streets of Paris of insurrectionists, to his final defeat at the (horribly mismanaged) battle of Waterloo in June 1815, Napoleon transformed France and Europe. After seizing power in a coup d'état, he ended the corruption and incompetence into which the revolution had descended. Well worth the listen By The Lazy Book Reviewer on 20-05-2015 The Collapse of the Third Republic An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 Narrated by: Grover Gardner As an international war correspondent and radio commentator, William L. Shirer didn't just research the fall of France. He was there. In just six weeks, he watched the Third Reich topple one of the world's oldest military powers - and institute a rule of terror and paranoia. Based on in-person conversation with the leaders, diplomats, generals, and ordinary citizens who both shaped the events of this time and lived through them on a daily basis, Shirer shapes a compelling account of historical events - without losing sight of the personal experience. By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born. By Michael on 24-06-2019 The Things They Carried By: Tim O'Brien Narrated by: Bryan Cranston Hailed by The New York Times as "a marvel of storytelling", The Things They Carried’s portrayal of the boots-on-the-ground experience of soldiers in the Vietnam War is a landmark in war writing. Now, three-time Emmy Award winner-Bryan Cranston, star of the hit TV series Breaking Bad, delivers an electrifying performance that walks the book’s hallucinatory line between reality and fiction and highlights the emotional power of the spoken word. Bryan Cranston was a pleasure to listen too By Chris on 20-02-2017 History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path. Alexander the Great, did not die of an arrow. The Foundations of Western Civilization By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good. History for the Non-Historian On 25 June, 1950, the invasion of South Korea by the Communist North launched one of the bloodiest conflicts of the last century. The seemingly limitless power of the Chinese-backed North was thrown against the ferocious firepower of the UN-backed South in a war that can be seen today as the stark prelude to Vietnam. Max Hastings drew on first-hand accounts of those who fought on both sides to produce this vivid and incisive reassessment of the Korean War, bringing the military and human dimensions into sharp focus. Critically acclaimed on publication, The Korean War remains the best narrative history of this conflict. ©1987 Max Hastings (P)2014 Audible Studios The Undercover Economist John Travers Impressive detail and sensitivity Hastings is a great wartime storyteller. He shows admirable balance and qualifies his opinions with cautions, and as far as I can tell, full disclosure of his preconceptions and assumptions. The narrator is very good, with the sad exception of his Australians who all sound like intoxicated cockneys - including the diplomats. Ken C Tells a Story Largely Ignored Although this book is not new, itstill tells a very relevant story about world politics and the situation the United States found itself in during the vacuum that followed WW2. It explains a complicated and uncertain terms without indictement or bias. I found it excellent. rstone23 Brings a true history to a war that is often over looked Brings a true history to an otherwise forgotten war. The story keeps you engaged as it brings you through the years and battles that politics dictated instead of a goal to win the war. The Korean War - Hasting's Take Story: Overall, the book is very good and covers elements not covered in most books on Korea such as the UK contributions to the UNC. I recommend this book. Narrator: it is always a pleasure to listen to Cameron Stewart. There is usual bias of an American listening to a British voice. Production: Excellent. Mr. James T. Fowler Jr. Interesting History An interesting interpretation and story. But the author's dislike for America was obvious and reinforced by his biased examples and interviews with non-Americans. simply the best chronology and simply the best chronology and analysis o the Korean War ...heavy on facts and reflection Michael S. Owens An excellent historical work - but.... This is an excellent historical work focused on little known aspects of the Korean War. unfortunately the reader's terrible attempts to affect an American accent while reading quotations, amusing at first, become extremely annoying by the end. I would much rather he read solely in his native British accent, preferring to imagine that I was being told the story by the author, himself from the UK. Mostly a high level view I had hoped, that the book would be more like Stephen Ambrose's books from World War 2. That is not the case. It's taking a higher level approach, with less focus on the combat and experience of the men. Jordan Schneider Strong mil-focused history of Korean War Deft handling of military and political aspects, but a little weak on politics and lacks post-ussr fall docs. Aside from that doesn't feel all that dated and he takes advantage of when he wrote it to conduct interviews with lots of different voices. could have gone a bit deeper militarily. Pow chapter of Koreans held in the aouth fascinating. Good job weaving in different non-elite voices and from multiple sides. Would've loved to learn more about Turkish fighters. Worthy war in the end, particularly given how ROK has been able to thrive, important to see relative morality when defending flawed regime that's better than alternative. But enough with the Uk analysis can do no wrong. Not a brilliant work, but good research and interviews went into it. Mac portrait good and concise, not much on us high politics. Good on characterizing how societies were responding to the war, perspective from everyday Americans and uk. Odd to think that uk in 1950 saw itself a first rate power, empire would last for awhile was operating assumption. Have to always be contextualizj get, imagining what is the recent history of the subjects, get a sense of their historical and political frame of references. well-rounded & thoughtful this is a well-rounded and thoughtful survey of the American and English experience in the Korean War. the narrator sought to enliven quotations with his imitations of the various accents of the speakers, which I could have lived without; but I can't suggest a better way to signal the beginnings and endings of quoted material, so even that I got used to. Hastings I have grown accustomed to enjoying and respecting. az-joe did the Brits win this war????? Hour after hour of British pride being expressed by Mr hastings! You would have thought they the british single handed won this war and the Americans are an after thought who blundered around the country making foolish mistakes which they then committed again in viet nam. this book was a major disappointment, I have read most of Max Hastings books and can honestly say were great histories well written and very informative. Don't know what happened here. Forget this one 7 of 13 people found this review helpful cbspock A well rounded book This was the first book I have read on Korea. It gave me a better understanding of the war in relation to the end of WW2 and the beginning of Vietnam Mark P A missing piece of history Would you consider the audio edition of The Korean War to be better than the print version? Print would have provided a reference book that I could see maps What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting? The political tensions between the various countries and the potential use of nuclear weapons Have you listened to any of Cameron Stewart’s other performances? How does this one compare? not listened to any Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry? no emotional reaction other than wishing the veterans should gain far more recognition for their action in this forgotten and neglected conflict A really worthy book to gain an insight into a war that has been ignored and forgotten. S. Morris MASH It Isn't Max Hastings is one of those extremely thorough writers that provides a comprehensive picture of the events in his books. I found the detail in his treatment of the war against Japan during World War 2 amazing. However, I was less enamoured with his work on the Falklands conflict as it read more akin to a government report and lacked more of the personal accounts that enrich the telling of such events. Still, Hastings is accomplished and so I felt his book on the Korean war would be a good start to gain an insight into that theoretically ongoing conflict. This book didn't suffer nearly so much as his Falklands work did and so was a more interesting read. I care less for the politics behind the conflicts and more on the men that fought it but I do understand that one needs an overall frame of reference and thus a need to fully detail the politics behind the scenes. It amused me to find out that in one meeting between the North Korean representatives and the American and South Koreans that both parties sat in silence across a table from one another for over 2 hours at a point in the conflict when tensions were running high. It's always amazing to see how egos play a part at the highest level seeing the American delegation having a separate entrance built to the negotiation hut in order not to use the same one as the North Koreans. The book ably depicts just how brutal the climate was as well as the opposition and the harsh winters were killers to both sides. Having known very little about the conflict, I was shocked at the evident ineptness early on by the Americans and it shows how just a few years after World War II how the quality and readiness of the U.S army had sharply declined in that time. Also, the poor quality of the South Korean troops only added to this inadequate response to the North Korean incursion. The levels of cruelty by South Korean soldiers on their own troops and civilians was also an eye opener. We also see the rise of the Kim family that went on to dominate North Korea to this day so yet another education in this war. Hastings is very diligent but I did note he omitted a small but relevant incident where a North Korean pilot defected with his MIG fighter after a leaflet drop by the U.S offering $100,000 to the pilot that did so. This intelligence coup would have shaped the response to these MIG fighters by the U.S pilots and so I was surprised Hastings missed this. Dry politics aside, this book is an in depth treatment of the brutal conflict and well worth a read if you want to learn more about this event in world history. Joe Scanlon Korean Conflict Having had an uncle in the Gloucester’s who was involved in the war I was interested to gain a better understanding of the conflict. The in depth research and personal accounts make this book a must all historians. Long but very easy to get through. Recommend. The narrator was great and the content is good in that it breaks it up and looks at the conflict from multiple angles. Would have liked more north korean perspective even if caveats applied. Comprehensive, informative & genuinely interesting Knowing only the broadest outlines of the Korean War, this title kept me company for a week out walking the dogs and more than once I found myself finding a bench or a gate to sit on a while and listen closely. I was expecting this to be a bit of a dutiful job, filling in a big gap in my personal knowledge but it turned out to be an extremely well-written, well-read piece of work which was from time to time as gripping as a novel for anyone not knowing what happened next. Not bad for a depiction of a war which was, I now understand, frequently a wretched, freezing stand-off. Further reading reassures me that Hastings has not missed out anything worth fretting about so my admittedly inexpert opinion would be that I would heartily recommend this to anyone wanting to understand a major piece of recent history in one excellent volume. Consistently Gripping A wholly gripping account of a war which Hastings argues had to be fought because of what was at the time a real threat from communist totalitarian states. As with his other books he offers eye witness accounts of combatants which keeps the action urgent and exciting while detailing the strategic and political efforts of generals, presidents and foreign policy wonks. It's a very satisfying combination and in this particular book it's applied to the story of a country split between murderous communists and despotic nationalists, each backed by a superpower. The allies had good equipment but a shortage of battle hardened troops, the communists had relatively poor kit but were willing to win victory by sacrificing massive numbers of poorly trained infantry. Hastings argues that the terrain and the border with China meant that the war was always, in effect, unwinnable but the story plays out as a riveting dog-fight between two enormous armies lead by gifted but deranged generals across an extraordinarily difficult landscape. Hastings' reflections on what happens when the electorates of democratic nations become bored of intractable conflict and repelled by the foreign regimes that their governments have backed also has strong resonances with what's currently happening in the middle east. Accents let it down On several occasions it seemed the actor went from American to British accents in the middle of sentences. And on two occasions continued american accents (used, correctly, in a quote) into the narrative following. Small mistake but annoying. As history I thought it was a great book, but Hastings' Vietnam War is considerably better work. Important to understanding of geopolitical order Excellent narrator, well researched and balanced perspective. Shows importance of learning quickly from mistakes. Vietnam could have been avoided if this had happened. H. Tollyfield Now I understand Until I listened to this book my understanding of the events of the Korean War was confined to watching episodes of MASH. Max Hastings has set out a very clear narrative of this forgotten period of history with great clarity and also great humanity. Some of it makes for very hard listening when you realise just how many lives were lost and blighted for so little by way of real achievement. It is also scary to realise how the characters and the stories in MASH can be identified in the in the real people and events of the war - the gung-ho US officers willing to spend the lives of their men in badly planned operations designed only to enhance the reputations of those officers and the willingness of the Chinese and North Korean Generals to throw endless numbers of their soldiers into attacks regardless of the numbers of casualties. Perhaps the most chilling chapters relate to General McArthur and the extent to which he was happy to contemplate not only a world war, but a nuclear war to further his megalomaniac ambitions. This is a well written account and has helped to build my understanding of this war which ended just before I was born. Paul J. Absolutely Fascinating I knew very little about this war, even though my father served in it, he never expanded on his experience apart from a couple of sentences. So picking this up, first Max Hastings book for me, I was really interested. Fascinating!! And horrendous in the same breath as it showed the makings of Vietnam. I am interested of hearing about Iraq and Afghanistan to see if the US Army has learnt any lessons - I know the British Army hasn't, we seem to repeat the same ones. Really good book, following the ebb and flow of the conflict, politics, individuals, US backing a corrupt regime (again Vietnam) and, boy, do I feel for the Chinese soldier, their lives meant nothing to the commanders. If the US Army stood and fought more and the British didn't run out of ammunition, the outcome wouldn't have been such a stalemate. The difference between the US Army and the US Marines is startling. But they were forged in very different ways between Europe and the Pacific - brilliant book. I am moving onto others by Max Hastings.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1175
__label__cc	0.651999	0.348001	> Prepare for your stay > The Magazine > 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week > Remembering Ho Chi Minh City’s Past 1 Hour, 1 Day, 1 Week Remembering Ho Chi Minh City’s Past Saigon’s War Remnants Museum Did you like it? Share it! The legacy of war in South-East Asia has been unavoidable for those left to deal with the aftermath of several years of turmoil in Vietnam. And, for those visiting the country, it’s important to understand and respect this turbulent time in Vietnam’s history in order to fully understand the country. The best stories are the ones told by those who witnessed events first-hand, which is why Saigon’s War Remnants Museum is a powerful and somber reminder of the lasting effects of conflict. The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City shows just how costly the war was. The museum is mostly for tourists – you’re not going to find many locals here and you can’t really blame them, as civilians in the area don’t like to be reminded of the war. Stepping inside the museum, the setting doesn’t scream out “victory,” instead, it tells the story of a victim. Outside the War Remnants Museum The museum’s courtyard offers a stark reminder of American occupation, with a display of captured Chinook helicopters, F-111 fighter jets and tanks. You’ll also find exhibits displaying some of the horrendous conditions POW’s were forced to endure under captivity. Inside the War Remnants Museum The museum’s floor plan is easy to navigate, with different rooms themed around key events and themes of the war. Learn about the legacy of the war, including the devastating effects of Agent Orange and other atrocities, and immerse yourself in the history behind the conflict. You can also see an extensive of American equipment and uniforms salvaged from the battlefield, as well as a photo gallery featuring iconic shots from some of the world’s most revered war photographers. Run By the Government Whilst government involvement has led many to brand the War Remnants Museum as a one sided story, you can also argue that some of the acts and atrocities committed throughout the American occupation warrant a narrative defined by the occupied country. Wherever your opinion lies, Ho Chi Minh’s War Remnants Museum is still one of the best showcases of modern Vietnamese history – and an essential, although somber, part of the Saigon experience. Continue the journey OUR HOTELS IN HO CHI MINH More travel ideas At random Money, Art, History 1 day Museums in Manila Binondo, Quiapo, San Agustin 1 day Churches in Manila FIND YOUR HOTEL Our offers Prepare for your stay PRO SOLUTIONS LE CLUB ACCORHOTELS Support T&C Adagio T&C Legal notice Personal data Web accessibility Manage my bookings Sustainable development AccorHotels Group	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1181
__label__wiki	0.852257	0.852257	Springboks urge SA fans to be #StrongerTogether Cape Town - Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen, Elton Jantjies, Malcolm Marx and a number of their Springbok team-mates made an appeal to South Africans to throw their considerable weight behind the men in Green and Gold as they get set to kick off the all-important 2019 international season. Together with Rassie Erasmus, the Director of Rugby, they gave South African media an unforgettable experience at a special event in Pretoria to mark the launch of the Springboks' campaign. "What the Springboks need to know is that their country is behind them, that their fellow South Africans are backing them - no matter which player is representing them on the rugby field," said Erasmus. "Our job as players and management is to produce a winning Springbok team to lift our people and bring people Together. And with the sense that the country is at our backs we can do it." Kolisi, the Springbok captain, said: "This is not just a Springbok campaign - it is a South African campaign to galvanise the public not just behind their team but behind their country. It's not just the Springboks who rise early, work hard, sweat and shed blood on the field. "There are millions of South Africans, hard-working everyday people - whose names we will never know - who rise early, doing what they have to do so that they can provide for their families. "This campaign is for you - the taxi driver, mine worker, blue collar worker, nurses and doctors, teachers, engineers, students - all ordinary South Africans who do what they do to make this country stronger." The Springbok season kicks off on Saturday, July 20 with a Rugby Championship match against Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. To underline the message of togetherness the numbers on the players' jerseys will be constructed from the faces of South Africans - entertainers, business and media people, radio and television personalities, rugby writers and the players' close family members. Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard said: "The honour of representing my country is something I don't ever take lightly. "Every time I put on this jersey, I know that it could be my last. It's why I will do my best to bring honour to this jersey, and when I do give up this jersey, I plan to leave it in a better place for the next number 10 to wear." Vermeulen recalled his experiences of donning the Springbok No 8 jersey on the world stage: "I've played for different rugby teams around the world, and I've come to realise that a team that plays for a good supporter base wins a lot of games. "As Springboks, we don't just play for each other, we play for every South African around the world... I hope all South Africans will wear their jerseys with pride and rally behind us. That's what makes us " The Springboks will play their Farewell Test - before departing for the Rugby World Cup against Japan - against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on August 17.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1182
__label__cc	0.585576	0.414424	Council launches period equity scheme Free sanitary products now available in borough schools… Blaenau Gwent Council is working with local schools, the Youth Service, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and other partners including voluntary groups to provide free sanitary products throughout the county borough. As part of a drive to tackle the issue of period poverty across Wales, the Welsh Government has awarded a grant to enable the Council to provide the free products. The Council’s supplier for the products, phs Group, is also championing the cause of period equity across the UK, and is delighted to be partnering with Blaenau Gwent on one of the first such schemes in Wales. Washroom and hygiene services provider phs is working with Blaenau Gwent to facilitate its goal in achieving period equity through the installation of more than 30 coin-free vending machines and accompanying sanitary products. All schools have now taken delivery of their products which will be dispensed by teaching staff in primary schools and from vending machines in secondary schools. Luisa Munro-Morris is the Head-teacher of Bryn Bach Primary School in Tredegar and thinks the scheme is a great idea. She says: “We were absolutely delighted when the Council got in touch to offer us the scheme. Period equity can seem like a taboo subject, but it is important that we support our young people in a variety of ways by offering free products but also by talking about the issue so that we can remove any stigma and embarrassment about having periods that may hold young people back.” Councillor Clive Meredith, Blaenau Gwent Council’s Executive Member for Education said: “It’s not acceptable that in 2019 some young females are unable to access and use feminine hygiene products, due to financial or other circumstances. This can have a negative impact on a young person’s life, especially in relation to their education and social lives. Thanks to funding from the Welsh Government we have been able to work in partnership with our schools and Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board to set up this much-needed scheme and I hope it will help to make a difference to our young people.” Clare Noble, Head of Healthcare at phs, said: “Phs has been engaging with schools, colleges and universities to develop a solution to period poverty which best suits the needs of young people. We have created a new free-vend sanitary machine which can be positioned within washrooms, offering free sanitary products at any time. They are discreet, hygienic and convenient, saving young girls the potential embarrassment of having to go and ask for products which they may not be inclined to do. “After being extensively trialled within schools, we’re confident free-vend machines are the most accessible, convenient way of tackling period poverty. Blaenau Gwent has taken a comprehensive, hands-on approach to period equity which we are sure will make a real difference.” Blaenau Gwent’s Deputy Youth Mayor Charlotte Clark is also supporting and promoting the scheme, and recently helped launch a survey from Aneurin Bevan Health Board to find out the extent of the problem of period equity in our wider communities, not just among young people.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1187
__label__cc	0.643702	0.356298	Pay over 24 months at 0% APR with Min purchase required. Missing Parts Icon Missing & Broken Parts Edit Icon Change Your Order Cleaning icon Created with Sketch. Clean Your Blinds Repair Icon Repair Your Blinds Baby Icon Measure & Install Measure Icon icon-hardhat Created with Sketch. Professional Measure & Install Order Tracking Create an Estimate account_circle My Dashboard layers View My Orders favorite_border View My Favorites View My Estimates exit_to_app Sign Out SureFit Logo SureFit™ Want help? Call: 800-505-1905 View All Sales Blinds chevron_right Vinyl Blinds Fabric Blinds Commercial Blinds Shadeschevron_right Cellular Shades / Honeycomb Bamboo / Woven Wood Shades Dual Sheer Shades Verticalschevron_right Vertical Cellular Shades Sheer Vertical Shades Draperieschevron_right Plantation Shutterschevron_right Specialty Productschevron_right Angle Tops Cornices Outdoorchevron_right Shop by Brand All Brands chevron_right Blinds.com Redi Shade Stay by Stacy Garcia Blinds.com Commercial Shop by Feature chevron_right Odd-Shaped Windows Top Down Bottom Up Expedited Production Shop by Purpose General Purpose chevron_right Darken A Room Safer For Kids High Windows Popular Blinds Learn about Venetian Blinds Shop by Room All Rooms chevron_right Patio & Porches Create an Estimatechevron_right Inspiration From Customers chevron_right Arched Window Blog chevron_right Measure & Install chevron_right View All Sales chevron_right Wood Blinds chevron_right Cellular Shades (Honeycomb Shades) Provides great style and easy operation on a budget. Their excellent light control and insulating properties make them one of the most popular window treatments available. See Cellular Shades (Honeycomb Shades) in Action visibility_off Blackout swap_calls Top down / Bottom Up check_box Cordless description Guides Narrow your results! Blinds.com (1) Feature: Light Control (1) Material: Vinyl (1) See Your Results 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 Inches 0/0 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 7/8 Eighths 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 Inches Update Prices Below Pay over 24 months at 0% APR Sort By: Featured Featured Top Rated Price Low-High Price High-Low Blinds.com Light Blocker Why choose cellular shades for your home? Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades or cell shades, are the perfect choice for many rooms and styles. Here's why: Great style on a budget is quite easy with cellular shades. They bring an elegant finish to a room at an affordable price. They can actually save you money! Cellular shades insulate your home against heat and cold, meaning less money will be spent on energy. You can get optimal light control; simply choose from light filtering or blackout fabrics to suit your needs. What kind of features are available with cellular shades? Custom window coverings can be upgraded in more ways than just color and style. Here are just a few options that are available with cellular shades: Top-Down/Bottom-Up Controls: A very popular option that allows your cellular shades to be raised and lowered in either direction to allow for privacy similar to that of a cafe curtain. Cordless Lift: This popular option provides a hidden control system that eliminates the lift cord on your cellular shades and enables the shades to be easily raised or lowered with the touch of a finger. Continuous Cord Loop Controls: This option means the cords on your cellular shades will be secured to wall or window frame, meaning your shades will have fewer cords on display. A great choice for larger/heavier shades. Motorized Lift: With a motorized lift upgrade, your cellular shades can be raised or lowered at the push of a button. We’re here to help 800-505-1905	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1188
__label__wiki	0.823737	0.823737	2013 Tour of Utah Stage Preview Stage 1: Brian Head to Cedar City Tuesday, August 6, 112 miles Starting at Utah’s highest ski resort (at 9,600 feet), riders will climb to Cedar Breaks National Monument, with views of red rock spires and the alpine forest of the Markagunt Plateau. After reaching the day’s highest point at 10,300 feet, the course descends past Panguitch Lake and the undulating roads of Cedar Canyon, meandering alongside the ancient lava beds and alpine lakes of the Dixie National Forest. It reaches a summit of 9,600 feet in the shadow of Cedar Breaks National Monument and overlooks the northern portion of Zion National Park. Temperatures are expected to be moderate; summer highs range from 68 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, racers will descend nearly 4,000 feet and finish with three loops through downtown Cedar City and the campus of Southern Utah University. Stage 2: Panguitch to Torrey Wednesday, August 7, 2013 — 131 miles The Tour’s longest day serves up 9,877 feet of climbing and takes the peloton through sandstone country past hoodoos, spires, mesas, cliffs and slot canyons. For the first time, the race will enter a national park (Bryce Canyon); it will also cross through Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument via Highway 12, a National Scenic Byway. After climbing Boulder Mountain, which is part of Dixie National Forest, racers will enjoy a sweeping descent into Torrey, home of Capitol Reef National Park. Stage 3: Richfield to Payson Thursday, August 8, 2012 — 119 miles The race’s second-longest stage is relatively flat, but riders will have to tackle Mt. Nebo—at 11,928 feet, the highest peak in the Wasatch Range—which returns to the route after a two-year absence. The road tops out at 9,300 feet, then launches riders into a twisty 22-mile descent to Payson. Stage 4: Salt Lake City Circuit Race Friday, August 9, 2013 — 34 miles This evening stage consists of five laps, starting and finishing in front of the Utah State Capitol. As the course skirts the mouth of City Creek Canyon, riders will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city. Fans in Reservoir Park will have great vantage points as the race passes on three sides before making a hard turn westward onto South Temple, a wide, leafy boulevard that’s home to the Governor’s Mansion. After a sharp right turn under the Eagle Gate in front of Brigham Young’s house, riders will confront the 11-percent climb up East Capitol Street. Stage 5: Snowbasin to Snowbird Saturday, August 10, 2013 — 113 miles The Queen Stage of the Tour of Utah covers 10,611 feet of climbing—which you can experience for yourself by entering the Ultimate Challenge that takes place before the pros roll through. This year marks the sixth consecutive finish at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, but 2013 features a new start at Snowbasin Resort, just northeast of Ogden. Racers will cross five counties and pass six ski areas. From Snowbasin, it’s downhill into Mountain Green and the Morgan Valley, then up and over an imposing red rock escarpment to East Canyon Dam. After skirting East Canyon reservoir, the peloton will make a short but steep climb over Hogback Summit into the town of Henefer. From there, they’ll roll through scenic ranchland areas and make a long, gradual ascent of Brown’s Canyon en route to Park City. The real climbing showdown begins at this point, as riders navigate an 11-percent grade across Guardsman’s Pass and cross for the first time ever into Big Cottonwood Canyon. After a 14-mile descent through the canyon, the route enters the south end of the Salt Lake Valley and finishes with the traditional six-mile climb into Little Cottonwood Canyon for the finish at Snowbird. Stage 6: Park City to Park City Sunday, August 11, 2013 — 78 miles As in 2012, the route climbs through the aspen trees of the private Wolf Creek Ranch—a 2.15-mile ascent that reaches a maximum pitch of 22 percent. Riders will cross the Heber Valley through Heber City and Midway before reaching the base of Empire Pass. This six-mile climb has sections that surpass a 20 percent gradient and should provide another opportunity for the pure climbers to showcase their talents. Following a blistering descent down Mine Road, the race finishes on lower Main Street in historic Park City—where an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 fans watched Levi Leipheimer take the final stage last year. Team ViaSat Best of the 2013 Tour of Utah 2013 Tour of Lombardy Preview Paris-Tours Preview	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1195
__label__cc	0.746511	0.253489	WWW.BEHEALTHYFACTS.COM Welcome to www.behealthyfacts.com (the “Site”). This statement governs our privacy policies with respect to those users of the Site (“Visitors”) who visit without transacting business and Visitors who register to transact business on the Site and make use of the various services offered by www.behealthyfacts.com (collectively, “Services”) (“Authorized Customers”). “Personally Identifiable Information” Personally Identifiable Information about Authorized Customers may be shared with other Authorized Customers who wish to evaluate potential transactions with other Authorized Customers. We may share aggregated information about our Visitors, including the demographics of our Visitors and Authorized Customers, with our affiliated agencies and third party vendors. We also offer the opportunity to “opt out” of receiving information or being contacted by us or by any agency acting on our behalf. Personally Identifiable Information collected by www.behealthyfacts.com is securely stored and is not accessible to third parties or employees of www.behealthyfacts.com except for use as indicated above. Visitors and Authorized Customers may opt out of receiving unsolicited information from or being contacted by us and/or our vendors and affiliated agencies by responding to emails as instructed, or by contacting us at [email protected] How does www.behealthyfacts.com use login information? www.behealthyfacts.com uses login information, including, but not limited to, IP addresses, ISPs, and browser types, to analyze trends, administer the Site, track a user’s movement and use, and gather broad demographic information. www.behealthyfacts.com has entered into and will continue to enter into partnerships and other affiliations with a number of vendors. Visitors and Authorized Customers may contact us to update Personally Identifiable Information about them or to correct any inaccuracies by emailing us at [email protected] We provide Visitors and Authorized Customers with a mechanism to delete/deactivate Personally Identifiable Information from the Site’s database by contacting [email protected]. However, because of backups and records of deletions, it may be impossible to delete a Visitor’s entry without retaining some residual information. An individual who requests to have Personally Identifiable Information deactivated will have this information functionally deleted, and we will not sell, transfer, or use Personally Identifiable Information relating to that individual in any way moving forward. Unauthorized duplication or publication of any materials from this Site is expressly prohibited.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1198
__label__wiki	0.876368	0.876368	EXCLUSIVE – Israeli Envoy Dani Dayan: Airbnb Decision to Delist West Bank Jewish Homes Has ‘Anti-Semitic Flavor’ Speaking in an interview with Breitbart News, Dani Dayan, Israel’s Consul General in New York, slammed Airbnb’s decision to delist Israeli West Bank homes as a “discriminatory decision with anti-Semitic flavor.” “It is an outrageous decision,” stated Dayan. “And it is a discriminatory decision with anti-Semitic flavor, at least, to discriminate. This is not about the policy of the (Israeli) government. It is discriminating again Israeli citizens. Jewish citizens, by the way, because they keep publishing properties in Judea and Samaria owned by non-Jews.” “We cannot accept that decision and we have to confront that and make sure that the management of Airbnb changes that decision,” he said. Dayan said that he is not advocating a boycott of Airbnb in response to their delisting policy. However, he said that he personally “would for sure not use Airbnb as long as they discriminate against Jews in Judea and Samaria.” Dayan said Israel would investigate any possible legal ramifications for Airbnb given that multiple U.S. states passed laws against the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting the Jewish state. Airbnb announced on Monday that the company will ban Israeli homes in the West Bank from its listings. It took that decision 24 hours before a report from Human Rights Watch was released on Tuesday that was reportedly set to criticize the company for allowing the listings. Airbnb’s decision followed intense lobbying efforts by the BDS movement. Human Rights Watch, an organization massively financed by billionaire activist George Soros, is now urging vacation giant Booking.com to follow Airbnb and immediately cease listing Israeli homes in the West Bank. In 2010, Soros’s Open Society Foundations gave a matching $100 million grant to HRW. At the time it was the largest grant given by Soros’s group to a nongovernmental organization. Soros’s Open Society also funds scores of far-left groups that support the BDS campaign. Airbnb said the company “concluded that we should remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians.” In its statement, Airbnb refers to the West Bank, areas where Jews have had a historic presence for thousands of years, as “occupied territories,” implying that Israel stole the land from the Palestinians. Israel opposes the “occupied” label, and has referred to the land in international forums as “disputed.” The framework for all previous peace proposals, each of which was rejected by the Palestinian Authority, did not call for an entire Israeli evacuation from the West Bank. Palestinians never had a state in the West Bank and they are not legally recognized as the undisputed authorities in those areas. Jordan illegally occupied and annexed the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem from 1948 until Israel captured the lands in a defensive war in 1967. The 1967 Six Day War was launched after Arab countries used the territories to stage attacks against the Jewish state. In 1988, Jordan officially renounced its claims to the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem and unilaterally recognized terrorist Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization as “the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.” Airbnb’s statement goes beyond the “occupied” canard to suggest Jews displaced Palestinians to build settlements. “US law permits companies like Airbnb to engage in business in these territories,” Airbnb explained. “At the same time, many in the global community have stated that companies should not do business here because they believe companies should not profit on lands where people have been displaced.” Here, Airbnb seems to channel the wildly exaggerated Palestinian “Nakba” narrative, which falsely claims that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs were expelled from their homes when the Jewish state was founded. The reality is quite different. After Israel was founded in 1948, a military coalition of Arab nations immediately formed to wage war on the new Jewish state. Some local Arabs, who did not yet go by the name of Palestinians, left the area in anticipation of the war, others directly responded to the dictates of Arab states to stay out of the way so that invading armies could conquer Israel, and still others fled once the war started so that they were not caught up in the fighting. Arab states waged the war after refusing to accept UN Resolution 181, which called for the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The Jews immediately accepted the resolution, but the Arabs forthrightly rejected the plan, launching a war to destroy the Jewish state. It should be noted that Israel’s Declaration of Independence called on the local Arab population to remain in place: In the midst of wanton aggression, we yet call upon the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve the ways of peace and play their part in the development of the State, on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its bodies and institutions. It is true that some Jewish groups, including the Haganah, encouraged local Arabs to flee, however those few documented cases were the exception and not the rule. The Economist, for example, reported that the Arab residents of Haifa left their homes in large part because of Arab army warnings: Of the 62,000 Arabs who formerly lived in Haifa not more than 5,000 or 6,000 remained. Various factors influenced their decision to seek safety in flight. There is but little doubt that the most potent of the factors were the announcements made over the air by the Higher Arab Executive, urging the Arabs to quit. … It was clearly intimated that those Arabs who remained in Haifa and accepted Jewish protection would be regarded as renegades. “Arab officers ordered the complete evacuation of specific villages in certain areas, lest their inhabitants ‘treacherously’ acquiesce in Israeli rule or hamper Arab military deployments,” wrote historian Benny Morris. Airbnb, meanwhile, singles out Jews for living in the West Bank while seemingly ignoring that Israel offered much of the territory to the PA in numerous peace proposals. As this reporter noted yesterday, if the Palestinians wanted a state, they would not have to resort to peddling the BDS movement. Israel attempted to broker a Palestinian state in much of the West Bank with a shared capital in Jerusalem numerous times. Those offers were made at Camp David in 2000, Taba in 2001, the Annapolis Conference in 2007, and more offers were made in 2008 and reportedly in 2014. In each of these cases, the PA refused generous Israeli offers of statehood and bolted negotiations without counteroffers. Many times, the PA launched campaigns of terrorism following the Israeli offers. The PA has since refused to return to the bargaining table, and has already rejected the Trump administration’s forthcoming Mideast peace plan before it is even made public. Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin slammed Airbnb’s move as “discriminatory” as well as “disgraceful and miserable.” Levin called on his office to “formulate immediate measures to limit the company’s activity throughout the country” and develop a plan to further promote West Bank tourism. Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said he will investigate whether the decision violates local U.S. laws against boycotting Israel. He also called on Airbnb to explain why it singled out the Jewish state: “National conflicts exist all over the world. The heads of Airbnb will have to explain why they chose to take a racist political stance against some of Israel’s citizens.” Knesset Member Michael Oren, a former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, stated, “Airbnb blacklists Jewish apartments in Judea and Samaria — not Palestinian apartments, not apartments in Turkish occupied Cyprus, in Moroccan occupied Sahara, not in Tibet or the Crimea.” “Airbnb’s policy is the very definition of anti-Semitism. No one should use its services.” Aaron Klein is Breitbart’s Jerusalem bureau chief and senior investigative reporter. He is a New York Times bestselling author and hosts the popular weekend talk radio program, “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio.” Follow him on Twitter @AaronKleinShow. Follow him on Facebook. FaithIsrael / Middle EastPoliticsairbnbanti-Israel BDS movementanti-semitismDani DayanGeorge SorosIsraelOpen Society FoundationsWest BankYariv Levin	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1202
__label__wiki	0.702881	0.702881	Over the past couple of years, NYC-based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Gryffin aka Dan Griffith, has cemented his path to the international spotlight with his melody-rich style of house music that fuses indie with dance in tasteful fashion. Known for some of the biggest remixes from the last year, such as his remix of Tove Lo’s “Talking Body,” Maroon 5’s “Animals,” Years & Years’ “Desire,” and more, this gifted up-and-comer has already seen a significant amount of success, hitting #1 on Hype Machine consistently, on top of racking up 100 million streams online. Although Gryffin has recently been on the cusp of a major breakthrough, he began his musical journey growing up as a classically trained pianist, before expanding his sonic palette with guitar at an early age. He played in bands to initially hone his instrumental abilities, until he dove head first into the world of music production at the University of Southern California. Throughout college and beyond, Gryffin further refined his skills that have blossomed into his artistic mastery that is appreciated by his counterparts and adoring fans around the world. In his genre, artists typically DJ to showcase their talents, but live performance is where his heart lies in capturing the essence of his work. With a world-debut at this past SnowGlobe Music Festival, Gryffin unveiled his anticipated live performance to finally connect with those who have been behind his impressive play counts. His passion and love for musicianship, and artistry within music shined through as he performed with live instrumentation (guitar, keyboard, synths, & drum pads) in a continuous dance music format to keep up the energy characteristic of DJ sets. Since this performance was a resounding success, the excitement is brewing for his next two sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ The Roxy, and New York’s Bowery Ballroom to close out his first-ever live tour. Following the conclusion of the tour, Gryffin made the leap to his first original production, “Heading Home” featuring Josef Salvat, which immediately became #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart, US Viral Chart, and accumulated a million plays in one week after being released via Darkroom/Interscope Records. It’s already looking like 2016 is going to be Gryffin’s biggest year yet.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1205
__label__wiki	0.723345	0.723345	MK Ladies smash cross-Channel record Milton Keynes Rowing Club (MKRC) embarked on an ambitious partnership with a local charity called MK Dons Sport and Education Trust (SET) at the end of last year – aiming to row the English Channel together and to raise money for the charity and the club. Twelve MKRC rowers and four complete novices from SET have followed a gruelling training schedule at the Milton Keynes based club, consisting of long hours on indoor rowing machines most days of the week as well as the usual circuit training throughout the winter. There were two weekend sea training sessions in Langstone Harbour near Havant, Hampshire, which is where the rowers were taught how to row coastal gigs in horrendously cold and wet weather conditions! Two crews were formed, each with eight rowers. The idea of going for the record crossing time for the ladies boat was originally conceived as a way to increase the challenge’s profile and to attract more sponsorship, but the ladies attacked the challenge with a typical ‘rower mentality’ and soon realised that we were in with a good chance of achieving this. The ladies boat had two of SET’s novices in the crew, which made the achievement even more incredible! There was a great deal of tension in the days before the channel row as the first date to row was cancelled the evening before due to adverse weather conditions and we were told that it would not be possible to cross on any other day that weekend. This was a devastating blow to the rowers who were ready and prepared for this amazing challenge. Then at the last minute we were called to say that the row would be on again on Sunday and the mood lifted once again to one of excitement and anticipation. The day of the row came and both crews set off from Dover harbour in the early hours, the ladies going for the record and the mixed boat aiming to beat them across! Kelly Alexander from MKRC who was in the ladies boat said “It seemed to take forever to leave the white cliffs of Dover behind, and when I looked behind me I saw the huge expanse of sea ahead of us and realised the enormity of the task ahead”. The ladies soon got into a nice rhythm, which was helped along by singing songs and encouraging each other in the boat. The focus remained strong and even during changeovers where two rowers swapped out of the rowing seats and in to either the cox or the resting seat, they kept the pace up and didn’t stop rowing throughout the whole crossing. At one point the crew had to make a sharp detour at right angles to the proposed course in order to avoid a massive freight ship. The crew looked on in amazement and from the support vessel where I was watching, it all seemed very surreal. Then the wake hit their boat and they rode it like a rollercoaster before being brought back on course towards the headland which was starting to look closer and within reach now. After four and a half hours there was a call from the Captain of the support vessel to the crew to tell them that if they wanted to beat the record, they would need to push hard to the finish and the ladies rose to the challenge and pushed all the way to the coast in impressive style in five hours and 14 minutes, beating the current record time by 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the mixed boat was close on the heels of the ladies boat – finishing in a time of five hours 15 minutes, just one minute slower than the record-breaking ladies. The boats were unable to land due to French immigration laws, so there was no time to stock up on wine and cheese. They were brought alongside the support vessels and the rowers came aboard and were taken back to Dover. Most of the rowers were so exhausted that they fell asleep and celebrations only began once they had reached land again. Liz Tatman, Chair of MKRC, said “I am incredibly proud of the MKRC rowers, and congratulate them and the rowers from SET for their outstanding achievement. Our Club has been growing over the last year or so, and the interest in our ‘Learn to Row’ courses since the London Olympics has been overwhelming. We desperately need to buy more equipment to accommodate new rowers and the money raised from this venture will make a big difference to our Club.” She also added that “the whole Club has got behind supporting the channel row and it has united the members in a very positive way.” As a member of the organising committee, I would urge other Clubs to take on this challenge in the future as it has been an amazing experience both for the individual rowers and for the Club. Louise Rivett Vice Chair, MKRC Fancy seeing your club’s news on the British Rowing website? Contact news@britishrowing.org.