pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 145
1M
| source
stringlengths 37
43
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__wiki
| 0.520829
| 0.520829
|
Purchase of this ZIP folder gives you access to all releases during Season 19 Extemp for 2nd Quarter. NOTE: Members receive access to all events, all downloads, all year long — including these. To become a member, click here.
Extemp Release #11: “Congressional Success” (10/15/2018)
Extemp Release #12: “Midterms” (10/22/2018)
Extemp Release #13: “Khashoggi” (10/29/2018)
Extemp Release #14: “Sanctions Are Coming” (11/5/2018)
Extemp Release #16: “Saudi Censorship” (11/19/2018)
Extemp Release #17: “Remain in Mexico” (11/26/2018)
Extemp Release #18: “Ukraine” (12/3/2018)
Extemp Release #19: “US Stocks” (12/10/2018)
Extemp Release #20: “Russia in the Caribbean” (12/17/2018)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758686
|
__label__cc
| 0.724089
| 0.275911
|
Tag Archives: timbuktu
Episode 151: Duty to Serve [She’s Funny That Way; Minions; The Longest Ride]
By Cal on Friday, July 3rd, 2015 | Leave a comment
Episode 151: Duty to Serve
As 2015 races on, we’re joined this week by Irini M. to talk about our highlights from the year so far, plus she gives us a recap of her latest successful film viewings in a special edition of the Red Light District. Reviews this week include Roy Andersson’s quirky Golden Lion winner, “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Mauritanian drama “Timbuktu,” while Cal dishes all on the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation “The Longest Ride,” paying particular attention to Scott Eastwood. Elsewhere, we sat down for Peter Bogdanovich’s latest screwball emulation “She’s Funny That Way,” and Pete caught the Despicable Me spin-off “Minions,” which it’s fair to say tested his patience. Tune in for an unexpected tirade against Mickey Rooney’s longevity, some love dramas concerning the Stratten family, and the occasional jibe about Greece’s disastrous financial situation.
Red Light District: Irini “pimps” the many films she’s seen lately, featuring discussion of “Ana and the Wolves,” “Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem,” “The Invisible Man,” “Lifeboat,” “Spring,” and much more!
The Longest Ride 33:20 – 43:52
Minions 44:53 – 49:44
A Pigeon Sat… 49:45 – 58:15
Timbuktu 58:16 – 1:02:07
She’s Funny That Way 1:02:08 – 1:12:49
Halfway through 2015: Discussing our favourite films and performances from the year so far!
Outro Music: Black Eyed Peas, “Meet Me Halfway”
Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: a pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence, abdherramane Sissako, academy, accidental love, alan alda, alfred hitchcock, alicia vikander, ana and the wolves, britt robertson, carlos saura, Chinese ghost story, court, despicable me, ex machina, far from the madding crowd, faults, gett: the trial of Vivian Amsalem, hattie morahan, hungry hearts, imogen poots, jack huston, jason statham, jennifer aniston, kathryn hahn, kumiko the treasure hunter, leslie cheung, lifeboat, luis bunuel, mad max: fury road, mickey rooney, minions, mr. holmes, Nicholas sparks, olivia de havilland, oscars, owen wilson, peter bogdanovich, podcast, podcast review, review, roy andersson, sandra bullock, scott eastwood, screwball comedy, she's funny that way, spring, Tallulah bankhead, the dark mirror, the duke of burgundy, the longest ride, the snake pit, timbuktu, venice film festival, wes anderson, woman in gold, young and innocent
Episode 128: ‘Tis the Season to be Juli [Still Alice; Big Eyes; Exodus; Unbroken]
By Cal on Wednesday, December 31st, 2014 | Leave a comment
Episode 128: ‘Tis the Season to be Juli
It’s our last episode of 2014 so we take the opportunity to celebrate the best films we’ve reviewed on the podcast this year, and our favourite performances, which includes a surprising Supporting Actress win from Pete. This week’s reviews include the Biblical epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings” and Angelina Jolie’s audacious survival tale “Unbroken,” while Pete caught Jimi Hendrix biopic “Jimi: All Is By My Side.” We discuss fradulent artist drama “Big Eyes,” starring Amy Adams, while we assess Julianne Moore’s bid for a long overdue Oscar in heavy-going Alzheimer’s tale “Still Alice.” Elsewhere, the death of the last remaining acting Oscar winner from the 1930s resurrects a common complaint, we scrutinize this year’s Foreign Language Oscar race some more, there’s a Razzie-level performance in one of this week’s films, and the podcast is interrupted by the children and dogs in Cal’s packed household.
The death of Luise Rainer
Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter split up
Foreign Language Oscar Shortlist is revealed
Jimi: All Is By My Side
Still Alice
Closing Segment: Discussing our favourite films and performances reviewed on the podcast in 2014!
Outro Music: Baha Men, “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: a most wanted man, a promise, accused, after tiller, alec baldwin, andre 3000, Angelina jolie, anne dorval, best actress, best films of 2014, best foreign language film, big eyes, boyhood, Christian bale, christoph waltz, corn island, exodus: gods and kings, force majeure, foreign language oscar, garrett hedlund, guy pearce, hayley atwell, helena bonham carter, ida, imogen poots, jack o'connell, jimi hendrix, jimi: all is by my side, julianne moore, kate bosworth, Kristen stewart, leviathan, luise rainer, margaret keane, mgm, next goal wins, oscars, podcast, podcast review, review, ridley scott, still alice, tangerines, the good earth, the great ziegfeld, tim burton, timbuktu, unbroken, Under the Skin, walter keane, wild tales
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758687
|
__label__wiki
| 0.92151
| 0.92151
|
Judge Allows Petters Feeder Fund Lawsuit to Move Forward
Jacqueline Palank | August 26, 2013
To view original article click here.
A bankruptcy judge said a major feeder fund to convicted Ponzi-scheme operator Tom Petters may move forward with a lawsuit to collect more than $4 billion in damages from General Electric Capital Corp .
Judge Paul G. Hyman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday ruled that Palm Beach Finance Partners LP may pursue a lawsuit accusingGeneral Electric Capital Corp ., of conspiracy to commit fraud. GE Capital ‘s lawyers in the matter couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday morning.
At the heart of the lawsuit, filed by Palm Beach Finance’s bankruptcy trustee, is the allegation that GE Capital , a lender to Mr. Petters’ businesses, knew of Mr. Petters’ Ponzi scheme years before his 2008 arrest but never disclosed its knowledge. Instead, GE Capital allegedly recommended Mr. Petters as a sound investment opportunity, which so-called feeder funds like Palm Beach relied upon when choosing where to funnel their investors’ money.
Mr. Petters in 2010 was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of several billion dollars and is now serving a 50-year prison sentence. The Minnesota businessman, whose empire once included Polaroid and Sun Country airlines, has maintained his innocence and is currently seeking a sentence reduction to 30 years.
“We’re very pleased with the court’s ruling and look forward to proceeding to a trial before a Florida jury,” attorney Solomon Genet, who is representing Palm Beach Finance’s bankruptcy trustee, said in an interview Monday.
GE Capital asked Judge Hyman to throw out all nine of the lawsuit’s claims against it, which the lender said were “untimely” and “flunk the test of common sense.” GE Capital said it had no duty to investors like Palm Beach, with whom it didn’t have any relationship and which didn’t start investing with Mr. Petters until two years after GE Capital terminated its lending relationship with him.
Court papers show the judge threw out eight of the nine claims, including fraud, negligence and aiding and abetting fraud.
Another attorney for the bankruptcy trustee, Michael Budwick, said the remaining claim will seek to recoup the $1.1 billion that Palm Beach Finance’s investors lost as a result of Mr. Petters’ fraud, plus three times that amount in punitive damages.
Palm Beach first invested with Mr. Petters in 2002, after viewing a recommendation letter from lender GE Capitaltouting Mr. Petters and his businesses as an “excellent customer” who has “performed well,” according to the lawsuit.
Palm Beach alleges that the letter was not only “atypical and extraordinary” but that GE Capital knew it to be false, discovering evidence of Mr. Petters’ fraud before issuing the letter. According to Palm Beach, the reason GE Capital agreed to issue the letter was to secure repayment of more than $40 million that Mr. Petters’ businesses owed the lender.
GE Capital last year paid $19 million to settle a separate lawsuit, this one brought by the bankruptcy trustee liquidating Mr. Petters’ businesses, that claimed the lender knew, or should have known, of the Ponzi scheme.
Mr. Petters was arrested in 2008, and the six years that Palm Beach was invested with him led to its loss of more than $1 billion upon the collapse of the Ponzi scheme, making it one of Mr. Petters’ biggest victims. As a result of the loss, Palm Beach filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2009.
DBR’s Rising Stars Honors South Florida’s Best Young Lawyers
Judge Allows Petters Feeder Fund Lawsuit to Move Forward. August 26, 2013. To view original article click here. A bankruptcy judge said a major feeder fund to convicted Ponzi-scheme operator Tom Petters may move forward with a lawsuit to collect more than $4 billion in damages from General Electric Capital Corp . Judge Paul G. Hyman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday ruled that Palm Beach Finance Partners LP may pursue a lawsuit accusingGeneral Electric Capital Corp ., of conspiracy to commit fraud. GE Capital ‘s lawyers in the matter couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday morning. At the heart of the lawsuit, filed by Palm Beach Finance’s bankruptcy trustee, is the allegation that GE Capital , a lender to Mr. Petters’ businesses, knew of Mr. Petters’ Ponzi scheme years before his 2008 arrest but never disclosed its knowledge. Instead, GE Capital allegedly recommended Mr. Petters as a sound investment opportunity, which so-called feeder funds like Palm Beach relied upon when choosing where to funnel their investors’ money. Mr. Petters in 2010 was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of several billion dollars and is now serving a 50-year prison sentence. The Minnesota businessman, whose empire once included Polaroid and Sun Country airlines, has maintained his innocence and is currently seeking a sentence reduction to 30 years. “We’re very pleased with the court’s ruling and look forward to proceeding to a trial before a Florida jury,” attorney Solomon Genet, who is representing Palm Beach Finance’s bankruptcy trustee, said in an interview Monday. GE Capital asked Judge Hyman to throw out all nine of the lawsuit’s claims against it, which the lender said were “untimely” and “flunk the test of common sense.” GE Capital said it had no duty to investors like Palm Beach, with whom it didn’t have any relationship and which didn’t start investing with Mr. Petters until two years after GE Capital terminated its lending relationship with him. Court papers show the judge threw out eight of the nine claims, including fraud, negligence and aiding and abetting fraud. Another attorney for the bankruptcy trustee, Michael Budwick, said the remaining claim will seek to recoup the $1.1 billion that Palm Beach Finance’s investors lost as a result of Mr. Petters’ fraud, plus three times that amount in punitive damages. Palm Beach first invested with Mr. Petters in 2002, after viewing a recommendation letter from lender GE Capitaltouting Mr. Petters and his businesses as an “excellent customer” who has “performed well,” according to the lawsuit. Palm Beach alleges that the letter was not only “atypical and extraordinary” but that GE Capital knew it to be false, discovering evidence of Mr. Petters’ fraud before issuing the letter. According to Palm Beach, the reason GE Capital agreed to issue the letter was to secure repayment of more than $40 million that Mr. Petters’ businesses owed the lender. GE Capital last year paid $19 million to settle a separate lawsuit, this one brought by the bankruptcy trustee liquidating Mr. Petters’ businesses, that claimed the lender knew, or should have known, of the Ponzi scheme. Mr. Petters was arrested in 2008, and the six years that Palm Beach was invested with him led to its loss of more than $1 billion upon the collapse of the Ponzi scheme, making it one of Mr. Petters’ biggest victims. As a result of the loss, Palm Beach filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2009. . Jacqueline Palank, Other NewsCourt OKs Tom Petters victim’s $1B lawsuit against GE Capital, August 27, 2013, DBR’s Rising Stars Honors South Florida’s Best Young Lawyers, September 17, 2013, Archive. June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 June 2018 . MRB. Contact us, Our attorneys, careers. About. Firm overview, Our Values, Community involvement, Representative matters. Pracrtice. Real Estate, Commercial Litigation, Receiverships and Assignments, Bankruptcy and Restructuring. In the News, Announcements, Film Videos. 2018 Meland, Russin, Budwick. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758688
|
__label__cc
| 0.699068
| 0.300932
|
188 Grants awarded for $29,376,000
Princeton University Sawyer Seminar: 'Imperial Histories and Global Regimes' 06/05/14 $175,000 Princeton, NJ, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of California at Riverside Sawyer Seminar: 'Alternative Futurisms' 06/05/14 $175,000 Riverside, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Carnegie Mellon University Sawyer Seminars - The Ghetto Concept, Conditions, and Connections 06/06/13 $175,000 Pittsburgh, PA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Georgetown University Sawyer Seminars - Critical Silk Road Studies 06/06/13 $175,000 Washington, DC, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Minnesota at Twin Cities Sawyer Seminars - Making the Mississippi 06/06/13 $175,000 Minneapolis, MN, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Boston University Sawyer Seminars - Reinterpreting the Twentieth Century 06/06/13 $175,000 Boston, MA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Cornell University Sawyer Seminars - Political Will 06/06/13 $175,000 Ithaca, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Northwestern University Sawyer Seminars - What Do We Know? Theoretical Issues in Social Epistemology 06/06/13 $175,000 Evanston, IL, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Texas at Austin Sawyer Seminars - Territorial Roots and Diasporic Routes 06/06/13 $175,000 Austin, TX, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of California at Los Angeles Sawyer Seminars - The Environmental Humanities 06/06/13 $175,000 Los Angeles, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Cambridge Sawyer Seminars - Comparing Comparatisms 06/06/13 $175,000 Cambridge, United Kingdom Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Brandeis University Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Rethinking the Age of Revolution 05/31/12 $175,000 Waltham, MA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
New York University Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: A Post-Genomic Embrace of the Human 05/31/12 $175,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Ohio State University Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Language, Politics, and Human Expression 05/31/12 $175,000 Columbus, OH, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of California at Santa Barbara Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Sea Change 05/31/12 $175,000 Santa Barbara, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Pennsylvania Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Race Across Time and Space 05/31/12 $175,000 Philadelphia, PA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Emory University Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Visual Exegesis 05/31/12 $175,000 Atlanta, GA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Harvard University Sawyer Seminar - Comparative Study of Cultures: Hearing Modernity 05/31/12 $175,000 Cambridge, MA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Johns Hopkins University Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Capitalism in Transition/Capitalism in Crisis 05/31/12 $175,000 Baltimore, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Southern California Sawyer Seminars - Comparative Study of Cultures: Critical Mixed-Race Studies 05/31/12 $175,000 Los Angeles, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of California at Berkeley Sawyer Seminars - Speciesism in Biology, Culture, and Sociopolitics 06/03/11 $165,000 Berkeley, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of California at Davis Sawyer Seminars - Indigenous Cosmopolitics 06/03/11 $173,800 Davis, CA, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Brown University Sawyer Seminars - Animal Magnetism 06/03/11 $175,000 Providence, RI, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Indiana University Sawyer Seminars - Food Choice, Freedom, and Politics 06/03/11 $172,000 Bloomington, IN, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Graduate Center of the City University of New York Sawyer Seminars - Democratic Citizenship and the Recognition of Cultural Differences 06/03/11 $174,400 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Previous Page 3 of 8 23 4 5 … 78Next
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758689
|
__label__wiki
| 0.575063
| 0.575063
|
Tag Archives: Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport
BACKGROUND TO THE ZIMBABWE COUP
November 16, 2017 Melvin 2 Comments
Forty years ago, my wife and I lived in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
Rhodesia (Southern Rhodesia, to be exact) had been a model colony. It never asked London for help; it always had sound finances; it was stable and prosperous. It was often called the Breadbasket of Africa. During World War II, Winston Churchill had labeled the country “the most loyal colony,” as it had contributed proportionately more to the allied cause than any other.
But, twenty years after the war, the same Rhodesians who had fought for the Empire and helped Britain win the war against Hitler, were being called “fascists,” for the simple reason that they wanted to preserve their way of life, which included a qualified franchise, to ensure responsible government. This meant that most native Africans did not have the vote. Britain, the US and the nations of Africa were hostile to this and insisted on NIBMAR (No Independence Before Majority Rule). In order not to have majority rule forced on them, the white Rhodesian government declared itself independent of London on 11th November, 1965.
The “rebellion” led to a civil war, which lasted seven years. It wasn’t a simple black and white struggle. 82% of the Rhodesian army was made up of black African soldiers. Many saw what had happened to nations north of them, where independence led to corruption, nepotism, financial collapse, political uncertainty and eventually military coups – they didn’t want that and fought to save Rhodesia.
But the whole world was against Rhodesia. Even its southern neighbor, South Africa under apartheid, did not like the country and was ready to throw it to the wolves. This they did, with the US and the UK, forcing the country to hand over to a “majority government.” to introduce “one man, one vote.”
The last white Prime Minister, Ian Smith, remarked that “one man, one vote” would mean exactly that, that the first African leader would be the one man with the one vote.
Black African friends of ours said Zimbabwe, the new name for the new country, would be different. It would not go the same way as the rest of Africa.
But it has.
It’s been over 37 years since Robert Mugabe became the country’s leader. As Ian Smith predicted, he became the “one man” with the “one vote” – nobody else’s opinion mattered. And, as has happened so many times in Africa, the only way to remove a civilian president who won’t allow anybody else to come to power, is for the army to overthrow him. The army goes on to make things worse, with even more corruption and general incompetence all round; eventually the army allows another election, bringing another civilian government to power, which is also corrupt and so it goes on and on in a vicious cycle.
Zimbabweans woke up Wednesday morning to find the army has taken over. Right now, it’s unclear what has happened to 93-year-old Robert Mugabe. It seems as if the army is saying that they only want to remove the criminals around the president, not the president himself. They certainly want to remove the wife of the president, who has lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the poor. But Mr. Mugabe has become one of the richest men on earth during his time in office. They may turn against him yet. Right now, he is said to be under “house arrest”, while his wife, Grace Mugabe (“Gucci Grace”), has fled to Namibia.
What may help Mr. Mugabe is that he is highly respected across the continent.
Ask a taxi driver in any African country who is the best African leader and they will all say Robert Mugabe. Why? “Because he got rid of the whites!” Point out that the country collapsed economically after the expulsion of the white farmers and they will say, “it doesn’t matter!”
Less than a week before the coup, the capital’s airport was renamed “Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.”
The “coup” seems more of a final act in a dynastic power struggle. The president was grooming his wife as his successor; this was intolerable for those who have been close to him for decades. She was booed early last week at a rally. The Vice-President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, fled to South Africa a week ago, increasing fears that Mrs. Mugabe may succeed her husband. It’s even possible Mr. Mnangagwa may have solicited support from South Africa to effect the coup.
It all brings to mind the words of Jesus Christ in the Book of Matthew, where He warned His disciples not to be like the gentile leaders who ruled over them, with their never ending power struggles and abuses of authority.
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28).
SSM, COA, SSA AND CCC
For those who are not familiar with the abbreviations above, let me explain.
SSM = Same Sex Marriage.
COA = Commonwealth of Australia, the latest country to approve this historic change.
SSA = Same Sex Attraction, a term that is often used to describe people who are attracted to the same sex. Many of these people do not want to be gay, which denotes promiscuity and a particular lifestyle.
CCC = Conservative Christian Churches, who are ill-equipped to handle the cultural tsumani that is heading their way.
Australia is the latest country to embrace same-sex marriage, approved by the people in a plebiscite. Parliament in Canberra is set to approve the change before the end of the year.
There were celebrations across Australia today. One banner was particularly disturbing: “Burn Churches, not Queers.” The attitude behind this banner is not limited to Australia. The issue of same-sex marriage has pitted conservative churches against the gay movement. While liberal churches have embraced gays, Biblically based churches cannot.
But this does not mean that biblically based churches have got it right, either.
Recent research showed that 12% of 18 year olds in the United States have a sexual identity issue. Either they are attracted to the same sex or they feel they are in the wrong body and want to change sex. None of this is of their own choosing. They are like people struggling with eating disorders. A 75-pound woman will look in the mirror and see herself as fat, when everybody who knows her sees clearly that she is anorexic.
In the same way, someone can look in the mirror and feel they are in the wrong body. They want to change sex. Or they feel strong attraction to a member of the same sex.
Whatever the problem, these people have to make a choice: either go into the gay lifestyle, or try to obey God. It’s the same choice everybody makes one way or the other, whether or not to commit to a godly lifestyle. Those who choose to commit to God take the more difficult road and need help from other Christians.
Those struggling with these issues need compassion and love. They need Jesus Christ more than the average person. “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”… (Matthew 9:11-13). This is what is lacking amongst conservative Christians and too many churches.
It’s been known for over a century that people do not choose their sexual orientation. Recognizing this might have avoided the polarization that has taken place.
ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
It seems that, in today’s English speaking world, you are guilty until proven innocent. This is a significant reversal of a practice that goes back 800 years to the Magna Carta. It separated England, and later the English speaking countries, from the European legal system, which denied people justice until they were tried before a 12-man jury of their peers.
Perhaps all the accusations are true and that all of those accused are guilty, but they are still entitled to a fair trial.
The Bible says: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” ( II Corinthians 13:1 KJV)
What is clear with all the accusations, whether against politicians or actors, is that there were no witnesses. What are parents doing allowing their teenagers to spend time alone with people they don’t know?
Maybe we should bring back chaperones! That would put an end to all of this.
AfricansanorexiaapartheidAustraliaBritainCanberraCCCCivil WarCOACommonwealth of AustraliaConservative Christian ChurchesEmmerson Mnangagwaempiregay movementGrace MugabeGucci GraceHitlerIan SmithLondonMagna CartaNamibiaNIBMARRhodesiaRobert Gabriel MugabeRobert Gabriel Mugabe International AirportRobert Mugabesame sex attractionsame-sex marriagesexual identitySouth AfricaSouthern RhodesiaSSASSMWinston ChurchillWorld War IIZimbabwe
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758691
|
__label__cc
| 0.617563
| 0.382437
|
Allysian Sciences™ has formed a strategic partnership with CogniFit™. The partnership was created to provide exceptional value to users of Allysian’s product line and mobile app platform. CogniFit™ is an exciting way to assess and train the brain. The company has developed a scientific assessment of cognitive abilities that understands where you stand and offers you an optimal brain fitness regimen based on different brain games and exercises. By measuring cognition accurately along with its database, CogniFit™ can automatically create personalized training programs for the user. The selected exercises and the level of difficulty within those exercises are then dynamically changed based on each user’s needs.
CogniFit™ was founded in 1999 by Professor Shlomo Breznitz. He had been interested since the 1980s in developing computer programs to improve mental acuity, and the popularizing of the Internet provided an outlet for developing and distributing his idea. The CEO of the company is Nathanael Eisenberg, who had previously worked for Procter & Gamble, Capgemini, and Union Bancaire Privée. Eisenberg took the position after the company he had co-founded, Milk Capital, made a significant investment in CogniFit™. The CTO of the company is Carlos Rodríguez. In 2007 CogniFit™ was awarded the American Society on Aging's Business and Aging Award.
In alignment with Allysian’s standard of having scientific validation, CogniFit™ is recognized by the scientific community and has been published and reviewed independently in several scientific publications. These include the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Misericorida University, University of New York in Prague, The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Univerzita Hradec Kralove, University of Haifa, and the University of Washington Seattle.
CogniFit™’s brain exercises are scientifically validated and their research is peer-reviewed and independently published ensuring effective training for the brain while playing. The brain exercises are specifically designed to help improve every user’s cognition across 25+ cognitive abilities. The technology ensures to adapt each brain game's difficulty to the unique profiles of every user dynamically. The system also provides recommendations based on their results and progress. It also reminds the user of the cognitive skills that could benefit from additional training.
For more information on the neuroscience behind CogniFit™ visit: www.cognifit.com/neuroscience.
Download the Allysian App today in the App Store or Google Play Store.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758693
|
__label__wiki
| 0.771468
| 0.771468
|
Joy of Jazz: Spotlight on Tia Fuller
Peter Feldman 08 Aug 2013 15:37
Tia Fuller. (Supplied)
She's an inspiration to female musicians around the world. Tia Fuller is among the growing number of women musicians who are attracted to the saxophone as their instrument of choice.
This dynamic American performer, who is also a composer and educator and who was part of Beyonce's world tour, has turned the sax into a part of her very being.
One critic wrote: "When Tia Fuller picks up her sax to play the two become one and something amazing happens as the notes and reverberations of her musical elixir fill the room. Suddenly, everything in the universe feels right and it's easy to see and hear why she was selected to be a member of the all-female band touring with Beyoncé."
Fuller, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, (Magna Cum Laude) and a Master's degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder (Summa Cum Laude), is paying her first visit to Johannesburg for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.
Her concerts, she says, will be "lively and exciting" and she will be performing tracks from her new CD Angelic Warriors with her regular group which seems to be a family affair. It comprises her sister Shamie Royston on piano, her brother-in-law Rudy Royston on drums and Mimi Jones on acoustic bass.
In all, Fuller has recorded four CDs with her quartet, the first being Pillar of Strength in 2005, then came Healing Space two years later and Decisive Steps in 2010.
With Angelic Warrior, Fuller has again created new compositions but she also believes it's important to rework standards by introducing something creative and fresh to them.
Having grown up around music - her mom is a jazz vocalist and her dad a jazz bassist - has meant a natural progression for her. When she was three she began playing the piano, at nine she studied flute and at 13 she progressed to the saxophone. She grew up listening to her parents rehearse in the basement of their home, as well as to music of jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughn and Charlie Parker.
"I definitely knew music would be a large part of my life. I was a senior at high school when I decided to do music professionally."
She explains what attracted her to the sax: "Initially I was playing the flute and my grandfather introduced me to the saxophone and I remember blowing through it and I saw the connection. It felt like my voice."
Touring with superstar Beyoncé, she says, taught her a lot about the music business and how to conduct herself as a band leader as well as a performer.
Going on her own was a major career decision.
I remember being on a tour bus and I had a lot of dates coming up with my quartet. I remember thinking this is not what I'm supposed to do and this is not the end for me. It was my duty and obligation to really take everything that I had learnt with Beyoncé and incorporate it into my own band. When Beyoncé called back to go with her on tour I declined as I had so many dates with my quartet. It was kind of empowering and also comforting to know that I'd had that experience and it's really a blessing."
She firmly believes in women empowerment: "Where would I be without creating opportunities for myself and putting myself out there?"
After her Johannesburg gigs she returns to a full-time touring schedule in America and Europe. In September Fuller begins teaching again at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She is passionate about teaching and inspiring students and it's in her genes, she contends, because her parents were educators and administrators in Denver.
Asked about her advice to women wanting to become musicians, Fuller says: "Tell them to stick fast to their vision and don't let anyone, or any circumstances, change that."
Tia Fuller performs at The Market Theatre on Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24 as part of as part of Standard Bank Joy of Jazz which runs on nine stages in the Newtown precinct from August 22 to 24.
Joy of Jazz 2013
Joy Jazz spotlight on Eddie Daniels
Joy of Jazz: Terence Blanchard is making his way to SA
Joy of Jazz: New Orleans in Johannesburg
Joy of Jazz: Adam Glasser is a man on a mission
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758695
|
__label__wiki
| 0.696777
| 0.696777
|
Felipe Fraga
Keating stripped of Le Mans GTE-Am win; No. 68 Ganassi entry also disqualified
By Michael EubanksJun 17, 2019, 7:20 PM EDT
FIA stewards announced Monday that two Ford GT entries have been disqualified from this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, including the GTE-Am class-winning No. 85 entry from privateer Keating Motorsports.
Also DQ’d was the factory No. 68 Chip Ganassi Racing entry of Joey Hand, Dirk Mueller and Sebastien Bourdais, which initially finished fourth in the GTE-Pro class.
Both entries were found in violation of fuel capacity regulations, with the No. 85 entry also failing to meet the minimum refueling time during pit stops.
The refueling system on the No. 85 entry, driven by Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Felipe Fraga, measured a time of 44.4 seconds during a stop, just shy of the minimum required time of 45 seconds.
As a result, the team was initially issued a 55.2-second post-race penalty by officials, which elevated the No. 56 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR of Joerg Bergmeister, Patrick Lindsey, and Egidio Perfetti to the class win.
The time penalty was calculated by the difference in the refueling time (0.6 seconds) multiplied by the amount of pit stops made by the team (23), then multiplied by four.
The No. 85 entry was set to finish second in class, but then received an outright DQ after its fuel capacity was also revealed to be 0.1 liters above the maximum permitted capacity of 96 liters.
As for Ganassi’s No. 68 entry, it was found to have a fuel capacity of 97.83 liters, which is above the maximum allowed capacity of 97 liters for the GTE-Pro Fords.
The No. 67 Ford of Andy Priaulx, Harry Tincknell, and Jonathan Bomarito subsequently moves up to fourth, and the No. 69 Ford of Scott Dixon, Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook moves up to fifth.
Follow Michael Eubanks on Twitter
Tags: 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ben Keating, Dirk Mueller, Felipe Fraga, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, jeroen bleekemolen, Joey Hand, Keating Motorsport, Sebastien Bourdais
Keating stripped of Le Mans GTE-Am win; No. 68 Ganassi entry also disqualified June 17, 2019 7:20 pm Toyota takes repeat 24 Hours of Le Mans victory June 16, 2019 11:44 am
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758696
|
__label__cc
| 0.691802
| 0.308198
|
Interest Rate Pass-through in Pakistan: Evidence from Transfer Function Approach
Qayyum, Abdul and Khan, Sajawal and Khawaja, Idrees (2005): Interest Rate Pass-through in Pakistan: Evidence from Transfer Function Approach. Published in: The Pakistan Development Review , Vol. 44, No. 4 (2005): pp. 975-1001.
MPRA_paper_2056.pdf
The influence of monetary policy upon real output and the inflation rate is well established. The influence is exercised through the transmission mechanism of monetary policy. This study has examined the pass-through of Treasury Bill rate to money market rate (Call Money rate), Banks’ Deposit rate and Banks’ Lending rate. The broader conclusion is that pass-through from Treasury Bill rate to Call money rate is completed during the first month. However pass-through from Treasury Bill rate to Deposit rates and the Lending rate takes much longer, that is, these rates exhibit rigidity. The results are in conformity with the empirical evidence in the relevant literature for other countries. In practice, the pass-through to the deposit and the lending rates is expected to be quicker than evidenced in this study. The reason is that the study uses weighted average deposit and lending rate. Given that the weighted average rate takes into account outstanding deposit/loans contracted at previous rates as well, (besides the fresh deposit/loans contracted at new rates) this tends to tone down the pass-through.
Pakistan Institute of Development Economics
Monetary policy; Interest Pass through; transmission mechanism; pakistan
E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E5 - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit > E52 - Monetary Policy
Abdul Qayyum
08. Mar 2015 16:01
Bernanke, B., and Alan Blinder (1992) Credit, Money, and Aggregate Demand. American Economic Review 82, 901–21. Bernanke, B., and Mark Gertler (1995) Inside the Black Box: The Credit Channel of Monetary Policy Transmission. Journal of Economic Perspectives 9:4, 27–48. Bondt, G. (2002) Retail Bank Interest Rate Pass-through: New Evidence at the Euro Area Level. Frankfurt: European Central Bank. (ECB Working Paper No. 136.) Box, J., G. Jenkins, and G. Reinsel (1994) Time Series Analysis. 373–84. Prentice-Hall. Cottarelli, C., and Angeliki Kourelis (1994) Financial Structure, Bank Lending Rates, and the Transmission Mechanism of Monetary Policy. IMF Staff Papers 41:4, 587–623. Enders, W. (1995) Applied Econometric Time Series. 277–85. John Wiley. Freidman, Milton, and Anna Schwartz (1963) A Monetary History of United States, 1867–1960. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Hanan, T., and Allen Berger (1991) The Rigidity of Prices: Evidence from the Banking Industry. American Economic Review 81:4, 938–945. Mishkin, Frederic S. (1995) Symposium on the Monetary Transmission Mechanism. Journal of Economic Perspectives 9:4, 3–10. Mojon, B. (2000) Financial Structure and the Interest Rate Channel of ECB Monetary Policy. Frankfurt: European Central Bank. (ECB Working Paper No. 40.) Romer, C., and D. Romer (1989) Does Monetary Policy Matter? A New Test in the Spirit of Friedman and Schwartz. NBER Macroeconomic Annual 4, 121–170. Vega, E., and Alessandro Rebucci (2003) Retail Bank Interest Rate Pass-through: Is Chile Atypical? International Monetary Fund. (IMF Working Paper, WP/03/112.)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/2056
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758697
|
__label__cc
| 0.743082
| 0.256918
|
Rationality of business operational forecasts: evidence from Malaysian distributive trade sector
Puah, Chin-Hong and Wong, Shirly Siew-Ling and Habibullah, Muzafar Shah (2012): Rationality of business operational forecasts: evidence from Malaysian distributive trade sector.
The underlying nature of forecast optimization makes the rational expectations hypothesis (REH) a framework that is theoretically consistent with the expectations formation produced by economic agents under well-defined assumptions of unbiased forecasts and efficient utilization of available information. Most of the recent literature on REH testing has favored a direct procedure based on survey data to validate the theoretical soundness of REH. However, the ability of survey materials to reflect the economic agent’s true expectations remains unconvincing, as previous empirical studies on survey-based expectations have offered mixed evidence of forecast rationality. The present study involved an attempt to evaluate the forecast rationality of survey materials from the Malaysian perspective, as empirical evidence from the view of a developing nation is clearly limited. An expectational series on gross revenue and capital expenditure, spanning 1978 through 2007, was subjected to tests of unbiasedness, non-serial correlation, and efficiency to observe whether the business operational forecasts contributed by the distributive trade sector in Malaysia can be accepted as rational forecasts of the actual realized values. We found that both operational variables are being irrationally constructed, suggesting that forecasters in the distributive trade sector are not rational when they formulate business expectations. Thus, business firms in the examined sector are encouraged to incorporate more relevant information into their business operational forecasts to facilitate more accurate and realistic business forecasting.
Rational Expectations Hypothesis; Rationality tests; Survey Data; Distributive Trade
D - Microeconomics > D8 - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty > D84 - Expectations ; Speculations
L - Industrial Organization > L8 - Industry Studies: Services > L81 - Retail and Wholesale Trade ; e-Commerce
C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General > C12 - Hypothesis Testing: General
C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C2 - Single Equation Models ; Single Variables > C22 - Time-Series Models ; Dynamic Quantile Regressions ; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models ; Diffusion Processes
C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C8 - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology ; Computer Programs > C83 - Survey Methods ; Sampling Methods
Chin-Hong Puah
Aggarwal, R., & Mohanty, S. (2000). Rationality of Japanese macroeconomic survey forecasts: Empirical evidence and comparisons with the US. Japan and the World Economy, 12(1), 21-31.
Baghestani, H., & Kainian, A.M. (1993). On the rationality of U.S. macroeconomics forecasts: Evidence from a panel of professional forecasters. Applied Economics, 25(7), 869-878.
Beach, E.D., Fernandez-Cornejo, J., & Uri, N.D. (1995). Testing the rational expectations hypothesis using survey data from vegetable growers in the USA. Journal of Economic Studies, 22(6), 46-59.
Chong, L.L.Y, Puah, C.H., & Md Isa, A.H. (2012). Theory of rational expectations hypothesis: Banks and other financial institutions in Malaysia. MPRA Paper No. 36657.
Department of Statistics Malaysia. Business Expectations Survey of Limited Company, various issues. Putrajaya: Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Dias, F., Duarte, C., & Rua, A. (2008). Inflation expectations in the euro area: Are consumer rational? Banco de Portugal, Working Paper 23-2008.
Dickey, D., & Fuller, W. (1979). Distribution of the estimators for autoregressive times series with a unit root. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 74(366), 427-431.
Dickey, D., & Fuller, W. (1981). Likelihood ratio statistic for autoregressive times series with a unit root. Econometrica, 49(4), 1057-1072.
Easley, D., & O′Hara, M. (1991). Order form and information in securities markets. Journal of Finance, 46(4), 905-927.
Egginton, D.M. (1999). Testing the efficiency and reliability of city forecasts. International Journal of Forecasting, 15(1), 57-66.
Engle, R.F., & Granger, C.W.J. (1987). Cointegration and error correction, estimation and testing. Econometrica, 55(2), 251-276.
Evans, G., & Gulamani, R. (1984). Tests for rationality for the Carlson-Parkin inflation expectation data. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 46(1), 1-19.
Fischer, A.M. (1989). Unit roots and survey data. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 51(4), 451-463.
Forsells, M., & Kenny, G. (2002). The rationality of consumers’ inflation expectations: Survey-based evidence for the euro area. European Central Bank, Working Paper, No. 163.
Friedman, D. (1980). Survey evidence on the rationality of interest rate expectations. Journal of Monetary Economics, 6(4), 453-465.
Gao, F., Song, F.M., & Wang, J. (2008). Rational or irrational expectations? Evidence from China’s stock market. Journal of Risk Finance, 9(5), 432-448.
Gertchev, N. (2007). A critique of adaptive and rational expectations. Quarterly Journal Austrian Economics, 10(4), 313-329.
Granger, C.W.J. (1986). Developments in the study of cointegrated economic variables. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 48(3), 213-228.
Habibullah, M.S. (1994a). Do Business firm in developing economy make rational economic forecast? The evidence from Malaysia business expectations survey of limited companies. Asian Economies, 23(4), 73-92.
Habibullah, M.S. (1994b). Are rubber firm’s gross revenue, capital expenditure and employment forecasts rational?-An empirical evidence. Journal of Natural Rubber Research, 9(1), 56-64.
Habibullah, M.S. (1997). Forecasting economic variables in the agricultural sector: Testing rational expectations hypothesis on survey data. Pakistan Journal of Applied Economics, 12(2), 171-184.
Habibullah, M.S. (2001). Rationality of insurance firms’ forecasts: Results of unbiasedness and efficiency tests. Malaysia Management Journal, 5(1&2), 107-117.
Habibullah, M.S. (2003). The Rationality of Economic Forecasts: The cases of rubber oil palm, forestry and mining sector. Agro Ekonomi, X(1), 67-79.
Habibullah, M.S. (2005). Do bankers make rational economic forecasts? The IUP Journal of Bank Management, IV(4), 7-15.
Keane, M.P., & Runkle D.E. (1990). Are economic forecasts rational? Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Quarterly Review, 13(2), Spring, 26-33.
Keynes, J.M. (1936). The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money. London: Macmillan.
Kim, S.J. (1997). Testing the rationality of exchange rate and interest rate expectations: An empirical study of Australian survey-based expectations. Applied Economics, 29(8), 1011-1022.
Kwiatkowski, D., Philips, P., Schmidt, P., & Shin, Y. (1992). Testing the null hypothesis stationarity against the alternative of a unit root: How sure are we that economic time series have a unit root? Journal of Econometrics, 54(1-3), 159-178.
Lovell, M. (1986). Tests of the rational expectations hypothesis. American Economic Review, 76(1), 110-124.
Lui, S. Mitchell, J., & Weale, M. (2011). The utility of expectational data: Firm-level evidence using matched qualitative-quantitative UK surveys. International Journal of Forecasting, 27(4), 1128-1146.
Mackinnon, J. G. (1996). Numerical distribution functions for unit root and cointegration tests. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 11(6), 601-618.
Madsen, J.B. (1993). The formation of production expectations in manufacturing industry for nine industrialized countries. Empirical Economic, 18(3), 501-521.
Marais, D.J., Smit, E.V.D.M., & Conradie, W.J. (1997). Micro-level tests for rationale expectations in South Africa. South Africa Journal of Business Management, 8(1), 15-27.
Mitchell, K., & Pearce, D.K. (2005). Professional forecasts of interest rates and exchange rates: Evidence from the Wall Street Journal’s panel of economists. Department of Economics, North Carolina State University, Working Paper, No. 004.
Mullineaux, D.J. (1978). On testing for rationality: Another look at the Livingston price expectations data. The Journal of Political Economy, 86(2), 329-336.
Muth, J.F. (1961). Rational expectations and the theory of price movements. Econometrica, 29(3), 315-335.
Nielsen, H. (2003). Inflation expectations in the EU-rational? Paper presented at the Eighth Spring Meeting of Young Economists, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
Osterberg, W.P. (2000). New results on the rationality of survey measures of exchange-rate expectations. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Economic Review, 36(1), 14-21.
Philips, P.C.B., & Perron, P. (1988). Testing for a unit root in time series regression. Biometrika, 75(2), 335-346.
Puah, C.H., Chong, L.L.Y., and Jais, M. (2011). Testing the rational expectation hypothesis on the retail trade sector using survey data from Malaysia. Journal of International Business and Economics, 11(4), 214-218.
Puah, C.H, Wong, S.S.L., & Liew, V.K.S. (2012). Testing rational expectations hypothesis in the manufacturing sector in Malaysia. Journal of Business Economics and Management (forthcoming).
Richardson, M., & Smith, T. (1991). Tests of models in the presence of overlapping observations. Review of Financial Studies, 4(2), 227-254.
Sheffrin, S.M. (1983). Rational Expectations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Takagi, S. (1991). Exchange rate expectations: A survey of survey studies. International Monetary Fund Staff Papers, 38(1), 156-183.
Theil, H. (1966). Applied Economic Forecasting. North-Holland: Amsterdam.
Wong, S.S.L., Puah, C.H., and Abu Mansor, S. (2011). Survey Evidence on the rationality of business expectations: Implication from the Malaysian agricultural sector. Journal of Economic Computation and Economic Cybernetics Studies and Research, 45(4), 169-180.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758698
|
__label__wiki
| 0.806792
| 0.806792
|
He’s an Inspiration: Author Paul Lamar Hunter hopes to see his story on the silver screen
By Aliyah Chavez
An author, life coach and public speaker, Paul Lamar Hunter has a rare and memorable life story that he is hoping to use to inspire others.
Born 47 years ago and the 19th of 21 children in Racine, Wisconsin, Hunter was the first in his family to graduate college and write a book.
“My mother birthed 21 natural children,” Hunter says about Louise Hunter, who was married to James Hunter. “She stayed pregnant for 15 years and nine months. Just imagine the mental, emotional and physical preparation it requires to deliver 21 babies.”
His mother, nicknamed “Mother Hunter” in his 184-page, 2012 autobiography, No Love, No Charity: the Success of the 19th Child, later became the first African-American woman in Wisconsin to start a homeless shelter. The shelter was meant to be a stabilizing influence for her family and respite for the downtrodden. Instead, it was a breeding ground of dysfunction.
“I think the hardest thing that my siblings and I had to overcome that we did not have a lot of food in the house,” Hunter says. “We also did not have a lot of beds in our homes, so there were times when we had to sleep on the floor with just a blanket.”
Determined to not let his rocky life dictate his future, Hunter earned a degree in business administration from Upper Iowa University in 2012. He was the first in his maternal and paternal lineage to obtain a college degree.
“When I graduated college, my mother did not congratulate me, but I know she was delighted for me, according to my siblings,” says Hunter, who moved to Tucson July 5, 2017. “It is difficult for her to express it.
“By the way, when you come from the inner city and graduate from college, you are an outcast. If you are incarcerated and come home from serving your time, you are celebrated like a hero or celebrity. This is the mindset of the community. On the other hand, no one came to my graduation, yet I was able to persevere.”
The father of four adult children, Hunter did not stop there. He penned a memoir about his life. Hunter will begin pitching a screenplay to film producers in the fall after completing syndicated interviews around the country. He has already appeared on shows hosted by Tavis Smiley and Tom Joyner, as well as Fox and Friends.
“I am in the business of changing people’s lives with what I write or what I say,” he says. “I am a person who will build people up and not tear them down because there is so much negativity out there in our society and what people need to listen to is positive words. They need to be built up, not torn down.”
No Love, No Charity: The Success of the 19th Child is available online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Taste of Italy: Americanized standards replaced by authenticity at Tavolino
Postino South: The popular Phoenix wine café to open its first Tucson location
Okilly Dokilly: Head Ned chitty-chats about his band’s success
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758699
|
__label__wiki
| 0.704038
| 0.704038
|
WORK ▾
▸BIO
Lorna Simpson received her BFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts, New York, and her MFA from the University of California, San Diego. When Lorna Simpson emerged from the graduate program at San Diego in 1985, she was already considered a pioneer of conceptual photography. Feeling a strong need to re-examine and re-define photographic practice for contemporary relevance, Simpson was producing work that engaged the conceptual vocabulary of the time by creating exquisitely crafted documents that are as clean and spare as the closed, cyclic systems of meaning they produce. Her initial body of work alone helped to incite a significant shift in the view of the photographic art’s transience and malleability.
Lorna Simpson first became well-known in the mid-1980s for her large- scale photograph-and-text works that confront and challenge narrow, conventional views of gender, identity, culture, history and memory. With unidentified figures as a visual point of departure, Simpson uses the figure to examine the ways in which gender and culture shape the interactions, relationships and experiences of our lives in contemporary America. In the mid-1990s, she began creating large multi-panel photographs printed on felt that depict the sites of public – yet unseen – sexual encounters. Over time she turned to film and video works in which individuals engage in enigmatic conversations that seem to address the mysteries of both identity and desire. Throughout her body of work, Simpson questions memory and representation, whether in her moving juxtaposition of text and image, in her haunting video projection Cloudscape and its echo in the felt work Cloud, or in her large-scale video installation Momentum which recreates a childhood dance performance. Using the camera as a catalyst, Simpson constructs work comprising text and image, parts to wholes, which comment on the documentary nature of found or staged images. In Simpson’s latest works, characteristic ambivalence is presented with hazy ink washes to present isolated figures amidst nebulous spaces– a return to and departure from her earlier unidentified figures in a deepened exploration of contemporary culture.
Her works have been exhibited at and are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and Haus der Kunst; Munich amongst others. Important international exhibitions have included the Hugo Boss Prize at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, Documenta XI in Kassel, Germany, and the 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy. Lorna Simpson is represented by Hauser & Wirth.
Download C.V. here
Download bibliography here
For more information, contact info@lsimpsonstudio.com
Lorna Simpson is represented by Hauser & Wirth.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758700
|
__label__wiki
| 0.570786
| 0.570786
|
How to get a job at Goldman Sachs with no degree and a background in face-painting
by Beecher Tuttle 13 June 2018
Goldman Sachs is making a major push into retail banking with the planned expansion of Marcus, its digital consumer lending and finance business launched in 2016. David Solomon, the assumed successor of Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein, suggested last week that Marcus may move beyond personal loans and deposits and into mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and even insurance. Goldman also recently acquired personal-finance app Clarity Money and is said to be planning an expansion into Europe with operations in the U.K. and Germany.
The expected growth of Marcus will be accompanied by many job vacancies that people typically don’t associate with Goldman Sachs, mostly due to its lack of a retail presence over the years. Marcus isn’t a brick-and-mortar bank, so its current customer-facing employees are loan and savings specialists who don’t actually face customers. They work in a call center environment. As such, Marcus has opened the door to people who may have wanted to work at Goldman Sachs but who don’t have the typical resume of most analysts.
Getting a job as a loan and savings specialist doesn’t require a college degree, according to current job postings on Goldman’s career site. You’ll need at least a GED or a high school diploma along with two years of experience working in customer service and a background in financial services. However, a thorough search of LinkedIn profiles of current specialists show that most do have their bachelor’s degree, yet specific experience working in banking doesn’t appear to be a must.
One recent hire has worked for several years in various customer services roles as well as in cosmetology and as a professional face painter, but never worked at a financial services company. Another worked at big box store and in beverage sales before joining Marcus, while a third was previously a dog groomer before working for less than a year in a customer service role, also outside of financial services. Some do have experience in retail banking, mostly as bank tellers.
Goldman Sachs didn’t respond to inquiries about the qualifications needed to become a loan and savings specialist or the expected pay range. These roles are currently based out of Goldman’s office locations in Utah and Texas, where hiring is rampant.
On the surface, the bank appears to be very inclusive with its retail brand. The official name is “Marcus: By Goldman Sachs,” a moniker that it uses in all marketing materials. The job postings are hosted on Goldman’s career website, rather than the Marcus site, and are included under the firm’s consumer and commercial banking division. Current loan and savings specialists list their employer as Goldman Sachs or Marcus: By Goldman Sachs, rather than just using the retail name.
If you’re looking to get into Goldman via a non-traditional route, Marcus may provide a landing spot, though the division is too new to see the potential for growth opportunities.
Senior-level hires
Of course, Marcus is made up of more than just call center employees. Goldman employs of host of higher-levels staff as analysts, product managers, engineers and managing directors that help oversee Marcus from New York. Employees in these roles have backgrounds that are more typical to banking, both in terms of education and experience.
However, Goldman has filled many of these seats by poaching from financial services companies better known for their credit cards than their traditional retail and investment banking services.
Colin Kennedy, chief operating and revenue officer at Marcus, joined during the Clarity Money acquisition but previously worked for more than a decade at American Express, along with several other senior hires, according to LinkedIn profiles. American Express appears to be a breeding ground for senior Marcus hires.
Meanwhile, Darin Cline, a managing director in charge of operations at Marcus, worked at Capital One and then the Lending Club before joining. Harit Talwar, the company’s head of digital finance under which Marcus operates, came on as a partner in 2015 after a stint at Discover.
Similar positions will likely open up in the U.K. and Germany when and if Goldman expands into Europe. Candidates with digital retail experience – people who may not have been a great fit for Goldman just a few years ago – appear to have a leg up.
Have a confidential story, tip, or comment you’d like to share? Contact: btuttle@efinancialcareers.com
Bear with us if you leave a comment at the bottom of this article: all our comments are moderated by actual human beings. Sometimes these humans might be asleep, or away from their desks, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. Eventually it will – unless it’s offensive or libelous (in which case it won’t).
Follow @BeecherTuttle
What it's actually like inside Goldman Sachs, in photos
Working at Goldman Sachs made me stronger, until it didn’t
So, this is where you want to work at J.P. Morgan in 2018
Russian Research Analyst
Analyste en risques opérationnels
Regulatory Reporting, Top Tier US Bank, up to 70K+
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758705
|
__label__cc
| 0.550351
| 0.449649
|
Americans: Economic Issues Country’s Top Problem Today
Iraq receives second-highest percentage of mentions
PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' satisfaction with the way things are going in the United States remains quite low, at 24%, essentially unchanged over the past nine months. Americans are most likely to mention aspects of the economy as the country's most important problem, followed by the war in Iraq. Top-of-mind concern about the economy has risen slightly this month, and is now as high as it has been in about a year and a half.
Only about a quarter of Americans are satisfied "with the way things are going in the United States at this time," a percentage that has held remarkably constant every month since May of this year.
The average satisfaction level across all of 2007 was 28%. Satisfaction was slightly higher in the first four months of last year, but fell in May and, with some month-to-month changes, has remained at an average of 25% since that time. In short, there has been little lasting change in Americans' attitudes about the state of affairs in this country over the past nine months.
By point of reference, the lowest reading on this satisfaction measure since Gallup began using it in 1979 has been 12% in July of that year, followed by 14% in June 1992. The low point for George W. Bush's administration was 20%, recorded in November of last year. The highest satisfaction level Gallup has recorded since 1979 was 71% in February 1999.
There continue to be big differences in this satisfaction measure according to political party: Republicans remain significantly more satisfied than Democrats.
Half of Republicans are satisfied, but only small percentages of independents and Democrats agree.
Most Important Problem
What's behind these low levels of satisfaction?
One possible answer is to look at the responses to Gallup's January reading of the question: "What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?" (For the complete trend, please see the end of this report.)
Almost 4 out of 10 Americans now mention some aspect of the economy as the most important problem, the highest since May 2006. The most frequently occurring response in this broad category is simply "the economy" or some general variant thereof, followed by smaller percentages of respondents who mention fuel prices, unemployment/jobs, and other economic issues.
Still, the percentage mentioning the economy is relatively low by historical standards. As recently as May 2003, over half -- 52% -- of Americans said that some aspect of the economy was the most important problem. Going back further in time, in March 1991, 73% of Americans said some aspect of the economy was the nation's top problem.
The most frequently cited non-economic problem is Iraq, with 25% of Americans mentioning it in January. Roughly the same percentage mentioned Iraq in December and November, but in general, these percentages are slightly lower than readings earlier in 2007.
More generally, the percentage of Americans who have viewed Iraq as the nation's top problem since the war began in March 2003 has ranged from 5% in August 2003 to 38% in February of last year. By way of comparison, however, the percentage mentioning the Vietnam War was as high as 55% in January 1967.
Other problems Americans mention include:
Healthcare, mentioned by 13%
Immigration (11%)
Dissatisfaction with government (8%)
Other than the broad trends mentioned above relating to the economy and Iraq, there have not been any sharp changes over the last several months in the problems Americans think are the nation's toughest. Interestingly, despite the rising price of gas, the subprime mortgage and housing crisis, and the drop in the stock market, there has been no sharp increase in the percentage of Americans mentioning any of these specifically as the country's top problem.
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected sample of 1,023 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Jan. 4-6, 2008. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.
USA Business Financial Services Iraq War Americas Northern America
Forty-Five Percent See U.S. in Recession or Depression
New Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 USA Today/Gallup polling shows that just under half of Americans think the U.S. economy is already in a recession, if not an economic depression.
Consumers Are Getting Gloomier
In sharp contrast to recent reports, Gallup’s daily monitoring shows sharp declines in consumer confidence during January.
Fed “Panic” Worries Consumers
New Gallup daily polling shows that when the Fed takes “emergency action,” the results are not always positive for consumer and investor confidence in today’s global economy -- something to keep in mind as the Fed responds to the latest signs of a slowing U.S. economy.
Mobile Tech Spurs Financial Inclusion in Developing Nations
The 2017 edition of the Global Findex reveals the extent to which mobile phones and the internet have created new opportunities for financial inclusion.
Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/103699/americans-economic-issues-countrys-top-problem-today.aspx
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758706
|
__label__wiki
| 0.665944
| 0.665944
|
Gains Under Bush Seen on AIDS, Race Relations, Little Else
Economy, U.S. position in world seen as suffering the most
by Lydia Saad and Jeffrey M. Jones
PRINCETON, NJ -- George W. Bush's legacy may change in perhaps unforeseen ways as it seasons over time, but at the close of his administration, the American public perceives that more ground has been lost than gained in the United States over the past eight years on a whole range of issues. Bush leaves office with his efforts to combat AIDS being the achievement Americans are most likely to give him credit for improving.
Americans are more positive than negative about the fight against AIDS, with 38% saying the country has made progress over the last eight years and 19% saying it has lost ground, resulting in a net 19-point positive score for that issue.
The public also generally perceives that race relations have improved on Bush's watch -- 40% say the country has gained ground in this area versus 25% who say it has lost ground. But that could largely be ascribed to Barack Obama's election as the nation's first black president, something that doesn't reflect directly on Bush's leadership in this area.
While Bush argues that the country has been made safer by his anti-terrorism policies -- the proof being that no major terrorist incident has occurred on U.S. soil since 9/11 -- Americans are only marginally positive about the nation's progress on terrorism. Roughly 4 in 10 say the United States has made progress on terrorism and national defense -- two of the highest such marks for any issue in the poll. However, nearly as many say the country has lost ground in these areas, leaving net scores just slightly above 0 (+3 for both issues).
Americans are overwhelmingly negative about the paths the U.S. economy and the U.S. position in the world have taken under Bush, and in general are more negative than positive about how conditions have changed in 10 of 14 major areas since Bush took office.
Bush entered office hoping to make a positive mark on U.S. education with policies ultimately contained in the No Child Left Behind Act. He also pushed major tax cuts through Congress in 2001 and 2003 as core elements of his economic strategy. Nevertheless, more Americans perceive that education and taxes have lost ground than say they have gained ground in the past eight years.
Americans are largely negative in their reviews of conditions in healthcare, immigration, and energy, in addition to taxes. They are moderately negative about civil liberties, crime, and the environment, as well as about education.
Partisan Lenses
While Democrats evaluate Bush more harshly than Republicans do in each of the 14 areas, the two groups differ most sharply in their perceptions of how terrorism, national defense, and the environment have fared under Bush. Half or more of Republicans think the country has made progress in each of these areas, while half or more of Democrats believe it has lost ground.
Wide gulfs also exist between the two parties' perceptions of education, energy, taxes, civil liberties, healthcare, and crime. Democrats and Republicans are in closest agreement on the economy and immigration -- with both groups more critical than positive -- and on AIDS, with both more positive than negative.
Given that Bush is one of the least popular exiting presidents, it is not surprising that Americans find few areas in which they think the country has improved on his watch. The administration's recent attempts to tout Bush's efforts to combat AIDS seem to square with public perceptions, as he receives his most positive scores on this issue. While substantial percentages of Americans see gains in the areas of terrorism and national defense, there are about as many critics as supporters in these areas, so the net scores are not all that strong.
During much of Bush's presidency, it seemed clear that foreign policy would dominate his legacy, for better or for worse. Americans' general sense that the U.S. position in the world has suffered under Bush is certainly a negative critique, but their more divided assessments of progress on national defense and fighting terrorism could temper their overall assessments of his foreign policy record over time. However, recent events have put more focus on the economy as a defining issue for Bush -- though whether that's the case in the coming years remains to be seen -- and on this, the public's overwhelming criticism of the Bush era is quite clear.
Results are based on telephone interviews with 3,037 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Jan. 2-4, 2009. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.
Interviews are conducted with respondents on land-line telephones (for respondents with a land-line telephone) and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell-phone only).
USA Politics The Presidency Americas Northern America
Gallup Daily: Bush Job Approval
On Oct. 31, Gallup began tracking daily the percentage of Americans who approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president. For the long-term trend, click here.
Major Gains in Blacks’ Ratings of Their Standard of Living
After falling to as low as -1 last fall, blacks’ score on Gallup’s Standard of Living Index spiked to +39 in January, and has continued to improve since then to +62. The Index measures perceptions of one’s current and future standard of living.
Slim Majority Wants Bush-Era Interrogations Investigated
A slim majority of Americans (51%) favor an investigation into the Bush administration’s use of harsh interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects, but a majority of those following the story closely (58%) oppose it. At the same time, 55% of Americans say the use of such techniques was justified.
Partisan Polarization on the Environment Grows Under Trump
by Riley E. Dunlap
Political polarization over environmental protection didn't start with President Donald Trump, but has intensified during his administration.
Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/113680/gains-under-bush-seen-aids-race-relations-little-else.aspx
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758707
|
__label__wiki
| 0.954227
| 0.954227
|
Six endangered North Atlantic right whales died last month alone
by Mongabay.com on 1 July 2019
In June this year, six endangered North Atlantic right whales were spotted dead in Canadian waters, including a 40-year-old breeding grandmother, and a 34-year-old grandfather.
With only some 400 North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) estimated to survive today, researchers and conservation groups are worried.
Necropsies carried out so far suggest that some of the whales died from collisions with ships.
Entanglement in fishing gear is another leading cause of death among this extremely threatened species of baleen whale.
There’s more grim news for the North Atlantic right whale, one of the most endangered whale species in the world. In June this year, six individuals were spotted dead in Canadian waters. Among them was a breeding female named Punctuation who had given birth to eight known calves and had been a grandmother to at least two grand-calves during her lifetime.
“The loss of sexually mature females is biologically a major loss to this species that has seen a precipitous population decline over the past several years,” the New England Aquarium said in a statement, according to the New York Times.
Wolverine, a 9-year-old male named for three propeller cuts on his tail, was the first North Atlantic right whale to be discovered dead, on June 4. Punctuation, named after small scars on her head that resembled dashes and commas and thought to be around 40 years old, was found next, followed by Comet, a 34-year-old grandfather, and an 11-year-old female. Last week, two more dead whales — an unnamed female and another female named Clipper — were spotted dead.
Canadian officials and researchers have so far conducted necropsies on three of the dead whales. While the necropsy on Wolverine remained “inconclusive,” according to Agence France-Presse, preliminary findings from Comet’s necropsy are “highly compatible with death due to blunt trauma, consistent with vessel strike,” according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Punctuation’s necropsy, too, suggested that she died after being hit by a ship. A necropsy on Clipper was scheduled for July 1, the government department announced in a tweet on Sunday.
Apart from collisions with ships, North Atlantic right whales also die from entanglements in fishing gear. In another tweet on Sunday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the Canadian Coast Guard had spotted a right whale entangled in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. “Due to weather and human safety being paramount, a response will not be mounted today. If weather permits, we will attempt to locate it tomorrow and assess rescue options,” it said.
A recent study published June 20 that analyzed details of 43 North Atlantic right whales with known causes of deaths since 2003 from Florida, U.S., to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, found that 38 were due to ship strikes and entanglements. Another study published in November last year found 80 percent of all North Atlantic right whale deaths (70 of 87 deaths) between 1970 and 2009 with known causes of death were due to human activity, primarily entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships.
North Atlantic right whales were once hunted to near extinction by whalers, but recovered slowly after hunting was banned in 1937. Since 2010, however, their population has been declining again. At least 17 individuals died in 2017 — 12 in Canadian waters — while only five new calves were spotted. In 2018, there were three documented deaths among the North Atlantic right whale population in U.S. waters, and no calves. This year, seven right whale babies have been seen so far, while six deaths were documented.
“With less than 420 individuals remaining, any loss is tragic for this species teetering on the brink of extinction,” Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement. “The federal government needs to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent their entanglement in fishing gear and to limit the risk of deaths by ship strike. We cannot simply stand by as these remarkable animals disappear from Planet Earth.”
Rescue team removing fishing gear from an entangled right whale. Image by NOAA via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
Canadian officials have responded to the latest deaths by passing some measures. Marc Garneau, Canada’s minister of transport, for example, said that effective immediately, they were “implementing an interim precautionary speed restriction of 10 knots, for vessels of 20 metres or more in length travelling in the western the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in the two designated shipping lanes north and south of Anticosti Island.”
He added, “Failure to comply will result in an Administrative Monetary Penalty of up to $25,000.”
To protect the whales from getting entangled in fishing gear, Jonathan Wilkinson, the minister of fisheries, oceans and the coast guard, said that among other measures, the closure of snow crab, lobster and other fisheries areas would be adjusted to “include the area where 90% of the North Atlantic Right Whale were sighted last year during the prime fishing season.”
“Last year, no North Atlantic right whale died in Canadian waters,” Wilkinson said in the statement. “This success was due in part to the Government of Canada’s swift action, strong partnerships and industry compliance. With an additional year of science and consultations, the advanced measures announced today will strengthen protection for the endangered North Atlantic right whale, while also sustaining and growing the ocean economy that so many Canadians rely on.”
North Atlantic right whale with calf. Image via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Corkeron, P., Hamilton, P., Bannister, J., Best, P., Charlton, C., Groch, K. R., . . . Pace, R. M. (2018). The recovery of North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, has been constrained by human-caused mortality. Royal Society Open Science, 5(11), 180892. doi:10.1098/rsos.180892
Sharp, S. M., McLellan, W. A., Rotstein, D. S., Costidis, A. M., Barco, S. G., Durham, K., . . . Moore, M. J. (2019). Gross and histopathologic diagnoses from North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis mortalities between 2003 and 2018. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 135(1), 1-31. doi:10.3354/dao03376
Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Endangered Species, Environment, Mammals, Marine, Marine Animals, Marine Conservation, Marine Mammals, Oceans, Whales, Wildlife
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758708
|
__label__wiki
| 0.837051
| 0.837051
|
Determined to Help Her Brother, Tennis Player Creates Hoos for Huntington’s
Whitelaw Reid, wdr4d@virginia.edu
When Erica Susi peers into the crowd as she’s giving a speech on Sunday and sees her older brother, Brian, and his two young children, she isn’t sure how she will react.
While the University of Virginia fourth-year student is hopeful a recent public speaking course she took will help her stay on point, she isn’t counting on it. “Sometimes,” she said, “emotions just creep up on us.”
Two years ago, Susi’s former stepmother – Brian’s mother – had not been feeling well, and, after a battery of tests, it was determined she had Huntington’s disease.
That meant Brian and his sister, Angie, each had a 50 percent chance of inheriting it. Subsequent testing determined that Brian, a 43-year-old New Jersey cardiologist, had Huntington’s, while Angie did not.
“We were numb,” recalled Jeffrey Susi, father of both Erica and Brian.
Huntington’s disease is an inherited disorder that results in the death of brain cells and is incurable. Physical abilities gradually worsen until a person is unable to talk. Life expectancy is generally around 20 years following the onset of visible symptoms.
Susi was a second-year student at the time of Brian’s diagnosis.
“It makes you take a step back,” she said, “and look at your life and how you’re spending it.”
To that end, Susi – a member of the UVA women’s tennis team – came up with an idea to raise money and bring more awareness to the disease through a new initiative, Hoos for Huntington’s.
On Sunday, the group will host a fundraiser outside of Memorial Gym from 11 a.m. to noon. The event will feature a speech from Susi, and an opportunity to play sports with various UVA student-athletes, including Susi’s tennis teammates; football players Joe Reed and Charles Snowden; basketball players Austin Katstra and Dominique Toussaint; volleyball players Jelena Novakovic and Kiley Banker; golfers Nathan Chuwait and Kate Harper; and soccer players Aaron James and Laurel Ivory.
susi_family_inline_01.jpg
The idea behind the group grew out of the public speaking course. Susi had signed up because she thought it would be a good skill to have no matter what field she ended up going into in her post-UVA life. However, the elective – taught by Denise Stewart, a lecturer in the drama department – had an unforeseen benefit. As part the final exam, students were required to give a “vision speech.”
Susi’s vision: For her brother to have a healthy life. “I had to think backward of how that could happen,” Susi said, “and I realized there’s a gap between the awareness of Huntington’s disease with other diseases, such as ALS.
“The same number of people who suffer from ALS suffer from Huntington’s, but there’s just a huge gap in awareness.”
With that, Hoos for Huntington’s was born.
Well, not right away.
“It was one of those ideas that you have, but you don’t know if it’s realistic,” Susi recalled. “By taking the class, it really forced me to say, ‘Is this something I really want to do? And how am I going to make it happen?’”
Over winter break, Susi, who is majoring in market management and business analytics in the McIntire School of Commerce, hashed out more of her plan, then met with Ellen Cook, UVA’s director of community engagement. “She really helped me figure what needed to happen – who to contact – and really helped put a lot of the pieces in place,” Susi said.
Susi also coordinated with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (for which she was already serving as the communications coordinator), as well as two other organizations, Student-Athletes Committed to Honor and Student Athlete Mentors.
With school, tennis and other extracurricular activities, Susi’s time-management skills were put to the test.
“I think putting together something like this and spreading awareness about a disease like this and doing it for her brother and everybody who is affected … it goes so much further than a tennis win,” women’s tennis coach Sara O’Leary said. “It’s amazing how she’s using her platform as a varsity athlete to do something that is so impactful. I’m just extremely proud of her. It’s just a really, really neat thing that she’s doing.”
erica3_susi_erica_07_mr_inline2.jpg
Susi hasn’t been in the game-day lineup as much as she would have liked this season, but as one of the team captains, she has contributed in other ways. O’Leary calls her “selfless.”
“She really has made a huge impact on this team and really left her mark on this program,” O’Leary said. “She’s just been a great example for the younger girls.”
Susi, who has accepted a job as a marketing analyst at a company in Arlington, hopes Hoos for Huntington’s can continue after she graduates.
“My goal is to have this become an annual event,” she said, “but my first step is to just raise awareness and also let people know about what the disease is and how it affects people’s lives. Before people donate money, they need to care. And I think this event can really help people take that first step.”
Right now, Brian – who has an 8-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son – seems to be doing OK.
“It depends on how you perceive it,” Susi said. “Sometimes we think if he forgets something, did he just forget it, or did he forget it because that’s a symptom of the disease? It’s really hard to tell at the beginning stages.”
A terrible offshoot is the fact that Susi’s niece and nephew may have the Huntington’s gene.
Since there’s currently no treatment for the disease, Jeffrey Susi – a retired hospital CEO who now sits on a Huntington’s Disease Society of America committee that tries to bring awareness to the disease – said his grandkids probably won’t be tested until their late teens or early 20s.
Jeffrey Susi said the family is taking heart in the fact that some clinical trials have shown promise. “It gives you reason to hope,” he said.
This weekend, the grandchildren – along with Brian, Angie and Jeffrey Susi’s other son, Matthew – will be at the Hoos for Huntington event, as well as a speech Erica is giving on Saturday as part of an Huntington’s Disease Society of America event at the UVA Medical Center.
Jeffrey Susi said Erica has been an inspiration to the whole family. “There were tearful moments,” he said. “You feel helpless. It’s difficult to be patient as you wait for things to develop, and hope that they develop, but I think she’s dealt with it the way many people do, in that she has found something she can do to feel like she’s contributing.
“I think this has been very rewarding for Erica, and I think it makes an amazing impact on Brian.”
Erica Susi is thrilled that Brian and her other family members will be on Grounds this weekend.
“Spending more time with them and cherishing the moments and memories I have with them has helped me get through it,” she said. “And I think it has also helped them get through it.”
Whitelaw Reid
wdr4d@virginia.edu 434-924-7499
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758709
|
__label__wiki
| 0.934898
| 0.934898
|
UVA Law’s Goluboff, History’s Miller Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Mike Fox, mfox@law.virginia.edu
Matt Kelly, mkelly@virginia.edu
Two University of Virginia faculty members have been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences: School of Law Dean Risa Goluboff and history professor emeritus Joseph C. Miller.
The academy, which announced its 2018 fellows Tuesday, is an honorary society founded in 1780 that recognizes achievement in the natural sciences, social sciences, law, arts and humanities. Its 4,900 fellows convene to address global challenges.
Goluboff and Miller are the 37th and 38th UVA scholars elected as Academy fellows, including President Teresa A. Sullivan.
The new class will be inducted at a ceremony in October in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Goluboff, a nationally renowned legal historian who became the first female dean of UVA Law in 2016, is also the first woman on the school’s faculty to be elected to the academy. Her scholarship and teaching focuses on American constitutional and civil rights law, and especially their historical development in the 20th century. She is an affiliated scholar at the Miller Center and a faculty affiliate at the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies. She was elected to the American Law Institute in 2017.
“It’s a privilege to be elected to the academy and to join such an esteemed group of scholars,” Goluboff said. “I’m deeply honored. I’m also thankful for the support the Law School and UVA have given me over the years, which has been critical to my growth as a legal historian and scholar.”
Goluboff is the author of “The Lost Promise of Civil Rights,” which won the 2010 Order of the Coif Biennial Book Award and the 2008 James Willard Hurst Prize. Her second book, “Vagrant Nation: Police Power, Constitutional Change, and the Making of the 1960s,” was supported by a 2009 John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in Constitutional Studies and a 2012 Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies. It received the American Historical Association’s 2017 Littleton-Griswold Prize, the 2017 Lillian Smith Book Award, the 2017 John Phillip Reid Book Award and the 2016 David J. Langum Sr. Prize in American Legal History, among other honors. Goluboff is also co-editor, with Myriam Gilles, of “Civil Rights Stories,” and the author of numerous shorter works.
In 2012, Goluboff was named a distinguished lecturer by the Organization of American Historians. From 2011 to 2016, she directed the University’s J.D.-M.A. in History Program. In 2008, Goluboff received the Law School’s Carl McFarland Award for excellence in faculty scholarship, and in 2011 UVA’s All-University Teaching Award.
After the protests in Charlottesville on Aug. 11-12, UVA President Teresa Sullivan appointed Goluboff to chair a working group of deans and community members to lead the University’s response.
Prior to joining the Law School in 2002, Goluboff clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court. She also served as a Fulbright Scholar to South Africa.
Goluboff earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University, her J.D. from Yale Law School, and her A.B. from Harvard University.
Seven other UVA Law professors are academy fellows: Kenneth S. Abraham, John C. Jeffries Jr., Douglas Laycock, Paul G. Mahoney, John T. Monahan, Frederick Schauer and G. Edward White.
Miller, the Cary Johnson Jr. Professor Emeritus of History, taught the history of Africa, slavery and the slave trades, Atlantic history and world history at the University from 1972 to 2014.
His archival research in Portugal and study of oral traditions in Angola led to publication of “Kings and Kinsmen: Early Mbundu States in Angola” and a number of articles and chapters on the worlds of 16th- and 17th-century Africans. He compiled an annual series of bibliographies of modern scholarship in all western European languages on slavery, which have appeared in every volume of the journal Slavery & Abolition since 1980, continuing since 2004 under the curatorship of Thomas Thurston. The bibliography now contains more than 40,000 titles.
Miller’s major monograph, “Way of Death: Merchant Capitalism and the Angolan Slave Trade, 1730-1830,” won the Herskovits Prize of the African Studies Association for the best book published in English that year. His principal statement so far has been “The Problem of Slavery as History: A Global Approach,” which was presented as the first David Brion Davis lecture series at Yale University’s Gilder-Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery and Abolition. He co-edited the Journal of African History from 1990 to 1996; four volumes of the Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara; two volumes of the Macmillan Encyclopedia of World Slavery; five volumes of the New Encyclopedia of Africa and edited the Princeton Companion to Atlantic History.
Miller characterized his scholarship focus as “a commitment to bringing Africans respectfully into the mainstream of the history they share with the rest of us, and us with them. Over the years, that’s extended to an effort to understand the experiences of enslavement on global scales – again, painting the larger picture, into which fit the Africans brought to the Americas. On a world scale, they were far from alone, and the seemingly unstoppable removals of people that enslavement means in turn tell us something about ourselves that we’d all be better off recognizing.”
Miller said he is honored by his election. “What this election means to me is enormous humility at being recognized by my predecessors, people whom I admire enormously, the ones I know personally as human beings and all of them as the dedicated and accomplished contributors to human welfare that they are,” he said. “I’m proud that they seem to regard me as their peer.”
He is currently integrating about 2,000 years of unwritten history in central, eastern and southern Africa around slaving there, within the continent, as a strategy of creating historical changes – as it turned out, with the irony of gains for some coming only at enormous cost to others, turning into the tragedy of the Middle Passage.
“Slaving as a historical process, the theme of my last book is a critique of both fields – early Africa and comparative slavery – as based too narrowly on seeing the past in terms of static structures and other sociological concepts that miss the point of the strategy, if it’s inherently about making change happen,” Miller said. “It’s also an epistemological critique of thinking historically, which I think too many practicing historians forget as they try to work intuitively from the particularities of their research to some insight of broader applicability. They fall back on faint versions of social science models, but I think we’re all better off leaving institutions to social scientists trained to define them properly.”
Miller earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University before turning to history scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he took his master’s and Ph.D. in African and comparative world history.
Matt Kelly
mkelly@virginia.edu (434) 924-7291
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758710
|
__label__wiki
| 0.787607
| 0.787607
|
Engineer aims to grow spinal tissue in lab
March 21, 2017 By Silke Schmidt
CONTACT: Randolph Ashton, rashton2@wisc.edu, (608) 316-4312
Randolph Ashton (right, with graduate student Gavin Knight) will use support from a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop spinal tissue that can be easily grown in a laboratory and used by to study disease and personalized medicine. Stephanie Precourt
For a soldier who suffered a spinal cord injury on the battlefield, the promise of regenerative medicine is to fully repair the resulting limb paralysis. But that hope is still years from reality.
“When regenerative medicine started, its stated goal was to replace damaged body parts and restore their function,” says Randolph Ashton, a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor of biomedical engineering. “But one of its less-anticipated applications is the ability to create human tissues and watch diseases occur in a dish, which is extremely powerful for developing new therapies.”
Not only powerful, but efficient. Studying diseases in lab-created tissue may help reduce the price tag — now roughly $1.8 billion — for bringing a new drug to market, which is one of the reasons Ashton received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for advancing tissue engineering of the human spinal cord. During the project’s five-year funding period, his lab in the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery will fine-tune the technology for growing a neural tube, the developmental predecessor of the spinal cord, from scratch.
As the neural tube matures and diversifies during the development of a human embryo, it gives rise to the two core parts of our central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord. By replicating this process in a dish, Ashton hopes to develop a platform for research that is highly reproducible and can be broadly disseminated. Biologists could simply add their cells to Ashton’s starter tissue to build a model of whichever spinal cord disease they desire.
By starting with cells from an individual patient, researchers will be able to target disease therapies to a particular genetic background — a concept known as personalized medicine. Drug tests in engineered spinal cords may become an intermediate step between animal models and clinical trials of patients affected by Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries, helping to bridge the differences between a human and rodent spinal cord.
“We’ve cured spinal cord diseases in a lot of rodents over the years, but only a small percentage of those drugs work in humans,” Ashton says. “If we can make the engineered tissue as close as possible to what’s in our body, this will eventually translate to better drugs.”
The recipe Ashton and fellow UW–Madison engineering professors Lih-Sheng (Tom) Turng and David Beebe plan to follow to coax stem cells into forming a neural tube goes something like this: First, they use water-soluble Lego-type molds to create microscale cavities within a jelly-like substance. Then they add human neural stem cells into these cavities, and let the cells coalesce as they do naturally to form neural tube-resembling tissue.
Next, they add signaling molecules whose variable concentration instructs the stem cells to turn into different types of neurons and neuron-supporting cells. Last comes the greatest challenge: getting these specialized cells to connect to one another and form electric circuits that give the spinal cord its function.
“The complexity of the central nervous system exists because specific circuits have to form over very long distances. If any part of a circuit goes awry, you lose function,” Ashton explains. “The biggest open question is whether the tissue we create in vitro will have the proper wiring of different cell types to yield circuits similar to those in our body.”
Ashton’s CAREER Award will also fund educational activities that range from expanding outreach programs for underrepresented minority K-12 students, to creating a website and exhibit for the public, to educating Madison-area high school teachers about tissue engineering.
Ashton, who is African-American, comes from a socially active family background — his grandfather was a minister and president of the Virginia chapter of the NAACP. He has assisted the nonprofit group 100 Black Men of Madison with its K-12 mentoring programs for years.
He plans to use the new grant to develop virtual interactive lab experiments and matching teaching modules.
“I hope to attract more students to the fast-growing field of regenerative medicine,” Ashton says, “and to motivate people to continue to fund this kind of research so that we can develop therapies to cure diseases, instead of just treating their symptoms.”
Tags: biomedical engineering, College of Engineering, federal relations, health & medicine
New campus initiative targets microbiome research
Study: Medicaid Expansion Helped Reduce Reliance on Federal Income Assistance
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758711
|
__label__wiki
| 0.932832
| 0.932832
|
US Catholic dioceses announce abuse 'compensation program'
Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez announced a compensation program as an alternative to court proceedings for minors sexually abused by clergy (AFP Photo/KEVORK DJANSEZIAN)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Six Catholic dioceses in the United States rolled out a "compensation program" Tuesday as an alternative to court proceedings for minors sexually abused by clergy.
The program by the dioceses, all of which are located in California, will be managed by two independent monitors who have handled similar programs in New York and Pennsylvania, the Catholic archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez said in a letter to worshipers.
"We are joining with five other dioceses in California in a new initiative to provide pastoral care and financial support to any person who has been sexually abused as a minor by a diocesan priest," Gomez wrote.
"We also understand that some victim-survivors are reluctant to come to the church for assistance. Our hope with this new program is to give these people a chance to seek redress and healing through an independent program."
According to California church officials, the program will be open to anybody who was abused by a priest as a minor, including people residing in the US illegally and those for whom the statute of limitations to prosecute their abuser has expired.
No lawyer will be necessary, and the process will be free and conducted in a "non-adversarial" manner that respects victims' privacy, according to the letter.
The six dioceses involved in the program represent some 10 million Catholics in California, many of whom have origins in Latin America where the church is particularly strong.
The Catholic Church both in the US and across the globe is struggling to deal with an epidemic of sexual assault by priests, much of it directed at minors.
The abuse has often gone on for decades and been covered up by church hierarchy.
The program's announcement came the same day that five Catholic molestation victims filed a lawsuit in a Minnesota federal court asking a judge to compel the Vatican to open its archives and release details of abusive priests.
The California hiker who was found after spending 4 days alone in the wilderness says she got lost after fleeing a man with a knife
Liz Weston: 3 steps to keep 'solo agers' happier and safer
New York State Follows California in Banning Hair Discrimination
Founder of neo-Nazi website should pay Jewish woman $14m for unleashing antisemitic 'troll storm' on her, judge rules
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758712
|
__label__wiki
| 0.782938
| 0.782938
|
Kelly Ayotte Elected To News Corp Board of Directors
New York, NY – April 3, 2017 – News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) today announced that Kelly Ayotte has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2017.
Senator Ayotte, 48, most recently served as a United States Senator for the State of New Hampshire from 2011 to 2017. Prior to her election to the Senate, she served as the chief of New Hampshire’s Homicide Unit and Deputy Attorney General of New Hampshire before being named the State’s first female Attorney General, in which role she served from 2004 until 2009.
“I am pleased to welcome to News Corp’s Board of Directors Senator Ayotte, who brings with her invaluable leadership and strategic planning skills, as well as in-depth knowledge in the areas of public policy, government and law,” said Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch.
“It’s an honor to join the Board, and I’m looking forward to working with Rupert Murdoch and his talented team at News Corp. By providing high quality news, books, digital real estate services and more to people around the world, News Corp plays such an important role in keeping people informed and engaged while focusing on delivering long-term value for investors,” said Senator Ayotte.
Senator Ayotte graduated from the Pennsylvania State University and earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Villanova University. She will offer valuable insights to the Board on private sector innovation from her service on the Senate Commerce Committee, including on its Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet, as well as financial experience from her service on the Senate Budget Committee.
Senator Ayotte will serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. Her appointment follows the recent departure of Elaine L. Chao, who resigned from the Board upon her confirmation as Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation.
News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content to consumers throughout the world. The company comprises businesses across a range of media, including: news and information services, book publishing, digital real estate services, and cable network programming and pay-TV distribution in Australia. Headquartered in New York, the activities of News Corp are conducted primarily in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. More information: http://www.newscorp.com.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758713
|
__label__wiki
| 0.556571
| 0.556571
|
Mormon Church Blasts Family Separations at US-Mexico Border
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church says it's "deeply troubled" by the separation of families at the U.S-Mexico border and is urging national leaders to fix the situation and find compassionate solutions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement Monday that the forced separations are "aggressive and insensitive" and especially harmful to the children. The statement aligns with the Utah-based religion's past calls for a compassionate approach to immigration reform. Earlier this year, the church called on national leaders to support "dreamer" immigrants who the religion says have earned the right to continue to contribute positively to society. Other religions including the U.S. conference of Catholic bishops have already condemned the Trump administration's policy of separating children from their parents at the border, which the U.S. has defended as enforcing the law.
Filed Under: Immigration, Mormon, President Donald Trump, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758714
|
__label__wiki
| 0.794388
| 0.794388
|
< Back To Blog Home
Cheapest Streets in Manchester
Number Sold (3 years)
Address (click for more info)
£43,014 48 Baguley Crescent, Rhodes Green, Middleton, Rochdale, M24 4
£55,699 33 Spindletree Avenue, Charlestown, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 7
£61,326 23 Heathcote Road, Penketh Avenue, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M18 7
£62,421 27 Coalshaw Green Road, Alder Root, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 8
£65,902 21 Cobden Street, Towton Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 4
£66,942 28 Kersal Way, Kersal, Higher Broughton, Salford, M7 3
£70,512 28 Trafalgar Street, Guide Bridge, Ashton under Lyne, Tameside, OL7 0
£71,915 80 Holland Road, Parkhill Avenue, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M8 4
£73,312 24 Marlborough Street, Guide Bridge, Ashton under Lyne, Tameside, OL7 0
£78,728 92 Eccles New Road, Ordsall, Ordsall, Salford, M5 4
£79,864 26 Ivy Graham Close, New Moston, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M40 3
£80,651 23 Lloyd Road, Tonbridge Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M19 2
£81,215 23 Brynorme Road, Parkhill Avenue, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M8 4
£81,285 21 Demesne Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M16 8
£81,713 42 Abbey Hey Lane, Openshaw, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M11 1
£82,971 26 Edward Street, Denton, Ashton under Lyne, Tameside, M34 3
£85,688 37 Denton Lane, Alder Root, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 8
£85,763 94 Lower Vickers Street, Bradford, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M40 7
£86,748 27 Asgard Drive, Ordsall, Ordsall, Salford, M5 4
£87,722 36 Birch Lane, Longsight, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 0
£87,734 86 Hyde Road, West Gorton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M12 5
£89,361 27 Hathersage Road, Longsight, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 0
£90,240 58 Lakeside Rise, Blackley, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 8
£91,234 32 Ashley Lane, Towton Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 4
£91,626 60 Greengate, Middleton Junction, Middleton, Rochdale, M24 1
£92,225 22 Grey Street, Heaton Park, Prestwich, Bury, M25 1
£92,256 30 Fairfield Road, Openshaw, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M11 1
£93,189 34 Victoria Bridge Street, Gore Street, Manchester City Centre, Salford, M3 5
£93,293 32 Old Road, Failsworth, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 0
£93,441 44 Claremont Road, Fernleaf Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M14 4
£93,475 57 Colman Gardens, Markendale Place, Ordsall, Salford, M5 3
£95,910 28 Clough Road, Failsworth, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 0
£96,361 22 Bowler Street, Tonbridge Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M19 2
£96,855 26 Agate Mews, Markendale Place, Ordsall, Salford, M5 3
£97,941 21 Littleton Road, Kersal, Higher Broughton, Salford, M7 3
£98,041 23 Waverley Road, Towton Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 4
£99,632 28 Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 5
£100,190 27 Manchester Street, Trafford Bank Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M16 9
£101,878 48 Gorton Road, North Reddish, Stockport, Stockport, SK5 6
£103,659 38 Moston Lane, Hugo Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M40 5
£103,869 104 Houldsworth Street, North Reddish, Stockport, Stockport, SK5 6
£104,452 22 Broadfield Road, Fernleaf Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M14 4
£106,660 55 Phoebe Street, Markendale Place, Ordsall, Salford, M5 3
£107,509 27 Hulton Street, Failsworth, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 0
£107,778 22 Louisa Street, Openshaw, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M11 1
£109,171 32 The Waterfront, Clayton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M11 4
£109,509 21 Sunnyside Road, Droylsden, Ashton under Lyne, Tameside, M43 7
£110,173 26 Stillwater Drive, Clayton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M11 4
£110,900 50 Carlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M16 8
£111,328 35 Hill Lane, Dam Head Drive, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M9 6
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758717
|
__label__wiki
| 0.886591
| 0.886591
|
Nico Verdonck completes successful pre-season test at Paul-Ricard
The Gulf Racing UK team has undertaken a successful two-day test with the McLaren 12C GT3 at the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France, ahead of the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series season opener next month.
Newly announced McLaren GT works driver Adam Carroll joined the British-based team for the first time, and shared the testing schedule in the 12C GT3 with the team’s co-owner Mike Wainwright, and new teammate Nico Verdonck, who will be part of a three-strong Pro line-up alongside Carroll and fellow McLaren GT factory driver Rob Bell.
Reflecting on his first outing with Gulf Racing UK, Carroll explained: ‘I had a really good first test with the team, and I have been made to feel very welcome by everyone. I have really enjoyed working with Matt our engineer and Nico, and we have made good progress with the car over the two days. With Rob, Nico and myself, and the support of the team, I believe we will be very strong this season. With 50 cars running out on track, there is still the risk of getting caught up in traffic, but it is still a good chance to get used to that and learn to deal with it.’
Nico Verdonck, also completing his debut run with the British-based team, relished his first opportunity running the 12C GT3 in Gulf Racing colours: ‘I feel very much at home already. I must admit, everyone within the team has made me feel very welcome, and I am really looking forward to working intensively with these people, who share all the same passion as me, do everything to perform maximum!'
‘Gulf Racing is a very professional team, who look into every detail, and our engineer Matt Beers worked a rigorous test programme. We completed this schedule, trying out various set-ups for different conditions. All teams were trying out different test programmes throughout the sessions, but having topped the timesheets at Paul Ricard, I'm confident we will be competitive from the first race in Monza, and I have faith in Gulf Racing, and my teammates, that they will do what it takes to be fighting at the front of the grid.’
Mike Wainwright, who will run in the Pro-Am entry for the 2013 season alongside Andy Meyrick, completed the trio of drivers running the McLaren at Paul Ricard: ‘It has been good to finally get back in the car, after what feels like a long winter break. The updates and modifications to car seem strong, and I hope that we are competitive from the first race in Monza.’
Matt Beers, who recently took over the position as team manager for Gulf Racing UK, added: ‘We had a great two days of testing, completing nearly 1,000km with no significant issues. We covered some good ground and now have a greater understanding of the updated 12C GT3. Our new Pro drivers have settled in well and were immediately up to speed and, at the moment, I can't see a weakness in our driver lineup, which is very encouraging. Mike was also competitive very quickly, and completed a good amount of mileage in the dry for a change!! On top of that our practice pitstops were beating our best from last year after only three runs, so it’s not just the drivers who are rapid! I am really looking forward to the season getting started now.’
Alongside the McLaren, Roald Goethe and Stuart Hall also completed a testing session running the team’s Lamborghini Gallardo. Goethe, co-owner of the team with Mike Wainwright, will campaign the Gulf Racing Aston Martin Vantage run by Aston Martin Racing during 2013.
Preparations for the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series continue for Gulf Racing UK as the team now heads back to England, and the pre-season test schedule will see them attend a test session at Silverstone next week, when the full 2013 driver line-up will be present for the first time. In addition to the McLarens which will run in the Blancpain Endurance Series, the team will attend the test session with a number of other liveried models from the current collection.
The first race for the Gulf Racing UK 12C GT3s is at Monza, Italy over the weekend 12-14 April 2013.
For further information about Gulf Racing UK, visit www.gulfracing.com or follow the team on Facebook or Twitter.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758718
|
__label__wiki
| 0.547585
| 0.547585
|
Home » News » Saudi Man Given 500 Lashes for Having Sex With Vacuum Cleaner
Saudi Man Given 500 Lashes for Having Sex With Vacuum Cleaner
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Police officers in the district of Al-Mansuriyya have arrested a man accused of having sex with his vacuum cleaner, reports the Riyadh Daily.
The man was caught in action by his wife before she reported her husband to authorities.
“After years of loyalty, this is how this miscreant treats me,” she told local reporters. “I feel used, I feel dirty,” she added.
According to Islamic law adultery is a crime punishable by death, usually performed by stoning the person to death, experts believe the man’s condemnation is a light one.
The suspect has denied any wrong doing and blames his wife for inventing the whole affair of which he could face prison and lashes for adultery.
“Due to the peculiar nature of this crime, in which the accused performed sex with a home appliance and not with an animal or a human being, the judge has decided to give him a lighter sentence than usual for this crime” admits legal expert and Middle East specialist, Hakem Bin Ali. “Two years in prison and 500 lashes is more than acceptable for the region,” he acknowledges.
Pleading his innocence
The man accused of adultery strongly maintained his innocence before the court.
“We were unable to identify if the suspect performed any sexual act with his vacuum cleaner,” Saeed Bin Saleh, the spokesperson for police, said. “He was arrested and is held in custody pending further investigations,” he told reporters.
The case could be a first one for Saudi law as nothing in Islamic law is stated about sexual acts performed onto home appliances but the accusation still applies as an act of adultery, believe experts.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758721
|
__label__wiki
| 0.728137
| 0.728137
|
Alan Rosenberg and Joseph Westfall (eds.)
Foucault and Nietzsche: A Critical Encounter
Alan Rosenberg and Joseph Westfall (eds.), Foucault and Nietzsche: A Critical Encounter, Bloomsbury, 2018, 238pp., $114.00 (hbk), ISBN 9781474247399.
Reviewed by Tuomo Tiisala, New York University
It is quite astonishing that the first anthology in English devoted to the relationship between Foucault and Nietzsche appears in 2018. It's well known that Nietzsche plays a special role in Foucault's thought, but instead of a lively scholarly interest in the relationship between the two philosophers one has become accustomed to the somewhat mythical account that reading Nietzsche, on a beach under the Italian sun in 1953, liberated Foucault from the influence of the three Hs -- Hegel, Husserl, Heidegger -- that dominated French philosophy at the time.[1] Thanks to recent additions to the Bibliothèque National de France, a more nuanced account of this shift is undoubtedly already underway. Similarly, one approaches the collection Alan Rosenberg and Joseph Westfall have edited with the expectation of finding Foucault's lifelong encounter with Nietzsche finally fleshed out with philosophical substance. This perspective is vitally important to balance a recent line of excellent scholarship focusing on the Kantian roots of Foucault's work. Even if Kantian themes such as the limits of knowledge, freedom as autonomy, and the Enlightenment envelop Foucault's oeuvre, it is the Nietzschean topics -- disunity of the subject, power, historical discontinuity, experimentation -- that define Foucault's particular philosophical orientation. Understanding Foucault requires thinking (parts of) Kant and Nietzsche together. But, as the essays reveal, coming to grips with Foucault's relationship with Nietzsche is a challenging task in its own right.
Let me begin from the epistemological questions that also enjoy a priority in Foucault's reading and adoption of Nietzsche. "Will to Know," Foucault's title for the first volume of History of Sexuality, which has been erased from the English translation, constitutes Foucault's greatest and most conspicuous tribute to Nietzsche. It makes explicit the epistemological debt one can trace to Foucault's discussions in "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History", Lectures on the Will to Know, "A Lecture on Nietzsche", and "Truth and Juridical Forms," all dating from around 1970. Reading Nietzsche enabled Foucault to conceptualize epistemic relations as constitutively dependent on social relations, while refusing to explain the historical evolution of systems of thought in terms of teleological development or ideological determination. In Foucault's words, the Nietzschean approach opened up for him the perspective of "an external, exterior history of truth," in which neither the knowing subject nor the objects of knowledge are given independently of historically specific tactics and strategies that organize a swath of social practices.[2] This perspective does not arise from within Foucault's project of an archaeology of knowledge, as Paul Patton suggests in his essay, but rather signals its genealogical extension. With an external history of truth Foucault's focus of attention shifts from the implicit conceptual form of a given system of thought to its historical formation through heterogenous events in the field of social practices.
Though Foucault adopts this perspective for his genealogical investigations, he explicitly acknowledges "an internal history of truth," that is, "the history of truth that rectifies itself in terms of its own principles of regulation," as a valid alternative.[3] Behind the most simplistic yet by no means rare dismissals of Foucault's epistemological work, lies a failure to acknowledge his appreciation of this multiplicity of perspectives that correspond to distinct, mutually supplementary, lines of inquiry. It is therefore unfortunate that this important topic is neglected in the essays that focus on Foucault's project of a history of truth. Moreover, the essays leave it somewhat unclear why Nietzsche should have played such a crucial role in this area of Foucault's philosophical development. Alan D. Schrift aims to show that Nietzsche's account of knowledge enabled Foucault (1) to conceptualize signs and interpretation without reliance on phenomenology, structuralism or a metaphysically self-standing subject, (2) to combine a system of signs and relations of power in one analysis, and (3) to develop a historical analysis of knowledge that avoids taking the subject-object relation for granted. What is missing from Schrift's generally plausible account, however, is an explanation of the philosophical obstacle Nietzsche allegedly helped Foucault overcome. Without a reconstruction of the French philosophical context, the obstacle, as well as Nietzsche's special role, remain elusive. After all, Hegel and Marx had already repudiated the notion of a metaphysically self-standing subject, and Heidegger had offered an essentially social account of meaning in terms of practices, so why exactly did certain conceptual possibilities appear unavailable to Foucault prior to his reading of Nietzsche?
Even if one correctly identifies the perspective of Foucault's history of truth, justified confusion may arise due to the distinction he makes between "the will to know" and "the will to truth". Patton successfully clarifies some of the perplexity this terminology invites. Since truth is criterial for knowledge, Foucault's discussion appears hopelessly confused, especially because his main thesis is that the will to know became a will to truth in Plato and Aristotle, and that one should follow Nietzsche in cancelling this implication from knowledge to truth. So does Foucault hold that there is knowledge that is not true? No, because Foucault's topic, behind the obfuscating terminology, is not the logical dependence between knowledge and truth but the historical development of two competing conceptions of truth. As Patton shows, Foucault assigns the decisive role to Nietzsche due to his attacks on the metaphysical conception of truth as a self-standing object that is naturally available to the subject, especially in "On Truth and Lie in a Nonmoral Sense" and in The Gay Science. Thus, "the will to know" becomes "the will to truth" when one adopts a conception of truth as an object of knowledge that is independent of human practices, including the linguistically developed conceptual resources that enable the formation of truth-claims in the first place. Though Patton's analysis is convincing, it would benefit from explicitly disentangling the metaphysical, epistemic, logical, and historical aspects that so often muddle a discussion of Foucault or Nietzsche on truth. Furthermore, the internal evolution of Nietzsche's and Foucault's respective reflections on the topic calls for more attention. Through a period in the early 1970s Foucault rather uncritically reiterates Nietzsche's early claim that language, and conceptualization in general, always does violence to things and therefore truth is an illusion. But just as Nietzsche concludes in Twilight of the Idols that the very distinction between the true world and appearance is undermined as a consequence of the repudiation of the metaphysical conception of truth, so does Foucault cease referring to truth except as the property of successful truth-claims whose truth or falsity is determined according to the rules of a discursive practice.[4] Nietzsche's Wahr-sagen becomes Foucault's véridiction, the activity whose changing conditions an external history of truth tries to account for in terms of a genealogical analysis of social practices.
Avoiding unviable caricatures in epistemology is all the more important since both Foucault and Nietzsche evidently rely on a notion of truth in connection with the central task of self-overcoming they promote. Thus, Keith Ansell-Pearson argues that both Nietzsche and Foucault acknowledge that "a passion for knowledge" is a prerequisite for the kind of experimental relation to oneself which they endorse. For Nietzsche, it is this passion that yields joyous knowledge (fröhliche Wissenschaft) by way of refuting metaphysical and moral prejudices about the nature of human agency, crucially the notion that an agent is unified by a will that exerts itself as an uncaused cause. Ansell-Pearson convincingly argues that only after this shift can one begin to relate to oneself as a composite of drives that make up the material for the task of active self-constitution Nietzsche praises so highly. Experimentation with the self has its epistemic prerequisites and they are unintelligible without a notion of truth. But an important disanalogy escapes Ansell-Pearson when he tries to locate this passion for knowledge within Foucault's work. As he puts it, for Foucault, "the critical task is to break with accustomed habits of knowing and perceiving, so that one has the chance to become something different than what one's history has conditioned one to be, to think and perceive differently." (80) For instance, Foucault's interrogation of sexuality seeks to enable a conceptual space with an enlarged scope of possibility for experimentation with pleasure by way of repudiating the very questions of sexual identity that strike us as obviously indispensable in the present. But notice how the goal of the passion for knowledge has shifted. Foucault's aim is not to refute moral or metaphysical prejudice but to disclose new conceptual possibilities. In fact, this divergence runs deep and calls for an extensive study.
The discussion of the passion for knowledge shows that Nietzsche by no means denies the value of truth but makes it subservient to the task of active self-constitution. Alan Milchman and Alan Rosenberg helpfully bring into relief the art of living as the general background for this perspective. But what is the task of philosophy, and the role of a philosopher in particular, in connection with the art of living? Both Nietzsche and Foucault see themselves as diagnosticians of a historical present, but Michael Ure and Federico Testa argue that this common approach leads to two sharply divergent projects. Nietzsche's "Dionysian" diagnoses are in the service of life, a value affirmed by free spirits, whereas Foucault's philosophical interventions inaugurate, according to Ure and Testa, a task of "Sisyphian" pointlessness and endless repetition. The problem with this reading is that Ure and Testa fail to grasp how Foucault's view of critique as a diagnostic activity receives its motivation from the ideal of autonomy, understood as self-determination. In addition, they overlook Foucault's reasons for holding that exercises of autonomy are always embedded in some constellation of power relations that limit the scope of possibility one is able to entertain as an agent. The second part of the contrast Ure and Testa build between Foucault and Nietzsche concerns the role of modality in the art of living. On their reading, Nietzsche proposes the eternal recurrence as a thought experiment that enables one to affirm one's particular life trajectory in the guise of necessity. And they contrast this reliance on necessity with Foucault's quest to unmask and thus destabilize apparent necessities as contingent. But just as Foucault never says that nothing is necessary, universal or obligatory, Nietzsche's thought experiment with necessity presupposes that one already sees one's life as a constellation of forces whose organization is largely contingent. Rather than necessity per se Nietzsche's guiding concern is how one's beliefs about necessity and possibility affect one's agency, including whether agency requires that the agent harbor certain kinds of false modal beliefs.
Jill E. Hargis raises in outline the important question of whether the focus on self-transformation makes Foucault and Nietzsche unable to diagnose some of the most entrenched configurations of power relations that have congealed under liberalism precisely in terms of a certain conception of individuality. The topic of necessity resurfaces when Brian Lightbody contrasts Foucault's and Nietzsche's accounts of genealogy on the basis of their divergent attitudes towards the body. Whereas Foucault describes the human body as a paradigmatic object of genealogical deconstruction, Lightbody emphasizes that Nietzsche has a tendency to view the agent's physiological constitution as a source of constraints which vary from one type of person to another. The contrast is striking between Nietzsche's methodological reliance on a physiological-cum-psychological typology, on the one hand, and Foucault's repeated insistence on the body's historical malleability, on the other. But Lightbody cites no textual evidence to support his claim that Foucault criticizes -- or even discusses -- this dimension of Nietzsche's philosophy. On the contrary, Foucault presents the body's historical malleability as a Nietzschean example of the genealogical drive to discover contingency in the most unexpected of places. One reason for this may be that the body, in fact, never appears as a fixed object for Nietzsche, who sees it instead as a composite of drives. And yet it is on the level of the composition and organization of drives, from one individual to another, that Nietzsche's explanatory strategy as a psychologist commits him to a relatively fixed typology. Lightbody does not explain why Foucault overlooks this central tenet of Nietzsche's philosophical method but I will briefly revisit the topic in my conclusion.
In fact, psychological explanations enter into Foucault analytics of power only in connection with discussions of pleasure. For instance, Foucault argues in the first volume of History of Sexuality that the strategic organization of the modern apparatus of sexuality relies on tactical support from mechanisms of incitation and excitement that give rise to "perpetual spirals of power and pleasure" in the discursive articulation of sexuality through medicalized techniques of confession.[5] Foucault is thus arguing against the conceptual assumption that relations of power necessarily distort knowledge and constrain pleasure. Jim Urpeth tries to show that "the essentially libidinally affectively invested character of power" (192), which he attributes to Foucault on the basis of the above remarks, undermines any interpretation and criticism of Christianity and its moral offspring as repressive. Also Nietzsche's account of the ascetic priest in On the Genealogy of Morality reveals, according to Urpeth, this character of power. But Urpeth's reading lumps together "the libidinal-affective dimension" (186), whereas Nietzsche is exceptionally subtle and discerning when it comes to attributions of affect. Resentment, on the one hand, and pleasure in cruelty, on the other, are historical building blocks of morality, according to Nietzsche. But Nietzsche's Genealogy offers no textual support to Urpeth's sweeping libidinization of affect. In Nietzsche's account, the self-abnegation of the ascetic priest is driven by the unconscious feeling of resentment, a drive in the service of degenerating life. Nor does Foucault hold, as Urpeth reads him, that relations of power are essentially invested with sexual pleasure. Foucault's History of Sexuality traces how networks of dependence emerged and developed between relations of power, bodies of pleasures, and discursive practices around sexual conduct, but the links between power and pleasure do not generalize in the way Urpeth suggests. And whereas Nietzsche does attack Christian morality for its repressive structure, Foucault's approach proceeds as a more fine-grained diagnosis in the service of rethinking how one constitutes oneself as a moral subject of sexual desire in the present. Thus, Foucault studies the practices of governing the self and others that developed under the auspices of the Christian pastorate in order to show how and when sexual relations became unthinkable without a hermeneutics of desire and obedience to an external moral authority, two central features that continue to structure the modern experience of sexuality as an object of psychiatric expertise.
João Constâncio and Marta Faustino respond to Axel Honneth's criticism that the conception of power which Foucault and Nietzsche allegedly share precludes social relations based on reciprocal recognition and therefore must be rejected. They offer a lucid and largely plausible interpretation of Nietzsche and Foucault that locates recognition, in one sense, at the heart of their respective accounts of social relations. However, as Constâncio and Faustino acknowledge, what is at stake for Honneth is reciprocal recognition whose symmetrical structure is supposed to lay the foundation for just social relations. This of course is a question neither Nietzsche nor Foucault are studying at all, so showing that their discussions of struggle include an agonistic conception of recognition, as Constâncio and Faustino do, is ultimately tangential to Honneth's concerns. Recognition, in the agonistic sense, requires little because it is achieved, for instance, by a psychiatrist who treats her patient as a pervert. This is obviously far removed from the structure of reciprocity and, relatedly, claims to equality that Honneth seeks to establish. Thus, this discrepancy of concerns suggests that the relationship between Hegelian and Nietzschean approaches to social reality, the question Constâncio and Faustino wish to broach for future study, is likely much harder to deal with than they anticipate.
Overall, the anthology helps effectively dispel the notion that Foucault might be, as he once famously said, "simply Nietzschean".[6] Sometimes the caveats and complications, in fact, take the form of a straightforward rejection, Foucault being, as he quickly adds in the same context, very much "anti-Nietzschean".[7] Unfortunately these important points of divergence receive little attention in this volume. One is Nietzsche's reliance on psychological methodology. After all, Foucault proclaims that the art of living, and the critical philosophical practice sustaining it, aim to "kill psychology".[8] But little of philosophical substance in Nietzsche's work would survive a depsychologization à la Foucault. For Foucault, this task is motivated by his diagnosis that a taxonomy of human kinds created by human sciences constrains our autonomy as individual thinkers and agents. Yet Nietzsche is a paradigmatic example of a philosopher whose thinking operates thoroughly on the basis of such a taxonomy of psychological types.
Another point of divergence that merits more attention concerns the values Nietzsche and Foucault, seek to promote by means of their philosophical interventions. While autonomy, formally understood, is a guiding value Foucault and Nietzsche share, Foucault's political engagement and considered insistence on the rights of the governed, detached from the metaphysics of human nature, are always deployed in allegiance with marginalized perspectives of the mad, the sick, the weak, and the suffering.[9] As Nietzsche is the first to point out, his concerns lay elsewhere. Rather surprisingly the topic of nihilism receives no discussion either, notwithstanding Foucault's provocative statement in his last lecture course at the Collège de France, echoing Nietzsche, that a troubled relationship between a concern for truth and aesthetics of existence lies at the heart of Western culture. Keeping in mind these omissions, as well as the interpretive issues I have indicated, one hopes that the anthology will generate a new wave of scholarship with a sustained focus on the relationship between Nietzsche and Foucault, no longer an uncharted territory but nevertheless a field for many future discoveries.
Thanks to John Richardson and Daniele Lorenzini.
[1] Daniel Defert, "Chronology," in C. Falzon, T. O'Leary, and J. Sawicki (eds.), A Companion to Foucault, Blackwell, 2013, p. 19.
[2] Michel Foucault, "Truth and Juridical Forms" [1974], in Essential Works, vol. 3, The New Press, 2000, pp. 4-6. Foucault gave this series of lectures in 1973.
[3] Foucault, "Truth and Juridical Forms," 4. Cf. Michel Foucault, "Foreword to the English Edition" [1970], in The Order of Things: An archaeology of the human sciences, Routledge, 2002, pp. ix-x.
[4] Friedrich Nietzsche, The Anti-Christ, Ecce Homo, Twilight of the Idols, And Other Writings, Cambridge University Press, 2010, p. 171. These texts were originally published in 1888.