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1206
__label__wiki	0.575726	0.575726	Balancing Disclosure, Protection of Trade Secrets, and Patentability in Light of Patent Reform John Villasenor Monday, June 27, 2011 With the passage of the America Invents Act by the House of Representatives on June 23 and of similar legislation by the Senate in March, the United States is on the verge of implementing the most sweeping patent reform in decades. American companies of all stripes now face the challenge of reexamining how to most effectively pursue patent protection on their inventions. However, the challenge is particularly acute for technology companies that operate in a world of increasingly fast innovation and ever-shorter product life cycles. One of the most significant components of the new legislation concerns what is widely described as a move from a first-to-invent system to a first-to-file system. At first blush, the term “first-to-file” can conjure up images of a hapless inventor who, having conceived an invention in March but waited until August to file the corresponding patent application, loses out in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to a competitor who arrived independently at the same invention in June and filed for patent protection in July. And indeed, the newly approved Section 102 of Title 35 of the United States Code[1] will make such a scenario possible. As amended, that section will now provide that a person may not necessarily meet the “novelty” conditions for patentability and be entitled to a patent if [T]he claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.[2] In other words, an inventor may win the race to create the invention but lose the race to file the corresponding patent application, and in doing so lose the right to patent the invention. The new Section 102 then goes on to provide an important exception in the form of a grace period, stating that “a disclosure made 1 year or less before the effective filing date of a claimed invention shall not be prior art to the claimed invention” if “the disclosure was made by the inventor or joint inventor or by another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor” or “the subject matter disclosed had, before such disclosure, been publicly disclosed by the inventor or a joint inventor or another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor.”[3] This allows an inventor or others who obtained information from the inventor to make disclosures regarding the invention in advance of filing a patent application, as long as the application is filed within one year after the first disclosure. A grace period in one form or another has been a feature of the U.S. patent landscape since the 19th century,[4] and allows an inventor time that can be used, for example, to examine the commercial practicability of the invention, to engage in discussions with potential partners and customers, and to secure the resources necessary to draft a patent application. Importantly, the inclusion of both first-to-file language and a grace period in the new patent law creates what could in some fact patterns amount to a hybrid between first-to-invent and first-to-file. For example, in the case of two inventors who independently disclose the same invention immediately following its conception, both current law and the new law can favor the earlier discloser, who is by definition the earlier inventor if the disclosure is truly immediate. However, in the absence of disclosure in advance of a patent filing, current law favors the earlier inventor, while the new law will favor the earlier filer. As a result, under the new law inventors and the companies that employ them must think much more carefully about how to actively manage pre-filing disclosures. Put simply, silence can be costly. To the extent that a company remains quiet about an invention while it is contemplating whether or not to obtain patent protection, it stands exposed to the possibility of losing the right to do so as a result of filings made by a competitor. A company wishing to avoid this risk faces an additional challenge in that the America Invents Act does not specifically define what constitutes a level of “disclosure” sufficient to preserve patentability. The new patent law is also notable in removing the explicit carve-out available under current patent law for an invention that is “in public use or on sale in this country.” Thus, an inventor who provides a sufficiently detailed disclosure in May, offers a product containing the invention for sale in June, and files for a patent in July faces the prospect that the sale could be interpreted to fall outside the definition of “disclosure”, and could therefore be invalidating prior art to the inventor’s own patent application. In light of the new patent law, there are several specific steps that technology and other companies can take. Companies can be more careful when producing pre-filing disclosures for venues such as conferences and trade shows with the understanding that under the new law those disclosures may play a much larger role than in the past in preserving patentability of the associated IP. In addition, precisely because those disclosures will be produced with a stronger view towards IP protection, they will likely be subject to a higher degree of IP-related analysis by competitors. Some companies may find themselves targeted by disclosures by competitors engineered specifically to foreclose patent opportunities. To reduce their vulnerability to such attacks, companies can engage in preemptive “defensive” disclosures – but in doing so need to be mindful of the impacts of these disclosures on their own patent filing deadlines. Behavioral Science & Policy, Volume 1, Number 2 Edited by Craig Fox and Sim B. Sitkin By Darrell M. West In addition, employees engaged in IP creation can be made aware that there is an increased need to actively and timely pursue steps aimed at securing patent protection on new inventions. Internal company systems for documenting, reporting, and rewarding innovations can be modified to better match the new law. In particular, the issue of rights to an invention prior to a filing date will be depend more on the history of relevant disclosures and less on nonpublic, internal company documents such as laboratory notebooks. Companies can also reevaluate the extent and manner to which they use provisional patent applications to preserve IP rights. In addition to comparisons that might be made under the current patent law between the contents of a provisional application and the associated utility filing, under the new patent law there will be additional comparisons made among the provisional and utility applications and the disclosures made by or attributable to the inventors. All companies – large and small – will benefit from considering the impact of the new law on IP budgets, both in terms of the amount and the timing of expenditures. Opponents of the move to first-to-file have sometimes stated that it favors large companies that have more financial resources to support rapid patent filings. In some respects, this is a valid concern. However, it is also worth noting that large companies have more employees engaged in research and development and produce greater numbers of potentially patentable innovations. The burden of more rapidly analyzing innovations can be significant for large companies. Under the new law, providing a more extensive description of the technology associated with an invention is safer from the standpoint of protecting patentability, but also risks exposing trade secrets to competitors. While the tension between disclosure for patent purposes and preservation of trade secrets has always existed, under the new patent law companies will need to identify and resolve these questions over dramatically accelerated time scales – time scales that in the technology world can lead to complex interactions with product development cycles. It is also important to recognize that the America Invents Act still leaves substantial differences between the patent laws in the United States and those in other countries. For example, the European Patent Office (EPO) holds a starker view of “novelty” and employs a correspondingly stricter version of first-to-invent. In the EPO, “an invention shall be considered to be new if it does not form part of the state of the art”, and “[t]he state of the art shall be held to comprise everything made available to the public by means of a written or oral description, by use, or in any other way, before the date of filing of the European patent application.”[5] Thus, unlike in the United States under both the current and new patent laws, in Europe an inventor’s own public disclosures in the year prior to a patent filing can be invalidating prior art. To the extent that for financial or other reasons a company needs to defer filing a U.S. patent application to a future date, in one sense the systems have actually moved farther apart due to what amounts to a newly incentivized option to buy some measure of protection in the U.S. by disclosing in advance of a filing at the cost of losing patentability in Europe. This requires careful consideration when contemplating disclosure plans. John Villasenor Nonresident Senior Fellow - Governance Studies, Center for Technology Innovation Twitter JohnDVillasenor It will take many years to develop a mature body of case law and legal scholarship regarding the full impact of the America Invents Act. What is clear today, however, is that the Act, if enacted into law, will usher in profound changes in how patents are prosecuted in the United States. Companies that retool their patent strategies to address these changes will be in a much stronger position to maximize the future value of their intellectual property portfolios. [1] Title 35 is the portion of the United States Code addressing patents; Chapter 10 of Title 35 addresses patentability of inventions and contains Section 102, titled “Conditions for patentability; novelty” in the America Invents Act. [2] 112th Congress, 1st Session, H.R. 1249, available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr1249eh/pdf/BILLS-112hr1249eh.pdf, retrieved June 26, 2011. The cited language is from Section 102(a)(2) and is identical in H.R. 1249 and in the corresponding Senate version of the America Invents Act, S. 23. Sections 151 and 122(b) of the United States Code referenced in the new Section 102 text pertain to the issue of a patent and publication of patent applications respectively. [3] Ibid. The cited language is from Section 102(b)(1) and is identical in H.R. 1249 and in the corresponding Senate version of the America Invents Act, S. 23. [4] See, for example, the Patent Act of 1870, Chapter 230, Section 24, providing that “any person who has invented or discovered any new and useful art, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, not known or used by others in this country, and not patented, or described in any printed publication in this or any foreign country, before his invention or discovery thereof, and not in public use or on sale for more than two years prior to his application, unless the same is proved to have been abandoned, may, upon payment of the duty required by law, and other due proceedings had, obtain a patent therefor.” http://ipmall.info/hosted_resources/lipa/patents/Patent_Act_of_1870.pdf, retrieved June 25, 2011. [5] European Patent Convention, Article 54. See http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2010/e/ar54.html, retrieved June 24, 2011 116th U.S. Congress Telecommunications & Internet	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1208
__label__wiki	0.961002	0.961002	Japan is bracing itself for a possible North Korean missile launch Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a flight drill of fighter pilots from the Korean People's Army's (KPA) Air and Anti-Air Force, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on February 21, 2016. Japan put its military on alert on Monday for a possible North Korean ballistic missile firing, while South Korea also said it had detected evidence of launch preparations, officials from Japan and South Korea said. Tension in the region has been high since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and followed that with a satellite launch and test launches of various missiles. Japan ordered naval destroyers and anti-ballistic missile Patriot batteries to be ready to shoot down any projectile heading for Japan, Japan's NHK state broadcaster said. A Japanese official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the order. A spokesmen for Japan's defense ministry declined to comment. A Patriot missile battery on the grounds of Japan's Ministry of Defense had its missile tubes elevated to a firing position. Polish and U.S soldiers look at a Patriot missile defence battery during join exercises at the military grouds in Sochaczew, near Warsaw, March 21, 2015. The U.S. Army Europe has deployed a Patriot missile defence battery as part of joint exercises with Poland aimed at reassuring the NATO member in light of the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine. REUTERS/Franciszek Mazur/Agencja Gazeta The South Korean defense official declined to comment on what type of missile might be launched but South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said officials believe it would be an intermediate-range Musudan missile. "We've detected a sign and are tracking that. We are fully prepared," said the South Korean official, who also declined to be identified. North Korea tried unsuccessfully to test launch the Musudan three times in April, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. Missile Defense Agency Japan has put its anti-ballistic missile forces on alert at least twice this year after detecting signs of launches by North Korea. North Korea's nuclear and missile tests this year triggered new U.N. sanctions but it seems determined to press ahead with its weapons programs, despite the sanctions and the disapproval of its sole main ally, China. Last Friday, leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama, met in Japan and demanded that North Korea comply with a U.N. Security Council resolution to stop all nuclear and missile tests and refrain from provocative action. On the same day, North Korea threatened to retaliate against South Korea after it fired what it said were warning shots when boats from the North crossed the disputed sea border off the west coast of the Korean peninsula. Japan has advanced Aegis vessels in the Sea of Japan that are able to track multiple targets and are armed with SM-3 missiles designed to destroy incoming warheads in space before they re-enter the atmosphere and fall to there targets. Patriot PAC-3 missile batteries, designed to hit warheads near the ground, are deployed around Tokyo and other sites as a second and final line of defense. (Reporting by Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo in TOKYO and Ju-min Park in SEOUL; Editing by Robert Birsel) More: Reuters Reuters Top News North Korea Japan Reuters World	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1211
__label__cc	0.711484	0.288516	Home > Companies & Markets Pteris Global bags three contracts worth S$64.2m in China, US Lynette Khoo PTERIS Global, a provider of integrated airport facility equipment globally, said on Tuesday that it has secured contracts worth S$64.2 million from customers in China and the US. The first contract of 144.8 million yuan (S$31.9 million) involves the design, supply, installation and testing of passenger boarding bridges (PBBs) and ancillary equipment for the new Terminal 3 at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in China. The PBBs are slated for delivery and installation by Oct 31, 2016. The group was also awarded a contract worth 119.5 million yuan (S$26.3 million) for the supply and installation of new PBBs for Terminal 2 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China. The PBBs are slated for delivery and installation in June 2016. These contracts were secured under a public tender by Chinese authorities and are expected to contribute positively to the group's financial performance for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2016. Separately, Pteris subsidiary Pteris Global (USA) Inc secured US$4.3 million (S$6 million) worth of orders for baggage handling system as part of the revitalisation of Terminal 3 of Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport in Arizona, USA. This contract was awarded as part of a US$17.3 million letter of intent inked with the main contractor, Hunt Austin, in February. The scope of work under the agreement is slated to complete in 2019. SEE ALSO: Pteris Global, HTL to be suspended post-takeovers Pteris Global Maxi-Cash to issue new S$50m 6.35% 3-year notes at par	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1212
__label__wiki	0.65879	0.65879	Professor Dawn Freshwater "A workplace representative of the community is a workplace that can connect with its community; that is why as the Vice-Chancellor of The University of Western Australia I am a proud member of CEOs for Gender Equity. I am committed to ensuring that UWA is a leader in providing opportunities for women to advance and thrive in their professional and academic careers. The University has recently been selected to participate in the Athena SWAN Charter pilot project being implemented by The Australian Academy of Science to improve gender equity in Australian organisations which cover the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. The international initiative highlights the importance of changing career outcomes for women in these fields and UWA is championing this cause. As a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Women in Science Committee, I am proud of our work which significantly enhances career pathways in research for women. At UWA we also actively promote career opportunities to the next generation of female leaders through our schools engagement strategy. At UWA we are committed to cultural change to ensure gender equity and I am pleased we are leading by example."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1217
__label__wiki	0.659262	0.659262	J. Patrick Sheets E patrick.sheets@chamberlainlaw.com State and Local Tax Planning & Controversy Tax Planning & Business Transactions Univ. of Texas at Austin, 2009, B.S. Mathematics, B.A. Government; Minor in Business Foundations South Texas College of Law, 2012, Juris Doctor (summa cum laude); Order of the Lytae; Pro Bono Honors; Corporate Counsel Review – Articles Editor; Dean’s Honor List (5/5 semesters); Langdell Scholar (Federal Income Tax, Criminal Law); 3-Year Merit Scholarship New York University School of Law, 2014, Master of Laws in Taxation; Advanced Professional Certificate in Law and Business (joint program with the NYU Stern School of Business) CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Professional Responsibility, 2012 Highest Brief Score, National Baseball Arbitration Competition, 2012 Patrick Sheets represents businesses and individuals, focusing his practice on domestic and international tax planning as well as corporate matters, including formation, reorganizations, mergers, and acquisitions. Mr. Sheets also represents clients in federal tax controversy matters at the examination level, administrative appeals, and trial. Prior to joining Chamberlain Hrdlicka, Mr. Sheets attended New York University, where he pursued a graduate degree in tax law and a certificate program at the business school. Mr. Sheets was awarded a merit scholarship to South Texas College of Law, where he participated in the Mediation Clinic, the Pro Bono Honors Program, and studied abroad at the University of Malta in a program led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts. Mr. Sheets has interned for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Congressman Michael T. McCaul, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Prior to law school, Mr. Sheets attended the University of Texas, where he was President and Treasurer of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. “Dodgers Cannot Shop TV Rights to Bidder” published in spring ‘12 issue of Texas Entertainment & Sports Law Journal	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1219
__label__wiki	0.823322	0.823322	Young Gods The Young Gods have returned with a new cd, “Super Ready/Fragmente” and on May 4, 2007 did a special acoustic show at the Swiss Institute in New York. Since sampling and sound manipulation have been such a big part of the Young Gods style, the idea of them performing on acoustic instruments may seem surprising. But it really does come across well. Prior to the performance, I spoke frontman Franz Treichler about performing acoustically, the evolution of the band, and more. Chaos Control : I was initially surprised to hear about Young Gods doing acoustic shows. What made you decide to perform in this format? Franz Treichler:”Basically, we only do a few. We started doing these last November, for very special occasions. Like when a book came out about the Young Gods, for the release of that we did an acoustic show for the very first time. It turned out really well, so we thought we’d keep on doing a few of those shows. We did only Switzerland, not that many shows, maybe 20 or so. Once in a while, people ask us to do something a bit different than the in-your-face wall of electric guitars and samples. It’s something that we discovered we appreciate while doing it, so that’s also why we’re going to carry on doing it when possible. We’re probably going to do a recording of this, either live or in the studio. It made us aware that some of the Young Gods music can be interpreted very differently, and it works. ‘If You Stay Tonight,’ as your probably noticed, it’s the same music, just a different approach, a different angle and perspective. It’s great. And as a singer, it’s great because it leaves me more room.” Chaos Control : Was it difficult figuring out which songs were most appropriate for acoustic performance? Franz Treichler:”Well it was very fast. Some songs obviously didn’t work, and we didn’t try too long. For this project we have a fourth member, Vincent Haenni, so we have three guitars and percussion. I don’t have to play too much myself while singing.” Chaos Control : Do you think the experience will have an effect on future Young Gods material and recordings? Franz Treichler:”Yes. I used to be a guitar player before starting the Young Gods and using samples. So was Al. We had to kind of go back to the instrument and work a bit, because we lost a lot during those 20 years of sampling madness. And it was a good thing, because we really enjoyed it and are probably going to include it on the next record. We’re going to probably use guitars again. I don’t know exactly how we’re going to do it, but it definitely gives inspiration.” Chaos Control : Young Gods have been pioneering in their use of sampling. What was it like working with the limited technology when you started? How has the evolution of it affected they way you work? Franz Treichler:”Well of course the technology has evolved very much in the last 20 years. It’s just more flexible and more organic. But the restriction of the technology when we started was also a source of inspiration. You had to be more minimal, which was also a good thing. We adapt as much as the technology evolves, because we are very interested by what it becomes and what it is about to become. I think when we did ‘Second Nature’ in the year 2000, we approached it with more electronic synthesizers, plug-ins and computers because we wanted to do more than just using samples like we always did before. For this record that just came out, it’s a mixture of what we learned with the electronics, with laptops and things, and the samples. I’m amazed when we look at the past. I still think that our first record is one of the best, you know. There was this energy .. it was a revolution, I think, when affordable samplers came onto the market. It was really, really different. You could compose purely with sound, and didn’t have to worry about tonalities or tuning guitars. It was really something. “Most of the time anyway, the idea was not to quote the band you were sampling. It was more like the quality of the sound was such that it was triggering another idea, was triggering a beat or something. I would say that some of the material has grown a bit old, but some not at all. There’s so much stuff that is done with samplers nowadays, you don’t do it in the same manner. I still believe that what is interesting about sampling is getting close to the sound and manipulating it.” Chaos Control : Did you ever think that the band would still be around over 20 years later? Franz Treichler:”I’m kind of glad and surprised that we still have this energy!” Chaos Control : At what point did you realize that this was a long-term project? Franz Treichler:”When we started to put together the 20-year compilation in 2005. I was kind of afraid at first to do a compilation. I was thinking why try to dig in the past and put that stuff together? I was more interested in doing new things. But then a close friend convinced us, and I think it was a really good idea. When we started working on it, everybody made their list of their top 20. I was somehow proud that we kept on going, through whatever label we were on, trouble with the industry, or changes in the band. I’m really glad we kept on going.” Chaos Control : Do you have any plans for more performances in America after this one-off acoustic show? Franz Treichler:”We’re talking about doing a tour with the Melvins in September or October. That would be interesting, definitely.” Chaos Control : How did you come to sign with Ipecac? Franz Treichler:”Mike Patton approached us in the very first days of Ipecac. It wasn’t that easy because we were already on a world contract. But as soon as we could, he released ‘Second Nature.’ That was in 2000.” Chaos Control : What was the experience like being on a major US label (Interscope) for the “Only Heaven” album? Franz Treichler:”They were really fair, and I have nothing else to say but ‘thank you.’ After ‘TV Sky’ we had like five propositions from the States, all the major companies basically. Geffen, Sony, Mercury, BMG, and Interscope. They were the most down to earth kind of people. What happened was that when we delivered the tapes, they were telling us that it was too European, and we didn’t really know what that meant at the time. For us, it was a logical follow-up to ‘TV Sky.’ But they said fine, and that they’d work it. And we toured for quite a lot time, we did 2 American tours. When you get a company like this behind you, if you want to make it big in the States I think you need to stay here and tour, tour, tour. It’s the only way to make people know you exist. We didn’t want to do that. We still wanted to divide our time between the States and Europe. When we stopped that tour, our former drummer wanted to stop music. For us, it was some kind of a sign. We’d been doing this pace of things for 11 or 12 years non-stop, we wanted to take it easy for about 6,7 or 8 months. So we took the equipment back to Switzerland. “But Interscope was still interested. We delivered the ambient record, ‘Heaven Deconstruction,’ in ’97. They were really fair. They said ‘we don’t know how to work this kind of music, why don’t you do this one-off on an indie label, and come back when you have more rock-oriented material?’ And we said fine. Shortly after that, they got bought and I think top management decided to get rid of all the bands who were not selling more that 300,000 or something. And that was it. So, it was a very nice adventure. After that, and with problems with our former European label Play It Again Sam, we stated to freak out over major labels. We wanted to go with small labels. Of course you lose a lot of attention, a lot of people think you don’t exist anymore. But what we’ve given up, creatively it catches up. We like the new record very much; we’ve done lots of projects. We’ve diversified with a lot of crazy projects that we’re going to present in the next couple of years.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1220
__label__wiki	0.834448	0.834448	The following is an interview with Daniel Hunt of Ladytron. It was conducted on Saturday, April 15, 2006, the day after Ladytron kicked off their North American tour with a show in Washington DC. The band returned late last year with their 3rd album, “Witching Hour,” and recently released a new EP/DVD, “Extended Play.” Be sure to also read this interview we did in 2002. The US tour just kicked off in DC – how did that show go? “It was good. The last time we played DC I think it was about 3 shows in, and it was in the middle of a blizzard. It was a bit better this time. The weather was good, and we sold out.” What can people exact from this tour? “We played live a lot after that last US tour. In fact we were touring for about another 8 months. I think it’s a lot more powerful now. It’s definitely progressed, the live show.” Have you made any major changes in terms of live set-up or instrumentation? “Not really, it’s exactly the same as it was last time, it’s just that there’s a guitar as well. I play guitar and keyboards. That’s the only addition. There’s 8 synths on stage, and one guitar, if that gives an indication.” Have you added guitar to songs that in the past were performed on just keyboards/synths? “Just on a couple of songs where it made sense. The way we record, there are loads of guitars on all the records. But when we didn’t have a guitar with us, we’d approximate with synth going through a bunch of delays or something. So we just use whatever is appropriate. We’re not purists, at all. The bands that we like are not afraid to use whatever instrument works. A guitar, when you feed it through a few pedals, is just a sound generator, really. Using a guitar doesn’t mean it’s going to become kraut rock or Oasis or something.” Can you talk about the new “Extended Play” EP? “The EP was done because the label wanted something to put out while we were on tour. So we did some exclusive mixes for it, and released some that hadn’t been out before. We also put together a DVD, which is the “Sugar” and “Destroy” videos and this film we made when we toured in China. A mini documentary.” And “Witching Hour” just came out on vinyl? “Yeah, we always think all our records should be released on vinyl. It was always intended. It’s just that the label wanted to tie it together to when we came to tour. It seems to be pretty standard now to release something on vinyl after it comes out on CD. But as long as it comes out on vinyl eventually we don’t care.” What was the reason for switching labels, from Emperor Norton to Ryko? “We’ve switched labels about 7 times since we started! We’ve been in this long enough … it’s kind of irrelevant. The most important thing is the team around you and the people you work with day to day at whatever label it is. Ryko is good at the moment, because a lot of them are Ladytron fans. So they’ve been very enthusiastic.” The music industry has changed so much over the past decade or so – what do you think has been most effective in terms of getting the word our about Ladytron? The internet? Radio? Club Play? “I don’t know. The internet has definitely had an effect, especially in between albums. There seems to be twice as many people into us than last time, even though we didn’t do anything in between. The best way for people to hear the record is the radio or online. Myspace is really good for bands. We’ve only been on that for the past 6 months. Things have changed a lot in 5 years even. Something like Myspace, there’s probably going to be a point where it gets saturated and possibly useless, but it’s good for the band. Things aren’t being forced down people’s throats. It’s not like a record company making some big Flash animation site or sending a lot of unsolicited stuff out. The fact that it’s actually people networking around the band, on their terms, it brings them closer to the band in a way. I think that’s really cool.” What are your thoughts about online music distribution? “As far as file sharing, that debate is dead now. It exists, and everyone does it. There’s a certain naivety about who it actually affects … some people are adamant that it doesn’t affect the bands, that it only affects the labels. Which really isn’t true. Because there are now legal downloads as well, people really do now have a choice. If someone doesn’t spend any money on music, there are other ways to support a band. Going to a show, etc. If someone does want to spend money on music, but doesn’t want to go out and buy cds, they can instead go to iTunes of whatever. At least they have a choice. And if they like a band, it’s not like the only way they can support them is by going into a store a buying a record. Because it might not even be available where they are. We’ve played places in the world where none of our records have been available, and the only way to get them is to illegally download them. And then you go and play a sell-out show, and everyone knows all the material. That’s amazing. It wasn’t possible even five or six years ago.” Some people see it as bringing back the single. Have you considered releasing individual tracks between albums? “Yeah, we might possibly do that. You could put a track out as an individual release, and that’s very easy to do now. It’s not like you have manufacture and distribute them. I still think that we consider ourselves an album band.” All three of your albums sound a bit different from each other. Do you think it’s a natural thing, or do you intentionally set out to give each release a fresh edge? “It’s evolved naturally because we were playing the tracks from Light and Magic live for a year. And when we were playing them live, they became heavier and more dynamic. We were playing them with live bass, and live drums triggering sounds. And by the end, it got to the point where we were like ‘if we were recording the album now, this is what it would sound like.’ Rather than it be kind of a bedroom production. We ended up finishing in a studio with a producer, but that’s what it started off as. So this album, it was just a natural thing where as we were working on it we were aware of things that we weren’t aware of before. Just from playing live so much. Also, we felt like we had the freedom to make the record we were capable of, rather than the record people expected. Our label in the UK, when they got the demos they were like ‘oh, we know you want to make the big opus or whatever, but can’t you just make Light and Magic 2 first?’ I think you can do more for the reputation of the band by making each successive record different. There are a lot of bands who get big by doing the same thing over and over again, but we don’t want to do that. We want to be successful by making the music we’re inspired to do. Rather than what people who don’t actually like music very much want.” What are your plans for after this tour? When can we expect the next release? “Well we’ve already started to work on stuff for the next record. ‘Witching Hour’ was delayed for a year, between recording and release. We don’t want to have a big break again this time. We want to just be on the way with this record. At some point we’ll have a break from touring ‘Witching Hour’ and we’ll go record maybe half of it. And then hopefully get the next record out pretty quickly. Early next year, hopefully. Rather than wait so long again.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1221
__label__cc	0.630579	0.369421	Service and Price changes Postal Services Information Machineable Mail Postal Guide Search products, related articles and support topics PDF to print Effective: 2019-06-17 Updated Xpresspost - International delivery standards to Brazil, Hungary, Portugal and Sweden. Updated Hamilton and Toronto in the Processing Facilities Tables. Table 8 and Table 11 Updated Transit-time Xpresspost - USA (Toronto: add zero days and 1 day). Introduced Flat rate box as a new prepaid product - available at post offices only. Throughout document Updated Xpresspost - International delivery standards to Brazil, Cyprus, Kenya, Russia, Slovakia and St Kitts & Nevis. Removed Calgary as a processing facility for Xpresspost - USA and Tracked Packet - USA shipments. Section 5.2 and Section 5.4 1 What are Delivery Standards? 1.1 Important definitions 2 Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail 2.1 Personalized Mail™ and Postal Code Targeting (Machineable standard) 2.2 Personalized Mail™ (Special Handling and Machineable Oversize) and Publications Mail™ 2.3 Lettermail™ (Incentive Lettermail™ and Registered Mail™) and Business Reply Mail™ 2.4 Neighbourhood Mail™ 2.5 Processing Facilities and Remote Areas for Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail 3 Transaction Mail (U.S.A and International) 3.1 Letter-post (U.S.A. and International) 3.2 International Incentive Letter-post™ 4 Parcel Services (Domestic) 4.1 Priority™ 4.2 Xpresspost™ and Xpresspost™ Certified 4.3 Expedited Parcel™ 4.4 Flat rate box 4.5 Regular Parcel™ 5 Parcel Services (U.S.A. and International) 5.1 Priority™ Worldwide 5.2 Xpresspost™ – USA 5.3 Expedited Parcel™ – USA 5.4 Tracked Packet™ – USA 5.5 Small Packet™ 5.7 Xpresspost™ – International 5.8 Tracked Packet™ – International 5.9 International Parcel™ 5.10 Small Packet™ What are Delivery Standards? Delivery standards represent the expected transit time in business days from the day of deposit (day 0) to delivery for items deposited before the local cut-off time. A business day is a day other than Saturday, Sunday, a statutory holiday and any day observed as a holiday by Canada Post. For all services, deposits on days other than business days are considered as being accepted on the next business day. Items deposited after the last collection time specified on the street letter box or after the cut-off time of the deposit location approved by Canada Post are considered as being deposited on the next business day. Visit canadapost.ca/cutofftimes for the list of deposit location cut-off times. The delivery standards do not applies to items that are return to sender or forwarded. Delivery standards are based on available transportation and, therefore, are subject to change without notice. Important definitions Local – Where the destination city/town is the same as the originating city/town. Provincial – Where the destination city/town is in the same province as the originating city/town. Regional – Where the destination city/town is in the same region as the originating city/town. Canadian regions are grouped according to Table 1. Table 1: Canadian regions New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Qu�bec and Ontario, including Northwestern Ontario (Postal CodesOM P7A-P7L, P8N, P8T, P9A, P9N, P0T-P0Y) British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario (Postal Codes P7A-P7L, P8N, P8T, P9A, P9N, P0T-P0Y) Nunavut East Nunavut West X0B and X0C X0E, X0G and X1A Y0A, Y0B and Y1A National – Where the destination city/town is in a different province as the originating city/town. FSA (Forward Sortation Area) is the first 3 characters of the Postal Code. The FSA identifies the major geographic area in an urban or rural location. LDU (Local Delivery Unit) is the last 3 characters of the Postal Code. The LDU identifies the smallest delivery unit within the FSA. Processing facility - a facility at which parcels and mail are separated, sorted and transported to destination facilities for further processing or delivery. See Table 8 for DM/TM and Table 11 for Parcels. Major urban centre - a location with a processing facility for sorting, processing and distributing parcels and mail. Delivery standards to and from major urban centres are shortest because parcels and mail do not need to be transported to or from a processing facility before they are delivered - Table 8 for DM/TM and Table 11 for Parcels. Non-major urban centre - a location without a processing facility. Delivery standards to or from non-major urban centres are longer because non-local parcels and mail need to be transported to or from a processing facility before they can be delivered. See Table 8 for DM/TM and Table 11 for Parcels. Northern regions and remote areas – a location that is far removed from major urban centres or that receives infrequent service. All remote areas are listed in Table 9. Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail The following table provides an overview of the applicable delivery standards. Delivery standards are not guaranteed. Table 2: Delivery standards for Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail (domestic) For details see table Major Urban Non-major Urban Centres Northern Regions and Remote Centres Personalized Mail™ and Postal Code Targeting (Machineable standard) Personalized Mail™ (Special Handling and Machineable Oversize) and Publications Mail™* Lettermail™ (Incentive Lettermail™ and Registered Mail™) and Business Reply Mail™ Neighbourhood Mail™** L = Local, P = Provincial, N = National Subtract 1 day for time-committed Publications Mail. For Neighbourhood Mail only, please refer to Table 7 (delivery cycle) to determine the delivery standard applicable to your mailing and add it to the transportation time above. Table 8 or Table 9 will identify the processing facility and the classification (i.e. whether it is located in a major urban centre, non-major urban centre or remote area) of the FSA where your mailing will be deposited or delivered. In order to calculate the estimated delivery standard for these services, follow the steps below: Using Table 8, determine the FSA where your mailing will be deposited to find the associated processing facility; Using Table 8, determine the FSA where your mailing will be delivered to find the associated processing facility; Using Table 3, calculate the delivery standard by using the applicable processing facilities identified above. Table 3: Personalized Mail and Postal Code Targeting (Machineable standard) Magnify + If the FSA where your mailing will be deposited or delivered is located in a non-major urban centre, add 1 day. If the FSA where your mailing will be deposited or delivered is in a remote area, add up to 9 days. See Table 9 to determine if your FSA is in a remote area. Personalized Mail™ (Special Handling and Machineable Oversize) and Publications Mail™ Table 4: Personalized Mail (Special Handling and Machineable Oversize) and Publications Mail Magnify + Add 1 day for Dimensional Personalized Mail. Table 5: Lettermail (Incentive Lettermail and Registered Mail) and Business Reply Mail™ Magnify + Exception: If the FSA where your mailing will be deposited or delivered is in a remote area, add up to 9 days. See Table 9 to determine if your FSA is in a remote area. Neighbourhood Mail™ In order to calculate the estimated delivery standard for this service, simply add the transportation time and the delivery cycle by following these steps: Using Table 6, calculate the transportation time by using the applicable processing facilities identified above; Using Table 7, determine the delivery cycle applicable to your mailing and add it to the transportation time. Table 6: Neighbourhood Mail transportation time Magnify + Table 7: Neighbourhood Mail delivery cycle Delivery Cycle* Standard and Oversize up to 0.75 in. (1.91 cm) up to 200 g (7.05 oz.) up to 3 business days up to 1 in. (2.54 cm) up to 300 g (10.58 oz.) For non-letter carrier routes, the delivery cycle, in business days, is 1 day for items up to 500 g (17.64 oz.) and 3 to 5 days for items up to 1,000 g (35.3 oz.) with a maximum thickness of 1.5 in. (3.81 cm). Processing Facilities and Remote Areas for Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail There are 18 Canada Post processing facilities where we process Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail. Use the following tables to identify the processing facility and the classification (i.e. whether it is located in a major urban centre, non-major urban centre or remote area) of the FSA where your mailing will be deposited or delivered. Postal Code / FSAs that are not included in this table are considered remote/northern areas (see Table 9 for details). Table 8: Processing facilities for Direct Marketing and Transaction Mail Processing Facility Major Urban Centre FSAs Non-Major Urban Centre FSAs T1X-T1Z, T2, T3 T0J-T0M, T1A-T1W, T4A-T4H, T4M-T4T Charlottetown PE C1A-C1E C0A, C0B, C1N Edmonton AB T5, T6, T8A-T8H, T8N, T8T T0A-T0H, T4J, T4L, T4V, T4X, T7A-T7Z, T8L, T8R-T8S, T8V-T9S, T9W-T9X, X1A, Y1A Halifax NS B2V-B3B, B3H-B4G BOC, B0E-B0J, B0K, B0L-B0W, B1A-B2N, B2R-B2T, B3E, B3G, B4H-B5A, B6L, B9A Hamilton ON L0R-L0S, L2A-L3k, L3M L7L-L7T, L8B, L8E-L9C, L9G-L9H, L9K, N0A, N0B, N0E, N0G, N0K, N1A, N1C-N3H, N3L-N4B, N4N, N4W, N4Z-N5A N0C, N0H, N4K-N4L London ON N0J, N0L-N0P, N0R, N4G, N4S-N4V, N4X, N5C-N8A, N8H-N9Y Moncton NB E1A-E1J, E3A-E3G E1N, E1V-E1X, E2A, E3N-E4Z, E6A-E9H Montr�al QC H1A-H9X, J0L, J0N, J3E-J3N, J3V-J5C, J5R, J5Y-J6A, J6J-J6K, J6R, J6V-J7R, J7V, J7W G0X, G8T-G9X, J0A-J0K,J0P-J0W, J0Y, J0Z, J1A-J3B, J3P-J3T, J5J-J5M, J5T-J5X, J6E, J6N, J6S, J6T, J7T, J7X-J7Z, J8A-J8H, J9E, J9L-J9Z, X0A** Ottawa ON/ Gatineau QC J0X, J8L-J9A, J9B, J9H, J9J, K0A, K1A-K4R, K7C, K7S H0M, K0B-K0G, K0J, K6A-K7A, K7H, K7V-K8H Qu�bec QC* G1A-G3A, G3E, G3G, G3J, G3K, G6C, G6J, G6K, G6V-G7A A0P**, A0R, A2V, G0A-G0E, G0G, G0H-G0V, G0W, G0Y, G0Z, G3B, G3C, G3H, G3L, G3M, G3N, G3Z, G4A, G4R-G6B, G6E, G6G, G6H, G6L-G6T, G7B-G8P Regina SK S4K-S4Z S0A, S0C, S0G, S0H, S0N, S2V, S3N-S4H, S6H-S6K, S9H Saint John NB E2E-E2S E2V, E3L, E5A-E5V Saskatoon SK S7A-S7C, S7H-S7W S0E, S0J-S0M, S6V-S6X, S9A, S9V, S9X, T9V St John’s NL A1A-A1H, A1N A0A-A0C, A0E-A0N, A1K-A1M, A1S-A2N, A5A, A8A L0A-L0J, L0N, L0P, L1A-L1Z, L3L, L3P-L3T, L3X-L4L, L4P, L4S-L7K, L9E, L9L, L9N, L9P, L9R, L9T-L9W, M(all) K0H, K0K-K0M, K7G, K7K-K7R, K8N-K9V, L0K-L0M, L3V, L4M, L4N, L4R, L9J, L9M, L9S, L9X, L9Y, L9Z, P0A-P0G, P0H, P0J-P0K, P0L-P0M, P0N-P0S, P0T-P0V, P0W, P0X, P1A-P6C, P7A-P9N V0X 1T0, V1M, V2P-V4S, V4W-V7Y V0A, V0B-V0L, V0M, V0N, V0V, V0X, V1A-V1Z, V2A-V2N, V4T-V4V, V8A-V8J V0R 1L0, V0R 1L1, V0R 1N0, V0R 2L0, V0R 2P0, V0R 2W0, V8L-V9E, V9L, V9Z V0P-V0S, V8K, V9G-V9K, V9M-V9Y Winnipeg MB R1C, R2C-R4L, R5A P0T-P0V, P0W, P0X, P0Y, P7A-P9N, R0A-R0E, R0G-R0H, R0J, R0K, R0L, R0M, R1A-R1B, R1N, R5G-R9A For A0P, A0R and A2V (transported to the processing facility in Qu�bec QC), add 6 business days to the delivery standard. Exceptions apply, some Postal Codes within this FSA are considered as remote/northern area, see Table 9 for a complete list. Both above exceptions apply. Pallets and/or monotainers of brick-piled mail destined to a major urban centre FSA are considered �LOCAL� only when they are deposited at the associated processing facility. All other destinations are considered to be �FORWARD�. The following table indicates the processing facilities associated with the postal code located in remote areas. Table 9: Postal codes of remote areas LDU Newfoundland (NL) A0E 0B3, 0B8, 0C9, 0E8, 0H5, 0J5, 0J8, 1R0, 1W0, 2B0, 2W0, 2X0, 3V0, 3Z0, 4A0, 4B0, 4H0 A0H 0A7, 0B8, 0C3, 1L0, 1N0, 1S0, 2C0 A0J 0B1-0B2,1K0, 1L0, 1N0 0A1-0A2, 0A5, 0A7, 0A8, 0B1, 0B3, 0B5, 0B7, 0C1, 0C2, 0C6, 0C8, 0C9, 0E5, 0E9-0G3, 0G8-0H1, 0H3-0H5, 0H7-0H9, 0J1-0J3, 0J6, 0J9, 0K1, 0K3, 1A0, 1C0, 1J0, 1K0, 1L0, 1M0, 1N0, 1P0, 1T0, 1V0, 1W0, 1Y0, 1Z0, 2B0, 2G0, 2H0, 2J0, 2N0, 2P0, 2V0, 2W0, 2X0, 3K0, 3L0, 3N0, 3P0, 3Y0, 4A0, 4E0, 4J0, 4K0, 4L0, 4P0, 4S0, 4T0, 4V0, 4W0, 5C0, 5P0, 5S0, 5V0, 5Y0 A0N 0A6, 0B5, 2K0, 2L0 0A1, 0A2, 0A4, 0A6-0A9, 0B1, 1A0, 1G0, 1J0, 1K0, 1L0, 1M0, 1N0, 1P0 Nova Scotia (NS) 1E0 Qu�bec (QC) 0A2-0A4, 0A6-0A7, 0A9, 0B3-0B5, 0B7-0B9, 0C1, 0C5-0C8, 1C0, 1E0, 1G0, 1J0, 1M0, 1N0, 1S0, 1T0, 1W0, 1Z0, 2C0, 2G0, 2P0, 2R0, 2T0, 2W0, 2Y0, 2Z0 G0W 0A4, 0C2, 0C7, 1C0, 3B0, 3C0 All J0W J0Y 0A1, 0A2, 0A5, 2X0, 3B0, 3H0 0E5, 0E9, 3M0, 3P0, 3R0 P0H P0L 0A2, 0A7, 0B2, 0B4-0B5, 1A0, 1H0, 1S0, 1W0, 1Y0, 2H0, 2P0 0B3, 1C0, 2S0, 2X0, 2Z0 Toronto/Winnipeg P0T 0A1, 0B1, 0B2, 0C7, 0C8,1L0, 1P0, 1Z0, 2L0, 3A0, 3B0, 3E0 0A1, 0A3, 0A7, 0B1, 0B4, 0B5, 0B8-0C5, 0C7, 1B0, 1E0, 1G0, 1J0, 1N0, 1V0, 1W0,1Y0, 1Z0, 2A0, 2G0, 2L0, 2P0, 2Y0, 2Z0, 3B0, 3C0, 3E0, 3G0 P0X 0A5, 1B0, 1E0, 1P0 Manitoba (MB) 0A0-0A4, 0A7-0A9, 0B0-0B2, 0B4-0B9, 0C1-0C9, 0E0-0E4, 0G0, 0L0, 0M0, 0N0, 0S0, 0T0, 0V0, 0W0, 0Y0, 0Z0, 1A0, 1B0, 1C0, 1E0, 1G0, 1H0, 1J0, 1K0, 1L0, 1M0, 1N0, 1P0, 1R0, 1S0, 1W0, 1Z0, 2B0, 2C0, 2E0, 2G0, 2H0 0B9, 0E2, 0G4, 0J0, 0V0, 1V0, 2A0, 2P0, 3K0 0B1, 0B6, 0C3, 0J0, 1E0, 1K0, 1N0, 2E0 R0J 0L0, 0Z0, 1K0, 1Y0 R0L 0A3, 0A6, 0B5, 0C5, 0E2, 0K0, 0M0, 0R0, 1L0, 1Y0, 2C0, 2K0 Saskatchewan (SK) 0G3, 1W0, 2V0, 3M0 S0E 0A4, 0G0, 0S0 S0J 0B9, 0C2, 0C3, 0C6, 0C9, 0E1, 0G6, 0G8, 0H0-0H1, 0W0, 1S0, 1Y0, 2B0, 2L0, 2P0, 2R0, 2S0, 2T0, 2W0, 3C0, 3E0 0A9, 0H0, 0J8, 1L0, 1Y0, 2C0, 3N0, 3S0, 4B0, 4E0, 4H0 S0L 0B7, 0E5, 0J0, 1Y0 0A1, 0A6, 0B5-0B6, 0B8, 0C5, 0C6, 0G0, 0G3, 0H0, 0K0, 0M0, 0S0, 1G0, 2H0, 2M0, 3B0, 3C0, 3E0, 3G0, 3H0 T0A 0A4-0A5, 0B5-0B6, 0C4, 1S0, 1S1, 1X0, 2A0, 2B0, 2E0, 2J0, 3G0, 3K0 0R0, 0S0, 0W0, 1W0 0B2, 0K0, 0L0, 1H0 0A5, 0K0, 2N0, 2W0 T0H 0B9, 0E6, 0G6, 0N0, 0S0, 1J0, 1R0, 2N0-2N2, 3X0, 4A0 T0J 0A5, 0B3, 0E7, 0K0, 0X0, 1C0, 1H0, 1L0, 1M0, 2G0, 2M0, 2Z0, 3C0, 3J0 T0K 0A0, 0A5, 0B4, 0B5, 0C3, 0C5, 0C9, 0S0, 1E0, 1L0, 1N0, 1R0, 2J0, 2M0, 2R0 T0L 0C6, 1L0, 2H0 British Columbia (BC) V0B 0A7-0B1, 0B8, 1E0, 1G0, 1K0, 1L0, 1S0, 1Y0, 1Z0, 2A0, 2B0, 2H0, 2R0, 2S0, 2T0, 2V0, 2X0, 2Z0 V0E V0G 0B1, 0B5, 1B0, 1N0 V0J 0A2, 0B4, 0B6-0B8, 0C4-0C5, 1A0, 1H0, 1J0, 1K0, 1R0, 1T0, 1X0, 2B0, 2H0, 2K0, 2P0, 2T0, 2W0, 2Z0, 3B0, 3C0, 3E0, 3J0, 3M0, 3T0 V0K 0B3, 1N0, 1P0 V0L 0A2, 0A3, 0A7-0B1, 1A0, 1B0, 1C0, 1H0, 1J0, 1K0, 1M0, 1R0, 1S0, 1T0, 1V0, 1W0, 1X0 V0N 0A6, 0B2, 0E4, 1M0, 1Z0, 2B0, 2V0, 3L0 V0T 0A2, 1A0, 1B0, 1C0, 1E0, 1H0 V0W V0P 0A1, 0A2, 0A4, 1B0, 1J0, 1K0, 1L0, 1P0, 1S0, 1V0, 1W0, 1Z0 V0R 0B3, 0B4, 1A0, 1B0, 2B0, 2J0 V0S Nunavut (NU) 0A0, 0A2, 0A4-0G0, 0J0-0V0 0A3, 0W0 X0B X0C Northwest Territories (NT) Edmonton GFF X0E X0G Yukon (YK) Y0A Y0B Only for Expedited Parcel, Regular Parcel, Publications Mail, Personalized Mail and Postal Code Targeting. Transaction Mail (U.S.A and International) Delivery standards for U.S. and International Transaction Mail are estimates of how long it will take for a mail deposit to be delivered. These delivery standards are not guaranteed. All international mailings will be delivered by and in accordance with the requirements of the destination country. Letter-post (U.S.A. and International) The estimated delivery standards for Letter-post (U.S.A. and International) are: 4 to 6 business days International Incentive Letter-post™ The estimated delivery standards for International Incentive Letter-post are: U.S.A. Premium Incentive and U.S.A. Per Item Incentive International Premium Incentive/International Per Item Incentive U.S.A. Standard Incentive International Standard Incentive Parcel Services (Domestic) Delivery standards for domestic parcels are estimated in Table 10. Table 10: General delivery standards for domestic Parcel services Priority™ Xpresspost™ Expedited Parcel™ Flat rate box Regular Parcel™ Major Urban Centres next day* 1 day and up to 3 days 3 days and up to 5 days next day and up to 2 days* 2 days* Local* Regional* 6 days and up to 13 days National* Business days. Some exceptions apply. Priority, Xpresspost, Expedited Parcel and Flat rate box offer the On-time Delivery Guarantee feature (some exceptions apply, please refer to the General Terms and Conditions for more information). Delivery standards for Regular Parcel are not guaranteed. Visit Canada Post’s online Canadian Delivery Standard tool at canadapost.ca/deliverytool to find the specific delivery standard from your postal code. Expedited Parcel is only available to contract customers. The Flat rate box is a prepaid product available only to consumers. There are 21 Canada Post processing facilities across Canada that have been designated to receive and distribute domestic parcels. Table 11 shows to which processing facility all deposits are forwarded. Table 11: FSAs and their designated processing facilities for domestic Parcel services A0A-A0N, A1K-A1M, A1S-A2N, A5A, A8A B0C, B0E-B0W, B1A-B2N, B2R-B2T, B3E, B3G, B4H-B5A, B6L, B9A E1A-E1J Fredericton NB E3A-E3G Qu�bec QC G1, G2, G6V-G6Y A0P, A0R, A2V, G0A-G0W, G0Y-G0Z, G3A-G3C, G3E-G3N, G3Z-G4A, G4R-G6C, G6E-G6T, G6Z-G8P H1A-H9X, J4G-J4S, J4V-J4Z G0X, G8T-G9X, J0A-J0W, J0Y-J0Z, J1A-J3B, J3E-J4B, J4T, J5A-J5C, J5J-J5M, J5R, J5T-J6A, J6E, J6J-J6K, J6N, J6R-J7R, J7T-J7Z, J8A-J8H, J9E, J9L-J9Z, X0A J8P-J9A, J9H-J9J, K1A-K4A H0M, J0X, J8L-J8N, J9B, K0A-K0G, K0J, K4B-K7C, K7H, K7S-K8H Toronto ON L1G-L1R+, L1S-L1Z, L3L, L3P-L3T, L3X-L3Y+, L4A+, L4B-L4E, L4G+, L4H-L4L, L4S-L5W, L6A+, L6B-L6G, L6H-L6M, L6P-L7A, All M Codes K0H, K0K-K0M, K7G, K7K-K7R, K8N-K9V, L0A-L0P, L1A-L1E, L3V, L3Z, L4M-L4R, L7B-L7K, L9E, L9J, L9L-L9Z, P0A-P0S, P0T-P0X, P1A-P6C, P7A-P9N L2M-L2W, L7L-L9C, L9G-L9H, L9K L0R, L0S, L2A-L2J, L3B-L3K, L3M, N0A, N0E, N1A, N3L-N4B Kitchener ON N1C-N1L, N1P-N2V, N3C-N3H N0B, N0C, N0G-N0H, N0K, N1M, N2Z-N3B, N4K-N4L, N4N, N4W, N4Z-N5A N5V-N6P N0J, N0L-N0P, N4G, N4S-N4V, N4X, N5C-N5R, N7A-N8A Windsor ON N8N-N9K N0R, N8H-N8M, N9V-N9Y Winnipeg MB* R1C, R2, R3, R4A, R4G, R5A P0Y, P0T-P0X*, P7A-P9N, R0A-R1B, R1N, R4H-R4L, R5G-R9A, S0P, X0C S0A, S0C, S0G, S0H, S0N, S2V, S3N-S4H, S6H-S6K, S9H S0E, S0J-S0M, S6V-S6X, S9A, S9V, S9X, T9V T0J-T0M, T1A-T1W, T4A-T4H, T4M-T4T T0A-T0H, T0P-T0V, T4J, T4L, T4V, T4X, T7, T8L, T8R-T8S, T8V-T9S, T9W-T9X,V0C, V0W, V1G, V1J, X0B, X0E, X0G, X1A, Y0A-Y0B, Y1A V3B-V3E, V3H-V3X, V3Z-V4P, V5-V7 V0A-V0B, V0E-V0N, V0T, V0V, V0X, V1A-V1E, V1H, V1K-V3A, V3G, V3Y, V4R-V4Z, V8A-V8J V8N-V9E V0P, V0R, V0S, V8K-V8M, V9G-V9Z Add 1 day for National Priority service mailings from and to Major Urban Centres. For A0P, A0R and A2V (transported to the processing facility in Qu�bec QC for Expedited Parcel and Regular Parcel), add 6 business days to the delivery standard. These FSAs are considered non-major urban centres for the Expedited Parcel service. For P0T-P0X and P7A-P9N, items can be transported to either the Toronto or Winnipeg processing facilities for the purposes of calculating the most advantageous delivery standard possible. In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Priority™, follow these steps: Using Section 1.1 Important definitions, determine whether the item is being sent locally, regionally or nationally. Using Table 11, determine whether the item is originating from a major or non-major urban centre and retain the name of the designated processing facility. Using Table 11, determine whether the item is addressed to a major or non-major urban centre and retain the name of the designated processing facility. Using Table 12: Priority delivery standards grid, determine the delivery standard using the nearest point of origin and destination obtained in steps 2 and 3. Adjust the delivery standard as follows: If the item is originating from or is addressed to a non-major urban centre (as it was determined in steps 2 or 3) and is a regional or national shipment: add 1 day. If the processing facilities identified in steps 2 or 3 are the same and the shipment is not a local shipment: add 1 day. If either the originating or destination FSA is non-major, use Table 9: Postal codes of remote areas to determine if either Postal Code is also remote. If the originating or destination Postal Code is remote: add up to 6 days. Table 12: Priority delivery standards grid Magnify + Xpresspost™ and Xpresspost™ Certified In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Xpresspost or Xpresspost Certified, follow these steps: Using Table 13: Xpresspost and Xpresspost Certified delivery standards grid, determine the delivery standard using the names of the processing facilities obtained in steps 2 and 3. Adjust the delivery standard as follows: Table 13: Xpresspost and Xpresspost Certified delivery standards grid Magnify + In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Expedited Parcel, follow these steps: Using Table 14: Expedited Parcel delivery standards grid, determine the delivery standard using names of the processing facilities obtained in steps 2 and 3. Adjust the delivery standard as follows: Table 14: Expedited Parcel delivery standards grid Magnify + In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Flat rate box, follow these steps: Using Table 15: Flat rate box delivery standards grid, determine the delivery standard using names of the processing facilities obtained in steps 2 and 3. Adjust the delivery standard as follows: Table 15: Flat rate box delivery standards grid Magnify + In order to calculate the estimated delivery standard for Regular Parcel, follow these steps: Using Table 16: Regular Parcel delivery standards grid, determine the delivery standard using the names of the processing facilities obtained in steps 2 and 3. Adjust the delivery standard as follows: Table 16: Regular Parcel delivery standards grid Magnify + Parcel Services (U.S.A. and International) Delivery standards for the International and U.S. Parcel services are estimates of how long it will take for an item to be delivered. Delivery standards to the U.S.A. Priority™ Worldwide Delivery standards are only available on the Canada Post website at canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGservstdsp1-e.asp or by calling Canada Post Customer Service at 1-888-550-6333. Xpresspost™ – USA In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Xpresspost - USA, follow these steps: Use Table 17: Transit time - Xpresspost – USA to determine to which of the three processing facilities the shipment will be forwarded based on your originating FSA. Retain the number of additional business days to add to the delivery standard. Determine the applicable delivery standard, considering the processing facility determined in step 1, using one of the following tables: Use Table 18: Xpresspost – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres if the item is addressed to one of the 27 listed major U.S. cities Use Table 19: Xpresspost – USA delivery standard to U.S. states if the item is not addressed to one of the major cities listed in Table 18. Add the number of additional business days retained in step 1 to the delivery standard. 1. The above calculations are for estimation purposes only. Actual guaranteed standard is calculated by the automated shipping system at time of purchase, as some exceptions apply. 2. The On-time Delivery Guarantee does not apply to: post office box addresses; food items; items mailed to U.S. territories and possessions (American Samoa 96799; Wake Island 96898; Guam, Palau, Micronesia, Mariana Islands and Marshall Islands 969); United States Army Post Offices (APO's) or military installations (U.S. Military Zips 090-098, 962-966, 340). Table 17: Transit time - Xpresspost – USA Add Zero Days Add 1 Day G0A-G0G, G0H-G0W, G0X, G0Y-H0M, J0A-J0L, J0N-J0W, J0X, J0Y, J0Z-J4B, J4T, J5A-K0G, K0J, K1A-K7C, K7H, K7S-K8H Add 2 Days A0A-A0E, A0G, A0H, A0J, A0K, A0L, A0M, A0N, A0P0A3, A0P0A5, A0P1C0-A0P1E0, A0P1S0, A0R-B0C, B0E-B0K, B0L-E9H, X0A0A1, X0A0H0, X0A1H0 G0G0A2-G0G0A4, G0G0A6-G0G0A7, G0G0A9, G0G0B3-G0G0B5, G0G0B7-G0G0B9, G0G0C1, G0G0C5-G0G0C7, G0G1C0-G0G1G0, G0G1J0, G0G1M0-G0G1N0, G0G1S0-G0G1T0, G0G1W0, G0G1Z0, G0G2C0, G0G2G0, G0G2P0-G0G2T0, G0G2W0-G0G2Z0, G0W0A4, G0W0C2, G0W1C0, G0W3B0-G0W3C0, G0X0E5, G0X0E9, G0X3M0, G0X3P0-G0X3R0, J0M, J0W2C0, J0Y0A1- J0Y0A2, J0Y0A5, J0Y2X0, J0Y3B0, J0Y3H0, X0A0A3, X0A0W0 A0E3B0, A0G0B3, A0G0B8, A0G0C9, A0G0E8, A0G0H5, A0G0J5, A0G0J8, A0G1R0, A0G1W0, A0G2B0, A0G2W0-A0G2X0, A0G3V0, A0G3Z0-A0G4B0, A0G4H0, A0H0A7, A0H0B8, A0H0C3, A0H1L0, A0H1N0, A0H1S0, A0H2C0, A0J0B1-A0J0B2, A0J1K0, A0J1L0, A0J1N0, A0K0A1-A0K0A2, A0K0A5, A0K0A7-A0K0A8, A0K0B1, A0K0B3, A0K0B5, A0K0B7, A0K0C1-A0K0C2, A0K0C6, A0K0C8-A0K0C9, A0K0E5, A0K0E9-A0K0G3, A0K0G8-A0K0H1, A0K0H4-A0K0H5, A0K0H7-A0K0J3, A0K0J6, A0K0J9-A0K0K1, A0K0K3, A0K1A0, A0K1C0, A0K1J0-A0K1P0, A0K1T0-A0K1W0, A0K1Y0-A0K1Z0, A0K2B0, A0K2G0-A0K2J0, A0K2N0-A0K2X0, A0K3K0-A0K3L0, A0K3N0-A0K3P0, A0K3Y0, A0K4A0, A0K4E0, A0K4J0, A0K4L0, A0K4P0, A0K4S0-A0K4W0, A0K5C0, A0K5P0, A0K5S0, A0K5V0, A0K5Y0, A0M1K0, A0N0A6, A0N0B5, A0N2K0-A0N2L0, A0P0A1-A0P0A2, A0P0A4, A0P0A6-A0P1A0, A0P1G0-A0P1P0, B0C1E0, B0K1J0, X0A L1G-L1Z, L3L, L3P-L3T, L3X-L3Y, L4A-L4L, L4S-L7A, M1B-M9W K0H-K0M, K7G-K7R, K8N-L1E, L2A-L3K, L3M, L3V, L3Z, L4M-L4R, L7B-L9Z, N0A-N0R, N1A-P0G, P1A-P6C P0H, P0J-P0L, P0M, P0N-P0T, P0V, P0W, P0X, P0Y, P7A-P8N, P8T, P9A-R0A, R0C, R0E, R0G-R0J, R0K-R0L, R0M-R7N R0B, R0C0B8, R0C1E0, R8A-R9A N0R1M0, P0H1C0, P0L0A2, P0L0A7, P0L0B2, P0L0B4-P0L0B5, P0L1A0, P0L1H0, P0L1S0, P0L1W0-P0L1Y0, P0L2H0, P0L2P0, P0M0B3, P0M1C0, P0M2S0, P0M2X0, P0M2Z0, P0T0A1, P0T0B1-P0T0B2, P0T0C7, P0T1L0, P0T1P0, P0T1Z0, P0T2L0, P0T3A0-P0T3B0, P0V0A1, P0V0A3, P0V0A7, P0V0B1, P0V0B4-P0V0B5, P0V0B8-P0V0C5, P0V0C7-P0V1B0, P0V1E0-P0V1J0, P0V1M0-P0V1N0, P0V1V0-P0V1W0, P0V1Y0-P0V2A0, P0V2G0, P0V2L0, P0V2P0, P0V2Y0-P0V2Z0, P0V3B0-P0V3G0, P0X0A5, P0X1B0, P0X1E0, P0X1P0 R0A0S0, R0B0A0-R0B0A4, R0B0A7-R0B0B2, R0B0B4-R0B0B9, R0B0C1-R0B0G0, R0B0L0-R0B1S0, R0B1W0-R0B2H0, R0C0B9, R0C0E2, R0C0G4, R0C0J0, R0C0V0, R0C1V0, R0C2A0, R0C2P0, R0C3K0, R0E0B1, R0E0B6, R0E0C3, R0E0J0, R0E1E0, R0E1K0, R0E1N0, R0E2E0, R0J0L0, R0J0Z0, R0J1K0, R0J1Y0, R0L0A3, R0L0A6, R0L0B5, R0L0C5, R0L0E2, R0L0K0, R0L0M0, R0L0R0, R0L1L0, R0L1Y0, R0L2C0, R0L2K0, S0P, X0C V0M, V0X, V1M, V1P, V1S, V1V-V2E, V2H, V2P-V8A, V8L, V8N-V9E S0A-S0C, S0E, S0G-S0H, S0J, S0K, S0L, S0M, S0N, S2VT0A, T0B, T0C, T0E, T0G, T0J, T0K, T0L, T0M, T1A-T8R, T8T, T9A-V0B, V0E, V0G, V0H-V0J, V0K, V0L, V0N, V0P, V0R, V0S, V0V, V1A-V1E, V1H, V1K-V1L, V1N, V1R, V1T, V2G, V2J-V2N, V8B-V8K, V8M, V9G-V9Z, X1A T0H, T8S, T8V-T8X, V0C, V1G, V1J, Y1A S0C0V0, S0E0A4, S0E0G0, S0E0S0, S0H0G3, S0H1W0, S0H2V0, S0H3M0, S0J0B9, S0J0C2, S0J0C3, S0J0C6, S0J0C9, S0J0E1, S0J0G6, S0J0G8, S0J0H0-S0J0H1, S0J0W0, S0J1S0, S0J1Y0, S0J2B0, S0J2L0, S0J2P0, S0J2R0, S0J2S0-S0J2T0, S0J2W0, S0J3C0, S0J3E0, S0K0A9, S0K0H0, S0K0J8, S0K1L0, S0K1Y0, S0K2C0, S0K3N0, S0K3S0, S0K4B0, S0K4E0-S0K4H0, S0L0B7, S0L0E5, S0L0J0, S0L1Y0, S0M0A1, S0M0A6, S0M0B5-S0M0B6, S0M0B8, S0M0C5-S0M0C6, S0M0G0, S0M0G3, S0M0H0, S0M0K0, S0M0M0, S0M0S0, S0M1G0, S0M2H0, S0M2M0, S0M3B0-S0M3H0, T0A0A4-T0A0A5, T0A0B5-T0A0B6, T0A0C4, T0A1S0-T0A1S1, T0A1X0, T0A2A0-T0A2B0, T0A2E0, T0A2J0, T0A3G0, T0A3K0, T0B0M0, T0C0R0-T0C0S0, T0C0W0, T0C1W0, T0E0B2, T0E0K0-T0E0L0, T0E1H0, T0G0A5, T0G0K0, T0G2N0, T0G2W0, T0H0B9, T0H0E6, T0H0G6, T0H0N0, T0H0S0, T0H1J0, T0H1R0, T0H2N0-T0H2N2, T0H3X0, T0H4A0, T0J0A5, T0J0B3, T0J0E7, T0J0K0, T0J0X0, T0J1C0, T0J1H0, T0J1L0-T0J1M0, T0J2G0, T0J2M0, T0J2Z0, T0J3C0, T0J3J0, T0K0A0, T0K0A5, T0K0B4-T0K0B5, T0K0C3, T0K0C5, T0K0C9, T0K0S0, T0K1E0, T0K1L0, T0K1N0, T0K1R0, T0K2J0, T0K2M0, T0K2R0, T0L1Y0, T0M0C6, T0M1L0, T0M2H0, T0P, V0B1R0, V0C0A7-V0C0B1, V0C0B8, V0C1E0-V0C1G0, V0C1K0-V0C1L0, V0C1S0, V0C1Y0-V0C2B0, V0C2H0, V0C2R0-V0C2V0, V0C2X0-V0C2Z0, V0E1S0, V0G0B1, V0G0B5, V0G1B0, V0G1N0, V0J0A2, V0J0B4, V0J0B6, V0J0B7, V0J0B8, V0J0C4-V0J0C5, V0J1A0, V0J1H0-V0J1K0, V0J1R0, V0J1T0, V0J1X0, V0J2B0, V0J2H0, V0J2K0, V0J2P0, V0J2T0-V0J2W0, V0J2Z0, V0J3B0-V0J3E0, V0J3J0-V0J3M0, V0J3T0, V0K0B3, V0K1N0-V0K1P0, V0L0A2-V0L0A3, V0L0A7-V0L1C0, V0L1H0-V0L1K0, V0L1M0, V0L1R0-V0L1X0, V0N0A6, V0N0B2, V0N0E4, V0N1M0, V0N1Z0, V0N2B0, V0N2V0, V0N3L0, V0P0A1-V0P0A2, V0P0A4, V0P1B0, V0P1J0-V0P1L0, V0P1P0, V0P1S0, V0P1V0-V0P1W0, V0P1Z0, V0R0B3, V0R0B4, V0R1A0, V0R1B0, V0R2B0, V0R2J0, V0S1K0, V0T, V0V0A2-V0V1E0, V0V1H0, V0W T0V, X0B, X0E, X0G, Y0A Please verify that your complete postal code does not appear elsewhere in the Transit Time table. Table 18: Xpresspost – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres To: Major Centres From processing facility: Table 19: Xpresspost – USA delivery standard to U.S. states To: State Dest. Code Expedited Parcel™ – USA In order to calculate the delivery standard for Expedited Parcel - USA, follow these steps: Use Table 20: Transit time - Expedited Parcel – USA to determine to which of the three processing facilities the shipment will be forwarded based on your originating FSA. Retain the number of additional business days to add to the delivery standard. Determine the applicable delivery standard, considering the processing facility determined in step 1, using one of the following: tables: Use Table 21: Expedited Parcel – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres if the item is addressed to one of the 27 listed major U.S. cities Use Table 22: Expedited Parcel – USA delivery standards to U.S. states if the item is not addressed to one of the major cities listed in Table 21. Table 20: Transit time - Expedited Parcel – USA G0A, G0M-G0T, G0X, G0Y-G4A, G5V, G5Y-G7A, G8T-J0L, J0N-J0W, J0X-J0Y, J0Z-K0G, K0J, K1A-K7C, K7H, K7S-K8H B0C, B0E-B0K, B0L-E9H, G0C-G0G, G0H-G0L, G0V, G0W, G4R-G4S, G4V-G5T, G7B-G8P A1A-A1H, A1N, A1V, A2A-A2N, A5A, A8A A0A-A0E, A0G, A0H, A0J, A0K, A0L, A0M, A0N, A1K-A1M, A1S, A1W-A1Y A0P, A0R1B0, A2V, G0G0A2-G0G0A4, G0G0A6-G0G0A7, G0G0A9, G0G0B3-G0G0B5, G0G0B7-G0G0B9, G0G0C1, G0G0C5-G0G0C8, G0G1C0-G0G1G0, G0G1J0, G0G1M0-G0G1N0, G0G1S0-G0G1T0, G0G1W0, G0G1Z0, G0G2C0, G0G2G0, G0G2P0-G0G2T0, G0G2W0-G0G2Z0, G0W0A4, G0W0C2, G0W1C0, G0W3B0-G0W3C0, G0X0E5, G0X3M0, G0X3P0-G0X3R0, G4T, J0M, J0W2C0, J0Y0A1-J0Y0A2, J0Y0A5, J0Y2X0-J0Y3B0, J0Y3H0, X0A0A1, X0A0A3, X0A0H0, X0A0W0-X0A1H0 A0R* A0E3B0, A0G0B3, A0G0B8, A0G0C9, A0G0E8, A0G0H5, A0G0J5, A0G0J8, A0G1R0, A0G1W0, A0G2B0, A0G2W0-A0G2X0, A0G3V0, A0G3Z0-A0G4B0, A0G4H0, A0H0A7, A0H0B8, A0H0C3, A0H1L0, A0H1N0, A0H1S0, A0H2C0, A0J0B1-A0J0B2, A0J1K0, A0J1L0, A0J1N0, A0K0A1-A0K0A2, A0K0A5, A0K0A8, A0K0B1, A0K0B5, A0K0B7, A0K0C2, A0K0C6, A0K0C9, A0K0E5, A0K0E9-A0K0G3, A0K0G8-A0K0H1, A0K0H3-A0K0H5, A0K0H7-A0K0J3, A0K0J6, A0K0J9-A0K0K1, A0K0K3-A0K1A0, A0K1C0, A0K1J0-A0K1P0, A0K1W0, A0K1Y0-A0K1Z0, A0K2B0, A0K2G0-A0K2J0, A0K2N0, A0K2V0-A0K2X0, A0K3N0, A0K3Y0, A0K4A0, A0K4E0, A0K4J0, A0K4L0, A0K4P0, A0K4S0-A0K4V0, A0K5C0, A0K5P0, A0M1K0, A0N0A6, A0N0B5, A0N2K0-A0N2L0, A0P0A1, A0P0A2, A0P0A4, A0P0A6, A0P0A7, A0P0A8, A0P1A0, A0P1G0, A0P1J0, A0P1K0, A0P1L0, A0P1M0, A0P1N0, A0P1P0, B0C1E0, B0K1J0, X0A K0H, K0K-K0M, K7G, K7K-K7R, K8N-N0R, N1A-P0G, P1H-P2A P0H P0J-P0L, P0M, P0N-P0S, P1A-P1C, P2B-P7L P0T, P0V, P0W, P0X, P0Y, P8N-P9N, R0A, R0B, R0C, R0E, R0G-R0H, R0J, R0K, R0L, R0M-S0C, S0G, S0H, S0N, S2V-S6K, S7A-S7C, S7H-S7W, S9H S0E, S0J, S0K, S0L, S0M, S6V-S6X, S9A, S9V-S9X, T9V R0A0S0, R0B0A0-R0B0A4, R0B0A7-R0B0B2, R0B0B4-R0B0B9, R0B0C1-R0B0G0, R0B0L0-R0B1S0, R0B1W0-R0B2H0, R0C0B9, R0C0E2, R0C0G4, R0C0J0, R0C0V0, R0C1V0, R0C2A0, R0C2P0, R0C3K0, R0E0B1, R0E0B6, R0E0C3, R0E0J0, R0E1E0, R0E1K0, R0E1N0, R0E2E0, R0J0L0, R0J0Z0, R0J1K0, R0J1Y0, R0L0A3, R0L0A6, R0L0B5, R0L0C5, R0L0E2, R0L0K0, R0L0M0, R0L0R0, R0L1L0, R0L1Y0, R0L2C0, R0L2K0, S0C0V0, S0E0A4, S0E0G0, S0E0S0, S0H0G3, S0H1W0, S0H2V0, S0H3M0, S0J0B9, S0J0C2-S0J0C3, S0J0C6, S0J0C9, S0J0E1, S0J0G6, S0J0G8, S0J0H0-S0J0H1, S0J0W0, S0J1S0, S0J1Y0, S0J2B0, S0J2L0, S0J2P0-S0J2W0, S0J3C0-S0J3E0, S0K0A9, S0K0H0, S0K0J8, S0K1L0, S0K1Y0, S0K2C0, S0K3N0, S0K3S0, S0K4B0, S0K4E0-S0K4H0, S0L0B7, S0L0E5, S0L0J0, S0L1Y0, S0M0A1, S0M0A6, S0M0B5-S0M0B6, S0M0B8, S0M0C5-S0M0C6, S0M0G0, S0M0G3, S0M0H0, S0M0K0, S0M0M0, S0M0S0, S0M1G0, S0M2H0, S0M2M0, S0M3B0-S0M3H0, S0P V1M, V2P-V4S, V4W-V7Y, V8L, V8N-V9E T1X-T3Z, T5A-T6X, T8A-T8H, T8N, T8T, V0B, V0G, V0H, V0L, V0M, V0N, V0P, V0R, V0S, V0X-V1E, V1H, V1K-V1L, V1N-V2N, V4T-V4V, V8A-V8B, V8K, V8M, V9G-V9Z T0A, T0B, T0C, T0E, T0G T0H, T0J, T0K, T0L, T0M, T1A-T1W, T4A-T4X, T7A-T7Z, T8L, T8R, T8V-T9S, T9W-V0A, V0C, V0E, V0J, V0K, V0V, V1G, V1J, V8C-V8J X1A, Y1A T0A0A4-T0A0A5, T0A0B5-T0A0B6, T0A0C4, T0A1S0, T0A1S1, T0A1X0, T0A2A0-T0A2B0, T0A2E0, T0A2J0, T0A3G0, T0A3K0, T0B0M0, T0C0R0-T0C0S0, T0C0W0, T0C1W0, T0E0B2, T0E0K0-T0E0L0, T0E1H0, T0G0A5, T0G0K0, T0G2N0-T0G2W0, T0H0B9, T0H0E6, T0H0G6, T0H0N0, T0H0S0, T0H1J0, T0H1R0, T0H2N0-T0H2N2, T0H3X0, T0H4A0, T0J0A5, T0J0B3, T0J0E7, T0J0K0, T0J0X0, T0J1C0, T0J1H0, T0J1L0-T0J1M0, T0J2G0, T0J2M0, T0J2Z0, T0J3C0, T0J3J0, T0K0A0, T0K0A5, T0K0B4-T0K0B5, T0K0C3, T0K0C5, T0K0C9, T0K0S0, T0K1E0, T0K1L0, T0K1N0, T0K1R0, T0K2J0, T0K2M0, T0K2R0, T0L1Y0, T0M0C6, T0M1L0, T0M2H0, T0P, V0B1R0, V0C0A7-V0C0B1, V0C0B8, V0C1E0-V0C1G0, V0C1K0-V0C1L0, V0C1S0, V0C1Y0-V0C2B0, V0C2H0, V0C2R0-V0C2V0, V0C2X0-V0C2Z0, V0E1S0, V0G0B1, V0G0B5, V0G1B0, V0G1N0, V0J0A2, V0J0B4, V0J0B6-V0J0B8, V0J0C4-V0J1A0, V0J1H0-V0J1K0, V0J1R0, V0J1T0, V0J1X0, V0J2B0, V0J2H0, V0J2K0, V0J2P0, V0J2T0-V0J2W0, V0J2Z0, V0J3B0-V0J3E0, V0J3J0-V0J3M0, V0J3T0, V0K0B3, V0K1N0-V0K1P0, V0L0A2-V0L0A3, V0L0A7-V0L1C0, V0L1H0-V0L1K0, V0L1M0, V0L1R0-V0L1X0, V0N0A6, V0N0B2, V0N0E4, V0N1M0, V0N1Z0-V0N2B0, V0N2V0, V0N3L0, V0P0A1-V0P0A2, V0P0A4, V0P1B0, V0P1J0-V0P1L0, V0P1P0, V0P1S0, V0P1V0-V0P1W0, V0P1Z0, V0R0B3-V0R0B4, V0R1A0-V0R1B0, V0R2B0, V0R2J0, V0S1K0, V0T, V0V0A2-V0V1E0, V0V1H0, V0W T0V, X0B-X0G, Y0A-Y0B Table 21: Expedited Parcel – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres Table 22: Expedited Parcel – USA delivery standards to U.S. states Dest. Tracked Packet™ – USA Please note that delivery standards for Tracked Packet – USA are expected delivery times and are not guaranteed. In order to calculate the expected delivery time for Tracked Packet – USA, follow these steps: Use Table 23: Transit time - Tracked Packet – USA to determine to which of the three processing facilities you item will be forwarded to based on your originating FSA. Retain the number of additional business days to add to the delivery standard. Determine the applicable delivery standard, considering the processing facility determined in step 1, using one of the following: Use Table 24: Tracked Packet – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres if the item is addressed to one of the 27 listed major U.S. cities Use Table 25: Tracked Packet – USA delivery standards to U.S. states if the item is not addressed to one of the major cities listed in Table 24. Add the number of additional business days retained in step 1 to the delivery standard in step 2. Table 23: Transit time - Tracked Packet – USA G0A, G0M-G0X, G0Y-G4A, G5A, G5V-G7A, G8T-G9X, H1A-J0L, J0N-J0V, J0W, J0X, J1A-J9L, K1A-K4A A0A-A0E, A0G, A0H, A0J, A0L, A0M, A0N, A1A-A2N, A5A-B0C, B0E-B0J, B0K, B0L-E2S, E3A-E3G, E3N-E5A, E5C-E9H, G0C-G0G, G0H-G0L, G0T-G0W, G4R-G4Z, G5B-G5T, G7B-G8P, H0M, J0Y, J0Z, J9P-K0G, K0J, K4B-K7C, K7H, K7S-K8H A0K, A0P, A0R, A2V, E2V, E3L, E5B, X0A0A1, X0A0H0, X0A1H0 G0G0A2-G0G0A4, G0G0A6-G0G0A7, G0G0A9, G0G0B3-G0G0B5, G0G0B7-G0G0B9, G0G0C1, G0G0C5-G0G0C7, G0G1C0-G0G1G0, G0G1J0, G0G1M0-G0G1N0, G0G1S0-G0G1T0, G0G1W0, G0G1Z0, G0G2C0, G0G2G0, G0G2P0-G0G2T0, G0G2W0-G0G2Z0, G0W0A4, G0W0C2, G0W1C0, G0W3B0-G0W3C0, G0X0E5, G0X0E9, G0X3M0, G0X3P0-G0X3R0, J0M, J0W2C0, J0Y0A1-J0Y0A2, J0Y0A5, J0Y2X0, J0Y3B0J0Y3H0, X0A0A3, X0A0W0 A0E3B0, A0G0B3, A0G0B8, A0G0C9, A0G0E8, A0G0H5, A0G0J5, A0G0J8, A0G1R0, A0G1W0, A0G2B0, A0G2W0-A0G2X0, A0G3V0, A0G3Z0-A0G4B0, A0G4H0, A0H0A7, A0H0B8, A0H0C3, A0H1L0, A0H1N0, A0H1S0, A0H2C0, A0J0B1-A0J0B2, A0J1K0, A0J1L0, A0J1N0, A0K0A1-A0K0A2, A0K0A5, A0K0A7-A0K0A8, A0K0B1, A0K0B5, A0K0B7, A0K0C1-A0K0C2, A0K0C6, A0K0C8-A0K0C9, A0K0E5, A0K0E9-A0K0G3, A0K0G8-A0K0H1, A0K0H3-A0K0H5, A0K0H7-A0K0J3, A0K0J6, A0K0J9-A0K0K1, A0K0K3-A0K1A0, A0K1C0, A0K1J0-A0K1P0, A0K1W0, A0K1Y0-A0K1Z0, A0K2B0, A0K2G0-A0K2J0, A0K2N0, A0K2V0-A0K2X0, A0K3N0, A0K3Y0, A0K4A0, A0K4E0, A0K4J0, A0K4L0, A0K4P0, A0K4S0-A0K4V0, A0K5C0, A0K5P0, A0M1K0, A0N0A6, A0N0B5, A0N2K0-A0N2L0, A0P0A1, A0P0A2, A0P0A4, A0P0A6-A0P1A0, A0P1G0-A0P1P0, B0C1E0, B0K1J0, X0A K0H, K0K-K0M, K7G, K7K-K7R, K8N-N0B, N0E-N0G, N0K, N1A-N4B, N4N,N4W, N4Z-N5A, N5R-N6P, N8N-N9K, P0A-P0G, P1H-P2A K0H-K0M, K7G-K7P, N0C, N0H-N0J, N0L-N0R, N4G-N4L N4S-N4V, N4X, N5C-N5R, N7A-N8M, N9V-N9Y, P0H, P0J-P0L, P0Y-P1C, P2B, R0A, R0C, R0E, R0GR0J, R0K-R0L, R0M-R7N N0R1M0, P0H1C0, P0L0A2, P0L0A7, P0L0B2, P0L0B4-P0L0B5, P0L1A0, P0L1H0, P0L1S0, P0L1W0, P0L1Y0, P0L2H0, P0L2P0, P0M0B3, P0M1C0, P0M2S0, P0M2X0, P0M2Z0, P0T0A1, P0T0B1-P0T0B2, P0T0C7, P0T1L0, P0T1P0, P0T1Z0, P0T2L0, P0T3A0, P0T3B0, P0V0A1, P0V0A3, P0V0A7, P0V0B1, P0V0B4-P0V0B5, P0V0B8-P0V0C5, P0V0C7-P0V1B0, P0V1E0-P0V1J0, P0V1M0, P0V1N0, P0V1V0, P0V1W0, P0V1Y0, P0V1Z0, P0V2A0, P0V2G0, P0V2L0, P0V2P0, P0V2Y0, P0V2Z0, P0V3B0, P0V3C0, P0V3E0, P0V3G0, P0X0A5, P0X1B0, P0X1E0, P0X1P0 R0A0S0, R0B0A0-R0B0A2, R0B0A4, R0B0A7-R0B0B2, R0B0B4-R0B0B9, R0B0C1-R0B0G0, R0B0M0-R0B0V0, R0B0Y0-R0B0Z0, R0B1C0-R0B1E0, R0B1H0-R0B1J0, R0B1L0, R0B1P0-R0B1R0, R0B1Z0, R0B2G0-R0B2H0, R0C0B9, R0C0E2, R0C0G4, R0C0J0, R0C0V0, R0C1V0, R0C2A0, R0C2P0, R0C3K0, R0E0B1, R0E0B6, R0E0C3, R0E0J0, R0E1E0, R0E1K0, R0E1N0, R0E2E0, R0J0L0, R0J0Z0, R0J1K0, R0J1Y0, R0L0A3, R0L0A6, R0L0B5, R0L0C5, R0L0K0, R0L0M0, R0L0R0, R0L1L0, R0L1Y0, R0L2C0, R0L2K0, S0P, X0C S0A-S0C, S0E, S0G-S0H, S0J, S0K, S0L, S0M, S0N, S2VT0A, T0B, T0C, T0E, T0G, T0J, T0K, T0L, T0M, T1A-T8R, T8T, T9A-V0B, V0E, V0G, V0H-V0J, V0K, V0L, V0N, V0P, V0R, V0S, V0V, V1A-V1E, V1H, V1K-V1L, V1N, V1R, V1T, V2G, V2J-V2N, V8B-V8K, V8M, V9G-V9Z, X1A, Y1A T0H, T8S, T8V-T8X, V0C, V1G, V1J S0C0V0, S0E0A4, S0E0G0, S0E0S0, S0H0G3, S0H1W0, S0H2V0, S0H3M0, S0J0B9, S0J0C2, S0J0C3, S0J0C6, S0J0C9, S0J0E1, S0J0G6, S0J0G8, S0J0H0-S0J0H1, S0J0W0, S0J1S0, S0J1Y0, S0J2B0, S0J2L0, S0J2P0, S0J2R0, S0J2S0-S0J2T0, S0J2W0, S0J3C0, S0J3E0, S0K0A9, S0K0H0, S0K0J8, S0K1L0, S0K1Y0, S0K2C0, S0K3N0, S0K3S0, S0K4B0, S0K4E0-S0K4H0, S0L0B7, S0L0E5, S0L0J0, S0L1Y0, S0M0A1, S0M0A6, S0M0B5-S0M0B6, S0M0B8, S0M0C5-S0M0C6, S0M0G0, S0M0G3, S0M0H0, S0M0K0, S0M0M0, S0M0S0, S0M1G0, S0M2H0, S0M2M0, S0M3B0-S0M3H0, T0A0A4-T0A0A5, T0A0B5-T0A0B6, T0A0C4, T0A1S0-T0A1S1, T0A1X0, T0A2A0-T0A2B0, T0A2E0, T0A2J0, T0A3G0, T0A3K0, T0B0M0, T0C0R0-T0C0S0, T0C0W0, T0C1W0, T0E0B2, T0E0K0-T0E0L0, T0E1H0, T0G0A5, T0G0K0, T0G2N0, T0G2W0, T0H0B9, T0H0E6, T0H0G6, T0H0N0, T0H0S0, T0H1J0, T0H1R0, T0H2N0-T0H2N2, T0H3X0, T0H4A0, T0J0A5, T0J0B3, T0J0E7, T0J0K0, T0J0X0, T0J1C0, T0J1H0, T0J1L0-T0J1M0, T0J2G0, T0J2M0, T0J2Z0, T0J3C0, T0J3J0, T0K0A0, T0K0A5, T0K0B4-T0K0B5, T0K0C3, T0K0C5, T0K0C9, T0K0S0, T0K1E0, T0K1L0, T0K1N0, T0K1R0, T0K2J0, T0K2M0, T0K2R0, T0L1Y0, T0M0C6, T0M1L0, T0M2H0, T0P, V0B1R0, V0C0A7-V0C0B1, V0C0B8, V0C1E0-V0C1G0, V0C1K0-V0C1L0, V0C1S0, V0C1Y0-V0C2B0, V0C2H0, V0C2R0-V0C2V0, V0C2X0-V0C2Z0, V0E1S0, V0G0B1, V0G0B5, V0G1B0, V0G1N0, V0J0A2, V0J0B4, V0J0B6, V0J0B7, V0J0B8, V0J0C4-V0J0C5, V0J1A0, V0J1H0-V0J1K0, V0J1R0, V0J1T0, V0J1X0, V0J2B0, V0J2H0, V0J2K0, V0J2P0, V0J2T0-V0J2W0, V0J2Z0, V0J3B0-V0J3E0, V0J3J0-V0J3M0, V0J3T0, V0K0B3, V0K1N0-V0K1P0, V0L0A2-V0L0A3, V0L0A7-V0L1C0, V0L1H0-V0L1K0, V0L1M0, V0L1R0-V0L1X0, V0N0A6, V0N0B2, V0N0E4, V0N1M0, V0N1Z0, V0N2B0, V0N2V0, V0N3L0, V0P0A1-V0P0A2, V0P0A4, V0P1B0, V0P1J0-V0P1L0, V0P1P0, V0P1S0, V0P1V0-V0P1W0, V0P1Z0, V0R0B3, V0R0B4, V0R1A0, V0R1B0, V0R2B0, V0R2J0, V0S1K0, V0T, V0V0A2-V0V1E0, V0V1H0, V0W T0V, X0B, X0E, X0G, Y0A-Y0B* Table 24: Tracked Packet – USA delivery standards to Major U.S. Urban Centres Table 25: Tracked Packet – USA delivery standards to U.S. states Small Packet™ The estimated delivery standards to U.S. destinations are: Small Packet – Air Delivery standards to an international destination Xpresspost™ – International In order to calculate the guaranteed delivery standard for Xpresspost-International, follow these steps: Use Table 26: Transit time - Xpresspost – International to determine to which of the three processing facilities you item will be forwarded to based on your originating FSA. Retain the number of additional business days to add to the delivery standard. If your FSA* is in the range of P0V-T9X, X0B-X0G and Y0A-Y0B you will need to use the instructions in Section 4.2 to determine the domestic Xpresspost standard between your FSA and the Forward Processing Facility identified. Determine the applicable delivery standard, considering the processing facility determined in step 1, using Table 27: Xpresspost – International delivery standards to select destinations. The On-time Delivery Guarantee applies to all destinations. Table 26: Transit time - Xpresspost – International G0A, G0M-G0S, G0X, G0Y-G4A, G5A, G5V-G7A, G8T-G9X, G1A-G9X, H1A-J0L, J0N-J0W, J0X, J1A-J9L, K1A-K4A A0A-A0E, A0G, A0H, A0J, A0L, A0M, A0N, A1A-A2N, A5A-B0C, B0E-B0K, B0L-E2S, E3A-E3G, E3N-E5A, E5C-E9H, G0C-G0G, G0H-G0L, G0T-G0W, G0X, G0Y-G0Z, G1A-G9X, H0M, J0A-J0L, J0Y, J0Z, K0A-K0G, K0J, K4B-K7C, K7H, K7H, K7S-K8H G0G0A2-G0G0A4, G0G0A6-G0G0A7, G0G0A9, G0G0B3-G0G0B5, G0G0B7-G0G0B9, G0G0C1, G0G0C5-G0G0C8, G0G1C0-G0G1G0, G0G1J0, G0G1M0-G0G1N0, G0G1S0-G0G1T0, G0G1W0, G0G1Z0, G0G2C0, G0G2G0, G0G2P0-G0G2T0, G0G2W0-G0G2Z0, G0W0A4, G0W0C2, G0W1C0, G0W3B0-G0W3C0, G0X0E5, G0X0E9, G0X3M0, G0X3P0-G0X3R0, J0M, J0W2C0, J0Y0A1-J0Y0A2, J0Y0A5, J0Y2X0-J0Y3B0, J0Y3H0, X0A0A3, X0A0W0 A0E3B0, A0G0B3, A0G0B8, A0G0C9, A0G0E8, A0G0H5, A0G0J5, A0G0J8, A0G1R0, A0G1W0, A0G2B0, A0G2W0-A0G2X0, A0G3V0, A0G3Z0-A0G4B0, A0G4H0, A0H0A7, A0H0B8, A0H0C3, A0H1L0, A0H1N0, A0H1S0, A0H2C0, A0J0B1-A0J0B2, A0J1K0, A0J1L0, A0J1N0, A0K0A1-A0K0A2, A0K0A5, A0K0A7-A0K0A8, A0K0B1, A0K0B3, A0K0B5, A0K0B7, A0K0C1-A0K0C2, A0K0C6, A0K0C8-A0K0C9, A0K0E5, A0K0E9-A0K0G3, A0K0G8-A0K0H1, A0K0H3-A0K0H5, A0K0H7-A0K0J3, A0K0J6, A0K0J9-A0K0K1, A0K0K3-A0K1A0, A0K1C0, A0K1J0-A0K1P0, A0K1T0-A0K1W0, A0K1Y0-A0K1Z0, A0K2B0, A0K2G0-A0K2J0, A0K2N0-A0K2X0, A0K3K0-A0K3L0, A0K3N0-A0K3P0, A0K3Y0, A0K4A0, A0K4E0, A0K4J0-A0K4L0, A0K4P0, A0K4S0, A0K4W0, A0K5C0, A0K5P0, A0K5S0, A0K5V0, A0K5Y0, A0M1K0, A0N0A6, A0N0B5, A0N2K0-A0N2L0, A0P0A1, A0P0A2, A0P0A4, A0P0A6-A0P1A0, A0P1G0-A0P1P0, B0C1E0, B0K1J0, X0A* Add domestic delivery standard as per Section 4.2 If your FSA* is in the range of P0V-T9X or X0B-X0G or Y0A-Y0B and your item is going to: Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Curacao, Cyprus, Denmark, Dutch Caribbean, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Sint Maarten (Dutch Part), Spain, St Kitts & Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria or United Kingdom. K0H, K0K-K0M, K7G, K7K-K7R, K8N-N0B, N0E-N0G, N0K, N1A-N4B, N4N,N4W, N4Z-N5A, N5V-N6P, N8N-N9K, P0A-P0G, P1H-P2A N0C, N0H-N0J, N0L-N0R, N4G-N4L N4S-N4V, N4X, N5C-N5R, N7A-N8M, N9V-N9Y, P0H, P0J-P0L, P0M, P0N-P0T, P1A-P1C, P2B-P7L V0A, V0B, V0E, V0G, V0H, V0J, V0K, V0L, V0N, V0P, V0R, V0S, V0V, V1A-V1E, V1H,V1K-V1L, V1N, V1R, V1T, V2G, V2J-V2N, V8B-V8K, V8M, V9G-V9Z, X1A,Y1A V0B1R0, V0C0A7-V0C0B1, V0C0B8, V0C1E0-V0C1G0, V0C1K0-V0C1L0, V0C1S0, V0C1Y0-V0C2B0, V0C2H0, V0C2R0-V0C2V0, V0C2X0 -V0C2Z0, V0E1S0, V0G0B1, V0G0B5, V0G1B0, V0G1N0, V0J0A2, V0J0B4, V0J0B6-V0J0B8, V0J0C4-V0J1A0, V0J1H0-V0J1K0, V0J1R0, V0J1T0, V0J1X0, V0J2B0, V0J2H0, V0J2K0, V0J2P0, V0J2T0-V0J2W0, V0J2Z0, V0J3B0-V0J3E0, V0J3J0-V0J3M0, V0J3T0, V0K0B3, V0K1N0-V0K1P0, V0L0A2-V0L0A3, V0L0A7-V0L1C0, V0L1H0-V0L1K0, V0L1M0, V0L1R0-V0L1X0, V0N0A6, V0N0B2, V0N0E4-V0N0E5, V0N1M0, V0N1Z0-V0N2B0, V0N2V0, V0N3L0, V0P0A1-V0P0A2, V0P0A4, V0P1B0, V0P1J0-V0P1L0, V0P1P0, V0P1S0, V0P1V0-V0P1W0, V0P1Z0, V0R0B3-V0R0B4, V0R1A0-V0R1B0, V0R2B0, V0R2J0, V0S1K0, V0T, V0V0A2-V0V1E0, V0V1H0, V0W Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea (South), Malaysia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. Table 27: Xpresspost – International delivery standards to select destinations To: Destination	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1225
__label__wiki	0.880251	0.880251	UN human rights expert slams Myanmar military and rebels NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar - Voicing alarm at the escalating violence in northern and central Rakhine state and Chin state, the UN Special Rapporteur on human Rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, has urged all sides, including the State military and ethnic armed groups, to show restraint and protect civilians. In a statement, Ms. Lee added that "blocking humanitarian access is a serious violation of international humanitarian law." On 10 January, a letter was sent by the Rakhine state government to the UN and international humanitarian agencies with instructions, apart from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to suspend their activities in the five townships in northern Rakhine that are affected by the conflict, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungdaw. Since November last year, the Arakan Army separatists and the Myanmar military have been engaged in heavy fighting, which has resulted in deaths and injuries to civilians. Since early December, at least 5,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Condemning the attack by the Arakan Army on the four Border Guard Police posts on 4 January and expressing concern at the Myanmar military disproportionate response to the attack, Ms. Lee stressed that "all the people of Rakhine state, including the Rakhine, Mro, Daignet, Hindu and Rohingya, have already suffered enough". The UN human rights expert also expressed her concern about the risks of "exacerbating divisions among communities in an already fractured state, further complicating the complex situation that exists in the country". The latest violence comes amid a wider pattern of sporadic but at times intense fighting between ethnic groups and the authorities in Myanmar dating back more than 70 years in some cases, since independence in January 1948. Ms. Lee called on the Government to prioritise the safety and well-being of "all the people of Rakhine State and work towards peace around Myanmar".	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1229
__label__wiki	0.984381	0.984381	In this Jan. 13, 2011 file photo, Conrad Black arrives at the federal building in Chicago. President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Black, a former newspaper publisher who has written a flattering political biography of Trump. Black’s media empire once included the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Telegraph of London. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) Donald Trump grants pardon to former media mogul Conrad Black Black was convicted of fraud in 2007 and spent three and a half years in prison May. 16, 2019 12:30 p.m. President Donald Trump on Wednesday granted a full pardon to Conrad Black, a former newspaper publisher who has written a flattering political biography of Trump. Black’s media empire once included the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Telegraph of London. He was convicted of fraud in 2007 and spent three and a half years in prison. An appeals court reversed two convictions, but left two others in place. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Black “has made tremendous contributions to business, and to political and historical thought.” In 2018, Black published “Donald J. Trump: A President Like No Other.” He wrote a column Wednesday in Canada’s National Post describing how Trump called him and revealed the pardon. READ MORE: TV host Rick Mercer signs off with one final rant “He could not have been more gracious and quickly got to his point: he was granting me a full pardon,” wrote Black, who used much of the rest of the column to explain the case. He called it a long ordeal that was “never anything but a confluence of unlucky events, the belligerence of several corporate governance charlatans, and grandstanding local and American judges, all fanned by an unusually frenzied international media showing exceptional interest in the case because I was a media owner.” In 2015, Black wrote a National Review essay titled “Trump Is the Good Guy.” Trump tweeted it was an “honour” to read the piece, adding, “As one of the truly great intellects & my friend, I won’t forget!” The former media mogul was convicted of defrauding investors. A former member of the British House of Lords, he was sentenced to more than six years in prison after his 2007 conviction in Chicago, but was released on bail two years later to pursue an appeal that was partially successful. A judge reduced his sentence to three years. Sanders said Black is the author of several notable biographies, including volumes on Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, but she did not mention his book about Trump. She said Black’s case attracted broad support from many high-profile individuals — including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Elton John and Rush Limbaugh — who have “vigorously vouched for his exceptional character.” Trump on Wednesday also pardoned Patrick Nolan, a former Republican leader of the California State Assembly. Nolan has been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform since he spent more than two years in federal prison during the 1990s. Sanders said Nolan wrote a guide for churches and community groups to help prisoners return to their communities. While incarcerated, he also helped organize religious-study groups and he is “uniformly described as a man of principle and integrity,” she said. Associated Press writer Rob Gillies contributed to this report from Toronto. Kevin Freking, The Associated Press Canada, Cuba hold talks on Venezuela crisis Unveil Studio’s new project, Dream, explores meaning and purpose	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1234
__label__wiki	0.813394	0.813394	Victoria Beckham, is that you? Posh Spice looks UNRECOGNISABLE in slashed leather top for cringey solo music video Kirsty McCormack Remember this?! TAGS: Dane BowersKatie PriceVictoria Beckham She may be a well-respected fashion designer these days, but even Victoria Beckham has suffered some fashion faux pas’ in her time. Cast your minds back almost 20 years, and you’ll remember Vics embarked on a solo career following the split of the Spice Girls. MORE: Victoria Beckham reveals the one thing she DOESN’T regret from her Spice Girls days: ‘They’re part of my journey’ Posh Spice teamed up with Katie Price‘s beau at the time, Dane Bowers, and True Steppers to record the track Out of Your Mind, and there’s a pretty epic music video that goes with it… Clearly inspired by the 1999 science fiction film, The Matrix, the three-and-a-half minute video sees VB wear an array of slashed leather tops and matching trousers, as well as sporting a poker straight hairdo. At one point, Posh even dons a floor-length leather coat – a garment she probably wouldn’t dare to model these days! And it seems her love for oversized sunglasses goes back almost two decades, as she even wears a pair of those too. The video flits between VB showing off her moves with a host of backing dancers, to Dane losing control of his Audi as he speeds along a tunnel. When the pair eventually come together, they do a cringey choreographed sequence together – but not before Posh shows off her karate skills on the Another Level singer! But despite the unforgettable video, Victoria and Dane failed to make it to number one after battling it out in the charts with Groovejet and Sophie Ellis-Bextor and their hit song, Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love). However, that didn’t stop Virgin Records from signing Victoria up and she soon released her next single, Not Such An Innocent Girl. Unfortunately, Posh faced some stiff competition again – this time in the form of Kylie Minogue and her hit tune Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Sadly, that single and the next one only made it to number six and rumours began to swirl that Posh was to be dropped by her label for not charting in the Top Three. At the time, Victoria commented: ‘You know what newspapers are like, they just like to put all the negative stuff in, but as far as I’m concerned and the record company is concerned it is all great.’ Her publicist later denied reports that she had been dropped by the label, and said: ‘No-one has been dropped. The Virgin deal has come to a natural end and both parties have decided not to continue.’ Despite now being a fashion designer, whose clothes are worn by the likes of Meghan Markle, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, Victoria has said she doesn’t regret her past fashion choices. Speaking about her Spice Girls days, she told Grazia UK recently: ‘Have you seen some of the Spice Girls outfits?! Some looks have been quite bold! ‘But they’re part of my journey and what’s made me who I am today, so I don’t regret them. Life’s too short to regret outfit choices!’	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1236
__label__cc	0.524117	0.475883	Teen Booklists Read Beyond Reality Beyond Time: Time Travel & Alternate Worlds Abarat Candy Quackenbush of Chickentown, Minnesota, one day finds herself on the edge of a foreign world that is populated by strange creatures, and her life is forever changed. Checkout Abarat All seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia are now available together in a hardcover volume which includes an essay by C.S. Lewis, On Three Ways of Writing for Children, where he explains precisely how the magic of Narnia first came to life. Checkout The Chronicles of Narnia Inkheart / Corazón de Tinta Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can "read" fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service. Checkout Inkheart Or Checkout Corazón de Tinta The Merchant of Death When the seemingly normal fourteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon is swept into an alternate dimension, he finds himself hailed as a savior in a place called Denduron, a territory in the throes of revolution against a magical tyrant. Checkout The Merchant of Death A Swiftly Tilting Planet The youngest of the Murry children must travel through time and space in a battle against an evil dictator who would destroy the entire universe. Checkout A Swiftly Tilting Planet Beyond Belief: Supernatural & Fantasy Fiction Beyond the Stars: Life in Space Beyond the Veil: Ghosts & Psychic Encounters Check Account & Pay FInes an Item & Parking Watsonville Public Library Mon - Thurs 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Fri 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Freedom Branch Library 2021 Freedom Blvd. Freedom, CA 95019 Mon 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Tues - Thurs 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Literacy Program Opportunity to Read South Entrance Mon 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tues 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wed 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thurs 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1237
__label__wiki	0.58014	0.58014	Luvo recalls mislabeled Chicken Chile Verde The product contains eggs and fish (anchovies), allergens not declared on the label By James Limbach 08/14/2017 \| ConsumerAffairs \| Recalls Luvo Inc. (USA), of Blaine, Wash., is recalling approximately 4,805 pounds a product mislabeled as Chicken Chile Verde is actually Turkey Meatloaf. The product contains eggs and fish (anchovies), allergens not declared on the label. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. The following item, produced on June 13, 2017, is being recalled: 10 oz. retail cartons containing “LUVO Steam in Pouch A Little Spice Chicken Chile Verde with white chicken, black beans, and polenta” and lot code: 2018JUN13A, with a best before date of June 13, 2018. The recalled product, bearing establishment number “424” inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) mark of inspection, was shipped to distributors in California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin for further distribution. Customers who purchased the recalled product not consume it, but throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Luvo at (844) 880-5866. A Washington, D.C., reporter for more than 30 years, Jim Limbach covers the federal agencies for ConsumerAffairs. Previously, he was a reporter and news anchor for Associated Press Broadcast Services, where he covered business and consumer news as well as space shots and other major spot news events. Read Full Bio→ Email James Limbach Phone: 866-773-0221 Stay up to date on everything in Recalls	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1240
__label__wiki	0.957569	0.957569	BEA's strategy: Get inside to get ahead The company insists it only wants its applications to be compatible with leading software, but some analysts see its growing list of partners as a Trojan horse. Larry Dignan BEA Systems has been friendly of late. Eventually, it may become a little too friendly for its partners, say analysts, who think the software maker is employing a Trojan horse strategy to eventually compete with its allies. Last week at the JavaOne conference in San Francisco, BEA announced partnerships with Computer Associates, WebMethods, PeopleSoft and Siebel Systems, to name a few. And this week BEA executives are in Europe meeting with analysts and customers and announcing more partnerships. A few years from now, those arrangements may be seen as the beginning of an expansion into new areas--areas that are currently occupied by those very partners. "We believe these new partnerships are stopgap measures until BEA makes a decision to eventually buy or build the technology themselves in the future," said Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Wendell Laidley. BEA makes application-server software that allows customers to bridge various software programs and conduct e-commerce transactions. With its WebLogic server software, developers have a base to integrate e-business processes. The company's software is also what links front-end applications--sales, for instance--to companies' databases. BEA and IBM are ranked first and second, respectively, as application-server software makers. That leadership position has enabled BEA to embed itself in the e-commerce operations of many companies. The ancient Greeks employed a similar strategy to get inside the gates of--and soon conquer--their Trojan War rival. According to Alfred Chuang, BEA's chief operating officer, the San Jose, Calif.