[5] Michel Foucault, History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An introduction, Vintage, 1990 [1976], p. 44.
[6] Michel Foucault, "Return of Morality" [1984], in Foucault Live: Collected Interviews, 1961-1984, Semiotext(e), 1996, p. 471.
[8] Michel Foucault, "Passion According to Werner Schroeter" [1982], in Foucault Live: Collected Interviews, 1961-1984, Semiotext(e), 1996, p. 317. Translation modified. The French original: "L'art de vivre, c'est de tuer la psychologie." This conversation took place in 1981.
[9] Michel Foucault, "Confronting Governments: Human Rights" [1984], in Essential Works, vol. 3, The New Press, 2000. For the notion of "relational rights," see Michel Foucault, "The Social Triumph of the Sexual Will" [1982], in Essential Works, vol. 1, The New Press, 1997. For a study of this aspect of Foucault's work, see Ben Golder, Foucault and the Politics of Rights, Stanford University Press, 2015.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758724
|
__label__wiki
| 0.893769
| 0.893769
|
U.S. SENIOR WOMEN'S AMATEUR
Karen Garcia Wins 2015 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at Hillwood October 1, 2015 | NASHVILLE, TENN. By Greg Midland, USGA
With daylight waning and after a long week of golf, Karen Garcia of Cool, Calif., came back from a late deficit to win her first USGA title. (USGA/Matt Sullivan)
U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Home
Interviews: Karen Garcia | Pamela Kuong
Karen Garcia overcame her opponent’s tenacity, as well as a couple of late miscues to emerge victorious in the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, conducted at the 5,857-yard, par-72 Hillwood Country Club.
It is the first USGA championship victory for the 53-year-old high school guidance counselor from Cool, Calif., about an hour’s drive east of Sacremento. In defeating her longtime friend Pamela Kuong, 52, of Wellesley Hills, Mass., Garcia showed a combination of power and short-game touch that proved worthy of a champion.
“I'm in shock,” said the champion. “To win a USGA event, to think of all the people before me that have their name on this trophy; I've played in five Mid-Ams and a State Team and never even come close.”
In order to get to the afternoon final, both players had to survive morning semifinal matches, which were pushed to Thursday due to extensive weather delays earlier in the week. Garcia defeated 2013 Senior Women’s Amateur runner-up Sue Cohn, 52, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 1 up, and Kuong survived a 21-hole match with Tama Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Like many matches this week in Nashville, light rain fell as the two players began the final at 1:10 CDT. The longer-hitting Garcia figured to have an advantage in the soft conditions, and jumped out to a 2-up lead through three holes.
Kuong cut Garcia’s lead to 1 up on the next hole with a two-putt par as the two players, who first met at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Desert Forest Country Club in Carefree, Ariz., chatted regularly in between shots. They showed some fatigue on the outward nine as the intermittent rain and wind added to the challenge, but Garcia was able to regain a 2-up lead by using her distance advantage on the 504-yard, par-5 sixth hole.
Garcia seemed to take greater control of the match on the uphill, par-4 ninth hole, where she sunk a 6-footer for birdie that gave her a 3-up lead at the turn, not that she took it for granted.
“I figured Pam would start making some shots and I would have to tough it out,” said Garcia.
Indeed, just like Kuong had been doing to her opponents all week, she mounted a comeback. Starting at the par-3 11th hole, the senior vice president at Bank of America in Boston won four of the next six holes, three of them with birdies, to turn her deficit to Garcia into a 1-up lead.
“I finally found my swing and played a lot better on the back nine,” said Kuong. .
Throughout the match, Garcia out-drove Kuong by a wide margin, but Kuong used timely putting to get right back in the mix. Those putts included a 12-footer for birdie on No. 14 and an 18-foot effort on No. 15, a par 5 where Garcia hit the green in two.
The players arrived at the 170-yard 16th hole all square, and for a while it looked like their swings there just might decide the match in Kuong’s favor. After Kuong hit her hybrid tee shot onto the green, 35 feet above the hole, Garcia hooked hers long and left, giving her an awkward pitch from very close to the tree line that separates the course from Hillwood Avenue. She took two shots to reach the green and then missed her bogey effort, conceding Kuong’s par that gave her the 1-up lead.
On her way to the 17th tee, Garcia gave herself a pep talk.
“I knew that I had an advantage length-wise,” said Garcia about the 460-yard, par-5 17th. “So I felt like I still had a chance. I told my husband, let's win the next two holes and we'll be fine.”
That’s just what happened, helped by a mistake by Kuong. After driving into the light rough, she tried to carry a creek with her second shot on the 460-yard par 5, and instead found the water hazard.
“I really should have laid up before the hazard because I still was 1-up,” said Kuong. I didn't have to go over it. That was a mistake on my part. You know, in hindsight I would like to have that shot back.”
Garcia won the hole with a stress-free, conceded par, and the friendly competitors arrived at the 18th tee in front of a sizable gallery despite gloomy, overcast conditions. Garcia’s drive was more than 60 yards ahead of Kuong’s, and after Kuong failed to convert a 20-foot par putt, Garcia won the match by making an uphill four-footer of her own.
“To have stayed calm all week and stayed in the moment, as they say, was the biggest challenge,” said Garcia. “You’ve got to get out of your own way and have a good week.”
“I'm so happy for Karen,” said a gracious Kuong. “Karen is a great person and she deserved it. She made the clutch birdies when she had to.”
With the victory, Garcia is now exempt into the next 10 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships and Kuong receives exemptions into the next three. Both finalists are also exempt into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, to be held at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa.
Garcia and Kuong could have also played in the upcoming U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, which begins on Saturday, October 3 at Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, La. However, both declined the exemption in favor of returning to their respective hometowns, jobs and families.
More from the 2015 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur
Championships Get to Know Karen Garcia, the 2015 Champion
Championships Photos: Scenes and Action from the Final Match
Championships Photos: Scenes and Action from the Semifinals
Championships Kuong Rides Waves of Support to Her Place in Semifinals
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758727
|
__label__wiki
| 0.83058
| 0.83058
|
In this episode of Blue Sky Science, PJ Liesch, director of the Insect Diagnostic Lab, answers Erin Clawson’s question, “Why do hissing cockroaches hiss?”
The Blue Sky Science video series was a collaboration of the Wisconsin State Journal and the Morgridge Institute for Research. They took questions posed by visitors to the Discovery Building and found experts to answer those questions.
This entry was posted in Featured Videos and tagged Entomology, Insect Diagnostic Lab by carndt. Bookmark the permalink.
An ocean apart, carnivorous pitcher plants create similar communities
Agronomy/Soils Field Day showcases UW agricultural research
How you can help urban wildlife – Audio
Irrigated farming in Wisconsin’s Central Sands cools the region’s climate
M.S. in Agricultural & Applied Economics offers new professional certification
Plant Breeding: ‘The Slowest of the Performing Arts’
Archives Select Month July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 January 2002 December 2001 November 2001 October 2001 September 2001 August 2001 July 2001 June 2001 May 2001 April 2001 March 2001 February 2001 January 2001 December 2000 November 2000 October 2000 September 2000 August 2000 July 2000 June 2000 May 2000 April 2000 March 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 November 1999 October 1999 September 1999 August 1999 July 1999 June 1999 May 1999 April 1999 March 1999 February 1999 January 1999 December 1998 November 1998 October 1998 September 1998 August 1998 July 1998 June 1998 May 1998 April 1998 March 1998 February 1998 January 1998 December 1997 November 1997 October 1997 September 1997 August 1997 July 1997 June 1997 May 1997 April 1997 March 1997 February 1997 January 1997 December 1996 November 1996 October 1996 September 1996 August 1996
Categories Select Category Alumni Basic Science Beyond classroom experiences Bioenergy and Bioproducts CALS Faces CALS in the Media Changing Climate Dairy plant-CDR Dean’s House Departments Economic and Community Development Faculty Faculty Featured Articles Featured Videos Food Systems Graduate student fellowships Greenhouses Health and Wellness Healthy Ecosystems Highlights Meat Lab Newsmakers Plant Germplasm Lab Podcals Priority Themes Staff Students Students Uncategorized Undergraduate student scholarships
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758731
|
__label__cc
| 0.681298
| 0.318702
|
Francis Ford Coppola still makes movies? Val Kilmer still acts in them? Introducing Twixt, a movie few know exist, while those of us who do wish it didn’t.
This is one mess of I-don’t-know-what. It is a movie that ends with Coppola and Kilmer crooning a rousing little number called «Nosferatu» over the end-credits. Mull that over for a second. The man who directed Apocalypse Now and Jim Morrison joining together in a quasi-goth karaoke session. The mind boggles, and the numerous references to the Doors’ «The End» might serve as some sort of indicator of where Kilmer wishes his career was floating.
Oh, Val. Val, Val, Val. What happened to you? Here’s a man who truly has acted in some gems—Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, for heaven’s sake—before he seemingly vanished. Yet here he returns, pulled out of retirement by a director I never found to be that awesome in the first place. (The Godfather? In the words of Peter Griffin: «It insists upon itself.» That’s right, I’d rather watch Family Guy than The Godfather.) Hell, for all I know, Val might be on peak-form in Twixt. It’s hard to say when he must deliver lines like «People are saying what's going on up here is evil. Are you worried about that?»
Writing aside, Twixt largely seems unfinished. Some scenes look like they have yet to be color-processed (think that patented The Tomb-look), while others (and this is the movie’s one plus-point) are gorgeous looking. Neither make much of a difference, of course, when Coppola’s direction of the actors makes George Lucas downright seem like a people-person. I mean, good grief, the best part is Elle Fanning’s acting, and that’s only because her crying seems real. (Which I assume it is, and that it mostly stems from her realizing her career is ending at the age of 12.)
Look, I get it. You stumble across this on Netflix, and you think «how bad can it really be?» The answer is pretty damn bad. This may very well be the most ridiculous movie I’ve ever watched, and that says something. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking this one time the latter-day work of an elder god will stack up, because it won’t. It doesn’t. Live dangerously, and give something like Mr Jones a shot. Sure it’s flawed , but at least they tried, and that’s more than I can say about Coppola, who I would hope to god will stick to supporting his daughter’s films, as well as his burgeoning wine business.
Is Twixt a star or a bomb? Voice your opinion:
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758735
|
__label__wiki
| 0.811123
| 0.811123
|
Assessing the 2018 Midterm Elections
The University’s Polling Institute sponsored What Happened? Assessing the 2018 Midterm Elections, an event analyzing the election results, last Thursday, Nov. 8.
The event was hosted in the Wilson Hall Auditorium, and was open to the public. Several students, professors and faculty, and members from the surrounding community gathered to listen to Patrick Murray, Director of the University’s Polling Institute, and Clare Malone, a senior political writer and panelist at FiveThirtyEight, share their takeaways and analysis of the first national election during President Donald Trump’s presidency.
“We had high youth turnout. Now, again, it trailed turnout among older voters but it was still higher than it had ever been,” said Murray.
An estimated 113 million voters turned out Tuesday. A new record for a non-presidential year and 30 million more than 2014. “The fact that over a 110 million people came out to vote suggests that they might be sick of politics but they know what matters,” he continued.
Murray and Malone also discussed how Republicans failed to win state-wide races for national office in New Jersey, but can win statewide for governor and vice versa in other states such as Tennessee.
“We are seeing people becoming entrenched in their political views and that determining, you know, voting straight down the ticket. Ohio being the exception. A Democratic senator winning and a Republican winning the governorship,” Malone said.
She continued and said that Democrats have, what she calls, “an efficiency problem of their votes,” noting that many Democratic voters are clustered in cities. “They’re not in parts of states that will help them flip elections or flip seats,” said Malone.
Malone and Murray say that has emerged among voters with a college education. “Those white, college-educated women are splitting with women who don’t have a college education, who vote for Trump, and white, college-educated women are increasingly going over to the side of Democrats,” Malone noted.
One of the questions from the audience asked about polling, and how several pollsters got the results wrong in 2016, and what’s changed between that election and the 2018 midterms.
“There was a real divide voting Democrat and Republican depending on whether you had a college degree. We never saw that before,” said Murray. “If the polling was off because of a proportion of folks who didn’t have a college degree that contributed to the error in 2016. So, we’ve all made corrections for that one.”
The discussion then turned to the 2020 elections and the “successful failure” of Beto O’Rourke. He failed to halt Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz’s re-election but succeeded in garnering a lot of money, votes, and national attention.
“In some ways, Tuesday night was a best-case scenario for Beto O’Rourke. I think that O’Rourke has certain advantages that Democrats might start to look at and say, ‘Oh! Okay, here’s a progressive white guy who won’t alienate voters, who in 2016 might have voted for Trump because of racially-charged feelings about Obama,’” said Malone, adding that she believes that O’Rourke will likely run for president in 2020.
For now, thoughts on what the Democrat-controlled House should and will do with a president who has warned the new majority about investigating him.
“I think they will at least have a front of saying, ‘We’re here to cooperate but we’re also here to investigate.’ Because I think they’re walking a thin line,” said Malone.
Murray suggested that the best strategy for the Democrats to take in their new majority is to assemble a comprehensive infrastructure package in the House and pass it as their first order of business He said that sends the message: “‘This is why you sent us here. This is the most important. Yeah, we’re going to keep a check on the president. We’re going to do some investigation. But, that really isn’t our priority.’”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758739
|
__label__cc
| 0.604069
| 0.395931
|
Haiyan Gao
Henry Newson Professor of Physics
Ffsc 2313, Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708
Front Office Address:
Box 90308, Durham, NC 27708-0308
gao@phy.duke.edu
http://www.tunl.duke.edu/~mep
Prof. Gao's research focuses on understanding the structure of the nucleon in terms of quark and gluon degrees of freedom of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), search for QCD exotics, and fundamental symmetry studies at low energy to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. Most of her work utilizes the novel experimental technique of scattering polarized electrons or photons from polarized gas targets. Over the years, her group built a number of state-of-the-art polarized gas targets including H/D internal gas target and a high-pressure polarized 3He target for photon experiments using the High Intensity Gamma Source (HIGS) facility at the Duke Free Electron Laser Laboratory (DFELL). Currently, her group and collaborators are focusing on a novel new experiment on a precise determination of the proton charge radius at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) in Newport News, VA, and the SoLID project aiming at a three-dimensional imaging of the internal structure of proton and neutron in momentum space, i.e. nucleon tomography, at JLab. Her research is being carried out at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab),and the HIGS facility at DFELL.
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology 1994
B.S., Tsinghua University (China) 1988
Henry Newson Professor of Physics. Duke. July 2012
Changjiang Chair Professorship, Tsinghua University. Ministry of Education, China. June 2009
Fellow. American Physical Society. 2007
Medium Energy Physics Program at Duke University awarded by Department of Energy (Principal Investigator). 2002 to 2019
Jefferson Science Associates (JSA) Fellowship - Weizhi Xiong awarded by (Principal Investigator). 2018 to 2019
Experimental Nuclear Physics - Dr. Tianbo Liu at Jefferson Lab awarded by (Principal Investigator). 2017 to 2019
REU Site: Undergraduate Research in Nuclear Physics at TUNL/Duke University awarded by National Science Foundation (Senior Investigator). 2015 to 2019
Xuefei Yan JSA Fellowship awarded by (Principal Investigator). 2016 to 2017
Chao Peng JSA Fellowship awarded by (Principal Investigator). 2014 to 2016
Non-equilibrium Fermi gases awarded by North Carolina State University (Principal Investigator). 2013 to 2016
The g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson Lab awarded by (Principal Investigator). 2012 to 2015
Book Sections
Ramona Bobocel, D., et al. Preface. 2011, pp. vii–xiv. Scopus, doi:10.4324/9780203837658. Full Text
Sulkosky, V., et al. “Extraction of the neutron electric form factor from measurements of inclusive double spin asymmetries.” Physical Review C, vol. 96, no. 6, Dec. 2017. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.96.065206. Full Text
Sikora, M. H., et al. “Compton scattering from He 4 at 61 MeV.” Physical Review C, vol. 96, no. 5, Nov. 2017. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.96.055209. Full Text
DeGrush, A., et al. “Measurement of the Vector and Tensor Asymmetries at Large Missing Momentum in Quasielastic (e[over →],e^{'}p) Electron Scattering from Deuterium..” Physical Review Letters, vol. 119, no. 18, Nov. 2017. Epmc, doi:10.1103/physrevlett.119.182501. Full Text
Ye, Z., et al. “Unveiling the nucleon tensor charge at Jefferson Lab: A study of the SoLID case.” Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High Energy Physics, vol. 767, Apr. 2017, pp. 91–98. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2017.01.046. Full Text
Yan, X., et al. “First measurement of unpolarized semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering cross sections from a He 3 target.” Physical Review C, vol. 95, no. 3, Mar. 2017. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.95.035209. Full Text
Flay, D., et al. “Measurements of d2n and A1n: Probing the neutron spin structure.” Physical Review D, vol. 94, no. 5, Sept. 2016. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.94.052003. Full Text
Zhang, Y. .. W., et al. “Measurement of the Target-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetry in Quasielastic Scattering from the Reaction (3)He(↑)(e,e')..” Physical Review Letters, vol. 115, no. 17, Oct. 2015. Epmc, doi:10.1103/physrevlett.115.172502. Full Text
Solvignon, P., et al. “Moments of the neutron g2 structure function at intermediate Q2.” Physical Review C Nuclear Physics, vol. 92, no. 1, July 2015. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.92.015208. Full Text
Zhao, Y. X., et al. “Double spin asymmetries of inclusive hadron electroproduction from a transversely polarized He 3 target.” Physical Review C Nuclear Physics, vol. 92, no. 1, July 2015. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.92.015207. Full Text
Parno, D. S., et al. “Precision measurements of A1n in the deep inelastic regime.” Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High Energy Physics, vol. 744, May 2015, pp. 309–14. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2015.03.067. Full Text
Peng, C., and H. Gao. “Proton Charge Radius (PRad) Experiment at Jefferson Lab.” Epj Web of Conferences, vol. 113, 2016. Scopus, doi:10.1051/epjconf/201611303007. Full Text
Gao, H., et al. “Experimental progress and status on nucleon electromagnetic form factors.” Epj Web of Conferences, vol. 113, 2016. Scopus, doi:10.1051/epjconf/201611301012. Full Text
Gao, H., and T. Liu. “Experimental overview on GPDs and TMDs.” Proceedings of Science, vol. 2016-September, 2016.
Gao, H., et al. “Latest results on few-body physics from HIγS.” Proceedings of Science, vol. 29-June-2015, 2015.
Gao, Haiyan. “Recent results on structure functions.” 35th International Conference of High Energy Physics (Ichep 2010), SCUOLA INT SUPERIORE STUDI AVANZATI-SISSA, 2010.
Qian, X., et al. “Study of semi-inclusive deep inelastic (e, e'π ± ) production with a polarized 3 He target.” Aip Conference Proceedings, vol. 1149, 2009, pp. 457–60. Scopus, doi:10.1063/1.3215688. Full Text
Gao, H., et al. “Study of the GDH sum rule of 3He at HIGS.” Proceedings of Science, vol. 86, 2009.
Gao, Haiyan. “Compton scattering from a high pressure polarized He-3 target at HI gamma S.” Czechoslovak Journal of Physics, vol. 56, INST PHYSICS ACAD SCI CZECH REPUBLIC, 2006, pp. C323–28.
Gao, Haiyan, and Christopher Crawford. “Proton electric to magnetic form factor ratio from spin-dependent electron scattering from polarized internal hydrogen gas target.” Czechoslovak Journal of Physics, vol. 56, INST PHYSICS ACAD SCI CZECH REPUBLIC, 2006, pp. C337–42.
Service to the Profession
Planned physics measurements with SoLID. December 1, 2013
New Searches on the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment and Spin-Dependent Short-Range Force. November 1, 2013
Frontiers in Nuclear Physics and Research Experience. October 31, 2013
New Searches on the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment and Spin-Dependent Short-Range Force. October 27, 2013
New Searches on the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment and Spin-Dependent Short-Range Force. October 2, 2013
Laboratory search for spin-dependent short-range force from axionlike particles using optically polarized 3He gas. October 1, 2013
Electron-Ion Collider Physics: Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution Functions (TMDs). July 28, 2013
Some aspects of the structure of the nucleon and fundamental symmetries. July 10, 2013
Photodisintegration of 3He with double polarizations at the HIGS Facility. July 1, 2013
Frontiers in Nuclear Physics and Research Experience. June 28, 2013
Member. Dean’s Laboratory for Nuclear Science Advisory Committee, MIT. July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2016
Member. Program Advisory Committee, Nuclear and Particle Physics, BNL. April 1, 2013 - December 31, 2015
Member, Executive Committee. Division of Nuclear Physics of the American Physical Society. April 1, 2013 - April 1, 2015
Budget Committee. American Physical Society. January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2014
Member, Executive Board. American Physical Society. January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2014
General Councillor. American Physical Society. January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2014
Chair, Prize and Award Committee. American Physical Society. January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013
Member. Jefferson Lab Program Advisory Committee. January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2013
Unknown. Write letters for a number of outside promotion cases. January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
President. International Organization of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers (OCPA). January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2012
Co-Chair : The 5th Workshop on Hadron Physics in China and Opportunities in US. July 2, 2013 - July 5, 2013
Member : National Nuclear Physics Summer School Committee. 2009 - June 30, 2013
Member : Nuclear Science Advisory Committee, Subcommittee on implementation of 2007 Long Range Plan. April 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013
Co-Chair : The 4th Hadron Physics in China and Opportunities in US, July 16-20, 2012. July 16, 2012 - July 20, 2012
Co-Chair : Symposium on Electroweak Nuclear Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC. March 8, 2012 - March 10, 2012
Chair : Workshop on partonic transverse momentum in hadrons: quark spin-orbit correlations and quark-gluon interactions, Duke University, Durham, NC 27707. March 12, 2010 - March 13, 2010
Member : Fellowship Committee, Division of Nuclear Physics of APS. 2009 - 2010
Member : DOE early cereer research award panel. November 2009 - December 2009
Member of International Advisor Committee : the 19th International Conference on Few-Body Physics, Bonn University, Germany, August 31, September 5, 2009. August 31, 2009 - September 5, 2009
Co-Chair : 6th Joint Meeting of Chinese Physicists Worldwide International Conference on Physics Education and Frontier Physics Research, August 3-7, 2009, China. August 3, 2009 - August 7, 2009
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758747
|
__label__cc
| 0.67214
| 0.32786
|
Go to: PKD Blog
Go to Category: Education, Awareness
Building awareness through partnership: PKD Foundation and Discovery Communications / Discovery en Español
If you follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn), we hope you’ve already heard about our exciting new partnership with Discovery Communications / Discovery en Español. Knowing how important it is to share information about polycystic kidney disease (PKD) to a larger audience, we teamed up with Discovery Communications / Discovery en Español to overdub our Care to Cure video into Spanish for their audience.
The Care to Cure video features the story of Grace, a 17-year-old PKD carrier. In high school, Grace receives a diagnosis of PKD just as her mom, maternal grandfather and maternal great-grandfather did. Initially scared of passing on the disease to her children, a hopeful Grace eventually gives birth after viewers see an army of doctors and researchers continuing to work for a cure to break the generational chain of the disease.
The Spanish version of the Care to Cure public service ad reached an estimated 12 million Discovery en Español viewers, offering important information about PKD. The ad coincided with National Kidney Month during the month of March. As the search for a cure continues, we provide ongoing support and education about the disease.
We are very excited about this partnership and the chance to increase awareness of PKD among a growing audience. The Hispanic population is widely recognized as the fastest growing minority in the U.S. Getting the message out to as many people as possible is becoming increasingly important because the number of Hispanics diagnosed with kidney failure has grown more than 70%, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
We thank Discovery Communications / Discovery en Español for this important collaboration and look forward to other partnerships together in the future.
PKD Facts
Some 600,000 people in America and 12.4 million people worldwide have ADPKD.
ADPKD is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure.
More than 50% of people with ADPKD will develop kidney failure by age 50.
Every individual is different and has a unique PKD story to tell.
PKD Foundation is the only organization in the U.S. solely dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for PKD.
For all of the latest news on research, sign up for our emails.
Understanding the "Advancing American Kidney Health" executive order
PKD Walk: Moving PKD research forward!
Participating in research – why PKD patient registries are important
Search for resources
PKD Foundation
We are very excited about this partnership and the chance to increase awareness of PKD among a growing audience.
Previous Post Next Post Read Comments
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758748
|
__label__cc
| 0.578883
| 0.421117
|
← Reviews Revisited: Klaus Epstein on Fritz Valjavec
Securing the Borders: On the Genealogy of Scientism (Part II) →
On the Genealogy of “Scientism” (Part I)
Posted on September 9, 2013 by James Schmidt
Last Monday I flew back from two weeks in Spain, where I interrupted my research on pintxos long enough to attend the Sixteenth International Conference on the History of Concepts. On Tuesday, I staggered into my first class, which — as chance would have it — was also the day when Jon Stewart ended his hiatus from The Daily Show. As chance would also have it, a few days later Leon Wieseltier published a response on the New Republic website to the rejoinder that Steven Pinker had written, about a month earlier, to the series of attacks on “scientism” that had been appearing in the New Republic. Among their number was the commencement address Wieseltier delivered at Brandeis University back in May.
Earlier in the summer, when I was laboring under the illusion that the fool’s paradise in which we academics reside during those months that Daniel Bell once named as the three most compelling reasons for becoming an academic would last forever and I could waste my time dealing with such matters, I posted a few unpleasant comments on Wieseltier’s commencement address, which struck me as (shall we say?) not without its shortcomings. I also read Pinker’s response, but since it was already August and the intimations of the morality of my summer hiatus were already knocking at my door, I figured I should let this all slide and spend my time thinking about Michel Foucault and Jürgen Habermas. It helped that the New Republic website directed readers of Pinker’s article to a discussion of these matters by Philip Kitcher dating from March 4, 2012, “The Trouble with Scientism: Why History and the Humanities are Also a Form of Knowledge.” Kitcher’s article struck me as far more lucid, temperate, and sensible than Wieselteir’s Brandeis address, but I may have been biased in favor of Kitcher’s discussion because (a) it recognized that historians were also part of “the humanities” and (b) it began with a discussion of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem (and I’m a sucker for discussions of the War Requiem).
That Pinker’s piece was almost immediately followed by (of all things) a video of Leon Wieseltier explaining why science “doesn’t have all the answers” was enough to suggest that this discussion was spiraling downward into the sort of Public Intellectual death matches that those of us who aspire to the role of peaceful members of the Freemasonry of Useless Erudition would be well-advised to avoid. I feared that the next step would be for Pinker and Wieseltier to pitch PBS a pilot in which they would host a sort of upmarket version of Crossfire with Pinker playing the role of Paul Begala — albeit a Paul Begala who had somehow gotten hold of Peter Frampton’s now-departed hair (for reasons that should be obvious, I think Mr. Frampton looks much better without it) — and Wieseltier as a Tucker Carlson with a better vocabulary and worse tailor. All of this would have been reason enough, were further reasons needed, for me to head for Spain and begin my pursuit of pintxos.
Now that Jon Stewart is back on the job we can hope that he will find his way to the offices of the New Republic, take these quarrelsome fellows aside, and tell them to stop hurting America. Until then, the rest of us can marvel at the fact that (as Patchen Markell has noted elsewhere), with the publication of Wieseltier’s “Crimes Against the Humanities: Now Science Wants to Invade the Liberal Arts” the New Republic has finally found an invasion that it can’t support.
But though I know I should simply write this odd little dustup off as something that happens when A-List Public Intellectuals find themselves with more time on their hands than they should, I find that I can’t. What keeps me coming back to it is the word “scientism” itself. It’s a term that I recall hearing tossed around back during my graduate school days and encountered more recently in certain of Karl Popper’s letters to Isaiah Berlin (though Popper tended to prefer “scientivism”), but which I assumed had long ago faded from usage. When I mentioned this to a younger colleague, she recalled that the term had some currency during her graduate school days. This suggests that getting worked up about scientism may be one of those things that a fair number of us did when we were in graduate school, but got over once we became well-functioning cogs in the machinery of the higher education branch of the culture industry. This might explain why I found the return of the word to be (as my colleagues in Comp Lit like to say) Unheimlich.
So, I thought I’d devote a couple of posts to exorcising this unwelcome ghost. This installment will focus on the provenance of the term. Next week I’ll take a look at how it works. And then, if all goes well, I will never think about this ugly, stupid word again.
A Note on Usage: Science, Scientists, and Scientism
We might begin by noting that the word itself has an inherent shortcoming: it is not clear how we go about designating those who engage in “scientism.” If an atheist is someone who embraces the doctrine of atheism and an onanist is someone who … well, never mind … then wouldn’t someone who champions the cause of scientism have to be a scientist? Of course not. For, as we shall see, critics of “scientism” regularly insist that “scientism” is not equivalent to “science” and science is what real scientists do. This would seem to suggest that, since science is done by scientists, scientism must be the activity in which “scientistists” are engaged. All it takes but one attempt to utter the word “scientistists” and the problem should be clear.
Since the next post will look at the way the term scientism works in more detail it will be enough, for now, to note that scientism would seem to be one of those terms that refer to doctrines that other people hold (it might be noted that “deism” would appear to have started out this way as well, though — since the word “deist” rolls of the tongue more easily than “scientistist” those who accused others of engaging in “deism” also had a convenient name for those who embraced the doctrine). The fact that those who are concerned about “scientism” have no name to designate those who engage in this practice seems to have provided Pinker with the opening that he tried to exploit in his rejoinder to Wieselthier: since Pinker, of course, is a “scientist” (and Wieseltier, of course, is not), he suggests that he and his fellow scientists should try to reclaim the much-abused term “scientism” as a description of their general standpoint.
But this, of course, is not the way in which “scientism” has tended to be used. Wieseltier may criticize scientism, but he insists that he has nothing but love for science. In his response to Pinker he stresses:
Science is a regular source of awe and betterment. No humanist in his right mind would believe otherwise. No humanist in his right mind would believe otherwise.
That’s right: so deep is Wieseltier’s love for science that he tells us, first in Roman, then in Italic, that humanists would be deranged not to view science as “a regular source of awe and betterment” (we can assume that Wieseltier also believes that no humanist in her right mind would believe otherwise and we can delay a consideration of the weasel word “regular” until next time).
Wieseltier made the same point back in May when he insisted:
Scientism is not the same thing as science. Science is a blessing, but scientism is a curse. Science, I mean what practicing scientists actually do, is acutely and admirably aware of its limits, and humbly admits to the provisional character of its conclusions; but scientism is dogmatic, and peddles certainties. It is always at the ready with the solution to every problem, because it believes that the solution to every problem is a scientific one, and so it gives scientific answers to non-scientific questions. But even the question of the place of science in human existence is not a scientific question. It is a philosophical, which is to say, a humanistic question.
There is little in this quotation is particularly novel: as we shall see, the appeal of the term “scientism” has long resided in its enabling those who deploy it to distinguish what they see as a set of practices (“science”) that pose no particular threat to that set of practices whose integrity they seek to defend (in Wieseltier’s case, “the humanities”) from another set of practices (“scientism”) that do. The difference between “science” and “scientism” is sometimes underlined by preceding “science” with adjectives such as “true” or “real.” For Wieseltier (but, as we shall see, not just for Wieseltier) the metaphors that characterize the difference tend to be framed in terms of a violation of boundaries: “science” knows its place, but “scientism” doesn’t.
How Long Has This “Scientism” Business Been Going On?
A quick, and admittedly dirty, sense of how long people have been tossing this term around can be gotten by constructing an Ngram and poking around a bit in the samples that Google allows us to read. Here’s an unsmoothed Ngram, which also serves as a cautionary lesson in trusting what the Ngram tells us about words like “scientism”:
Obviously, something rather odd seems to be happening around 1920. With the smoothing turned back on, this peculiar spike is suppressed and we have a more or less steady rise in the term across the next several decades. But we should resist that temptation: it is better to be clear that Ngrams are doing strange things than to pretend that they aren’t (and note that pointing out the limits of using the Ngram is a cheap and easy way of inoculating oneself against the charge of creeping “scientism”). The lesson to be drawn from this exercise is that “scientism” is a rather rare word and, as a result, subject to wild vacillations. Here (and in many other cases), it might be best to regard the Ngram as a sort of visual finding aid for the archive of volumes that Google scanned: it suggests which parts of the archive might be worth investigating, but to make any sense of what is happening, we will need to poke around in the examples and see what it is that is producing these erratic peaks.
Once we do, it becomes a bit clear what was going on. In 1919 the American theologian Charles Gray Shaw’s The Ground and Goal of Human Life was published by New York University Press.1 The word “scientism” appears in it at least 100 times. Given the relative rarity of the word “scientism” this will be more than enough to make the Ngram resemble the price chart for a stock that a hedge fund’s computer program has decided to purchase, perhaps for reasons that are known only to the now-retired programmer. At around the same time, Charles Cestre used the word in a somewhat different sense in an article on the labor situation in the American Review of Reviews 61 (1920) p. 55:
The American Review of Reviews added a few more hits by subsequently republishing Cestre’s article in some sort of annual collection that they produce. Finally, there are a few other uses of the word around this time (which need not detain us). The result of this sudden convergence of texts invoking the term “scientism” is a wave so massive that, if you look closely at the Ngram, you will see George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg drowning in it.
Were further lessons needed as to why, despite its charms, one should be very suspicious about what the Ngram viewer is serving up can be learned by looking a snippet (Google does not let us see the entire text) from The Dublin Review (Vol. 204, p. 189) that, according to Google, dates from 1836:
… be tempted to call it scientism, if it were not for the fact that its first result is to destroy, together with the rationality of science, its very possibility.
This example would appear to have a surprising resemblance to current conventions of usage but, as it turns out, Google’s metadata is wrong: the proper date for the text is 1939, not 1836.2 Indeed, as far as I have been able to determine, all of the usages of the term “scientism” prior to 1850 turn out to be in Latin.
There are, however, a few legitimate appearances of the word during the latter part of the nineteenth century. We find a bit of Enlightenment bashing in the editors’ introduction to an 1868 edition of Bishop Thomas Percy’s naughtier writings: “The middle of the 18th century was a time of mechanistic, factitious scientism that infected even poetry ….”3 It turns up again in the concluding paragraph of the translation of Karl Rosenkranz’s discussion for Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit that appeared in an 1872 issue of the Journal of Speculative Philosophy.4 The term also appears with some frequency in religious writings, particularly in the context of arguments against Darwin. Indeed, it seems to have been so popular in this context that Christian Evidences, a thematically-organized 1889 compendium of short extracts from various texts, devoted a section to “Scientism”, which included the following passage:
Scientism is pedantry. Science itself is modest and intelligent, and amongst other points of knowledge knows its place and keeps it.5
And with this, we have arrived at a usage that looks rather like Wieselthier’s.
One of the more extended treatments of the notion can be found in James John Garth Wilkinson — a “Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society” — who offered a discussion of the “Plagues of Scientism” in his The New Jerusalem and the Old Jerusalem: The Place and Service of the Jewish Church among the Aeons of Revelation, with Other Essays(London: James Speirs 1894) p. 291.6 It begins this way:
THE PLAGUES OF SCIENTISM.
The countries described in the Word are as we have seen in the internal sense spiritual countries, distinct regions or faculties of the human mind, which itself in the spiritual world is the only map that is known. Regarded in this light it is simply on the one hand an ouranography of goodness and truth, and on the other a genennagraphy of evil and falsity.
The text goes on like this for several more pages before Wilkinson finally clarifies what he means by “scientism”:
It may further be said that modern scientism, — I use the term to distinguish it from true science, — also has its abundant rituals, but which belong to the egotistical intellect, and to no church. (294)
It would seem, then, that by the close of the nineteenth century, the paradigm for contrasting “science” and “scientism” was more or less set. Ever since then, those who positioned themselves as critics of “scientism” have been able to stress that they have no objection to what they take to be “true science” but are concerned only to resist those false forms of science that do not know their proper place.
In the next (and, I hope, the final) installment on these matters, we will take a closer look at how the particular rhetorical advantages that those who employ the term “scientism” derive from its use. I trust that by then my longing for pintxos may finally have faded.
I spent an afternoon earlier this summer skimming Shaw’s book and reading a few of his articles. He seems to have been a well-respected and quite competent theologian, who published widely in the major theological journals. But I have no competence in the history of twentieth-century American theology and have no way of evaluating the significance of his work. ↩
Fortunately, this error was flagged by a helpful user. ↩
J. W. Hales and F. J. Furnivall, eds. Thomas Percy, Loose and Humorous Songs (London, 1868) v.
Karl Rosenkranz, “Hegel’s Phenomenology of Mind,” The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 6:1 (1872), pp. 53-82 ↩
Henry Donald Maurice Spence-Jones, Charles Neil, and Joseph Samuel Exell, Christian Evidences. The Holy Spirit. The Beatitudes. The Lord’s Prayer. Man, and His Traits of Character (Funk & Wagnalls, 1889) 197 ↩
Wilkinson employed the term in other works as well, though listing them all here would be too pedantic even for me. As Clint Eastwood once advised, “A man must know his limits” (advice which, as his encounter with that empty chair demonstrated, he found himself unable to follow). ↩
About James Schmidt
Professor of History, Philosophy, and Political Science Boston University
View all posts by James Schmidt →
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged History of Concepts, rants, scientism. Bookmark the permalink.
8 Responses to On the Genealogy of “Scientism” (Part I)
Pingback: “Counter-Enlightenment” in English (1908-1942) (Fabricating the “Counter-Enlightenment” Part III) | Persistent Enlightenment
Pingback: Securing the Borders: On the Genealogy of Scientism (Part II) | Persistent Enlightenment
Will Thomas says:
Thanks for addressing this issue. Far from being a curiosity embraced by grad students and public intellectuals, “scientism” and related entities like “technological enthusiasm” or various forms of “determinism” associated with what has sometimes been called an “ideology of science” are still widely considered useful terms of analysis in the history of science and science studies. It is something we can’t — and most of us don’t want to — avoid. Just now I coincidentally ran into the following essay by someone trained in the field, which nicely ticks your boxes: http://biologos.org/blog/what-is-scientism.
James Schmidt says:
It would appear that (with apologies to Michael Corleone) just when I thought I was out, they keep pulling me back in.
Thanks for the link. It would be good to read something sensible on this.
dyssebeia says:
I want to commend you for writing the first thing I’ve ever read that both (1) includes the word “scientism” and (2) doesn’t either (a) make me eternally hate the author or (b) use the word in a cursory and totally unhelpful way (it doesn’t matter what side the person is on).
I used to try to write down my own definitions of the term, to try and give it some precision, but now I think it’s probably better off left for dead. I’m very much looking forward to the second part of this post. Based on your tempting description of that future post, I think you’re looking at the word in the right way: it’s used to gain some rhetorical advantage, and I’d add usually in a way that lets the person avoid doing the relevant intellectual hard work. However, much I might disagree with some of the positions of Alex Rosenberg or James Ladyman and the like, I think they have exactly the right rhetorical counter-strategy in adopting the term “scientism” as a badge of honor. So I’m very much looking forward to seeing your analysis of its rhetorical use, since it’s something I’ve noticed but not thought about extensively.
terenceblake says:
I think in a very refined and sophisticated way Wieseltier is doing something like what the fundamentalists are doing in their more mundane way. Both are maintaining, as you indicate, a criterion of demarcation that was never true, but was once thought to be so. Policing of borders and protectionism go with such demarcation. He’s on the obverse side of the same coin as Richard Dawkins.
I think the term “scientism” gained a new lease of life as a criical term as a replacement for “positivism” in the late 60s and on into the 70s. It was a time when there were people who attributed, or presupposed, supreme authority on matters of knowledge to science and who, purely by chance, claimed scientific status for themselves. They had developped slightly more sophisticated epistemologies than the old-style positivists, by appealing to such figures as Bachelard, Popper or Kuhn. So they could plausibly claim that they were quite critical of positivism, and at the same time try to benefit from the aura of authority that was attached to science. The strange thing is that the same people felt the need both to bolster the authority of science and to rely on its authority to gain credibility for their ideas. I remember starting University in 1972 and suddenly being exposed to a host of ideas that called into question every institution and iideology, only to find myself surrounded a couple of years later by a set of earnest believers in science, making use of Marxism, Psychoanalysis and Semiotics to promote their pretention to being both more critical than the “naïve” “Romantic” counter-cultural figures and more grounded in science. For me they represented a regression, sealing an incapacity to deal with the change in the status of science that was going on under their noses; The science studies people were just getting underway, and certainly did not need such new hindrances to taking a fresh and impartial look at science. Science itself was changing and had become more philosophically savvy in its need to examine and revise its own most foundational concepts. And the whole set of environmental concerns raised by the increasing interpenetration of science and technology with ensuing problems of pollution and global warning were beginning to impact public consciousness more forcefully. So that’s when I started using the s-word (not just “scientism”, but also “scientistic”, which is uglier), not as cover for a defence of old values, but as an attempt to mark an allegiance towards more complex thinking about knowledge and its role in the world. Probably, if the context had been more favorable, if I had not been vastly outnumbered, instead of exclaiming “scientistic” I would have been happy enough with “pseudo-scientific”, and it would have been clearer for all concerned (if clarity was what they wanted). Being anti-scientistic can easily be confused with, or slide over into, being anti-scientific. Anyhow, times have changed and these debates have lost all relevance with the rise of creationism, Intelligent Design, and climate denialism. These movements use “scientistic” arguments against the institution of science itself, claiming that it is not scientific, measured in terms of a naïve model of science that would in fact make all knowledge impossible. So where “scientism”, or a pseudo-scientific image of science, was once the implicit basis for including one’s own pet theories inside the precincts of science it has now become the support-system for an attack on the validity of scientific pronouncements in general. As it would sound contradictory to call the enemies of science “scientistic”, it is clear that the term is pretty useless nowadays, and other critical vocabularies must be dusted off or invented.
Thanks! Your comment has been a great help in reminding me how the term was being used when I first ran into it back in the 1970s. What I need to clarify (and I suspect that I probably won’t get this quite right in the sequel) is the peculiar way in which literary humanists like Wieseltier (assuming, for the moment, that his usage is not idiosyncratic) are using the term.
The implicit offer that he seems to be making to the “real scientists” is that he will keep “the humanities” free of scientistic impostors (a service which, of course, is of little interest to them) if the real scientists will recognize the rights of humanists to their own secure enclave. Wieseltier’s prime enemy would seem to be anyone who would think of approaching literary texts with anything other than total reverence. It’s as if his mission was to put the cult back into culture. Whoops. I’m ranting again.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758751
|
__label__cc
| 0.658669
| 0.341331
|
Charlottesville was my Fault
Posted by PhantomFemme in Uncategorized
Ouch! But so true. It’s the lesson of Nevel Longbottom, though. Isn’t it? (paraphrasing Dumbledore) “It takes courage to stand up to your enemies. But it takes even greater courage to stand up to your friends!” So let’s all help each other cultivate that courage please? A really important start would be to creat circles of support for those who have friends or, especially, relatives that they’re going to have to confront. This can be really scary, especially for those who fear isolation. But knowing you’ve got a circle of supportive friends to whom you can go to decompress/debrief/just plain not feel alone after you’ve pissed off your other friends/family can make all the difference in whether some one has the courage to stand up or not!
Source: Charlottesville was my Fault
From Leroux to Stage, POTO Rethinking Normal?
Posted by PhantomFemme in Phantom, Uncategorized
"Liberation Phanship", "Phantom of the Opera", ALW, Leroux, normalcy, politics
So a while back, I was re-reading (well, re-listening to actually, since I experience it through audiobook) my original Leroux Phantom, and I noticed something I hadn’t before. Actually, it surprises me that I hadn’t till now! Because, when I think about it, it’s likely been a key reason why I’ve always gravitated more toward the stage-version than the Leroux novel. LOL Sorry Leroux purists! And don’t get me wrong. Of course I recognize Leroux as the source of it all – the original, and I love it for that as well as for its own particular way of telling the story. But it’s always been the stage-version that’s most powerfully fired my love of Phantom, and, as I said, I think I now know a key reason, which as to do with the way the two versions handle the issue of “normalcy”.
In the Leroux novel, Erik (the Phantom) expresses a strong desire for normalcy. He expresses the wish to “live like everyone else” (chapters 22, 23 and Epilogue of Damatos translation) – to have “a nice, quiet little flat with ordinary doors and windows like everyone else, and a wife inside whom I could love and take out on Sundays and keep amused on week-days” (chapter 23). And indeed, the house on the lake, the furnishings of which are frequently described as bourgeois common-place, seems to be trying to replicate a “normal” man’s house as much as possible (chapters 12 and 26 of Damatos translation). The only unorthodox spaces described as being in Erik’s house are his own room, which is done up like “a mortuary chamber” (chapter 12), and the “torture chamber” (chapters 22 through 25). But these spaces seem to come less out of a defiance of “normalcy” than from a desire to punish himself by living like the corpse he has always been told he looks like (chapter 12), and to punish and discourage intruders (chapters 22 through 25). It is also expressed in his work on a mask that will make him look “like anyone”, i.e. with a “normal” face (chapter 22).
In the stage-version, however, this desire for “normalcy” is downplayed if not dropped. The Phantom here certainly expresses a desire for love and compassion, and a wish to be lead and saved from his solitude (Act I scene 6, Act II scenes 8 and 9). But he does not express the desire to be “like everyone else” that the Leroux Phantom does. Moreover, his lair in this version (in the original staging at any rate) is not an attempt to mimic a “normal” home, but rather a temple to “the Music of the Night”. And indeed, in the lyrics to that song, he puts forward an alternative to the harsh, daylight visual standards of physical beauty that have excluded and marginalized him, offering instead an aesthetic where sound is paramount, and where visual assessments are softened by candle-light. True, he wants acceptance. He wants some one “to see, to find, the man behind the monster” (Act I scene 6). But he wants this at least somewhat on his own terms. Thus, the stage-version Phantom can be read as being OK with not being “normal” as long as he’s not alone in it – as long as he’s not driven into maddening isolation by exclusion and marginalization.
And now that I think about it, I begin to suspect that this shift in the approach to “normalcy” is a key reason why the ALW stage-version was the version of Phantom to be the one to spark Phandom to life, not just in me, but in so many others born since the 1970s. Many of us were othered, especially in the education system. We were bullied or just plain excluded, either by our peers, our teachers or both, for having a Disability/being Queer/being Trans/being “weird”/etc. But, in us, that didn’t inspire us to want to conform and be “normal”. Because, in the people who othered us, especially the authority-figures, we saw, up close and personal, what society calls “normal”. And we didn’t like what we saw! It looked to us like what J. K. Rowling would later call being a muggle – rigid conformity (to dress-codes, to codes of behaviour based on able bodies and minds, to racism, to soul-destroying work environments, to consumerism, to sexism and what we would now call the gender binary) and a deadened imagination. And unlike our parents, we were the generations born post civil rights, post Black power, post Stonewall, post second-wave Feminism, post the beginning of the Disability rights movement. And while we weren’t exposed directly to these movements yet (that wouldn’t come till we escaped, er, I mean, graduated from highschool because, back then, we didn’t have the internet to easily and safely, i.e. privately, seek those movements out ourselves), we got their echoes. And those echoes told us it was the “normal” mongers that were wrong, not us.
Thus, when Phantom first opened back in 1986, it resonated powerfully with those of us engaged in these struggles, especially since it found many of us just as we were heading into our teens. Indeed, for many of us, the ALW Phantom provided the symbolic language with which we expressed and waged these struggles. We related to the Phantom’s experience of being excluded for his differences. But, like him as portrayed in the stage-version, we want/ed to be accepted for who we were/are – to offer alternative ways of being and find people to share them with, not to solve our exclusion by burying or excising parts of ourselves in order to be “normal”.
I think this is part of why so many old-school stage-version Phans like myself have such a strong negative reaction to the Gerik (the 2004/5 film adaptation of the Lloyd Webber musical). As I’ve argued elsewhere, the changes it makes in the story shift it’s message from that of the stage-version. Instead of calling out society for excluding and othering the Phantom on account of his not being “normal”, the Gerik criticizes the Phantom, and Mme. Giry who helped him make his home in the opera house, for his “failure” to have been “properly socialized”. It argues that what the Phantom needed was, not to be accepted for himself, facial difference, “madness” and all, but to learn to fit himself into “normal” society as best he could, and find there whatever place it would grant him. But Phans of my generation know that argument way too well. We got it from our teachers, guidance counsellors, our peers, the medical and other “helping” professions, and even, in some cases (though I’m thankful mine wasn’t one of them) from our parents. Many of us have tried that route, too, in response to their pressure. We’ve tried contorting ourselves into the shapes and appearances society wanted in order to be accepted. Many of us tried it for years or even decades before giving it up because, A, it doesn’t work – you’re never fully accepted because you can never be your whole self – never let your guard down lest your “abnormalities” show. And B, some part/s of yourself always have to remain disavowed and suppressed, hated because they keep you from fully fulfilling the societal ideal and, as you think, being fully accepted. Oh yes, we know well the mental, spiritual, psychic, and sometimes even (though, again, I’m grateful that not in my case) physical violence of that path. And it really, really pisses us off to see our beloved Phantom, the story and character that saved so many of us by inspiring us to begin to fight for our own liberation, turned into, A, eye-candy, and B, an apology for the “normal” mongers! That is not the message of the Phantom so many of us fell in love with on stage and in recordings. His was and is a song of resistance!
Note: I by no means mean to speak for all stage-version Phans here. However, though I very much speak from my own experience as a Phan of that generation, I strongly suspect it is an experience I’m not alone in. I don’t have anything like data to support that claim, though, just a gut feeling based on my interactions (such as they’ve been) in the Phan community!
It is interesting to consider that, just as having been born post civil rights, etc, allowed us to have the “breathing room” to be able to respond to Phantom in a way that our parents’ generations might not have, the reverse is also true. The Lloyd Webber stage-version of Phantom itself also comes on the heels of the flowering of justice-seeking movements. And, while I don’t know that they can be said to have influenced it directly, those movements, especially the Gay rights and emerging Disability rights movements, opened up a critique of the hitherto unquestioned idea that “normal” equalled good and desirable. And without that cultural space having been opened up, the stage-version Phantom’s move away from desiring “normalcy” to something potentially more radical might have remained unthinkable!
In his great 1987 work The Complete Phantom of the Opera, George Perry does note that a strongly Disability-positive program on the BBC did, in fact, have a direct influence on the imagining of the character of the Phantom during the process of creation of the Lloyd Webber musical, in particular with regard to its/;his creators being able to imagine a Deformed man having a fully healthy sexuality. So, in that sense, the emerging Disability rights movement can perhaps be said to have had a direct influence on the show.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758753
|
__label__cc
| 0.725969
| 0.274031
|
Horse. After the breastcollar harness, the
Скачать презентацию Horse. After the breastcollar harness, the
horse_1.ppt
Размер: 1.6 Mегабайта
Описание презентации Horse. After the breastcollar harness, the по слайдам
After the breastcollar harness, the next and final evolutionary stage was the collar harness. The collar allows a horse to use its full strength when pulling, essentially allowing the horse to push forward with its hindquarters into the collar. The fully developed collar harness was developed in Southern andand Northern Dynasties China during the 5 th century AD. [4][4] The first questionable depiction of it in art appears on painted moulded-bricks in the Three Kingdoms (220– 265 AD) era tomb of Bao Sanniang at Zhaohua, Sichuan province, China. [12] These paintings display an amply-padded horse collar with no sign of a yoke. [13] However, the earliest legitimate depiction of it in art is on a Dunhuang cave mural (cave 257) from the Chinese Northern Wei Dynasty , the painting dated to 477– 499 AD. [14] In this painting the arching cross bar is clear, but the artist failed to clearly show the cushioned collar behind it, without which the whole design would have been rendered useless. [14] The same basic design is seen in other painted Chinese frescoes, one from 520– 524 AD (with shafts projecting beyond the horses chest for sternal traction), and another circa 600 AD ( Sui Dynasty ). ). [15] This Sui Dynasty depiction (in cave 302) is of particular interest, since its depiction of the horse collar is not only more accurate (the same seen even in north and northwest China today), but it is used
for a camel , not a horse. [16] [17] The Chinese had used camels often from the 2 nd century BC onwards during the Han Dynasty, and there was even a Camel Corps serving the military on the frontier of the Tarim Basin. . [17] However, the adapted horse collar for camels would not have been common until the 6 th century. [17] In cave 156, there is a panorama painting of the Tang Dynasty Chinese general and provincial governor Zhang Yichao riding triumphantly after the recapture and conquest of the Dunhuang region from the Tibetan Empire in 834 AD. [18] According to evidence provided by Dr. Chang Shuhong, the date of the painting is precisely 851 AD, yet Needham points out that there is universal consensus amongst historians that it was painted anytime between roughly 840 to 860 AD. [19] This latter painting accurately depicts the horse collar, with a well-padded collar coming low on the chest and rising behind the cross-bar. [20[
The horse collar eventually spread to Europe circa 920 AD, and became universal by the 12 th century. [21] The Scandinavians were among the first to utilize a horse collar that did not constrain the breathing passages of the horses. [22] Prior to this development, oxen still remained the primary choice of animal for farm labor, as all the previous harnesses and collars could only be worn by them without physical penalty. Additionally, the yoke used to harness oxen were made exclusive to each individual animal. However it was sometimes difficult to cultivate the land; based upon soil condition, it may have taken up to sixteen oxen to effectively use a single heavy plow. [23] This made it difficult for farmers who lacked the capital to sustain such large numbers. When the horse was harnessed with a horse collar, the horse could provide a work effort of 50% more foot-pounds per second because of greater speed than the ox, as well as having generally greater endurance and ability to work more hours in a day. [23] [24] The centuries long association that the Europeans had with the use of horses allowed an easier transition from oxen-based harnesses to the horse collar. [25]
Following the introduction of the horse collar to Europe and its use being clearly evident by 1000 AD, [26] the use of horses for ploughing became widespread. Horses work roughly 50 percent faster than oxen. Using horses (and a slightly improved plow), peasant farmers could produce a surplus. A surplus gave them goods to trade at crossroads markets on weekends. Markets soon turned into towns. Towns meant some folks could give up farming and just make goods for sale. A proliferation of such goods meant some people could live purely by buying and selling. Hence the horse collar played a pivotal role in ending the feudal system and launching the rise of Europe.