-based company can thrive as long as there's a "gazillion-application world" in which companies have to connect a host of disparate programs. Through announcements last week, the company ensured that its products will work with those from "best-of-breed" software makers such as Siebel, which sells customer-service software. (The best-of-breed approach requires customers to pick and choose from a number of software vendors.) "The real challenge is applications integration, and that's where we come in," Chuang said. On the surface, analysts say, BEA's series of announcements proves that the company's software will work with a wide range of products as WebLogic becomes a de facto industry standard. Below the surface, though, a strategy of a different sort is taking shape. "Individually, these announcements only say 'all our products work together,' but in total it's huge," said Bill Schaff, portfolio manager for the Berger Information Technology Fund, who owns shares of BEA and rival IBM. "It adds up to their business model down the road." Schaff, along with other analysts, said that BEA's shift is subtle, but it's clear that the company is broadening its horizons. It may have no choice. For now, BEA is dominant in its domain, but hardware vendors--such as Hewlett-Packard, whose Bluestone unit competes with BEA, and Sun Microsystems, which offers a rival product dubbed iPlanet--are getting into the act. For companies such as HP and Sun, bundling application servers along with hardware is a way to boost sales. At some point, hardware companies and budding rivals such as Oracle will begin to erode BEA's profit margins, analysts said. "It's not a question of market share, but it's a question of future profit margins," said Schaff, who noted that BEA won't see problems for a while but will have a "tougher and tougher" time pleasing Wall Street. For its fiscal first quarter, ended April 30, the company reported net income of $20.6 million, or 5 cents a share, on sales of $257 million and topped estimates. Because of the potential erosion in profit margins, BEA is going to have to expand into other areas if it wants to continue its 22-quarter run of record revenue growth. Indeed, it recently announced that it would offer a portal technology that lets customers present different versions of a Web page to partners, employees and their customers. WebLogic Portal 4.0 "brings into focus BEA's successful Trojan strategy to outflank applications players like BroadVision and Art Technology," said Richard Williamson, an analyst with Jeffries. For its part, BEA said its recent moves don't show any motives other than that of being compatible with leading software companies. Chuang, who noted that e-commerce transactions will only grow, said that BEA will expand by broadening the appeal of the company's application server software to new customers. "Don't get me wrong, I do want to sell more software," said Chuang. "But the majority of revenue will continue to come from WebLogic. We are complementary to our partners." Discuss: BEA's strategy: Get inside to get ahead	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1246
__label__wiki	0.965358	0.965358	Will AOL miss the window for Windows XP? AOL Time Warner may miss the chance to bundle its online service software with Windows XP, according to sources close to negotiations between the media giant and Microsoft. Jim Hu Meta Group says as computing becomes more widely connected, Microsoft and AOL are wrestling for control of the user experience, not the user interface per se. see commentary Each company has different reasons for wanting to see the AOL software ship with Windows XP, as it did with earlier versions of the operating system. But one source close to the negotiations described the positions as "far apart" and warned that "time is running out." The problem is meeting Microsoft's development schedule for Windows XP, which is slated to go on sale at retail stores Oct. 25. Microsoft will deliver another test version of Windows XP this week featuring the new Windows Messenger technology announced Monday. The first release candidate--or nearly final code before release to manufacturing--is expected later this month. Because there are still technical issues to be worked out to ensure the AOL software is compatible with Windows XP, the two companies must resolve their differences soon, said sources close to the negotiations. Resolving the technical problems would be contingent on reaching a broader business agreement, the sources said. Microsoft and AOL Time Warner are engaged in talks to renew a five-year bundling arrangement that expired in January. That agreement made Microsoft's Internet Explorer the default browser for the AOL service while guaranteeing the online software prominent placement on the Windows desktop. But increasing tension between the two companies' business objectives, changes to how Microsoft regards the Windows XP desktop, and differences over instant messaging and media player software have jeopardized the negotiations. "We're pleased to be back at the table, and if it's possible to have a developing, mutually beneficial agreement we would be pleased to do so," said Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan. AOL Time Warner refused to comment on the negotiations. Sources close to the discussions said the companies agreed to several meetings over 30 days with an initially planned conclusion date of June 1. Discussions took place in Dulles, Va., where AOL Time Warner is based, and in Redmond, Wash., where Microsoft is located. More recently, the two companies have been meeting in Denver. At this point, the discussions do not involve senior executives, said sources familiar with the negotiations; technical, legal and business teams are working through issues dividing the companies. Given the level of the discussions and continuing delays reaching an agreement, negotiation sources said it will soon be too late technically to get the AOL software ready to be included with Windows XP. Both companies have much to lose should a deal fall through, warn analysts. "There are obvious benefits for both companies here," said Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald. "But we have ongoing battles on multiple fronts. This one gets all of the attention because of the bundling issues with Windows XP and because of the time constraint." Renewal of the agreement would mean Microsoft would continue to ship AOL Time Warner software with Windows, putting it on equal footing with MSN Explorer. Microsoft would benefit from access to nearly 30 million AOL subscribers, all of which are potential Windows XP customers. During a meeting to discuss Microsoft's Windows Messenger technology, Shawn Sanford, Windows group product manager, addressed AOL and Windows XP. AOL is an "extremely important" software developer, he said. "From the product team and the development team, we spend a lot of time to ensure that AOL users have a great experience with Windows XP. So from (development) and test engineer stuff, we are continually working with AOL to make sure their client and their technology works on Windows XP." Tit-for-tat spat Neither side appears to be giving much ground--at least for now, said negotiation sources. Sources on both sides of the discussions indicated the other seemed less than serious about reaching an agreement. Still, some analysts did not rule out the possibility of a last-minute deal. "Microsoft is playing hardball, which is typically what they do in contract negotiations," MacDonald said. "So I would not rule out their reaching an agreement just because both sides appear divided." For its part, AOL Time Warner contends Microsoft violated the original 1996 contract and has no grounds to negotiate new terms. The Internet and media giant also would like prominent placement on the Windows XP desktop. In previous consumer Windows versions, a link to AOL software appeared in the folder "Online Services," which was placed on the desktop. But with Windows XP, Microsoft is trying to reduce icon clutter on the desktop. In Windows XP Beta 2, for example, only three icons appear by default on the desktop: a link to run software in compatibility mode for older Windows versions, another to submit a bug report, and the "Recycle Bin" for deleted files. In the past, five or more icons typically appeared on the desktop after a Windows installation. Microsoft's problems with AOL Time Warner are not new. One hot-button issue is the interoperability of IM clients. AOL Time Warner has effectively blocked Microsoft's MSN Messenger and other competing products from connecting with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). Although sources closer to AOL Time Warner said both sides agreed to defer IM interoperability to a later time, other sources insist this remains a major stumbling block to any agreement. The software giant also wants AOL Time Warner to back off lobbying regulators and trustbusters in Washington, the 50 states and the European Union to further their legal attacks against Microsoft. "These guys are going to regulators in D.C. and abroad lobbying against the same product they want distribution with," said one source that asked not to be identified. "Is this the foundation on which you build a new partnership?" The companies have made some progress in addressing technical hurdles in bundling the two products, however. At one point, for example, there were concerns that there was not enough room on the Windows XP installation disc for AOL's software, an issue that one source familiar with the talks said is no longer a problem. Several larger issues remain. One of the most serious, according to people familiar with the negotiations, concerns AOL Time Warner's choice of media player. With Windows XP, Microsoft is taking a more aggressive position with Windows Media Player. Version 8, which offers new CD burning and DVD playback capabilities, will be available exclusively with Windows XP, according to Microsoft. But the AOL software exclusively uses RealNetworks' competing RealPlayer for media streaming and viewing. Sources close to both sides said Microsoft does not want to distribute a competitor's software and wants AOL Time Warner to at least offer support for Windows Media file formats. "AOL granting Windows Media is hugely valuable for Microsoft, and Microsoft offering distribution for AOL--like it or not, Microsoft has a dominant place on the desktop and can potentially be incredibly valuable for AOL in terms of distribution," said Mark Mooradian, an analyst at Jupiter Media Metrix. "You have to believe that distribution of AOL through Windows is still pretty important" for AOL. But other sources suggested Microsoft wants more: to see RealPlayer replaced with Windows Media Player. With an appeals court ready to rule on Microsoft's antirust case any day, that appears to be a bold move. But maybe not, said Andy Gavil, antitrust professor at Howard University School of Law. "It really comes down to some very specific facts," he said. "There is nothing wrong with AOL making a business judgment they want to replace one software with another software, even if it comes from Microsoft. That would totally be legitimate competition." But he cautioned, "The devil is in the details. The question is: Are they in any way having their arm twisted to take a product that is in fact not as good as the RealNetworks product because of Microsoft's dominant position in other markets? That may not be as clear as it would seem." 5 tips to keep your data safe on Facebook: Hide your life from Facebook, while still posting about your life on Facebook. 6 ways to delete yourself from the internet: Finally ready to get off the grid? It's not quite as simple as it should be, but here are a few easy-to-follow steps that should point you in the right direction. Discuss: Will AOL miss the window for Windows XP?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1247
__label__wiki	0.896948	0.896948	The enduring myth of TV presidential debates By Melissa K. Miller and Sam Nelson Updated 1:00 PM ET, Sun December 13, 2015 Photos: The first televised debate The first televised presidential debate took place on September 26, 1960, when U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy, left, faced off against Vice President Richard Nixon, right. The debate was one of the most-watched broadcasts in U.S. history. The candidates shake hands as moderator Howard K. Smith looks on. The one-hour debate took place in Chicago at the studios of CBS affiliate WBBM. CBS President Frank Stanton fixes the debate stage. Stanton, right, and producer Don Hewitt check a television monitor before the debate. Kennedy's wife, Jacqueline, watches the debate from the wings of the studio. Much has been made about the two men's appearance and how that affected the perception of those who watched the debate on television. Nixon declined CBS' offer of makeup, instead choosing to wear a product called LazyShave to hide his five o'clock shadow. He was also still recovering from the flu and a knee injury. The telegenic Kennedy, meanwhile, did wear makeup, and he appeared rested and relaxed. A CBS camera flashes a 30-second warning to those on stage. Kennedy, 43, was a Democratic senator from Massachusetts. He would become the youngest president elected to office.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1248
__label__wiki	0.980875	0.980875	Gillibrand: Bill Clinton should have resigned over White House affair ALBANY -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said President Bill Clinton resigning during the Monica Lewinsky affair would have been the "appropriate response." Gillibrand: Bill Clinton should have resigned over White House affair ALBANY -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said President Bill Clinton resigning during the Monica Lewinsky affair would have been the "appropriate response." Check out this story on DemocratandChronicle.com: http://lohud.us/2jzY6d4 Politics on the Hudson Joseph Spector, Albany Bureau Chief Published 10:14 a.m. ET Nov. 17, 2017 \| Updated 8:15 a.m. ET Nov. 19, 2017 Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand criticized the U.S. Armed Forces, saying, "The military still does not take these cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment seriously." USA TODAY Gillibrand, who succeeded Hillary Clinton as New York's junior senator in 2009, told the New York Times on Thursday that under the circumstances, Clinton should have left office after his inappropriate relationship with the intern was uncovered in 1998. "Yes, I think that is the appropriate response," Gillibrand, who first paused and then responded, according to the Times. "But I think things have changed today, and I think under those circumstances, there should be a very different reaction." The comments raised eyebrows across the country because the Democratic senator has talked fondly of the Clintons and her role in succeeding Hillary Clinton in New York. But Gillibrand has also talked forcefully about changing the culture in the military, in Congress and in society when it comes to sexual harassment. Gillibrand is also considered a prospective presidential candidate in 2020. She added, "I think in light of this conversation, we should have a very different conversation about President Trump and a very different conversation about allegations against him than what has been had to date." FILE- In this Oct. 26, 2006 file photo, former President Bill Clinton holds up the hand of Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democratic lawyer who is running against three-term Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., at a rally in Albany, N.Y. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, in an interview in The New York Times, that former President Clinton should have resigned over his sexual affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky 20 years ago. (AP Photo/Jim McKnight, File) (Photo: JIM MCKNIGHT, AP) Gillibrand's comment drew a strong rebuke on Twitter from Hillary Clinton's former spokesman, Philippe Reines, and the Times said a Gillibrand spokesman later sought to clarify that she was trying to point out that in today's climate, Bill Clinton's action wouldn't have been tolerated. Reines blasted Gillibrand, saying she has long benefited from the Clintons' help. "Senate voted to keep POTUS WJC. But not enough for you @SenGillibrand?" he wrote. "Over 20 yrs you took the Clintons’ endorsements, money, and seat. Hypocrite. Interesting strategy for 2020 primaries. Best of luck." On Wednesday, Gillibrand was among federal lawmakers who introduced a bi-partisan bill to better allow people to report cases of sexual abuse in Congress. She told the Times that one step would be to elect more women to office. "Lives are destroyed, and it has to change," Gillibrand said "And one of the reasons why I fight so hard for women in leadership is I think if you change the players list in all of these institutions, you’re going to change the climate." Read or Share this story: http://lohud.us/2jzY6d4	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1251
__label__wiki	0.992343	0.992343	Ukraine and pro-Russian forces fight air battle at rebel-held airport in Donetsk Ukrainian government warplanes launched airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels, armed with anti-aircraft weapons, who had seized Donetsk international airport on Monday. Yannis Behrakis/Reuters A Ukrainian helicopter Mi-24 gunship fires its canons against rebels at the main terminal building of Sergei Prokofiev International Airport in Donetsk, May 26.Three Ukrainian helicopter gunships mounted a heavy attack on the rebel-held international airport terminal at Donetsk on Monday, firing rockets and cannon and throwing out decoy flares as militants shot at them from the ground. By Sabina Zawadzki and Yannis Behrakis Reuters DONETSK, Ukraine Ukrainian government warplanes carried out airstrikes against pro-Russian rebels who seized Donetsk international airport on Monday as both sides mounted an aggressive show of force following the election of a new Ukrainian president. Reuters journalists saw black smoke billowing from the area of the airport after about two hours of repeated explosions and gunfire, while jets roared overhead. A security official also said that paratroops had landed in one of the fiercest clashes since violence broke out in the east two months ago. Saying that a deadline had passed at 1 p.m. for separatist militants to lay down their arms, a spokesman for the Ukrainian joint forces security operation in the region said two Sukhoi Su-25 jets had carried out strafing runs, firing warning shots around Sergei Prokofiev International Airport. "In reply, the guerrillas opened fire at random from all types of weapons," he said, before a MiG-29 jet also took part. A second spokesman, Vladislav Seleznyov, said: "A MiG-29 carried out an airstrike on the area where the terrorists were concentrated." The first spokesman said the militants had then spread out across the territory of the airport, whose state-of-the-art main terminal was built for the 2012 European soccer championships held in Ukraine. "Right now at the airport, paratroops have landed and are cleaning up the area." He appeared to mean that troops had landed by helicopter. The action, after an overnight move by rebels of the Donetsk People's Republic to take over the airport, looked like a forceful first act by Petro Poroshenko, the billionaire who swept to the presidency on Sunday. He said he would not treat with "terrorists," despite calls from Russia for Kiev not to step up its halting military operations in the east of Ukraine. Seleznyov said a helicopter had been in action to destroy an anti-aircraft battery being used by rebels. He denied a report from the rebel side that a helicopter had been brought down. A local news website published a photograph of three men in camouflage with a rapid-fire grenade launcher pointing skywards on what appeared to be the modern glass and concrete roof of the airport terminal. It said they were separatist rebels. In the morning, Reuters journalists saw three trucks carrying armed militants heading towards the airport and also spotted at least four armed men positioned on the roof. Representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic said they had taken over the airport and were attempting to clear it of government forces stationed there. Donetsk, a city of a million that is effectively the capital of the industrial Donbass region, is largely in the hands of pro-Russian separatists who prevented local people taking part in the presidential election on Sunday. Donetsk airport authorities announced its closure to flights early on Monday after the separatists came to the facility to demand the withdrawal from the area of Ukrainian forces, who have been policing the perimeter. "The rebels are in the terminal. The rest of the airport area is controlled by the (Ukrainian) National Guard. The two sides are in talks now," airport spokesman Dmitry Kosinov told Reuters before the gunfire broke out. The pro-Moscow rebels have declared autonomous "people's republics" in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk following makeshift referendums on May 11. They say the two regions are no longer part of Ukraine. Only about 20 percent of the two regions' polling stations functioned in Sunday's presidential election and many voters stayed at home, fearful for their safety. No polling stations were open in the city of Donetsk. A spokeswoman for the separatists said the group now at the airport was the "East" battalion which took part in clashes last Friday with a Ukrainian militia just west of Donetsk, in which at least two people were killed. (Additonal reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Gareth Jones) Test your knowledge How much do you know about Ukraine? Take our quiz! Ukraine picks Poroshenko for prez, but is in no mood to celebrate Pro-Russians block eastern Ukraine from voting prep Upfront Blog Keeping new empires at bay	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1255
__label__wiki	0.877098	0.877098	Senators introduce bill seeking to help international STEM students work in US Mikaela Raphael/File A bill introduced to the U.S. Senate by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., seeks to help international students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, to work in the United States after the completion of their advanced degrees, according to a press release sent out by Durbin on Thursday. Activists advocate for decriminalization of sex work at Democratic convention in San Francisco A group of activists hosted a rally outside the California Democratic Party State Convention urging Democrats to decriminalize sex work. Anti-trafficking law has unexpected consequences on sex work in Bay Area When current U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, served as the state’s attorney general, she charged the owners of Backpage.com with more than 10 counts of pimping. UC workers union calls for speakers to boycott UC commencements The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 has called for speakers to boycott their UC speaking engagements amid labor disputes. Sen. Kamala Harris leads effort to create Black Maternal Health Week Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) led a team of 16 senators to introduce a resolution that would designate April 11 to 17 Black Maternal Health Week, in an effort to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis. Sen. Kamala Harris helps reintroduce Debt-Free College Act in Senate On March 6, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) along with 42 members of Congress reintroduced the Debt-Free College Act, a Senate bill that would provide a pathway to affordable college tuition. Democratic presidential candidates as UC Berkeley students The U.S. Democratic presidential race is heating up… and getting crowded. Since there are so many candidates, we at the Clog would like to help you get to know and differentiate the candidates in a familiar way, by judging them based on who they would be if they were students at UC Berkeley today. ‘Dangerous to democracy’: Berkeley community condemns Trump’s national emergency declaration UC Berkeley campus and city of Berkeley officials have joined state executives in criticizing President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Sen. Kamala Harris endorses federal marijuana legalization Democratic presidential candidate and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, announced her support for the federal legalization of cannabis Monday. A historic candidacy Kamala Harris’ campaign brings presidential promise to the Bay Area As early as 6 a.m., eager supporters began filing along Broadway in anticipation of Harris’ historic announcement at noon. Harris’ candidacy comes nearly 50 years after Representative Shirley Chisholm — the first Black American and the first woman to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination — ran for president in 1972.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1260
__label__wiki	0.79671	0.79671	Eastern Road About Warsaw, Poland See the site of Checkpoint Charlie See the Tiergarten, Alexanderplatz, Russian War Memorial, Brandenburg Gate & historic Reichstag building Berlin to Prague Take in commemorative artwork and the remains of the Berlin Wall Locally guided bike tour of Prague Guided sightseeing of the cathedral & Royal Castle on Wawel Hill Krakow to Warsaw Entrance to and guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camp memorials Locally guided tour of the old Jewish Ghetto & the medieval centre of Warsaw You will visit the following 6 places: Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country offers many diverse destinations – relatively low mountains in the north-west, the Great Plain in the east, lakes and rivers of all sorts (including Balaton - the largest lake in Central Europe), and many beautiful small villages and hidden gems of cities. Top this off with Hungary's great accessibility in the middle of Europe, a vivid culture and economy, and you get a destination absolutely not worth missing if you're in the region. The country's largest city and busy capital, Budapest, is an elegant, stylish and lively city made up of two separate settlements clustered on either side of the Danube River: hilly Buda has a wealth of graceful Habsburg and neoclassical buildings, while sprawling Pest is its commercial centre with a generous scattering of art nouveau architecture and an ad-hoc party scene. Poland is an eastern European country on the Baltic Sea known for its medieval architecture, Jewish heritage and hearty cuisine. Despite the large number of casualties and destruction the country experienced during World War II, Poland managed to preserve much of its cultural wealth. There are 14 heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage and 54 Historical Monuments and many objects of cultural heritage in Poland. The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a nation state in Central Europe. Although the country may not be large it has a rich and eventful history. From time immemorial Czechs, Germans, Jews and Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon’s army have all lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works that still command our respect and admiration today. It is thanks to their inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artifacts. The Czech Republic contains a vast of amount of architectural treasure and has beautiful forests and mountains to match. Misunderstood by many, Germany is one of the most unique and charming countries on the continent. Since reunification Germany has at last gained a higher profile as a place to visit, thanks partly to the remarkable resurgence of its capital, Berlin, one of the most fascinating and exciting cities in Europe. It's no surprise at all that today’s Germany is more diverse and cosmopolitan than old stereotypes suggest; mixing time-honoured nationalism and tradition with multicultural modernism and self-confidence. Austria is a German-speaking federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.66 million people in Central Europe. It is characterized by its mountain villages, baroque city architecture, Imperial history and rugged alpine terrain. Vienna, its Danube River capital, is home to the Schonbrunn and Hofburg palaces, and has counted Mozart, Strauss and Sigmund Freud among its residents. The country’s other notable regions include the northern Bohemian Forest, Lake Traun and eastern hillside vineyards. Slovakia is a central European country known for its dramatic natural landscape and many castles. It is a landlocked country bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. Slovakia's territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) and is mostly mountainous. The population is over 5 million and comprises mostly ethnic Slovaks. The capital and largest city is Bratislava. The official language is Slovak, a member of the Slavic language family. Road to Athens plus 12 Day Greek Island Hopping Spain, Morocco & Portugal Adriatic Spirit Ultimate Inca Trail (Start Cusco, end Cusco) Tropical Trails (From Mar 2019) European Winter Vistas Northern Adventure Orlando Explorer (2 Nights) More about Contiki © Diplomat Travel 2019 diplomatravel25@hotmail.com Clinton Township, Michigan 48038	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1264
__label__wiki	0.967688	0.967688	Home→News→Society to preserve Millay’s Steepletop home perseveres ← County sets fee for drop-off recyclables State grant helps vets with re-entry → Society to preserve Millay’s Steepletop home perseveres December 7, 2018 by DEBBY MAYER Edna St. Vincent Millay and Eugen Boissevain c. 1923. Photo courtesy of millay.org AUSTERLITZ—Last May, the Edna St. Vincent Millay Society at Steepletop announced the Save Steepletop campaign, an effort to raise $1 million to keep the house, visitors’ center and grounds open to the public next year. Press coverage, including an article in The New York Times, was widespread and sympathetic. Nevertheless, a second letter went out this fall from Vincent Elizabeth Barnett, president of the Millay Society Board of Trustees, announcing that despite an “outpouring of support from poetry, culture and history lovers,” the board had made the “painful but responsible decision not to reopen Steepletop to the public in 2019.” Steepletop was the home of the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) and her husband, Eugen Boissevain, from the time they purchased it, an abandoned berry farm, in 1925, to her death (Boissevain died in 1949). They transformed the property into a country estate with gardens, tennis and badminton courts, and a spring-fed swimming pool. After their deaths the poet’s sister, Norma Millay Ellis, lived in the house for over 30 years, a steward of the property and of Ms. Millay’s literary legacy. When Ms. Ellis died in 1986 the Millay Society took ownership of the property and the poet’s personal artifacts, from her library to her clothing. The Millay Colony for the Arts, which offers residencies to artists on its site, was founded in 1973, adjacent to Steepletop. It is a separate, independent nonprofit organization, not affected by the Millay Society decision. That decision was not a snap one, but “measured, thoughtful and responsible,” Holly Peppe, a Society trustee and Millay’s literary executor, said in an interview last month. “We need to protect the house and the property. This decision allows us to keep them intact, to shift our focus from house tours to long-term solutions, which we are now exploring. “We received a tremendous response, with donations and ideas and resources,” she said. “We followed up on everything, but we are still unable to reopen next year. We need money for restoration.” Ms. Peppe would not say how much Save Steepletop raised. Annual expenses average $225,000, while income, from visitors and donations, is $75,000. Photos on the Millay Society website (millay.org) show the deterioration of the swimming pool and the success of the dining room restoration. Ms. Peppe describes the Millay Society trustees as a “small, dedicated, working board. We have no funds, no endowment, just our love for Millay and our goal to keep Steepletop intact.” Ms. Peppe met Ms. Ellis in 1983. She lived in the Steepletop home while she wrote her doctoral dissertation on Ms. Millay. “Norma asked me to join the board in 1986,” she said. Until 2010 the estate was closed, and then “with help from volunteers and donations, we opened the doors.” From 2010 to 2018, “we made great progress,” Ms. Peppe said. “It was a true house museum.” In a farmhouse across the road from the home, a visitors’ center, with an exhibition and gift shop, was established. As literary executor, Ms. Peppe still hears from those seeking permission to use Ms. Millay’s work. But while royalties and permission fees from the poet’s estate were a major source of Ms. Ellis’s income and helped her maintain the property, this income has dwindled as more of the work goes into the public domain. In recent years, the Society has relied on grants and donations, as well as tour and event fees, to maintain and protect the site, said Ms. Peppe. The site averages 1,500 visitors per year, she said. The academic world is still interested in Ms. Millay’s work, said Ms. Peppe. In 2016 Yale University Press published the first scholarly, annotated edition of Ms. Millay’s poetry. The press plans two new collections of the poet’s letters, diaries and journals, in 2021 and 2022. Ms. Millay’s papers are held by the Library of Congress, which leaves Steepletop off the immediate scholarly route. Looking around, local cultural sites that are thriving are those that have diversified their offerings. For example, Olana State Historic Site offers a twice-monthly program for those with early stages of dementia, not a problem one associates with Frederic Church, the artist who created Olana. Steepletop seems to have made some effort at diversification, with hikes on the grounds and a listing with Lisa Light’s Chatham-based Destination Bride. The Society is looking at joining with another group, but here location may be a problem. The Emily Dickinson house, in the middle of Amherst, MA, gets 10,000 visitors a year. Austerlitz is more remote, and Steepletop harder to find. The NYS Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have given the Society project grants, “usually $5,000 to $10,000, but those don’t cover operations,” said Ms. Peppe. “We need help with operating expenses. “We could decide to fund-raise year by year, but what we really need is more staff and an infrastructure,” she said. “We need to go for a higher figure. With a larger figure, we could hire an executive director, but our priority has been to put money into the house and estate.” Ms. Barnet’s letter, which announced the decision not to reopen, was also an annual appeal letter, with the goal of raising $50,000. Online giving is available at millay.org or by phone at 518 392-3362. “The Millay Society is not going anywhere,” said Ms. Peppe. “We’re still here.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1266
__label__wiki	0.687223	0.687223	Comics for Kids TODAY So let's say you're a parent or, in my case, an uncle, and you have kids that you want to introduce to comics. If you lived in the 60s all the way to the 80s, this would have an easy answer, since comics were written primarily for kids then. But in this day and age, when comics are mainly written for adults stuck in their childhood, the pickings are very slim. So, without wanting to turn to classic comics (not that you can't), to where does one turn in order to share with a loved young one the joys of sequential art? Let's check out what the publishers offer these days. One of the problems, I think, in comics designed specifically for kids is that they decide to talk down to kids. Sure, these comics are well-drawn and fun to look at for kids, but there's not really much in them to get themselves invested in the characters. I've read one issue of Tiny Titans, and it's just full of jokes (mostly inside jokes that people like ME who have read comics for 20 years get) that may amuse lightly, but nothing to really get any kid to have a favorite or to distinguish what really makes these characters special: And while I have not read an issue of Superhero Squad, from what I hear, it's much the same thing: I really don't think that it's a good idea to talk down to your audience; I mean, yes, you have to realize they're kids, but at the same time, it's like if you keep talking to a kid in baby talk - if you keep doing it, they'll never really learn. I don't know if Supergirl: Adventures in the 8th Grade is like that, but the title alone pretty much screams out, "Look! See? Eighth grade? You kids'll love this!" When it comes to comics, kids don't like being "targeted" as a specialized demographic any more than girls do. That having been said, DC Kids! does put out a lot of pretty okay products out there. I think The Superfriends is really fun. Each story is divided into chapters, which have cliffhangers, most of which try to get the reader involved. And there are games. So at least on that end, the kid's using his brains. DC Kids! also makes licensed comics, like Looney Tunes: And the Batman: Brave and the Bold: The problem with licensed properties is that it's a double-edged sword. Sure, it may get kids to buy the product, thinking "Great! That's the Batman on TV!" But then what? Are they going to keep buying the comic every month? I don't think so - from what I've seen, licensed properties tend to sell low due to the fact that, hey, they have this on TV. Why should you buy something where the characters can't move or actually talk? It worked well in the 50s, but I think it's a different time. And even then, where's a kid going to go if he wants more Batman stuff that's not Brave and the Bold? What if he wants to know what's going on with the "real" Batman, the one he sees in multiple covers in the store, dominating the racks? What're you going to give him? A "real" Batman title? Really? Of course, one of the reasons to buy a licensed product is because the comics are never as hampered as the TV shows, ever. For example, in the latest issue of Cartoon Network Action Pack, Ben10 met Generation Rex: Probably the best producer of licensed material is BOOM! Studios. BOOM! has the license to publish Disney-related stuff (I have no idea how this relates to the Marvel purchase), and they go all out with it. Not only do they reprint Carl Barks' Donald Duck material in Donald Duck Classics: They also take their licensed characters and put them in different situations. To name just a few, here's jet pilot Mickey Mouse in The World to Come: Superheroes in Hero Squad: And I know people from my generation will love this. Here's Darkwing Duck! BOOM! also has the Pixar license, and they have been able to produce comics based on Cars, Wall-E, and Toy Story: And The Incredibles: And see, The Incredibles comic is good! It's actually a really fun read! So where does it fail? Simply in the fact that it's not as good as the movie. It's not, and it can't be. The movie was an all-ages flick, while this one seems to be aimed explicitly for kids. And even with that, kids can tell the difference, and they can tell that they're kind of being talked down to. And they won't get it - their parents and older brothers and sisters love the movie; how come only the kids like the comic? Something must be wrong. By far, the best - and only - comic book creator active today that you should turn to for comics for kids is the esteemed Jeff Smith. As I've said in my review, his work on Shazam! and the Monster Society of Evil was commendable, and aside from being one of the best ever takes on Captain Marvel, it's a comic that appeals to kids and adults, boys and girls alike. Smith's take on Shazam! was so good that DC Kids! actually put out a spin-off called Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, which suffers from the same flaw as The Incredibles. It's good; it's just not as good, and kids can tell. My 5-year-old niece loves Smith's book and reads parts of it every day. She has an issue of the Batson series, and she's read it all of once. No list of comics for kids could possibly be complete without Bone, Jeff Smith's magnum opus. Telling the story of three Bone creatures who make their way to a valley full of dragons and talking animals and ghosts and locusts and whatnot, Bone is like Lord of the Rings meets Pogo. It's my 11-year-old nephew's favorite comic book. It's so good that he finished the entire one-volume sitting in a week. Incidentally, you can get the one-volume edition for about $27.00 on Amazon. The colored versions by Scholastic Press are more expensive on the whole, of course, but it may be worth it for you if you really want color: The Marvel Adventures line is actually a pretty good line of comics. It takes place in a universe separate from regular Marvel continuity and uses recognizable characters to do "done-in-one" issues, meaning that there are no "to be continued"s or anything like that (though there are subplots). What I like best about it is that there's no attempt to talk down to the kids by giving them deliberately kiddie art. It's so fresh and self-contained that it actually feels like reading a comic from the 70s or 80s. It's perfect, I think, for a 7 or 8-year-old kid. But then again, what if they want the "real" versions? See, the problem with comic culture these days is that there are so many of us readers who treat it like some special club. You go into a comic book store, and it feels like a clubhouse. Kids may read Marvel Adventures, but then when they find out that it's not "the real Spider-Man" or "the real Avengers," they'll back away from the book, trying their hands at the in-continuity stuff, which would, of course, be too "mature" (and I use the term loosely) for them. And at the end of the day, that's the problem, I think, not just with giving comics to kids, but giving comics to anyone. We as a community are not new-reader-friendly. We treat it like an exclusive thing, as if the world somehow owes us for reading comics, for having been made fun of because we read comics. We shun those who don't get "geek" references, or we won't make way for the little kid who wants to get in line for the book signing because the organizer at the con told us we were last in line and no one should get in. Instead of reaching out and giving these new readers comics we think they'll enjoy, we end up giving them what we enjoy, and then we condescend to them if they don't get it the way we did. And then we'll complain that the comics coming out today aren't good enough, because somehow, because of our exclusionary behavior, we've somehow deserved to be "treated better" by creators and companies alike. As if we ever did anything for them - we probably hurt their business by turning it into an exclusive thing more than we ever helped it by buying what we liked. We are not entitled. We are not "better" than everyone else because we know that in Amazing Spider-Man 200, Spider-Man, powerless, beat up the burglar who killed his Uncle Ben. We claim to love comics, and this is why we should do our best to give kids - and others - comics they would love as well, so the comics industry could be healthier, and we can stop dreading for its future. Posted by Duy Tano at 10:15 AM Featured In: comics for kids, Duy Allysons Attic said... I have kids and I agree. They feel talked down too. I tried getting my 9 year old into the Supergirl comic and she tried it and wasn't interested in it. I think it has a lot to do with the art too. The kids aren't attracted to cartoonie art anymore then adults. I remember my old comics as a kid and I was attracted as much to that art as I was to the story. AND I wanted a story not just a joke book. Duy said... Yep. I don't think there's anything wrong with cartoony art; it's good when it's good and it's bad when it's bad, just like with any other kind of art. But there's no reason to talk down to your audience. Really nice post, Duy. Not only is there a problem with having no age-interesting product, the distribution issue is another problem for the industry. If you walk into a comic book store, the number of customers under 15 is tiny, at least on the times I visit. And what would draw them in unless they were already hooked? Perhaps electronic comics will be the way that comics get in front of potential new readers? You've given me a few ideas for things to look for, and that gives me some hope of finding a gem or two. As you say, you didn't read Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures. This review gives you a good idea of what you are missing: http://bullyscomics.blogspot.com/2010/02/fun-fifty-of-2009-10-1.html It's a shame that kids aren't giving 'Marvel Adventures' a go, because honestly, they're pretty good. They don't, in general, talk down to their audience and having read more than a few, they're pretty much the equivalent of a pre-1986 standard-issue superhero title. Basically, if you're reading Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, you're pretty much reading, say, Amazing Spider-Man circa 1980-84, or an issue of Marvel Team-Up. They've got rid of all the pseudo-realistic blood and thunder, but they don't tend to be 'written down' at all. Professor: I completely agree, and a part of it is the fact that comic book store culture perpetuates that kind of exclusionary mentality that I talked about at the end there. The key (part of it, anyway) is different distribution methods. Online is one of them. I also think that digests should be more utilized. I see them doing some these days, which is good. For example, I can't really justify buying Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! at its current price point of $12.99 (more expensive when it gets here) for 6 issues, but if we can print it in digest format and sell it for, say, $6.99, that'd be good. Kids wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Also, bookstore positioning would help. It's hard - in our bookstore, there's a "graphic novel" section, but all the Bone and Tintin stuff are in the children's section, so unless you knew to look in the children's section, you would just assume they were sold out of the material. And if a kid looked in the children's section first, then it just emphasizes that great divide between kids' comics and "real" comics. Anonymous: Yeah, I've heard good things about the Supergirl comic. What I'm questioning, however, is the marketing strategy behind it. Given the choice, would kids gravitate toward it in a store? I doubt it. Pol: Hey! Good to see you here on the Cube. I wouldn't say the Marvel Adventures titles don't talk down; I think they do to an extent, but it's not as blatant as a lot of the others on the list. Love the done-in-ones, and nice to see someone who loves Captain Marvel as much as I do on here. Landry Walker said... In the interest of full disclosure, I'm the author of both the Supergirl book, several issues of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and the Incredibles - not to mention the all-ages comic series Little Gloomy and the Super Scary Monster Show published by SLG. In regards to Supergirl: You question the choice in marketing, with a suggestion that the title was designed to appeal to kids. The title clearly communicates the specific content of the book. Supergirl, dealing with the complexities of the 8th grade. I selected 8th grade as it (to me) represents on of the most barbaric environments someone from outside our culture can find themselves abruptly trapped within. In short: The style, story and title of the book are not the result of a massive marketing machine. The second question is: Do kids gravitate to it? My experience in that regard has been a resounding "yes". The sales seem sturdy as well and the book continues to get positive reviews over a year after the final issue was released (which is uncommon for an all-ages book). As far as I can tell, the book was both a critical and commercial success. As for the Incredibles, You say that only kids like the comic. I'm uncertain what brings you to that conclusion. It doesn't seem to fit with the majority of reactions I have been exposed to. And while I might agree that the early issues of the series run a bit more light, the series grows increasingly complex and dark as it progresses. It's an ongoing series. Frankly, If we lead with the heavy material, where would we build to? If you watch the first 10 minutes of the film and stop, your assessment of the film might not be so kind either. Though to be fair, I'm operating with direct knowledge of where the series will go from the current issue (10) through to the most recently written issue (19). Greetings, Mr. Walker! Thanks for stopping by. It kinda makes me feel giddy inside, that an honest-to-goodness comic book writer just stopped by! I'm honestly glad that the Supergirl book sold well, and I'm glad it's on the market. After reading some reviews of it, I'd be very glad to buy a copy for my niece when she's old enough to start going to school (and relating). On that end, definitely, I should have done my research, so that's my mistake. Congratulations on that front. As for the Incredibles, I think there's a miscommunication problem going on between the way I wrote it and the way you read it. After rereading my own words, the fault is definitely on my end, as I didn't make it clear enough. So I'll set the record straight here: I didn't mean to say that only kids like the Incredibles comic. I personally like the Incredibles comic. In fact, I like it a lot! I even printed out one of the variant covers and have it hanging on my wall. My phrasing of "only kids like the comic" was more a general sweeping statement, not of the Incredibles, but of "comics for kids" - the feeling that if kids are targeted for a particular product, then they're segregated from the rest of the "club." When I said that "their parents and older brothers and sisters love the movie; how come only the kids like the comic? Something must be wrong," I meant that in general - it's a pattern I've noticed. When I say "only kids like the comic," I meant to say that "only kids look for the comic." For example, we (my family) like the Justice League Unlimited TV show. We've all seen every episode. The comics adaptations, shorter and more simplistic in their storytelling, are (presumably) written for a kids' audience. But the small stack of JLU comics we have at home aren't read by my nephew (whom I got them for), nor are they read by my older brother (his dad). They're read by me, the honest-to-goodness comics fan who will read any comic I can get my hands on. When I asked my nephew why he didn't want to read them, all he could say was that it didn't interest him. Which baffles my mind, and the only thing I can think of is that the JLU comic isn't the "real" version of these characters, nor are they animated objects that can move in front of him. But when he was a kid and he first saw these comics in the stores, he looked for them. So basically, the pattern (if I haven't made myself clear, which I think I haven't) is this: (1) The kid sees something on TV or in the movies, (2) The kid goes into a comics store or a bookstore and sees a comic related to what he saw and take a passing interest in it, and then (3) Somehow, some way, the kid loses interest in the comic. I honestly don't get it. I honestly think anyone writing these TV/movie tie-in comics have such a commendable uphill struggle, since you're competing with things that move. It's definitely harder to wow an 11-year-old. I hope you don't think I'm insulting your work - I really like the Incredibles comic, and I also really like the Brave and the Bold issues I've read, and I think you do a swell job. I'm sorry if it seemed like I meant otherwise. No worries. Just wanted to clarify. Obviously, there is a disconnect for readers and the comics form. The competition for attention in the marketplace is fierce and there is a general lack of quality to contend with. People (and children in particular) are typically of a "path of least resistance" mentality. Comics were at their peak at a time when it was one of the easiest form of entertainment a person could access. Now it's one of the most difficult, both in terms of literal access and content accessibility. Digital comics may hold a key to reigniting the medium. But for it to have the desired effect, the best approach would be to wipe the slate clean. Drop all existing continuity and bring prices back down to the level of "impulse buy" and up the quality. That's the thing, it's not uncommon for people to point at kids books and question the quality. But the adult books are often no better. Subsequently, I don't think it's a matter of anyone writing "down" to kids so much as it is just poor quality comics overall. Thanks, Mr. Walker. Like I said in my post, I generally think that a big problem is the exclusionary culture of comic book readers. I don't think it's just a thing about accessibility - I bought my nephew some JLU issues, a Legion in the 31st Century issue, the Prince of Persia comic (after he saw the movie), Bone, and Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil, and of all of those, he's only read the last two. I really think that licensed products have that effect of "Hey, interesting, but I already just saw this, and there were sounds and music and whatnot," while the Jeff Smith books - Bone is his favorite comic ever - stand on their own. Similarly, something like Marvel Adventures doesn't capture his interest, as he'd rather read something like Infinity Gauntlet or Blackest Night, since it's the big event, it's where the action is, and it's (presumably) what his friends are talking about. Like I said, I feel like it's "Hey look, it's Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. Yeah, it's pretty good, but it's not really Spider-Man." Statements that we comic fans are notorious for making, such as "That's not really what happened," don't really help the matter at all. I heartily agree about price point - it's one thing that not only keeps new readers from coming in, but also drives out existing ones. However, I don't think a hard reboot of continuity is necessary. Marvel did just fine until the 80s without one, and I think DC would honestly have done fine if they just ignored the confusing aspects of the multiverse. There was nothing confusing about a 1984 issue of Spider-Man, nothing to make you feel like you're missing stuff, and similarly, I think the same thing regarding, say, Roger Stern's Spider-Man issues these days. I think it can be done, but not without a ton of hard work. I'm not sure I would say that Marvel was doing fine in the 80's in comparison to previous decades, but I have no real info to back that theory up. Regardless, Marvel's continuity was sparse back then. The reason you could pick up an issue of 1984's Spider-Man without concern is that, outside of the most remote continuity of something like Secret Wars, there wasn't anything else you needed to know. He was Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Trouble with girls and Aunt May, wanting to quit but not feeling able and bad guys hate him. How much did you need to know that wasn't included on the first page of the book? To be fair, Marvel might have returned to this level of accessibility. Last I checked in with any zeal was just before Civil War. To clarify, when I say drop all continuity for digital copies, it's not so much due to an assertion that modern continuity is a quagmire, but instead to create a clean slate to help bring in new readers. The entire industry is in the process of rebooting. The distribution method is on the verge of becoming something completely new for comics. It only makes sense to start fresh for a new generation of readers on a new platform. For the record, my comics background included a ten year stint of working in a comics shop, and the general response I witnessed was an interest in the familiar and a disinterest in anything different. With kids, you give them a choice between something they already like on TV and something that's different from the TV version, they would usually gravitate towards the thing they already knew. Obviously, there are exceptions. Bone being one of them. That said, as I recall, the first several issues of Bone floundered on the shelf. As for the absurd tendency to hold in-continuity issues as more "real", we're very much on the same page. It doesn't help anything. That said, the majority of would-be readers rarely hear this. They'd have to engage on some level for that dialog to happen. Oh, in comparison to the previous decades, I doubt Marvel was doing equally well in the 80s, but I think it was doing just fine in the context of the direct market and exposure to kids. Kids loved playing superheroes then - including me. But yes, Marvel's continuity wasn't stringent and tight and that's key to accessibility. This whole mentality of "continuity is more important than storytelling" is ridiculous - especially since, in my eyes, if you read the entire run of, say, Amazing Spider-Man, it all falls apart as one continuous story anyway. I honestly think the Spider-Man books have been very accessible since Brand New Day. My girlfriend read a couple of trades, and she had no problem following what was going on, and for the most part, Spider-Man's been relegated to his tiny little corner of the Marvel U - any involvement in big crossovers doesn't really affect his book. The only people really complaining are the longtime fans who seem to want to complain that he's not married to Mary Jane more than actually give these books a chance. I think they're striving for the same thing now with the "Heroic Age" directional reboot, but time will tell if they can sustain that level of accessibility (I'm betting no, unfortunately). I think DC's trying the same thing by putting JMS on Superman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I think the damage is done, and it'll take more than this to get new readers. Our personal experiences are different - I never worked in a comic shop, but I've spent a good portion of my life trying to get comics to people who don't read them (that'll be my legacy when I die). Your statement is true that people go for what's familiar, but the sustainability is what's questionable. 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Comics Techniques and Tricks: Frank Miller Alex Toth vs. Steve Rude Easter Eggs in Comics: Daredevil and the Teenage M... Support Gene Colan! Buy Original Art! DC Comics vs. Victor Fox and Will Eisner - The Rea... Escher in Comics: George Perez's Wonder Woman Top Five Spider-Man Villains Top Five Most Important Spider-Man Writers of All ... My Thoughts on Wonder Woman's Costume Change, and ... Hibiki Kono Climbs a Wall, just like Spider-Man! Comics Techniques and Tricks: Chris Ware The Five Most Important Spider-Man Moments Why Electro is Awesome and You Should Never Screw ...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1267
__label__wiki	0.882489	0.882489	Local promoted to two-star general Meghan de St. Aubin For most of his life, Les Carroll has served his country. The Covington resident spent most of his time in the Army Reserves and has deployed for the Gulf War and the war in Afghanistan. He and his wife Linda have been residents of Covington for 31 years and have raised their children here. With their youngest child Emily, 16, they are preparing to leave Covington for their next big adventure in Fort Bragg, N.C. In July, Carroll will be officially promoted to two-star major general. It has been a long army career for Carroll who has been serving on active duty for the past eight years. "People usually start out on active duty and they finish up in the reserves. That has been almost backwards for me," said Carroll. Before this new chapter of their lives was even a thought, Carroll served as Brigadier General. He was given command of the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command at Fort Sam in Houston, Texas. His command was deployed last year to Afghanistan on July 4, 2011. Carroll has a true Fourth of July memory of when he and his command made a maintenance stop in Shannon, Ireland. When they were called back to the plane, they heard a roar of cheering and clapping. "As my soldiers passed down the aisle, a big tour group from Ohio that was in the terminal stood up and started cheering, in Shannon, Ireland of all places on July 4th," said Carroll. "It was really kind of poignant that American patriotism goes where you go and you feel it." It seemed as though this moment was exactly what Carroll needed before he arrived in Afghanistan to start a very challenging year for him and his family. "Afghanistan is beautiful from 20,000 feet, but from six feet it's very nasty," said Carroll. Carroll and his command were in charge of bringing all supplies to soldiers in the fight, such as ammunition and food. Carroll tells of soldiers rebuilding schools and mosques and providing school supplies to school kids in Afghanistan who have never had anything. Carroll said while he was there, the atmosphere is not what many people might think. "Afghan people are very supportive and they want peace. They understand that that is what we are trying to give them," said Carroll. "People say that Afghanistan is 2,000 years and 30 minutes behind everything else. It's a unique culture and still very tribal based." Despite the distance and the challenges throughout the years, his wife Linda, glows with pride every time her husband speaks. She said this has always been their life and she is very happy that he has been able to do what he loves to do. Their children never fail to be supportive, she said. With Carroll's new position as two-star major general, he said his first job will be as chief of staff of a very large staff for a four-star general. "Kind of like an office manager on steroids," said Carroll. The Carroll family has never moved and while there is a little trepidation, because of all the support they have received from the city of Covington, they are excited to begin their new chapter in Fort Bragg. "It's going to be real nice that I get to continue to serve my country," said Carroll. "This time I get to take my family with me."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1269
__label__cc	0.715146	0.284854	Rayburn H. Bankston Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home Updated: Dec. 12, 2011, 10:22 a.m. Rayburn H. Bankston, 73, of Mansfield, died December 10, 2011, at Abbey Hospice, in Social Circle. Mr. Bankston was a member of Oxford Baptist Church. He dearly loved and enjoyed his family and friends. Mr. Bankston was preceded in death by his son, Wesley Todd; and his parents, Lamar and Gennie Mae (Kines) Bankston. Survivors include his wife, Barbara of Mansfield; sisters and brothers-in-law, Glenda and William Gauntt of Oxford, Rosa Bankston of Bethlehem, GA, Louise and Ty Benton of Brevard, NC, Cedelia and Harry Jones of Loganville, Joan and Allen Rutledge of Covington; sister-in-law, Nancy Parker of Mansfield; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tommy and Joy Parker of Covington; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral Services for Mr. Bankston will be held Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 2:00 PM, at the Chapel of Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home, 3134 Floyd Street, with Rev. Charles Roper and Mr. Jason Parker officiating, and interment following in Oxford Historical Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday, December 13, from 6:00-8:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oxford Baptist Church, P.O. Box 128, Oxford, GA 30054; or Abbey Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 68, Social Circle, GA 30025.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1270
__label__wiki	0.776928	0.776928	Letter: Increase Legal Aid Funding for Refugees UPDATE: On June 27, 2017, CPJ learned that the Ontario government has decided to maintain the current level of funding for legal aid services. This development will allow refugee claimants and migrants to access legal aid services in Ontario even after July 1, (which was when proposed cuts were to be implemented). While this is good news for refugee claimants, migrants, and advocacy organizations like CPJ, there is still work to be done. We need to continue to advocate for increased federal funding to enhance refugee claimants’ and migrants’ opportunities for proper representation at their proceedings. There are still concerns that the Legal Aid of Ontario (LAO) may subsequently cut all services for the rest of the fiscal year, if talks with the federal government go awry. The British Columbia Legal Services Society has announced plans to stop accepting applications for immigration and refugee cases on August 1, 2017, due to insufficient funding. It is clear that although there is some success, we need to intensify our advocacy efforts to ensure that legal aid services remain accessible to refugee claimants and migrants in Canada. Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) joins the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) to call on the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, to increase legal aid funding for refugee claimants and migrants. In a letter addressed to the Minister, CPJ noted that recently proposed cuts to legal aid funding by the provinces will reduce refugee claimants’ access to legal counsel, especially when such claimants cannot afford to hire a lawyer. CPJ believes that all refugee claimants should be able to access legal aid services when they need counsel or representation at their proceedings. Such proceedings are very defining for claimants. They constitute the difference between life and death for certain refugee claimants. Hence, CPJ urges the Minister to ensure that the federal government works with the provinces to ensure that budgetary challenges do not impede refugee claimants’ opportunities for proper legal representation at their proceedings. Dear Minister Hussen, Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) writes today to ask that the federal government increase legal aid funding for refugees and vulnerable migrants whose access to legal representation, for their proceedings, is currently threatened by proposed cuts to legal aid. CPJ promotes public justice in Canada by shaping key public policy debates through research and analysis, publishing, and public dialogue. CPJ encourages citizens, leaders in society, and governments to support policies and practices which reflect God’s call for love, justice, and environmental flourishing. Everyone in Canada, whether citizens or refugees, is guaranteed the right to legal counsel when there are threats to the right to life, liberty, and security of person, as held under Section 7 of the Charter. For refugee claimants and migrants without financial security, access to legal aid is a valuable resource. CPJ has long supported legal aid for refugee claimants and migrants. Our 2015 report, “The Invisible Victims” highlights that legal aid plays a tremendous role in refugee claimants’ ability to successfully navigate Canada’s complex legal system. The costs of limiting refugee claimants’ and migrants’ opportunities for fair proceedings far outweigh the financial costs involved in maintaining legal aid. For some claimants, legal aid could make the difference between safety in Canada, and persecution, torture, or even death, if returned to their countries of origin. Many refugee claimants and migrants do not speak English or French. Neither are they conversant with Canada’s legal and immigration systems, to enable them to put their claims together for the best possible outcome. Legal aid provision is a federal-provincial responsibility. The federal government must contribute sufficiently to legal aid in the provinces, to accommodate for shortages in provincial budgets. Provisions were made in the 2017 budget for legal aid. About $62.9 million over the next five years, (and $11.5 million yearly thereafter) will be used to fund legal aid services in the country. Given these financial commitments, it is important to maintain legal aid for refugee claimants and migrants. Instead of limiting refugee claimants’ and migrants’ access to legal aid, we urge you to focus on increasing the Immigration and Refugee Board’s (IRB) capacity to hear cases more quickly. The surge in asylum claims in recent months will pose a serious procedural challenge to the IRB, if the government does not meet such demand with additional resources. CPJ is proud of the leading role our country has taken on refugee resettlement and support. However, we must ensure that we do not take decisions that threaten our most-cherished values and international human rights commitments. We thank you very much for your time and consideration of this matter. We look forward to a reply at your early convenience. (Rev.) James C. Dekker Citizens for Public Justice ← Flourishing Together McKenna receives Give it up for the Earth! postcards →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1272
__label__cc	0.65821	0.34179	Catalog > Craft & Maker > Business > How To Build A Business While Learning Your Craft > Audience Growth Strategy: Search (With Tiffany Whipps) How to Build a Business While Learning Your Craft Audience Growth Strategy: Search (with Tiffany Whipps) - [Megan] So you may recognize Tiffany because she has been a very familiar audience member in a number of CreativeLive classes, which is awesome because I think a lot of people have seen your business evolve from someone who was sitting right there where they were to now really having a very successful business. Why don't you tell everyone a little bit more about what you do? - [Tiffany] I am a jewelry designer, metalsmith. I have grown my business over the course of probably six years. I think I started in 2012, fulltime, 2010 as a hobby. And I've built my business on search. I've also used a lot of the other tactics that Megan has implemented here. It's definitely a multi-strategy approach. But, yeah, I think today, we're going to talk a little bit about how I did that search part. - Perfect. Yeah. So just to remind you, guys, where you're thinking about this, search is really just about getting your products found. And Tiffany is going to go into that so much more. And since this i... s not in my wheelhouse, this is definitely Tiffany's area of expertise. I'm going to sit down and let her take it away. - All right. So I'm going to start by asking you guys, what do you think of when you hear the term SEO? And just shout them out. - [Together] Keywords. - Keywords? Okay. Google, yup. Those are definitely all parts of search or things that we use in search. We search everything. There are over 3.5 billion searches on Google every day. We search where we're going to go to dinner, where we buy jewelry, how we get from point A to point B. I know that definitely as a maker, I'm sitting in my studio, I'm alone a lot, and I'm asking myself questions. So I'm asking Google those questions. So let's talk a little bit about what SEO is. SEO is helping your ideal customers, sorry. SEO is helping ideal customers, find the products they're looking for using their language. So we're not using jargon here. We're not using your terms as how to make something, we're going to use your customer's language in SEO, because the more you can speak in your customer's language, the better grasp you're going to have on fulfilling their needs, and the more effective you're going to be in reaching them. SEO is a way of saving you time and money by putting your marketing efforts on autopilot. So November, I moved from California back to Oregon. I opened a new shop. I was in the middle of my busiest season ever. I decided to do a pop-up shop in the middle of all of that. I had the busiest holiday season I've ever had, and that's totally because I already had everything all implemented and searched. I didn't have to constantly email my email list, don't tell Megan that. I didn't have to constantly go on social media and talk to my customers. I had already implemented a way for them to find me. They knew how to search what they were looking for and come to my website. I had the biggest sales ever. I'm not saying always do that, I'm saying if you need to put on autopilot that's great. SEO helps you create a more user friendly experience for your customer. If you're speaking your customer's language, you're talking to them directly, they're coming to your website, they know that your product is already for them. So let's talk a little bit about what SEO is not because there's that, too. It's not a quick fix marketing solution. This might take you a week, a month, a year to see results from your efforts. It's a long-term strategy. It's not stuffing a bunch of keywords into your items, titles, or descriptions. Have you been on Etsy and seen that? Have you gone like, "Oh, gold ring. Women's jewelry, jewelry ring. Gemstone ring." And you're like, "What is that?" And you literally have to look at the picture like, "I don't know what you're selling me." And so SEO is not scary or something you need a programmer to do. I think a lot of people get really bogged down in the details. This is a class about simple. It's a class about strategy that you guys can implement right now. So we're going to talk about some ways you can use search and implement this into your everyday life. And hopefully it's going to feel like second nature instead of a chore. So you're on Pinterest. You come across this image. Somebody did a bad job with their SEO and their keywords. They didn't title this picture. It doesn't have a description. And you click through, the link is broken. You have no idea how to get to this thing. What are you going to do? You really, really, really, really, really want this ring. You're like, "I have to have this ring." What are you going to do next? - [Female 1] Google. - [Female 2] Google it. - You're going to Google it, or you're going to search it. You're going to go in some search term and try to search this ring. So if we can have that, we're going to talk about some search terms here. We're going to figure out how we're going to find this ring, right? What do we know about this ring? - It's blue. - It's blue. No, that's great, right? The ring is blue. - Dainty. - Dainty. - Stone. - Gold. - Ross gold. - It's gold. - Yeah. - Or twisted band? - Twisted band. It has a twisted band. Sure. - Chrome bezel. - Braided. - Braided bezel. Maybe it's a gemstone ring. - Raw stone. - It's a raw stone ring. It's a natural stone ring. Okay. Raw, natural. Right. So these are all descriptive terms. Now, we didn't really just say ring, did we? That's great because if you search ring on Google and that's the first thing that you search, what do you think you're going to find? - A million of them. - A million pages of rings. You might even come up with like ringing in the ear or things that have nothing to do with this ring, right? So the first time you go through this, you're probably not going to be like, okay, ring, and land on this, and at least stop with your search results. So that's great. So this is going to bring us to long-tail versus short-tail keyword terms. Long-tail keywords are comprised of three to five words describing your item. And they usually receive less search results, but tend to be better targeted and receive higher conversion rates. Short-tail keyword terms, one to two words, higher search results like ring, smaller conversion rate. If you're typing in ring, you're probably not really ready to buy it. You're in your search phase of this. You're really researching what kind of ring. Now, say you typed in blue gemstone ring with a twisted band and that came up, your pocketbook's out. You're ready to get that ring. That's yours, you're done. So by focusing on a long-tail strategy especially for a small business, it usually results in a more desirable position to target the right customers. So we're going to focus on a long-tail keyword strategy. And how do we figure out where these keywords are at and where your customers are finding on what they're searching? We're going to go into the AdWords Keyword Planner Tool. Say that 10 times fast. So this is actually a strategy we're going to use because it's very multi-purpose. You can go into Etsy and do this search, you can go into Google and do a search. There's a lot of different ways, there's a lot different tools to keyword plan. AdWords Keyword Tool is going to give us a lot of information and condense it down. And it's very multi-purpose across all platforms. So that's what we're going to use today. So we already have the keywords planner up here. We're good to go. So we have a lot of descriptive words there. We're probably going to maybe put them together, right? So maybe we're going to search gold ring with a blue stone? That might be a search term we use. Gemstone ring might be an okay place to start, like gemstone with blue stone. So I'm going to type this in here. "Gemstone ring with blue stone," it doesn't yield a lot of search results. Blue topaz ring, tanzanite ring, so that's interesting. I don't tend to normally use like the descriptor word, but that blue stone ring was actually a tanzanite ring. So maybe you're going to dig a little bit deeper into...Oh, a tanzanite ring. Okay, people are searching for this. What else are they searching for? The other thing you're going to see here is you're going to see your average monthly searches. So you know how many people are actually searching for what you're making, or what you're trying to make, or what you're looking for here. And then you're going to see that in jewelry competition is almost always high. This is just a thing. It's really hard to find a keyword term that's not high-end jewelry. Great. If you had a product that you're selling where your competition is low, its average monthly searches are super-high, and then you can come up with a search term for that, you definitely want to jump on that. That's great. But in this case, we're probably going to come for the least common denominator of high searches here. So large gemstones rings, not really applicable. Blue engagement ring, that's interesting. You can go like, "I wonder if my customer is searching for engagement rings. Who is my ideal customer? Are they getting married? Is that a keyword term I want to rank for?" Maybe. Maybe it's a product you want to create. So you're going to take all these keywords. Anything that goes with what you're trying to sell here and you're going to move it over. And then there's this little like your plan over here, and it saves all your keywords for you. Blue stones in rings, that's a good one. Blue precious stones, big stone rings. So you're going to keep playing with this. It's not going to be a one and done, you're going to come back up here and you're going to be like, "Okay. Well, what happens when I do just gemstone ring? What comes up?" Gemstone engagement rings again. You're like, "Oh, okay. People really want these engagement rings. That's great." I'm going to create a bridal line. Yeah, it's a good thing to do. Gemstone jewelry might be an okay one, stone rings. So then we can go back and we're going to look at this list again. We're going to be like, "Oh, we talked about natural stone rings. I wonder how that comes up." - Are you wanting to choose the ones that are lower numbers? - You're wanting to stay in a category that's a mid-range search. So I wouldn't go under 100 monthly searches. I wouldn't do the 1 to 10. But right now, you're really just searching for your keywords. And then we're going to talk about where we want to stay in the category of average monthly searches in a bit here. So gemstone rings, that might be an interesting one to play with. We'll see what that brings up. So 10,000 or 100,000 searches, that's a really great range to stay in. What did I say? Oh, natural stone rings, that's what we were going to do next. So you can see what your customers are searching for. You can see how many people are actually searching for this. And you're going to just keep popping in ideas of your descriptive terms into this keyword search until you get a general idea of what people are searching for. This is getting you in the brain of your customers, and how people are looking for terms for jewelry. So natural gemstone jewelry, that's a high one. We're in the 100 to 1,000 search, that's pretty good. Blue stone rings, this is popular. People don't even know what they're searching for this. No, they want blue things. Real stone rings, so that's probably a good one to look at. Colored stone engagement ring, natural gemstone rings. So now, we're getting into a good category here. We've got a pretty decent list compiled over here. We're going to pick what we want as our keyword terms. This is definitely dependent on how high that search is, how high that competition is, where you want to be in that range. But what it's really going to depend upon next, is when you go over here to Google, and let's say we want to hit for natural gemstone rings. We're going to go over to Google, and we're going to pop that in, or a search engine and pop that in. So Sundance comes up as a top contender. These are all ads. We're not really trying to hit for ads, we're trying to hit for natural search results. So natural stone ring, Etsy comes up pretty high, this Novica natural stone rings. So what you're really looking for here is that Nordstrom isn't coming up for natural gemstone rings. Some of these really high competitors that have a huge budget that you're never going to be out in search because they have such a huge presence online. You're not going to try to compete with them, you're not going to try to compete for ring. But raw stone ring on Etsy or this natural stone rings over here, A, you're not actually hitting the natural gemstone ring keyword. These people are coming up but they're probably not too hard to compete with. And then you also want to go down to the bottom of your Google search results. And then you see right here where it says, "Searches related to natural gemstone rings, those are other things that people have been searching for really recently. So you know that people are searching Etsy for natural stone rings. They want natural stone band rings. So this is another way that you can gather some of these long-term keyword searches to play with those terms too. So you could go and pop that back in the keyword planner and see if people are actually searching for those things, and how many. So this is not an exact science, you're going to want to play around with it. Nobody knows exactly how they're going to hit on your term, but this is a great way to get into everybody's minds and figure out what's being searched for. So we probably want to pick a term around natural gemstone rings. That's a pretty solid search term that you can probably compete for in Google that is getting quite a few search results, right? Let's see where they're in. Yeah, 1,000 or 10,000 a month, that's great, you want that traffic. So now that we have our keywords, let's see. I'll put my clicker. So by researching market's keyword demand, you're not only learning which terms and phrases to target but you also learn more about your customer's journey and create a better experience for them. So you just got in the mind of your customer. You know that your customer might not be searching tanzanite ring. You know they are definitely searching natural gemstone rings. You also know their next steps. Maybe they're searching for an engagement ring. Maybe they're searching for blue stone ring. So now you can create products. You can create services. You can also create keywords that target them in search. So how do we put all these keywords in the right spots? What do we do with them? This is going to be different for everyone, and this is a really hard thing to do. And some of these are going to be applicable, and some of them aren't. Because if you have your own website, you have a lot more control over how you rank in these. But you can still do this on Etsy. I think Megan showed an example earlier. I ranked number one in Google search for thin gold hoop earrings and that's actually on Etsy. But the best thing you can possibly do is have your own website and have control over all of your keywords. So you're going to put it in your title. I actually chose natural gemstone rings. I think what did I say? Same thing. So it's the first thing in my title. I don't have any other sentences, or words, or long descriptive terms, or other terms people are searching for because Google doesn't register anything over 60 characters. So you don't want big long paragraphs in your title, you want a very succinct title. I put tanzanite because it was relevant when I did a search result. People might be searching for tanzanite gemstone rings. That's also a great place to put if you want to name your jewelry. So your bored, you don't just want to say what your thing is, you want it to be the Melissa ring. Put that there. That's where you put it. But put it after your keyword term. Then I'm going to repeat it. So Google can't see the image of what is attached to this listing, it needs to read something to register it in search results. So I describe what's in the image. I put, natural gemstone ring featuring a raw tanzanite on a gold braided band. This is a sentence. It's a sentence that somebody would read. My customers would come to and they'd be like, "Oh, that's what that product is." Maybe they're on there and the picture isn't loading, but that tells them exactly what it is next. Then I write my paragraph for my customer completely. I'm selling it to a person, I'm not selling it to Google. But I'm still using keywords all throughout the paragraph listing. So it has the word gemstone ring, it has tanzanite in there. It repeats gemstone again. I'm going to speckle this throughout my whole entire copy. It's not going to be written for Google, it's going to be written for my customer. It doesn't matter exactly where you're putting it in, but we know that Google ranks you higher if they see some repeated search terms. So this is where you don't have the control if you're on a third-party site. We're going to use this, an image alts tags. Again, Google cannot see this image. It does not know what that's a picture of, so I'm going to tell it and it says it's a natural gemstone ring. So now, when somebody searches that, there's a better chance of that image coming up. And I'm super visual. So I will click on a picture, sometimes before I will click on a search term or copy, but that's another way to get found in search. Tags. People put a lot of weight on tags. They're not actually all that important. But it's good to repeat your keyword term in your tag, and then go back to that little planner tool where we just put all of those things over in a category all of those different search terms, or all of those words right there and type blue ring, dainty gold ring, twisted band ring, and fill your tags with those. Next again, you're only going to have this if you have your own website. Your URL should have natural gemstone rings in the URL. So it should say, product, natural gemstone rings. If you're on a third-party provider, it might say product 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10. You don't get as much control over that. So this is, again, why it's great to have your own website. Another thing is that I didn't do a slide for. But if you have your own website and you have Etsy, don't copy products from one to the other, create separate listings. Google doesn't like it when you have multiple content in it. So there are those loaders where you can take down your CVS of all of your listings and put that in another website. Don't use it. Create a different listing, find a different keyword, create different descriptions for it, make it different. Last, now that you have everything all pretty in your titles, and tags, and context, Google's a popularity contest. And you win that popularity contest with backlinks. Backlinks our other sites linking to you that have more clout than you do. So search engines give higher ranking to sites with backlinks, and the more credible and relevant to your product, the better for you. So Brigitte Lyons was coming in next. She's going to talk all about PR, which is awesome because I think the best way to get backlinks is to actually reach out to other influencers in your market to gain those. And she's going to tell you how to do that. So if you do your PR homework, do your SEO homework, it's all good. You're done. And then measure your results. So there's Google Analytics. Your websites probably going to have some way of measuring how your search is coming in traffic, what people are using for keywords, things like that, once a month because again, it's going to take a while to come full circle. So once a month, go in there and make sure people are coming to you for what you want to be searched for. You might have to switch this. You might find that something you picked and all of this wasn't exactly what people were looking to buy. So you might have to tweak and measure, and play with that a little bit. But measuring your results is going to help you play with and get more search traffic to your site. - So I actually want to ask you a question before giving it to them. Because this is a lot of new information for me, and I'm like, "Oh, look at all of these ideas." We'll do some questions and then we'll do that hot seat. - Yeah. - So when you're talking about backlinks, does Pinterest help with backlinks? Because that's a lot of linking but... - That's awesome, but it doesn't. Right. So that's why there's going to be a lot of things that you're going to get told about backlinks, there's people who will probably try to sell you backlinks, those aren't great. Again, the best way to get backlinks is from a credible source of another website that is ranking high in Google search that can help you get backlinks. Social media backlinks rank way far down. in getting found interesting. Yeah. - All right. Questions from you guys? Rochelle? - [Rochelle] You said to make the copy different from your Etsy and your website. How different? Do you need to...because the descriptions are the worst thing to have to write. - For sure. Just don't take and copy and paste from one website to the other, vary it a little bit. I would try to get hit for different keywords in each listing. So if you're on Etsy, so I might want natural gemstone ring for that listing, maybe I want raw gemstone ring in Etsy. - Oh, okay. - So try to get hit for a different keyword. - Okay. Awesome. - Like, I wouldn't put thin gold hoops on my website, personal website because I rank that high in Etsy for it. So I'm not going to knock myself out a search game. - So what do you call it on your website? Just a... - Perfect gold hoop earrings. - Oh, right. Okay. - Yeah. Yes? - When you talk about measuring afterwards, are you just measuring that by, like, "This is how many people clicked on my thing versus last month, or this is how many people bought versus last month." - You definitely want to track conversion. if these keywords aren't bringing your, you know, right customers in and converting into actual sales, then you probably don't care that you're getting ranked for those keywords, right? - Okay. - So yeah, a tracking conversion metrics are your best bet. - Actually before we go to our online questions, I have one more question for you. Okay. And I'm learning so much. So this is something that you and I talked a little bit about before we got here. But talk about how having a one-of-a-kind product. Can you talk about how that can or can't work in search? - Yeah. So it still can and there are a few ways to do that. So if you have one-of-a-kind products you can still use search as a strategy. But when you throw that product up there, it sells. If you're taking that down off your website, Megan is a great example, she puts sold-out. And it stays there for a while. If you can let your sold out products live on a static page, and it's on your personal website because I know that once Etsy something sells out, it's going to be like, "Look at all of these other sellers, millions of items." And, you know, they don't make it easy for them just to click back onto your site. So if it's a product that lives on your personal website and it's sold out, keep a link to it somewhere, maybe you're blogging about it and has a link to it. Maybe it's a similar product to something else, I would keep a link living somewhere and then I would relink it to this other product. You can still do that, but it's not helpful. - Awesome. All right. And we have a couple of online questions. So let's take a look at those. - "How often should you review your SEO for previous products?" - So as opposed to creating a new listing. I think they're asking like, "How often should you go back and do that?" - Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Constantly be monitoring that, I tweak and twist my existing listings until they're hitting exactly where I want them to hit. - Awesome. Let's look at the next question. - "I have heard that using tags on a Shopify store can create duplicate pages that would harm you in Google. Any thoughts?" Just using your tags wouldn't create a duplicate page. - Yeah, I'm trying to think how that... - Yeah. Tags are actually pretty irrelevant when it comes to search and when it comes to your product. So I don't think. - Yeah. So it might not be tags on Shopify, it's like you can. So one of the things you can do on Shopify is duplicate a listing. - Yeah. And so that's what I was talking about when we're saying... - Right. Being really strategic about not doing that. - Yeah, correct. - Yeah. So it sounds like maybe this is just an urban legend. As far as I know, that's not true. - Yeah. But I would never use a duplicate listing. But, know you can, but then, go in and switch that around. If you want some pricing things to go in there, that's fine. But make sure you're just switching out what that listing is actually saying in the URL listing. - There's so much work to do now. I use that duplicate button all the time. - Yeah. - Okay. I've got fix...Can I have my computer while I'm sitting here? I have work to do. I think we have one more question. - So that goes back to the long-tail keyword. So, "How many keywords does Tiffany choose to use in a single product listing or blog post?" It depends on this long-tailed versus short-tailed, right? Three to four keywords if you're going for that long-tail strategy is great. One to two is probably not going to hit you in the right spot. I wouldn't go any lengthier than three to five words to try to hit for that keyword. Again, under 60 characters. - Perfect. Are you a maker in the first phase of starting a business? You have a great business idea or beautiful product to sell, but not enough time to focus on both your craft AND selling your product. Well, this class is for you. Considered one of the most respected crafters in the business, Megan Auman will show you how you can concurrently work on your craft, grow sales, and focus on marketing initiatives that will get customers in the door. Megan is a designer, metalsmith, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her designs have been featured in Design Sponge, Better Homes and Gardens, Cooking Light, and more. In this class, she will show you: The who, where, and when of your business; who you should be selling to, where you should sell, and the right time to launch How to adapt your business and your product line as your business grows How to make money in the beginning stages of your business that allows you to justify spending more time on your craft Learn the essential skills needed for having a successful craft business. There's no better time than now, so reserve your spot and turn your craft into a profitable business. Why Do You Want to Make Money from Your Craft? Exercise: Take an Honest Look at Your Financial Situation (A)lways (B)e (R)eleasing Priority #1: Email List Priority #2: Your Product Photography How to Build an Audience Which Audience Building Strategy is Right for You? Exercise: Personal Focus Group Student Examples: Personal Focus Group Student Examples: Search (with Tiffany Whipps) Audience Growth Strategy: Press (with Brigitte Lyons) Audience Growth Strategy: Visual Content Creation Visual Content Creation: Pinterest Visual Content Creation: Instagram Student Example: Visual Content Creation Is Your Growth Strategy Working? Honing Your Craft Exercise: Identify Where You Are and Where You Need to Be How to Optimize Your Experimentation How to Go From Experimentation to Focus Student Examples: Finding Your Focus How to Handle an Evolution in Your Craft Student Examples: Handling Evolution Pricing to Support Your Craft Student Examples: Pricing Build Your Momentum Plan Student Examples: Build Your Momentum Plan Simplify and Celebrate Your Progress Liana Badea I truly enjoyed this class, as it is very detailed, but straight to the point. 30 modules, more than 10 hours, it is so worth it! I also loved the interactive part of it. Building your business from scratch is not easy, there is so much to do. This class gave me some important pointers and valuable guidance, thank you Megan! I strongly recommend this class to anyone who wants to work smarter, not harder and be successful. Kristen Girard Fantastic class! If you have never taken a Megan Auman class, this is the perfect one to start with. It filled in some knowledge gaps that I didn't know I had. Lots of great basic knowledge that I haven't been able to find elsewhere. Super helpful! Maike Armstrong First of all, it's so fun to learn from Megan! She is so motivating and enthusiastic – making you feel great about your business even when you are just starting out. The class is well put together, easy to follow and has simple, actionable steps to follow in order to actually move forward. I definitely recommend you check it out for yourself!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1274
__label__wiki	0.653684	0.653684	Egyptian-Saudi foreign ministers hold joint press conference - Daily News Egypt Egypt Egyptian-Saudi foreign ministers hold joint press conference Egyptian-Saudi foreign ministers hold joint press conference The conference came amid claims of contradictions in the foreign policies of both countries regarding the Syrian conflict Daily News Egypt October 25, 2015 1 Comment By Mina Ibrahim A press conference was organised Sunday between the Egyptian and the Saudi Foreign Ministers at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in Cairo, following a private meeting between them. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the meeting included talks about the current disturbances in Arab countries, particularly in Palestine, Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Shoukry added that an agreement with the Saudi Foreign Minister was made that regular meetings would be organised between them every three or four months to discuss latest issues related to the security of the Arab region. “We do not want any foreign, non-Arab intervention in our conflicts,” added Shoukry. Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir declared that Saudi-Egyptian relations are always close, and that there is coordination and cooperation regarding different issues. The two ministers were asked if there are differences between the foreign policies of both countries regarding the Syrian case, and if there are mechanisms to reconcile these differences. Shoukry denied the presence any contradiction between both countries, stressing that Egypt’s policies are consistent with its Saudi counterpart. Al-Jubeir commented on the question by saying that the Saudi solution for the Syrian conflict has remained unchanged from the beginning. “Our solution is clear. We do not see a future for Syria with Bashar Al-Assad. We want a unified Syrian country that includes all sects. We also refuse any foreign intervention in Syria,” Al-Jubeir said. However, the foreign policies of both countries appear to be at odds with respect to the Syrian case specifically. In recent months, Egypt has taken a firmer stance on a position calling for a political solution; one that appears to include the maintenance of the Al-Assad regime. On more than one occasion, in recent months, Egyptian officials have met with Syrian government delegations for talks, including regarding responses to terrorism. “Russia’s entrance, given its potential and capabilities, is something we see is going to have an effect on limiting terrorism in Syria and eradicating it,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said earlier this month. However, Saudi Arabia, a long-time rival of Syria, has been pushing for the removal of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, through significant funding and arming of rebel groups during the four-year conflict. Moreover, not long before the beginning of Russian strikes, Al-Jubeir repeatedly announced that there is no future for Syria with Bashar Al-Assad. Topics: Egypt Foreign Minister Saudi More in Daily News Egypt Transport Minister meets US Chargé d’Affaires in Cairo on improving transport sector Egypt, France, UK, UAE, US, and Italy call for immediate end of Libya violence https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2015/10/25/egyptian-saudi-foreign-ministers-hold-joint-press-conference/ Ethiopians back from Saudi recall beatings, robbery, jail $60B arms deal with Saudi Arabia goes through October 25, 2015 Breaking News	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1275
__label__cc	0.591793	0.408207	There’s a New Me Coming Out I posted this on Facebook (in the account under my stage name). The positive response has been touching. Enough people have asked, so I might as well clarify things… Yes, I’m trans. Yes, I’m transitioning. What I’m transitioning to remains to be determined (although as a friend aptly put it, for someone who’s not sure if she’s transitioning to living as a woman full-time, I’m sure doing a good imitation). But a sage friend once advised: do only as much as you need to — and no more — to deal with your trans-ness. So I’m taking things step by step, and then seeing whether that step is enough. In any case, things take time… I’ve started removing my beard, which typically requires 100-200 hours of electrolysis (1), and I’ve probably at least 8-10 months to go to go. After that, I’ll probably start hormones and it takes 6-12 months to adapt emotionally to the ways in which estrogen rewires your body, and it’s not a good idea to make major life changes until you’ve gotten centered again (2). There are likely to be other renovations along the way, timing to be determined, and preparing for them takes time. Retraining my voice takes months. Will those changes be enough to reach a detente with my body dysphoria? Will continued bigendered living — working as man and otherwise living as woman — be enough to resolve my gender dysphoria? We’ll see. The “standard narrative” is of trans people who knew at age four that their bodies didn’t fit their minds, who either transitioned at a young age, or who’ve now broken through internalized shame and repression, and are now on a fast-track to transition. But those folks are only the tip of the trans iceberg (3), non-transitioners actually vastly outnumber them, but they’re generally so deeply closeted that they’re the vast “dark matter” of the trans universe (4). For many years I was one of them. The gender dysphoria has been slowly building over decades. Something shifted a decade ago and I felt compelled to go out in the world and interact with people as a woman. But I was still OK spending the majority of my time living as a man. During the past year something has shifted again, and the “middle path” between genders doesn’t seem to be the road I’m on any more. For a number months now I’ve been still working as a man, but otherwise living as a woman. I’m fortunate, I don’t hate being a man (5) — but I’ve realized that I’m happier and more comfortable as a woman. I’m also fortunate that I don’t hate my body the way some trans people do, feeling like it’s alien with alien parts. Am I uncomfortable with my body? Sure. Some of it is the sorts of things caused by the way society inundates women with body shaming messages. Some of it yearning for things I don’t have. Some of it is making peace that there’s things I can’t change (e.g. I’m always gonna have wide child-bearing shoulders). Some things I can —and likely will — change (6). Some changes are compatible with continue bi-gendered living, some of them would force the issue of full-time transition. Full-time transition is scary for a lot of reasons (and I didn’t have fears, I’d be worried), chief among them: being able to earn a living. I’m privileged to have a job that’s in demand, that pays well, that I generally enjoy. But age discrimination is definitely a thing in Silicon Valley. So is gender discrimination, and the combination could be a career-killer (7). The flip side of being privileged is that you have further to fall. So it’s possible I might continue bi-gender living because of that. It’s also possible I end up feeling that’s a risk I have to take in order to feel whole. We’ll see… In the meantime, if I seem distracted, if I seem distant, or if I’m withdrawing into my glitter cave, it’s because gender dysphoria in general and contemplating transition in particular, takes up a lot of mental and emotional energy. A friend of mine said it feels like simultaneously planning a wedding, planning for your first child, and running a marathon every day. She was only partly joking. I don’t mean to go all emo and make it seem like I’m consumed with stress and anxiety. But yeah it’s there, and sometimes I am preoccupied, or I’m worn down and need to recharge. If I sometimes seem socially awkward, sometimes it’s because of the above. It’s also because I’m playing catch up in learning how to interact with the world as a woman, especially in the company of other women, especially as a woman interested in dating other women (8). I’ve felt a bit like Elsa, closely watching the world outside, but walled up away from from it. Unlike a Disney movie though, now that the gates are being flung open, I’m not able to magically fit in like I’ve been part of that world my life. But I’m learning. I’m evolving. We’ll see where I end up. We now return you to your regular programming…. 