A A horse collar is a part of a horse harness device used to distribute load around a horse ‘s ‘s neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plow. The collar often supports a pair of curved metal or wood pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached. The collar allows a horse to use its full strength when pulling, essentially allowing the horse to push forward with its hindquarters into the collar rather than to pull with its shoulders as it would be required to do if wearing a yoke or a breastcollar. .
The collar is also an improvement on the yoke as it reduces pressure on the windpipe. From the time of invention of the horse collar, horses became extremely valuable for agricultural success and for pulling heavy vehicles. When the horse was harnessed with the horse collar, the horse could provide a work effort of 50% more foot-pounds per second because of greater speed than the ox, as well as having generally greater endurance and ability to work more hours in a day. The horse collar was important in the development of Europe, as the replacement of the oxen with horses for ploughing boosted the economy, reduced reliance on subsistence farming, and allowed the development of early industry, education, and the arts in the
The horse (Equus ferus caballus) [2][2] [3][3] is a hooved ( ungulate ) ) mammal , a subspecies of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC. Although most horses today are domesticated, there are still endangered populations of the Przewalski’s Horse , the only remaining true wild horse , as well as more common populations of feral horses which live in the wild but are descended from domesticated ancestors. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related concepts, covering everything from anatomy to life stages, size, colors , , markings , , breeds , , locomotion , and behaviour.
Horses’ anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense ofof balance and a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait: horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down. Female horses, called mares , carry their young for approximately 11 months, and a young horse, called a foal , can stand and run shortly following birth. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by age five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament: spirited «hot bloods» with speed and endurance; «cold bloods», such as draft horses and some ponies , , suitable for slow, heavy work; and » warmbloods «, developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe. There are over 300 breeds of horses in the world today, developed for many different uses. Horses and humans interact in a wide variety of sport competitions and non-competitive recreational pursuits, as well as in working activities such as police work , , agriculture , , entertainment, and therapy. Horses were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control. Many products are derived from horses, including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant mares. Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers. .
Horse anatomy. . Depending on breed, management and environment, the domestic horse today has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. [4][4] It is uncommon, but a few animals live into their 40 s and, occasionally, beyond. [5][5] The oldest verifiable record was » Old Billy «, a 19 th-century horse that lived to the age of 62. [4][4] [6][6] In modern times, Sugar Puff, who had been listed in the Guinness Book ofof World Records as the world’s oldest living pony, died in 2007, aged 56. [7][7] Regardless of a horse’s actual birth date, for most competition purposes an animal is considered a year older on January 1 of each year in the northern hemisphere [4][4] [8][8] and August 1 in the southern hemisphere. [9][9] The exception is in endurance riding , where the minimum age to compete is based on the animal’s calendar age.
[10] A very rough estimate of a horse’s age can be made from looking at its teeth. . [4][4] The following terminology is used to describe horses of various ages: In In horse racing , these definitions may differ: For example, in the British Isles, Thoroughbred horse racing defines colts and fillies as less than five years old. [19] However, for Australian Thoroughbred racing, colts and fillies are less than four years old. [20]
See also: Hand ( ( length )) The height of horses is measured at the highest point of the withers , where the neck meets the back. This point was chosen as it is a stable point of the anatomy, unlike the head or neck, which move up and down. The English-speaking world measures the height of horses in in hands (abbreviated «h» or «hh», for «hands high») and inches. One hand is equal to 101. 6 millimetres (4 in). The height is expressed as the number of full hands, followed by a decimal point, then the number of additional inches. Thus, a horse described as «15. 2 h» is 15 hands (60 inches (152. 4 cm)) plus 2 inches (5. 1 cm), for a total of 62 inches (157. 5 cm) in height. [21]
The size of horses varies by breed , but also is influenced by nutrition. Light riding horses usually range in height from 14 to 16 hands (56 to 64 inches, 142 to 163 cm) and can weigh from 380 to 550 kilograms (840 to 1, 200 lb). [22] Larger riding horses usually start at about 15. 2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) and often are as tall as 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm), weighing from 500 to 600 kilograms (1, 100 to 1, 300 lb). [23] Heavy or draft horses are usually at least 16 to 18 hands (64 to 72 inches, 163 to 183 cm) high and can weigh from about 700 to 1, 000 kilograms (1, 500 to 2, 200 lb). [24] The largest horse in recorded history was probably a Shire horse named Mammoth , who was born in 1848. He stood 21. 2½ hands high (86. 5 in/220 cm), and his peak weight was estimated at 1, 500 kilograms (3, 300 lb). [25] The current record holder for the world’s smallest horse is Thumbelina , a fully mature miniature horse affected by dwarfism. She is 17 inches (43 cm) tall and
Main article: Pony The general rule for height between a horse and a pony at maturity is 14. 2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm). An animal 14. 2 h or over is usually considered to be a horse and one less than 14. 2 h a pony. [27] However, there are many exceptions to the general rule. In Australia, ponies measure under 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm). [28] The International Federation forfor Equestrian Sports , which uses metric measurements, defines the cutoff between horses and ponies at 148 centimetres (58. 27 in) (just over 14. 2 h) without shoes and 149 centimetres (58. 66 in) (just over 14. 2½ h) with shoes. [29] Some breeds which typically produce individuals both under and over 14. 2 h consider all animals of that breed to be horses regardless of their height. [30] Conversely, some pony breeds may have features in common with horses, and individual animals may occasionally mature at over 14. 2 h, but are still considered to be ponies. [31]
The distinction between a horse and pony is not simply a difference in height, but other aspects of phenotype or or appearance, such as conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails, and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, shorter and thicker necks, and short heads with broad foreheads. They may have calmer temperaments than horses and also a high level of equine intelligence that may or may not be used to cooperate with human handlers. [27] In fact, small size, by itself, is sometimes not a factor at all. While the Shetland pony stands on average 10 hands (40 inches, 102 cm), [32] the Falabella and other miniature horses , which can be no taller than 30 inches (76 cm), the size of a medium-sized dog, are classified by their respective registries as very small horses rather than as ponies. [33]
Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings , described with a specialized vocabulary. Often, a horse is classified first by its coat color, before breed or sex. [34] Horses of the same color may be distinguished from one another by white markings , , [35] which, along with various spotting patterns, are inherited separately from coat color. [36] Many genes that create horse coat colors have been identified, although research continues to further identify factors that result in specific traits. One of the first genetic relationships to be understood was that between recessive «red» ( chestnut ) and dominant «black», which is controlled by the «red factor» or extension gene. Additional alleles control spotting, graying, suppression or dilution of color, and other effects that create the dozens of possible coat colors found in horses. [37]
Chestnut , , baybay , and black are the basic equine coat colors. These colors are modified by at least ten other genes to create all other colors, including dilutions such as palomino and spotting patterns such as pinto. . [37] Horses which are white in coat color are often mislabeled as «white» horses. However, a horse that looks white is usually a middle-aged or older gray. Grays are born a darker shade, get lighter as they age, and usually have black skin underneath their white hair coat (with the exception of pink skin under white markings ). The only horses properly called white are born with a white hair coat and have predominantly pink skin, a fairly rare occurrence. [38] There are no truly » albino » » horses having both pink skin and red eyes. [39]
Main article: Horse breeding Gestation lasts for approximately 335– 340 days [40] and usually results in one foal. Twins are rare. [41] Horses are a precocial species, and foals are capable of standing and running within a short time following birth. [42] Horses, particularly colts, sometimes are physically capable of reproduction at about 18 months, but domesticated horses are rarely allowed to breed before the age of three, especially females. [40] Horses four years old are considered mature, although the skeleton normally continues to develop until the age of six; maturation also depends on the horse’s size, breed, sex, and quality of care. Also, if the horse is larger, its bones are larger; therefore, not only do the bones take longer to actually form bone tissue , but the epiphyseal plates are also larger and take longer to convert from cartilage to bone. These plates convert after the other parts of the bones, and are crucial to development. [43] Depending on maturity, breed, and work expected, horses are usually put under saddle and trained to be ridden between the ages of two and four. [44] Although Thoroughbred race horses are put on the track at as young as two years old in some countries, [45] horses specifically bred for sports such as dressage are generally not put under saddle until they are three or four years old, because their bones and muscles are not solidly developed. [46] For endurance riding competition, horses are not deemed mature enough to compete until they are a full 60 calendar months (5 years) old. [10]
Horses have a skeleton that averages 205 bones. [47] A significant difference between the horse skeleton and that of a human, is the lack of a collarbone —the horse’s forelimbs are attached to the spinal column by a powerful set of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that attach the shoulder blade to the torso. The horse’s legs and hooves are also unique structures. Their leg bones are proportioned differently from those of a human. For example, the body part that is called a horse’s «knee» is actually made up of the carpal bones that correspond to the human wrist. Similarly, the hock contains bones equivalent to those in the human ankle and heel. The lower leg bones of a horse correspond to the bones of the human hand or foot, and the fetlock (incorrectly called the «ankle») is actually the proximal sesamoid bones between the cannon bones (a single equivalent to the human metacarpal or or metatarsal bones) and the proximal phalanges , located where one finds the «knuckles» of a human. A horse also has no muscles in its legs below the knees and hocks, only skin, hair, bone, tendons , , ligaments , , cartilage , and the assorted specialized tissues that make up the hoof. . [48]
Main articles: Horse hoof , , Horseshoe , and Farrier The critical importance of the feet and legs is summed up by the traditional adage, «no foot, no horse». [49] The horse hoof begins with the distal phalanges , the equivalent of the human fingertip or tip of the toe, surrounded by cartilage and other specialized, blood-rich soft tissues such as the laminae. The exterior hoof wall and horn of the sole is made of essentially the same material as a human fingernail. . [50] The end result is that a horse, weighing on average 500 kilograms (1, 100 lb), [51] travels on the same bones as would a human on tiptoe. [52] For the protection of the hoof under certain conditions, some horses have horseshoes placed on their feet by a professional farrier. The hoof continually grows, and needs to be trimmed (and horseshoes reset, if used) every five to eight weeks. [53]
Main article: Horse teeth Horses are adapted to grazing. In an adult horse, there are 12 incisors , adapted to biting off the grass or other vegetation, at the front of the mouth. There are 24 teeth adapted for chewing, the premolars and molars , at the back of the mouth. Stallions and geldings have four additional teeth just behind the incisors, a type of canine teeth that are called «tushes». Some horses, both male and female, will also develop one to four very small vestigial teeth in front of the molars, known as «wolf» teeth, which are generally removed because they can interfere with the bitbit. There is an empty interdental space between the incisors and the molars where the bit rests directly on the bars (gums) of the horse’s mouth when the horse is bridled. . [54] The incisors show a distinct wear and growth pattern as the horse ages, as well as change in the angle at which the chewing surfaces meet. The teeth continue to erupt throughout life as they are worn down by grazing, so a very rough estimate of a horse’s age can be made by an examination of its teeth, although diet and veterinary care can affect the rate of tooth wear. [4][4]
Main articles: Equine digestive system and Equine nutrition Horses are herbivores with a digestive system adapted to a forage diet of grasses and other plant material, consumed steadily throughout the day. Therefore, compared to humans, they have a relatively small stomach but very long intestines to facilitate a steady flow of nutrients. A 450 -kilogram (990 lb) horse will eat 7 to 11 kilograms (15 to 24 lb) of food per day and, under normal use, drink 38 litres (8. 4 imp gal; 10 US gal) to 45 litres (9. 9 imp gal; 12 US gal) of of water. Horses are not ruminants , so they have only one stomach, like humans, but unlike humans, they can also digest cellulose from grasses due to the presence of a «hind gut» called the cecum , or «water gut», which food goes through before reaching the large intestine. Unlike humans, horses cannot vomit, so digestion problems can quickly cause colic , a leading cause of death. [55]
A horse’s eye See also: Equine vision The horse’s senses are generally superior to those of a human. As prey animals , they must be aware of their surroundings at all times. [56] They have the largest eyes of any land mammal, [57] and are lateral-eyed, meaning that their eyes are positioned on the sides of their heads. [58] This means that horses have a range of vision of more than 350°, with approximately 65° of this being binocular vision and the remaining 285° monocular vision. . [57] Horses have excellent day and night vision , but they have two-color, or dichromatic vision ; their color vision is somewhat like red-green color blindness in humans, where certain colors, especially red and related colors, appear more green. [59]
Their hearing is good, [56] and the pinna of each ear can rotate up to 180°, giving the potential for 360° hearing without having to move the head. [60] Their sense ofof smell , while much better than that of humans, is not their strongest asset; they rely to a greater extent on vision. [56] Horses have a great sense of balance, due partly to their ability to feel their footing and partly to highly developed proprioceptive abilities (the unconscious sense of where the body and limbs are at all times). [61] A horse’s sense ofof touch is well developed. The most sensitive areas are around the eyes, ears, and nose. [62] Horses sense contact as subtle as an insect landing anywhere on the body. [63] Horses have an advanced sense of taste that allows them to sort through fodder to choose what they would most like to eat, [64] and their prehensile lips can easily sort even the smallest grains. Horses generally will not eat poisonous plants. However, there are exceptions and horses will occasionally eat toxic amounts of poisonous plants even when there is adequate healthy food. [65]
Main articles: Horse gait , , Trot ( ( horse gait )) , , Canter , and Ambling All horses move naturally with four basic gaits : the four-beat walk , , which averages 6. 4 kilometres per hour (4. 0 mph); the two-beat trot oror jogjog at 13 to 19 kilometres per hour (8. 1 to 12 mph) (faster for harness racing horses); the canter oror lope , a three-beat gait that is 19 to 24 kilometres per hour (12 to 15 mph); and the gallop. . [66] The gallop averages 40 to 48 kilometres per hour (25 to 30 mph), [67] but the world record for a horse galloping over a short, sprint distance is 88 kilometres per hour (55 mph). [68] Besides these basic gaits, some horses perform a two-beat pace , instead of the trot. [69] There also are several four-beat » ambling » gaits that are approximately the speed of a trot or pace, though smoother to ride. These include the lateral rack , , running walk , and tölt as well as the diagonal foxfox trot. . [70] Ambling gaits are often genetic in some breeds, known collectively as gaited horses. . [71] Often, gaited horses replace the trot with one of the ambling gaits. [72[
Main articles: Horse behavior and Stable vices Horses are prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Their first response to threat is to startle and usually flee, although they will stand their ground and defend themselves when flight is not possible, or if their young are threatened. They also tend to be curious; when startled, they will often hesitate an instant to ascertain the cause of their fright, and may not always flee from something that they perceive as non-threatening. Most light horse riding breeds were developed for speed, agility, alertness and endurance; natural qualities that extend from their wild ancestors. However, through selective breeding, some breeds of horses are quite docile, particularly certain draft horses. [73] Horses are herd animals, with a clear hierarchy of rank, led by a dominant animal (usually a mare). They are also social creatures who are able to form companionship attachments to their own species and to other animals, including humans. They communicate in various ways, including vocalizations such as nickering or whinnying, mutual grooming , and body language. Many horses will become difficult to manage if they are isolated, but with training, horses can learn to accept a human as a companion, and thus be comfortable away from other horses. [74] However, when confined with insufficient companionship, exercise, or stimulation, individuals may develop stable vices , an assortment of bad habits, mostly psychological in origin, that include wood chewing, wall kicking, «weaving» (rocking back and forth), and other problems. [75]
In the past, horses were considered unintelligent, with no abstract thinking ability, unable to generalize, and driven primarily by a herd mentality. However, modern studies show that they perform a number of cognitive tasks on a daily basis, with mental challenges that include food procurement and social system identification. They also have good spatial discrimination abilities. [76] Studies have assessed equine intelligence in the realms of problem solving , learning speed, and knowledge retention. Results show that horses excel at simple learning, but also are able to solve advanced cognitive challenges that involve categorization and concept learning. They learn from habituation , , desensitization , , Pavlovian conditioning , and operant conditioning. They respond to and learn from both positive and negative reinforcement. . [76] Recent studies even suggest horses are able to count if the quantity involved is less than four. [77] Domesticated horses tend to face greater mental challenges than wild horses, because they live in artificial environments that stifle instinctual behaviour while learning tasks that are not natural. [76] Horses are creatures of habit that respond and adapt well to regimentation, and respond best when the same routines and techniques are used consistently. Some trainers believe that «intelligent» horses are reflections of intelligent trainers who effectively use response conditioning techniques and positive reinforcement to train in the style that fits best with an individual animal’s natural inclinations. Others who handle horses regularly note that personality also may play a role separate from intelligence in determining how a given animal responds to various experiences. [78]
Main articles: Draft horse , , Warmblood , and Oriental horse Horses are mammals , and as such are » warm-blooded » creatures, as opposed to cold-blooded reptiles. However, these words have developed a separate meaning in the context of equine terminology, used to describe temperament, not body temperature. For example, the «hot-bloods», such as many race horses , exhibit more sensitivity and energy, [79] while the «cold-bloods», such as most draft breeds , are quieter and calmer. [80] Sometimes «hot-bloods» are classified as «light horses» or «riding horses», [81] with the «cold-bloods» classified as «draft horses» or «work horses». [82]
«Hot blooded» breeds include » oriental horses » such as the Akhal-Teke , , Barb , , Arabian horse and now-extinct Turkoman horse , , as well as the Thoroughbred , a breed developed in England from the older oriental breeds. [79] Hot bloods tend to be spirited, bold, and learn quickly. They are bred for agility and speed. [83] They tend to be physically refined—thin-skinned, slim, and long-legged. [84] The original oriental breeds were brought to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa when European breeders wished to infuse these traits into racing and light cavalry horses. [85] [86] Muscular, heavy draft horses are known as «cold bloods», as they are bred not only for strength, but also to have the calm, patient temperament needed to pull a plow or a heavy carriage full of people. [80] They are sometimes nicknamed «gentle giants». [87] Well-known draft breeds include the Belgian and the Clydesdale. . [87] Some, like the Percheron are lighter and livelier, developed to pull carriages or to plow large fields in drier climates. [88] Others, such as the Shire , are slower and more powerful, bred to plow fields with heavy, clay-based soils. [89] The cold-blooded group also includes some pony breeds. [90]
«» Warmblood » breeds, such as the Trakehner or or Hanoverian , , developed when European carriage and warwar horses were crossed with Arabians or Thoroughbreds, producing a riding horse with more refinement than a draft horse, but greater size and milder temperament than a lighter breed. [91] Certain pony breeds with warmblood characteristics have been developed for smaller riders. [92] Warmbloods are considered a «light horse» or «riding horse». [81] Today, the term «Warmblood» refers to a specific subset of sport horse breeds that are used for competition in dressage and show jumping. . [93] Strictly speaking, the term «» warm blood » refers to any cross between cold-blooded and hot-blooded breeds. [94] Examples include breeds such as the Irish Draught or the Cleveland Bay. The term was once used to refer to breeds of light riding horse other than Thoroughbreds or Arabians, such as the Morgan horse. . [83]
See also: Horse sleep patterns and Sleep inin non-humans Horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down. In an adaptation from life in the wild, horses are able to enter light sleep by using a «stay apparatus» in their legs, allowing them to doze without collapsing. [95] Horses sleep better when in groups because some animals will sleep while others stand guard to watch for predators. A horse kept alone will not sleep well because its instincts are to keep a constant eye out for danger. [96] Unlike humans, horses do not sleep in a solid, unbroken period of time, but take many short periods of rest. Horses spend four to fifteen hours a day in standing rest, and from a few minutes to several hours lying down. Total sleep time in a 24 -hour period may range from several minutes to a couple of hours, [96] mostly in short intervals of about 15 minutes each. [97]
or two every few days to meet their minimum REM sleep requirements. [96] However, if a horse is never allowed to lie down, after several days it will become sleep-deprived, and in rare cases may suddenly collapse as it involuntarily slips into REM sleep while still standing. [98] This condition differs from narcolepsy , , although horses may also suffer from that disorder. [99]
Main articles: Evolution ofof thethe horse , , Equus ( ( genus )) , and Equidae The horse adapted to survive in areas of wide-open terrain with sparse vegetation, surviving in an ecosystem where other large grazing animals, especially ruminants , could not. [100] Horses and other equids are odd-toed ungulates of the order Perissodactyla , a group of mammals that was dominant during the Tertiary period. In the past, this order contained 14 families , but only three— Equidae (the horse and related species), the tapir , and the rhinoceros —have survived to the present day. [101] The earliest known member of the Equidae family was the Hyracotherium , , which lived between 45 and 55 million years ago, during the Eocene period. It had 4 toes on each front foot, and 3 toes on each back foot. [102] The extra toe on the front feet soon disappeared with the Mesohippus , which lived 32 to 37 million years ago. [103]
Over time, the extra side toes shrank in size until they vanished. All that remains of them in modern horses is a set of small vestigial bones on the leg below the knee, [104] known informally as splint bones. [105] Their legs also lengthened as their toes disappeared until they were a hooved animal capable of running at great speed. [104] By about 5 million years ago, the modern Equus had evolved. [106] Equid teeth also evolved from browsing on soft, tropical plants to adapt to browsing of drier plant material, then to grazing of tougher plains grasses. Thus proto-horses changed from leaf-eating forest-dwellers to grass-eating inhabitants of semi-arid regions worldwide, including the steppes of Eurasia and the Great Plains of North America. By about 15, 000 years ago, Equus ferus was a widespread holarctic species. Horse bones from this time period, the late Pleistocene , are found in Europe, Eurasia, Beringia , and North America. [107] Yet by 10, 000 years ago, the horse became extinct in North America and rare elsewhere. [108] [109] The reasons for this extinction are not fully known, but one theory notes that extinction in North America paralleled human arrival. [110] Another theory points to climate change, noting that approximately 12, 500 years ago, the grasses characteristic of a steppe ecosystem gave way to shrub tundra , which was covered with unpalatable plants. [111]
Main article: Wild horse A truly wild horse is a species or subspecies with no ancestors that were ever domesticated. Therefore, most «wild» horses today are actually feral horses , animals that escaped or were turned loose from domestic herds and the descendants of those animals. [112] Only one truly wild horse species (Equus ferus) with two subspecies, the Tarpan and the Przewalski’s Horse , survived into recorded history. The only true wild horse alive today is the Przewalski’s Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), named after the Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky. It is a rare Asian animal, also known as the Mongolian Wild Horse; Mongolian people know it as the taki, and the Kyrgyz people call it a kirtag. The species was presumed extinct in the wild between 1969 and 1992, while a small breeding population survived in zoos around the world. In 1992, it was reestablished in the wild due to the conservation efforts of numerous zoos. [113] Today, a small wild breeding population exists in Mongolia. [114] [115] There are additional animals still maintained at zoos throughout the world.
The Tarpan or European Wild Horse (Equus ferus) was found in Europe and much of Asia. It survived into the historical era, but became extinct in 1909, when the last captive died in a Russian zoo. [116] Thus, the genetic line was lost. Attempts have been made to recreate the Tarpan, [116] [117] [118] which resulted in horses with outward physical similarities, but nonetheless descended from domesticated ancestors and not true wild horses. Periodically, populations of horses in isolated areas are speculated to be relic populations of wild horses, but generally have been proven to be feral or domestic. For example, the Riwoche horse of of Tibet was proposed as such, [115] but testing did not reveal genetic differences with domesticated horses, [119] Similarly, the Sorraia of Spain was proposed as a direct descendant of the Tarpan based on shared characteristics, [120] [121] but genetic studies have shown that the Sorraia is more closely related to other horse breeds and that the outward similarity is an unreliable measure of relatedness. [120] [122]
Main article: Equus ( ( genus )) Besides the horse, there are seven other species of genus Equus in the Equidae family. These are the ass or donkey , Equus asinus; the mountain zebra , Equus zebra; plains zebra , Equus burchelli; Grévy’s zebra , Equus grevyi; the kiang , Equus kiang; and the onager , Equus hemionus. [123] Horses can crossbreed with other members of their genus. The most common hybrid is the mule , a cross between a «jack» (male donkey) and a mare. A related hybrid, a hinny , is a cross between a stallion and a jenny (female donkey). [124] Other hybrids include the zorse , a cross between a zebra and a horse. [125] With rare exceptions, most hybrids are sterile and cannot reproduce. [126] Main article: Domestication ofof thethe horse Domestication of the horse most likely took place in central Asia prior to 3500 BC. Two major sources of information are used to determine where and when the horse was first domesticated and how the domesticated horse spread around the world. The first source is based on palaeological and archaeological discoveries, the second source is a comparison of DNA obtained from modern horses to that from bones and teeth of ancient horse remains.
The earliest archaeological evidence for the domestication ofof thethe horse comes from sites in Ukraine and Kazakhstan , dating to approximately 3, 500– 4, 000 BC. [127] [128] By 3000 BC, the horse was completely domesticated and by 2000 BC there was a sharp increase in the number of horse bones found in human settlements in northwestern Europe, indicating the spread of domesticated horses throughout the continent. [129] The most recent, but most irrefutable evidence of domestication comes from sites where horse remains were interred with chariots in graves of the Sintashta and Petrovka cultures circa 2100 BC. [130] Domestication is also studied by using the genetic material of present day horses and comparing it with the genetic material present in the bones and teeth of horse remains found in archaeological and palaeological excavations. The variation in the genetic material shows that very few wild stallions contributed to the domestic horse, [131] [132] while many mares were part of early domesticated herds. [122] [133] [134] This is reflected in the difference in genetic variation between the DNA that is passed on along the paternal, or sire line ( Y-chromosome ) versus that passed on along the maternal, or dam line ( mitochondrial DNA ). There are very low levels of Y-chromosome variability, [131] [132] but a great deal of genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA. [122] [133] [134] There is also regional variation in mitochondrial DNA due to the inclusion of wild mares in domestic herds. [122] [133] [134] [135] Another characteristic of domestication is an increase in coat color variation. [136] In In horses, this increased dramatically between 5000 and 3000 BC. [137]
Before the availability of DNA techniques to resolve the questions related to the domestication of the horse, various hypothesis were proposed. One classification was based on body types and conformation, suggesting the presence of four basic prototypes that had adapted to their environment prior to domestication. [138] Another hypothesis held that the four prototypes originated from a single wild species and that all different body types were entirely a result of selective breeding after domestication. [139] However, the lack of a detectable substructure in the horse has resulted in a rejection of both hypotheses.
Main article: Feral horse Feral horses are born and live in the wild, but are descended from domesticated animals. [112] Many populations of feral horses exist throughout the world. [140] [141] Studies of feral herds have provided useful insights into the behavior of prehistoric horses, [142] as well as greater understanding of the instincts and behaviors that drive horses that live in domesticated conditions. [143] Main article: Horse breed , , List ofof horse breeds , and Horse breeding Horse breeds are groups of horses with distinctive characteristics that are transmitted consistently to their offspring, such as conformation , color, performance ability, or disposition. These inherited traits result from a combination of natural crosses and artificial selection methods. Horses have been selectively bred since their domestication. Breeds developed due to a need for «form to function», the necessity to develop certain characteristics in order to perform a particular type of work. [144] Thus, powerful but refined breeds such as the Andalusian developed as riding horses that also had a great aptitude for dressage , , [144] while heavy draft horses such as the Clydesdale developed out of a need to perform demanding farm work and pull heavy wagons. [145] Other horse breeds developed specifically for light agricultural work, carriage and road work, various sport disciplines, or simply as pets. [146] Some breeds developed through centuries of crossings with other breeds, while others, such as Tennessee Walking Horses and Morgans , descended from a single foundation sire. . There are more than 300 horse breeds in the world today. [147]
However, the concept of purebred bloodstock and a controlled, written breed registry only became of significant importance in modern times. Sometimes purebred horses are called Thoroughbreds , which is incorrect; «Thoroughbred» is a specific breed of horse, while a «purebred» is a horse (or any other animal) with a defined pedigree recognized by a breed registry. [148] An early example of people who practiced selective horse breeding were the Bedouin , who had a reputation for careful practices, keeping extensive pedigrees of their Arabian horses and placing great value upon pure bloodlines. [149] These pedigrees were originally transmitted via an oral tradition. . [150] In the 14 th century, Carthusian monks of southern Spain kept meticulous pedigrees of bloodstock lineages still found today in the Andalusian horse. . [151] One of the earliest formal registries was General Stud Book for Thoroughbreds, which began in 1791 and traced back to the foundation bloodstock for the breed. [152]
Worldwide, horses play a role within human cultures and have done so for millennia. Horses are used for leisure activities, sports, and working purposes. The Food andand Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that in 2008, there were almost 59, 000, 000 horses in the world, with around 33, 500, 000 in the Americas, 13, 800, 000 in Asia and 6, 300, 000 in Europe and smaller portions in Africa and Oceania. There are estimated to be 9, 500, 000 horses in the United States alone. [153] The American Horse Council estimates that horse-related activities have a direct impact on the economy of the United States of over $39 billion, and when indirect spending is considered, the impact is over $102 billion. [154] In a 2004 «poll» conducted by Animal Planet , more than 50, 000 viewers from 73 countries voted for the horse as the world’s 4 th favorite animal. [155] Communication between human and horse is paramount in any equestrian activity; [156] to aid this process horses are usually ridden with a saddle on on their backs to assist the rider with balance and positioning, and a bridle or or related headgear to assist the rider in maintaining control. [157] Sometimes horses are ridden without a saddle, [158] and occasionally, horses are trained to perform without a bridle or other headgear. [159] Many horses are also driven , which requires a harness , bridle, and some type of vehicle. . [160]
Horse. . Main articles: Equestrianism , , Horse racing , , Horse training , and Horse tack Historically, equestrians honed their skills through games and races. Equestrian sports provided entertainment for crowds and honed the excellent horsemanship that was needed in battle. Many sports, such as dressage , , eventing and show jumping , have origins in military training , which were focused on control and balance of both horse and rider. Other sports, such as rodeo , , developed from practical skills such as those needed on working ranches and stations. Sport hunting from horseback evolved from earlier practical hunting techniques. [156] Horse racing of all types evolved from impromptu competitions between riders or drivers. All forms of competition, requiring demanding and specialized skills from both horse and rider, resulted in the systematic development of specialized breeds and equipment for each sport. The popularity of equestrian sports through the centuries has resulted in the preservation of skills that would otherwise have disappeared after horses stopped being used in combat. [161]
Horses are trained to be ridden or driven in a variety of sporting competitions. Examples include show jumping , , dressage , three-day eventing , , competitive driving , , endurance riding , , gymkhana , , rodeos , and foxfox hunting. . [162] Horse shows , which have their origins in medieval European fairs, are held around the world. They host a huge range of classes, covering all of the mounted and harness disciplines, as well as «» In-hand «» classes where the horses are led, rather than ridden, to be evaluated on their conformation. The method of judging varies with the discipline, but winning usually depends on style and ability of both horse and rider. [163] Sports such as polo do not judge the horse itself, but rather use the horse as a partner for human competitors as a necessary part of the game. Although the horse requires specialized training to participate, the details of its performance are not judged, only the result of the rider’s actions—be it getting a ball through a goal or some other task. [164] Examples of these sports of partnership between human and horse include jousting , , in which the main goal is for one rider to unseat the other, [165] and buzkashi , a team game played throughout Central Asia , the aim being to capture a goat carcass while on horseback. [164] Horse racing is an equestrian sport and major international industry, watched in almost every nation of the world. There are three types: «flat» racing; steeplechasing , , i. e. racing over jumps; and harness racing , where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a small, light cart known as a sulky. . [166] A major part of horse racing’s economic importance lies in the gambling associated with it. [167]
There are certain jobs that horses do very well, and no technology has yet developed to fully replace them. For example, mounted police horses are still effective for certain types of patrol duties and crowd control. [168] Cattle ranches still require riders on horseback to round up cattle that are scattered across remote, rugged terrain. [169] Search andand rescue organizations in some countries depend upon mounted teams to locate people, particularly hikers and children, and to provide disaster relief assistance. [170] Horses can also be used in areas where it is necessary to avoid vehicular disruption to delicate soil, such as nature reserves. They may also be the only form of transport allowed in wilderness areas. Horses are quieter than motorized vehicles. Law enforcement officers such as park rangers or or game wardens may use horses for patrols, and horses or mules may also be used for clearing trails or other work in areas of rough terrain where vehicles are less effective. [171] Although machinery has replaced horses in many parts of the world, an estimated 100 million horses, donkeys and mules are still used for agriculture and transportation in less developed areas. This number includes around 27 million working in Africa alone. [172] Some land management practices such as cultivating and logging can be efficiently performed with horses. In agriculture, less fossil fuel is used and increased environmental conservation occurs over time with the use of draft animals such as horses. [173] [174] Logging with horses and can result in reduced damage to soil structure and less damage to trees due to more selective logging. [175]
See also: Horses inin artart and Horse worship Modern horses are often used to reenact many of their historical work purposes. Horses are used, complete with equipment that is authentic or a meticulously recreated replica, in various live action historical reenactments of specific periods of history, especially recreations of famous battles. [176] Horses are also used to preserve cultural traditions and for ceremonial purposes. Countries such as the United Kingdom still use horse-drawn carriages to convey royalty and other VIPs to and from certain culturally significant events. [177] Public exhibitions are another example, such as the Budweiser Clydesdales , seen in parades and other public settings, a team of draft horses that pull a beer wagon similar to that used before the invention of the modern motorized truck. [178] Horses are frequently seen in television and films. They are used both as main characters, in films such as Seabiscuit , and Dreamer , and as visual elements that assure the accuracy of historical stories. [179] Both live horses and iconic images of horses are used in advertising to promote a variety of products. [180] The horse frequently appears in coats of arms in heraldry. The horse can be represented as standing, walking ( passant ), trotting, running ( courant ), ), rearing ( ( rampant or forcine) or springing ( salient ). The horse may be saddled and bridled, harnessed, or without any apparel whatsoever. [181] The horse also appears in the 12 -year cycle of animals in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. According to Chinese folklore , , each animal is associated with certain personality traits, and those born in the year ofof thethe horse are intelligent, independent, and free-spirited. [182]
See also: Hippotherapy and Therapeutic horseback riding People of all ages with physical and mental disabilities obtain beneficial results from association with horses. Therapeutic riding is used to mentally and physically stimulate disabled persons and help them improve their lives through improved balance and coordination, increased self-confidence, and a greater feeling of freedom and independence. [183] The benefits of equestrian activity for people with disabilities has also been recognized with the addition of equestrian events to the Paralympic Games and recognition of para-equestrian events by the International Federation forfor Equestrian Sports (FEI). [184] Hippotherapy and therapeutic horseback riding are names for different physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment strategies that utilize equine movement. In hippotherapy, a therapist uses the horse’s movement to improve their patient’s cognitive, coordination, balance, and fine motor skills, whereas therapeutic horseback riding uses specific riding skills. [185] Horses also provide psychological benefits to people whether they actually ride or not. «Equine-assisted» or «equine-facilitated» therapy is a form of experiential psychotherapy that uses horses as companion animals to assist people with mental illness, including anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, behavioral difficulties, and those who are going through major life changes. [186] There are also experimental programs using horses in prison settings. Exposure to horses appears to improve the behavior of inmates and help reduce recidivism when they leave. [187]
Main article: Horses inin warfare Turkish cavalry, 1917 Horses inin warfare have been seen for most of recorded history. The first archaeological evidence of horses used in warfare dates to between 4000 to 3000 BC, [188] and the use of horses in warfare was widespread by the end of the Bronze Age. . [189] [190] Although mechanization has largely replaced the horse as a weapon of war, horses are still seen today in limited military uses, mostly for ceremonial purposes, or for reconnaissance and transport activities in areas of rough terrain where motorized vehicles are ineffective. Horses have been used in the 21 st century by the Janjaweed militias in the War inin Darfur. . [191] Horses are raw material for many products made by humans throughout history, including byproducts from the slaughter of horses as well as materials collected from living horses. Products collected from living horses include mare’s milk, used by people with large horse herds, such as the Mongols , , who let it ferment to produce kumis. . [192] Horse blood was once used as food by the Mongols and other nomadic tribes, who found it a convenient source of nutrition when traveling. Drinking their own horses’ blood allowed the Mongols to ride for extended periods of time without stopping to eat. [192] Today, the drug Premarin is a mixture of estrogens extracted from the urine of pregnant mares ( prepre gnant marmar es’ ur inin e). It is a widely used drug for hormone replacement therapy. . [193] The tail hair of horses can be used for making bows for string instruments such as the violin , , viola , , cello , , and double bass. . [194] Horse meat has been used as food for humans and carnivorous animals throughout the ages. It is eaten in many parts of the world, though consumption is taboo in some cultures. [195] Horsemeat has been an export industry in the United States and other countries, [195] though legislation has periodically been introduced in the United States Congress which would end export from the United States. [196] Horsehide leather has been used for boots, gloves, jackets , , [197] baseballs , , [198] and baseball gloves. Horse hooves can also be used to produce animal glue. . [199] Horse bones can be used to make implements. [200] Specifically, in Italian cuisine, the horse tibia is sharpened into a probe called a spinto, which is used to test the readiness of a (pig) ham as it cures. [201] In Asia, the saba is a horsehide vessel used in the production of kumis. [202]
Main article: Horse care See also: Equine nutrition , , Horse grooming , , Veterinary medicine , and Farrier Horses are grazing animals, and their major source of nutrients is good-quality forage from hayhay or pasture. [203] They can consume approximately 2% to 2. 5% of their body weight in dry feed each day. Therefore, a 450 -kilogram (990 lb) adult horse could eat up to 11 kilograms (24 lb) of food. [204] Sometimes, concentrated feed such as grain is fed in addition to pasture or hay, especially when the animal is very active. [205] When grain is fed, equine nutritionists recommend that 50% or more of the animal’s diet by weight should still be forage. [206] Horses require a plentiful supply of clean water, a minimum of 10 USgallons (38 L) to 12 USgallons (45 L) per day. [207] Although horses are adapted to live outside, they require shelter from the wind and precipitation , which can range from a simple shed or shelter to an elaborate stable. . [208] Horses require routine hoof care from a farrier, as well as vaccinations to protect against various diseases, and dental examinations from a veterinarian or a specialized equine dentist. [209] If horses are kept inside in a barn, they require regular daily exercise for their physical health and mental well-being. [210] When turned outside, they require well-maintained, sturdy fences to be safely contained. [211] Regular grooming is also helpful to help the horse maintain good health of the hair coat and underlying skin. [212]
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758758
|
__label__cc
| 0.605584
| 0.394416
|
Frexit for New Caledonia?
Our nearest neighbour, New Caledonia, has a very different political economy. Will it vote for full independence from France in 2018 – also leaving the European Union?
New Zealand shares a continent with the European Union. Admittedly 93 percent of Zealandia is submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean but at its most north-western are the islands of New Caledonia with a total area about half the size of Canterbury. Technically the country is a department of France and so is the closest part of the EU to us.
There appears to have been no human contact between New Zealand and New Caledonia before the arrival of Europeans. Their tangata whenua are Melanesians; extraordinarily the 40 odd percent of the population who describe themselves as ‘Kanak’ – about 100,000 souls of the 270,00 who live in New Caledonia – had at least 28 (Wikipedia say 40) languages which, so I am told, are ‘mutually unintelligible’. This makes French the unquestionable lingua franca of the islands. In contrast, the Maori language was universal – although there were regional dialects – and even so, it is struggling to survive. But it gives an indigenous unity which neither New Caledonia nor Australia has.
French political theorists talk about ‘colonies of settlement’ in contrast to ‘colonies of exploitation’. New Zealand would be an example of the former, and the British Raj an example of the latter with a handful of Brits governing millions of Indians, exploiting the economy for their and Britain’s benefit.
New Caledonia straddles the two categories. The economy is driven by vast nickel resources – they have about a quarter of the world’s reserves. It is estimated that GDP per head is higher than New Zealand’s, but I suspect – I could not find a comprehensive economic data base – that it is important here to distinguish GDP from GNP. GDP is the value of domestic production in a country’s region; GNP (a.k.a. GNI) is the market incomes of those (‘nationals’) who live in the region. The difference between the two in New Caledonia’s case would be that most of the profits from the nickel sector go offshore.
In any case the ranking may be misleading because the world price of nickel has collapsed since the Global Financial Crisis. The French government is pouring huge subsidies into the sector in addition to giving budget support – some 15 percent of GDP so it is said. Presumably the support is the source of the generous public facilities I saw in Noumea, the capital where two-thirds of the population live.
The very strong nickel sector discourages other tradeable sectors flourishing. Much of the land is unsuitable for agriculture; food accounts for about a fifth of imports (we make a tidy profit here). Tourism is underdeveloped. Aside from the usual Pacific attractions it is a good place to practise your French. I found it expensive.
While foreigners may exploit the nickel, the islands have 70,000 odd who are of French origin and another 20,000 plus who describe themselves as ‘Caledonians’ (much as Pakeha might give their ethnicity as ‘New Zealander’ or ‘Kiwi’ ). There are also about 20,000 who are of ‘mixed race’; the remainder are other Melanesians, Tahitians and some Asians. Many of those of French or Caledonian ethnicity were born in New Caledonia.
New Caledonia is not an independent nation like, say, Samoa but is a department of the French Republic sending two senators and two deputies to the French assembly and voting for the French president. There is considerable devolution but France controls the military and foreign policy, immigration, police and the currency.
Following severe agitation from Kanaks demanding independence, the 1998 Noumea Accord led to constitutional changes which gave the Kanaks greater political control over their lives and set a referendum for 2018 to determine whether the territory remains within the French Republic. That is only two years away.
It is a bit like our approach to Samoa in which, rather than giving them immediate independence, we worked with them to develop the civil institutions which would provide the stable independence they desired. (After our dreadful treatment of their independence movement in the inter-war period, I reckon our postwar record with Samoa was not too bad.)
But the demographics are very different; Samoa’s population is almost entirely Samoan; New Caledonia's is much more diverse. Will New Caledonia choose independence in 2018? Those of French origin I spoke to do not expect the country to vote that way. (However, only those who were living in the territory in 1998 can vote, which dilutes 'French' support.) Many Kanaks take a different view seeing the Noumea Accord as codifying a decolonisation process. I am left with the uneasy feeling that whichever way the vote goes it will be close and leave much unresolved. (A bit like Brexit.)
Does it matter to us? Of course we have goodwill to all, but it is also our nearest Pacific neighbour and we hardly want instability in our backyard.
As a part of my preparation for my trip, I read the relevant chapter in Pacific Ways: Government and Politics in the Pacific Islands edited by Stephen Levine. (The second edition is just out.) Curiosity led me to read others of the 28 country studies. What struck me was the extraordinary variety of governing arrangements. History, colonial experience, demography, geography and the economy have led to diverse governing arrangements. That led me to conclude that is going to take a lot of goodwill to resolve New Caledonia’s future peacefully. Bonne chance!
by James Green on July 31, 2016
Sounds like they have a serious case of Dutch disease.
Always good to hear about our non-Australian neighbours anyway. I hope they go for independence, I would love to see a confederation of Oceanian states in the future.
Vanuatu has an even higher density of native languages I believe.
by Murray Grimwood on July 31, 2016
http://www.roperld.com/science/minerals/nickel.htm
As always, any 'economy' which relies on extraction of a finite resource, is doomed to regress at some predictable point. Grow the extraction exponentially, and that point is the top of the Gaussian. As always.
The question (it never goes away) is whether they - and we, for that matter - can find a sustainable level of existence post-peak?
And into that must be factored what kind of tailings nightmare they'll be left with. Every one of us who has a nicad battery is responsible for that pollution - but we'll leave it to them, I suspect.
Cuba is the bench-mark against which all about-to-go-it-alone-along-with-energy-depletion nations should be compared; North Korea is what happens when you get colder weather and lesser-calibre leadership.
by Charlie on July 31, 2016
Murray, your link on Nickel depletion is utterly ridiculous.
It ignores all the evidence of vast nickel reserves right around the world. It is also incorrect in the uses of Nickel - most of it actually goes to making stainless steel.
NewCal is only the fifth largest nickel producer, coming well behind the Philippines Canada, Russia and Australia.
In fact there is such an abundance of nickel (the Earth's mantle is made of the stuff), that we will likely never see a shortage and we recycle about half of what we produce. There are untapped laterite resources right around the world, from Madagascar, though India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Central Africa to South America and the Caribbean. We've barely scratched the surface.
The Nickel price has collapsed in recent years because of over supply - too much mining expansion and either demand has to go up or mining shut down to stabilize the price. Meanwhile LME stocks remain stubbornly close to record highs.
by Foo Man on August 01, 2016
"Our nearest neighbour, New Caledonia" is a bit of a snub to our nearest neighbour, Norfolk Island (Australia), isn't it?
by Murray Grimwood on August 01, 2016
Charlie - who are you a tout for?
Exponential growth is recorded in terms of 'doubling-time'. The last global 50% of any finite resource is the last doubling-time. at 3% growth, that's a mere 24 years. I'm assuming you think (?) that growth - and probably supply - of all things can go on indefinitely? Is that the party line?
What's to be gained by prolonging the hoodwink? By whom? For how long, exactly?
by Charlie on August 07, 2016
Murray, I only speak to the facts.
The earth's core is thought to be made of nickel. We know the mantle contains a significant percentage of nickel. Most current mining development is in lateritic rocks which are 'ultramafic'. This term means they are mantle thrust to the surface.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateritic_nickel_ore_deposits
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramafic_rock
At the moment the glut in nickel is threatening closure of some mines and many projects have been put on hold. We know of deposits right around the world where tropical conditions have weathered ultramafic rocks to form laterite with limonite and saprolite precipitates. There is certainly no foreseeable shortage of nickel for hundreds of years!
As regards apportioning the 'guilt' involved in using nickel, if you have a stainless sink in your kitchen, stainless utensils and stainless steel saucepans, you're one of the chief culprits. ;-)
by Brian Easton on August 08, 2016
Foo Man. Ooops, I stand corrected.
James Green: Correct. I very much had the 'Dutch disease' (a.k.a 'the Gregory effect') when I wrote the sentence.
For those not as informed as James, any sector which strongly generates foreign exchange (such as nickle mining in New Caledonia) drives up the real exchange rate and squeezes out less productive foreign exchange earning (or saving) sectors (such as tourism). That may well be fine; for instance just over a hundred years ago, the expansion of refrigeration suppressed the growth of import substituting manufacturing. However, if the sector is not sustainable (such as mining a depletable resource), when it declines the remaining foreign exchange/saving sectors are underdeveloped and unable to cover the loss. This also applies if the downturn is temporary, as in the case of the current nickle price decline.
New Caledonia. colony of settlement, colony of exploitation, Noumea Accord, Kanak, France, European Union
How political parties get stuck in opposition
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me?
World News Brief, Wednesday July 2
World News Brief, Thursday June 25
World News Brief, Thursday May 7
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758760
|
__label__cc
| 0.6059
| 0.3941
|
Madame de Maintenon
In the corridors of power
16 April - 21 July 2019
To mark the tricentenary of the death of Madame de Maintenon (1635-1719), the Palace of Versailles shines the light on the exceptional destiny of this woman, who was born in a prison but went on to become the wife of the world’s most powerful king. On display in the private quarters Mme de Maintenon occupied on the first floor of the Palace, close to the King’s own apartments, the exhibition traces the life of this important court figure via around sixty works and documents. Thanks to the evocative staging of the exhibition, visitors can also rediscover the emblematic 17th-century décor, no examples of which remain in modern-day Versailles.
Following a difficult, impoverished childhood, at the age of 16 Françoise d’Aubigné married the famous poet Scarron, who introduced her to prestigious Parisian circles. After being widowed, she was entrusted the role of raising the illegitimate children of King Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. After the first children were legitimised in 1673, Françoise d’Aubigné moved to the court, where she caught the King’s attention. Having been given the title Madame de Maintenon, she went on to marry King Louis XIV following the disgrace of his formerfavourite and the death of Queen Maria Theresa. In 1686, continuing her vocation as a governess, she founded the Saint-Louis Royal School for girls in Saint-Cyr for daughters of the impoverished nobility of France, which delivered an exceptionally modern teaching programme. Whether decried or admired, Madame de Maintenon continues to fascinate today.
Evocative staging for apartments to be discovered
The exhibition is an opportunity to open Madame de Maintenon’s apartments to the public and recreate the atmosphere that they would have had when she occupied the quarters from 1680 to 1715. Relatively modest compared to royal and princely apartments, the quarters are located in a prized and exceptional position, on the first floor of the main wing of the Palace, very close to the King’s private apartments. The space underwent a whole host of changes for the occupants who followed Madame de Maintenon, in particular following the major transformation of the palace into a national monument dedicated “to all the glories of France” by King Louis-Philippe in the 19th century. For this exhibition, unique paintings, drawings, engravings, books, medals and documents are on show in the various rooms of the apartments, retracing Madame de Maintenon’s destiny. The particularly evocative staging of the exhibition, with its wall hangings, recreates the colourful atmosphere of this suite of rooms, discreet yet sophisticated, just like their occupant.
The wall hangings were woven by Tassinari & Chatel - France’s oldest silk factory founded in Lyon by King Louis XIV - based on a description of the original hangings included in the 1708 inventory of the royal furniture depository.
In those days, the walls of Madame de Maintenon’s apartments were sumptuously decorated with silk hangings, arranged in alternating strips throughout most of the rooms: red and Venetian brocatelle for the first antechamber, red and gold for the chamber and the main cabinet.
This type of emblematic décor of the 17th century is no longer found in today’s Versailles, so the exhibition is a unique opportunity for visitors to admire the interiors of a Courtesan’s quarters in the French “Grand Siècle”.
Bande annonce - Madame de Maintenon. Dans les allées du pouvoir
Hélène Dalifard, Aurélie Gevrey, Violaine Solari, Elodie Vincent
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758762
|
__label__cc
| 0.675977
| 0.324023
|
Are You Supporting the Success of Other Women?
Throughout history, there have been many instances of women helping women. Yet, in modern times, there are just as many – if not more – instances where women have failed to do everything in their power to support the success of other women. What about you? What side of the fence are you on?
The Suffragette Movement
The Suffragette movement is a shining example of the power that women can exercise when they really want to. For hundreds of years, women were denied the right to vote in public elections. Essentially, there were treated as second class citizens.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women organized together to enable women’s voting rights in the U.S. The suffragettes, as they called themselves, participated in acts of civil disobedience and direct action on behalf of women everywhere; women they didn’t know and women they would never know. The suffragettes selflessly acted for generations of future women everywhere. Eventually, the movement prevailed and women were guaranteed the right to vote – right alongside.
What is Your Role in Women Helping Women?
Are you in a position to support the success of women? As a businesswoman or a female business leader, you are empowered to affect the success of other businesswomen everywhere. By your daily actions, you impact how other women in business roles are treated. You may not even realize your own power, but it’s there.
Unfortunately, some men have the tendency to judge all women by the few they encounter in the workplace. That’s why your behavior and actions have such impact. If your example is set to a high standard, then the men you work with will have a favorable and respectful opinion of other women in the workplace. Now, no one’s saying this is fair or right. After all, every person should be treated as an individual. In reality, though, that’s not always the case. Entire departments may be judged unfairly simply because their department head is a woman.
How to Support the Success of Other Women
There are lots of opportunities for women helping women. As a businesswoman in power, you can lend a hand to support other women who are either struggling to come up or just getting started. Here are some ideas to consider:
Volunteer as an SBA Mentor
Many women are entrepreneurs who are trying to learn the ropes of being in business. As a Small Business Administration mentor through the SCORE program, you would offer your valuable insight and experience to women (and men) who need it. There are many men who volunteer as SBA mentors. But for a new female businesswoman just starting out, it would be especially comforting to get a woman’s perspective of the marketplace and how it works.
Support Programs in Your Workplace
As a woman, you understand firsthand the challenges of juggling motherhood with career. When given the chance, support programs in your workplace that support women who are trying to achieve that work/life balance.
These programs might include extended maternity leave, workplace daycare facilities, flex time so that women can be home with sick children, or daycare cost supplements. You might even try to establish new programs at your own firm and lead the example of women helping women.
Avoid Empty Jealousies
Competition in the workplace is natural; some might even say necessary. You shouldn’t feel guilty about feeling competitive with another woman. But if that feeling isn’t really work competitiveness and it’s just petty jealousy, that’s a different story. Avoid those kinds of empty jealousies based on prejudice, especially when they’re directed at a new hire.
Instead, try to get to know the woman as a person. Learn what the two of you have in common and work from there to build a solid foundation for a work relationship. You don’t have to be best friends, but you can learn to support one another in the workplace as colleagues. Be warned, too, that others may try to pit you against one another simply for entertainment.
Run Your Own Success Program
Have you ever thought of becoming a life coach? You could empower other women to succeed through your own program. Starting such an endeavor may feel daunting, but if you start to think in terms of how much you’ve accomplished in your own career, it will be easy to see how much you have to offer. Other women want and need life coaches who understand what it’s like to be a woman trying to make it in a man’s world. You might just be the woman to show them how it’s done.
These are just a few of the ways you can support the success of women around you and women you may never meet. Just like the suffragettes, what you’re fighting for is a worthy cause. The right for equality in the workplace and the right to be seen as a person rather than an object. Don’t be intimidated by the undertaking. When all women support one another in this way, success is within reach.
Roslyn Kunin | July 08, 2019
Bette Price | June 24, 2019
Bette Price | April 12, 2019
Prime Women | November 23, 2018
Prime Women | September 30, 2018
Failure is Not Fatal! It's the Road To Success!