1) No, I can’t do laser hair removal, since the hair is blonde. No, hormones won’t get rid of it — they don’t affect post-puberty changes (including beard, voice changes and other things). Which is why puberty blockers are such a big deal for trans kids, it buys them time to reach adulthood and can legally make decisions about the kind of body they’ll have. Yes, it hurts. A lot. It also requires me to grow beard during the week between sessions. Gender-wise that’s really uncomfortable for me to do. I just try to embrace the suck. 2) Which is a polite way of saying that estrogen typically heightens emotions significantly, so just like 13-year-old girls flush with adolescent hormones have to learn how to manage that, so would I. (FWIW, for trans guys, going on testosterone typically means they get to experience what being a 13-year-old boy pumped full of adolescent hormones is like.) And yes, there are physical changes as well, which is kind of the point. Probably not as much as I’d like — due to being older — but OTOH, more limited changes are more compatible with a life short of full-time transition. 3) Not to mention that there’s other “visible” trans people who identify as gender queer, non-binary, etc. 4) Also part of the “dark matter” are the people who go “stealth” post-transition, i.e. they don’t mention their history and are perceived as cisgender. For those folks who are freaking out over the thought of trans people in bathrooms…. trust me, you’ve already been sharing bathrooms with them for quite a while, you just never realized it. 5) To steal from a friend, my male identity is like a well-worn, trusty work truck. It gets things done, it pays the bills. I honor it, it’s gotten me through decades of life. But it’s not really me anymore. 6) And unless you want to sleep with me, any changes under the hood ain’t none of your business. If you do want to sleep with me, let’s definitely talk.(dick pic senders need not apply). 7) I’m especially wary after just watching a friend’s workplace change from highly supportive to a toxic work environment, after management— who initially were behind her 110% — caved in the face of employees who refused to recognize her gender, and management tried to do the “well both sides have merit” thing. Which is a problem when one side wants to be treated as a human being and the other side isn’t remotely willing do to do so. 8) I actually identify as pansexual, but I’m mostly attracted to women. February 1, 2016 / Transition by Jolie Laide « Transitioning in the Public Eye Burning Daylight »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1280
__label__wiki	0.654501	0.654501	Battle of Normandy Normandy today War material D-Day and Battle of Normandy Encyclopedia Maxwell D. Taylor – Biography Battle of Normandy from June 6> Military biographies – Battle of Normandy> American military personnel – Battle of> Maxwell D. Taylor – Biography> Maxwell D. Taylor Maxwell Davenport Taylor was born in Keytesville, Missouri on August 26, 1904. Passionate at a very young age through military history and in particular by the American Civil War, he naturally headed for the career of arms. This brilliant student excels in languages (he studied Greek, Latin, French and Spanish) and decides to present several competitions of officers: he fails at the Annapolis naval academy but passes the exam West Point Academy. Graduated with the rank of second lieutenant in 1922, it was as the youngest officer of his promotion that he turned to military engineering when he left school. In 1926, he was appointed to the artillery and then he moved a few years later to a career as a diplomat. Not wishing to leave the military institution, Maxwell Taylor is appointed professor of French and Spanish at West Point before joining Tokyo where he learns Japanese. If he was not appointed to the Japanese embassy, he was transferred to Beijing in 1939 as a military attaché. When World War II broke out, Taylor was posted to the staff of the 82nd Infantry Division (commanded by General Ridgway) which was transformed into an airborne unit. Promoted general in 1942, he participated with the 82nd Division as an assistant to the fighting in Sicily and Italy until July 1943. He was later named head of the 101st Airborne Division already in England preparing for Operation Overlord when he took command. On the night of June 5 to June 6, 1944, he parachuted with his division over Normandy near the beach of Utah. His paratroopers seized the axes connecting the beach inland so that the dismounted troops are not blocked on the shore. Despite a large dispersion of airborne units and numerous losses, they accomplished their mission with a minimum of resources. Taylor and his division later defended Carentan, a real road and railroad junction linking the Cotentin to the rest of Normandy, defended by the German paratroopers of the 6th division. On 24 June, while ordering a military ceremony in the liberated commune of Carentan, he was caught in the fire of a German sniper who missed him and shot dead a four-year-old French girl who had come to bring him a bouquet of flowers. The 101st Airborne was relieved on June 29, 1944 by the 83rd Infantry Division and returned to England to be recompleted and to prepare the continuation of the war. General Maxwell Taylor participated in the Operation Market Garden in Holland, then he was called to go to the United States to attend a staff meeting (Anthony McAuliffereplaced him pending his return). The Germans counterattacked at this time in the Ardennes and encircled the positions of the 101st before beating in retreat. Taylor was extremely affected by not being able to be with his paratroopers during this critical moment. Kennedy’s coming to power reconciled him with the politicians: at the request of the American president, Taylor returned to service on October 1, 1962 as an assistant to the army chief of staff until 1964. He writes a report concerning the engagement of US military forces in Vietnam: according to him, it is necessary to deploy men and means. This text plays a leading role in the Kennedy administration, which decides to fully commit to the region. After the Second World War, he was appointed superintendent (also called “sup” by the cadets) of West Point until 1949 before taking command of the Allied troops in Berlin for three years. He went back to the battlefields from 1953 to 1955 in Korea at the head of the 8th US Army. Thereafter, Taylor continued walking in the footsteps of General Ridgway: he was appointed Chief of Staff of the US Army from 1955 for four years. He took advantage of this period to try to restructure the army to adapt to new modern issues such as the nuclear era, but his proposals gave rise to an outcry in the US administration of President Eisenhower, as this was already the case for Ridgway. Taylor, who did not want the conventional armed forces to be abandoned in favor of the nuclear forces, felt misunderstood and left the army in July 1959. In January 1960, he published a book openly opposed to the defense specialists of the Eisenhower administration , entitled “The Uncertain Trumpet“. After a second resignation in 1964, he returned to his first love by being appointed Ambassador of the United States to South Vietnam for one year. From 1965 to 1969, he became the special advisor and foreign intelligence director to the president. He died in Washington on April 19, 1987 from Charcot’s disease and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Back to US Military biographies menu Normandy landing – Battle of Normandy – Normandy today Media library – War material – Filmography – Bibliography – Shop – Forum – Website information DDay-Overlord.com – Reproduction subject to authorization of the author – Contact 2019 D-Day commemorations Calendar of ceremonies, conferences, exhibitions and re-enactments of military camps on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings and the Battle of Normandy News from Normandy Summary of the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings in 2019 Collector vehicles on the beach of Arromanches June 6, 2019 Photo: Kathryn Whitaker June 10, 2019: summary of the... Read more» June 6, 2019 traffic conditions in Normandy – D-Day 75th anniversary As in 2014, the traffic restrictions of June 6, 2019 mainly concern the department of Calvados. Photo: DDTM Calvados May... Read more» Rosie the Riveter in Normandy for the D-Day 75th anniversary On the left, the poster created by J. Howard Miller to fight against absenteeism in the factory. On the right, Norman... Read more» D-Day Hour by Hour book This richly illustrated book chronologically describes the course of Operation Overlord through 357 specific events. D-Day and Battle of Normandy media library: archives photos and videos D-Day Overlord shop Souvenir shop featuring t-shirts, caps, mugs, models or posters inspired by D-Day and the Battle of Normandy D-Day Overlord Association Discover the D-Day Overlord association and its activities related to the memory of the Normandy landings D-Day Overlord bibliography D-Day and Battle of Normandy books: narratives, testimonies, guides, studies and reflections Help translate this website Take part in the memory of the Battle of Normandy by translating this website.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1285
__label__wiki	0.616285	0.616285	Le Laboratoire Residency: Angelus Novus Angelus Novus is a work in nine through composed movements, oscillating between moments where the soprano sings with single instruments and with ensemble. The work is a monodrama that draws on the writings of DH Lawrence, Plato, Schopenhauer, C.G. Jung, Freud, Joseph Campbell and Nietzsche to explore the human condition from physical, spiritual and psychological aspects. The work is framed at the beginning by a text by Walter Benjamin that describes Paul Klee’s work Angelus Novus, from which the piece takes its name. The final movement is based on an excerpt from an epic poem by Weldon Kees, A Distance from the Sea, which likens the psychological sensation of memory to the often confusing physical sensation of viewing the depth of the horizon and landforms between. The work is in itself a kind of poem or treatise on the human experience that became a flashpoint for me after experiencing Paul Klee’s work. The work is meant to be a raw exploration of life felt through the lenses of various cultural histories, represented in the pastiche of authors that inhabit the work’s landscape. Libretto by Multiple Authors, adapt. Aylward. Monodrama with Choreography and Video. For Soprano, Flutes(s), Oboe, Clarinet(s), Violin, Cello, Percussion. Commissioned by Le Laboratoire Cambridge With Choreography by Colin Gee, Costume by Alexandra Posen, and Video by Steven Taylor.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1297
__label__wiki	0.993661	0.993661	News / UK Tory leadership rivals Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt clash over Brexit plans Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson will face more questions on Wednesday in a digital hustings Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have clashed over their plans for delivering Brexit as a former head of the civil service warned against making “straitjacket” promises to leave on Halloween. In an open letter, Mr Johnson challenged his rival to commit to taking Britain out of the EU on October 31 “come what may”, warning not doing so would have “devastating” consequences for the Conservative Party and the country. However, Mr Hunt hit back, calling it a “fake deadline” which – if adhered to – could lead to a general election which would hand power to Labour and derail Brexit altogether. Mr Johnson’s apparent hardening of his stance on guaranteeing Brexit “with or without a deal” came as former civil service chief Bob Kerslake called the October 31 pledge “a complete hostage to fortune”. In comments reported by The Independent, the former Whitehall mandarin warned Parliament will not countenance leaving the EU without a deal. “It is always a good maxim in politics not to enter a room unless you know that you can get out of it,” the peer told the Chamberlain lecture in London on Tuesday. “Boris Johnson has not only entered the room but he has put on the straitjacket, padlocked the door and started the tap running.” Mr Johnson used a series of broadcast interviews on Tuesday to set out his plans for Brexit, insisting that the shock of the European election results would force both the Tories and Labour to acknowledge that the current impasse could not continue. In a BBC interview, Mr Hunt suggested Mr Johnson would find it difficult to get a new deal with Brussels as he would struggle to win the trust of fellow EU leaders. “The judgment is who is the person we trust as prime minister to go to Brussels and bring back that deal,” he said. “It’s about the personality of our prime minister. If you choose someone where there’s no trust, there’s going to be no negotiation, no deal.” Jeremy Hunt has called October 31 a ‘fake deadline’ (Kirsty O’Connor) Mr Hunt has pledged to leave no deal on the table as an option, but has left open the potential for a short extension if an agreement with Brussels is in reach. “I think that 31 October come hell or high water is a fake deadline, because it’s more likely to trip us into a general election before we’ve delivered Brexit, and that would hand the keys to Jeremy Corbyn and then we’d have no Brexit at all,” he told the BBC. “I will leave the European Union without a deal. But I’m not going to do that if there’s a prospect of a better deal and if I did it it would be with a heavy heart because businesses up and down the country would face a lot of destruction.” Mr Johnson’s Brexit plans also came under attack from International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who slapped down the former foreign secretary over his claim Britain could use international trade rules to continue tariff-free trade with the EU in the event of no-deal. Mr Johnson has argued that a provision under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade – known as Gatt 24 – could be used to avoid tariffs under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules for up to 10 years. But Dr Fox, a Brexiteer who is backing Mr Hunt for the Tory leadership, said that would require the agreement of the EU, which Brussels had made clear would not be forthcoming. He said it was essential that the public debate on the issue was conducted “on the basis of fact rather than supposition”. Dr Fox’s warning came after a day in which Mr Johnson sought to get his campaign back on track with a media blitz in which he vowed to take Britain out of the EU by the end of October “do or die”. However, he continued to refuse to answer questions about his personal life following a late-night row last week with his partner, Carrie Symonds, which saw police called to their south London home. The two remaining contenders to succeed Theresa May will face more questions on Wednesday in a digital hustings. Bob Kerslake	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1303
__label__cc	0.644068	0.355932	Andrew Santino - Saturday - 7:30pm by The Comedy Store - La Jolla Sat, Jun 22, 2019, 7:30 PM Sat, Jun 22, 2019, 7:30 PM PDT The Comedy Store - La Jolla 2 drink min/person, we are 21+ w Valid ID* *FOREIGN ID must also have PASSPORT, per CA STATE LAW Llineups are subject to change. No Heckling In the event of a sellout, seats will be released 30 minutes after the show starts. ANDREW SANTINO Andrew Santino was a series regular on the SHOWTIME series, I’M DYING UP HERE exec produced by Jim Carey. Previously, Santino was the star of ABC’s comedy MIXOLOGY. Andrew has a one hour comedy special on SHOWTIME called "Home Field Advantage." His COMEDY CENTRAL HALF HOUR standup special was released alongside his debut album SAY NO MORE on COMEDY CENTRAL RECORDS. He was a regular guest on COMEDY CENTRAL’S @ MIDNIGHT with Chris Hardwick. He made his standup debut on ADAM DEVINE’S HOUSE PARTY and since has performed standup on CONAN and THE MELTDOWN WITH JONAH AND KUMAIL. Santino headlined at Montreal’s JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY FESTIVALas well as SXSW and numerous clubs across the country. Andrew got his start acting and writing on the final season of PUNK’D for MTV and his since then he has guest starred on ADULT SWIM’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, NETFLIX’S ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, HBO’S FAMILY TREE, NBC’s THE OFFICE, FX’s THE LEAGUE and HULU’s DEADBEAT. United States Events California Events Things to do in San Diego, CA San Diego Performances San Diego Arts Performances Andrew Santino - Saturday - 7:30pm at The Comedy Store - La Jolla 916 Pearl Street, San Diego, CA 92037 Sat, Aug 10 7:30 PM Michael Kosta - Saturday - 7:30pm The Comedy Store - La Jolla, San Diego Fri, Aug 9 7:30 PM Michael Kosta - Friday - 7:30pm Josh Blue - 8pm Godfrey - 8pm Josh Wolf - Saturday - 7:30pm Fri, Aug 16 9:30 PM Josh Wolf - Friday - 9:45pm Browse San Diego Events	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1304
__label__wiki	0.6654	0.6654	Helmet 30th Anniversary Tour by Howiee's On Front Fri, November 15, 2019, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM PST 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM PST Howiee's on front 16 North Front Street Helmet is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year and plans to mark the occasion by performing a 30 song set each night. They will be playing songs from across their catalogue of eight critically acclaimed studio albums, as well as rarities from older EP’s and singles - with the possibility of a few covers mixed in for good measure. There will be no opening acts on any of the shows. Formed in New York City in 1989 by founding members Page Hamilton, Henry Bogdan, Peter Mengede, and John Stanier. The group soon after signed to Ampthetamine Reptile Records and released their first full length Strap It On in 1991. Interscope Records soon came calling and signed the band in 1992. Their label debut Meantime went on to sell over a million copies and earned a Grammy nomination. The band has released eight albums over the last 30 years and has gone through different personnel before settling on the current lineup of Page Hamilton, Dan Beeman, Dave Case, and Kyle Stevenson – which has proven to be the most consistent and longest running iteration of the band. The band has also contributed music to a number of films including Johnny Mnemonic, The Crow, Feeling Minnesota, The Jerky Boys, Gun Crazy and Judgement Night (a collaboration with hip hop group House of Pain). Their most recent album Dead To The World was released in 2016 by German-based label earMusic. SHOW STARTS AT 8:00PM This is a 21 and over event United States Events Oregon Events Things to do in Medford, OR Medford Tours Medford Music Tours Helmet 30th Anniversary Tour at Howiee's on front 16 North Front Street, Medford, OR 97501 Browse Medford Events	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1305
__label__cc	0.646056	0.353944	Explore Turkey Pictures for Blue Voyage :: At Bükü Blue Voyage :: At Bükü At Buku which is in the west of the Island of Gocek and north of Boynuz Buku, consists of two inlets in the south and north. There is a great rock in the entrance of the inlet and, on the north coast, there is a beach and fountain among the pines. The road that leads to Gocek is visible when you are passing across the earth hills above the inlets. There are many inlets between this inlet and Gocek. One of these is Gunluklu Koy, adorned with liquidambar trees. The other one is the Inlet of Osmanaga, located on the other side of the peninsula which forms the boundary of Gunluklu Koy. There is a small island in the south of the inlet. The passage between this island and the coast, is dangerous. The peninsula of Ince Burun which is adjacent to the inlet of Osmanaga, extends to the sea as a promontory. The sailboats for which there is no place in Gocek, can stay overnight in the north of this peninsula. The next inlet is the inlet of Ciftlik Koyu near Doruklu where there is a camp and next to this inlet, there is the Inlet of Bungus which is an exquisite yacht harbor.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1307
__label__cc	0.677234	0.322766	Home › Newsroom › Study Findings May Explain Delayed Onset of Heart Disease in Women 2013 Press Release Archives ENDO Annual Meeting Society in the News Endocrinology Glossary Contact: Aaron Lohr alohr@endocrine.org Contact: Jenni Glenn Gingery Manager, Media Relations jgingery@endocrine.org Young women able to counter effects of insulin resistance, lower heart disease risk Chevy Chase, MD—A biological ability to compensate for the body’s reduced response to insulin may explain why women typically develop heart disease 10 years later than men, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Insulin is a hormone that takes glucose from the bloodstream and carries it into cells, where it is used for energy. When the body doesn’t use insulin properly, a condition known as insulin resistance, it raises the risk a person will develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease. “Among men and women ages 50 or younger with comparable levels of insulin resistance, our study found women experienced fewer complications than men did,” said the study’s lead author, Sun H. Kim, MD, MS, of Stanford University School of Medicine. “This ability to deal with the fallout from insulin resistance was no longer present when we examined women who were 51 and older. This gender difference may illuminate the ‘female advantage’ – a phenomenon where the onset of cardiovascular disease tends to happen a decade later in women than in men.” The cross-sectional study examined insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease risk in 468 women and 354 men. Among participants ages 50 or younger, women had lower blood pressure and fasting blood sugar levels than their male counterparts. In addition, women had lower levels of triglycerides, fats in the blood that can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. “The findings suggest young women are uniquely equipped to offset the negative effects of insulin resistance,” Kim said. “Although there is no difference in the level of insulin resistance between genders, young women are still able to avoid the worst complications from insulin resistance.” Kim theorizes this may be a natural form of protection for women in their reproductive years, but additional research needs to be done in this area. Other researchers working on the study include Gerald Reaven, MD, of Stanford University School of Medicine. The article, “Sex Differences in Insulin Resistance and Cardiovascular Disease Risk,” is scheduled to appear in the November 2013 issue of JCEM. Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 16,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/EndoMedia.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1312
__label__wiki	0.856226	0.856226	Arjun Kumaraswamy R&B Singer SeptemberSep 23, 1990 SeptemberSep 23, 1990 (age 28) Most Popular#30798 Born in Sri Lanka#4 First Name Arjun#3 Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka#2 Singer Born in Sri Lanka#1 Asian fusion artist known for his blend of Western and Eastern music. He is signed to India's largest record label, T-Series. Before Fame He first rose to fame when he posted an English remix of the immensely popular song "Why This Kolaveri Di" in December 2011. The YouTube video earned over 9 million views in two years. In 2012, he was voted Best Urban Act at the UK Asian Music Awards. He was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, but spent most of his working life in London, England. He grew up with an older brother and he has a nephew. He has performed songs for Bollywood films including Creature 3D starring Bipasha Basu. Arjun Kumaraswamy Popularity Arjun Kumaraswamy Is A Member Of R&B Singers First Name Arjun Arjun Kumaraswamy Fans Also Viewed Myles Parrish Singer Trivia Games More September 23 Birthdays Kalani Hilliker Chris Sails September 23 Birthdays More Libras	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1317
__label__cc	0.744257	0.255743	FDIC Reports Second Quarter 2007 Financial Results for the Deposit Insurance Fund David Barr (202) 898-6992 dbarr@fdic.gov The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced that the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) earned $1.06 billion in comprehensive income for the first six months of 2007, increasing the fund balance to $51.2 billion as of June 30, 2007. DIF's comprehensive income for the six-month year-to-date period was higher compared to a year ago ($1.06 billion vs. $967 million). The increase (excluding the one-time adjustment of exit fees earned of $346 million in 2006) is primarily a result of higher interest earned on investment securities of $172 million, an increase in assessments earned of $222 million, and a $53 million higher contribution to year-to-date comprehensive income from unrealized gain/loss on available-for-sale (AFS) securities, net. DIF's estimated assessment revenue was $140 million for the second quarter of 2007, compared to $94 million earned during the first quarter. This increase primarily resulted from a reduction in the amount of assessment credits estimated to be used by financial institutions to offset gross assessments. Through the first two quarters of 2007, institutions were expected to use approximately $1.6 billion, or 34 percent, of the initial $4.7 billion one-time assessment credit (second quarter assessments will be collected on September 28, 2007). The DIF investment portfolio's yield-to-maturity increased by 8 basis points during the first half of 2007, rising to 4.97 percent as of June 30, 2007, from 4.89 percent as of December 31, 2006. During the period, newly purchased securities had higher average yields than those of maturing securities. For the six months ending June 30, 2007, Corporate Operating and Investment Budget related expenditures of $471 million and $6 million were below budget by 10 percent and 53 percent, respectively. Corporate Operating Budget expenditures were lower than expected as a result of limited resolutions and receivership activities through the second quarter. A more comprehensive analysis of the Corporation's financial statements, investments, and budget for the first half of 2007 is available on the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/about/strategic/corporate/cfo_report_2ndqtr_07/index.html Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 8,650 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars – insured financial institutions fund its operations. FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet at www.fdic.gov, by subscription electronically (go to www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html) and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). PR-77-2006	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1318
__label__cc	0.732129	0.267871	Company fined after worker falls from height A Steel Fabricator company has been sentenced and fined after 19 year old employee fell through a roof whilst on his first day of work. Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard how the incident occurred, on 23rd August 2017; the construction worker was assisting a colleague with a project at a petrol filling station. The young employee took a step off the walkway and fell 7.5 metres through a tin metal sheet into the forecourt below. As a result of the fall, the worker suffered head injuries, broken pelvis and a broken wrist. Further investigation held by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the planning of the work was not to standard, along with the absence of appropriate supervision was carried out when the incident occurred. Mark Dayment of North Road, South Moulton pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and has been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,228.70. HSE inspector Nicole Buchanan said: "This young man's injuries were life-changing and he could have easily been killed. This serious incident and devastation could have been avoided if basic safe guards had been put in place. "Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities and injuries in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well-known." First Rate Training is here to train you and your staff in Health and Safety and also have specialist Working at Height training that can be adapted to companies requirements For more information on our courses, please contact Rebecca on 08456 525249 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Keywords: Working at Heights, Training, Swansea, Cardiff, HSE	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1320
__label__wiki	0.856236	0.856236	Catch Reports Tackle & Technique Fishery Reports Fishing Holidays Fly Fishing Forums USA Salmon Fishing Forums Sea Trout Forums Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques AllCatch ReportsCompetitionsEventsMatch FishingNews Fishing Magic Tackle-Mart A Guide to River Carp Fishing by Andrew Patterson MP lands personal best carp and holds breath as the puns… Jeff Woodhouse: I Think I’m Going Back… AllCarp FishingCoarse FishingDiariesFictionGame FishingHumourOpinionPodcastsPredator FishingSea Fishing A Job For All Seasons – Running Your Own Fishery Rod Sturdy: Canoe Access and What You Need To Know. Jack Croxall: Old Monastery Pool. AllBeginnersHow ToReviewsRigsTips The Trollernoster Pulling Against Fish by Leighton McDonnell Short Whip Fishing by Peter Jacobs AllFishery ReportsFishing HolidaysTravel Reports Rod Sturdy: North to the Future. 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Contact us: info@fishingmagic.com UK Fly Fishing Forums North American Fly Fishing Forums Fishing Magic iBookfishing Member Chat Sensitive float fishing technique? July 16, 2019 Floats July 16, 2019 new whip tip split ? July 16, 2019 About Fish&Fly © FishingMagic 2000-2018	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1322
__label__wiki	0.795729	0.795729	FlightGlobal.com You are in: HomeAviation History19181918 - 1069.PDF SEPTEMBER 19, 1918. Capt.; Aug. 5th. A. S. Dark (Lieut., R. Wei. Fus.) ; Aug. 12th. M. Tarbet(Temp. Lieut., Dorset R.) ; Aug. 13th. R. F. Leather (Lieut., R.F.A.) ; Aug. 17th. E. G. Wood (Temp. Lieut., L'pool. R.) ; Aug. 19th. H. P. G. Branston(Capt., N. and Derby R.), and to be Hon. Capt.; AUK. 23rd. W. E. V. Richards (Lieut, Som. L.I.) ; Aug. 24th. R. F. Cookson (Lieut., R.M.A.) ; Aug. 26th.E. H. Maddick (Lieut., W. Kent Yeo., T.F.) ; Sept. 2nd. G. W. Powell (Sub- Lieut., R.N.V.R., R.N.D.) ; Sept. 3rd.Sec. Lieuts. to be Temp Lieuts., while employed as Lieuts.:—J. Robinson ; July 26th. A. Barrett, J. S. Shipway ; Aug. 19th. (Hon. Lieut.) J. G. Beck-, bam ; Aug. 24th. - Lieuts. (A.) to be Lieuts. :—R. J. Montgomery-Moore ; April 1st. J. W.Kennedy ; Sept. 9th. Lieuts. (O.) to be Lieuts. :—G. W. Elderkin, W. Noble, D.F.C. ; Aug. 31st.The following are granted temp, commns. as Sec. Lieuts. :—E. G. Barnard ; May 21st. A. Bragg, R. B. Cherry, H. J. Coles, J A. Currie, V. W. G. Day, F. D. D. Gaussen, C. S. Hill, R. S. Lewis, H. T. Mackie, P. H. C. Martin, H. A.Smith, A. T. Welsh. H. B. S. Ballantyne, J. W. Heath, D. Lidderr'.ale, S. Maunder, G. F. Mitchell, R. E. Sharpies, L. H. Skclton, H. L. Vahey, E, R. Veneer, W., Wilcock; Sept. 1st. W. J. Collins, A. Gauld, A. Cleave (and to be Hon. Capt.), J. F Alexander (and to be Temp. Lieut, while specially employed), C. M. Tre-gurtha, K. C. H. Newman, J A. McDonald, A. T. Guinevan ; Sept. 9th. Lieut. A. T. A. Nesbitt relinquishes his cemmn. on account of ill-health, andis granted the hon. rank ot Lieut.; Sept. 14th. Lieut. L. H. Hansen (Lieut., Loud. Yeo.) relinquiqb.es his commn. on accountof ill-health contracted on active service ; Sept. 14th. Sec. Lieut. S. R. Swift relinquishes his commn. on account of ill-health, andis granted the hon. rank of Sec. Lieut. ; Sept. 14th. Sec. Lieut. W. E. Angell is dismissed the Service by sentence of a Gen. Court-martial; Sept. 14th. The notification in Gazette, Aug. 30th, concerning Sec. I.ieut. (Temp. Lieut.)J. M. Adams is cancelled. Technical Branch.R. W. Glennie, C.M.G. (Capt., R.N.), is granted a temp, commn. as Ccl., with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority April 1st. Maj. (Temp. Lieut.-Col.) G. B. Stopford retains his temp, rank while employedas Lieut.-Col., from (A. and S.) ; May 30th. Lieut.-Col. G. C. St. P. de Dombasle to be Lieut.-Col., from (A. and S.) ;July nth. Lieut.-Col. R. H. Collier, D.S.O., to be Lieut.-Col. from (S.O.) ; Aug. 27th.Maj. W. E. Jones to be Temp. Lieut.-Col. while employed as Lieut.-Col. from (S.O.) ; Aug. 24th.C. P. Hearle (Lieut.-Comdr., R.N.) is granted a temp, commn. as Mai., with effect from Aug. isth.iWijiority April 1st.A. E. Gendle (Temp. Eieut.-Comdr., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. as Maj., with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority April 1st.Capt. D. R. Verey to be Temp. Maj. while employed as Maj.; May 27th. Capt. M. D. Bousfteld to be Capt., from (Ad.) ; April 1st. The following Temp. Lieuts. (R.N.V.R.) are granted temp, commns. as Capts.,with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority April 1st:—H. G. Karris, T. R. Garrigan, M. T. Spence, J. Crichton, A. N. Peunel, G. L. H. Douglas Lane, W. Gillon, R. M.B. Mackenzie, W. B. Daniels, C. R. Lymn, G. W. Jones, P. A. Smee, W. A. Ogden, A. D. Macdonald. A. J. Prince-Cox (Temp. Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn as Lieut.,and to be Temp. Capt., with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority as Lieut., R.A.F., April 1st, and seniority as Temp. Capt., April 17th. H. F. Jackson (Temp. Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. as Lieut.,and to be Temp. Capt., with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority as Lieut., R.A.F., April 1st, and seniority as Temp. Capt., May 27th. Lieuts. to be Temp. Capts. while employed as Capts. :—(Hon. Capt.) C. A.Hudson • June 20th. O. M. D. Bell; Aug. 25th. - Sec. Lieut. (Temp. Lieut.) W. E. Townsend to be Temp. Capt. while employedas Capt.; June 19th. E. W. Barlow (Temp. Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp commn. as Lieut.,and to be Temp. Capt., with effect from Aug. 15th, seniority as Lieut., R.A.F., April 1st and seniority as Temp. Capt., Aug. 1st. » The following Temp. Sub-Lieuts. (R.N.V.R.) are granted temp, commns asLieuts. with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from April 1st :—A. G. - Maddock, J. Logie, G. Harris, J. H Grills, P. T. Creswell, A. W. Isherwood,T. D. F. Scott, T. Lightbody, R. Stewart, S. H. Thomas, E. O. Jones. The following Temp. Sub-Lieuts. (N.R.V.R.) are granted temp, commns. asLieuts., with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from April 9th :—C. W. Dick, F. C. Woo-1.A. Stocks (Temp. Sub-Lieut., R N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. as Lieut., with effect from Aug. 15 th, and with seniority from April 18th. H. A. Gillman (Temp. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. asLieut., with effect from Aug. 15til, and with seniority from April 23rd. The following Temp. Sub-Lieuts. (R.N.V.R.) are granted temp, commns. asLieuts., with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from May 30th :—E. J. Goodfellow, G. C. Rawlins. A. Walters (Temp. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commu. as Lieut,with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from June 7th. J. Pryce-Jones (Temp. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn.,as Lieut., with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from June 19th. D. N. Stewart (Temp. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. asLieut., with effect from Aug. 15th and with seniority from June 28th. L. J. Clements (Temp. Midshipman, R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. asSec. Lieut., with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from April 9th. A. M. Davies (Temp. Midshipman, R.N.V.R.) is granted a temp, commn. asSec. Lieut., with effect from Aug. 15th, and with seniority from June 20th. The following are granted temo. commns. as Lieuts.:—C. Brown (Lieut., W.Yorks. R.) ; June 6th. J. H. S. A. Skinner (Lieut., Gord. Highrs.) ; Aug. 12th. Sec. Lieats. to be Temp. Lieuts. while employed as Lieuts. :—R. C. Brown ;May 30th. D. J. Parry ; Aug. 29th Lieuts. (A.) to be Lieuts.:—H. Monks, M.M.; July 30th. (Hon. Capt.) C.Tollemache ; Sept. 9th, and to be Hon. Capt. Lieuts. (A. and S.) to be Lieuts. :—R. Tyzack ; May 5th. J. E. S. Alex-ander ; Aug. 24th. (Hon. Capt.) W. C. Parker; Sept. 2nd, and to be Hon. Capt. Lieut. (Hon. Capt.) G. R. G. Topham to be Lieut. (Hon. Capt.), from (K.B.) ;Aug. 28th. Lieut. A. A. D. Toplis to be Lieut., from (O.) ; June 13th. The following are granted temp, commns. as Sec. Lieuts.:—O. C. Lees (andto be Temp. Lieut, whilst specially employed) ; J. Wilson (and to be Temp. Lieut, whilst specially employed) • 0. W. Penny ; W. R. Bernard (late Comdr.,R.N., ret , and to be Hon. Maj. ; Sept. 9th. Sec. Lieut. R. B. D. Maiden relinquishes his commn. on account of ill-healthcontracted on active service, and is granted the hon. rank of Sec. Lieut.; Sept, 14th. The notification in Gazette, Aug. 16th, concerning Sec. Lieut. R. P. Coulter iscancelled. The notifiation in Ga%etle, Sept. 3rd, concerning Sec. Lieut. W. L. Wbitelawis cancelled Medical Branch.Dental.—D. Campbell is granted a temp, commn. as Sec. Lieut.; Sept. nth. Memoranda.Capt. L. H. Jefferson relinquishes his commn. on ceasing to be employed ; Sept. 5th.Sec. Lieut. J. P. Smith to take rank and precedence as if his appointment as Sec. Lieut, bore date June 1st. The rank of Capt. H. Spink is as now described, and not as in GazelleSept. 3rd. THE PFAL2 SINGLE-SEATER FIGHTER. FROM the Technical Department, Aircraft Production, Ministry of Munitions, we have received for publication a report on the Pfalz Single-Seater, type D 3. This machine, it may be remembered, was first described in " FLIGHT " as long ago as April 18th, 1918, when we also published three photographs showing the general arrangement of the Pfalz. In our issue of July 25th we commenced an illustrated detail description of the machine, which was continued through the following issues, concluding in that of August 22nd. In view of the fact that our descriptive article on the Pfalz was concluded some weeks ago, and since, moreover, we appear to have dealt with this machine in considerably more detail than is the case with the official report (which latter contains 18 sketches, three photographs, and a scale drawing, while our description was illustrated by 26 drawings and a scale drawing, in addition to the three photographs published in our preliminary article) it is hardly necessary now to publish the official report in fuH, this rather calling for a few brief remarks. Looking through the official report on the Pfalz the scale drawing appea?Vto show certain differences from the drawings obtained by us, notably in the shape of the nose of the machine, in the side elevation. Otherwise the dimensions appear to tally fairly well. There is one point to which we should like to call the attention of those responsible for the official reports on enemy aeroplanes : For some time now we have made it one of the features of our illustrated articles to Coming Home to Roost. NOT the least interesting of the captures during the recent fighting has been an order signed by Ludendorff him- self, which says :— " No one is to open fire upon an aeroplane without personally .making sure that there is no iron cross on the machine, or that the distinctive enemy markings are visible. It is very improbable, and has never yet been proved, that the enemy give very complete drawings of the body, in side elevation and plan, of captured German aeroplanes. We are of the opinion, and judging from the number of letters received, a large proportion of our readers share this opinion, that such drawings are extremely useful as an aid to forming a true picture of the machine represented. We would therefore suggest that, if possible, the inclusion of accurate drawings of the body in future official reports would greatly enhance their value. For the rest we will confine ourselves to stating that the official report on the Pfa'z is illustrated by a series of very excellent sketches, which deal, however, with exactly the same features as were illustrated in our own report. From the subject matter of the report, which is brief and to the point, although it might with advantage have been elaborated, we append the following references to the stability and manoeuverability of the machine, which were not available at the time when we compiled our article on the Pfalz Single- Seater :— " This machine is reported to be stable laterally and un- stable directionaHy and longitudinally. It answers well to all controls, much better than does the Albatros D.5, but tends to turn to the left in flight. It is not tiring to fly, and is normally easy to land. Though the tail skid is of the non- steering type, no difficulty is found in directing the machine on the ground." B IS makes use of our national markings in order to deceive us. Fire should therefore never be opened once the iron cross is seen. This rule must be strictly observed." It will be recalled that the Germans have persistently tried officially to discredit us by saying that we have used German marking on our machines, and now they have been forced to testify to our honesty, apparently because his own men have brought down German machines. IO69 Flight Digital Magazine Flight Print Magazine Airline Business Magazine Flight Newsletter Flightglobal Branding RBI media jobs UK Disclaimer \| Terms & Conditions \| Privacy Policy © Reed Business Information 2010	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1323
__label__cc	0.736989	0.263011	Home Press releases Ericsson and Akamai accelerate... Ericsson and Akamai accelerate Telkomsel's mobile content delivery Press release \| Feb 27, 2012 \| 07:40 (GMT +00:00) First time Mobile Cloud Accelerator has been run on a live operator's network Page load times can be reduced by as much as 70 percent. Mobile Cloud Accelerator is run as a service, connecting potentially thousands of content providers with hundreds of operators Content providers have been involved in trials of Mobile Cloud Accelerator The strategic alliance between Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Akamai, announced at last year's Mobile World Congress, has borne fruit in the form of Mobile Cloud Accelerator (MCA), which significantly reduces the time it takes for web pages to load on mobile devices. Indonesia's Telkomsel is now experiencing MCA for selected users, marking the first time the service has been deployed in a live operator's network. Using MCA, page load times have been reduced by as much as 70 percent - thereby providing a better and more consistent user experience. MCA provides operators with a means of monetizing over-the-top (OTT) traffic, and content providers with a way of improving quality of experience, conversion rates and brand perception. Content providers, including Thomson Reuters, have shown great interest in MCA since quality of experience is a decisive factor for their businesses. Mobile penetration in Indonesia has increased rapidly in recent years. Telkomsel as the largest mobile operator has recorded more than 107 million customers. For many Indonesians, the mobile phone is now the primary means of connecting to the internet- and hence for operators and content providers - page load times are crucial. A delay in page load time leads directly to a decrease in conversions, fewer page views and a decrease in customer satisfaction. Mobile phone users are unlikely to return to a website that they experience problems accessing, and even more unlikely to recommend the site to others, making the quality of mobile content delivery business critical to content providers. Bob Schukai, Global Head of Mobile Technology at Thomson Reuters, says: "Our professional customers are increasingly using their mobile devices to access business critical information. Ensuring that we deliver that information with low latency and with a high degree of mobile performance is a key part of the end customer experience. This is why we are excited about the performance improvements we see from MCA." Sarwoto Atmosutarno, President Director of Telkomsel, says: "Priority capacity, which ensures a high quality of experience for our end users, is a valuable asset for us. It increases our ability to monetize over-the-top traffic, keeping our customers happy, and helps us to further differentiate ourselves from the competition in Mobile Broadband business." Sam Saba, President of Ericsson Indonesia, says: "The Mobile Cloud Accelerator is a unique solution addressing end-to-end quality of experience for mobile content delivery across the internet and mobile networks. We're pleased to work with Telkomsel, the first operator to deploy MCA, and we are now continuing roll-out of the service." MCA is a game changer for the industry as it addresses two performance bottlenecks - the middle-mile internet bottleneck and the last-mile mobile network bottleneck. This is achieved by accelerating content delivery across the internet and prioritizing premium content across the mobile network. Ericsson will demonstrate MCA at this year's Mobile World Congress, including the operator portal, which allows operators to monitor the effect of prioritization on user experience and hence the value of premium connectivity. Introduction to Mobile Cloud Accelerator Our multimedia content is available at the broadcast room: www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room Ericsson is the world's leading provider of communications technology and services. We are enabling the Networked Society with efficient real-time solutions that allow us all to study, work and live our lives more freely, in sustainable societies around the world. Our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within Information and Communications Technology for telecom operators and other industries. Today more than 40 percent of the world's mobile traffic goes through Ericsson networks and we support customers' networks servicing more than 2 billion subscribers. We operate in 180 countries and employ more than 100,000 people. Founded in 1876, Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2011 the company had revenues of SEK 226,9 billion (USD 35.0 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges. www.facebook.com/technologyforgood www.youtube.com/ericssonpress E-post: investor.relations@ericsson.com Press release in PDF	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1324
__label__cc	0.723523	0.276477	AI Editor Squire Esky Shop Porn app OnlyFans and platform JustFor.Fans stars share personal stories, paid sexual content creation, and the online adult entertainment marketplace They’re exclusive, they’re private, they come at a price. These content creators are birthing a new kind of stardom. By Jonathan Pryce Photos By Jonathan Pryce Instagram may have created a new set of millionaires, but it’s paid-for subscriber platforms that are exciting content-creators in the UK. Platforms like Only Fans and Just for Fans are enabling individuals to promote themselves in a new way by offering exclusive, private content, for a price. By cutting out the middleman, pay & play services have attracted musicians and educators, fitness gurus and chefs—but the truly bankable stars are emerging from porn. It’s been a year since I was first shown the British-based Only Fans website. On a fashion photo shoot, the lead model told the team of his new revenue stream, direct from the consumer, which was paying for his apartment in the City. Fans part with anywhere from five to 25 bucks a month to view candid photographs and videos of their favourite faces. The audience can even make private requests of the parts and positions they’d like their idols to share. For this piece, I found seven London gents who are all leading the pack in the brave new world of show-me-yours. While some have a background in traditional studio porn, many are new to the game and shaping the landscape of fan content as they go. Aside from the income, the silver lining appears to be a new sense of freedom these men have attained through their work. An experience of body-shaming criticisms and excruciating demands has transformed into a career in which they regain control over their image, time and choices. These scenes are just between them