Marcia Zidle | September 18, 2018
Darla Ferrara | September 12, 2018
Grey Panthers in Business: Don't Underestimate Us
Marjorie Calder | August 17, 2018
The Secret to Successfully Leading Millennials
Bette Price | May 02, 2018
True Inspirational Leaders Pay It Forward
Danielle Dayries | April 17, 2018
More in Leadership Growth
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758764
|
__label__wiki
| 0.714879
| 0.714879
|
MLB.com ranks Yankees' farm system No. 2 in baseball
New York Yankees center fielder Clint Frazier singles during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
MLB.com ranked the New York Yankees' farm system No. 2 in baseball on Friday.
Writers Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum graded the Yankees, who have seven prospects in MLB.com's top 100, just beneath the Atlanta Braves.
Gleyber Torres was ranked MLB.com's No. 3 prospect in baseball, while Clint Frazier, Blake Rutherford, Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo, James Kaprielian and Justus Sheffield all ranked in the top 79.
On MLB.com's point scale that gives the No. 1 prospect 100 points, No. 2 prospect 99 points, and so on, the Yankees led all 30 MLB teams with 414 points, followed by the Chicago White Sox's 379 points and the Braves' 363.
In January, ESPN's Keith Law also ranked the Yankees' farm system No. 2 in baseball, also behind the Braves.
GM Brian Cashman said earlier this offseason he thought the Yankees had their best farm system since it featured Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.
"It's pretty strong and pretty deep," Cashman told the New York Post's Steve Serby, "and I'd say probably starting to turn the clock back to the days when I was the assistant farm director and Brian Sabean was the scouting director back in the early '90s. It hasn't been this strong since the early '90s."
Tags: Aaron Judge, Clint Frazier, James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758766
|
__label__wiki
| 0.678678
| 0.678678
|
Home > Speakers > Jan Rabaey
Jan Rabaey
Professor, University of California at Berkeley and CTO System-Technology Co-Optimization, IMEC, Belgium
UC Berkeley & IMEC
As of 2019, Jan Rabaey is a Professor in the Graduate School at the University of California at Berkeley, after being the holder of the Donald O. Pederson Distinguished Professorship at the same institute for over 30 years. Before joining the faculty at UC Berkeley, he was a research manager at IMEC from 1985 until 1987. He is a founding director of the Berkeley Wireless Research Center (BWRC) and the Berkeley Ubiquitous SwarmLab, and has served as the Electrical Engineering Division Chair at Berkeley twice. In 2019, he also became the CTO of the System-Technology Co-Optimization (STCO) Division of IMEC, Belgium.
Prof. Rabaey has made high-impact contributions to a number of fields, including advanced wireless systems, low power integrated circuits, mobile devices, sensor networks, and ubiquitous computing. His current interests include the conception of the next-generation distributed systems, as well as the exploration of the interaction between the cyber and the biological world.
He is the recipient of major awards, amongst which the IEEE Mac Van Valkenburg Award, the European Design Automation Association (EDAA) Lifetime Achievement award, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) University Researcher Award, and the SRC Aristotle Award. He is an IEEE Fellow, a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Sciences and Arts of Belgium, and has received honorary doctorates from Lund (Sweden), Antwerp (Belgium) and Tampere (Finland). He has been involved in a broad variety of start-up ventures, including Cortera Neurotechnologies, of which he is a co-founder.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758767
|
__label__cc
| 0.698551
| 0.301449
|
Script - Who Are You
An original script from the first season of the long running crime series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. This script comes from the sixth episode of the first season entitled, "Who Are You?." Written by Carol Mendelsohn and Josh Berman, this episode aired November 10, 2000, and has the CSI team investigate a rape accusation. This script contains 60 pages, all of which have been three hole punched and bound with two double-pronged metal clasps.
While the script features minor wear from production use and age, it remains in overall good condition.
https://propstore.com/product/csi-crime-scene-investigation/script-who-are-you/
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Conrad Ecklie's (Marc Vann) ID £195 / $249 Add to your cart
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Script - Alter Boys £69 / $95 Add to your cart
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Rascall Flatts - Jay DeMarcus' Autographed Charred Bass Guitar £1539 / $1995 Add to your cart
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Script - Who Are You £69 / $95 Add to your cart
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) Business Card Display £245 / $259 Add to your cart
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758769
|
__label__cc
| 0.687814
| 0.312186
|
You are at:Home»Melting Pot»Governance Review (3) – Frank Lennon
Governance Review (3) – Frank Lennon
October 15, 2016 Melting Pot
This is the third and final post in a series of three blog posts which consider two recent government documents: the Statement for Practitioners from HMCIE (August 2016) and ‘Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve excellence and equity in education: A Governance Review’ announced in the Deputy First Minister’s (DFM) speech to Parliament (13 September 2016) launching a consultation on school governance.
In his letter accompanying the CfE ‘Statement for Practitioners’ from HMCIE, the DFM explained that this was to be the start of the ‘new narrative’ on CfE as recommended in last December’s OECD Report. There, addressing “teachers and practitioners across Scotland” directly, he gave a personal undertaking:
“…to give absolute clarity about what is and what is not required of you. It is intended to place you in a position to know without doubt what you should and should not be asked to do. It is clear and simple and is the definitive piece of guidance which you should use.”[1]
However welcome teachers and practitioners might find this refreshing plain speaking, they might be forgiven for being more than a little sceptical about “absolute clarity about what is and what is not required” of them arriving any time soon. It seems the “absolute clarity” is to be delivered by the very organisation that many practitioners hold responsible for the “increased workload, confusion and duplication” that the DFM rightly accepted has been created over the implementation years. Some practitioners are already seeing the document as an attempt to exonerate Education Scotland (ES) for what they see as its cack-handed handling of CfE implementation from the outset. Others, like former Professor of Education Walter Humes are already pouring scorn on the idea that:
“…the body which has been responsible for creating the problem is now being charged with providing the solution.”[2]
One senior school leader put it as follows: “We are still waiting to hear what the key messages for ES will be – what it is ‘to do’ and what it is ‘to avoid’”.
Nevertheless whatever its claims are on providing “absolute clarity”, there is some evidence in the statement from HMCIE that the OECD’s exhortation for Scotland to be “bold” in its CfE reforms is being heeded. The advice of Professor Mark Priestly to abolish the Es and Os altogether might have been too much to have hoped for in such a statement, but we did see something of a return to the philosophy of CfE in such statements as:
“Teachers should be empowered to use the flexibility that CfE provides to organise learning for children and young people in ways that best meets learners’ needs” (p1)
Taken together with the launching of the Governance Review, this might well be welcomed as a “bold” re-statement of the empowerment of teachers once lauded as a major tenet of CfE. The “key message” to practitioners that:
“All planning must focus directly on enhancing the learner journey. When asked to complete paperwork which does not directly relate to improving the learner journey, challenge this with your colleagues” (p2)
is certainly bold. However, the question of whether it is helpful or legitimate for HMCIE to be by-passing local authorities, who remain the employers of the vast majority of practitioners in Scotland, with such a direct decontextualized instruction to their workforce is potentially as contentious as by-passing them to give £100m directly to schools. Some local authorities might be concerned at such an explicit exhortation to their employees from an outside body, albeit with the DFM’s approval, to “challenge” other colleagues especially if these colleagues have been completing paperwork introduced by local authorities only because they were encouraged to do so by the very body that is now encouraging practitioners to challenge it. Leaving aside the politics of this for the moment, it reads as a refreshing reminder of what one of the great strengths of CfE was intended to be: teacher empowerment. Nonetheless, it is difficult to decide which is the “bolder” assertion here: the open acceptance that the current state of affairs, where teachers have been effectively disempowered by the scale of unnecessary bureaucracy required of them in the name of CfE implementation or the fact that the point has been reached where it is deemed necessary for ES to direct teachers and practitioners across Scotland to challenge what their employers have been asking them to do.
Furthermore, the mixed message in the same document of instructing individual practitioners to challenge CfE bureaucracy on the one hand, whilst holding out the prospect of the publication, “by the end of 2016,” of a suite of “definitive” Benchmark documents on other curricular areas which they will be required to read and digest on the other, will worry but not surprise experienced CfE practitioners. Presently, with only the Benchmark documents on ‘Literacy and English’[3] and Numeracy and Mathematics’[4] to go on – running respectively to 49 and 43 pages[5] – practitioners may well feel that the only “absolute clarity” here is that that they will be facing additional bureaucratic tasks. Given that (with Health and Wellbeing) they form one of the two newly defined “key priorities for CfE”, practitioners may well feel it important to ask if HMCIE envisages these being read/consulted by all practitioners in addition to the promised curricular documents (perhaps of a similar length) on each curricular area? One of the “Key Messages” for all practitioners is:
“Do not lose a clear focus on helping all children and young people to progress at an appropriate pace and achieve the highest standards in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.” (p2)
which certainly seems to imply this. But in truth, there is little that could be described as providing “absolute clarity” in the ‘Key Messages – What to do/What to avoid’ columns, either on this particular point or on the prospects for reducing bureaucracy in general. Indeed, somewhat confusingly, both the ‘Literacy and English’ and ‘Numeracy and Mathematics’ documents carry the subtitle ‘Draft, August 2016’ suggesting that each will be subject to review (though by whom is not made clear) before, presumably, ‘final’ documents are published (at a date later in the session that is also unclear). Are teachers and practitioners to assume that the new Benchmark documents on “other curricular areas” will also be ‘drafts’ ? If so this suggests a further wait for “definitive” versions to be published. It would appear therefore that the draft documents on ‘Literacy and English’ and ‘Numeracy and Mathematics’ just published, are to be followed by an unspecified number of draft documents on other curricular areas at an unspecified date in the future. These will then be followed by definitive documents at an unspecified date further in the future.
Whether all of this will help
“… to provide clear, practical advice for teachers and practitioners on planning learning, teaching and assessment”
remains to be seen. Quite apart from what it aims “to do”, namely to streamline the bureaucracy and improve the comprehensibility of CfE, the HMCIE statement for practitioners is notable for what it “avoids”: it avoids identifying which current advice and/or documentation is to be cut. The avoidance of specifying any such information suggests that all previous advice and documentation still stands. This leaves practitioners in the confusing position of having to start this session by either guessing from the most recent “key messages” precisely which aspects of previous CfE advice or which previous documents are no longer to be followed, or, monitoring the ES website carefully to see which, if any, pages or links disappear. Furthermore, the statement also avoids offering any “key messages” on “what to do” or “what to avoid” with SIMD and other sets of data now widely available in schools and the focus, often at the behest of ES, of much recent professional development activity. Over the past couple of years local authorities and schools have invested a great deal of professional development time and energy on training senior leaders and others in how to access such data using Insight the new benchmarking tool. Whilst significant benefits may well accrue through such activity, there is no doubting the additional bureaucracy involved especially for primary schools. Given that the document stresses to all teachers and practitioners on page 1 that the two key priorities for CfE are now
“…ensuring the best possible progression in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing for every child and young person and closing the attainment gap”
one might have expected some advice on “what to do” and “what to avoid” in using such data in the ‘Key Messages’ columns. One would be disappointed. On the other hand this may well be judicious restraint: for HMCIE to be issuing decontextualized ‘Govian’ instructions on how to use such highly context-sensitive local information might have been unwise. Thus, though the ‘Statement for Practitioners’ can certainly be applauded for its bold intention:
“… to significantly streamline all our support and guidance materials for the curriculum. This statement and the benchmarks to be published this session are key to this streamlined approach,” [6]
there may be some scepticism amongst practitioners born of previous experience, about whether it is possible to streamline bureaucracy by publishing yet another set of documents. In fact it is now possible to see the publication of ‘Curriculum for Excellence A Statement for Practitioners’ as a continuation, in the same vein, of the process highlighted in the OECD (2015) report: after listing a series of ‘bureaucratic’ attempts at reducing CfE bureaucracy – Tackling Bureaucracy Group’s interim report (2012), final report (2013), follow-up guidelines and research (2014), and further follow-up report (2015) – the OECD called for “simplifying the simplification process” (p104-05). Streamlining the “streamlined approach” might also now be needed.
Any action to “significantly streamline” the whole process is nevertheless, long overdue and greatly to be welcomed. Thus, like Professor Mark Priestly we can be “…heartened to see a reinforcement of the message that bureaucracy should be reduced”[7] in HMCIE’s statement. That it has been felt necessary for this to be openly acknowledged only now, four years after the publication of the Tackling Bureaucracy Group’s ‘Interim Report’ (2012), is in itself a statement which will not be lost on practitioners. The need for streamlining CfE guidance and support materials seems to have been occasioned by one of the most telling comments in the OECD Report which was on the comprehensibility of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). The OECD Report said:
“… the complexity of the layers and dimensions, when all are put together, raises its own questions about how comprehensible is the Curriculum for Excellence”.[8] (OECD 2015 p44)
It is certainly reassuring that the issue of CfE’s “comprehensibility” is explicitly recognised, both in the DFM’s letter and in the HMCIE statement itself, as having been of particular concern to practitioners. Ironically perhaps, neither comprehensibility nor clarity arose as specific issues during the phase when the values and purposes of CfE were being framed. However, as the OECD report amply demonstrates and the DFM’s letter openly accepts, they have grown as issues throughout the CfE implementation process. Practitioners, burdened by a seemingly ever increasing bureaucracy, were asking about the comprehensibility of CfE long before the OECD. Although the intention about providing “absolute clarity” is admirable enough, it is doubtful that it is achieved by the publication of this latest document. The problem is indeed “… the complexity of the layers and dimensions” but it has taken this exegesis by the OECD in 2015 to prompt the current action:
“• Four capacities, covering 12 attributes and 24 capabilities across the four – 40 in all;
Five levels, from early to senior, of which four are covered by Broad General Education;
Seven principles, six entitlements and ten aims;
Eight curriculum areas and three inter-disciplinary areas;
1,820 Experiences and Outcomes statements (1,488 in the 8 curriculum areas + 332 in the 3 inter-disciplinary areas);
Four contexts for learning;
[Numerous]’Significant aspects’ of learning.” (OECD 2015 p44)
Yet, far from streamlining the above to give “absolute clarity” to practitioners, the HMCIE statement begins by seeming to add to it with new definitions of “…the two key priorities for CfE” which are:
“ • ensuring the best possible progression in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing for every child and young person; and
closing the attainment gap.” (p1)
It then goes on to identify the “two key resources” which teachers should use as “Experiences and Outcomes” and “Benchmarks” (p1). Professor Priestly is surely right to ask whether, by adding the “Benchmarks”, we are not creating “… a spiral of specification”[9] as described by Alison Wolf (1995). He points to an unintended and potentially dangerous, consequence here namely, that although these might be initially welcomed by teachers because they could provide if not “absolute”, then at least a degree of clarity, currently unavailable from the Es and Os, they might in fact encourage “bureaucratic box-ticking and convergent approaches to learning”[10] and even increase teacher workload.
The two latest Scottish Government documents at least continue to give education the highest profile. Of the two, the Governance Review is by far the more significant offering the realistic prospect of transformational change which, even in “..the lifetime of this Parliament” could improve the life chances of some the most disadvantaged of our young people. The Statement for Practitioners though on an entirely different level, shares with the Governance Review, the strong tendency for official announcements and publications on education however well-intentioned, to send out mixed messages. In this sense whether the claim to be providing “absolute clarity” will be seen as either justified or as folly, remains to be seen but, as we have seen above, the persistence of haziness and even contradiction, could have a negative impact in spite of the consultation. The continued acceptance by the profession of the overall philosophy and purpose of CfE, should not be taken for granted and may be put in jeopardy if unnecessary mixed messages which bedevilled CfE’s implementation from the start, continue. If the Statement for Practitioners’ 18 ‘What to do’ and 17 ‘What to avoid’ “KEY MESSAGES” remain without any modification to existing CfE advice about what is to be “avoided” or repealed, practitioners may simply see these – 35 in all – as additional burdens emanating from a remote and out-of-touch bureaucracy which continues to imply that it is they, the teachers and practitioners across Scotland and their approaches to the implementation of CfE, that have been the problem all along.
Frank Lennon recently retired as headteacher of Dunblane High School
[1] Letter from DFM and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to Teachers and Practitioners across Scotland, 29 August 2016
[2] http://www.scottishreview.net/WalterHumes77a.html
[3] https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/LiteracyEnglishBenchmarks.pdf
[4] https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/NumeracyMathematicsBenchmarks.pdf
[5] It is salutary to note that the original CfE paper of November 2004 was barely twelve pages long.
[6] https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/cfestatement.pdf
[7] https://mrpriestley.wordpress.com/2016/08/30/a-statement-for-practitioners-how-useful-is-the-new-cfe-guidance/
[8] http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/improving-schools-in-scotland.htm
[9] Wolf, A. (1995). Competence-Based Assessment. Buckingham: Open University Press
[10] https://mrpriestley.wordpress.com/2016/08/30/a-statement-for-practitioners-how-useful-is-the-new-cfe-guidance/
Tweets by @reformscotland
REFORM SCOTLAND WELCOMES SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’S PRISON PHONE PROPOSAL
CENSUS FAILS TO RECOGNISE BENEFIT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING, SAYS THINK TANK
REFORM SCOTLAND URGES PARTIES TO PUT ECONOMY FIRST
WORK-PLACE PARKING CHARGES
If we don’t want short jail terms we should ban them
A COMMISSION FOR SCOTLAND’S RAIL
Give Them Time campaign: A Year in Review – Patricia Anderson
You lost me at ‘teen’ – Katie Birrell
Devolution at 20 – First Minister’s speech
All media enquiries to Message Matters:
t: +44 (0)7855 261 244 (Andy Maciver)
t: +44 (0)7740 469 949 (Peter Duncan)
e: info@messagematters.co.uk
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758770
|
__label__wiki
| 0.681218
| 0.681218
|
Since 2007, the Rep’s advocacy team has handled over 10,000 cases. The following profiles are from real-life situations, with all identifying information removed to protect the privacy of the people involved.
Supporting Parents in Advocating for Services for their Child
Planning in the Child’s Best Interest
Funding of a Youth Agreement
A single parent needed help in getting services to meet the complex special needs of her eight-year-old son. The boy had significant mental health issues and extreme and persistent behaviour problems. He had been asked to leave six daycare settings and had recently been expelled from school. After making suicidal gestures at his seventh daycare setting, the child was assessed at the BC Children’s Hospital and several medication trials were attempted over the course of his stay hospital. Unable to secure full-time care for her child, the parent was forced to leave work and live on employment insurance.
The parent sought the advice of the Office in how to get the required education and other services to help her care for her son and have his complex needs addressed. Advocacy staff helped the parent to understand the services available and how to advocate on her son’s behalf. The parent contacted MCFD and requested that a family file be opened in order to get access to services. Advocacy staff also supported the parent in working through a collaborative process with a number of different MCFD programs. A number of health and educational professionals were also involved in developing and implementing a plan to support the child in school and daycare settings.
An MCFD family service file was opened and a social worker and a family development worker were assigned to work with and support the family. The child went into a school program that could accommodate his needs. He is monitored by an MCFD Child and Youth Mental Health program psychiatrist, and further assessments at BC Children’s Hospital are planned. This case identified a systemic barrier to accessing MCFD support services where there is no open MCFD child protection file.
MCFD was planning to place two Aboriginal siblings for adoption with a non-Aboriginal parent. Placement with a family or in an Aboriginal home had been explored by MCFD but with no success. The two young siblings had special needs and little contact with each other. After approval for the adoption had been obtained by the MCFD guardianship worker, a concern was raised by a member of an MCFD support team that the planning was not in one of the siblings’ best interests, based on the child’s special needs and attachment t with her foster family.
Advocacy staff primarily facilitated the information-sharing and discussion among the parties with the goal of resolving the case in the children’s best interests. The position of the MCFD guardianship social worker was that the siblings had an inherent right to be together. Other MCFD workers felt that moving the children from their current homes would result in significant trauma to them and have a negative impact on their mental health. Several meetings were held with the advocate in attendance to consider such matters as the existing relationship between the siblings, cultural planning, the potential impact of separating the children from their caregivers, the children’s mental health, how the children’s voices and views were considered in planning and how the special needs of both children would be supported. MCFD had BC Children’s Hospital undertake an assessment of the children and sought the advice of an expert from Alberta.
The consultant and BC Children’s Hospital assessment recommended that the current placements be maintained. MCFD management supported this plan and an exception was made to the ministry policy requiring siblings to be placed for adoption in the same home. The foster parents for each child proceeded with their adoption application, and planned to gradually increase contact between the siblings over time.
A youth contacted the Representative’s Office for help after she was denied funding for an MCFD Youth Agreement. She told the Office that she had completed the required paperwork and been told she was eligible for the program, but funding was denied at the last minute leaving her without money to pay her rent or support herself. She said that she was told that she was rejected for funding because of concerns about individuals she may be hanging around with. She said that she was not given any further information, nor was she given a chance to discuss the concerns. The youth was attending school, working at a part-time job, and otherwise fulfilling all aspects of her Youth Agreement.
An advocate from the Representative’s Office contacted the MCFD social worker as well as the MCFD in-house Dispute Resolution Program to inform them that an advocate would be helping the youth to file a complaint appealing the decision to withdraw her Youth Agreement supports. The advocate also indicated that she was seeking information from the MCFD social worker on the facts of the case and the reasons for the decision.
Following this initial contact and before discussing the issue with the advocate, the MCFD social worker looked further into the youth’s case, reconsidered and determined that the assumptions made about the youth’s behaviour were mistaken. Funding was reinstated.
Advocacy Guide
Check out the Champions for Change advocacy guidebook for helpful resources, activities and tips!
Worth knowing about, if you use a lot of social media: new study links social media (but not video games!) with tee… https://t.co/BK7gBdWh2a — 16 hours 16 min ago
Follow RCYBCyouth
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758774
|
__label__cc
| 0.687773
| 0.312227
|
Fried, Mitchell I.
Fried, Mitchell I. - Altamonte Springs, FL
999 Douglas AvenueSuite 332032714 Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Law Office of Mitchell I. Fried
Altamonte Springs Business & Commercial Law Lawyer
At the Law Offices of Mitchell I. Fried in Altamonte Springs, we offer our clients big-city experience coupled with small-town personalized representation.
Attorney Fried spent his formative years as a lawyer in New York City, where he honed his legal skills in business and commercial law, real estate law, personal injury law and probate law. He now brings this experience to his legal practice in Central Florida, where he can offer you legal service of the highest caliber coupled with...
Attorney Fried spent his formative years as a lawyer in New York City, where he honed his legal skills in business and commercial law, real estate law, personal injury law and probate law. He now brings this experience to his legal practice in Central Florida, where he can offer you legal service of the highest caliber coupled with the personal attention expected in a small town.
Mitchell is an officer and director of Dyspraxia USA, a Chicago based Not for Profit corporation that provides information and support regarding dyspraxia, a neurological condition. For more information, please go to www.dyspraxiausa.org.
Mr. Fried has been married since 1974 and has two children.
We represent clients in all Florida counties including Seminole, Brevard, Hillsborough, Lake, Orange, Osceola and Volusia and cities such as Altamonte Springs, and Apopka, Cape Canaveral, Casselberry, Coco Beach, Daytona Beach, De Bary, De Land, Deltona, Edgewater, Eustis, Kissimmee, Lake Mary, Leesburg, Longwood, Melbourne, Mount Dora, New Smyrna, Ocoee, Orlando, Ormond Beach, Oviedo, Palm Bay, Pine Hills, Port Orange, Rock Ledge, Sanford, St. Cloud, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Tavares, Titusville, Winter Garden, Winter Park and Winter Springs. Our offices are conveniently located in Altamont Springs, near Interstate 4 (I-4). Attorney Fried is admitted to practice in both Florida and New York.
Sole Practitioner
Condominiums & Cooperatives
Construction Contracts
Defamation & Privacy -- Plaintiff
Formation & Business Planning
Mortgages & Foreclosures
Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
Premises Liability -- Plaintiff
Products Liability Law
Slip and Fall -- Plaintiff
Wrongful Death -- Plaintiff
Florida, 1978
U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1981
U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1981
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1995
University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida, 1978
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA, 1975
Honors: With Honors
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Honors: Phi Kappa Phi
9-5 Monday thru Friday
https://www.mfriedlaw.com
https://www.mfriedlaw.com/
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758778
|
__label__wiki
| 0.628185
| 0.628185
|
Mark Lester
All posts tagged Mark Lester
Oscar Best Picture Winner 1969: Oliver!
Posted by rainbowchair on September 8, 2012
Posted in: Entertainment, Movies, Oscar Best Picture Winner. Tagged: 1960, 1968, Best Picture, Bill Sikes, Britain, Broadway, Charles Dickens, charming, comedic, dramatic, exxtravagance, Fagin, film, Funny Girl, Jack Wild, London, Mark Lester, Movies, Mr. Brownlow, musical, musical numbers, Nancy, Oliver Reed, Oliver Twist, Oliver!, orangechair, orchestra, orphanage, Oscar Best Picture Winner, pickpocketing, play, Rachel, Romeo and Juliet, Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, The Artful Dodger, The Lion in Winter, thieves. Leave a comment
In 1960, across the sea in Britain, a musical premiered based on Charles Dickens’ classic take, Oliver Twist. The play was called Oliver! an was not only popular in Britain but had quite a successful run on Broadway and had a number of different revival tours. In 1968, just eight years after its premiere, the play was turned into a film, a film that won the 1969 Oscar for Best Picture.
The story mirrors that of the novel, starting with a young boy named Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) who is living in an orphanage. With no information at all about his parents of his family, Oliver eventually runs away from the orphanage to London so he can make his fortune. The first person Oliver meets in London is a young boy about his age, the Artful Dodger (Jack Wild). Realizing that Oliver has no place to live, Dodger brings him to a name named Fagin (Ron Moody). The elderly Fagin lives with a group of twenty young boys, all of whom roam the streets of London pickpocketing whatever they can get their hands on. Fagin takes in Oliver and for a while, Oliver becomes a member of the thieves’ gang. When a job goes wrong, Oliver ends up being taken home by Mr. Brownlow, a man who may have ties to Oliver’s past. Nervous that Oliver is going to sell them out, one of Fagin’s adult partners, Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed), is determined to not only get Oliver back but to keep him from leaving them ever again. The film ends as Bill drags Oliver on a dangerous mission and Oliver’s friends desperately attempt to try and help him.
While the film has many comedic and dramatic parts, at its core Oliver! is a musical and lets the audience know that right off the bat. The musical numbers are done with the extravagance that can only be done in a film. Most numbers took place while winding through the streets of London with store clerks, street sweepers, street cart employees and butchers all joining in on the dancing. Extravagant, lengthy and full of theatrics, the songs are all very entertaining, featuring adults and children alike. Few adults are featured on the songs, other than background singers and the occasional solo from Fagan and Nancy (Shani Wallis), Bill’s girlfriend. What really impressed me, from a musical aspect, were the children. Though Oliver’s voice was a tad feminine for my liking, he seemed to approach his solos timidly but it quickly became clear that it was just quiet confidence. My favorite performer in the film however was the Artful Dodger as he mischievously danced through the streets, stealing and causing havoc as he did. I can understand why this film won Best Picture based solely on the musical scenes. They were theatrical, well done and were the highlight of the film.
The rest of the film was hit or miss for me. Set up to seem like a play, the film begins with a black screen, as if the curtains are drawn, while the orchestra plays and overview of the songs that are featured in the first act. After the first act is completed, the film gives the audience an intermission; once again letting the screen go black while the songs for act two are played. When act one finished, I didn’t know if I was going to finish the film. The musical numbers were good in the first act but ultimately I found the film to be quite boring. The only two things that pushed me to finish the film were Ron Moody’s oddly intriguing performance as Fagan and, the highlight of the film, Jack Wild’s charming portrayal of the Artful Dodger. As act two progressed, I found myself happy that I continued the film for it was leaps and bounds better than the first. While the first act featured almost nothing but songs and uneventful story, the second act included drama, suspense, violence and murder, making me wonder if the same person directed the first and second acts. So, while the film was very slow to start, it ended up proving that it was deserving of Best Picture.
In 1969, Oliver! went up against Funny Girl, the Lion in Winter, Romeo and Juliet and Rachel, Rachel in the Best Picture category. I have seen none of the other nominees so I don’t know how they compare to Oliver! but I believe that Oliver! deserved the win. As far as entertainment goes, I give this film a 2 out of 5 and as far as it being a good film I give it a 4 out of 5, which means, overall, the film gets a 6 out of 10. Following a classing storyline and creating some very impressive musical numbers lead by a cast of adorable kids, this is a surprisingly interested adaptation of Dickens novel.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758783
|
__label__cc
| 0.543721
| 0.456279
|
Drug dealer among three killed in Karachi violence
Karachi: The killing spree continued unabated in the city on Tuesday claiming lives of three people and injuring three others in separate incidents of firing.
According to a police official at SP North Nazimabad office, the 35-year-old Abbas, son of Ghulam Mohammad was gunned down in Buffer zone Sector 16-A. He was a drug dealer. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for autopsy.
In another incident, rescue sources said that unidentified men opened fire near Mauripur truck stop killing 40-year-old Mohammad Yousuf son of Ghulam Hassan. The body was shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for postmortem.
A 16-year-old boy, Abdullah son of Zafar was killed when unidentified men opened fire on him in Gulbahar area. The body was shifted to ASH for autopsy.
A 25-year-old man was shot and injured during a dacoity bid in Chakra Goth area of Korangi. The injured was identified as Shayan son of Idrees. He was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment.
Unidentified men opened fire in Model colony area of Malir injuring 30-year-old Majeeda daughter of Allah Ditta. She was shifted to JPMC for treatment.
Separately, a woman, Tasleem, 35, daughter of Shafiq, sustained bullet wounds near a petrol pump in Nazimabad. The injured, resident of Golimar, was shifted to ASH for treatment.
Tags: Drug dealer, news, Sindh, SP North Nazimabad office
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758784
|
__label__cc
| 0.748708
| 0.251292
|
Learning log, Reading, Reflection, Research
Reading & Research: Polaroids & Self Portraits
Date: April 2, 2018Author: Sarah Scott 0 Comments
24th March 2018, Arts University Bournemouth
This week my son’s film tutor showed me around the photography department at AUB. We’d been chatting about the work I’d seen a few weeks ago by Jarrod Thompson that I loved. It turns out that Jarrod is a good friend of my son’s tutor, so as we were talking about photography I was treated to a flying visit around the department; I saw the equipment stores, the darkrooms etc. It was all very inspiring; I would really like to study full-time or attend a university to study, but really it’s not practical for me at the moment.
I’d taken some polaroids this week so I looked at The Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology by William A. Ewing and Barbara Hitchcock. Last week I’d looked at some photography by David Hockney and I immediately noticed the similarity with the work of Joyce Neimanas that is featured in the book. What really struck me while flicking through this book though was the range of creative possibility in polaroids. There were several images that really stood out, and on reflection I find myself trying to connect the themes or visual elements that are tying them together; there definitely is a similarity to the images that I liked but at first it’s not always clear to me exactly what that is. I suppose there is an element of nature in all of the images I liked. Perhaps it’s a mix of astronomical imagery with natural or more human themes, like a fusing together of the heavens and the Earth.
I had a quick look at Art Photography Now by Susan Bright. My favourite work featured was by Hannah Starkey. I suppose the idea that she’s really presenting a female perspective in a way that speaks to me personally is important, but also there was a quote about her work that I liked, that a featured image was alluding “to an aspiration for order, control and exclusivity, all of which are likely to be unobtainable or unsustainable.” That idea really resonates with me. I think it’s because for me, at least at the moment when life feels chaotic, there is a part of me that aspires to order and control. In that work I am reminded that this control I seek is unsustainable; it’s just not how life works.
Auto Focus; The Self Portrait in Contemporary Photography by Susan Bright was really interesting to me at the moment as I am planning some work that involves self portraits. I found the work of Nan Goldin particularly important as the text talks about one of her images taken at the end of an abusive relationship allowing her to ‘reclaim both of those things that were so nearly taken from her’ (refering to her sight, and her identity as a photographer). That resonated with me as some of the work I am thinking of is really about allowing me to reclaim parts of myself that I feel have been taken from me or that I have been forced to hide or deny. It’s not like the physical abuse that Goldin was subject to, but for me there is a feeling that I might have been colluding in something that is psychologically unhealthy and I feel a need to reclaim myself from the demands of caring for relatives, motherhood and marriage. There was also the idea that the self portrait offered Nan Goldin ‘a rare moment of quiet in the midst of her chaotic life.’
The work of Charles Latham using Cyrus as his alter ego/imaginary friend/ personal demon/ doppleganer also tied in with what I’m thinking of. It’s given me an idea that I might present two parts of myself in a single shot and has taken my initial ideas in a completely different direction, that I might consider two opposing parts of myself in the same image. I don’t know if this is work I can produce for EYV, but it’s certainly something that is generating a lot of ideas for me and that I feel quite excited about even thought I’m not sure yet exactly where it’s going.
A few days after I’d done this research I found myself looking up The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger. I am not exactly sure why, it just seemed to tie in somehow. I’ve seen it, I took my children to see it and we’d all looked at the skull from different angles and played with it visually. I wonder if the portrait is really about the merchants, or the skull, or if it’s about the items between them? I suppose that thinking about self portraits makes me think about the way people represent themselves in art and the things they have around them. What would I have around me and what would those things represent? Things come to mind, but I find myself wondering if the symbolism I am thinking of still works universally – do these symbolic ideas cross cultural boundaries? I don’t know. People put ‘selfies’ on Instagram and they’re representing something, they have something to say and I think that in general what they’re saying does cross cultural boundaries. I suppose on Instagram I’m seeing messages about ‘lifestyle’, usually an idealised western version, so maybe that’s a depressing realisation. But I don’t see how selfies on Instagram are objectively different from the rich of several centuries ago paying an artist to paint them in their finery. It’s just that the ubiquity of digital photography means you don’t have to be rich to communicate your visual message now.
Thinking about making an image rather than just seeing something that is already there that other people haven’t really noticed and taking a shot of it is unusual for me, it’s a really different way of doing photography. I find myself struggling with the mechanics of it as well as the idea that I have to be clear about exactly what it is I am trying to communicate so the message I want to convey doesn’t get lost in my own uncertainty. It’s a bit like starting photography from scratch really, so now I’m really finding the research aspect more relevant than I used to, more helpful and more inspiring. I’m just trying not to get lost in the overwhelming displays of talent and creative ideas that I see other people display.
AUB; reflection; research; Jarrod Thompson; polaroid; David Hockney; Joyce Neimanas; Susan Bright; Hannah Starkey; self portrait; selfie; Nan Goldin; identity; Charles Latham; art; painting; The Ambas
Previous Previous post: Study Visit to The Photographer’s Gallery
Next Next post: Thinking About Light; Thinking About Self Portraits Again
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758790
|
__label__wiki
| 0.947415
| 0.947415
|
Sound of Music Tickets
Shows near
Find tickets from 71 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Friday July 26 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Sound of Music - Ivins
Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts·Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Monday July 29 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Mon · 8:45 pm
Find tickets from 83 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Wednesday July 31 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 103 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Saturday August 3 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Sat · 8:45 pm
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Wednesday August 7 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Friday August 9 at 8:45 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 107 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Monday August 12 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 115 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Thursday August 15 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Thu · 8:30 pm
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Saturday August 17 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Tuesday August 20 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Thursday August 22 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Monday August 26 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Wednesday August 28 at 8:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Tuesday September 3 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Thursday September 5 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Monday September 9 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Wednesday September 11 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 109 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Friday September 13 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Tuesday September 17 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 92 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Thursday September 19 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 77 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Monday September 23 at 8:00 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
Find tickets from 80 dollars to Sound of Music - Ivins on Wednesday October 2 at 7:30 pm at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
"The value and quality compared to competitors is far more superior."
Kelsey R.
"I love how easy and fast the website works. They have some of the lowest prices around."
Evan M.
"Very easy to use. There's no hidden fees so you know exactly how much each ticket is."
Sound of Music Details
Sound of Music is a show that theater fans will not want to miss! Those that love live performances are sure to enjoy this event. SeatGeek has Sound of Music tickets available for at a variety of price points for all types of fans. See above for all available ticket listings for upcoming events.
Sound of Music is known to be one of the best theater shows currently performing, and has delighted fans in cities such as Boston, St. Louis, and Detroit. If there are no upcoming shows in your area, one may be announced soon. Be sure to sign up for a SeatGeek account for alerts on new Sound of Music events.
A ticket to see Sound of Music costs, on average, $110. That being said, Sound of Music ticket prices are subject to change depending on a number of factors, including the cast, the venue, day of week, and more. For example, tickets to see Sound of Music on a Tuesday evening typically cost about $98 while a ticket to see Sound of Music on a Saturday evening resells for about $120. Sound of Music tickets in Boston will likely run fans somewhere in the range of $109, while Sound of Music tickets in St. Louis resell for an average of $80.
Similar Performers
234 Upcoming Events
Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts in Ivins, UT
San Francisco Theater Shows
New York Broadway Shows
Jacksonville Theater Shows
Chicago Theater Shows
Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts Seating Chart
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758799
|
__label__wiki
| 0.951416
| 0.951416
|
Behind Enemy Lines Locked down, exploited and mistreated
Locked down, exploited and mistreated
Concern rises about inmates allegedly beaten by guards in Georgia strike and mistreatment of prisoners detained in institutions across the country
by Charlene Muhammad and Starla Muhammad, Final Call Staff Writers
(FinalCall.com) – Like thousands of inmates scattered in prisons across the state of Georgia, Terrance Bryant Dean participated in an eight-day peaceful protest to highlight inhumane conditions in the prisons.
Days later he was brutally beaten by guards at Macon State Prison, his family and a coalition of supporters charge.
When his mother, Willie Maude Dean, and members of the Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights attempted to visit him at the Atlanta Medical Center on Dec. 31, the hospital claimed her son was no longer there and the corrections department claimed he was moved to Jackson State Prison the night before, according to an alert The Final Call received from coalition co-chair Elaine Brown.
Ms. Brown said the coalition found out about the beating during its second fact-finding visit to Smith State Prison on Dec. 30. Its first prison visit was to Macon on Dec. 20.The coalition asserts the beating was in retaliation for the protest, which began in early December.
In addition, Ms. Dean said the Georgia Department of Corrections has given no information about her son’s condition or his whereabouts.
The mother told coalition leaders after their latest visit that Macon State Warden Gregory McLaughlin told her that Terrance was in an isolation cell, but the mother believes he was already in the hospital.
The family of a second inmate, Miguel Jackson, alleges he was severely beaten by upwards of 20 guards Dec. 31 during what is called a “shakedown” at Smith State Prison near Glennville, Ga. in which corrections officers search prisoners’ cells. Upon finding nothing, said Mrs. Delma Jackson, Miguel’s wife, the officers accused Mr. Jackson of having “something.” Mr. Jackson was pepper sprayed, handcuffed and beaten repeatedly with hammers resulting in a fractured nose and 50 stitches to his face, said Mrs. Jackson. Guards also attempted to throw him over the railing from the second floor, she said.
And because the family has not been allowed to see him, his wife said they worry whether or not he may have a concussion or internal injuries. Upon seeing pictures of her husband, Mrs. Jackson said she and other family members drove New Year’s Day three and a half hours from Atlanta to check on his status.
Their visit was denied by corrections personnel, she said. This was after the family waited 90 minutes to be given a sheet to fill out, requesting a visit. “We didn’t even want to sit there and visit, we just wanted to see that he was okay and they denied us that right,” Mrs. Jackson told The Final Call.
When she asked prison officials why visitation was denied, all officials said was that there was an “incident” and the only one authorized to approve a visit would be the warden, who was not there, Mrs. Jackson continued. Mrs. Jackson said her husband’s fractured nose as of Jan. 3 still had not been reset and she worried the violent encounter will affect him psychologically.
She was upset that the prison still had not contacted her or the family about whether Mr. Jackson was in the infirmary with injuries. “That is our loved one, he’s a human being and they’re treating him like an animal,” she said.
“That is our loved one, he’s a human being and they’re treating him like an animal.” – Mrs. Delma Jackson, Miguel’s wife
At press time, The Final Call was awaiting a reply to its voice message request for an interview with the Department of Corrections’ Public Affairs Office. The latest update on its web page is dated Dec. 15 and indicates that four facilities had returned to normal operations.
The prisoners’ strike included Hays, Smith, Telfair and Macon State Prisons and other facilities. Inside the institutions, inmates refused to come out of their cells to petition officials to be paid for work – given that they must pay for medical services – better medical care and better quality food, more self-improvement and educational programs, consistent disciplinary policies and a clear parole policy.
Coalition spokespersons said that beating occurred around the same time it was negotiating access to certain prisons to investigate conditions. And even as the delegation visited Macon State, the corrections department was apparently covering up the inmate’s reported retaliatory beating by several CERT (Correctional Emergency Response Team) members.
Witnesses reported to the coalition that CERT officers restrained Terrance Dean after an alleged dispute with a guard, dragged him from his cell in handcuffs and leg irons, removed him to the prison gym and beat him unconscious.
The beating remained unreported by corrections officials even though the coalition specifically raised questions about reports of retaliatory beatings, said the group. Questions were also asked about the status and whereabouts of 37 – or more – men the corrections department identified as strike “conspirators,” the coalition said.
The coalition formed to help support the prisoners’ calls for reform and includes the NAACP, the Nation of Islam, the ACLU of Georgia, the U.S. Human Rights Network, All of Us or None and The Ordinary People Society. Among other concerns is the potential cover up of an attempted murder.
“This agenda just got jumped up 10,000 times, not by us, but by them, these men who are suffering inside these walls. They’re the spark that lit the prairie fire and hopefully we who are on the outside that have united around their particular interests in Georgia can keep this going. The coalition has attracted a lot of people but the interesting thing is where in the hell is John Lewis? The coalition is growing but absent in any kind of way is the Congressional Black Caucus,” Ms. Brown said, referring to Congressman John Lewis, D-Ga., and other federal lawmakers.
She told The Final Call that few political officials from Georgia have addressed the issue. But state lawmaker Roberta Abdul Salaam has been very supportive, said coalition leaders. The coalition has reached out to CBC Chair Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., and Rep. Lewis but have not received a response, said Ms. Brown.
“Everybody else in the world has come in without us sending a message to them, but not them. Where is the CBC? These men are their constituents, especially John Lewis, Tyrone Brooks (a state representative), and other Black leaders in Georgia,” asked Ms. Brown.
“We need them to do something: Bring the federal government in on behalf of these men … This is a disgrace that these people came into office on the blood of our people like Fannie Lou Hamer, who gave up her eye and her life … The duty of Black elected officials here is clear and they have failed to do their duty to these men and address this question. And I’m saying they should come on back home before we have to start talking about what we’re doing about their failure,” Ms. Brown said. Ed DuBose, head of the Georgia state NAACP, is co-chair of the coalition.
Coalition: Inmates complained of retaliation after peaceful strike
“They (inmates) got shipped out of their home institutions and were dispersed across the state. We think that they were primarily dispersed into two facilities but we have not had access to them yet,” said Ajamu Baraka, director of the U.S. Human Rights Network and a member of the delegation that visited Smith State Prison.
He said, “Among information received was that prisons only fed the inmates bologna sandwiches for six days – all to break the back of the strike. And then they released everybody and announced to the world that everything was fine. But the information we got was that the inmates understand that they struck a blow for their rights (and) that they may have to strike again to make sure that people understand how serious this situation really is,” Mr. Baraka told The Final Call.
After the visit, he said, the coalition’s concerns over conditions grew, particularly since Macon was supposed to be a model facility. For example, he said, “the hole” or isolation units, consist of 7-by-12-foot cells and inmates are double bunked in them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Although inmates are supposed to get an hour out for recreation, the delegation learned that they hardly ever do for months at a time, Mr. Baraka added.
Mr. Baraka said he feels one reason prison authorities moved to shut down the strike quickly was because it could serve as a possible model for prisoners across the country.
But the outcome of the action in Georgia will determine whether there will be more and similar uprisings across the U.S., he predicted.
“The conditions in these prisons across the country are such that it’s amazing that we haven’t had more explosive situations or strikes, because you have overcrowding, brutality, neglect and the inability of prisoners to address these issues because of the Prison Reform Litigation Act passed by the Clinton administration, which has made it difficult for you to go to court to try to get the judiciary to intervene to deal with these inhumane conditions,” Mr. Baraka continued.
According to legal analysts, former President Bill Clinton passed the Prison Reform Litigation Act in 1996 to combat frivolous lawsuits brought by prisoners in an effort to unclog an already back-logged U.S. judicial system.
But Human Rights Watch said the federal law should be amended because it denies prisoners equal access to justice by singling out their lawsuits for burdens and restrictions that apply to no one else.
Racially biased policies and the prison economy
All of these issues are part of the larger problem with having a prison economy, said attorney Michelle Alexander, a civil rights advocate and author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.”
She told The Final Call she doesn’t believe profit was the primary motive for the drug war and mass incarceration at the outset.
Nonetheless, the numbers are daunting. In 2007, nearly 2.3 million people were locked up in U.S. prisons, the highest incarceration rate in the world. Nearly 1 million Black men and women are incarcerated, 41 percent of total inmates.
According to criminal justice statistics by the NAACP, Blacks are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of Whites; one in six Black men had been incarcerated as of 2001; and one in 100 Black women is currently in prison. The U.S. is five percent of the world population yet has 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, according to an NAACP fact sheet.
This mass incarceration comes out of racial politics stirred up by the Republican Party, attorney Alexander argued. Essentially, she said, the GOP exploited the fears and anxieties of poor working class Whites by launching a movement promising to “get tough” on “those people” and built a campaign around crime and welfare to mobilize poor and working class White voters to defect from the Democratic Party and join the Republican Party in droves.
“But now that the war on drugs and mass incarceration has gained such steam, there’s a whole range of interests that has found that they can profit from caging human beings. And it’s not just the private prison companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but it’s a whole range of corporate interests,” she said.
“You know, taser gun manufacturers, phone companies that gouge prisoners and their families, the private health care providers that provide typically abysmal health care to prisoners, and prison guard unions,” all of whom now lobby for harsh criminal justice policies to try to ensure their profits and jobs will continue for a foreseeable future, attorney Alexander said.
Back in the day, prisons used to have their stock prices posted in the front of the facilities, because guards had employee stock options, according to Alex Friedmann, associate editor of Prison Legal News and president of the Private Corrections Institute, a non-profit advocacy group that opposes the privatization of prisons. He spoke of his past experience of 10 years of incarceration.
“When the guards came into work, they could see how well the company was doing … so they had a vested interest to make sure that the company did well, so that meant cutting back on costs. So if you had to screw prisoners out of something or remove something from them to save money and increase your bottom line, that’s what you would do. …
“It went along the lines of a for-profit industry, you know, ‘These are little money signs, just $45 a day per diem that we make for keeping them in prison, so it’s not really a person, just a number with a dollar sign in front of it,’” Mr. Friedmann said.
But soon employee morale suffered when the stock spiraled downward and people came to work only to find out that their entire savings had been wiped out, he said.
Mr. Friedmann echoed attorney Alexander’s sentiments that the correctional system exploded in the 1980s, and after the military industrial complex went downhill, the prison industrial complex arose. Security resources, law enforcement and military got funneled into the war on drugs and crime rose. But it’s really a war on Americans, citizens accused of crime and recreational drug use, he asserted.
“Our justice system is not only racially skewed but more so it’s class-based. Prison Legal News approaches it from the standpoint that the criminal justice system is primarily management for poor America. … You don’t see a lot of rich people because we have a two-tiered justice system: The poor go to prison and the rich tend to get drug treatment or probation or home confinement or GPS monitoring or something else,” Mr. Friedmann said.
“The poor go to prison and the rich tend to get drug treatment or probation or home confinement or GPS monitoring or something else.” – Alex Friedmann, associate editor of Prison Legal News
The problem, say civil and human rights activists, amounts to a systematic pattern of over-incarceration that needs to be addressed, particularly since more than half of the millions of people in U.S. prisons are non-violent offenders. Chara Fisher Jackson, legal director of the ACLU of Georgia, says the issues of prison overcrowding, lack of access to health care, inhumane treatment and other abuses are happening nationwide, but people have a right to basic human rights regardless of their circumstances.
Alternatives to expensive incarceration
Inmate advocates argue that the nearly $70 billion being spent nationally on corrections each year could be better used on non-vengeful alternatives, like drug treatment and programs that are mental-health focused. But instead of a rehabilitative approach, the country takes a retributive one that requires not an eye for an eye, but an eye and 20 years to life, Mr. Friedmann said.
He cited home monitoring, work service, day fines, split confinement, like weekends in jail or work days and evenings in jail as a few alternative solutions.
The main thing that people need to see is that prisoners are human beings and 95 percent of them will be re-entering their communities, he said.
The options are people who have been abused, degraded, humiliated and treated like slaves or people that have been helped, rehabilitated and served through programs, the prison reform advocate continued.
“I think that would be a simple solution, but not for our country,” he said.
Nathaniel Ali, executive director of the inmate and ex-offender education and resource advocacy group National Association of Brothers and Sisters In & Out of Prison, asserted that problems highlighted by the Georgia inmates exist in institutions nationwide.
These conditions are a continuation of policies tied to economics and “slaveocracy” – prisons profiting off the backs of inmates and their families.
There is a real connection to maintaining poverty through the prison industrial complex, said Mr. Ali. Excessive charges by phone companies for telephone calls are just one example, he added.
Phone calls, price gouging and family suffering
Activists added though prisons scoff at and punish prisoners for using cell phones, the system generated the need for phones because of price gouging for calls and denying inmates access to their families.
“The excessive charges for telephone calls has been an issue for years but now companies are beginning to diversify because there is money to be made,” but not just by MCI, Mr. Ali said.
“What is happening is larger companies are subcontracting with smaller companies who are in turn also billing telephone calls. So in essence, inmates and their families are being double billed for one phone call. If the first minute is $3 and something then it’s going to end up being $6 and something …. Companies are cashing in with the digital technology with what they know is going to be profitable, which is the inmates wanting to hear somebody’s voice on the other end of the line,” he said.
“The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said, ‘Justice is a human need; therefore justice is a human right,’” said Nation of Islam Student Prison Reform Minister Abdullah Muhammad.
He said the needs and rights of families are critical. “The high prices for phone calls cause some family members to block calls from jails and prisons, which can negatively affect family relations. And anything that disrupts family or is against the general welfare of the family is therefore against the aim and purpose of God and creation,” Minister Muhammad said.
According to Prisoners.com, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization, an inmate may open an account with the telephone company and give them money in advance. However, in that instance the prisoner pays about $6.16 for a 15-minute conversation. Comparable service for persons not in prison costs about 75 cents.
“Somebody’s getting rich on the backs of prisoners and their families,” notes the site.
Prisoners.com goes on to note that for collect telephone calls, the inmate’s family must pay about $7 for a 15-minute conversation. If the phone call is disconnected before the allotted time, reconnection fees may apply.
For inmates, who in some cases make as little as $20 to $30 per month, a 30-minute telephone call to a loved one may cost half a month’s wages.
This story first appeared in the Final Call, at http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/article_7536.shtml.
Alex Friedmann
All of Us or None
Atlanta Medical Center
CBC Chair Rep. Barbara Lee
CERT (Correctional Emergency Response Team)
Chara Fisher Jackson
Charlene Muhammad
Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights
Congressional Black Caucus
Congressman John Lewis
Ed Dubose
Elaine Brown
Fannie Lou Hamer
Georgia Department of Corrections
Georgia prison strike
incarceration rate
inhumane conditions
isolation units
Jackson State Prison
Macon State Warden Gregory McLaughlin
Miguel Jackson
Mrs. Delma Jackson
Nathaniel Ali
Nation of Islam Student Prison Reform Minister Abdullah Muhammad
National Association of Brothers and Sisters In & Out of Prison
poor working class Whites
prison economy
prison overcrowding
prison protest
Prison Reform Litigation Act
prisoner assault
prisoner mistreatment
Prisoners.com
Private Corrections Institute
privatization of prisons
retaliatory beatings
Roberta Abdul Salaam
slaveocracy
Smith State Prison
Starla Muhammad
Telfair State Prison
Terrance Bryant Dean
the ACLU of Georgia
the hole
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
the Nation of Islam
The Ordinary People Society
the U.S. Human Rights Network
Tyrone Brooks
Willie Maude Dean
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758800
|
__label__wiki
| 0.791928
| 0.791928
|
GARRICK, J.A.F. (1954)
Studies on New Zealand Elasmobranchii. Part III. A New Species of Triakis (Selachii) from New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 82 (3): 695–702
WHITLEY, G.P. (1968)
A check-list of the fishes recorded from the New Zealand region. Australian Zoologist, 15 (1): 1–102
COMPAGNO, L.J.V. (1973)
Ctenacis and Gollum, two new genera of sharks (Selachii: Carcharhinidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, (Series 4), 39 (14): 257–272
FAO Species Catalogue. Vol 4: Sharks of the world, Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, 4 (2): 251–633
HINE, P.M. & WAIN, J.M. (1987)
Composition and ultrastructure of elasmobranch granulocytes. III. Sharks (Lamniformes). Journal of Fish Biology, 30 (5): 567–576
DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1987.tb05784.x
Sharks of the order Carcharhiniformes. Princeton University Press, New Jersey 1988
HARDY, G.S. (1990)
Fish types in the National Museum of New Zealand. National Museum of New Zealand, Miscellaneous Series, 21: 1–17
HERMAN, J. & HOVESTADT-EULER, M. & HOVESTADT, D.C. (1991)
Contributions to the study of the comparative morphology of teeth and other relevant ichthyodorulites in living superspecific taxa of Chondrichthyan fishes. Part A: Selachii. No. 2c: Order: Carcharhiniformes Families: Proscylliidae, Hemigaleidae, Pseudotriakidae, Leptochariidae and Carcharhinidae. Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Biologie, 61: 73–120
YANO, K. (1993)
Reproductive biology of the slender smoothhound, Gollum attenuatus, collected from New Zealand waters. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 38 (1–3): 59–71
DOI: 10.1007/BF00842904
Distribution and food habits of the slender smoothhound, Gollum attenuatus, from the waters around New Zealand. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, 39 (4): 345–356
MOULD, B. (1997)
Classification of the recent Elasmobranchii. Copyright Brian Mould 1997
CARPENTER, K.E. & NIEM, V.H. (1998)
FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 2. Cephalopods, crustaceans, holothurians and sharks. Rome, FAO. 1998: 687–1396
COMPAGNO, L.J.V. & NIEM, V.H. (1998)
Part Sharks: Hexanchidae, Echinorhinidae, Squalidae, Squatinidae, Heterodontidae, Parascyllidae, Bracheluridae, Orectolobidae, Hemiscyllidae, Odontaspididae, Scyliorhinidae, Proscyllidae, Triakidae, In: K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.), FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome: 1195–1232, 1235–1259, 1264–1267, 1279–1295, 1297–1304, 1312–1360
JACOB, W. & MCCLATCHIE, S. & PROBERT, P.K. & HURST, R.J. (1998)
Demersal fish assemblages off southern New Zealand in relation to depth and temperature. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 45 (12): 2119–2155
DOI: 10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00051-X
CORTÉS, E. (2000)
Life history patterns and correlations in sharks. Reviews in Fisheries Science, 8: 299–344
DOI: 10.1080/10408340308951115
FRANCIS, M.P. & HURST, R.J. & MCARDLE, B.H. & BAGLEY, N.W. & ANDERSON, O.F. (2002)
New Zealand Demersal Fish Assemblages. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 65 (2): 215–234
DOI: 10.1023/A:1020046713411
CAVANAGH, R.D. & KYNE, P.M. & FOWLER, S.L. & MUSICK, J.A. & BENNETT, M.B. (2003)
The Conservation Status of Australasian Chondrichthyans. Report of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Australia and Oceania Regional Red List Workshop. The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
FRANCIS, M.P. (2003)
Gollum attenuatus In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>
Checklist of living Chondrichthyes. In: Hamlett, W.C. (ed.) Reproductive biology and phylogeny of chondrichthyes: sharks, rays and chimaeras, Vol. 3. Endfield, USA: Science Publishers: 503–548
HAMLETT, W.C. & KORMANIK, G. & STORRIE, M. & STEVENS, B. & WALKER, T.I. (2005)
Chondrichthyan parity, lecithotrophy and matrotrophy. In: Hamlett, W.C. (ed.) Reproductive biology and phylogeny of chondrichthyes: sharks, rays and chimaeras, Vol. 3. Endfield, USA: Science Publishers: 395–434
LÓPEZ, J.A. & RYBURN, J.A. & FEDRIGO, O. & NAYLOR, G.J.P. (2006)
Phylogeny of sharks of the family Triakidae (Carcharhiniformes) and its implications for the evolution of carcharhiniform placental viviparity. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40 (1): 50–60
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2006.02.011
KYNE, P.M. & SIMPFENDORFER, C.A. (2007)
A Collation and summarization of available data on deepwater Chondrichthyans: Biodiversity, life history and fisheries. Biodiversity, Life History and Fisheries IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group for the Marine Conservation Biology Institute, 1–137.