and their fans. DEAN MONROE (above) It’s difficult to venture into Only Fans if you don’t already have a good degree of self-confidence. If you have self-doubt, it can be dangerous. I think people with a bad sense of self often join, hoping it will help them flourish as a person. Often the opposite can happen. I started off as a very timid, self- conscious, self-judgemental person. Through all my life experiences I’ve managed to discover myself. I still care and worry about what the world thinks about me but it’s not as important anymore. I know where I belong. I started a blog in 2006, which was a recording of my life at the time. I was heavily into shooting porn and travelling at the time. I documented everything and posted regularly. I wanted to show the fans my everyday adventures, not just professionally but personally. I was very enthusiastic at the time and with no other social media, it was my only outlet. When I joined Only Fans many people followed me from seeing my past work. Being in the industry for so long, I have built up quite a fan base. My blog had almost a million hits a day at one point. Not all those people are still interested but there are a number of people who were. I don’t shoot content with other people. Working with others carries more legal requirements, it’s greater risk of course and I’d rather not go down that route. I often get messages from subscribers asking me to shoot with others and I explain to them my reasons for not doing so. Many of my fans know from past work that I have shot with groups and there can be an expectation this is what they will find on my account. Privacy becomes more important as you get older because you need fewer external affirmations. I know I have a strong personality. I’ve worked very hard to get there and I’ve achieved it. When I was young I needed feedback, I needed people to tell me “you look great, you have a great smile”. I don’t need that anymore. With age comes confidence. That’s one reason why I don’t need to expose myself so much as I used to. I suppose there is still a small part of me where that desire remains. I’m still trying to figure that out. I don’t believe in luck. We’re in charge of our own destiny. Everything I’ve achieved is because I’ve put in the hard work to make it happen. GABRIEL CROSS It was my friend Austin Wolf who introduced me to Only Fans about 18 months ago. I didn’t expect to make any money from it and looked at it as a fad. I was wrong. When I realised how much money Austin was making, I decided to get in. Within six months of joining I was putting the majority of my energy into it. I started porn at age 18 but now hardly ever shoot for studios. I began to grow disappointed with the way some models were being treated. I was very fortunate but I was never a darling of the industry. Some boys get exclusive contracts that will stretch for years on end but no one really pushed me. The great thing with fan content is that I don’t need a corporate backer. I can promote myself. Since going independent, my social media and overall profile has exploded. In the past, I’ve been on quite a few big jobs where there is a huge production. I enjoy the acting side of things with a script and a storyline. That isn’t the product that people want from Only Fans. I’ve spent quite a while analysing what people want and why it’s so popular right now. Although there’s no set formula, I do think the core ‘reality’ is what gains most interest. As soon as you start getting too elaborate with the way content is shot, it loses the raw edge. It needs to feel like a genuine sexual connection, caught on camera. Fan content allows consumers to have a more intimate relationship with the performers. Personal interaction is important to me and I plan on doing a lot more Q&A videos where fans can connect with me on a new level. There are some really successful studio actors who don’t have the understanding of fan content and therefore don’t have good engagement. There is something to exclusivity and personality that drives people to want to subscribe. I try to interact with my followers as much as possible and often ask what they would particularly like to see. The process of creating work is part of the joy now. I started by just sticking my phone on the sideboard and filming while having sex. I’ve learned a lot since those days, particularly how to film and edit my own work. I shoot multiple times a week because I publish two full sex scenes a week. I definitely approach this like a business and I think my success is down to how hard I work. I have six months’ worth of content archived to ensure I always have plenty to share. My main source of income is Only Fans. There has been a gradual growth in subscribers, with some sudden jumps when I do a collaboration with someone else who has a bigger following. When there is a period of unfollows, it’s definitely concerning. It’s unknown as to why people stop subscribing so I can feel powerless at times. One of the most successful Only Fans account I know has 6,000 subscribers with the average cost of an individual subscription at USD10 a month. Most people keep their numbers private as there can be a lot of jealousy within the industry. I also use the Just for Fans platform, which publishes the weekly sales list with the top 10 performers. I was just listed as the number one model within Europe. GABRIEL PHOENIX I have both Only Fans and Just for Fans. I joined a year ago. I only dabble in it and take it at a leisurely pace. I post whenever I feel like it and that seems to be enough to keep people entertained. I cater to the requests of my fans and also what I enjoy, without studio opinions. I have been asked to smoke on camera and to do the washing up. As long as it’s reasonable, I’ll act out any suggestion. With fan content, I shoot in the evenings or early mornings when I have free time. That works because what I create is quite raw. I have three jobs: I’m studying and I have a volunteer position in a charity. It’s given me an extra financial boost, meaning I can cut back on my other work though I don’t rely on this solely so I’m quite relaxed about it all. As I don’t have a need to provide content for money, what I make is more relaxed and happy. When I post, it’s authentic. I enjoy showing off. One of the negative effects of Only Fans is that it has put a strain on some of my friendships. I had mates who started to become too focused on only ‘creating content’ together. Instead of just meeting up to hang out, it would be a text asking to meet up to shoot something. That didn’t happen before. Only Fans has made our image as porn stars less glossy. I still do studio work and I just won the prize of ‘hottest jock in Europe’. I know UK studios are finding it hard to keep up and have started to open their own Only Fans accounts that share the content they would have previously put on DVDs. Before I got into porn I spoke with my family to make sure they were ok with it and they were very supportive. As a cockney family they speak plainly. I wanted to make sure I had a strong enough mindset. They were all incredibly supportive. My straight brothers have even done interviews in magazines about my career and my mum comes to the award shows. It’s unusual and I feel very lucky. When I was 22, I sent a photo of myself to a porn studio to see if I could act for them. I’d been a fan of their work since I was young and wasn’t expecting a reply. The men they usually use are very good-looking so I thought I wouldn’t make the cut. A week later I was in Greece on my first shoot. A few years later, I discovered Only Fans and signed up. I didn’t put any effort in at first but very quickly I began to grow a following. Within a few months, I decided to experiment with producing diverse and interesting content that would be used solely for my followers. This transformed my experience with porn and also in turn, my life. I worked for studios in the past and had a set income, now with Only Fans I can earn 10 times that amount. Every Friday I publish an in-depth scene that usually features other men. On top of that I post a solo video once a week. I asked my followers how frequently they wanted new content and this is the happy medium we reached. I love the creative side to Only Fans—coming up with ideas and executing them on film. It all comes from my mind and seeing the responses from my followers is exhilarating. I do feel a responsibility to make a high-quality product when people pay money to see what I do. I have complete freedom with my job. I can pick my own hours, my own shooting schedule and the partners I choose to work with. Also, I have control over my image, which is very important. I am myself, not a brand or character that’s been created by someone else. There was a point in this industry when my self-image wasn’t great. My confidence had been knocked. In the studio system, the people at the top select the actors who will get the most exposure. It made me question my value and was caught in a never-ending cycle of self-improvement. Since joining Only Fans, I’ve regained control. I get direct feedback from my followers, which is always positive and uplifting. LAWRENCE LONDON I was never interested in becoming a typical porn star. For me, Only Fans is completely genuine. I film my real sex life. A lot of boys message me and ask to film a ‘scene’. For them it’s a contrived set-up where they may not even be attracted to me. That’s not what I’m in it for. I try to make it authentic. I frequently have studios contact me to perform, but I like to keep under the radar. Quite often this work is also paid badly. I had one offer which would be a full working day for GBP400. I can make that in one day on Only Fans. My goal currently is to buy a house and get on my feet financially. If you have 1,000 followers, that is USD10,000 a month. It doesn’t take long before that becomes USD1 million so there is real financial security to be had. In using Only Fans, I have to accept that people will save my photos and videos and share them online. Before Tumblr banned explicit content, people would message me saying “why would I bother paying for your account when I can find it all for free on Tumblr”. That was a real problem but it’s a reality of the Internet. With Only Fans, in terms of success, I’m in the middle somewhere and I’m happy with that. In the past, I never felt like the most attractive guy or that I was particularly sexy. I felt like I was just all right. Doing porn has inhibited me from having a serious relationship. I don’t think it’s a great environment to make deep connections but I’m happy with being single. On Instagram I have received negative comments, but with Only Fans it’s all positive. Despite my newfound confidence, I’m not impervious to comments. It doesn’t, however, affect me on a deep level. I try to find the humour in everything. I joined in December 2017 and I decided I wasn’t going to do anything sexual. At first, all I did was shoot my body with underwear on. I filmed some videos oiling my body and wearing a jock strap. Those did well and I would often get messages asking me to reveal more. It was a big deal for me as I knew once it’s out there it’s out there. I took a few days talking it over with my best friend and decided to post one sexual video. Slowly over time I got more comfortable and realised the pros outweighed the cons. I stopped scrutinising my body so intensely. I would post and just let it go. I had a fear of people’s judgement, but now I know I can’t make people like me, I am who I am. Over time, I began to get more graphic and now I’m comfortable with everything. A big part of that is being in control. I have complete control over my image and how it’s portrayed online. Using Only Fans has been completely transformative to my self-esteem. MICKEY TAYLOR Five years ago someone messaged me on Grindr asking me if I wanted to go into porn. I was 20 years old and it took some convincing. Once I said yes, I realised it gave me confidence and a new sexual expression. I also got a sense of belonging in the community. I joined Only Fans in spring last year. I have been shooting studio porn for five years and I realised I can make more money in fan content, running the business myself, making what I want and working with the people I choose. I know some people who earn USD50,000 a week. My working week is split between music and Only Fans equally. I release a new video every Wednesday at 10am so everyone knows when to expect content. I have a lot of young fans for my music so I don’t like to cross the two worlds too much. I don’t post explicit content on Instagram for example. I feel a stronger connection to my fans now. The communication is more direct. Fan accounts are anonymous. We don’t see names or profiles so comments are wide open. I’m on social media all day every day and see it as my office so I’m on my phone 24/7. In the past year my confidence has definitely gone up. With the studio system you get rejections, feedback and limitations constantly. I’ve been told my hair is wrong, my tattoos should be covered and that I should lose weight. I now have the power back and as I live for control, I’m happy now. The role of Only Fans in my life provides a perfect balance. As a neuroscientist, I can spend a whole week juggling numbers on a spreadsheet if I like and by the next week, I can decide to put all my energy into a purely physical life. I can wake up, have breakfast, go to the gym, have sexual intercourse with someone on camera and upload the video. That is an equally valid workday to me. If I decide to put a lot of filming into one week, in some cases twice a day, by the end of that, I just want to make a cup of tea and sit with my laptop to write a report and act like a scientist. I deliberately set it up this way so I can switch between activities when I get bored. Most of my followers like me because I’m red-headed. I already have a niche based on my looks but I’ve tried a variety of different creative concepts to push the boundaries. With very specific ideas, the engagement with one group of people will be very high and usually sparks some excellent conversation. The disadvantage is that this usually turns off general followers. The majority of people are looking for a six-pack image with a smile and a bulge. It’s not often that people will unfollow me based solely on posting a video that is artsy, but I will occasionally get messages with brutally honest feedback. There’s a sense that my followers feel like shareholders in my business and so have a greater stake in what I produce. I often get detailed feedback on what I could try or whom I should collaborate with. It’s much more in-depth than my other social media channels. On Only Fans you can be a shy person, who is an introvert and still be successful and confident on this channel. As there is complete control, I can still film with partners who don’t have a typical porn look that I happen to find attractive. Studios have to play it a little bit safer. To be honest, quality of film is not the priority on Only Fans. The content of what is being filmed is most important. If a man is genetically blessed, he may be able to amass a lot of followers early on by posting solo videos but sustaining a following will be almost impossible. I’m aware that things can change overnight. I’m popular right now but my audience may get tired of me, tastes change, the hunger for what I produce may dry up. That’s why I like to keep my life varied, so I’m never left high and dry. In terms of a working day, shooting porn is far less intense than my science job and a fact of the business is that I get a far higher financial return on a lot less input. The reality also is that I will likely have a longer career in science than in porn. For more stories like this, subscribe to Esquire Singapore. Does Bigfoot exist? BMW's new Intelligent Personal Assistant will change your life Fumito Ganryu on designing clothes for the future What to do in Singapore this weekend: 12 – 14 July The McSpicy we didn't ask for, but deserved Meme Friday: Bottle cap challenge Prada is looking towards a more sustainable future Here is the easiest style hack of the season GET THE INSIDE WORD Subscribe to our newsletter for updates and recommendations from the Esquire team—what we’re wearing, reading, watching, drinking, eating, and listening to in Singapore and abroad.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1327
__label__cc	0.642144	0.357856	Maldives Region Etihad Cargo launches luxury car service for Summer 2016 Etihad Cargo, the freight division of Etihad Airways, has launched a unique, new travel offer for guests who want to travel with their luxury car over the Summer period. Drivers can enjoy up to 20% off air cargo rates and their seat, when they book in First or Business Class. The cargo section for the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates is also offering additional services this year, arranging hotel accommodation and having the car delivered straight to the driver’s doorstep. The offer is now available from Abu Dhabi to European destinations including Amsterdam, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris and Zurich. David Kerr, Senior Vice President of Etihad Cargo, said: “Through our use of a mixed fleet of aircraft, we have a range of options that enable us to transport cars in the hold including some of the new additions to our fleet such as the Airbus 380s. “We have several years of experience in transporting vehicles for manufacturers to luxury car markets around the world and will aim to provide a first class service for those clients who are looking to take their vehicles with them to Europe during the Summer.” With upgrades and expansions having been made to the passenger fleet, it is possible to move vehicles in the bellyhold of Etihad’s aircraft such as the Airbus 380. This also provides guests with access to The Residence, the world’s first three-room private suite on a commercial aircraft, which is served by a personal Butler. For cities such as Dusseldorf and Zurich, guests are able to experience the Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which also features the airline’s highly acclaimed next-generation interiors with Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats. The number of cars transported has been steadily rising over the last few years and Etihad Cargo carried hundreds of automobiles during 2015. With additional aircraft and supporting services being added to the fleet this year, the cargo team is aiming to increase those numbers during 2016. The category of cars being transported has included F1 cars, Super Sport cars as well as luxury car brands such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. The airline’s links to Formula 1 are extensive and are underscored by the company’s sponsorship of the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. To book a flight, drivers can call Etihad on 800 2324 to book their car and flight package together. A customer agent will collect the car and flight details as well as offer an array of services; from door to door delivery to export, custom clearance and hotel accommodation. The special offer is running from now until the 30 September 2016. Etihad Facebook Etihad YouTube	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1328
__label__wiki	0.550702	0.550702	Cacao (Theobroma cacao). Photo by Luisovalles, Wikipedia Commons. Uncovered Genetic History Of Cocoa In Brazil January 23, 2017 Eurasia Review 0 Comments The saga of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) in southern Bahia is part of Brazil’s economic and cultural history. Brazil was once the world’s second-largest cocoa producer and now ranks sixth. After more than 20 years of exile from the global market, cocoa growers were able to resume exports of the commodity only in 2015. The culprit behind the decline of Bahian cocoa was the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, which causes witch’s broom. This disease appeared in the Ilhéus-Itabuna area in 1989 and attacked the shoots, flowers and pods of cocoa trees. Their branches had ineffective leaves and bore no fruit. Brazil produced only 190,000 tons of cocoa in 1991, down from 320,000 tons per year before the disease hit. The plunge was entirely due to crop losses in Bahia, which had previously produced 80% of the nation’s total cocoa output. In the past two decades, strenuous efforts have been made to combat witch’s broom, mainly by developing new varieties of disease-resistant cocoa, given that the fungus is still alive and well in southern Bahia. One of the most innovative initiatives is a study of the genetic structure and molecular diversity of the varieties of cocoa grown in Bahia for over 200 years. The principal investigator is Anete Pereira de Souza, a professor at the University of Campinas’s Biology Institute (IB-UNICAMP) in São Paulo State and a researcher at the same university’s Center for Molecular Biology & Genetic Engineering (CBMEG), in collaboration with researchers from several universities and research institutions in Bahia. “The low resistance of Bahia’s cocoa trees to witch’s broom has always intrigued me,” Souza said. “The Brazilian Amazon is one of the oldest origins of the species Theobroma cacao. So many varieties and types of cocoa must exist there, and some of them must be resistant to M. perniciosa. Why did the disease practically wipe out southern Bahia’s cocoa plantations in a few years if the plant originally came from the Amazon? We decided to study the genetic history of Bahian cocoa in order to discover why it’s so vulnerable and find a way of making it more resistant to the fungus.” Cocoa arrived in Bahia in 1746, when Louis Frédéric Warneau, a French settler living in Pará, sent seeds of the variety Forastero (in the Amelonado group) to Antonio Dias Ribeiro, a farmer of Portuguese origin, who sowed them on his plantation in what is now the municipality of Canavieiras in Bahia. The next generation was sown in Ilhéus in 1752. The plants adapted well to the local climate. Cocoa plantations spread throughout the region in the nineteenth century, and exports rose in step with demand for chocolate in Europe and the United States. By the early twentieth century, cocoa was Bahia’s main export. “The quality of Bahian cocoa is outstanding,” Souza said. “So much so that Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and Cameroon, the top five producers, in that order, all grow Bahian cocoa. The original seeds introduced were from Bahia’s Forastero variety.” Witch’s broom is endemic to South America and the Caribbean. It has never crossed the oceans to infest plantations in Africa or Southeast Asia. The results of the huge epidemiological and scientific campaign waged against the disease in Brazil are starting to appear. After bottoming out at 170,000 tons in 2003, Brazil’s cocoa output rebounded to a 26-year high of 291,000 tons in 2014. Improved control of witch’s broom has enabled Bahia to resume exports. It shipped 6,600 tons of cocoa beans to Europe in 2015. To understand the genetic reasons for Bahian cocoa’s extreme susceptibility to witch’s broom, Souza went into the field with Elisa Santos, then her PhD supervisee at the University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), and with researchers from the University of Santa Cruz (UESC) and the Cocoa Recovery Plan Steering Committee (CEPLAC), based in Ilhéus, Bahia. Santos collected 219 samples of cocoa leaves from seven farms and 51 samples of hybrids developed over decades at the Cocoa Research Center (CEPEC) in Ilhéus. Back at CBMEG in Campinas, Souza sequenced the nuclear DNA of all 270 samples. The investigation focused on 30 molecular markers, short DNA sequences that served as parameters for comparing varieties. The genetic base was found to be very narrow: literally all of Bahia’s cocoa trees are the descendants of only a few individuals. More specifically, they all originated from a small number of Forastero seeds, including the handful picked by Warneau 270 years ago. The researchers also found that the seeds were well chosen for the quality of the fruit produced by the trees concerned. While low genetic diversity guarantees high-quality fruit, it also explains why the population of cocoa trees as a whole was so fragile, as it resulted in a lack of varieties capable of resisting diseases such as witch’s broom. “The genetic base was already narrow, and they chose only plants from that base to obtain hybrids,” Souza said. “It didn’t occur to them to introduce new varieties from outside Bahia so as to enrich the genetic base in the region. As a result, the hybrids produced were even less disease resistant.” The good news brought by the researchers was the discovery of trees growing on local farms that were disease resistant and that displayed greater genetic diversity than the previously known hybrids. “The cocoa trees concerned were planted before the appearance of witch’s broom and have never been attacked. That’s why they were left intact and continued producing,” Souza said. “There must be others, besides the ones we took samples from. These trees can’t be lost. Government and growers must preserve these varieties, as they represent the future success of the cocoa industry not just in Bahia but also nationwide and indeed worldwide, given that Bahian cocoa has been exported to so many countries around the world.” New hybrids involving the trees found to be disease resistant and to display broader genetic diversity are now being obtained by plant breeders at Bahia’s research centers. ← ‘Immunizing’ Public Against ‘Fake News’ On Climate Change Too Little Exercise May Accelerate Biological Aging →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1329
__label__cc	0.599051	0.400949	Environment – Our People Environment – Our Peopledionysia2019-01-04T17:55:30+00:00 DR. DIONYSIA-THEODORA AVGERINOPOULOU Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou is a leading future in International Environmental Law and Policy. A former Member of the Hellenic Parliament, she serves as the Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Global Water Partnership Organization and the Head of Water of the Energy and Environment Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce. She is by profession a specialized attorney in Public International Law, European Law, Environmental, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Law and ADR and the Executive Director of the European Institute of Law, Science and Technology. Dr. Avgerinopoulou has also served as the Chairperson of the Circle of the Mediterranean Parliamentarians on Sustainable Development and the Vice-Chair for the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development. She was nominated as the candidate for the position of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program at the rank of the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations by the Hellenic Republic. Dionysia received a first degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of the National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece (top 1 in class, grade: excellent) and an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. with distinction. She also holds a Doctorate in International Environmental Law (J.S.D.) from the Columbia University School of Law. She has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships. Dionysia is the author of several articles on environmental and international issues and has presented her work on several international conferences. International media have covered aspects of her work in many countries. She has previously worked, among others, on environmental cases at the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, the Permanent Mission of the European Union at the United Nations in New York, U.S.A., the Center on Environmental and Land Use Law of the New York University School of Law in New York, the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Yale Law School in New Haven, C.T., U.S.A. and the International and Foreign Law Institute in Athens, Greece. She is an attorney-at-law by profession. She teaches Public International Law, International Environmental Law, European Environmental Law, Law of Sustainable Development and Energy Law. She served twice as a Member of the Hellenic Parliament, as well as the Chairperson of the Special Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and its Subcommittee of the Watercourses, as well as a Member and Chair of the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, and as a Member of the Committee on the Revision of the Greek Constitution and the Committee on the Parliament’s Library. She has been the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of Friendship between Greece and the Netherlands and Member of the Parliamentary Committees of Friendship between Greece and the U.S.A., Russia, Kenya and Israel. She has also served as the President of the Parliamentary Committee of Friendship between Greece and Botswana, and a member of the Parliamentary Committees of Friendship between Greece and the U.S.A., Russia, Israel, and Albania. She has served as the Deputy Secretary of Volunteerism and NGOs of the New Democracy Party (“Nea Democratia”), and the Deputy Head of the Environmental Policy Sector of the New Democracy Party. Dr. Avgerinopoulou was a member of the Committee regarding the Genetically Modified Organisms of the Greek Ministry for Environment, Energy and Climate Change. Most notably, she was the Chairperson of the Standing Committee for the UN Affairs of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In 2015, Dr. Avgerinopoulou was nominated for the position of the Executive Director of UNEP at the rank of the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations by the Hellenic Republic. In 2013, Dr. Avgerinopoulou was nominated for the position of the Deputy Executive Secretary of UNEP by the Hellenic Republic. In 2011, Dr. Avgerinopoulou was elected as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum for her leadership in environmental protection. In 2011, she received the “Green Star” Award by UNEP/OCHA/Green Cross International for her efforts in preparing and combating environmental emergencies. She was also selected among the “40Under40” of the EU, namely among the most promising 40 leaders of the European Union under the age of 40. In 2010, she also received a Special Congressional Recognition for her “outstanding efforts and invaluable contributions on behalf of Hellenic Students and the environment” and the Global Citizenship Award for Leadership in Assisting Humanity by Orphans International Worldwide in 2010. In 2009, she received the international Goddess Artemis Award by the Euro-American Women’s Council for her contribution to transatlantic cooperation between the U.S. and the EU on environmental and climate change issues, as well as a Recognition by the Mayor of Athens of “her contribution in promoting the Hellenic spirit worldwide.” She is also a Member of the Network of Women Ministers and Leaders for the Environment, the Hellenic Association for Environmental Law; the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF; the American Society of International Law (ASIL), the European Society of International Law (ESIL), the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), the Biopolitics International Organization, the European Women Lawyers’ Association, the Global Diplomatic Forum, the Euro-American Women’s Council, and the Women’s of Europe Award-Greek Division. Chrysa Efstratiou Chrysa Efstratiou is a Research Assistant of European Institute of Law, Science and Technology (EILST). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Water and Soil Engineering (2012), specialized in Renewable Energy Technologies (2017). Chrysa’s published Master’s thesis deals with Wave Energy Applications in order to promote energy efficiency and provide alternative solutions to water scarcity problems in isolated island or coastal communities. A core focus throughout her career has been the study and analysis of soft energy applications to address water related issues using applications of spatial analysis tools to study both regional effects and damage patterns concerned with water conservation status. In recent years she has been cooperating with private companies and NGO’s, promoting new technologies in the Water sector. Chrysa’ s responsibilities include the development of environmental management programs, development of environmental policies and strategies, environmental law and climate change issues, environmental investments in pollution control, wastewater treatment and related infrastructure. Christophoros Kapopoulos Christophoros Kapopoulos is a Professional Civil Engineer (DUTH) and Geologist (UoP) with a M.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering Infrastructure (UoP). He is also certified in Coastal Modeling (DHI/MIKE), Shoreline Management (Danish Institute), Integrated Coastal Zone Management (UNESCO-IHE). Mr. Kapopoulos is the Founder and Managing director of Ch. Kapopoulos & Associates Co., AQUATERRA, established in Patras, Greece since 2007. He has a professional experience of 25 years in various scientific fields of Coastal and Geotechnical Engineering, Scientific Simulations, Environmental Impact Assessments, Geophysical exploration. In his professional career he has conducted over 300 surveys, studies, reports and applications for the Public and the Private sector in collaboration with Greek Authorities and Municipalities, Construction Consortiums, Private engineering and commercial companies, Hotels, Universities, Institutes. He is author and co-author in 12 scientific papers published in Scientific Magazines, Books and Conferences proceedings. Pavlos Krassakis Krassakis Pavlos has studied Geology and Geoenvironment at National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Design of Infrastructure Works, specialized on integrated geospatial and space-based approaches. Main objective of his scientific work is Applied Geographical Information Systems (Applied GIS) in environmental sector, especially in soil and water remediation using 3d/2d modeling techniques. He has been involved in relative research projects such as ‘HydroEvia’, providing a thorough figure of the water potential of Evia prefecture aligned with the Water Framework Directive (WFD). In addition, he has corporated with Hellenic Institute of Geological and Mineral Research (I.G.M.E.) in various projects related to: a) hydrogeological study of 15 Natural Resources as Thermal springs b) area mapping of superficial geothermic resources by soil and groundwater data and c) monitoring soil indicators in relation to water resources. Moreover, he has been involved in studies related to soil contamination assessments and formulation of cost effective remediation strategies for habilitation and closure purposes especially in mining sector. Currently, he is collaborating with CERTH / CPERI in RFCS EU project SLOPES, in order to advance monitoring and risk analysis of slopes within open pit lignite mines across Europe. Rebecca Strauss Rebecca Strauss has just completed her first year at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC. She will be the president of the Environmental Law Society in 2018-19. She graduated from Brown University in 2011 with a BA in International Relations and History. Prior to beginning law school, Ms. Strauss worked as a litigation paralegal at Gilbert Employment Law, a plaintiff-side employment law firm. She has extensive experience volunteering with environmental organizations including the International Anti-Poaching Foundation in Zimbabwe doing patrol work as well as the San Francisco Department of the Environment doing community outreach. She also worked as a research assistant for the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA). In addition, she served in AmeriCorps for a year, volunteering with the Nature Conservancy doing ecological survey work to promote the carbon market, the American Red Cross immediately after Hurricane Sandy, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service fighting a wildland fire. Katerina Stoli Katerina Stoli is a Researcher in European Institute of Law, Science and Technology (EILST) since 2017, where she conducts research for environmental, climate change, climate finance and space law issues, prepares drafts, proposals as well as press releases and speeches and develops environmental management policies, and strategies. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International, European and Area Studies, specialized in Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development (Jean Monnet Programme). A core focus throughout her career has been the study and analysis of the legislative and policy framework regarding environmental matters, the financing of sustainable development, the empowerment of the enforcement mechanisms of Environmental Law, the mitigation and adaptation of climate change and the support of innovative technologies, such as IoT and space technologies. All these aspects have been approached under a humanitarian as well as environmental perspective, highlighting the role of the environmental education in tackling the existing issues and promoting the SDGs. During this year, she gradually became involved with the interconnections between the environmental protection and the maritime sector, exploring the transition towards sustainability through green shipping practices that enhance maritime energy efficiency. Prior to that, she volunteered for the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), a Non – Governmental Organization within the field of asylum and human rights that provides a smooth integration of refugees in Greece. A subject relevant to the sustainable development agenda. She is additionally an active member of many civil society organizations, most notably Action Aid and has attended several seminars and conferences. Katerina Stoli received a first degree in International, European and Area Studies from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences of Athens, Greece and a Master’s degree in Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development, with distinction. Katerina’s Master Thesis deals with the case of migration in the context of the 2030 agenda on sustainable development and questions the social issues within the realm of sustainable development. Stavros Tassiopoulos Lawyer, Member of the Athens Bar Association (Court of Appeals) PhD(c) in Public Law, University of Athens – School of Law, Mr. Tasiopoulos specializes in legal and policy issues on public/governmental and administrative law/policies, and in climate, environmental and energy law/policies. He has an expertise in providing services on administrative law/procedures, specializing in public sector reforms with the tools of open and e-government and also handling bureaucratic matters concerning citizens, businesses and investments. Also he has worked for the Greek Government at the Ministry for Administrative Reconstruction, representing Greece at the OECD-Public Governance Committee in 2015-2016, and was responsible for the policy proposal and bill drafting of the new law on the obligatory use of digital signature and exchange of documents in the Public Sector (ar.24 law4440/2016) In July 2018, his book on “Climate Change and International Energy Law – Renewable Energy as a necessary legal instrument”, was published by Scholars’ Press. Dr Dimitris Xevgenos Dr. Dimitris XEVGENOS has a strong engineering background, having graduated as Mechanical Engineer from the National Technical University of Athens (2008), MSc from Electrical Engineering (2010) and Ph.D. Degree from Chemical Engineering (2016) by the same university, while he continues as a Post Doc at TU Delft. Throughout his academic studies, he was awarded 11 prestigious scholarships, out of which seven for performing at top 2% of his class (out of 150 students). Except for his strong, inter-disciplinary engineering background, Dimitris has developed coordination and management skills. Over the past 10 years, he has participated in 10 European projects, serving as Leader for WPs related to the design of prototype equipment, as well as Scientific Coordinator of three H2020 projects. Dimitris established a start-up company (SEALEAU B.V.) for the exploitation/commercialization of his PhD results. The merit of the scientific results, as well as the contribution of this company to the Blue Growth opportunities have been recognized from the EU Commissioner for the Environment Mr. Karmenu Vella with the 1st Blue Growth award. Dimitris has participated in a business accelerator competition, where the start-up was distinguished among 15,000 companies and received a 6-month intensive training on business development and market exploitation by experts. In 2016, Dimitris submitted a proposal (ZERO BRINE), supported by 22 partners from 10 EU countries, and raised €10 million to scale-up the technology developed in his PhD. To date, Dimitris has written 5 successful EU proposals, raising more than €14 million.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1330
__label__wiki	0.952385	0.952385	Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane 10th Anniversary Edition \| FESTIVALPHOTO Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane 10th Anniversary Edition ‘Songs About Jane’ 10th Anniversary Edition Deluxe LP released June 25th It’s been a decade since Maroon 5 burst onto the music scene with ‘Songs About Jane’, their No.1, multi-platinum selling debut album of June 2002 which yielded five hit singles; ‘Harder to Breathe’, ‘This Love’, ‘She Will Be Loved’, ‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘Must Get Out’. To mark the occasion, the deluxe ‘Songs About Jane’ 10th Anniversary edition is being released by A&M/Octone on June 25th as a two-CD set, which includes demos of the 12 original songs and previously unreleased tracks like ‘Take What You Want,’ ‘Woman’ and ‘Chilly Winter,’ as well as ‘Rag Doll’ (a non-album B-side) and an alternative mix of ‘The Sun.’ The second disc provides access to two videos on www.maroon5.com through PUSH technology when the CD is inserted into a computer, including unreleased in studio footage of the making of ‘Songs About Jane’ and the official electronic press kit for the album. It’s been quite a year for Adam Levine, who joined The Voice US for the first two seasons, and Maroon 5, who are also set to release their fourth studio album, ‘Overexposed’, on June 25th via A&M/Octone, executive produced by Max Martin, with additional tracks produced by Benny Blanco and Ryan Tedder. Three-time Grammy Award winners Maroon 5 have sold more 27 million albums worldwide – going gold and platinum in more than 35 countries with 2007’s platinum selling LP release ‘It Won’t Be Soon Before Long’ charting at No.1 in the UK and 2010’s ‘Hands All Over’ peaking at No.6. The full tracklisting for ‘Songs About Jane’ 10th Anniversary Edition is: 1) Harder To Breathe 2) This Love 3) Shiver 4) She Will Be Loved (Radio Mix) 5) Tangled 6) The Sun 7) Must Get Out 8) Sunday Morning 9) Secret 10) Through With You 11) Not Coming Home 12) Sweetest Goodbye 1) Harder To Breathe (Demo) 2) This Love (Demo) 3) Shiver (Demo) 4) She Will Be Loved (Demo) 5) Tangled (Demo) 6) The Sun (Demo) 7) Must Get Out (Demo) 8) Sunday Morning (Demo) 9) Secret (Demo) 10) Through With You (Demo) 11) Not Coming Home (Demo) 12) Sweetest Goodbye (Demo) 13) Take What You Want (Demo) 14) Rag Doll (Original Demo/Non-LP International B-Side) 15) Woman (Demo) 16) Chilly Winter (Demo) 17) The Sun (Alternate Mix) PUSH video content: 1) The Making of "Songs About Jane" In Studio Footage 2) The Official "Songs About Jane" EPK	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1332
__label__wiki	0.696945	0.696945	Home > Movie Stars > S > Gale Storm Gale Storm Gale Storm, (b.1922), American actress/singer, born Josephine Owaissa Cottle in Bloomington, Texas on April 5, 1922. Her father passed away before she was a year old and her mother struggled to raise five children alone. In Junior High and High School she performed in the drama club. Two of her teachers urged her to enter the Gateway to Hollywood Contest held at the CBS Radio Studio in Hollywood, California where first prize was a one-year contract with a movie studio. After winning, she went on to become an American icon of the 1950s, performing in more than thirty-five motion pictures and starring in two highly successful television shows. From 1952 to 1955, My Little Margie, originally a summer replacement for I Love Lucy, ran for 126 episodes and was immediately followed by The Gale Storm Show, Oh! Susanna, that ran for 143 episodes between 1956 and 1960. Her first record, I Hear You Knockin' (a cover of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis) sold over a million copies. It was followed by the haunting ballad of lost love, Dark Moon. In her career, Gale Storm had several top ten songs, headlined in Las Vegas, and appeared in numerous stage plays. In 1981, she published her autobiography, I Ain't Down Yet. Gale Storm has three Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Radio, Music, and Television. Gale Storm Facts Birth Name Josephine Cottle Occupation Actress Birthday April 5, 1922 (97) Sign Aries Birthplace Bloomington, Texas, USA Article text released under CC-BY-SA. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gale Storm" (04-Apr-2003)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1333
__label__wiki	0.917786	0.917786	Saluting ‘the greatest singer America has produced’ By Richard B. Muhammad and Katrina Muhammad \| Last updated: Sep 7, 2018 - 12:34:36 PM Aretha Franklin meant a lot to the city of Detroit and the city in return loved her. People from around the world flocked to the Motor City to pay final respects to Ms. Franklin. Makeshift memorials, t-shirts and other paraphernalia showing her image were a common sight in the city during several days celebrating and remembering the life of “The Queen of Soul,” who died Aug. 16 at the age of 76. DETROIT—“Baby I Love You” by Aretha Franklin played loud out of the speakers on the grounds of the Charles H. Wright African American Museum as the rotunda was where the “Queen of Soul” lay in repose for two days. Thousands, who came from across the country and different parts of the world, stood in long lines that moved relatively quickly from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, at times stretching five blocks deep or longer. Some tears were shed but with Aretha’s music as the soundtrack, the thousands celebrated her life, her love and their love for her. Her music spanned six decades. “Aretha was the greatest singer America has ever produced. She loved news, and she loved talk radio. It was great knowing her, talking to her, texting her and talking about politics with her,” said Black journalist Roland S. Martin as he recorded the throngs in line who waved at him and smiled. “My favorite song by Aretha is ‘Jump’ from the ‘Sparkle’ soundtrack,” he added. Some danced while they waited in line. Children clapped their hands and elders tapped their feet. The spirit over both days was warm, respectful, thankful and even celebratory. Inside the rotunda, the Queen of Soul was laid out for her final journey, dressed in a red dress and red pumps the first day, and a beautiful baby blue ensemble the second day. Flowers surrounded her gold casket. Cameras were not allowed inside. Admirers were given a program that told some of the story of Ms. Franklin—who was one of few people in the world known by a single name, “Aretha.” Many in Detroit referred to her as “Auntie Re Re.” Though not blood related, she was part of the family, they said. Hearse that carried the remains of Ms. Franklin. Photo: Haroon Rajaee A white 1940s classic hearse transported Ms. Franklin to the Wright Museum and a 1963 pink Cadillac was on scene both days, paying homage to her 1985 hit song “Freeway Of Love,” with the unforgettable lyrics, “We’re going riding on the freeway of love / In a pink Cadillac.” The album went platinum. Not even 90 degree heat the first day of the public visitation could dampen spirits as Detroit police quietly directed the crowd and members of the Nation of Islam handed out a free reprint of an edition of The Final Call highlighting the life and legacy of the Queen. About 40,000 papers were given away outside the Wright Museum and 90,000 would be given away by the end of the week—including at a special concert in her honor, visitation at her father’s church in Detroit and finally her funeral services. Forty-thousand copies were given out in just 16 hours, said Fontaine Muhammad, Final Call general manager, who led and coordinated the effort. Believers from Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Memphis, Baltimore, Milwaukee and other locales came to help distribute the newspaper. Woman sports Aretha Franklin shirt. (r) A beautifully printed program with photos and facts about Ms. Franklin was distributed. “For a lot of people (the special gift Final Call newspaper) is a keepsake to recognize the Queen of Soul. I think a lot of people in Detroit will appreciate it,” said Mr. Martin. The Final Call with Ms. Franklin gracing the cover featured one of the most beautiful pictures of her taken, said some who received the newspaper. Many were brought to tears. “The gift of 90,000 Final Calls given by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan shows His heart and love for our people. The sight of the FOI and MGT placing these papers in the hands of our people throughout Detroit was such a sign of discipleship, of angels delivering the message of God,” said Troy Muhammad, student minister at Detroit’s Muhammad Mosque No. 1 of the Nation of Islam. “This paper presents our great sister, Aretha Franklin, in such high esteem. It actually gives a picture of her spirit. It reminds us that she wasn’t just a magnificent singer. But was indeed a gift and blessing to us all from God,” he added. This was evident based on the lengths many went through to get a final glimpse and pay their respect to her. They traveled from Japan, Italy, Canada, Kenya in East Africa, England and Australia. They traveled stateside by plane, car, train and bus from across the state of Michigan, Nevada, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Missouri, New York, Maryland, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania and other states. People were all smiles holding their complimentary Final Call Newspapers, a gift from Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. Ms. Franklin has been called the “Heart of Detroit,” never leaving her city despite major accomplishments, charting 43 Top 40 Singles; the record holder for the most entries on Billboard’s Hot 100 of any female artist for 40 years; 46 albums on the Billboard 200; the first woman inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; second female inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame; Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee and other honors. She held numerous honorary degrees, lifetime achievement awards, citizenship awards, the key to the city of Detroit and presidential awards. But she was also a champion in the Black struggle, following her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, who was a civil rights activist. She supported Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with her voice, her fame and her money. She sang at his funeral. When Black revolutionary Angela Davis was jailed in the 1970s, Aretha offered to pay her bond. When police stormed the New York mosque of the Nation of Islam in 1972, almost sparking a riot in Harlem, Aretha came to check on and meet with Min. Farrakhan, who was minister for Mosque No. 7. When the first Black president was inaugurated in 2009, the Queen of Soul sang at his inauguration. In her adopted hometown, she fed people, kept her father’s church in the city and truly “represented” the Motor City wherever she went. Her homegoing at the museum felt like a family reunion. “I’m overwhelmed and consumed with emotion. We know her and have worked with her and we have been around her on several occasions,” said Bertha McNeal and Cal Carolyn Gill from the Velvelettes, a 1960s singing group. “She is just a wonderful lady, we respect the talent and contribution she made to music. She is the Queen of Soul, and she is the original Voice. We looked up to her so much that we had her album in our dressing room and we played it all the time before we did our performance. “People, in general, got to know she is a child of God. She endured so much in her life, so much heart ache and fame but her feet stayed planted on solid ground. She respected herself and she demanded respect. She knew that our Father would have her back regardless of what she was going through. I respect her for all that she contributed, knowing that her life, for the 76 years that she lived, she dedicated herself to the public and to the people and we love her for that,” added Ms. Gill. “With all the turmoil that’s going on around us, it’s like when you hear her music, it reaches you inside, your soul, your mind, your heart and everything. Her music seems to make everything all right for that moment in time. We love her for that. We were listening to her music while in line and we danced,” said Ms. McNeal. “She could take that note and bend it, which is what Berry Gordy said. She was ahead of her time. As a three-four-year-old child she was playing the piano. I first saw her perform at the 20 Grand in Detroit, Berry Gordy allowed me to ride with his entourage. I was 19. We sat at the table and we were looking right up at her. I was like in a trance,” said Ms. Gill. “When God handed out talent, he gave her an extra dose. There will never be another Aretha Franklin. She is far superior then any vocalist that I have ever come across. Little known fact is that she was a small woman, short like 5’3, but she sang like a tall woman, you would never know,” concluded Ms. McNeal. The Velvelettes hit song, “Needle in a Haystack,” was released through Motown Records in 1964. Detroiters and others walked by the Queen, looking peaceful and regal, and a few tears were shed. Some were overcome with emotion, but felt she looked every bit the Queen that she was. Outside of the museum, photos were taken, hugs exchanged, and vendors offered mementos—buttons, t-shirts and other items to remember the Queen. A prized possession, however, was The Final Call. Some waited to get copies when the Muslims ran out and were waiting for another delivery. Many slept outside the museum to be first in line to see Aretha. Lisa Scott from St. Louis, Mo., was one of the first 10 people to view Ms. Franklin. She slept outside in lawn chairs after arriving in Detroit with her sisters. “I wasn’t expecting to be that emotional, but it really was an emotional experience,” she said. And, Ms. Scott added, on the first day, one of Ms. Franklin’s nieces showed up with burgers and water for those that stayed overnight, thanking them for their love and dedication to her auntie. The niece shared stories of her aunt’s kindness to others, which motivated her to bring refreshments to the museum for those who loved her Auntie Re Re, said Ms. Scott. Museum staff were excellent hosts for the world, the Detroit Police Department handled visitors with care and the Swanson Funeral Home presented the Queen in a wonderful way. She was known around the world, but was described as down to earth, and she loved Detroit. Detroit loved her. She was a divine gift to Black America and through Black people, she was a gift to the world, said Min. Louis Farrakhan. “As a people, we needed some form of relief or balm for our wounded soul. Her root was Allah (God), and His Christ and her love for Allah (God) and the wonderful preaching and guidance of her father. She, therefore, offered the gift of her being and life to all of us, who have benefited from her life. Starting with the songs she sang in church and every song that she recorded, whether gospel or otherwise, all touched the souls of those who were uplifted by the majesty of her voice,” he said. “Her songs, her soul and her voice did not only reach our ears, but reached our hearts, our souls, and our spirits to lift us above where we were and caused us to survive the horror, the tyranny of our painful existence as ex-slaves, free slaves, Jim Crow sufferers, our souls yearned for relief. She supplied that balm to our pain.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1335
__label__cc	0.670795	0.329205	Texas State Division of Academic Affairs College of Fine Arts and Communication About Us Dean's Welcome John Fleming College of Fine Arts & Communication On Thursday she graduated Magna Cum Laude. On Tuesday she auditioned for agents and casting directors in New York, receiving sixteen offers. The next Monday she was rehearsing for her first Broadway production, the Tony Award-winning revival of Once on This Island… Meet Anna Uzele, Class of 2018 (p. 36). He took a wrong train in India. Arriving in an unknown town, he encountered a situation that changed his perspective. Using the skills he learned from his Communication Studies degree, he launched a company that has improved the lives of thousands of women across the world… Meet Kuro Tawil, Class of 2012 (p. 28). Following his dream and earning a degree in Electronic Media propelled him from McAllen, Texas to New York City where he now serves as a CNN correspondent covering immigration, homeland security, drug cartels, and a wide range of social, political, and human interest stories…Meet Polo Sandoval, Class of 2007 (p. 32). She also pursued her passion and took the journey from McAllen to San Marcos to New York City. Now she dances for Ballet Nepantla, a company that explores Mexican stories through a fusion of classical ballet, contemporary, and West African dance forms with a traditional Mexican folklorico framework… Meet Francesca Iannelli, Class of 2017 (p. 30). Growing up in San Antonio, he did not expect to be recognized as one of the preeminent visual chroniclers of the rich cultural history of the U.S.’s 7th largest city. Now with public art at the San Antonio Airport, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park and exhibitions at the McNay Museum and Ruiz-Healy Art Gallery, that’s what he is… Meet Michael Menchaca, Class of 2011 (p. 26). When you grow up singing, you dream about doing it all your life, but you know how difficult it is to make a living as an artist. But sometimes you have to take a leap of faith… and now having sung with professional opera companies in San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia, Santa Fe, Utah, and Arizona, she knows she made the right choice… Meet Sarah Tucker, Class of 2009 (p. 34). These six stories are representative of the many student success stories that started here in the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas State University. They also embody why we are here as faculty and staff. It is through education, art, communication, and the stories we tell that we transform lives and communities. As I start my 20th year at Texas State, I have seen the continual, steady rise in excellence. Indeed, our “22 Points of Pride” (p. 4) reflect a team effort and shared purpose that allows us to stand alongside any College of Fine Arts and Communication in the country as they highlight the first-rate faculty, high quality students, and successful alumni that define us. This College Report documents the individual accolades and national rankings that mark Texas State as a preferred destination, a place that provides a quality work environment, top-notch academics, cutting-edge research, and first-rate cultural experiences. While we have created a culture where we expect success, our students face significant financial need: nationally, Texas State is the 30th largest school, but receives the 2nd highest amount of federal financial aid, with 37% of undergraduates being Pell Grant recipients. In addition, 48% of undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college. Rather than insurmountable obstacles, these facts are the challenges that our students annually surmount as they carve out their individual success story. These are exciting times, but to maintain and increase our excellence, we need to expand and elevate our donor base. Join the Friends of Fine Arts and Communication, purchase a seat in the Performing Arts Center, support a student by sponsoring an annual scholarship, have your company sponsor one of our major events, or create an endowed scholarship. These are a few of the ways you can support a winning team and transform the lives of students, who in turn will transform the lives of the next generation. John Fleming, Dean	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1336
__label__cc	0.744534	0.255466	Texas State College of Fine Arts & Communication School of Art and Design Academics School of Art and Design Arts Foundation Part Time Faculty Texas State Galleries Expanded Media 2019 School of Art & Design Scholarships Art & Design Resource Center Open Lab Hours Award/Recognition Notification Form The MiL (The Multidisciplinary Innovation Lab) Art and Design Lecture Series ADLS Streaming Videos College of Fine Arts & Communication School of Art and Design Degree Programs in the School of Art and Design Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Communication Design. Areas of study within the Communication Design program include advertising art direction, graphic design, digital media, and illustration. Master of Fine Arts with a major in Communication Design. Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Photography. Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Studio Art with specializations in ceramics, drawing, metals, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Studio Art leading to All- Level Certification that prepare students for teaching art in elementary and secondary schools. Bachelor of Art with a major in Art with an emphasis in Art History that provides an intellectual foundation and a broad background in the history of art, aesthetics and art criticism. Bachelor of Arts with a major in Art that provides broad exposure to art. The school also offers a Minor in Art and Design which provides students with a foundation of knowledge to better prepare them to use their creative abilities in today’s complex world. M.F.A Program, Communication Design Minor in Art Additional Educational Experiences The school has developed Study Abroad Programs in England, Italy, Mexico, Japan and Korea. Extended Educational Opportunities The School of Art and Design offers many opportunities to extend your educational experience at Texas State beyond the classroom. The school has developed travel and alternative study opportunities in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, New York, and abroad. In addition, an active internship program is available for junior and senior students, providing excellent work experience before graduation. JCMitte Building	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1337
__label__wiki	0.726929	0.726929	Iceland furthers plastic reduction pledge with reverse vending machine Iceland managing director, Richard Walker. Iceland has became the first UK supermarket to install a reverse vending machine in store in support of the Government’s intention to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme in England. Iceland continues to reduce the impact of plastic packaging on the environment, and will be trialing the reverse vending machine in its Fulham, London, store initially for six months. Reverse vending machines reward individuals for recycling, by providing money or vouchers in return for empty containers. At present, the vending machine is set to accept any Iceland plastic bottles, and for each recycled it will repay customers with a 10p voucher to be used in-store. Iceland managing director, Richard Walker, commented: “We’re the first supermarket to take decisive action to bring the reverse vending machine into stores. “There are 12 million tons of plastic entering our oceans every year, so we feel a responsibility both to tackle the issue of plastic packaging.” The announcement follows the pledge Iceland made in January to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own label products by the end of 2023. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, commented: “I applaud Iceland for leading the way with their trial scheme. It is absolutely vital we act now to curb the millions of plastic bottles a day that go unrecycled. Hugo Tagholm, CEO, Surfers Against Sewage, commented: “This puts the power in customers’ hands to say no to plastic pollution and incentivises them to participate in the proven solutions for a plastic free ocean.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1344
__label__wiki	0.911734	0.911734	Meet The Hotel Founder Who Made His Fortune In Singapore's Red-Light District Forbes Guest Contributor Forbes Asia Contributor Group This story appears in the August 2017 issue of Forbes Asia. Subscribe to Forbes Asia This story is part of Forbes' reporting on Singapore's 50 Richest 2017. See full coverage here. By Jessica Tan Along a 2-mile stretch in Singapore's red-light district of Geylang, one budget hotel chain stands out. Hotel 81, with its signature blue exterior, has nearly a dozen inns dotting the side alleys of this seedy enclave known for, among other things, late-night supper options like frog's porridge and turtle soup. "We only sell rooms; we don't sell anything else," says the chain's billionaire boss, Choo Chong Ngen, firmly, albeit in halting English, at his office in a suburban mall-and-office tower. "Red-light district -- the whole world has a red-light district. You go any country, also have one." Choo, who ranks as Singapore's 14th richest person with his privately held fortune of $2.05 billion, established his first Hotel 81 in Geylang more than two decades ago, ahead of smaller rivals, including the Fragrance Hotel chain owned by hotel and property tycoon Koh Wee Meng (Singapore's 30th richest person). Over the years, cheap rates have kept business brisk at these so-called love hotels; today rooms go for as little as $15 for a two-hour stay, extending to $47 a night. But lately, Choo, 64, has been evolving from his Geylang roots. In late 2015, he opened Hotel Boss, a 19-story, 1,500-room hotel nestled between Arab Street and Little India not far from downtown Singapore. On a recent weekday afternoon, its hotel lobby was bustling with visitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, China and India. Offering its own small, no-frills rooms at $94 a night, the "3.5-star" hotel, with an average occupancy of 80%, appears to be a hit with a different budget set. Makeover mission Hotel Boss followed a few other midtier moves by Choo since 2009. And his makeover mission continues. This summer, he is opening the 343-room, 4-star Hotel Mi, his fifth hotel brand in just eight years, just outside the main shopping belt of Orchard Road, along Bencoolen Street. Choo's portfolio will exceed 6,500 rooms across the island, with less than half belonging to Hotel 81. Govinda Singh, a director and hotel specialist at real estate services firm Colliers International, confirms that Choo's hotel empire is repositioning: "Because of its heritage, it probably didn't have the best image," he says, adding that it now wants to become a well-recognized budget brand such as Ibis, owned by French firm AccorHotels. Singapore's red-light district of Geylang in December 2010. (ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images) It's a calculated decision for Choo. "People think Hotel 81 means Geylang," he says. "Different names can catch different types of fish. No need to catch one type of fish. Can catch five types of fish, ten types of fish." In recent years, smaller economy hotels have mushroomed across the island city, which saw visitor arrivals increase by 7.7% to 16.4 million last year. Even so, "Singapore is very small," Choo laments. "If there are three more Hotel Bosses, we won't be able to find any more customers -- I must go outside." Forays abroad He recently made his first foray abroad, in Thailand, when he signed his initial affiliation with an international brand to open a 164-room Travelodge in Pattaya, where he bought and renamed an existing inn. Travelodge will also operate a hotel owned by Choo in Bangkok, slated to open by year-end. Choo declines to disclose financial details. Choo's first venture out of Singapore has been in Bangkok. (SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) The Travelodge linkage is a good move, notes Colliers' Singh. "When you go into a highly competitive environment such as Bangkok, you need all the advantages you can get, and what Travelodge brings as well is their international expertise in managing properties." Choo says he has the wherewithal to make acquisitions of up to $300 million and is scouting for expansion in Japan, Malaysia, Australia (where his rival Koh is already) and the U.K. Or he could extend the Hotel Boss overseas with suitable sites. He won't share operational numbers except to let on that at overall annual revenues of around $145 million, business has been profitable. Consumers have ever increasing choices, and competitors are still migrating to Singapore, but Choo expresses confidence that, at his rates, guests will keep coming -- especially as low-cost airlines bring multitudes from China and India. "The market likes this kind of price and this kind of hotel," he says. Stellar business literacy Choo honed his business acumen from a young age. He grew up with six siblings in a kampong (village) home in northeast Singapore. His father was a carpenter and his mother a homemaker. To help make ends meet he sold ice cream in his neighborhood when he was 10. By 14, he had dropped out of school and become a fishmonger. Every morning, he would head off to Kangkar fishery port, then situated near the mouth of Singapore's Serangoon River, and sell baskets of catch at a nearby market. It was when he started selling textiles at 17 that Choo got his first break. From a small market stall, his trade grew, and by age 32, he owned several stores. Eventually he exited to focus on property investments. After a stay in a Tokyo salaryman hotel in 1991, he had an inkling: "The room was very small, and it was a very fair price. I thought this one bring to Singapore, can make money," he recalls. Three months after his return, he had enlisted an architect and selected Geylang, where he owned properties, as his launchpad. In 1995, he opened his first Hotel 81, using the unit number of his home at the time. "Because I no study, I cannot put Shangri-La. I don't know how to spell," he laughs with self-deprecation. "Hotel 81? I know how to write." As it turned out, Choo's business literacy was stellar. Within five years, he had ten hotels, mostly in Geylang and the adjacent Joo Chiat neighborhood. "I'm 100% hands on, not 99%," he quips. He does daily spot checks and fixates on details such as the design of the laundry baskets and the baggage trolleys used by the bellboys. In the past, he would even help out with housekeeping during staff shortages. Preserving a legacy Challenges have tested his resolve. The 2003 SARS outbreak was a big blow, forcing him to slash rates. "SARS was the worst. My business dropped by 80%," he recalls. The 2008 financial crisis dealt another whammy. No bank was willing to lend him money to pay for a site he had won in a government tender as the sole bidder. "I used some of my cash, I used some of my properties and all the OD (overdraft) money, all take out," recalls Choo. He paid $37 million for the site, located along what was a nondescript suburban street. "In my mind, I think, hey, [it's near the] MRT [mass transit], I can make a row of shops and build a hotel." Two years later, he opened his first V Hotel on the plot. Choo Chong Ngen and daughter, Carolyn. Munshi Ahmed For Forbes Today his daughter, Carolyn, 40, the chief financial officer, says her father's self-made saga has been a source of inspiration for her and her three brothers. "We know how difficult it was for him to build his business. He didn't strike TOTO [the lottery], you know." Despite his success, she adds, her father lives a simple life, preferring to eat at hawker centers. Choo is restructuring to put his various units under a holding company that will be run by Carolyn as group managing director, starting in January. "One important mission is to preserve the legacy," she says. It will continue to be a family-run business -- two of her brothers and a cousin are part of the team. Meanwhile, Choo will remain involved in strategy. While there has been some talk of taking the company public, Choo says that is not imminent. "After 70, I will think about it. Now I can still control. Now I can still work." Forbes Asia FORBES ASIA chronicles wealth creation, entrepreneurial success and economic growth throughout the Asia-Pacific region.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1345
__label__wiki	0.987878	0.987878	Florida WR Solomon Patton returns home for Senior Bowl foxsports Jan 24, 2014 at 1:15p ET Gators wide receiver Solomon Patton will play in Saturday's Senior Bowl for his hometown crowd of Mobile, Ala. Kim Klement GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Before arriving in Charleston, S.C., earlier this month to play in the inaugural Medal of Honor Bowl, Solomon Patton told those closest to him that he was going to try to win the MVP award. Patton figured with a strong performance in the game, maybe Senior Bowl officials would be prompted to send him an invitation. That’s the college all-star game Patton always wanted to play in. As a standout receiver/kick returner at Murphy High in Mobile, Ala., Patton spent a lot of Friday nights inside Ladd-Peebles Stadium, home of the Senior Bowl. The stadium also serves as home of the Murphy High Panthers, and during Patton’s prolific prep career, he had his share of moments there. Patton wants to add another one Saturday. He won that Medal of Honor Bowl MVP. The Senior Bowl officials called. Patton accepted their invitation. "I wanted this opportunity all my life,” Patton said Thursday night. "Growing up, watching all the players come through here, I finally get my chance to come back and play in front of the hometown crowd." Patton is one of three former Gators participating in the Senior Bowl, joining offensive linemen Jon Halapio and Matt Patchan, who played his final season at Boston College. Defensive back Jaylen Watkins, who drew rave reviews all week in Mobile, was taken off the South team’s roster Thursday after suffering a strained Achilles injury at Wednesday practice. Patton savored the week in his hometown with his former UF teammates. The trio went to dinner with Patton’s family one night and has spent a lot of time together off the field. SEC predictions How the East and West will finish in 2014 "They were the ones that got picked first and I came in last,” Patton said. "I’m glad that all three of us get the chance to play together one more time before we get ready to split our ways. They are definitely some good dudes to play with." Meanwhile, Halapio has also garnered good reviews from scouts. Slowed during his senior season due to a torn pectoral muscle that cost him two games, Halapio is healthy and looking more like the 2012 version that helped former Gators running back Mike Gillislee become the school’s first 1,000-yard rusher in eight years. The big story for the Gators in Mobile is Patton, who spent Thursday back at Murphy High for — get this — "Solomon Patton Day." "They told me they were going to do something,” Patton said. "I didn’t quite know what it was going to be. It was definitely a surprise." Patton was honored with a parade, pep rally and his own day at Murphy, where he accumulated 2,686 receiving yards and 28 touchdown receptions in three seasons from 2007-09. He arrived at UF in 2010 and stood out on special teams his first three seasons but had little impact otherwise. That all changed his senior season as Patton led the Gators in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches to earn offensive MVP honors. He then raised his stock more with three catches for 50 yards — all setting up touchdowns — and 98 all-purpose yards in the Medal of Honor Bowl. Tweets by @SunSportsFOXFL Patton said he experienced a lot of highs and lows in his first three seasons at UF. The lows included his lack of impact and a defined role. The highs included becoming a father and the renewed commitment he drew from fatherhood. "At Florida I was battling through some things and once I finally got over those things, I finally found a role,” he said. "I worked my butt off and made some things happen." After a broken arm ended his junior season, the 5-foot-9, 171-pounder spent last offseason dedicated to running better routes and improving his hands. A year later he is optimistic that another dream — playing in the NFL — is a possibility. "I feel like my grind is way more intense than what it was,” he said. "I definitely got the bar raised up in how my mindset is as far as training and bettering myself and make a future for myself. "The good thing is that I got some good play on film in the last year. At Florida I definitely think my special teams have helped me out tremendously. At the next level, you’ve definitely got to play some special teams." When the Senior Bowl kicks off at 4 p.m. ET Saturday, Patton expects about 50 family members to be in the stands. "It’s going to be great," Patton’s dad, Solomon Sr., told the Mobile (Ala.) Register. "It’s something we’ve dreamed about since he started playing football. It’s always been a dream of ours and his for him to make it back here." It will seem like old times — one final time.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1346
__label__wiki	0.897872	0.897872	Buccaneers defense starting to make a name for itself Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Kendell Beckwith knocks the ball loose from Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen during Sunday's 29-7 victory. Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mention the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the first thing likely to come to mind is Jameis Winston and an emerging offense. Maybe it’s time an improved defense that keyed the team’s season-opening rout of the Chicago Bears gets a little love, too. “Defense wins championships,” Winston said, reflecting on a 29-7 victory in which the Bears turned the ball over four times in the first half and were held to 20 yards rushing. More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news Ndamukong Suh practices with Buccaneers for first time, dons customary No. 93 jersey Ndamukong Suh agrees to terms with Bucs, replaces 6-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy Buccaneers release 6-time Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy after nine seasons Bucs’ 5th overall pick Devin White selects new jersey number, shouts out Mike Alstott Bucs rebuild on defense, surround Jameis Winston with playmakers in NFL Draft “When you’ve got a dominant defense,” the young quarterback added, “it opens up every single thing.” Robert McClain returned an interception for a touchdown. Noah Spence had Tampa Bay’s only sack, forcing a fumble that led to another TD. Specials teams also did its part to help Winston build a 26-0 halftime lead, recovering a fumble on a punt return at Chicago’s 13-yard line. “It was crazy during the second quarter,” tight end Cameron Brate said. “We got a takeaway, we scored the first play and then the defense got a pick-six. “So, we had run one play in the second quarter and we were already up 23-0,” Brate said. “It was a little weird because we really didn’t have to do too much to build that lead.” Coach Dirk Koetter said the defense essentially took up where it left off last season, when Tampa Bay rebounded from a 3-5 start to finish 9-7. The team’s first winning record in six years didn’t produce a playoff berth, but it heightened expectations for this season. “If you look at that second half of last year, they were a dominant defense. In my opinion, they just picked up where they left off,” Koetter said. “It wasn’t really that surprising to me because we see them every day in practice.” Winston agreed. “If you look at last year, our defense, towards the end of the year they were lights out,” the third-year pro said. “That’s why our offense had success.” As well as the defense played against the Bears, Koetter cautioned that there’s plenty of room for improvement. The Bucs haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, and the coach said it’s important to not lose perspective. “When you play the perfect game, you can stop worrying about what you have to work on. But I haven’t seen it yet,” Koetter said. “Everything about (Sunday) was really good. Exciting way to start the season. Unique way to start the season based on the set of circumstances,” the coach added. “But at the same time, that was just one game. We all have a tendency to be way over the top for the good or the bad, and reality is somewhere in the middle.” Three-time Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward joined the Bucs this month after being released by Denver following the final preseason. Ward was part of an elite defense that helped the Broncos win the Super Bowl two years ago. He’s impressed with his new teammates, and thinks the Bucs have the capability of becoming a dominant unit, too. “We definitely can be number one,” Ward said. “The talent we have in this room, they work hard and it is everything you need to be a championship defense.” Gallery: Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader photo gallery Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports \| Reinhold Matay FOX Sports Florida - Buccaneers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1347
__label__cc	0.597167	0.402833	Midnight in Paris (2011) Director: Woody Allen Actors: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams Genre: Comedy Movies Subgenre: Modern Comedy Movies Midnight in Paris is a 2011 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender, a screenwriter, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his materialistic fianc�e and their divergent goals, which become increasingly exaggerated as he travels back in time each night at midnight. The movie explores themes of nostalgia and modernism. Produced by the Spanish group Mediapro and Allen's US-based Gravier Productions, the film stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, and Michael Sheen. It premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was released in the United States on May 20, 2011. The film opened to critical acclaim and has commonly been cited as one of Allen's best films in recent years. In 2012, the film won both the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay; and was nominated for three other Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Art Direction. More Like Midnight in Paris Hollywood Boulevard (1976) Find Me Guilty (2006) Lightning Jack (1994) Casino Jack (2010) Uncle Buck (1989) MST3K: Manos - The Hands Of Fate (1993) My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988) Love and Death (1975) A Shot in the Dark (1964) Grand Theft Auto (1977) Born in East L.A. (1987) Outrageous! (1977) Critical Care (1997) Wayne's World (1992) The Magic Christian (1969) Mr. Baseball (1992) School Daze (1988) MST3K: Werewolf (1998) My Cousin Vinny (1992) Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) Raising Arizona (1987) Foul Play (1978) Far Out Man (1990) The Jerky Boys (1995) House Party (1990) Run Ronnie Run (2002) The Great Outdoors (1988) Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) Hot to Trot (1988) Adaptation (2002) The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981) Alice's Restaurant (1969) MST3K: The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1993) Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) Why Shoot the Teacher? (1977) Stir Crazy (1980) Silver Streak (1976) The Sunshine Boys (1975) Stranger than Fiction (2006) Fatal Beauty (1987) Hercules in New York (1969) Punchline (1988) King of California (2007) Something Wild (1986) Big (1988) Burglar (1987) Mermaids (1990) Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Homer & Eddie (1989) Shadows and Fog (1992) The Extraordinary Seaman (1969) Volunteers (1985) Caveman (1981) Young Frankenstein (1974) Dogma (1999) Johnny Be Good (1988) The Odd Couple (1968) Delirious (2006) Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) Major League (1989) Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976) Oscar (1991) Kindergarten Cop (1990) My Blue Heaven (1990) Caddyshack (1980) Collision Course (1989) Looking for Eric (2009) Stripes (1981) Arthur (1981) What a Carve Up! (1962) The Graduate (1967) Four Friends (1981) Every Which Way But Loose (1978) Modern Romance (1981) Nuts in May (1976) MST3K: The Touch of Satan (1998) MST3K: Laserblast (1996) Escanaba in da Moonlight (2001) Bedazzled (1967) Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) The One and Only (1978) High Anxiety (1977) Married to the Mob (1987) The Last Detail (1973) Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971) Livin' Large (1991) The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (1988) Ski School (1990) In Like Flint (1967) The Money Pit (1986) A Christmas Story (1983) Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) Banana Joe (1982) Moving Violations (1985) A League of Their Own (1992) O Lucky Man! (1973) The Gay Deceivers (1969) Friday (1995) Hollywood Shuffle (1987) Getting Even with Dad (1994) Saved! (2004) Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) The Witches of Eastwick (1987) Chafed Elbows (1966) And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) An American Carol (2008) Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970) Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972) Fore Play (1975) How to Steal a Million (1966) Body Slam (1986) Top Secret! (1984) Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) And God Spoke (1994) Broadway Danny Rose (1984) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Stardust Memories (1980) Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) Running Scared (1986) The Pink Panther (1963) The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) Tune in Tomorrow (1990) Beautiful People (1999) The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) Avanti! (1972) She's Gotta Have It (1986) Barton Fink (1991) The Cannonball Run (1981) Orange County (2002) The Wrong Box (1966) Alan Partridge (2013) Young Adult (2011) Mallrats (1995) MST3K: Time of the Apes (1991) Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser (2015) Canadian Bacon (1995) Back to School (1986) Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972) Rifftrax: Abraxas (2011) From the Hip (1987) Radio Days (1987) It Came from Hollywood (1982) Stay Tuned (1992) Harry and the Hendersons (1987) Big Business (1988) Saint Jack (1979) Zelig (1983) The Road to Wellville (1994) Bachelor Party (1984) Dirty Work (1998) MST3K: Mitchell (1993) Art School Confidential (2006) Putney Swope (1969) Buster (1988) The Allnighter (1987) Captain Fantastic (2016) Ali G, Innit (1999) My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) Once Bitten (1985) What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) Popcorn (1991) Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Take Her, She's Mine (1963) Any Which Way You Can (1980) An Unmarried Woman (1978) Brewster McCloud (1970) American Graffiti (1973) Cadillac Man (1990) The Wrong Guy (1997) Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (1980) Tootsie (1982) Private Lessons (1982) Bio-Dome (1996) Dragnet (1987) Play It Again, Sam (1972) LolliLove (2004) The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) Postcards from the Edge (1990) Fatso (1980) Big Fan (2009) Funny Farm (1988) Barefoot in the Park (1967) A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982) Hardbodies 2 (1986) Kisses for My President (1964) The Heavenly Kid (1985) Educating Rita (1983) Multiplicity (1996) 9 to 5 (1980) Smashing Time (1967) Monty Python's Meaning of Life (1983) The Compleat Al (1985) Wonder Boys (2000) Paper Moon (1973) Midnight Run (1988) MST3K: The Pumaman (1998) Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Movie (1996)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1349
__label__wiki	0.84801	0.84801	Prosecute Racially Motivated Statue Vandalism as a Hate Crime It’s time to hold the statue vandals accountable. "It's important to tear down these vestiges of white supremacy," Takiyah Fatima Thompson, an admirer of the racist Black Panther hate group, declared by way of explanation for her role in the vandalism of a Confederate statue. Ngoc Loan Tran, another of the vandals, blamed their arrest on "white supremacy." In the intersectional left, “white supremacy” doesn’t mean Neo-Nazis or the KKK. Instead it’s equivalent to “whiteness”. White supremacy is anything that normalizes whiteness. In essence, it’s white people. A show with white actors, an ad with white models and a coffee shop full of white people are all forms of white supremacy. A math textbook listing key pioneers in the field who happen to be white is white supremacy. Anything that is not properly diverse is by definition, “white supremacy.” The color coding was literal. In Phoenix, a Confederate monument was vandalized by painting it white. At a Houston protest, a Black Lives Matter agitator denounced, “whiteness”. In Baltimore, a statue of Columbus was smashed to fight against a “culture of white supremacy.” “Christopher Columbus symbolizes the initial invasion of European capitalism into the Western Hemisphere,” the vandal declared. The Columbus monument had been built in 1792. It, like Columbus, long preceded the Confederacy. But the issue wasn’t really the South. It was Europeans. It was white people. Or anyone that leftist racists see as white. A few years ago, the Columbus statue in Richmond was vandalized on Columbus Day. When the statue came to Richmond in the twenties, the KKK opposed it because Columbus was a Catholic who had “stolen” the credit from the Vikings for discovering America. Black racists have taken over from white racists. Detroit’s Columbus statue has been hit with protests against “white supremacism.” The Detroit statue was put up in 1910 by an Italian immigrant newspaper on behalf of the “Italians of Detroit.” When the Columbus statue was put up, white supremacists did not consider Italians to be white people. The single largest mass lynching in American history didn’t kill black people, but Italian-Americans. KKK marches targeting Italian and Irish Catholics in Ohio and Massachusetts led to major street battles between Catholics and Klansmen that could last for days and occasionally culminated in martial law. The Italian-Americans who dedicated that Columbus statue spent the next decade being terrorized by the Black Legion, a KKK splinter group operating in Detroit, that didn’t consider them “white”. If Detroit’s black racists really want to target a memorial to Italian “white supremacy”, they can find the bust of Dr. Joseph De Horatiis on Grand Boulevard. During the race riots of ’43, the 64-year-old doctor ignored warnings by police not to enter a black neighborhood. He told officers that a patient needed him. He was stoned to death by black rioters. His bloody battered body was recovered from the car. Perhaps the black nationalist racists can finish the job they started by destroying his memorial. What made the Italians of Detroit “white supremacists”? Only that the intersectional bigots perpetrating these racist attacks choose to see them as white. That is what all this is really about. It’s not about the Confederacy. It’s about identity politics racism. And that’s a hate crime. The FBI defines a racial hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race.” The vandalism of a range of statues from various historical periods has one thing in common. Race. The statues targeted were of white people. The perpetrators had made it very clear that they believed that whiteness was somehow evil. Under Federal law, a hate crime involving property is committed when the defendant targets “the property that is the object of the crime, because of the actual or perceived race… of any person." Under North Carolina's cross burning laws, it's unlawful to engage in any kind of "exhibit" to intimidate people. That certainly covers vandalizing a statue for racial intimidation. And damaging property because of "actual or perceived race" is considered ethnic intimidation under the latest North Carolina bill which will take effect later this year. North Carolina also criminalizes Antifa style masked protests. Arizona treats racially motivated vandalism as an enhancement of the crime. Maryland’s hate crimes cover the destruction of property. Earlier this year, there was even the possibility that two leftists who torched a Trump sign might be prosecuted for a hate crime. The basis for hate crimes charges for racially motivated property destruction is far more compelling than for politically motivated vandalism. Virginia and Ohio, where statue vandalism cases have also occurred, have similar laws covering racially motivated defacement. It is quite possible that some or all of these jurisdictions may refuse to prosecute racially motivated statue vandalism as a hate crime. But the Federal government has extensive hate crime laws on the books. Some of the attacks at issue, on both people and property, involved activists who crossed state lines. As the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act specifies, the Federal government can get involved if state prosecutions fail to "vindicate the federal interest in eradicating bias-motivated violence" or if "a prosecution by the United States is in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice". The Act may not necessarily apply to property destruction, but it would certainly apply to anyone injured as a result of racially motivated protests that target statues for racial reasons. The Federal government has two extremely compelling reasons to be involved. First, these attacks are the product of an interstate conspiracy funded by a network of national and international organization whose scope is far beyond the ability of any single state to investigate. Suspects in some attacks have shown the intent to escape across state lines. Funding for racist hate groups such as Black Lives Matter has been in the millions. Behind it are politically influential groups such as the Ford Foundation. The Workers World Party, whose activists took the lead in the Durham attack, is a national Communist organization with deep roots in the radical left. Second, they were set into motion by the actions of the previous administration. Racist activists were aided and abetted in their violent protests and harassment of white people by the Justice Department. It falls to the DOJ to atone for its recent past by not only disavowing the support that racists received from the DOJ under Holder and Lynch, but to take the lead in cracking down on black nationalist hate groups. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division played a large part in creating this mess. Now it needs to clean it up. The statue vandalism is racially motivated. It fits the definition of a hate crime and must be prosecuted as one. It’s time to hold the racist left accountable for the violence of its racial supremacism.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1350
__label__wiki	0.861413	0.861413	Harold Aflond Center Monks Swept by Eagles STANDISH, Maine – The Saint Joseph's College swim teams suffered a pair of losses at the hands of Husson University at the Harold Alfond Center Pool on Saturday afternoon. The men lost by a narrow 112-106 margin while the women fell by a 140-121 score. THE RUNDOWN – MEN: Freshman Ryan Watson (Bangor, Maine) won the 1000-Free by a minute (11:50.91), the 500-Free by over 30 seconds (5:47.61) and the 200-Free (2:04.66) by two seconds Senior Stephen Quinlan (Andover, Mass.) won the 50-Breast (30.46) and 100-Breast (1:08.82) Senior Zack Gryskwicz (Standish, Maine) won the 100-Back (1:11.19) and finished second in the 200-Free (2:06.36) and 100-Free (54.75) events Freshman Nathan Landry (Derry, N.H.) was second in the 50-Fly (28.07) and 50-Free (24.18) events Freshman Joe McPherson (Eliot, Maine) won the 100-Fly (1:01.55) and placed second in the 100-IM (1:05.18) Freshman Joseph Nichols (Tyngsborough, Mass.) finished second in the 50-Back (32.40) and third in the 100-Back (1:13.18) Quinlan, McPherson, Gryskwicz, and Landry won the 200-Free relay (1:41.25) Nichols, Quinlan, McPherson, and Landry placed second in the 200-Medley relay (1:53.55) THE RUNDOWN – WOMEN: Freshman Alirose Beauregard (Dover, N.H.) placed first in the 200-Free (2:09.53) and placed second in the 50-Free (27.36) and 100-Free (1:00.44) Freshman Emilienne English (Cranston, R.I.) won the 100-IM (1:10.36) and finished second in the 50-Fly (29.71) and 100-Fly (1:09.30) events Junior Alexis Coiley (Fort Fairfield, Maine) placed second in the 1000-Free (12:40.05) and 500-Free (6:09.16) events and third in the 100-Free (1:00.44) Junior Emily Roy (Sidney, Maine) won the 50-Back (33.53) and 100-Back (1:10.71) races and finished second in the 100-IM (1:14.08) Freshman Joy Mastrocola (Stoneham, Mass.) placed second in the 50-Breast (37.17) and 100-Breast (1:22.91) events and third in the 50-Free (28.58) Senior Julia Rowlett (Saco, Maine) was second in the 50-Back (34.62) and third in the 50-Fly (33.97) and 100-Back (1:14.64) Junior Hailey Bouyea (Lewiston, Maine) placed third in the 1000-Free (14:56.98) Freshman Sierra Lumbert (Gorham, Maine) was third in the 100-Fly (1:23.17) Junior Autumn Nostrom (Lyman, Maine) finished third in the 100-Breast (1:23.39) Nostrom, Mastrocola, Coiley, and Lumbert finished second in the 200-Free relay (1:53.28) English, Nostrom, Roy, and Beauregard placed second in the 200-Medley relay (2:06.34) Saint Joseph's will host Elms College on Saturday, November 3rd. #GOMONKS Follow Saint Joseph's Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram! SIGN UP to receive email alerts about your favorite SJC teams! Founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy in Portland, Maine, Saint Joseph’s College is Maine’s Catholic liberal arts college in the Mercy tradition. We are inclusive of all faiths, including no faith. The 474-acre campus, located on the shore of Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine offers more than 40 undergraduate programs and a Division III athletic program to a population of approximately 1,000 on-campus students. A pioneer of distance education since the 1970s, the College also provides online certificates and undergraduate and graduate degrees for thousands more working adults who reside in more than 20 other countries. In 2015 the College was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to receive its Community Engagement Classification, highlighting the College’s focus on community service throughout its mission and daily interactions within local, regional, and global communities. In 2018, Princeton Review recognized SJC as one of its “Green Colleges” for its sustainability initiatives. Learn more at www.sjcme.edu. Men's swim team receives Institutional... Men Finish 12th, Women 19th in 2019... Monks Sweep Fighting Scots on Senior Day GNAC Swimming Championship Recap Men Finish Fifth, Women Seventh at GNAC... Men Fourth, Women Seventh Through Second... Quinlan & Landry Garner GNAC Weekly... Monks Compete in Double-Dual vs. Western... SJC Men & Women Claim CSCAA Scholar... Monks Split Maine Maritime Saint Joseph's Falls at Husson Saint Joseph's Competes in Maine State... Regis Sweeps Saint Joseph's Monks Host UNE & Husson in Double-Du... Quinlan Named GNAC Swimmer of the Week Coiley & Quinlan Garner NEISDA... Monks Sweep Season Opener Men's Swimming Class of 2022 Released 2017-18 GNAC Academic All-Conference...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1352

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