YOPAK, K.E. & LISNEY, T.J. & COLLIN, S.P. & MONTGOMERY, J.C. (2007)
Variation in Brain Organization and Cerebellar Foliation in Chondrichthyans: Sharks and Holocephalans. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 69 (4): 280–300
DOI: 10.1159/000100037
YOPAK, K.E. & MONTGOMERY, J.C. (2008)
Brain organization and specialization in deep-sea chondrichthyans. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 71 (4): 287–304
YOPAK, K.E. & LISNEY, T.J. & DARLINGTON, R.B. & COLLIN, S.P. & MONTGOMERY, J.C. & FINLAY, B.L. (2010)
A conserved pattern of brain scaling from sharks to primates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107 (29): 12946–12951
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1002195107
MULL, C.G. & YOPAK, K.E. & DULVY, N.K. (2011)
Does more maternal investment mean a larger brain? Evolutionary relationships between reproductive mode and brain size in chondrichthyans. Marine and Freshwater Research, 62 (6): 567–575
DOI: 10.1071/MF10145
VÉLEZ-ZUAZO, X. & AGNARSSON, I. (2011)
Shark tales: A molecular species-level phylogeny of sharks (Selachimorpha, Chondrichthyes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 58 (2): 207–217
FRANCIS, M.P. & LYON, W.S. (2012)
Review of research and monitoring studies on New Zealand sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras, 2008-2012. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report, 102: 70 p.
NAYLOR, G.J.P. & CAIRA, J.N. & JENSEN, K. & ROSANA, K.A.M. & WHITE, W.T. & LAST, P.R. (2012)
A DNA sequence based approach to the identification of shark and ray species and its implications for global elasmobranch diversity and parasitology. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 367: 262 pp., 102 figures, 5 tables
YOPAK, K.E. & LISNEY, T.J. (2012)
Allometric Scaling of the Optic Tectum in Cartilaginous Fishes. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 80 (2): 108–126
SORENSON, L. & SANTINI, F. & ALFARO, M.E. (2014)
The effect of habitat on modern shark diversification. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27 (8): 1536–1548
DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12405
STEWART, A.L. & DUFFY, C.A.J. (2015)
Family Pseudotriakidae, False catsharks In: The Fishes of New Zealand, (ed) Clive D Roberts, Andrew L Stewart, Carl D Struthers, vol. 2, Systematic Accounts: 90–92
YOPAK, K.E. & LISNEY, T.J. & COLLIN, S.P. (2015)
Not all sharks are “swimming noses”: variation in olfactory bulb size in cartilaginous fishes. Brain Structure & Function, 220 (2): 1127–1143
WEIGMANN, S. (2016)
Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeographical diversity. Journal of Fish Biology, 88 (3): 837–1037
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12874
DUFFY, C. & FRANCIS, M. & DUNN, M. & FINUCCI, B. & FORD, R. & HITCHMOUGH, R. & ROLFE, J. (2018)
Conservation status of New Zealand chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks and rays), 2016. New Zealand Department of Conservation
EBERT, D.A. & AKHILESH, K.V. & WEIGMANN, S. (2019)
Planonasus indicus sp. n., a new species of pygmy false catshark (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Pseudotriakidae), with a revised diagnosis of the genus and key to the family. Marine Biodiversity, 49 (3), 1321–1341
FINUCCI, B. & DUFFY, C.A.J. & FRANCIS, M.P. & GIBSON, C. & KYNE, P.M. (2019)
The extinction risk of New Zealand chondrichthyans. Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 29 (5): 783-797
DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3053
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758802
|
__label__wiki
| 0.951853
| 0.951853
|
Rockin' on the River Cruises
Shark App
Shark on Alexa
Shark Newsletter
Shark Schedule
Aaron "A-Train" Lapierre
Robby Bridges
Shark Mobile App
Shark on Google Home
Shark Club
VIP Breakfast Bar
2019 Year of Service Awards
Pro Partners
Storm Watch
Send Feedback & Requests
Classic Hits For The SeacoastClassic Hits For The Seacoast
The Doors’ Final Filmed Concert to See Release With ‘Live at the Isle of Wight 1970′
Doors fans will have a belated opportunity to revisit one of the later chapters in the band's history with singer Jim Morrison in early 2018, with the release of an audio and video package capturing the group's performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970.
Scheduled for a Feb. 23 release and available to pre-order now, the sensibly titled The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 will be available on CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray or digital format, and offers "completely recut and remixed" footage from what turned out to be the band's final filmed show with Morrison. Held on Aug. 30, 1970, in the midst of Morrison's obscenity trial, it found the Doors falling back on the music that brought them together at a time when outside factors were on the verge of tearing them apart.
"Our set was subdued but very intense," recalled organist Ray Manzarek. "We played with a controlled fury and Jim was in fine vocal form. He sang for all he was worth, but moved nary a muscle. Dionysus had been shackled."
In addition to a new 5.1 Dolby mix supervised by longtime Doors associate Bruce Botnick, The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 boasts a new 17-minute documentary, titled This Is the End, that includes freshly filmed and archival interviews with the surviving band members as well as original manager Bill Siddons. Check out the trailer above, and look over the complete track listing below.
The Doors, 'Live at the Isle of Wight 1970' Track Listing
"Roadhouse Blues"
"Backdoor Man"
"Break on Through (To the Other Side)"
"When the Music's Over"
"Ship of Fools"
"Light My Fire"
"The End (medley): Across The Sea/Away in India/Crossroads Blues/Wake Up"
Next: Top 10 Doors Songs
Source: The Doors’ Final Filmed Concert to See Release With ‘Live at the Isle of Wight 1970′
Cheat Sheet For 'Shark In The Park 2019' in Dover
Portsmouth Business Listings
2019 102.1 & 105.3 The Shark is part of the Loudwire Network, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758803
|
__label__cc
| 0.52886
| 0.47114
|
Home / argentina / Who is Brian Velasquez, the scavenger who saved Galardo's secret notes for the Super Cup against Boca
Who is Brian Velasquez, the scavenger who saved Galardo's secret notes for the Super Cup against Boca
argentina May 18, 2019 argentina
The book has just been released Gallardo Reloaded – written by Diego Borinski and deals with the second part of the coach's biography River (the first is titled Gallardo Monumental– an amazing movie event came out: the cleaner who found DT's notes in the trash bin within a week of the Boca Final and returned it to his owner just in time.
For the uninformed, the reported anecdote includes the theft suffered by doll One night in Palermo, where they broke the cup of his car and stole a briefcase, which contained, among other things, his passport, tablet and folders with all the planning and strategy he would use in the duel back in monumental from Superfinal on Copa Libertadores, And he has as his hero an unknown fan of a scavenger millionaire who found the documents and returned them.
Like any good story, she has a second part as well as her own cheerful You said your side of the facts, this time it was Brian Angel Velasquez do something and leave anonymity.
"I'm 30 years old and I've been working in Cleba for seven years, two as a sender, and five years ago I've been crawling. Here we start work at 11 o'clock in the morning and we go to 6 in the morning, although we usually end earlier. I go to bed at 8 when everyone wakes up because I have about two hours to travel home to a team, and I get up at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, night work is a bit more complicated. We have a route of about 10 or 12 blocks. We make a cord and a tie, that's our job, "began his presentation Chinese, in dialogue with the middle chain 3.
Born in Fuerte Apach and raised in the neighborhood by his grandmother and grandfather – because his mother could not take responsibility – Brian had been installed for several years in Jose Pass, northwest of the Buenos Aires setting, and has a history of shocking life "My old man was sick of the River, and he died while traveling by train monumental, I was hanging in Belgrano Norte while you were traveling in the field, as well as the trains when the river was playing and so they continued to this day: to the balls and everyone was drinking and smoking. He was not fromThe drunkards, but he had a group of people in the neighborhood, as is happening everywhere. He fights, pushes him, falls near Boulon Station and dies. I have recollections of this when he leads me to the yard, so I tell you that we have a very, very deep history with the River."He confesses to Borinski, who connects the two ends of this story.
The main actor in this adventure provided accurate coordinates when everything happened: Friday, November 16, 2018 at night, located on Cordoba Boulevard. Of course, faithful to the style of this fact, its location is the result of a magical chance of destiny. "My supervisor asked if I could cover one of the boys who did not go that night because he was sick. He gave me Avenida Cordoba, from Bullnes to Scarabriini Ortiz. I told him I had no problems"he explained.
"I worked well, as usual, quietly, two blocks before I arrived at Scabarbrini, Cordoba, went to send a basket of paper, we got a key to open it, but I was approaching, I saw a few folders on the River. I have the habit of taking everything that is red and white. Then I caught the folders, saw that they were full, that they had documents inside, and kept them in the tank of the car without looking at them. I continued to work, but after a few blocks I was curious. I had not finished the tour yet, but something made me open it. I left the car parked, went to sit at the entrance to a building with more light and opened the folders. EI began to see the names of players from the River and Boca, small arrows, boxes of formations, bench replacements, spreadsheets with numbers … I did not understand anything. What is this? – I asked. And among so many documents I found a passport that had a tape and the name Gallardo. I opened it and the picture of the doll and her details appeared there. Did you see when your legs are loose? Well, it was. He said to me, will this be a dream or a reality? I wanted to run, too many things went through my head at that moment, I thought there were millions of fans on the river and I had that in my hands. The first thing that went through my mind was that everything was complicated, it was a joke, something Boca's fans would have gone out on the street. Whether in those days nothing is said except for the final and the feeling that he lives on the street was terrible, "he says of the crucial moment.
It was so Brian Do not leave time to go. As soon as he returned from his job, he was awake to a decent time to call Nunis's club and report what he had found. "The girl must have thought it was a fool who was fucking, she asked me to leave the phone and tried to hit her in my eyes, but I could not. It was half an hour and a Marcello assistant called meand he really appreciated that gesture. He asked me how they could get me back and I said I just wanted to meet with mine Napoleon, to hug him, to take him back and take the shirt to the River, "Brian expects what the result will be.
This Saturday morning woke up his partner Carla and his son Matteo, 6, He approached the remission sent by the River, to which his father-in-law and his son-in-law joined him, and went to the Ezeiza estate where they were waiting with open arms. "We'll arrive at Ezeiza at 11 am, we wait at the press office, and at one point the security officer told me to spend only with my wife and my son. I just wanted to run and hug NapoleonI almost ate it, but I set myself up because Marcello should also feel uncomfortable. I told him, "You do not give us a clue what the fans of the River want us to play, we love you!" I asked him how the files had arrived and asked me how I found them. Then I told him very quickly about my father and the only thing I asked him was to win the Cup. There will be 10 minutes between the pictures and the conversations, I noticed it is condescending, I do not know whether because of my emotions or because I found things about him, he thanked me several times ", he smiled.
The question posed by the author of the book and the discoverer of this story at the end of his story is "What would happen if the metal was Boca's fan and escaped to give the notes of Guillermo Baroque the Squat, as if he had the soda formula?"And until there is a specific answer, herself Velasquez He revealed that this man, who had to cover the night, also had feelings River even though it was someonenormal, I'm a few categories above, I'm sick".
How does this economic plan end?
Leo Ponzio's injury, unexpected headache for Marcello Galardo – 16/07/2019
Download the new Plants vs Zombies 3 pre-alpha on Google Play
Breast cancer: targeted treatments for treatment are now a reality
Alberto Fernandez, on the Civilian Voluntary Service: "It is better to do this before they do nothing" – 16/07/2019
Miriam Lanzoni planted Listotti and Dennis Dumas live – 16/07/2019
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758806
|
__label__wiki
| 0.50481
| 0.50481
|
Second Pakistan Film Festival To Be Held In New York
Mariya Haider
The second edition of the Pakistan Film Festival, organised by Pakistan’s Mission to the United Nations will take place in New York from July 7-8, featuring top stars from the country’s movie industry.
Several of the latest films from Pakistan will be shown during the two-day festival at the prestigious Asia Society.
The films that will be screened during the festival include, Na Band Na Baraati, Punjab Nahi Jaongi, Cake, Verna, 7 Din Mohabat In, Parchi, and Lala Begum.
Oscar award winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy will also participate in the festival in a special segment titled ‘Beyond the Oscars’, in which she will discuss her present and future work as well as challenges faced by Pakistan’s film industry. Her animated film, 3 Bahadur was screened during the First Film Festival in New York in December 2016.
Among the galaxy of actors and stars who are expected to participate in the Festival are Mahira Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Sheharyar Munawwar, Aamina Sheikh, Hareem Farooqi, Zeb Bangesh and Mehwish Hayat.
Apart from these celebrities a number of movie directors and producers will also attend the Festival including Mehreen Jabbar and Nadeem Baig.
An enthusiastic advocate of promoting the soft image of Pakistan through cultural diplomacy, Pakistan’s Ambassador to UN Maleeha Lodhi organised the first ever Pakistan film festival in the US in December 2016 in New York. The second festival is part of her continued efforts to project the country’s soft power.
The festival will be followed by a reception on June 9 at the United Nations where Ambassadors, UN officials and media representatives accredited to the UN will be invited, as well as members of the Pakistani diaspora.
Have anything to add?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758812
|
__label__wiki
| 0.762753
| 0.762753
|
The 10-man rotation, starring Dirk, Pau and high bars to clear
Dan Devine
Ball Don't Lie September 9, 2015, 11:22 PM UTC
February 15, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Eastern Conference forward Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls (16) with the ball as Western Conference forward Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks (41) defends during the first half of the 2015 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: RealGM. Jonathan Tjarks on how we've been waiting for the next Dirk Nowitzki and the next Pau Gasol for a decade and a half, and how we're still waiting, and why we should celebrate that.
PF: Bleacher Report. Jared Zwerling gets the famously guarded Tim Duncan to open up ... about the car customization shop he owns, at least. Hey, it's something.
SF: NBA.com. A good read from Ian Thomsen on how veteran reserve big man Matt Bonner took time this summer to lay the groundwork for the next chapter in his professional life after his playing days finish up.
SG: ClipperBlog. D.J. Foster on Lance Stephenson, the wild card whose play could be the key to the Los Angeles Clippers getting over the hump and getting past the second round. (Or not.)
PG: Los Angeles Times. Steve Ballmer's reportedly looking for $100 million per year for the rights to broadcast Los Angeles Clippers games locally, and more on the possibility of the former Microsoft CEO creating a new service that would stream Clippers games online rather than air them on cable.
6th: The Triangle. Missed this last week while out on vacation, but Zach Lowe's report on the "rising tide of optimism among ownership sources, player agents, union officials, and other stakeholders that the league might avoid the once-assumed lockout of 2017" offers a burst of sunshine that we NBA obsessives could always use.
7th: Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Chris Vivlamore on the relationship between Dikembe Mutombo and the city of Atlanta, which has continued long after he no longer suited up for the Hawks.
8th: SB Nation. The All-Decades Team project rolls on, with Tom Ziller arguing that Scottie Pippen was the second-best player of the 1990s and Paul Flannery sparing a few words for Patrick Ewing, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, but not one of the three best centers of his decade.
9th: BBall Breakdown. James Holas considers the hurdles that Reggie Jackson and Michael Carter-Williams will have to leap in their first full seasons with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively, as they try to push their teams toward contention in the Eastern Conference.
10th: Sporting News. Adi Joseph chops it up with Derrick Favors about his quiet, gradual growth into one of the leaders of a Utah Jazz team that many expect to compete for a playoff spot this season.
Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
Follow @YourManDevine
Stay connected with Ball Don't Lie on Twitter @YahooBDL, "Like" BDL on Facebook and follow BDL's Tumblr for year-round NBA talk, jokes and more.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758816
|
__label__wiki
| 0.671881
| 0.671881
|
Tue 2 Apr, 2019, 8:30 PM (EDT)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Atlanta Hawks - 4/2/19 NBA Pick, Odds, and Prediction
Created: 4/2/19
Atlanta Hawks at San Antonio Spurs
Tuesday April 2, 2019, 8:30 PM (EDT)
The Line: San Antonio -11
FSSE, FSSW
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Hawks and the San Antonio Spurs duke it out at the AT&T Center on Tuesday night.
The Atlanta Hawks have nothing to play for at this stage of the season, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing some of their best basketball of the season as they’ve won four of their last five games and are coming into this one fresh off a 136-135 overtime home win over the shorthanded Bucks on Sunday. Justin Anderson led the team in scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds, John Collins and Alex Len each scored 23 points while DeAndre Bembry chipped in with 16 points off the bench, but the player of the night was once again Trae Young who sunk a tear drop putback layup at the buzzer to finish with 12 points and 16 assists. However, it has to be said that the Bucks were severely shorthanded for this one as Brook Lopez was their only healthy starter. With the win, Atlanta improved to 28-49 overall and 16-23 at home.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs were red-hot during their nine-game win streak, but they’ve since cooled off with four losses in their last six outings after falling to the Kings in a 113-106 home loss on Sunday. LaMarcus Aldridge led the team with 27 points and 18 rebounds, Rudy Gay added 18 points while DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes scored 16 and 15 points respectively. As a team, the Spurs shot 46 percent from the field and eight of 27 from the 3-point line, but the Spurs looked like they didn’t have their minds in the game which led to coach Gregg Popovich getting ejected early in the third quarter for going after the official. With the tough loss, San Antonio fell to 44-33 overall and 30-9 at home which is good for seventh place in the Western Conference standings.
Looking at the betting trends, the Hawks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight road games, 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a winning record and 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall. The Spurs are 0-4 ATS in their last four games against a team with a losing record, 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss and 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
Head to head, the home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, the Hawks are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings overall and the Hawks are 4-13-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings in San Antonio.
These two teams have only met once so far this season, with the Spurs winning by 111-104 back on Mar 6, but the Hawks have been on a nice run since the last meeting while the Spurs are currently on a bit of a slide which has seen them fall down the standings. This seems like a lot of free points to be giving the streaky Hawks, but I’m going with the Spurs to respond with a big win following their disappointing effort in their last outing.
San Antonio -11
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758817
|
__label__wiki
| 0.865023
| 0.865023
|
Did Jews “take over” 73% of their land from Palestinians?
I found an article by Matt Giwer saying that the cause of the Israeli-Arab war is that
The Jews, [...] did in fact steal the land from the Palestinians. They actually bought and paid for at most 9% of it. In 1948 they took over 73% of it.
Did Israel own the lands it occupied in 1948, according to international law? Is the 73% figure correct?
politics israel palestine
Andrew Grimm
George ChalhoubGeorge Chalhoub
Possible duplicate: skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/13777/… – Sklivvz♦ Jul 22 '14 at 17:45
PAY ATTENTION: Diatribes about different points of view on this very contentious issue are going to be shut down. Focus on writing answers that describe the diatribe instead of taking a position; make sure you have plenty of strong, unbiased sources to support your answer; strictly only use comments for improving the question and not debating. – Sklivvz♦ Jul 22 '14 at 17:49
The person making the claim is a holocaust denier. This doesn't mean that everything he says is false, but it hardly seems worthwhile evaluating statements made by such a person, unless he has a large following. – Andrew Grimm Aug 9 '14 at 14:12
@Sklivvz - on one hand, thanks! you have significantly improved the question (I still have some issues with it, like notability as per Andrew Grimm's comment, but at least it is now 100% consistent). However, the problem arises that NEITHER of the 2 answers are now valid, as they both are mostly/entirely about post-1967 occupied territories; and don't in any way address the 1948 situation. I'll try to radically adjust mine to the new wording, but I feel that georgechalhoub's is 100% inapplicable to new version as well. – user5341 Aug 10 '14 at 23:31
I don't interpret the claim as "the state of Israel" stealing land from "the state of Palestine" (which did not exist), but rather as Jewish settlers driving away a native Palestinian population (1949). – gerrit Aug 13 '14 at 19:02
Did Zionists “take over” 73% of their land from Palestinians?
"Take over" is a bit vague, and subject to interpretation. The situation is muddled enough that it is not really valid to say "yes" or "no" to that objectively.
As the question currently focuses on 1948, let's look at the immediate history lead up to, and following that period.
In 1947, the United Nations passed Resolution 181, which outlined the establishment of a legally recognized Independant Arab State as well as the state of Israel.
The Palestinian Arabs refused to acknowledge or comply with Resolution 181:
p. 396 The immediate trigger of the 1948 War was the November 1947 UN partition resolution. … The Palestinian Arabs, along with the rest of the Arab world, said a flat “no”… The Arabs refused to accept the establishment of a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. And, consistently with that “no,” the Palestinian Arabs, in November–December 1947, and the Arab states in May 1948, launched hostilities to scupper the resolution’s implementation.
Benny Morris (2008). 1948: a history of the first Arab-Israeli war
The land Israel declared the state of Israel territory was allocated to them by a UN-passed agreement. Arguably, they were given the initial land, rather than taking it from the Palestinians (and since the Palestinian Arabs rejected the resolution that would grant them their own recognized independent state, the Palestinian independent state did not come into existence).
After the Arab-Israeli war, the armistice agreements increased the volume of land held by Israel, but did not give them ownership. Again, "take over" is vague and arguable in this case.
In 1948 they took over 73% of it.
The division that was supposed to occur according to Resolution 181 would have resulted in the Jewish State comprising roughly 5,500 square miles, or about 56 percent of Palestine. The Arab State was to be 4,500 square miles. Source.
While that source could be argued as biased, anti-zionist sources agree with the division being roughly 56% allocated to the Israelis, and 44% allocated to the Arabs.
In 1949, Israel wound up with control over a significantly larger area than was outlined in the 1947 UN plan, but that was the result of the armistice agreements signed by the aggressor Arab states who had attacked Israel on the day it was formed. Israel did not own this additional land, as the agreements were quite specific that the borders were temporary.
The armistice agreements were intended to serve only as interim agreements until replaced by permanent peace treaties, but no peace treaties were actually signed until decades later.
Did Israel own the lands it occupied in 1948, according to international law?
No, not really. However, the concept of international law simply did not apply to the situation in 1948.
International law applies between nations and states, and the participation of members is generally consensual. Consent is typically provided through the signing of treaties, and these treaties grant rights to International Courts to provide rulings in areas of dispute. There are numerous international bodies created by treaties adjudicating on legal issues where they may have jurisdiction. The only one claiming universal jurisdiction is the United Nations Security Council.
The UK had terminated their official oversight of the area by declaring the end of Mandatory Palestone on May 14, 1948, and therefore no international laws applying to the UK were applicable from that date, unless a new governing state or nation claiming control of part or all of the region were to sign a reciprocal treaty.
As the newly-founded state of Israel had signed no treaties with other nations regarding land-ownership.
Similarly, the Palestinian Arabs had signed no such treaties.
So, at this point, no international law applied.
Israel was recognized as a member state of the United Nations on May 11, 1949.
However, even then the legal territory was not defined. In September of 1949, the United Nations Concilliation Committee for Palestine put forth a number of recommendations regarding the establishment of a permanent regime in the area:
The Commission has drawn up a plan which, in its opinion,can be applied in the present circumstances. This should not, however, be interpreted as in any way prejudging the final settlement of the territorial question in Palestine. It is the considered opinion of the Commission that the provisions of the proposed Instrument are sufficiently flexible to make it possible for the Instrument, with certain modifications, to be applied to any territorial situation that might emerge from the final settlement of the Palestine problem, and that it can be adopted by the General Assembly at its forthcoming session if the Assembly thinks fit.
In view of the fact that the question of the demarcation line between the Arab and Jewish zones of the area of Jerusalem (article 2) is intimately connected with the final settlement of the Palestine problem, the Commission has not deemed it advisable for the present to make any proposal as to the actual demarcation line. The Commission believes that the Instrument can be put into effect with the present armistice line as a provisional demarcation line, without prejudice to the establishment of a definitive line at a later stage.
(Emphasis mine).
So, to summarize: No, the Jews did not take 73% of their land from the Palestinians. No, they did not legally own the land they occupied in the time period, but neither did the Palestinian Arabs or anyone else, as they were disputed territories not yet covered by international treaties or laws.
BeofettBeofett
You conflate property ownership with political territorial sovereignty. The question is about the former, and whether it was paid for. – Keith McClary Mar 14 '18 at 3:49
@KeithMcClary take a look at my first sentence. Then note that the question underwent many major revisions. At the time I answered, the focus was on whether international law supported Israeli takeover of the land. Also note that the question asks whether Israel owns the land, not individual Israeli citizens. – Beofett Mar 14 '18 at 10:53
In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition British Palestine Mandate territory, by allotting 55% to the Jewish population and 45% to the Arab population.(1). The Palestinian Arabs and surrounding Arab states rejected the division of the land on which they had settled and lived for years.(2) (in the interest of fairness Jews were also settled and lived in that land for centuries), and the partition as designed by the UN was not implemented (3). With the Mandate 'wind-down' approaching, armed conflict between elements of the Arab and Jewish populations increased rapidly(4)
In 1948, the Jewish Agency officially announced the establishment of the State of Israel on the territory as defined by the partition plan. 5 Rejecting that fact, the armies of the five neighbouring Arab states attacked Israel. The Israeli forces defeated the attacking Arab armies and in the process gained more land.(6)
In 1949, Israel controlled 77% of the land (up from 55% as per the partition plan before the Arab states attacked): all sectors except the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. 7During these events more than half of Palestine’s native Arab population fled (mostly under urging from neighbouring Arab leaders), 531 villages were destroyed, and eleven urban neighbourhoods were emptied of their inhabitants. (8). 700,000 Palestinian Arab refugees resulted from these actions. 9
Data from the Report of UNSCOP: 3 September 1947: CHAPTER 4: A COMMENTARY ON PARTITION
Benny Morris (2008). 1948: a history of the first Arab-Israeli war. Yale University Press. pp. 66, 67, 72. Retrieved 24 July 2013. " p.66, at 1946 "The League demanded independence for Palestine as a “unitary” state, with an Arab majority and minority rights for the Jews." ; p.67, at 1947 "The League’s Political Committee met in Sofar, Lebanon, on 16–19 September, and urged the Palestine Arabs to fight partition, which it called “aggression,” “without mercy.” The League promised them, in line with Bludan, assistance “in manpower, money and equipment” should the United Nations endorse partition." ; p. 72, at Dec 1947 "The League vowed, in very general language, “to try to stymie the partition plan and prevent the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine"
Itzhak Galnoor (1995). The Partition of Palestine: Decision Crossroads in the Zionist Movement. SUNY Press. pp. 289–. ISBN 978-0-7914-2193-2. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
Benny Morris, Righteous Victims (Vintage Books, 2001), 196-214; John Quigley, The Case For Palestine, An International Law Perspective, Revised and Updated (Duke University Press, 2005) 39-44, 57-65
The Question of Palestine and the United Nations, (U.N., 2008), 9, 10
John Quigley, The Case For Palestine, An International Law Perspective, Revised and Updated (Duke University Press, 2005) 39-44, 57-65; see also, Ari Shavit, My Promised Land, (Spiegel & Grau, 2013), 273-333 (For an example of the displacement, dispossession and murder of Palestinians in Lydda, July 1948)
John Quigley, The Case For Palestine, An International Law Perspective, Revised and Updated (Duke University Press, 2005) 89; see also, Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall, (W.W. Norton & Company, 2001), 47 (“Israel had expanded its territory from 55 percent of Mandatory Palestine allocated to it by the United Nations to 79 percent.”); see also, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1949_Armistice_Agreements
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, (One World Publications, 2008), xii-xiii.
The United Nations and the Palestinian Refugees, (UNRWA, January 2007), 2, 6; ; see also, http://www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees, see also, Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall, (W.W. Norton & Company, 2001), 54; Rabbi Michael Lerner, Embracing Israel/Palestine, (Tikkun Books, 2012), 123-139.
Benjol
I've taken the original, full answer, and restricted to the relevant "194x" bullet points to make this an answer to the question. I have removed all the comments as obsolete. – Sklivvz♦ Aug 13 '14 at 12:34
The answer still does not address the "international law" portion of the question, which seems to be the crux of the new wording of the question. I also feel the current phrasing is misleading, as it implies that Israel just started arbitrarily attacking Palestinians, and completely omits the concerted attacks by multiple Arab nations that precipitated the conflict. It also deliberately conflates control of territory that was explicitly, under the agreed-upon armistices, not ownership, with "gain[ing] more Palestinian land". This is deeply biased, and addresses the question poorly, at best – Beofett Aug 13 '14 at 17:05
Aside. Reading here and elsewhere, you could get the impression that the UN pulled the partition plan out of a hat. Just skimming the UNSCOP report (cited 1 above) shows that a heck of a lot of thought and research went into it. (Beware of thinking our predecessors were stupid...) – Benjol Aug 14 '14 at 7:19
Other answers took care of "in 1948 they took over 73% of it." I would like to address the "The Jews, [...] did in fact steal the land from the Palestinians. They actually bought and paid for at most 9% of it." part which is true.
Although Estimaties of the total volume of land that Jews had purchased by 15 May 1948 are complicated by illegal and unregistered land transfers, as well as by the lack of data on land concessions from the Palestine administration after 31 March 1936.
According to Avneri, Jews held 1,850,000 dunams (1,850 km2) of land in 1947, or 6.94% of the total.
source:Avneri, Aryeh L. (1984). The Claim of Dispossession: Jewish Land-Settlement and the Arabs, 1878–1948., p. 224 Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-87855-964-0.
Stein gives the estimate of 2,000,000 dunams (2,000 km2) as of May 1948, or 7.51% of the total
source: Stein, Kenneth W. (1987) [Original in 1984]. The Land Question in Palestine, 1917–1939., pp. 3–4, 247 University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-4178-5.
This is a map showing Jewish-owned regions in Palestine as of 1947 in blue, constituting 6% of the total land area, of which more than half was held by the JNF and PICA. The Jewish population had increased from 83,790 in 1922 to 608,000 in 1946.
By Oncenawhile, Dank Chicken - http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/israel_hist_1973.jpg, http://booksand-ebooks.com/political-commentary/israel-palestine-land-division, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24952459
and this is a map of landownership by district:
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandatory_Palestine#/media/File:Palestine_Land_ownership_by_sub-district_(1945).jpg
alternative source: https://unispal.un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/dcb71e2bf9f2dca585256cef0073ed5d/a73996728ba8b94785256d560060cd1a?OpenDocument - Evargalo
after the 1948, Israel passed a series of laws called The 'Absentees Property Law' which allowed Israel to takeover arab-owned land.
As a result, two million dunams were confiscated and given to the custodian, who later transferred the land to the development authority. This law created the novel citizenship category of "present absentees" (nifkadim nohahim), persons present at the time but considered absent for the purpose of the law. These Israeli Arabs enjoyed all civil rights-including the right to vote in the Knesset elections-except one: the right to use and dispose of their property. About 30,000-35,000 Palestinians became "present absentees".[27]
According to Simha Flapan,[28] "a detailed account of exactly how abandoned Arab property assisted in the absorption of the new immigrants was prepared by Joseph Schechtman":
It is difficult to overestimate the tremendous role this lot of abandoned Arab property has played in the settlement of hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants who have reached Israel since the proclamation of the state in May 1948. Forty-seven new rural settlements established on the sites of abandoned Arab villages had by October 1949 already absorbed 25,255 new immigrants. By the spring of 1950 over 1 million dunams had been leased by the custodian to Jewish settlements and individual farmers for the raising of grain crops.
Large tracts of land belonging to Arab absentees have also been leased to Jewish settlers, old and new, for the raising of vegetables. In the south alone, 15,000 dunams of vineyards and fruit trees have been leased to cooperative settlements; a similar area has been rented by the Yemenites Association, the Farmers Association, and the Soldiers Settlement and Rehabilitation Board. This has saved the Jewish Agency and the government millions of dollars. While the average cost of establishing an immigrant family in a new settlement was from $7,500 to $9,000, the cost in abandoned Arab villages did not exceed $1,500 ($750 for building repairs and $750 for livestock and equipment).
Abandoned Arab dwellings in towns have also not remained empty. By the end of July 1948, 170,000 people, notably new immigrants and ex-soldiers, in addition to about 40,000 former tenants, both Jewish and Arab, had been housed in premises under the custodian's control; and 7,000 shops, workshops and stores were sublet to new arrivals. The existence of these Arab houses-vacant and ready for occupation-has, to a large extent, solved the greatest immediate problem which faced the Israeli authorities in the absorption of immigrants. It also considerably relieved the financial burden of absorption
So,yes if you define steal as ( take without consent ) Israel did steal land from the Palestinian arabs / Israeli-Palestinians.
In the same source, we have this:
The Custodian of Absentee Property does not choose to discuss politics. But when asked how much of the land of the state of Israel might potentially have two claimants — an Arab and a Jew holding respectively a British Mandate and an Israeli deed to the same property — Mr. Manor [the Custodian in 1980] believes that 'about 70 percent' might fall into that category (Robert Fisk, 'The Land of Palestine, Part Eight: The Custodian of Absentee Property', The Times, December 24, 1980, quoted in his book Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War).
which might explain the origin of the confusion, There are 4 separate facts which were corrupted to result in your claim:
Israel took 73% of what was mandatory Palestine - true
Jews privately and collectively owned a small part of the land (6-9%)- true
Israel stole land from the arab land owners - true ( under a certain definition of stealing)
the land stolen from the arab land owners is 70% of the Israeli land - disputed (The Jewish Virtual Library, estimates that Custodial and Absentee land comprises 12% of Israel's total territory).
EmanuelTongaEmanuelTonga
While it's true that israel took 73% of what was mandatory Palestine, the other answers make it clear that it wasn't stealing, unless you count "being defeated in open war and signing out your land" as stealing. – T. Sar Mar 13 '18 at 11:43
+1 This is the best answer because it gives information about private property where the others focus on state territory - and before 1948 there was neither an Israeli nor a Palestinian state, so the concept of state ownership is at least very subjective. But we should also note than although Jewish land ownership was only circa 7% in 1945, this doesn't mean that Arab ownership was 93%: "Public and other" is also represented on your second map. So not all the land that became Israeli was taken (or stolen) from Arabs. Some was just left over by British administration. ../.. – Evargalo Mar 13 '18 at 14:10
../.. Also the land that is owned by citizens of Israel who are Muslim or Christian is counted in the 73% of Palestine under Israeli rule, but it cannot be said to have taken (even less stolen) from Palestinians. – Evargalo Mar 13 '18 at 14:13
@T.Sar yes, that's stealing. In fact, when has a state ever taken land without "defeating the original occupants in open war." You have two options, terrorize the indigenous people into fleeing or subdue them with force. Both seem to fit comfortably under "theft" (as in hostile dispossession). – Evan Carroll Mar 13 '18 at 15:58
The source supporting the wiki map returns 404. I suggest updating the source to this UN link: unispal.un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/0/… – Evargalo Mar 13 '18 at 17:15
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged politics israel palestine .
Is this map of Israel-occupied territory accurate?
Did David Attenborough say that Israelis are more cruel than any animal?
Are there discriminatory laws against Israelis marrying Palestianians?
Did Palestinians from the PA with family reunification based IDs engage in terror activities, pre-2003?
Did George Bush take over a year of leave as President?
Did early Hamas receive some support from Israel?
Was the Jewish flag one of only two flags allowed in Nazi Germany?
Were 700000 Arab Palestinians forced out of their homes by Zionists?
Did the ban on Israeli travellers postdate the construction of Israeli settlements which displaced Palestinians?
Did Ben Gurion say this about conquering Palestinian land?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758820
|
__label__wiki
| 0.936122
| 0.936122
|
Destinations, Asia
Turkey’s 2020 Olympics bid still has wide public support, organizers say
- Jun 04, 2013 12:43 am
Turkey’s betting on 2020 Olympics bid to continue its ascent on the global stage — along with helping tourism in the country as well. That’s an agenda hopefully the larger public is behind as well, despite political unrest.
— Rafat Ali
Olympic bidders say the Turkish people “remain united” in the effort to hold the 2020 Summer Games in Istanbul despite fierce anti-government protests in recent days.
As riot police used tear gas against protesters Monday for a fourth straight day in Istanbul, two senior IOC officials said the unrest should not harm the bid.
The demonstrations grew out of anger over a violent police crackdown of a peaceful environmental protest at Istanbul’s Taksim Square and spread to other Turkish cities. The protests by mostly secular Turks have spiraled into Turkey’s biggest anti-government disturbances in years.
The protests are seen as a display of frustration with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who critics say has become increasingly authoritarian.
Istanbul bid organizers say they’re monitoring the demonstrations in Istanbul “very carefully.” While they’re buoyed by the “positive community spirit in helping to clean up and repair damage,” the situation remains fluid.
“Despite these recent events, all sections of Turkey remain united in our dream to host our nation’s first ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020,” Istanbul 2020 said in a statement. “The slogan for our Olympic bid is ‘Bridge Together’ and there is a common desire to unite in the Olympic spirit and show the world that we can work together for a better Turkey.”
Istanbul is vying with Madrid and Tokyo, with the International Olympic Committee to select the host city on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Denis Oswald, a candidate to succeed IOC President Jacques Rogge in September, said Monday the protests shouldn’t threaten the bid — at least for now.
“It’s a beginning of a protest that can happen in any democratic country,” the Swiss IOC member and international rowing federation chief said. “For the time being we’ll see how it develops, how important this protest is. We have had that in many countries where we had Olympic Games.
“I don’t think it would necessarily affect the candidature. We are still three months away from the decision. It will depend if this continues and develops, but for the time being I don’t think it’s a real threat for the candidature.”
IOC Vice President Thomas Bach of Germany, another presidential candidate, also dismissed the protests as a factor in the bidding.
“It’s not going to have any influence on the decision of the IOC members,” he told German agency dpa. “All of them are experienced enough to realize that you are talking about a bid for the Olympic Games in seven years.”
All three bid teams made presentations to the SportAccord conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week — each claiming to be the safest and most financially secure choice. Istanbul is bidding for a fifth time.
“In the past, Turkey bid for the games as an emerging nation,” Istanbul bid leader Hasan Arat told the conference last week. “This time, Turkey is bidding as an emerged nation.”
The IOC evaluation commission will issue a report on June 25 assessing the three bids and the candidate cities will make presentations directly to IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 3.
Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Tags: istanbul, olympics, turkey
Photo Credit: A demonstrator waves a Turkish flag with a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during an anti-government protest at Taksim Square in central Istanbul June 2, 2013. Murad Sezer / Reuters
Raini Hamdi, Skift
Will Indonesia’s Olympics Bid Ever Have a Tourism Upside?
Guam Visitors Bureau + Skift
The Evolution of a Destination: This Island Is Tapping History to Build a Better, Forward-Looking Tourism Industry
Turkey Tops European Tourism Growth…Again
Dan Peltier, Skift
Turkey’s Weak Economy Entices Travelers With Good Deals
Thomas Cook Looks to Turkey and Egypt to Ease Its Pain in Spain
Want to talk about an easy public relations win? This is it. Hotel business and politics don’t mix. https://t.co/W51TYZqm8L
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758821
|
__label__wiki
| 0.593768
| 0.593768
|
Manos Kourtis
Manos Kourtis was born in Thessaloniki of Greece on the 4th of August 1980. From a very young age he showed all his interest in music. This automatically drove him to private lessons, learning the classical guitar at the age of 9, with Michael Hatzianastasiou.
At the age of 15 he records his first album, "Forever", with his band "Creation's Ode".
By the age of 16 he becomes a well known guitar player in his home town, collaborating with several artists of pop, rock, metal and Greek tranditional music.
At the age of 18 he meets Vaggelis Tsotridis, with whom he starts private lessons in jazz guitar. At the same period, he studies classical harmony at the concervatorium of Kostas Matsigkos. He completes his studies in 2005 and recieves his diplomas in Classical Harmony and Electric Guitar.
All over the years he's worked with several famous singers and musicians of his country.
While building his career, he is also teaching jazz harmony and guitar at music schools and conservatoriums. At the same time, he is playing at concert halls, giving a lot of seminars and recording several albums all over Greece.
In 2006 he is encouraged by Vaggelis Tsotridis to take the exams at the Universal of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, which he passes with full success and studies there for the next years. Meanwhile he is taking classes of jazz music with worldwide known musicians, such as Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, Mike stern, John Scofield, John Ambercrombie, Joshua Redman, Charlie Haden, etc.
He graduates in 2011 with the title of Jazz Harmony specialized in Jazz Guitar.
All these years, his need to express his love in music, has made him compose several albums and create studies of music, having as a main goal to find and present his personal inner.
Today Manos Kourtis is a teacher and composer, with his own albums, based on his personal musical forms, always searching new paths in music harmonies and forms, in order to develop his own style.
Promises Manos Kourtis
When the Stars Fall Asleep Manos Kourtis
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758822
|
__label__wiki
| 0.717656
| 0.717656
|
The New Diploma Mills
Rushing to boost graduation rates, more school districts are relying on “online credit recovery”—a form of instruction that may be selling students short.
By Zoe Kirsch
Kellan Jett
This is the first part of the Big Shortcut, an eight-part series exploring the exponential rise in online learning for high school students who have failed traditional classes.
Florida’s superintendents had a graduation problem.
Nearly a decade ago, state officials decreed that starting in 2009 graduation data would factor into the letter grades assigned to individual schools. The stakes were high: Consecutive failing marks meant that the state could mandate major changes, like replacing the school’s principal; significant improvement, or an A grade, translated into extra cash for perks like teacher bonuses and athletic equipment.
The policy change worried Reginald James, then the superintendent of the Gadsden County School District on the Florida Panhandle. By 2010, Gadsden’s graduation rate had fallen to a bleak 43 percent, the second worst performance of any district in the state.
So at the start of the 2010–11 school year, James initiated a host of new efforts: lecturing parents about the importance of keeping their teenagers on track, meeting with guidance counselors to review student performance, and pouring money into an after-school ACT tutoring program (at the time, kids had to pass the ACT, the SAT, or a state standardized test in order to graduate). For his efforts he saw a 12-point boost in the graduation rate—pretty good, but not nearly high enough.
The summer after that exhausting school year drew to a close, James heard about a different way to raise Gadsden’s graduation rates: online credit recovery.
Despite its anodyne name, online credit recovery promised a radical turnaround in student performance. It was cheaper than any other option; it was easier; and, James says, “It was getting results” in other districts around the state. He bought in, licensing a virtual program called EdOptions for students in his district who had failed in-person classes and needed another way to graduate on time. “I was driven by what we needed to do,” James says.
Before long, district officials started seeing results, and by 2016 Gadsden’s graduation rate had swelled to 68.4 percent. And as that metric improved, local reliance on online credit recovery grew: A whopping estimated 90 percent of the district’s high school students were enrolled in at least one online credit recovery course as of last November, according to Gadsden’s virtual school administrator, Carolyn Francis, who oversees online learning in the district. (District officials later told the Teacher Project that the number was inaccurate but declined to provide an updated figure.) The average pupil in Gadsden will take two or three of the virtual classes before graduation, most in core subjects like math and English, Francis said.
What has happened in Gadsden shows how the push to rank schools based on measures like graduation rates—codified by the No Child Left Behind Act and still very much a fact of life in American public education—has transformed the country’s approach to secondary education, as scores of districts have outsourced core instruction to computers and downgraded the role of the traditional teacher. It also offers a glimpse into what that shift means for the students who are increasingly dependent on online courses to help prepare them for college and the workforce. Spoiler: The view from the ground suggests that many online credit recovery courses are subpar substitutes for traditional classroom instruction.
When James and superintendents across the nation embraced online credit recovery, they were responding, justifiably, to a daunting demand to boost graduation rates—one that their chosen solution has since helped meet.
But in doing so, they’ve created a new need: ensuring that diplomas earned partially in virtual classrooms aren’t also virtually meaningless.
Students complete coursework in the virtual learning lab of West Gadsden High, 30 miles outside of Tallahassee, Florida.
Zoë Kirsch
When online education emerged about two decades ago, many experts and onlookers believed it would be used at the K-12 level primarily to fill gaps in curricula, allowing students in rural schools to take classes that might not otherwise be available, like Mandarin and Advanced Placement physics. But many schools have instead relied on virtual learning as a crutch to lets kids retake—and sometimes retake and retake—core subjects that they failed the first time around.
Online credit recovery, which started proliferating in earnest nearly a decade ago, has morphed into a booming, baffling business in which dozens of companies of varying quality compete to sell school districts the latest virtual versions of courses like English II and geometry. Though the phenomenon is transforming American high school education, particularly in struggling communities like Gadsden, there are no comprehensive national statistics addressing how many districts are using it. Any existing data is limited or incomplete. “The bottom line is there really aren’t good numbers,” said John Watson, founder of the Evergreen Education Group, a consulting company dedicated to online learning. But “one of the things we have come to believe is that credit recovery makes up a very significant part of online courses.”
Almost 90 percent of school districts use some form of credit recovery, according to a 2011 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (the center doesn’t distinguish between online and other forms). And data cited by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, a trade group, shows that at least 75 percent of districts use some form of online learning. So we can say this about online credit recovery: It’s pretty big.
A set of misaligned incentives has helped fuel the industry’s rise. Following nearly two decades of sweeping change in federal and state policy, states put increased emphasis on data-based outcomes, including graduation rates, when evaluating schools. Desperate for ways to help their students and boost their numbers, under-resourced districts have turned to the affordability and ease of online education. Because at-risk students often find it easier to earn diplomas online, they too have embraced the change.
Across the country, many school districts, including several of the nation’s largest, have seen graduation rates soar after introducing online credit recovery.
In Nashville, that metric increased from 70 percent in 2007 to 81.6 percent in 2015 following the introduction of online credit recovery. But teachers told the Nashville Scene that the classes were a poor substitute for face-to-face learning. “We’ve made it easier to graduate, but students aren’t getting more prepared for college when the graduation rates go up,” one high school teacher said in an interview with the Teacher Project last fall. (The instructor requested anonymity to avoid jeopardizing his job.) “I see kids graduating who I know cannot demonstrate competency in reading or math,” he said.
In Los Angeles, officials introduced online credit recovery during the 2015–16 school year, around the time that the school board put in place strict new graduation guidelines. Their efforts were promptly rewarded when the city’s projected graduation rate grew from 54 percent to 75 percent in a single year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In Georgia, where half a million high schoolers enrolled in more than 20,700 online credit recovery classes in 2015, officials admitted that the courses had helped the state improve its graduation rate. But a review by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that just 10 percent of students who passed online credit recovery classes in subjects included on the state’s standardized test that year were actually proficient in the relevant areas. “They’ve created a second-class credit,” said Jeremy Noonan, a former teacher in Georgia’s Douglas County.
State investigations—or investigations of any kind—into the prevalence and quality of online credit recovery remain rare.
While many state education departments have started to review online education providers, few bar districts from using companies that don’t meet their standards. Most fail to track the number of students enrolled in online credit recovery courses statewide, and almost none caps the number of virtual classes a student can take in order to qualify for a diploma.
The qualitative research that does exist suggests a huge range among online credit recovery courses and a disturbing lack of quality control. The students most in need of inspiring teachers are all too often placed in front of computer screens and told to learn material independently, without adequate support. “Kids who need the most engagement in learning are in a weird virtual reality that confirms learning is something to hate,” said Sabrina Anfossi Kareem, a high school teacher who has helped support students taking online courses at Chicago’s Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy.
When, nine years ago, officials at the National Collegiate Athletic Association noticed a spike in the number of online credit recovery courses appearing on high school transcripts, it ended up undertaking its own review. Under a set of requirements adopted by its member schools, the NCAA now contacts school districts to gauge how much time online courses take to complete and how much interaction students have with instructors.
The vast majority fails to pass muster, according to Nick Sproull, whose high school review department oversees inspection efforts for the NCAA. That means many students who rely heavily on online credit recovery have to find another way to complete the required coursework—or be rendered ineligible to compete in college-level sports. The NCAA receives about 100,000 applications every year from students seeking eligibility to play.
One study from the American Institutes for Research showed that Chicago students recovering Algebra 1 credit in an online class weren’t as successful as peers who received face-to-face instruction. The online students also reported liking math less than their peers and feeling less confident in their skills. “For some of the most highly at-risk and generally low-achieving students, the study provides some important cautions about online credit recovery,” said Jessica Heppen, the study’s lead author. “The evidence for different types of [online credit recovery] models, particularly those in wide use, is lacking.”
West Gadsden High School.
West Gadsden High School is a 30-mile drive northwest of Tallahassee, past dollar stores and low-slung houses, Baptist churches and a correctional facility surrounded by barbed wire. A cluster of brick buildings beneath corrugated roofs, the school sits in a landscape studded with hay bales, near a tomato packing plant, the bare bones of an old farmhouse, and a tired-looking flea market called Ron’s Recycled Stuff. West Gadsden and its counterpart on the east side of town recently received marks of D and F, respectively, from the Florida Department of Education based primarily on test scores. In early April, the local school board voted to consolidate the two high schools following years of struggling performance.
The county surrounding the schools is a proud one with a rich history. The birthplace of rhythm and blues legend Nat Adderley Jr., drag pioneer Brenda Dale Knox, and Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson, it’s the kind of community where you can’t go anywhere without bumping into someone you know, and everyone knows everyone else’s business.
The income divide in Gadsden is stark: Though it’s still home to a handful of Coca Cola stock-owning millionaires, the median household income is $36,000, about a quarter less than the statewide average. Once the setting of a lucrative shade tobacco industry, the county offers limited job opportunities to today’s locals. Among their options: mushroom-picking, working in fast food, staffing a nearby hospital, and guarding inmates at the local prison.
“Around here, there’s just not a lot,” said Frances Brown, who until recently oversaw the virtual learning program at West Gadsden High for an annual income of $16,000. The lack of job opportunities makes it hard to convince students that school matters, Brown said. “How many [students] are gonna use chemistry in life? How many are gonna use geometry?”
Gadsden has the largest percentage of black students of any traditional school district in Florida. Nearly three-quarters of its students are black, just under 20 percent are Latino, and fewer than 4 percent are white. Three-quarters are considered economically disadvantaged by the state. For most, higher education isn’t in the picture: Only about 20 percent of West Gadsden’s graduates go to college.
During the 2015–16 school year, the school lost 12 of its 33 teachers; unusually high teacher turnover contributes, at least in part, to poor student performance in core academic classes. The virtual learning lab is not immune. Late in October, Brown quit her job as supervisor, fed up with what she saw as a lack of administrative support. Brown was temporarily replaced by a 19-year-old recent graduate of West Gadsden, Emmanuel Najera.
Najera was busy with his own community college coursework, so for five weeks, the lab’s 30 or so students worked their way through classes—or didn’t work their way through them, as the case may have been—largely on their own.
Teenagers finish lessons, relax, and occasionally nap in West Gadsden’s virtual learning lab.
When online credit recovery began yielding results in Gadsden, the district scaled back some of the graduation improvement efforts that James had introduced in 2010, like the after-school ACT tutoring, the former superintendent says. The district continues to maintain other initiatives, like employing a social worker to monitor school attendance.
Still, online credit recovery remains the main option available to students who have fallen behind and want to graduate on time. Today, Gadsden contracts with three vendors at the high school level: Edgenuity, Florida Virtual School, and Fuel Education. (District officials declined to share the cost of the contracts.)
“To be frank, when EdOptions and Edgenuity started being used, I think that pushed back the other [non-online learning] options,” said James. “This seemed like an option kids could master easier. … It was less expensive to just go ahead and use these online programs, rather than having to pay the person to come tutor them.”
A visit to West Gadsden’s virtual learning lab last fall revealed that rigor varied considerably, depending upon how much students applied themselves and how often they asked for help.
One November morning, a senior named Justin who needed an Algebra I credit to graduate leaned into the glow of his computer monitor, trying to grasp systems of linear inequalities. To his left, classmates streamed a Knicks game on YouTube while swapping pieces of candy. That’s definitely against the rules, but nobody reprimanded them.
Justin, whose last name is being withheld to protect his privacy, failed algebra his freshman year. He was retaking the class in the fall of his senior year to squeeze in the credit before graduation in the spring. The school’s guidance counselor, Elizabeth Sewell, said students who failed classes as freshmen and sophomores often wait until their senior years to retake them, when they realize that graduation is looming.
An on-screen prompt asked Justin to determine the relationship between a point and two inequalities. He stared at it for half of a minute before dragging his cursor over the prompt and dropping it into Google. Within seconds, he found the solution there. Another swift cut and paste, and Justin answered the question correctly.
“I want to go ahead and get done with this,” he said, as the students next to him watched a power forward sink a swisher, and one of them shuffled a deck of playing cards. “If I have to cheat, I will.”
According to James, the classes haven’t raised eyebrows among administrators, who view them as a helpful tool for struggling students. Quality wasn’t—and still isn’t—a concern. “That hasn’t been something that any of our coordinators or directors have brought to my attention,” he said.
In many cases, online credit recovery gives students like Justin flexibility in two primary ways. Pacing is personalized, so advanced students can move as fast as they like, testing out of units that they’ve already mastered. Meanwhile, slower learners can take almost all of the time that they need to absorb tricky concepts, and those who are really struggling can retake tests until they pass.
Students can access the courses from anywhere, at any time. Provided they have an internet connection, they can finish assignments from smartphones, laptops, or desktop computers, either at school or from home. They can work on assignments, quizzes, and tests late into the night, on the weekends, and over summer break.
For some, learning in a virtual silo is a relief. Sixteen-year-old West Gadsden student Luis Avalos says that he likes working online because he doesn’t get teased for asking questions or giving wrong answers. Another student, 19-year-old Keishon Derrick Brown, also likes learning independently—so much so that he does most of his work from home. “I like to talk a lot, so when I’m in school, I be talking,” he says. “But when I’m at home and don’t have anybody to talk to, I get my work done.”
Keishon Derrick Brown transferred from East Gadsden to West Gadsden last August. He took two Edgenuity credit recovery classes last fall, both in English.
Keishon is taking two Edgenuity English classes for online credit recovery. One, which is fiction-based, focuses on conflict and resolution, incorporating texts like The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The other features works of nonfiction. Sometimes reading chapters off of the computer hurts Keishon’s eyes and makes his head ache. But overall, he prefers this kind of English class to the traditional alternative. For one thing, it’s a relief that he doesn’t have to write much. “I’m not the type that can write,” he shrugs. “And it’s helping me get that credit.”
Other West Gadsden students get fed up with online credit recovery classes because they find Edgenuity lectures dull. “Kids get tired of hearing them,” said Frances Brown, the former virtual learning coordinator. During Brown’s time at West Gadsden, lectures typically lasted for 15 to 20 minutes and presented limited opportunity for teacher-student interaction. “[The lectures] go on and on and on … and they get bored! They get really bored,” she said. (Edgenuity executive Deborah Rayow said the company has made recent efforts to shorten and revamp its lectures to better engage students.)
Brown found the lectures so tedious that she rewarded students who were performing moderately well—earning above a 75 percent after completing at least 30 percent of a course—by formatting the software so that they could skip them. “I’ve seen students complete [the courses] in just a couple weeks because they want to get it out of the way,” says Sewell, the guidance counselor. “They go home, and they work on it, and then they’re finished.”
Brown is a paraprofessional without a college degree, not a certified teacher, so her role in the classroom was limited. When students had academic questions, which was infrequent—just two or three times a month, she told me—she directed them to textbooks and Google. Mostly, she helped the kids with technical questions and glitches during school and after hours, keeping a watchful eye on her Nook Tablet late into the night and throughout weekends in case students encountered difficulties.
Brown also kept an eye out for cheating, something that happens frequently in online classes across the district—a fact acknowledged by students and faculty alike. Justin is far from the only Gadsden teen lifting answers from Google.
Last summer, an East Gadsden High student told Brown that kids there were paying one another to do online coursework. When she reported it to the district, Brown said that an administrator there told her to “leave it alone.” “There’s some things you can’t fix,” she said she was told. That incident—and general student misbehavior that she says went unchecked by school management—was enough to discourage her. She stopped reporting issues to the district. Four months later, she left West Gadsden.
West Gadsden Principal James Mills is an affable but overwhelmed man who patrols the school’s hallways with a constantly buzzing pager fixed to his hip. He says that he has been aggressive in addressing cheating, which he refers to as “improprieties.” While some cheating is inevitable, he told me the school has taken steps to mitigate it: reorganizing computer labs so that screens face supervisors and lecturing students about the ills of cheating.
Mills has access to student data collected by Edgenuity, which lets him see how long kids idle in courses and how long they take to complete them; he said he checks it daily. He also has technology that shows him all of the school’s computer screens, side by side and in miniature, on his own office computer. (He doesn’t use that, though—“doesn’t have the time.”)
The principal said he was surprised by Brown’s concerns about a lack of administrative follow-through. “If she referred students to the office for discipline, we dealt with it,” he said.
During a phone interview in late December, Mills added that the school had recently taken steps to improve support and monitoring in the virtual learning lab: beefing up supervision for teenagers taking the online tests and modifying Edgenuity’s settings so that students can no longer jump between the software and other websites. He also said that the virtual learning coordinator role had been expanded to include student counseling and that students taking online courses can more easily access subject-area teachers for tutoring.
The dozens of students and teachers interviewed by the Teacher Project reported rampant student cheating on online credit recovery. Despite the available precautions—including website blocking, IP address tracking, and holding students’ cellphones—curbing the practice altogether is a formidable task, they said. But online education company executives maintain that a limited number of students cheat.
Mills said that the recent changes are par for the course as he and other staff continue to refine the school’s use of technology. “You have to learn the ins and outs, and that’s what we’re continuing to do,” he explained. But “ultimately, we do want our students to graduate.”
It’s unsurprising that Gadsden’s administrators have for the most part dismissed broad concerns about the quality of online credit recovery: In the messy world of public education, it’s considered something of a magic bullet. It makes life easier for administrators by saving districts money and boosting their graduation rates; it eases pressure on teachers by relieving concerns about reaching students who have failed their classes; and it simplifies the lives of struggling kids by making it easier to pass, sometimes with minimal learning involved. Above all, it helps those underserved students earn their diplomas.
Within this system, incentives are skewed: It isn’t really in anyone’s best interest to question online credit recovery. In Gadsden, and several other districts around the country, most people have chosen to stay silent. It’s simpler to turn a blind eye.
A bulletin board in West Gadsden’s virtual learning lab flaunts the Edgenuity courses available to students.
Yet Gadsden’s experience also shows that there are ways to implement online credit recovery without it becoming a sham. Administrators can trade information about providers to become savvier consumers of the myriad products available to them. Teachers can work closely with students taking online courses in an effort to keep the teenagers from becoming disengaged—or cheating. In most cases, online learning should be treated like a teaching tool, not something that can supplant what only a good teacher can provide. Otherwise, students like Justin will graduate, but without the knowledge that should accompany a diploma.
The November morning that I visited West Gadsden, a red barometer at the top of Justin’s screen told him that he was 61 percent done with his online algebra class and that he had fallen behind: He only had 30 more days left to finish it.
Although Justin struggles with memorization and dislikes tests, he’s fond of Edgenuity. “It’s excellent,” he said. “You can move quicker than in class.” He paused. “All the units I did were pretty easy.” Later, Justin struggled to summon an example of something he’d learned recently. “It’s mostly just to graduate,” he said.
The bell rang, and Najera, the substitute lab monitor, rose to stretch, watching a new crop of teenagers fill the lab. Six months earlier, he had been one of their peers.
One student, a bilingual teenager, had just finished her online class ahead of schedule. Bored, she sidled up to a friend and watched him chip away at a Spanish Edgenuity lesson. As he plugged comparative statements into Google Translate, she leaned over his shoulder to watch. “He is lazier than they are” became “Es más perezoso de lo que son”—an awkward, literal translation that a Spanish speaker would never use. She smiled at the attempt and reached around him to correct it.
When Najera approached, the kids switched to YouTube. When he asked what they were doing, they broke into laughter. Najera stared at them for a moment, his hands twisted at his sides. As he retreated, they returned to their online class, where the software was rewarding a correct answer with a shower of shimmering, simulated dollar signs.
Sarah Carr, Francesca Berardi, and Stephen Smiley contributed to this report.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758823
|
__label__wiki
| 0.978464
| 0.978464
|
Among M.Div. Grads, a New Crop of Transgender Students
By Jesse James DeConto
Like other graduates of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity, Adam Plant walked onstage earlier this month to accept a diploma and a hug from Dean Gail O’Day.
Unlike them, his journey to the Master of Divinity degree took a significant detour.
Three years ago when he began his studies, Adam was a North Carolina woman with a desire to plumb the intersection of faith and sexuality. By the time of the graduation ceremony, Plant had found acceptance and peace as a man.
“Coming out to myself was, I think, one of the hardest things I ever did,” he said. “I think I was most afraid of being wrong. What if I am crazy? What if this is wrong?”
READ: God's Love in the Time of Bathroom Bills
As he explains in a video shown during graduation, “Those voices no longer rule my head. Now I hear one clear voice ring out: You are whole. You are beautiful. You are loved.”
Seminary is often the place where students come to terms with their identities, and gender is among them. No surprise, a small, but growing number of transgender students seek out divinity school precisely because it is a place where they can wrestle with questions about their place and purpose in the universe.
Plant is not the first transgender student at Wake Forest. Liam Hooper, a transgender man, graduated a year ahead of him. And 85 miles to the east, Duke Divinity School awarded a Master of Theological Studies degree to a transgender man this month; it has admitted a transgender woman to its incoming class of 2019.
Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tenn.; Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Conn., and Union Theological Seminary in New York City have all admitted transgender students. Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif., has a large transgender population and has helped to convene a nationwide leadership development program called the Trans*Seminarians Cohort.
An administrator at Wake Forest said the divinity school celebrates diverse gender and sexual identities and does not actively inquire about applicants’ gender identity. Duke has a similar statement.
But the presence of transgender students is forcing divinity schools to rethink many other assumptions such as how they talk about God and what’s on the signs outside their restrooms — especially in North Carolina where a controversial bathroom bill passed by the legislature in March has prompted renewed debate about LBGT equality. (The law does not affect the divinity schools, which are private institutions.)
Plant, who grew up in rural Asheboro, N.C., said passage of the bill has inadvertently helped create opportunities for dialogue.
“I’ve had conversations with people about this that I never thought I would have,” he said. “It’s been a real exercise in extending compassion and grace and patience while also maintaining my own boundaries and taking care of myself and my community as much as I can.”
READ: Desmond Tutu's Daughter Quits Priesthood After Marrying a Woman
Though he’d started thinking of himself as a boy as early as age 3, Plant didn’t embrace his male identity until his first year of divinity school when a campus counselor referred him to a gender-identity specialist who helped him “to say out loud those things that I’d been thinking for so long.”
Plant aims to work as an advocate and educator on LGBT issues in faith communities. But before seeking full-time work in community organizing, he hopes to finish a video and book project to educate religious people on topics like gender diversity in the Bible.
Hooper, who graduated a year ago, has been working as a licensed minister at Parkway United Church of Christ in Winston-Salem. On May 22 the congregation voted to ordain him as its “minister of welcome and beyond.”
John Senior, who taught both men for three years in Wake Forest’s pastoral internship program, said the divinity school had already provided gender-neutral restrooms before Hooper or Plant arrived on campus. But having transgender students helped shape revisions to the school’s “Hospitality and Language” policy to acknowledge diversity in sexual identities.
Senior, assistant teaching professor of ethics and society, said the need to think theologically about the pressing issues of the day pushed Wake Forest to require courses addressing religious pluralism, race and class, but also gender and sexuality.
Wake Forest students come from lots of different backgrounds, and some of them were slow to recognize their fellow students’ gender transitions.
“Some students came from traditions that didn’t honor that as a way of being in the world,” Senior said. “Even though they were hard moments, I think they were important for not just the students involved but also for Adam and Liam as well.”
At Duke Divinity School, Brett Ray, this year’s transgender graduate, helped lead the school to designate some restrooms gender-neutral and to dedicate a room for Sacred Worth, an LGBT student group.
Ray, 23, first identified as transgender while a sophomore at the United Methodist-related Simpson College in Iowa.
“I didn’t know if I would still have friends, a family, or a church after making that proclamation,” Ray said. “I was in a gender studies class at the time, and there was just something that clicked, and I realized I had to live into the fullness of who I was, or I wasn’t going to live at all.”
A lifelong Methodist in a denomination that forbids the ordination of LGBT people, Ray switched to the two-year Master of Theological Studies degree.
“I need to be in a space where I can be completely and comfortably ‘out’ as a queer trans-masculine person, without fear of dismissal,” Ray said.
Transgender divinity school graduates are seeing some ministry doors open to them. The Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and many Presbyterian churches have affirmed of LGBT clergy. Most evangelical churches and the Southern Baptist Convention have not.
Ray plans to move to South Dakota to marry LGBT activist Pam Roes in September. A memoir titled My Name is Brett: Truths from a Trans Christian was published last year. Ray plans to work on a second book.
Most of North Carolina’s transgender clergy work in the Metropolitan Community Church, a denomination that formed almost 50 years ago to focus on ministry to gay and lesbian communities, or the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, another denomination that began with ministry to LGBT blacks in Los Angeles during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
Angel Collie, a 2014 alumnus of Yale Divinity School, is considering ordination in the MCC. He works as assistant director of the LGBTQ Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Collie says working with that population requires a lot of empathy, and his seminary training helps.
“Being that we are in the South, religion is a very significant factor in the lives of people who are coming out,” Collie said. “It’s almost always a piece of the coming out narrative that I encounter here on campus. I find myself doing what seminary prepared me for everyday, even if it’s not in a traditional congregational context.”
READ: On Twitter, LGBTQ Faithful Find a Voice
Psychotherapist Erin Swenson, a Presbyterian in Atlanta who in the mid-‘90s became the first mainline clergyperson to change genders while ordained, said transgender ministers are often uniquely gifted to serve congregations because they know the experience of not measuring up to others’ expectations.
“We live in a world where we have unfortunately learned that love is an earned quality — that love comes from being more beautiful, smelling better, driving the right car, having the right job, having the right income,” Swenson said. “If there’s one thing people struggle with in churches, it is accepting themselves for whom they are.”
Via Religion News Service.
Jesse James DeConto
Adam Plant receives his master's hood. Image via Red Cardinal Studio / Wake Forest University School of Divinity / RNS
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758824
|
__label__wiki
| 0.795084
| 0.795084
|
French National Front's Ex-VP Joins Eurosceptics in European Parliament
© AFP 2019 / FREDERICK FLORIN
Florian Philippot, the former vice president of the French National Front (FN) party, and his allies in the European Parliament have joined the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, a Eurosceptic faction, whose press service confirmed the move to Sputnik on Wednesday.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Philippot founded Les Patriotes (Patriots) association within the FN shortly after the French presidential election, advocating a skeptical stance on the European Union and the eurozone. Le Pen lost to pro-European Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the election, with some party members appearing to link the defeat to the party's hardline position on the euro and bloc membership.
Previously, Philippot was a member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom faction, which used to be co-chaired by FN leader Marine Le Pen when she was in the European Parliament. Philippot, a proponent of a more radical position on euro, left the FN in September. Le Pen said, following his exit, that her party remained committed to its core principles, one of them being monetary sovereignty. However, she added that the FN had heard the voice of those voters concerned with negative consequences of withdrawal from the eurozone.
French National Front's Philippot Quits Party Over Disagreement With Le Pen
French National Front Party May Review Anti-Euro Stance After Elections' Results
French National Front Party Member: Lifting of Anti-Russia Sanctions Possible
political party, membership, French National Front Party, European Parliament, Florian Philippot, France
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758826
|
__label__wiki
| 0.855723
| 0.855723
|
New Provocations Similar to Alleged Idlib Incident Possible in Syria - Assad
© AFP 2019 / Omar haj kadour
Chemical Weapons Incident in Syria’s Idlib Province (170)
New provocations, similar to the one that took place in the Khan Sheikhoun area of Syria's province of Idlib, cannot be ruled out, Syrian President Bashar Assad warned in an interview with Sputnik.
DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — Following the Khan Sheikhoun incident, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia has information about new provocations being prepared in Syria, including in the suburbs of Damascus, where "some substance" could be planted across the country and blamed on the Syrian government.
"Actually, this possibility is not only because of what happened recently. It happened before, and we had this possibility a few years ago, since the first time they used it in 2013, since that time it's a possibility for us, and it's been used, it wasn't only a possibility, but this time the propaganda was different, because everybody was ready for the attack, so that was part of the agenda, part of the plan, it was one plan, it wasn't two different incidents. So, of course it is a possibility," Assad said.
© Sputnik / Natalia Seliverstova
West Seeks to Prevent Full-Fledged Probe Into Idlib Incident - Moscow
On April 4, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces claimed that 80 people were killed and 200 injured in a suspected chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, putting the blame on the Syrian government. Damascus vehemently rejected the accusations and said militants and their allies were responsible.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Syrian Air Force hit a warehouse where militants stored chemical weapons, which were sent to Iraq. The Russian Foreign Ministry reminded that the Syrian government doesn't possess chemical weapons since mid-2014. Chemical weapons have been taken out of the country with US' help.
In response to the Khan Sheikhoun incident the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Sha’irat, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Homs. Russia described the attack as an aggression against a sovereign state.
OPCW Rejects Russian, Iranian Proposal on Investigating Idlib Chemical Incident
Lavrov: Idlib Chemical Incident 'Provocation Aimed at Undermining Ceasefire'
Russia Notes New Provocations in Syria Similar to Idlib Chemical Incident - FM
chemical attack, Bashar al-Assad, Idlib, Syria
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758827
|
__label__cc
| 0.510457
| 0.489543
|
2010 Goods and Services Tax (Buildings, Flats and Tenements for Residential Purposes) Order 2010
2010 Public Service (Special and Senior Personnel Boards) Order 2010
2010 Common Gaming Houses (Exemption) (No. 48) Notification 2010
2010 Casino Control (Approved Games — Marina Bay Sands) (Amendment No. 3) Order 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Distribution and Disposal of Shares in Approved Corporation) Regulations 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Regulations 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Investment Schemes) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Specified Amount for Payment to Proper Claimant) Notification 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Self-Employed Persons) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Lifelong Income Scheme) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Distribution and Disposal of Shares in Approved Corporation) (Revocation) Rules 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Nominations) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2010
2010 Employment of Foreign Manpower (Levy) (Amendment) Order 2010
2010 Public Transport Council (Bus Service Licence) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
2010 Criminal Procedure Code (Prescribed Forms) Regulations 2010
2010 Property Tax (Valuation by Gross Receipts for Hotel Premises) (Amendment) Order 2010
2010 Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Act (Commencement) (No. 2) Notification 2010
2010 Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) (Amendment) Act (Commencement) (No. 2) Notification 2010
2010 Medical and Elderly Care Endowment Schemes (Approved Institutions) (No. 4) Notification 2010
2010 Criminal Procedure Code (Prescribed Law Enforcement Agency) Notification 2010
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758829
|
__label__cc
| 0.701131
| 0.298869
|
A few waves from the recent run of swell in Bobby's hometown.
Bobby Martinez Discusses Just About Everything (A Long Read)
"In the middle of it all, I’d ask myself, “What the fuck are you going to do after this?”
By: Jake Howard | Photography by Morgan Maassen
It’s been six years since Bobby Martinez snarled into the camera on the live webcast at the Quiksilver Pro in New York and subsequently walked away from life as a professional competitive surfer. ASP Rookie of the Year in 2006, he finished fifth in the world his freshman season and continued to post event wins and top 10 finishes for the next six years. Then he made his now-famous indictment of the ASP on live air and as a result was chucked off tour. For a hot minute, he became an early social media maven then promptly gave it all up and returned home to Santa Barbara.
Today, at 34 years old, he’s happily married and living the life of a suburban dad. He freely admits surfing has given him this life, but has no intention of going back. His days are considerably more domestic than they once were—and he loves it. He’s let go of the angst and anger of his formative years. His Cheshire Cat-like smile has become more prevalent than the brooding scowl.
Some months ago, I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours on the phone with Bobby talking through his surf life for a piece for The Surfer’s Journal. The conversation was wide-ranging. Bobby seemed at ease and more comfortable in his own skin. It was an enlightening chat and, I feel, one worth sharing.
Stab: A lot’s been made of your formative years, but I’ve always wondered how you first started surfing in the first place?
Bobby: Nobody surfed in my family when I was young, and still nobody surfs in my family. Growing up I was tight with my cousins. My dad was one of seven kids, so we had tons of cousins that were around my age. None of them ever wanted to surf. My dad doesn’t surf. My mom doesn’t surf. I’m the only one. My dad was always driving us to the beach, playing sports, soccer, always doing things with us if we wanted to. So, he used to take us to the beach a lot, and we loved it. We were kids and kids love anything, I guess. That’s when I started boogie boarding. Then I saw people surfing and started trying to stand up on my boogie board. One Christmas my dad got me a surfboard. As I grew up he would give people gas money, a couple bucks, to pick me up and take me. That’s kind of how I got my rides to the beach.
The back shed collection.
What about your non-surf life as a kid?
When I wasn’t around surfing, I was around kids of color. I’m 99 percent Mexican. I heard a lot more Spanish than English growing up. I had more black friends than I did white friends. If I wasn’t surfing after school I was hanging with my friends and my family. It was a complete contrast, like two different worlds. We would never see white people.
Do think surfing helped keep you out of trouble?
Some of my friends were doing shit that leads to dead ends in life, so I guess you could look at it like that, but I had no idea what surfing entailed. I had no idea I would travel or make money and buy a home. I had no one to look up to. It wasn’t like, “Oh my friend’s sponsored and he’s now going to Hawaii.” I had no idea.
Were there any mentor figures that took you under their wing that helped you along?
No, not that I remember. I mean, I had some guys help me. There was a guy named Daryl that I used to help me get surfboards. He owned a surf shop and I was getting boards from him and David Pu’u. But besides those guys, who were giving me surfboards and rides to the beach, there was never a person that saw me and helped me. Yeah, that never happened. Nobody took notice and approached me. I can’t remember anybody who pulled me aside and said, ‘Hey man, what’s going on?”
Do you feel it may have been the opposite, that your skin color held you back?
I don’t know how people looked at it. I just know how I looked at it, so I’m not too sure. I had weird things throughout my career. For instance, I was sponsored by Billabong when I was younger and their whole team was going to go Puerto Escondido for a trip. It was going to be all of their young team riders and I didn’t get an invite. I won the NSSA Nationals and right after I won I got the invite. I don’t know if there was something weird going on, but when I look back on it, maybe there was. I mean, I’m just another kid and they’re inviting tons of kids. I don’t know what the motivation was behind it.
I’ve had stuff happen to me throughout my career. Like when I finally got the cover of Surfing Magazine. The American magazines throw the worse photos on their covers, and they run guys that are not even from America or guys I’ve beaten my whole life, and they all have covers. I know I had great photos and I was winning CT contests. It wasn’t until after I won the contest at Teahupoo that they put me on the cover…and it was on a fucking head-high wave. It was almost like they did me a favor because they knew that as I was growing up they never gave me any love.
I don’t know, there are things where if I think about it, it just doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know if that’s because of the color of my skin, or the way I am, or they just want surfing…I don’t know. I was never in a position of power to dictate someone’s sponsorship.
Bobby, to this day, is one of the best barrel riders in the world. And, his backhand, well, that's bar none.
When you walked away from the tour, were you prepared for whatever the next chapter of your life may have been?
Even when I was in the contest in the middle of it all, I’d ask myself, “What the fuck are you going to do after this?” I knew it could end right away, even if I was doing fine. So, I always had that in the back of my mind and I always thought, “What am I going to do?”
I think surfing’s going to fuck a lot of kids up right now. For example, in Australia they have these government funded surfing facilities where they coach the kids, they want them to be the next world champion, and they’re trying 150 percent to get these kids to win a world title. They’re starting really young, and they have coaches, and they’re doing all this shit. It’s crazy because most of the kids aren’t going to make it, and the ones that do, are they really going to make enough money to survive? Yes, but right when it’s over they’re going to have to do something. I just feel like every kid should know the reality that 99.9 percent of the time you’re going to be left on your ass, flat out with nothing.
Do you feel surfing’s creating a generation of kids that will get some free clothes, maybe a few paychecks, but will be unprepared for that transition to the straight life?
It’s like they’re intentionally being set up for failure. I think it’s pretty sad. I don’t want to do that to my family or my kid. But I’ve seen kids come up the beach crying because their parents are pushing them too hard. They’re telling them shit, saying their board doesn’t work or something. I’m like, “What the fuck are you doing that to your kid for?” I don’t get it.
You’re a father now. What’s a day in the life of Bobby Martinez the dad like?
I’m with my family a lot. I have a three-year-old daughter and my wife’s pregnant again. It’s really early but looks like we’re having another girl. We just kind of hang out. When my daughter’s at school I’ll go to the gym or surf. I’m a full dedicated dad. I love taking my daughter to school and picking her up. It’s the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life, for sure.
Sounds like you’re enjoying the pace of life these days?
That’s the thing, the time goes by so fast and every day is precious. I’m very lucky to be where I’m at right now. To be able to spend these moments and watch my daughter grow, you know, if I’d had her while I was doing the contests I wouldn’t have gotten to watch her grow like this. I remember seeing people travel with their kids on tour, and now that I’m a parent I just don’t get it.
People will ask me if I want to go on a surf trip and I’m like, “Nah, I actually don’t.” It sounds fun surfing, it’s what I love to do, but when I get out of the water I don’t want to be with a bunch of guys. Not to be a dick, but I want to be with my daughter and my wife. I went on a surf trip my whole entire life. I would love to go to Namibia and surf that wave, but am I going to? No. And I know that because I don’t want to. I do but I don’t, you know what I mean?
Sounds like surfing doesn’t play the role in your life it once did?
It’s not nearly as much a part of my life because I don’t surf nearly as much as I used to, but it’s still part of my life because I don’t want to ever not surf, if that makes any sense. But I’m not driving down to Emma Wood and surfing three-foot shitty waves to just go do some turns or try an air.
Do you follow pro surfing?
No, I don’t. I don’t follow any of it.
So you’re just a civilian surfer?
Exactly. I just want to surf, get in the water and be happy. It reminds me of being a teenager. Even though I was doing the contests and shit, it wasn’t like I wanted to compete because I wanted to win. I just did it because I liked it. And now I’m back to being like a kid again. I’m sticking with it because I love it.
It’s all about balance, right?
When I quit the tour I fucking hated surfing more than anything and I really didn’t want to surf. The way it went in the contests and the people I was around, it really just made me hate surfing. I was just doing it because people around me were like, “What do you mean you don’t want to do this?” I know people that were on tour and never wanted to fall off. They just loved it. It took me years to find that love again, and I only just found it recently.
Do ever look back and see the Bobby that was on tour as a different person?
I feel like it was another lifetime. I can’t even fathom being that person or doing what I used to do. I kind of look at myself and think, how the fuck did I do that? Did I really do that? I have all trophies that I won, but they’re in a box in a closet in my daughter’s room. I don’t have them out. There’s nothing in my house that’s surf related. Nothing. No magazines, nothing. There’s nothing in my life, and there has never been, where you walk into my house and you think, “Oh, okay, this guy must surf.”
You said you reached a point where you hated everything about being on tour, but are there any positive or happy times that stand out?
There are good memories, but they have nothing to do with surfing. I realize now that winning a contest is so pointless. It means absolutely nothing. The things I care about are meeting somebody on the road that I may still keep in touch with. Obviously, surfing gave me everything I have, but when I think of memories I don’t think, “Oh, I got a perfect 10 in this heat. Or I had an amazing contest here and I won.”
What about sessions or individual waves, was there any satisfaction out of the actual surfing you were doing at the time?
No. Back then, during my whole surfing career, there was no satisfaction the entire time. I hated it. I didn’t even enjoy surfing. What it came down to was loving surfing only when I was surfing good because I felt like I needed to feel good to do good, so my whole entire life during the whole I was doing the contests, there was no enjoyment…ever. I hated surfing and that’s why. I had the best waves of my life and it was all hate because I wasn’t surfing for the right reasons.
And now you’ve come full circle?
I could care less how good I’m surfing today. I just go out and have fun. Today it’s for the pure enjoyment. I think about it today, and I think about what I liked about surfing when I was a kid and it was that it took me away from everything. You’re out in the water and you’re alone by yourself. There’s something beautiful about that. You leave all the bullshit behind. There’s serenity there. That’s where the peacefulness in surfing comes from, I think.
Alex Smith In A Psychedelic Short Called “Nomad”
Can A Professional “Freesurfer” By Nature Not Be Competitive?
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758830
|
__label__wiki
| 0.616705
| 0.616705
|
Coco Rocha ready for Adelaide Fashion Festival
International modelling heavyweight Coco Rocha will join the Adelaide Fashion Festival, presented by Mercedes-Benz Adelaide, to experience Adelaide design and style first-hand.
The Canadian-born supermodel will spend four days in Adelaide attending runway shows as an official guest of Adelaide Fashion Festival (AFF), which starts today.
Rocha will also have the opportunity to meet local designers and models and explore the sights of Adelaide and beyond.
Rocha, 28, has dominated the modelling industry for more than 10 years, gracing covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle around the world.
Considered the “queen of posing” by editors and industry identities, Rocha is an authority on catwalk, campaign and editorial shoots, favoured by labels such as Zac Posen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, Prada, Balenciaga, Dior and more.
Rocha’s social media following tops 17 million worldwide, and in 2013 she used this considerable platform to influence the creation of new laws protecting underage models.
“It’s a thrill for my family and I to come visit (Australia) once again this week and experience for the first time the sights, sounds, foods and fashion of beautiful Adelaide,” Rocha said.
“I’m looking forward to watching and supporting some amazing local talent at the Fashion Festival and doing a little exploring on the side!
“Australia has always been one of my favourite destinations.”
Today Rocha is co-owner of NOMAD MGMT modelling agency, a designer for signature women’s wear label CO+CO, an author and television personality. She is an advocate and mentor for newcomers to the modelling industry, and her book Study Of Pose catalogues over 1000 unique poses.
Adelaide Fashion Festival creative director Chris Kontos said Coco was a force in the world of fashion and her involvement in the festival would be a significant win for local industry.
“Coco is smart, stylish and social media-savvy – we are ecstatic that she will join us at the Adelaide Fashion Festival Runway in 2016,” Kontos said.
“Her reach and influence is immeasurable, and more than that she is passionate about supporting new talent, new experiences and discovering new places, I’m sure she will love Adelaide.”
Adelaide Fashion Festival is a celebration of innovative South Australian design and style. With 20 events – including 10 designer runways – over its five days, the festival highlights the state’s broader creative industries including hair and makeup, graphic and visual artists, artisan designers, wine, food, music and more.
The festival kicks off today with lunch with daring entrepreneur, Lisa Messenger – founder and editor-in-chief of Collective Hub and CEO of The Messenger Group.
The debut of the AFF Runway for 2016 is tomorrow night with Runway 1: BNKR at 6pm in Victoria Square.
For more information and to book tickets: adelaidefashionfestival.com.au
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758831
|
__label__wiki
| 0.564109
| 0.564109
|
ReconciliationSociety
Defining Dualities: Context, Content and Comparison in German-Israeli Relations in the Framework of Europeanization
Lily Gardner Feldman
German-Israeli relations against the background of Europeanization transpire at multiple levels. This essay begins with the context, and then turns to the content of the link between the German-Israeli relationship and the European framework. Finally it addresses the idea of comparison, of whether other “special relationships” compete with or complement the German-Israeli relationship, both within the ambit of the process of Europeanization and outside it. The focus here is German official policy towards Israel, which in no way diminishes the richness of ties in the societal and non-governmental arenas. By “the process of Europeanization” I mean the development of the EC/EU as a peace and economic community affording an antidote to the history of war in Europe, in which Germany has played a significant role in policies affecting Israel. The policies of Europe vis-à-vis Israel divide into two dimensions: a bilateral structural relationship; and the larger issue of the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This essay is published in Alfred Wittstock (ed.), Rapprochement, Change, Perception and Shaping the Future: 50 Years of German-Israeli and Israeli-German Diplomatic Relations. You can see the cover of the publication here and find out more about the publication and how to order here.
Reconciliation, Society
AICGS News, Analysis
Broader Middle East & Africa, Germany
Civil Society, European Integration, Israel
Harry and Helen Gray Senior Fellow; Director, Society, Culture & Politics Program
Dr. Lily Gardner Feldman is currently the Harry & Helen Gray Senior Fellow at AICGS at Johns Hopkins University. She also directs the Institute’s Society, Culture & Politics Program. She has a PhD in Political Science from MIT.
From 1978 until 1991, Dr. Gardner Feldman was a professor of political science (tenured) at Tufts University in Boston. She was also a Research Associate at Harvard University’s Center for European Studies, where she chaired the German Study Group and edited German Politics and Society; and a Research Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs, where she chaired the Seminar on the European Community and undertook research in the University Consortium for Research on North America. From 1990 until 1995, Dr. Gardner Feldman was the first Research Director of AICGS and its Co-director in 1995. From 1995 until 1999, she was a Senior Scholar in Residence at the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University. She returned to Johns Hopkins University in 1999.
Dr. Gardner Feldman has published widely in the U.S. and Europe on German foreign policy, German-Jewish relations, international reconciliation, non-state entities as foreign policy players, and the EU as an international actor. Her latest publications are: Germany’s Foreign Policy of Reconciliation: From Enmity to Amity, 2014; “Die Bedeutung zivilgesellschaftlicher und staatlicher Institutionen: Zur Vielfalt und Komplexität von Versöhnung,” in Corine Defrance and Ulrich Pfeil, eds., Verständigung und Versöhnung, 2016; and “The Limits and Opportunities of Reconciliation with West Germany During the Cold War: A Comparative Analysis of France, Israel, Poland and Czechoslovakia” in Hideki Kan, ed., The Transformation of the Cold War and the History Problem, 2017 (in Japanese). Her work on Germany’s foreign policy of reconciliation has led to lecture tours in Japan and South Korea.
Are German-Israeli Relations Still “Special?” A Response to Ambassador Shimon Stein
Shimon Stein’s essay on the complex relationship between Germany and Israel is both penetrating and provocative. As Israel approaches the 70th anniversary of the state’s founding on May 14, it …
Germany-Israel Relations: Unique or Normal?
Recent events and statements by German figures indicate a change in Germany’s attitude to Israel. What for decades was a unique bilateral relationship – grounded in the memory of the …
Shimon Stein
Jörn Quitzau, AGSR Fellow
AICGS is pleased to welcome Jörn Quitzau as an AICGS/GMF Fellow with the American-German Situation Room in Washington, DC, in April 2018. Joern Quitzau (PhD, University of Hamburg) is a Senior …
Jörn Quitzau
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758832
|
__label__cc
| 0.509755
| 0.490245
|
The Mashapaug’s Neighbors: Stories From Beyond The Pond tour and website are a continuation of a project of the Oral History and Community Memory class in Brown University’s Public Humanities Department.
Holly Ewald, artist and founder of the Urban Pond Procession, and Anne Valk, Associate Director at the public humanities center, and Brown University students are working to research and raise public awareness of the environmental, social, and economic history of Mashapaug Pond in Providence and the neighborhoods surrounding it. As members of the class, Oral History and Community Memory, students collect oral history interviews and historical materials to document uses of the Pond and the communities near it. These materials are made publicly accessible through a digital archive created by Brown’s Center for Digital Scholarship.
Creative projects using the Mashapaug Pond materials are being made available through exhibitions, tours, and digital platforms. In December, 2011, Reservoir of Memories: A Community Collection, displayed objects and stories in a temporary exhibition and a website. Reservoir of Memories was subsequently adapted into a traveling exhibit, displayed on a bus provided by the Environmental Justice League of RI and stationed at locations around the city.
This website documents the work of another group of students who created the cell phone audio tour, Mashapaug’s Neighbors, as the final project of the oral history class in 2013. The cell phone tour intends to bring attention to the ways that Mashapaug has been used in the past, the challenges it faces in the present, and the possibilities for renewal in the future. Mashapaug’s Neighbors: Stories from Beyond the Pond, invites listeners to use their own cell phones to hear stories about Mashapaug Pond and the people who care about it.
In Romeo and Juliet, the title character asks, “”What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
How can words fully express the essence of a place and the way it exists in memories, senses, history, relationships?
Members of Oral History and Community Memory have tried, distilling hours of interviews into short tour segments that convey the significance of Mashapaug. The project is motivated by the goal to take stories out of the archive and share them with the public, back at the place where they can inspire listeners to see the pond in new ways. Tour stops focus on people’s recollections about fishing, swimming, skating, and boating at the pond before toxic algae made the water unsafe and chemical contamination polluted the shores. Even nearby churches held picnics at Mashapaug and used its waters for immersion baptisms. Others remember the vibrant community “across the tracks,” torn down in the early 1960s to construct an industrial park that now houses many commercial enterprises, including Brown University’s library annex. Former workers at Gorham recall the company that helped make Providence world famous and once employed thousands, before uprooting and leaving a legacy of contamination. And new residents, coming from many parts of the world, describe the joys and struggles of living and going to school in the area today.
Please explore this website for more information about the class and the cell phone tour.
The class began by considering the fields of oral history, community art, and local history, engaging some of the theoretical, interpretive, ethical, and practical debates confronted by scholars and practitioners. Then, students gained hands-on instruction to conduct life history interviews, to build visual communication skills, and to produce material for the audio tour. We all conducted oral history interviews and listened to interviews about Mashapaug that were already in the archive. After immersing ourselves in the history and memories of Mashapaug, the class broke into teams to curate the tour.
Learn more about each team’s role in building this audio tour by clicking on the links below.
One thought on “About the Class”
dreaded definition
It’s hard to come by experienced people in this particular topic, but you sound like you
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758836
|
__label__wiki
| 0.904081
| 0.904081
|
Interviews + Aftershow
How did you come up with the scene with Randall and Deja’s mom? Telling someone how they should parent is not something to which most people are receptive.
It was a really tough scene to write, and we worked on many different rewrites of the scene. I think on our show it’s important that nobody is a full-on hero, nobody’s a full-on villain. We’re trying to examine the complexity of the situation, and for me, Sterling is so great in that scene, but by the end of it, you’re kind of like, “Whoa, Randall! I’m not so sure I totally agree with you.” You know where he’s coming from, but it’s like, “Whoa, dude, that’s her daughter, and she’s only been in your house a few weeks.” He kind of redeems himself in the next scene where he clearly had this off-camera change of heart. But it’s just a testament to both of those performances that in that three- or four-minute scene, Randall, who’s our guy, you’re able to just all of a sudden be like, “Maybe I’m on her side?” It’s not where you may expect to be.
Read More on Variety
Rebecca takes the lead with the judge in his chambers, and Jack is not really speaking. And then she’s the one who writes the letter. We’ve seen Jack be so proactive in willing the Big Three into existence, but here he takes a back seat and Rebecca is driving the family. Why was this the moment that you wanted to show her strength and leadership with Randall?
Yes, there’s a little bit more of Rebecca stepping into the spotlight. It felt like, especially concerning Randall, we told the story earlier this year about how Jack was the one who pushed her at the hospital to bring him home. And we told the story at the dojo that Jack was the one that was really eager to help Randall explore his racial identity. It was important to us that we show that Rebecca was very much active in that as well, falling in love with Randall and needing him to be a part of the family. So we had seen Jack make that push at the hospital, and it was important to show Rebecca — having spent a year with this kid and absolutely falling in love with him as her son — being the one to really make sure that he was hers for good.
Read More on EW
"THIS IS US"
"NUMBER ONE"
11/14/2017 (09:00PM - 10:01PM) (Tuesday) : Kevin goes back to his high school to accept an award. Jack and Rebecca get excited about their kids' futures.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758838
|
__label__cc
| 0.509753
| 0.490247
|
The New Yorker Gets One Right
Flood the zone.
The best way to get a handle on the issues in for-profit education is to outcompete it. Flood the zone with well-funded publics, and the for-profits won’t even be able to cheat their way out.
A tip o’the cap to James Suroweicki, at The New Yorker, for encapsulating the issues around for-profit colleges clearly and well in a single page. The piece is well worth the couple of minutes it takes, not least because Suroweicki neatly dispatches a couple of widely held, but false, assumptions.
First, the for-profit sector as a whole -- and I’m not talking about every single actor -- lives on financial aid, which is about as far from a market as you can get. While it has clearly outmarketed its public rivals, at least until recently, it rarely outperformed them. (The exceptions that exist tend to be at the associate’s and graduate levels. In-between, not so much.)
The usual response is either to call for greater regulation, or to try to ban them altogether. But neither really addresses the underlying problem. For-profits emerged and thrived in the gaps that the publics didn’t serve, or didn’t serve terribly well. In the early years, they tended to focus on trades or skills that we don’t usually think of as the domain of higher education. (DeVry started by training people to run and repair film projectors.) Later, when they moved into more traditional areas, they still offered different forms of delivery. They largely ignored the agrarian calendar, for example, running full slates of classes year-round to cater to working adults.
Squashing the sector doesn’t address the gaps that it filled. And it may well prevent experimentation and innovation that can later find its way into the publics. Regulation is better, but it’s a tough sell politically, it’s subject to “regulatory capture” (or the regulators forgetting which side they’re on), and its intensity waxes and wanes when political control shifts. Besides, when hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake, folks with deep pockets can fund some very good lawyers to beat back anything imperfect.
The way to get the best outcome all around isn’t to ban them or to try to pass lawyer-proof regulations. It’s to outcompete them Flood the zone with well-funded public colleges with the staffing, the facilities, and yes, the marketing, to compete. Force the for-profits to compete on quality. Frankly, if they can prove they do a better job with students, I have no theological objection to them. But the experience of the last ten years suggests that if they can only compete on quality, they’ll shrink to a much less threatening size, and students will be better off.
For-profits met a need. The way to beat them is to meet that need better. Austerity in the public sector cedes the field to people with other agendas. Beef up the publics, and the need that fed the for-profits in the first place will fade away. They can’t lawyer their way out of that.
Low-Tech Innovation
My grandmother collected absurd kitchen technology, which made visits fun. There wasn’t an inside-the-egg-scrambler or fry baby on the market that she didn’t have. She had a microwave oven back when nobody did; I remember watching her “nuke” a hot dog, and both of us enjoying its twisty death throes. As an adult, I realize that I inherited the gadget gene from her. My platform agnosticism -- I’ve had phones that ran Android, iOS, and even webOS -- is only partially about comparison shopping or avoiding cultism; it’s largely an excuse to try all sorts of new stuff. PC at work, chromebook on the road? Why not?
On Wednesday, though, I had two separate conversations about innovation on campus that I realized later had a common theme: tech and innovation aren’t the same thing.
Innovation is really a function of audience. If something is new to the audience, it hits them as innovative, even if the performer knows what’s going to happen. Standup comedians make livings on that. Some of the moments that blew my mind in my student days came from ideas that were hundreds or thousands of years old, but that were new to me. (My single favorite exchange in grad school came when a professor asked the class “do you know who first came up with the idea of predestination?” and a student brightly answered “God!”) When you focus on the whole Plato-to-NATO canon of Western thought, there’s plenty of mind-blowing, even if your technology never moves beyond chalkboards and paperbacks. When I used Swift’s “Modest Proposal” in a Debate class -- “resolved: we should fight poverty and famine by eating the poor” -- some students responded in a gape-jawed wonder that you wouldn’t normally expect from a satire hundreds of years old.
Others had no sense of humor at all.
But even with content that strikes students as innovative, there’s pedagogical value in the professor trying new things. The spirit of discovery is contagious, even separately from the content. Students pick up on the relative engagement or disengagement of the faculty. The energy of discovery makes the teaching moment more memorable and effective.
Gadgetry offers a relatively easy and straightforward way to try new things. Even better, it emerges on a regular -- maybe accelerating -- schedule, and tends not to be discipline-specific. It can be great fun, and at its best it makes possible things that simply could not be done any other way.
But when we restrict the conversation about innovation to technology, whether consciously or not, we lose some possibilities. And we exclude entirely some folks who just don’t “do” technology, but who can be engaged in other ways.
The trick is in figuring out how to broaden the discussion.
Examples help. One of my favorite teaching tricks was to give multiple short-essay questions on in-class tests, but to let students bring a single index card with anything they wanted on it. The catch was that it had to be handwritten. Students spent hours crafting just the right mix of material on the card to try to put one over on me, only to discover later that they had been snookered into studying. In sculpting the perfect cheat sheet, they got past needing it at all. Index cards aren’t a new technology, nor is handwriting, but the method was new to the students, and it worked.
Sharing tips like those across campus -- and please, I grant upfront that others have better ones than that -- might help spread the spirit of discovery beyond the tech-savvy. I’d shy away from calling it “best practices,” because that implies that they’re settled; to me, the spirit of discovery is the point.
Wise and worldly readers, have you seen something like that really catch on in a college or large organization? Any tips for getting the word out? Ron Popeil used late night tv, but I don’t have that kind of budget.
Why Good Student Course Evaluations Are So Hard to Find
What are student course evaluations for?
If the answer to that were simple, it would be easier to design them. But student course evaluations -- and administrator’s observations, for that matter -- serve multiple purposes.
They serve as feedback for the professor. While much of what students write in evaluations is contaminated by one form or another of a halo effect, it’s occasionally possible to discern something useful. Sometimes they liked the class as a whole, but really disliked a particular assignment or reading. Maybe an exercise intended to show one thing was taken to show another. This kind of feedback is intended to be formative for the next semester or year.
They serve as safety valves for student opinions. It’s harder for students to complain that nobody cares what they think when they get asked directly, over and over again. Translating those opinions into observable action on a student’s timeframe is another issue, but they can’t say they weren’t asked. That matters.
They frequently play into promotion or tenure decisions. That’s probably untrue at research universities and only theoretically true at high-profile national colleges, but it’s typically true at community colleges with tenure systems. In this sense, they’re summative. They offer either confirmation of or counterevidence to professors’ claims of wonderfulness.
On the flip side, they can serve as ammunition for negative personnel decisions. When a dozen students from the same class write variations on “good professor when she bothers to show up,” that’s a red flag. Even the numerical part can be instructive. At a previous college, I received the numerical rankings every year. After a few years, I noticed that the same few names kept bringing up the rear, usually by a significant margin. If the same person scores multiple standard deviations below the mean year after year, well, I have some questions.
The tricky part is that what makes for constructive feedback may not make for useful fodder for promotion decisions. Formative assessments are great and humane, and I’m all for them when people are basically competent and actually trying. But when those conditions don’t hold, for whatever reason, formative assessments aren’t terribly helpful in making adverse decisions. If the decision gets challenged -- and it will -- you’ll need strong and unambiguous language condemning the performance. When one form has to serve both purposes, it’s little wonder that it does neither well.
Even the ‘theater’ function is flawed at best. The degree to which the opinions have an effect varies from case to case. For a full professor with tenure, the external impact of the difference between “above average” and “meh” is approximately zero. In that case, some student cynicism is hard to dismiss. In the case of someone coming up for tenure, or an adjunct hoping to make the leap to full-time, the same difference could matter. And the degree to which any given professor takes feedback and uses it constructively varies from person to person, even within ranks.
Clearly, student course evaluations shouldn’t be dispositive on their own. Students respond to cues both appropriate (clarity, respect) and inappropriate (attractiveness, accents). I read once that students tend to reward gender-conforming behavior: they prefer men who are authoritative and women who are nurturing. Women who are authoritative and men who are nurturing get downgraded. New and unexpected teaching approaches can be polarizing, so faculty who are not in a position to risk it may avoid innovation. And if years of blogging have taught me anything, it’s that the caliber of anonymous comments can be, uh, let’s go with “uneven.” Too much faith in any one source is a problem, even assuming that the source is clear and valid.
I’ve seen and heard proposals to do away with student course evaluations altogether, but I’ve never seen a convincing alternative. Theoretically, one could do pre- and post-tests to measure “value added,” instead of asking opinions, but how you’d get students to take pre-tests seriously isn’t clear. I’d also hate to see higher education repeat the mistakes of K-12. You could measure performance in subsequent courses, though in small programs or departments you’d run into an issue of circularity, and in any size department you’d have trouble controlling for inputs. Colleague and supervisor observations can help round out the picture, but they’re often so limited -- and even pre-announced -- that they come closer to measuring potential than performance. If I observe a class for a day, I may see a terrific discussion, but I won’t notice that the professor takes a month to return papers. The students are the only ones in a position to see that. Shutting off that source means giving up on some pretty important information.
Wise and worldly readers, have you seen a particularly good version of student course evaluations? Is there a reasonably elegant way to serve so many disparate purposes at once?
Siding With the Villain
Clark Kerr famously quipped that university faculties are loose groupings of independent experts, united only by a shared grievance over parking. As with the best hyperbole, it captured something real. As anyone in academic administration can attest, there’s a constant, structural tension between the need for faculty autonomy and the need for institutional consistency.
That tension, I think, is at the root of the story that emerged this week about the conflict over a math textbook at CSU-Fullerton. The story itself combines several issues. First, the department assigned a common textbook for every section of a class, regardless of who taught it. Second, the required text was expensive. Third, the required text was written by the department chair and vice chair. Fourth, a professor who broke the rule about a common text assigned a combination that was much cheaper.
So the CSU case combines autonomy/consistency, cost, and conflict of interest. Unfortunately, it’s easy to conflate the three, and therefore to sacrifice a larger point to a sticky case. For example, what if the renegade professor had assigned a book that was more expensive? Or that he had written himself? I’d hate to base a general policy on the contingencies of a single case.
I’ll focus on the first issue, since it strikes me as the most common and the most important. Should departments be allowed to determine, and enforce, common texts across every section of a class?
I say that not only because the AAUP agrees with it, although it does. I say that because at the end of the day, credits are granted not by faculty, but by institutions. Institutions determine the title, the goals, the credits, the day, the time, the location, and the duration of classes. If a professor decides that she doesn’t like a given timeslot, she is not free to simply change it on her own. Students plan on it, room conflicts are real, and for security reasons the college needs to know who is teaching where, and when.
The interest in institutional coherence isn’t limited to logistics. If a professor is hired to teach, say, digital circuits, and instead spends every class period discussing her family vacations, then she is not doing her job. “Academic freedom” is not absolute, nor is it entirely individual. Saying that “the faculty” controls curriculum is different from saying that each individual professor does. Collapsing the first into the second actually destroys both.
I’ve seen conflicts like this at previous colleges. A math sequence is built on the assumption that fractions are covered in the first class. But a professor in the first class thinks that students struggle too much with fractions, so he decides unilaterally not to cover them, leaving it for the next class in the sequence. The professor teaching the next class doesn’t know that, and proceeds on the assumption that students were taught something that they weren’t actually taught. Students fall through the cracks, and a collectively-determined curriculum is jeopardized. The first professor’s disregard of a collectively-determined objective created a problem for the second professor, as well as the students. This is not okay.
In the CSU case, my objection is not that the department chose to assign a common book. It was within its rights to do so. My objections are that it chose without apparent regard to cost or to a conflict of interest. (I say “apparent” because I wasn’t there.) It chose badly, which is fair game for criticism, but it was within its rights to choose.
Historically, one reason for assigning common texts was actually to reduce textbook costs. When a common text is assigned, and held for multiple years, then a healthy market in used books can develop. Students can save significantly with used books, as opposed to new. When each professor assigns different books, the market for any given book becomes too small. But when, say, a Psych department picks a common text for the Intro class, the volume is high enough to sustain buybacks and resales.
The IHE piece situates the issue within the larger questions of OER, which is exactly my concern. For a college to be able to put together an entirely OER degree program, every class in the program has to use OER. That means every professor teaching those classes. If someone decides to go rogue and assign something commercial, the students will rightly complain about being misled. And when financial aid awards are based on estimated costs, a professor who unilaterally decides to impose substantial new costs does significant harm. Siding with the rogue in a sympathetic case would suggest a rule that would effectively forbid a much greater good.
Theoretically, of course, unanimity would smooth the tension between autonomy and consistency. But unanimity is both rare and fleeting. As a standard, it gives undue power to a single dissenter. If you want a rule to hold up over time, you need to be willing and able to enforce it. There’s a reason that democracies don’t rely on unanimity, or allow citizens to cherry-pick the laws they’ll choose to follow. If they did, they’d essentially hollow out the point of majority rule.
I’m no fan of the choices the CSU department made, I agree that there’s a serious ethical issue around the conflict of interest, and that textbook cost deserves more attention than it gets. The department seems to have gone out of its way to make itself the villain. But siding with a sympathetic rogue here would lose the larger cause.
Because That’s Where the Money Is…
Willie Sutton, the bank robber, would have been lost to history if not for a single quip. When asked why he robbed banks, he responded “that’s where the money is.” His misunderstanding of the question got at a larger truth.
I was reminded of Sutton’s line in reading the New York Times piece this weekend advocating the application of “gainful employment” rules to law schools. The idea is to get a handle on student loan debt where it’s greatest. Given the low rates of full-time legal employment among recent law school grads, it’s unsurprising that default rates are higher than they used to be. And given the rate of increase in tuition, those underemployed lawyers are coming out with more debt than they used to. I’ve written before about applying it first to graduate schools before moving down the ranks; law school seems as good a place as any to start.
The beauty of choosing law schools as the place to start is that law schools are unabashedly vocational. They exist to train lawyers. To the extent that they fail to train lawyers, or the lawyers they train can’t find work, it’s fair to ask why the schools continue to exist.
I wouldn’t stop with law schools, either; medical and graduate schools strike me as subject to the same logic. If people are unable to parlay their years of very expensive training into salaries high enough to repay their loans, I think it’s fair to raise some questions.
The paradox, of course, is that there’s typically an inverse relationship between student debt levels and the likelihood of default: the less they owe, they likelier they are to default. That’s largely a function of dropouts, though it also reflects the lower levels of family wealth among students who attend community colleges. The presence or absence of “the bank of Mom and Dad” makes a meaningful difference in the ability to avoid default, and community college students typically have less access to that than do students who attend more expensive places. Extrapolating from that to a measure of institutional performance amounts to punishing those who serve risky populations.
Of course, in my perfect world, the idea of “performance based funding” wouldn’t only apply to public services. It would be applied also to, say, regressive tax cuts, or wars of choice. Fair is fair. But we aren’t there yet.
If we want to reduce the exploitation of naive strivers, then yes, let’s tackle abuses in graduate education. They’re real, they’re hardly news, and they’re expensive. If we want to reduce defaults among folks with smaller balances, let’s transfer some of that money to community colleges to help improve graduation rates, and maybe even to make those first sixty credits free. The bang for the buck will leave our current system in the dust.
Or we can pretend that “where the money is” now makes sense. How’s that working out?
Scenes From a Debate Tournament
Last weekend, The Girl participated in her first debate tournament. I was there both as a parent and as a judge-in-training.
Full disclosure: when it comes to my kids, I'm wildly biased. That said, she did great. She was the only sixth grader in a group of seventh and eighth graders, but you wouldn't have noticed. She stood her ground with apparent confidence (though she admitted later that she was nervous). She spoke clearly and well, without reading. She answered questions with aplomb, and when asked a question including a big word she didn't understand, she coolly offered "I don't know what that means" and then returned to her point. It was all I could do not to cackle.
After each match -- they participated in four over the course of the day -- the teams congratulated each other in the hallway while waiting for the judges to tally scores. And it wasn't the "good game...good game..." perfunctory version that usually occurs after baseball games; in a couple of cases, one team mentioned to the other that they felt bad that one side was so much easier to argue than the other.
And the topics weren't always easy. They had one I thought was about right -- "abolish the penny" -- but had another about requiring European countries to accept Syrian refugees, which is pretty heady stuff for a sixth grader. (The others were sort of in-between: one about the state ending the bear hunt, and one about the Federal response to Hurricane Katrina.) She spent probably an hour a night for a week doing background research, and some prep work with me on anticipating questions. At one point, she complained that "I didn't know research could make you so exhausted," which I thought was a sign of success.
In between rounds, parents waited in the school cafeteria and passed the time chatting. At one point someone asked about occupations, and nearly everybody there was an engineer. I was the oddball. But graduate degrees were clearly the norm.
The demographics of the tournament were a little discouraging. Two private schools were there, and three publics. The private schools were affluent, as was one of the public schools. The second public school -- ours -- was somewhat more modest and diverse. The third was from a low-income area. The team from that school really struggled, and seemed to be largely uncoached. It's a little unsettling to see class distinctions so manifest at such an early age, though I'll admit I was glad the low-income kids were at least there. The benefits for kids from learning to speak in public and make arguments with evidence strike me as obvious, and well worth sharing.
The teams also tilted slightly male, though not overwhelmingly. I didn't expect that. The group of kids reminded me of the groups you'd see at Lego League meets, who also tend to be engineers' kids.
I'm thrilled when The Boy speaks in public, which he has done both in church and with student government. He has an aw-shucks charm that wins people over, and I know the experience is good for him. But I'm especially glad to see The Girl step up. She's eleven, and for her age, she's uncommonly self-possessed. I worry about the storms of adolescence and their effects on her self-confidence. Boys don't get a free pass on that -- I remember thirteen, and "free pass" is not the phrase that leaps to mind -- but from what I've seen, girls can really get steamrolled. TG is a great kid, and I want her to have the confidence at fourteen that she has now. If she learns to stand her ground now, and gets rewarded for it, I'm hoping it helps. And when the Mean Girls do what they do, having some sense of Dad in her corner, cheering her on for being smart, can't be a bad thing.
I can't wait for the next one.
The “O” word
Kellie Woodhouse's story yesterday about Wagner College and its plans to shrink strategically should be required reading for people at teaching-intensive institutions in the Northeast, and for the politicians who decide on budget allocations.
Much of the Northeast and Midwest suffers from a decline in the number of 18 year olds, and the decline is likely to continue for the next decade or more. The geographic distribution of colleges more closely resembles the population distribution of fifty years ago than it does the distribution now, adding a supply issue to the demand issue. Add an economic recovery and counter-cyclical enrollments -- recessions boost enrollments and recoveries dampen them, due to the change in opportunity cost -- and it's not a pretty picture. Predictably enough, colleges are competing more vigorously for enrollment than they once did, with high discount rates among the private ones as an easy indicator.
But it isn't just the privates.
Over the last ten years -- twenty, really -- public colleges' revenues have shifted from states (and sometimes counties) to students. As their revenue sources start to look more like the privates, they start to behave more like the privates.
Except that the mission is different. Private colleges can choose to shrink via increased selectivity, which seems to be the route Wagner has chosen. Selectivity can make life easier for a private college, since it can outsource the riskiest populations to community colleges. Change the risk profile of your student body, and you will change outcomes. Improved retention and graduation rates can offset some of the tuition loss over time.
For community colleges, selectivity isn’t an option; it would violate the mission. In an environment in which tuition is sixty percent or more of a college's budget, enrollment drops mean immediate budget crunches.
For-profit colleges are tuition-driven, too, and we’ve seen how some of them respond to declining enrollments: by abandoning academic standards and pressuring faculty to pass everybody. That, too, would violate the mission of a community college. I've been proud to note that this sector is largely immune to grade inflation; the really egregious grade inflation occurs at the Ivies, not here.
If we want community colleges to maintain academic standards while serving smaller populations, we're going to have to come to terms with the trend of cost-shifting to students. States offloaded costs onto students; then, the students went away. That leaves colleges in a bad spot.
Here I'll make the one argument that I have not seen a single, solitary candidate make, from either party. It's simply off the charts politically, but it's true.
If you want to maintain quality with shrinking enrollments, you'll need to offset the shrinking enrollments with...
Anyone...?
Increased operating aid.
Notice I didn't say "maintenance of effort." When the effort is too low, maintenance of effort isn't good enough. And in states in which counties or districts matter as much as states do, even defining maintenance of effort becomes a problem.
Increased Pell grants are great, and I'm all for them. But the only way that colleges benefit from them is through tuition. When colleges price their tuition below the Pell maximum, which nearly all community colleges do -- partisans of the "Bennett hypothesis" ignore this, but it's true -- then Pell increases don't hit the budget. At all.
Nor did I say "grants" or "corporate partnerships." Grants have expiration dates. Corporate partnerships are circumscribed around specific programs. Both can and do play helpful roles, but they can't carry the ball.
Nor did I say "capital funding." Facilities matter, and deferred maintenance is real, but this is not primarily a function of too few buildings.
I'm talking about the one category that would do more good, yet gets less press, than any other. Operations. The money with which we pay salaries.
Put operating subsidies on a substantial and predictable upward trend, and colleges can enforce academic standards without fearing bankruptcy. They can continue to take all comers and provide excellent education. Raise them enough, and we could even make a dent in the trend towards increasing adjunct percentages. Let them continue to stagnate or fall, and the only institutions that serve everybody will flounder.
Privates can move to selectivity and/or philanthropy without violating their missions. Community colleges can't; they need operating aid. That's what will make the difference between downsizing-as-exclusivity and downsizing-as-death-spiral.
Operations. It's about operations. It's time we say the "O" word in public. Either that, or we let higher education retreat once again to become the exclusive playground of the wealthy.
Getting There From Here
As regular readers know, I’m not above using the blog to fish for helpful hints. (Readers under 40 can replace that with “helpful hacks” if it clarifies.) This is the latest effort at idea fishing.
I’m a fan of Open Educational Resources (OER). They’re free, usually electronic alternatives to commercial textbooks. They offer the rare win-win-win: students save money, so they win; students show up to class having “bought” the book, so faculty win; students are likelier to complete, so everyone wins. A few big publishers lose, but I’m okay with that. I can see a clear goal: get entire programs to adopt OER, like Tidewater Community College did in its Business program. We could save students thousands of dollars apiece, we could market the hell out of it, and we could level the playing field to some degree for low-income students. It’s a fine and worthy goal, if I do say so myself.
At Holyoke, I was able to direct some grant dollars to stipends for individual faculty to investigate, adopt, and report back on the success or failure of OER in their own classes. A fair number participated, and the feedback was generally positive. But a couple of years later, OER remained largely on the fringes. Some folks jumped in with both feet, and some more used it to reduce the overall reliance on paid books, but most continue(d) to use commercial texts. A smallish exploratory project led to positive, but still smallish, adoption.
The culture of Brookdale, as of Holyoke, effectively forbids mandates, so adoption has to be voluntary. I can hope to convince, but I can’t command. I’m okay with that, too.
I’d love to see a viral transmission model, in which faculty who have good results with OER tell their colleagues, and momentum builds naturally. (“Nobody put off buying the book!” is a pretty enticing argument…) After a while, students might seek out OER sections to save money -- voting with their feet -- and thereby create enrollment pressure on those who still force purchases. Ideally, eventually the commercial publishers start producing better value for the money out of sheer market pressure, so even non-adopters win through a sort of coattail effect.
The part I’m struggling with is getting there from here.
I’m happy to support some early explorers, but the resources don’t exist to stipend everybody. And I don’t want early stipends to have an unintended chilling effect on later participation, by inadvertently encouraging people to wait for payouts before moving forward. (At a previous college, an earlier wave of retirement incentives seemed to have taught people to wait for the next wave. The pipeline got pretty jammed while people waited for checks that weren’t coming. The effect is real.)
Here’s where I hope that my wise and worldly readers have seen something I haven’t. For those who’ve seen a successful large-scale transition, how did it happen? For those in the midst of it, what’s working? Any hints/hacks you could share would be appreciated.
Security and The Mission
There are some things about security that I cannot, and will not, discuss.
That said, it’s no secret that campuses are more focused on security now than in recent memory. The shooting at Umpqua Community College was so horrific, and so unpredictable, that it made any remaining denial impossible.
Colleges are difficult places to secure, by design. Most community colleges were built to be open. Other than some tightly landlocked urban campuses, most don’t have entry gates. Suburban and rural campuses are often relatively sprawling. With thousands of people coming and going every day, and relatively high turnover among students, there’s nothing weird about seeing people you don’t know on campus. I see people I don’t know every single day. To the extent that typical shooters are young men, well, we have thousands of young men on campus, the overwhelming majority of whom mean no harm.
As a quirk of history, roughly half of the community colleges in America were built in the 1960’s. Security simply was not a central design principle. Openness was.
Colleges are built on a sort of willful naivete, and community colleges doubly so. They’re premised on the assumption that people can stretch to become better than they were when they arrived. They’re built on assuming the best of everyone. They’re built to enable certain kinds of risk-taking. Colleges put certain kinds of stress on students -- the old joke that there will be prayer in school as long as there are math tests endures for a reason -- but those stresses are there to prod the students to better themselves. Community colleges in particular have a certain idealism baked into their structure. It’s usually called “the mission,” as in “we would do that, but it’s inconsistent with the mission.” Belief in the mission is part of what motivates very intelligent and highly trained people to work for less money than they could earn elsewhere.
The mission includes serving people nobody else will serve. Within the sector, “open-door” admissions policies are considered a feature, not a bug. Community colleges serve high achievers, average achievers, and folks who haven’t found their niche yet. More so than selective colleges, community colleges are built to provide second chances.
The wave of violence on campuses over the last few years raises several sets of fears. The obvious one is of physical danger. All I’ll say to that is that every college I know of is reviewing its protocols and resources. There’s no such thing as absolute safety, but nobody wants to get the news that something awful could have been minimized if they had been more conscientious.
The more subtle fears are about losing that culture of openness. That culture is based on institutional practices, but also on the ways that individual people interact. The mission encourages employees to treat every student as an opportunity, not a threat. To the extent that a culture of fear replaces a culture of openness, the mission itself is at risk. And distrust can become self-fulfilling.
I’ve been at this long enough to remember when the only time we thought about security was when we had fire drills. That’s not true anymore. To a degree, that’s a good thing; prudent security measures can prevent some awful outcomes. But some risk is simply baked into the cake. Deal with the public, and you take risks. Gather thousands of young people, and you take risks. I hope we never lose the willingness to take those risks. They’re what community colleges are for.
Academic Freedom for Format, Not Just Content
If I could ask the Education Department one question, it would be this:
If you’re so willing to explore alternatives to credit-hour based education, why are you clamping down on the definition of the credit hour?
It’s almost as if people there don’t talk to each other.
The Education Department has announced a pilot program to make coding boot camps and similar short-term job training programs eligible for financial aid. Although some of my colleagues may disagree with me, I actually think it’s a good idea. How it’s implemented will matter a great deal, of course; too little specificity could lead to a resurgence of the kinds of abuses that many for-profits committed, and too much could stifle innovation. But if it’s done well, it could open the door to other ways of educating students.
After the initial wave of MOOC hype receded and reality set in, many providers shifted from competing with community colleges on freshman classes to something closer to a corporate training model. Restricting your student body to people who already have undergraduate degrees and who have ten or twenty thousand dollars to plunk down while going unpaid for a few months takes certain issues off the table. You can leave general education behind, assuming that someone else has taken care of it, and focus exclusively on the specific training that defines your market niche. The major flaw is that it leaves you wide open to charges of elitism. (Between the lines, some techies consider that a feature, not a bug, but that’s another discussion.)
Opening up the boot camps to students who would need financial aid to attend them could, at least theoretically, allow folks with more talent and drive than money to have a shot. And to the extent that those camps eschew the credit hour in favor of some other measure of learning, the Feds could learn to tie financial aid to actual learning, rather than seat time. As they get better at that, I would hope that other providers -- such as community colleges -- could start to explore similar avenues. As a side benefit, we could also establish more sensible rules for financial aid for people who already have a bachelor’s degree. That’s a growing demographic in community colleges, as students who want to change careers come back to pick up a different set of skills. If boot camps motivate the Feds to revisit how to treat those students, then more power to them.
At the same time that the Feds are looking closely at alternative formats, though, they’re becoming much more exacting in enforcing the existing ones. It’s a fascinating study in mixed messaging.
The common denominator, I think, is fear of abuse. But the real solution to that isn’t to tighten the screws on a format that even its partisans admit has nothing to do with student learning. It’s to focus intently on developing measures that show whether students are learning. If they do, I say, let a thousand methods bloom. Apply “academic freedom” not only to content, but to format; as long as students get what they need, why count minutes?
Coaching The Girl
The Girl, who is eleven, has her first debate tournament on Saturday.
I’m as excited as she is.
I was never any kind of athlete. The only sport I understand in any significant way is baseball, and even there, my understanding is more from a spectator’s perspective than a player’s. For years, The Boy and The Girl have played sports coached by other kids’ parents. I feel guilty every single time there’s a call for coaches and I don’t answer, but I never felt like I could.
Finally, with debate, there’s something I understand. This, I can do.
Helping a child learn debate is harder, in some ways, for the lack of role models. The Republican presidential debates were closer to performance art than to anything resembling an exchange of ideas. The Democratic one was less embarrassing, but still offered little in the way of substantive disagreement. Compare that to baseball, where televised games are usually played at a high level. I’ve watched games with TB and pointed out when a pickoff move was particularly good, or where a fielder positioned himself to anticipate a ball. But I’ve kept TG away from televised debates, to prevent her having to unlearn some pretty awful habits.
TG has been given four topics, but she won’t know which side she’s supposed to argue until fifteen minutes before each match. That means preparing arguments for both sides. For an eleven-year-old, the concept of arguing the side you don’t believe is a bit abstract. I suggested that she think of it like chess: your moves are more effective when you anticipate your opponent’s moves. If you can jump between sides of a chess board in your head, you can do the same with positions in an argument. She remained skeptical.
“But how can I say something if I don’t believe it?”
“Well, that’s how it’s like a game.”
“But I don’t want the bad side to win!”
Clearly, a different approach was in order.
“Think of it like acting. The guy who plays Voldemort isn’t really a villain, but if he didn’t play the villain, there’d be no story. And the scarier he is, the better the story. If you’re on the wrong side, you’re playing Voldemort.”
She liked that better. But the discussion of acting led quickly to a discussion of stage fright.
“You’ve given speeches before. Don’t you get nervous?”
“Of course! But with practice, it gets easier to manage.”
“I’ve heard it helps if you picture the audience in their underwear. Do you do that?”
(laugh) “No. It would be distracting, and kind of rude.”
“I just think of it as talking to myself in front of people. They just happen to be there. That way I don’t get overwhelmed.”
“That works?”
“It works for me. And I’ve heard you talk to yourself sometimes. You get some good rants going. Just do it out loud in front of people.”
She brightened up at that. It seemed doable.
I don’t care much about whether she wins, but I’m hoping she keeps her composure and makes the points she wants to make. Debate may be out of fashion, but the ability to see both sides of a question, to keep your composure in front of an audience, and to use evidence and reasoning to make a point will serve her well. There are worse things.
Saturday morning. This must be how basketball Dads feel...
A Lesson for My Colleagues
As longtime readers could probably guess, my taste in movies tends to run towards comedies. I can do different styles of comedy -- dark satire (Brain Candy, Heathers), classic physical (Chaplin, Buster Keaton), or contemporary stupid (Will Ferrell). Recently, in a discussion with a colleague about Leslie Nielsen’s oeuvre, I was asked whether I prefered the Naked Gun movies or the Airplane movies.
To a comedy nerd, that’s sort of like asking which child you like better. The pre-credit sequence in Naked Gun 2 ½ is close to perfection. But for sentimental reasons, I have to go with Airplane II, which I saw in a theater with my Dad when it came out. At one point in the movie, Robert Hays approaches a door labeled “Danger: Vacuum.” With ominous music building up, he opens the door, only to be attacked by the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. My Dad laughed harder than I had ever heard him laugh. So for strictly personal reasons, I have to go with Airplane II.
I was reminded of “Danger: Vacuum” in reading Lee Skallerup Bessette’s thoughtful piece about the dangers of unorthodox teaching styles. The key moment:
“ I was told by a supportive friend not to let any of the senior faculty know what I was doing in my classroom because they would have put a stop to it.”
She believed her colleague, and suffered a chilling effect. Whether her colleague was correct or not -- and she may well have been -- the assertion of knowledge of a truth was enough.
Information vacuums are dangerous. People will fill them with their own fears.
That’s part of the reason that personnel decisions usually cause the most anxiety. Personnel issues are confidential, so sometimes decisions happen for reasons that can’t be shared. Some people will know, or be able to figure out, the reasons, but most won’t. Administrative respect for confidentiality will come off to some as stonewalling, which they’ll take as confirmation that something sinister is going on. Into the vacuum will rush all sorts of explanations. I’ve seen this myself a few times over the years, and it’s always awful. For instance, I had a professor once with a serious medical condition that he didn’t want to be common knowledge, but that required some scheduling accommodations. After a couple of semesters, word started to spread on the grapevine that his accommodations were the result of something sinister. I had to ask some people whose trust I had earned over the years to take my word that if they knew what I knew, they’d make the same decision. But I couldn’t tell them what I knew.
Outside of personnel decisions, though, it’s often possible to fill -- or at least reduce the scope of -- the vacuum. Give people context for what you’re doing, share data when you can, and let them know what you’re trying to do. (Blogging five days a week may be overkill, but it works for me.....) Some will resort to knee-jerk cynicism, but if the walk and the talk match over time, most folks will be glad to keep the conversation at a constructive level. At that point, it’s possible to harness the incredible resource that a collection of very smart people can be. If you’re secure enough in your own ego to take constructive criticism productively -- admittedly, not always a given -- you can engage smart people in making your plans better.
I don’t know whether Prof. Bessette’s colleague was correct in her estimation of how a non-traditional teaching style would be received. Maybe she was, but maybe she wasn’t. I fault the leadership for not making its expectations clear. For those of us in administration, it’s worth noticing that failing to provide context meant that the most sinister and destructive explanation won, leading ultimately to the loss of a good professor. That could have been prevented. Vacuums suck, and so do their effects. Better to provide context, and to keep the evil vacuum trapped in its closet.
A New Product Line
Over the last couple of decades, many of us in higher ed -- myself included -- have fallen into a bad habit. We referred to “for-profits” or “for-profit colleges” as if the category were simply profit-making analogues of traditional colleges.
For a while, that didn’t matter much; the larger ones seemed to be shifting in the direction of tradition, and the smaller ones were too small to be of much concern. Some of the larger ones attained regional accreditation to offer degrees; others bought campuses that carried accreditations with them, like taxi medallions.
Over the last few years, of course, the degree-granting versions of for-profits have fallen on hard times. But that doesn’t mean the sector is going away; it just means that it’s moving to a new niche.
Welcome to five-figure short-term boot camps.
The short-term boot camp model more closely resembles corporate training than traditional undergraduate education, which means that it can charge quite a bit without raising eyebrows. And it can dispense with general education, student life, and the traditional campus. If a given provider wants to, it can contract with an existing accredited college to get credits through some variation on prior learning assessment, as in this story about General Assembly and Lynn University. But if that’s more trouble than it’s worth, they can cater entirely to the graduate market. By dodging accreditation, they can cherry-pick their students and their markets.
I’ve suggested for years that for-profits would be better off competing on the high end of the market than the low end. On the low end, they’re competing with community and state colleges, which have the considerable advantages of being subsidized and untaxed. But I have to admit falling prey to the trap of thinking mostly in terms of degrees, which left open the objection that the upscale degree market is largely defined by historical wealth, which is pronounced “prestige.” The boot camp model plays a different game. It leaves general education and difficult students to the publics, and instead selects the graduates most likely to succeed. It charges more, and offers a more customized product. It’s FedEx, as opposed to first-class mail. And it can specialize in whatever skill is hot at the moment, effectively ceding prestige in favor of good timing.
The new for-profit model raises different questions. The old one raised questions of the maintenance of academic standards, given the pressure to produce graduates no matter what. The new one raises questions of access, given the high sticker price and (usually) the lack of financial aid. Boutique stores don’t compete on access; if anything, they strive to convey a sense of exclusivity, whether warranted or not. If that means that only the usually-advantaged can gain the latest skills, well, so be it. They’re not running charities.
Honestly, I see this version as having legs that the previous version didn’t have. In this version, they don’t have to try to compete with community colleges on price or access, or with elite universities on prestige. Instead, they can sell speed and employer relevance. There’s a market for that.
To the extent that the rest of us care about both employer relevance and access, we should watch the boot camps closely and take good notes. Highly employable short term programs at community colleges -- whether in IT or something else -- offer a similar good at a much lower price. And it can do so in an institutional setting in which folks who need support can get it. If the for-profits are willing to establish the public awareness of this niche that we can subsequently fill, I say, go for it. And in the meantime, the rest of us should probably rethink what we mean when we refer to for-profits.
Why Good Student Course Evaluations Are So Hard to...
Ask the Administrator: Retooling to Teach Chemistr...
Collision Mix
Assessment and the Value of Big, Dumb Questions
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758839
|
__label__cc
| 0.713272
| 0.286728
|
Japan demonstrates strong support for UNIDO projects in Africa, Middle East
VIENNA, Austria, March 8, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The Government of Japan has provided a contribution of over USD 7.4 million in response to the needs of communities affected by humanitarian crises and the influx of displaced peoples. The funding supports seven projects implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Africa and the Middle East.
This was announced last Friday at a meeting between LI Yong, the Director General of UNIDO, and Ambassador Mitsuru Kitano, the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Organizations in Vienna, in the presence of representatives from Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Sudan.
Ambassador Kitano stressed the importance of the triangular relationship between Japan, UNIDO and recipient countries, and the hope that the contribution by the Government of Japan would be to the benefit of partner countries, particularly young people and women. He appreciated UNIDO’s focus on inclusiveness in its programmatic activities, and highlighted the prospect of collaboration with the Japanese private sector. He concluded that Japan looked forward to further cooperation with the Organization in these areas, in line with the priorities of the Government of Japan.
In Iraq, USD 1.5 million will help assist the government in addressing the needs of host communities, internally displaced persons and returnees in the central and northern parts of the country. The project will support income generating activities; restore micro- and small scale enterprises damaged during the conflict; and contribute to the reconstruction of community infrastructure via vocational skills training. Ambassador Auday Al-Khairalla, Permanent Representative of Iraq, emphasized that the support sends a strong message to both the people of his country, as well as to the Government, that Iraq is not alone in fighting terrorism and resulting issues.
Another USD 1 million project will help address the challenge of youth employment in Upper Egypt and contribute to socio-economic stability by diversifying the local economy, increasing the resilience of communities and individuals, and enhancing the employability of youth. This is meant to help avoid the phenomena of radicalization and illegal migration. The project will stimulate private sector growth in priority clusters and value chains. It will also help promote skills development for underemployed and unemployed young people and women, as well as enhance the employment prospects and self-employment opportunities for students.
A USD 791,000 project in Morocco was specifically designed to tackle unemployment and migration in the eastern region of Morocco. It will focus on employment-generating activities by developing marketable industrial skills. This will include supplying productive equipment, as well as business-related services to selected enterprises. The project will also help link local companies with local and international counterparts, including with Japanese firms, operating in the industrial sector.
An amount of USD 1.9 million will contribute to a project in Jordan to create employment opportunities and improve food security in communities in Northern and Central Badia that are hosting Syrian refugees. It is expected to help further develop the agricultural potential of these areas, and contribute to creating employment and generating income for the beneficiaries, with special focus on women and young people.
In Lebanon, which is also severely affected by the influx of Syrian refugees, a USD 1 million project will help in creating job opportunities in the furniture industry, particularly in micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises. Skill development training will be provided for unemployed people, particularly the young, in order to enhance their employability, and producers’ market access will be expanded through enhancing visibility of the furniture producers in North Lebanon and promoting linkages with buyers.
In Somalia, a USD 625,000 project will help restore the livelihoods of young people considered at risk in areas bordering Kenya, where civil war, international isolation, and clan-based violence have had a profound and adverse impact on the productive capacity of all sectors of the economy. Under the project, young people will be offered vocational skills training.
A project in Sudan worth USD 630,000 will focus on supporting food security by establishing local processing facilities for soy milk, soy meal and cake. The development of the country’s soybean-processing will help increase overall revenue from soybean and open up new markets, both locally and internationally. At the meeting, Ambassador Mohamed Hussein Hassan Zaroug, Permanent Representative of Sudan, expressed appreciation for the fact that soybean products are being introduced to the country thus providing a healthy supplement to dairy products.
« Northrop Grumman to Expand Communications System Capability at World’s Busiest Airport, UAE
IBM Opens First Cloud Data Center in South Africa »
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758840
|
__label__wiki
| 0.710248
| 0.710248
|
How the Flexibility of the Twelve-Bar Blues Has Helped Shape the Jazz Language
Garth Alper
blues form
Basie
It would be difficult to overstate the impact the blues had on American music in the twentieth century. In his 1993 book, The Land Where the Blues Began, Alan Lomax states,
Although this has been called the age of anxiety, it might better be termed the century of the blues, after the moody song style that was born sometime around 1900 in the Mississippi Delta. . . . Nowadays everyone sings and dances to bluesy music, and the mighty river of the blues uncoils in the ear of the planet.1
Lomax also notes, "Every one of the world-renowned black American genres from ragtime to rap bears the mark of this 'folk' heritage."2 One reason the blues form has exerted such far-reaching influence has been its ability to morph in order to suit a wide variety of musical visions, a malleability that can clearly be seen in jazz. From the early rural blues, to the urban blues of the 1920s, to the use of the blues in modern-day jazz, the form has exhibited notable flexibility while still retaining its basic structure. I will discuss this characteristic through the use of descriptive analyses of recordings that represent early jazz, big band jazz, bebop, hard bop, free jazz, modal jazz, and the jazz of the last thirty years. The artists who will be discussed are Ma Rainey, Jimmy Rushing with the Count Basie Orchestra, Charlie Parker, Horace Silver, Eric Dolphy, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Carla Bley.3 In addition, this article will briefly examine the roots of the blues and explain what defines the blues.
The Twelve-Bar Blues: Background Information
The roots of the blues predate the phonograph and other sound reproduction devices4 and there is no known written notation of the earliest blues. "The African music from which the blues ultimately derives came to what is now the southern United States with the first African slaves."5 Even though slaves were largely prevented from singing the music from their homelands, the musical forms that they were permitted to perform were imbued with African performance practices. These nineteenth-century precursors to the blues include field hollers, work songs, folk ballads, ring shouts, and spirituals. Around the 1890s, the country blues form began to coalesce. Other forms that continued to shape the blues beyond this decade include vaudeville songs, ragtime,6 and minstrel songs. "Blues certainly had roots in earlier Southern styles, but its trunk and many of its most fruitful branches were in Chicago and New York—and later in Los Angeles—in the recording studios and vaudeville theaters."7
Though some eight-bar, sixteen-bar, and other variations exist, this paper will concentrate on the form most commonly heard in jazz, the twelve-bar blues. Harmonically, one of the frequently-heard early twelve-bar blues looks like this:
A well-known example of this harmonic progression can be heard in the 1936 Robert Johnson recording, "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." By the time Johnson had made this record, countless urban and country blues performers had been using this twelve-bar blues form as a vehicle for vocal and instrumental story telling. I have chosen to highlight this particular recording because it so clearly exhibits the harmonic and lyric schemes that will be discussed in this article.
The lyrics that are sung over the chords shown above consist of a four-bar phrase which is repeated and then answered by a second four-bar phrase. This creates an AAB vocal pattern that is clearly seen in Johnson's blues:
A I'm gonna get up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
B Girlfriend, the black man you been lovin', girlfriend, can get my room
A I'm gonna write a letter, telephone every town I know
B If I can't find her in West Helena, she must be in East Monroe, I know
A I don't want no woman, wants every downtown man she meet
B She's a no good doney, they shouldn't allow her on the street
A I believe, I believe I'll go back home
B You can mistreat me here, babe, but you can't when I go home
A And I'm gettin' up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
A I'm gettin' up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
A I'm gonna call up Chiney, she is my good girl over there
A I'm gonna call up China, she is my good girl over there
B If I can't find her on Phillipine's Island, she must be in Ethiopia somewhere8
As seen below, the first vocal line (A) is sung over the I chord. When it is repeated, it begins over the IV chord. The reply (B) begins on the V chord and resolves back to the I chord. This configuration creates a simple and effective dramatic device: When the first line of the song is repeated, the harmony changes, adding emphasis to the lyrics' content. The reply (B) occurs over the V chord which creates the most tension and allows for a resolution on the I chord at the end of the verse9:
This configuration is representative of a template that continues to be used by blues musicians to this day. More importantly for the sake of this paper, this structure became the foundation on which innumerable jazz pieces were written.
A Sampling of Recorded Jazz from a Variety of Style Periods That Utilizes the Twelve-Bar Blues
Since its conception, jazz was a vehicle for group improvisation in the 1920s; a popular dance music in the 1930s; a showcase for individual virtuoso improvisers in the 1940s; a groove-oriented music in the 1950s; a protest medium in the 1960s; part of a fusion partnership with rock in the 1970s; and an often highly cross-pollinated and stylistically splintered genre over the last thirty years. While labeling the style periods of jazz in this manner greatly oversimplifies matters, it is one way of making some sense out of a complex, ever-evolving art form.
A good demonstration of group improvisation in jazz can be heard in Ma Rainey's 1924 recording of "Booze and Blues," which retains the twelve-bar form and AAB vocal scheme found in the earlier country blues:
A Went to bed last night, at four o'clock I was in my beer
B Woke up this mornin', the police was shakin' me
A I went to the jailhouse, drunk and blue as I could be
B But that cruel old judge sent my man away from me
A They carried me to the courthouse, oh Lordy how I was cryin'
B They gave me sixty days in jail and money couldn't pay my fine
A Sixty days ain't long when you can spend them as you choose
B But they seemed like years in a cell where there ain't no booze
A My life is full of misery when I cannot get my booze
B I can't live without my liquor, got to have the booze to kill these blues
In addition to being an excellent example of an urban blues, "Booze and Blues" is unmistakably a jazz piece as well. The banjo player keeps a steady pulse while the trombone, clarinet, and cornet players expertly improvise around Rainey's singing without interfering with the lyrics or each other. The improvisation is done in the polyphonic style of 1920s New Orleans jazz and it is a highly capable instrumental jazz performance that compliments Rainey's potent singing and story-telling ability. The horn players' use of dynamics is conspicuous; when Rainey sings, they play softly, and when she rests, they move to the forefront, a technique that highlights the call and response nature of the blues. She sings with emotion informed by the blues tradition,10 uses vibrato sparingly, and uses her voice to create a strong sense of swing.
Rainey's composition incorporated some harmonic elements that would become staples of most jazz blues for the rest of the century. Of truly great importance is the use by blues composers of a major-minor 7th chord for the tonic. A great deal of popular music in the twentieth century was impacted by this innovation and also used this chord as the tonic.11 Another harmonic twist heard in the blues by this time was a brief shift to the IV7 (major-minor) chord in the second measure. This is what the resulting harmony looks like:
The lyrics to both "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" and "Booze and Blues" are emblematic of the thematic material often heard in the blues. Lomax talks of "the melancholy dissatisfaction that weighed upon the hearts of the black people of the Mississippi Delta, the land where the blues began. Feelings of anomie and alienation, of orphaning and rootlessness—the sense of being a commodity rather than a person; the loss of love and of family and of place—this modern syndrome was the norm for the cotton farmers and the transient laborers of the Deep South a hundred years ago."12
In "Goin' to Chicago" (1941) by Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing, the harmony is virtually identical to Rainey's tune, and the AAB vocal form remains intact:
A Goin' to Chicago—Sorry that I can't take you
B There's nothin' in Chicago that a monkey woman can do
A When you see me comin', raise your window high
B When you see me passin' baby, hang your head and cry
A Hurry down sunshine, see what tomorrow brings
B The sun went down, tomorrow brought us rain
A You're so mean and evil, you do things you ought not do
B You've got my brand of honey, guess I'll have to put up with you
The nearly identical harmonic and lyric schemes of the Rainey and Basie tunes contrast sharply with the widely differing approaches to accompaniment, arranging, instrumentation, improvisational styles, and rhythmic conception—an example of how the twelve-bar blues is able to facilitate diverse musical conceptions. On the Basie blues, Freddie Green's guitar, Walter Page's bass, and Jo Jones's drums all define the pulse while the four trumpets, three trombones, and five saxophones are manipulated by the arranger Buck Clayton to create a variety of timbral color. The blues form is also used to help create what Gunther Schuller calls the Basie band's "larger than life sound and projection."13 As opposed to "Booze and Blues" in which the horn players were able to improvise their responses to Rainey's singing, the arranger is now in control of the call and response aspect of the Basie blues.14
While almost all of the horn playing in Rainey's version is improvised, the horn solo in the Basie version is relegated to just two choruses before the singer enters. This blues solo highlights important trends that occurred in jazz in the 1930s and 40s. Instead of the improvised polyphony commonly heard in the 1920s, the trumpeter Buck Clayton improvises by himself over two choruses to create a highly personal statement.15 As for Rushing's performance, the first few notes he sings are bent blue notes similar to Rainey's, and there is a strong sense of rhythmic propulsion in his vocal delivery and a comparable use of vibrato.
When Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and others developed bebop in the 1940s, the structure of the twelve-bar blues, while still evident, was partially obscured by a new type of jazz virtuosity. The use of a singer, something not always found in big band jazz, became even rarer in bebop; the stories were no longer told in the English language, but in the abstract language of instrumental jazz. Another change that helped mask the blues form was the extremely fast tempos at which the tunes were sometimes played.16
Parker's "Now's the Time," recorded in 1953, has become a well known jazz standard and was based on a form similar to the Rainey and Basie blues, but a few more harmonic twists had since been added. These include a iii-7-VI7-ii-7-V7 progression in mm. 8-10, and a new set of chords (the turnaround) is seen in the last two measures:
Despite the radical new melodic language that was heard over these chords, many important elements that helped to define Rainey's and Basie's blues are still intact:17
an abstracted, instrumental version of the AAB form on the head
the use of the twelve-bar form
the use of a 7th chord for a I chord
the use of a IV7 chord in the fifth measure
the return to the I7 chord in the beginning of the eleventh measure
Parker's harmonic and melodic concepts have had an enormous influence on jazz composers since the early 1950s. Without delving into the music theory behind Parker's improvisation, it is still clear that Parker's solo on "Now's the Time" is melodically more complex than the previous examples we have examined in this paper. Yet despite Parker's complexity and virtuosity, the emotion of the blues that we heard in Rainey's, and Basie's music is unmistakably present.
The small group instrumentation on "Now's the Time," which consists of saxophone, piano, bass, and drums, sits in sharp contrast to Basie's big band and reflects a shift in emphasis from large group arrangements to the improvised solos. In his solo, Parker's ideas are clear, perfectly executed, varied, creative, and emotionally potent—some of the attributes from which Parker gained his status as one of the icons of jazz. The others in the group—Al Haig on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums—all do an adept job of framing Parker's solo and go on to take well-crafted solos themselves.
Perhaps the blues form was harmonically stretched the furthest from its origins by Parker's composition, "Blues for Alice," which exhibited major harmonic innovations. As heard in the 1951 recording, Parker changed the I chord from a major-minor 7th chord to a major-major 7th chord. Second, his masterful re-harmonization of the blues travels through seven key changes in its twelve bars. The new progression looks like this:
Despite these considerable harmonic changes and the fact that the AAB form of the head has now disappeared, Parker still retains the most essential elements from the standard jazz blues form:
starting on a I chord (albeit a different type of 7th chord)
the movement to the IV7 chord in the fifth bar
the return to the I chord at the beginning of the eleventh bar
These three signposts of the blues are the anchors around which Parker weaves the remaining harmony. To bridge the harmonic distance between measures one and four, he uses a series of ii-7-V7 progressions that descend in whole steps. To bridge the distance between measures six and nine, he employs a series of ii-7-V7 progressions that descend chromatically. Even though the form of the blues is partially obscured by Parker's complex treatment of the harmony, a listener can still hear the twelve bar structure. As was the case with "Now's the Time," the head-solos-head arrangement emphasizes the improvised solos.
After Parker and the bebop practitioners had brought so much harmonic and melodic complexity to jazz, there was a trend later in the 1950s to bring the rhythmic attributes of the blues back to the forefront. Simpler blues riffs often replaced complex melodies as a way to create a stronger sense of rhythm in the heads. A great example of this more laid-back, groove-oriented approach is Horace Silver's hard-bop composition, "Doodlin'," which was recorded in 1954.
The harmony of "Doodlin'" once again resembles a standard jazz blues, the AAB form returns in the head, and Silver avoids the IV7 chord in the second measure, a choice that highlights his roots-oriented composition:
The tempo is relaxed and Silver's piano accompaniment is deeply informed by an authentic blues feel. Despite the similarity in the form to Rainey's blues, Basie's blues, and Parker's "Now's the Time," Silver's instrumental has a feel all its own. There's a coolness that contrasts with Parker's blues. It lacks the power of Basie's big band, yet it sets aside specific choruses for individual solos, as opposed to the group soloing heard in "Booze and Blues."
Silver takes the first solo in his signature laid-back, bluesy style. Hank Mobley takes the second solo on tenor saxophone and mixes in Parker-influenced lines. Kenny Dorham's trumpet solo follows, displaying a marked story-telling ability and a strong swing feel. Art Blakey takes a drum solo that displays some of his own recognizable musical vocabulary before the group returns to the head of the blues.
"Bird's Mother," a composition by pianist Jaki Byard which features Eric Dolphy, merges free jazz techniques with a twelve-bar blues that is similar in harmonic structure to Silver's "Doodlin'." The head to "Bird's Mother" sounds like a bebop blues, but Dolphy's unconventional instrument of choice (the bass clarinet) and Byard's jittery comping act as foreshadowing for an interpretation that pushes the form into new territory. During Booker Little's first chorus on trumpet, Dolphy disrupts the flow with some dissonant background figures while Byard adds some jagged chords. In his bass clarinet solo Dolphy fully demonstrates how the blues can support and merge with free jazz concepts. The first chorus of his solo has a singsong quality that is highlighted by his caustic note choices. As his solo progresses, he mixes in fast bebop lines with sharp-edged free jazz melodic concepts. Underneath Dolphy's solo, the rhythm section continues to delineate the blues's twelve-bar form but is much freer in interpreting the harmony when compared to Parker's, Silver's, or any of the other blues discussed in this article up to this point. As Dolphy's solo grows increasingly dissonant and playful, Ron Carter's bass lines becomes more angular, Byard's comping gets more skittish, and Roy Haynes's drumming gets busier without losing its sense of swing. Here is the harmony to "Bird's Mother" as heard on the head of the 1960 recording:
Chick Corea's approach to his jazz blues composition "Matrix," is as different from a standard jazz blues as was Parker's "Blues for Alice," but for different reasons. While Parker used the same chord progression each time through the form, Corea's solo quickly turns into a modal excursion, allowing for quick, subtle and unexpected shifts in harmonic color. It is a piece that hints at free jazz but never loses the twelve-bar form and always returns to F as a home tonality. The feel of the blues is partially lost due to the harmonic vagueness and fast tempo. The harmony on the head sounds something like this:
The members of the trio—Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums—work as a cohesive unit from the beginning of the track. Corea's solo lines have a unique contour to them, Haynes propels the group with his controlled chaos and Vitous's comparably less busy conception allows Corea and Haynes more flexibility during their improvisations. For Vitous's solo, Haynes and Corea lay out completely, allowing him plenty of space in which to maneuver. Corea and Haynes trade twelves, highlighting the twelve-bar form of the blues while stamping it with a musical vision far removed from early roots of the blues.
The Dave Holland Trio (Dave Holland on bass, Steve Coleman on alto saxophone, and Jack DeJohnette on drums) redirect the blues form with their 1988 rendition of Duke Ellington's "Take the Coltrane." The head to Ellington's tune uses standard jazz blues harmony and a four-bar phrase three times, creating an AAA form (as opposed to the more commonly heard AAB form). Despite the virtuosity of the musicians, there is a sense of playfulness that pervades the recording. Early in the saxophone solo, DeJohnette and Holland de-emphasize the beat while Coleman weaves in and out the fragmented pulse. This builds for three choruses creating a sense of release when DeJohnette and Holland break into a hard-swinging groove. All three players explore melodic and rhythmic avenues that are far removed from some of the earlier recordings discussed in this paper.
The serious playfulness of the group is fully revealed when Coleman and DeJohnette trade off. Instead of trading equal phrase lengths, Coleman takes eight measures, DeJohnette four, Coleman eight, DeJohnette four, etc. This odd configuration gets more uneven as they proceed. It is hard to tell if they keep the harmonic rhythm completely intact throughout this section, and that fact underlines the important issue here: the journey that started with a clearly delineated twelve-bar form has morphed into an exuberant romp with unpredictable results.
One trend in the jazz world within approximately the last twenty-five years is the reexamination of the music of older style periods. No matter how small the sub-genre of jazz, someone has figuratively or literally prefixed it with "neo" to reinvent or recreate it. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is one of a number of New Orleans groups that has arisen and found its niche by reinventing the brass band—one of the genres that was influential in the formation of jazz in New Orleans early in the twentieth century. On the 1993 CD, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Plays Jelly Roll Morton, the group pays tribute to an important early jazz composer and arranger. One cut on the CD, "New Orleans Blues," mixes a New Orleans second-line dance rhythm18 with a twelve-bar blues.
On "New Orleans Blues," Keith Anderson's sousaphone playing both outlines the blues form and helps create the second-line groove. After a four-bar introduction, the head appears and Efrem Towns on trumpet takes a solo informed by New Orleans performance practices.19 Before the tenor saxophone solo by Kevin Harris, the arranger Tom McDermott has inserted a four-bar section harmonized in fourths, harmonies that are more commonly associated with jazz styles of the 1960s and beyond than with the music of Jelly Roll Morton's time. Through their performance of "New Orleans Blues," The Dirty Dozen Brass Band reminds us that the blues, which arose out of hardship and pain, also became a medium to express celebration and transcendent joy.
There are quite a few jazz arrangers who create complex sound sculptures that revel in their own density and intricacy. For over thirty years, Carla Bley has resisted that trend by composing and arranging deceptively complex music that is balanced with lucidity and a sardonic sense of humor. These characteristics are evident in her composition, "Blues in 12 Bars/Blues in 12 other Bars." But Bley also forces her sidemen to pay close attention to an arrangement that changes key, tempo, rhythmic feel, harmonic structure, and instrumentation, while occasionally interspersing contrasting non-blues sections into an opus that runs over fourteen minutes.
As heard on the CD that was recorded in 2000, the first chorus of Bley's blues is in the key of E-flat, the second chorus is in A-flat, and the third is in B-flat. This key scheme is a reflection of the I, IV, and V chords that were found in many of the blues examined in this study. In other words, Bley creates a matrix in which the I, IV, V progression of the blues is used on a larger scale to create a reflective key scheme:20
Bley uses this chord progression for the head of "Blues in 12 Bars/Blues in 12 other Bars" which uses sparse and humorous call and response riffs (a reference to earlier blues) between the bass, keyboards and horns. After the head, alto saxophonist Wolfgang Puschnig improvises over all thirty-six bars before an interlude leads to a trumpet solo by Lew Soloff. Bley creates more variety by remaining in E-flat for two choruses and then introducing a contrasting section for the last twelve bars of the trumpet solo.
Bley begins the second half of the piece by playing a slow gospel-influenced blues on piano. Steve Swallow, the bass player, takes a solo while Bley and the drummer Victor Lewis create interest with stop-time figures. For Larry Goldings's organ solo, the group shifts back and forth from an R&B/rock riff to a double-time feel before returning to the tempo and chord scheme that Bley had begun with thirteen minutes earlier. Although the blues still stands on its own as a vital musical form and vehicle of expression, in Bley's hands it has become artfully integrated into a much larger musical work.
This article illuminates how the blues form largely retained its identity while jazz artists from different periods used it as a foundation on which to build differing musical visions. Even as the instrumentation, harmonic and melodic languages, performance practices, and rhythmic feel of jazz evolved, there was always a high level of respect paid to the blues form. This respect has afforded the blues the ability to help shape the jazz language as jazz approaches its first century as an essential American art form.
Lomax, Alan. The Land Where the Blues Began. New York: Dell, 1993.
Oliver, Paul. The Blues Tradition. New York: Oak Publications, 1970.
Palmer, Robert. Deep Blues. New York: Viking Press, 1981.
Schuller, Gunther. Early Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968.
Wald, Elijah. Escaping the Delta. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
Basie, Count. Count Basie—Ken Burns Jazz. Verve 314 549 090-2 (2000). Recorded in 1941.
Basie, Count. The Essential Count Basie, Volume 1. Columbia CK 40608 (1987). Recorded in 1939.
Bley, Carla. 4×4. Watt/30 012159 547-2 (2000).
Corea, Chick. Now He Sings, Now He Sobs. Blue Note 7243 5 38265 2 9 (2002). Recorded in 1968.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Plays Jelly Roll Morton. Columbia CK 53214 (1993).
Dolphy, Eric. Far Cry. New Jazz 8270 (1960). Recorded in 1960.
Dave Holland Trio. Triplicate. ECM 1373 (1988).
Johnson, Robert. The Complete Recordings. Columbia/Legacy C2K 64916 (1990). Recorded in 1936.
Parker, Charlie. The Original Recordings of Charlie Parker. Verve 837 176-2 (1988). Recorded in 1951.
Parker, Charlie. Yardbird Suite—The Ultimate Charlie Parker Collection. Rhino R2 72260 (1997). Recorded in 1947.
Rainey, Ma. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Yazoo 1071 (1990). Recorded in 1924.
Silver, Horace. Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note CDP 7 46140 2 (1987). Recorded in 1953.
1Lomax, Where the Blues Began, xiii.
2Ibid., xviii.
3With the exception of "Blues for Alice," all twelve recordings that I discuss reflect the chronological order in which they were recorded.
4Edison's invention occurred in 1877 and many of the precursors to the blues listed below date back to the 1840s.
5Palmer, Deep Blues, 26-27.
6Here, I am using the term "ragtime" in the way that Wald uses it on page 10 of Escaping the Delta, "as a catchall term for older African-American music."
7Wald, Escaping the Delta, 9.
8These lyrics were copied from the liner notes. (See the Robert Johnson CD in the discography.)
9The placement of the chords and slash notation in relation to the lyrics is approximated. On the recording, Johnson's phrases and the harmonic rhythm are, at times, considerably imprecise. This imprecision, which arose from a lack of "formal" musical training, renders a literal transcription problematic.
10My use of the term "blues tradition" is in line with Lomax's view when he discusses the "melancholy dissatisfaction . . . ." Lomax, Where the Blues Began, xiii. As the blues continued evolving throughout the twentieth-century, the form supported stories that conveyed a wide range of expressions including joy, humor, etc.
11Some early twentieth-century composers did occasionally use major-major 7th chords or minor-minor 7th chords for tonics. For example, Ravel's "Jeux d'eau" starts and ends on a major-major 7th chord and his "Une barque sur l'océan" begins on a minor-minor 7th chord. But composers in the European classical tradition shied away from the use of the major-minor 7th chords as tonic chords. Sometimes major-minor 7th chords were used non-functionally as in Debussy's use of chord planing techniques, but in functional harmony, major-minor 7th chords always maintained a dominant function. By the time twentieth-century composers such as Scriabin were using major-minor 7th chords to establish a "tonic" harmony, their functionality as tonics was clouded at best.
12Lomax, Where the Blues Began, xiii.
13Schuller, Early Jazz, 55.
14An earlier Basie/Rushing recording of "Goin' to Chicago" in which the instrumental responses to the vocals are improvised can be found on The Essential Count Basie, Volume 1 (see discography).
15There are plenty of examples of individual improvisers from the 1920s and group improvisation in the 1930s, but in general the trend moved from group improvisation in the 1920s to individual improvisation in the 1930s.
16A good example of this can be heard on a recording of "The Hymn," by Parker on Yardbird Suite (see discography). At tempos such as this (300 b.p.m.), the pianist's comping often gets sparser. As a result, the harmony is outlined primarily by the bassist and the soloists' improvised lines.
17During the second measure of "Now's the Time," the bassist stays on the I chord and the piano seems to imply the IV chord.
18The term "second line" originally referred to the crowd that followed a parade. (The parade itself was the first line; the crowd was the second.) The term has become synonymous with the rhythms played by the drummer and tuba player to which the crowd dances.
19Towns uses growls (flutter tonguing) and a liberal use of blues notes.
20In the ninth measure of the A-flat blues, Bley adds a 7 chord, not unlike an augmented sixth found in classical music.
Last modified on Thursday, 04/10/2018
Garth Alper is the Director of the School of Music & Performing Arts at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, where he holds the Ruth Stodghill Girard Professorship. His articles, "How the Flexibility of the Twelve Bar Blues Has Helped Shape the Jazz Language" and "Towards the Acceptance of a Bachelor of Music degree in Popular Music Studies," have been published in College Music Symposium. Several other articles and reviews authored by Dr. Alper have been published in Popular Music and Society. Dr. Alper guest edited a special jazz issue of Popular Music and Society and is a member of the journal's Editorial Board.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758843
|
__label__wiki
| 0.928823
| 0.928823
|
Zachary Scott
Comedy > Romantic Comedy
Comedy > Buddy Film
War > War Drama
Science Fiction > Sci-Fi Comedy
Actor: Jack Weston
Dirty Dancing (1987)
directed by Emile Ardolino
featuring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston
The Ritz (1976)
directed by Richard Lester
featuring Jack Weston, Rita Moreno, Jerry Stiller, Kaye Ballard, F. Murray Abraham
A New Leaf (1971)
directed by Elaine May
featuring Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, William Redfield
Wait Until Dark (1967)
directed by Terence Young
featuring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Jack Weston
High Road to China (1983)
directed by Brian G. Hutton
featuring Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong, Jack Weston, Wilford Brimley, Robert Morley
Short Circuit 2 (1988)
directed by Kenneth Johnson
featuring Fisher Stevens, Michael McKean, Cynthia Gibb, Jack Weston, Tim Blaney
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
featuring Don Knotts, Carole Cook, Jack Weston, Andrew Duggan, Larry Keating
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
directed by Norman Jewison
featuring Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Paul Burke, Jack Weston, Yaphet Kotto
Ishtar (1987)
featuring Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Adjani, Charles Grodin, Jack Weston
Gator (1976)
directed by Burt Reynolds
featuring Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, Lauren Hutton, Jerry Reed, Alice Ghostley
directed by Edward Dmytryk
featuring Gregory Peck, Diane Baker, Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston
Cactus Flower (1969)
directed by Gene Saks
featuring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, Goldie Hawn, Jack Weston, Rick Lenz, Vito Scotti
The April Fools (1969)
directed by Stuart Rosenberg
featuring Jack Lemmon, Catherine Deneuve, Peter Lawford, Jack Weston, Myrna Loy
featuring Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Hector Elizondo, Jack Weston, Chris Sarandon, Denholm Elliott
It's Only Money (1962)
directed by Frank Tashlin
featuring Jerry Lewis, Joan O'Brien, Zachary Scott, Jack Weston, Jesse White
Fuzz (1972)
directed by Richard A. Colla
featuring Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, Tom Skerritt, Yul Brynner, Raquel Welch
Deliver Us From Evil (1973)
directed by Boris Sagal
featuring George Kennedy, Jan-Michael Vincent, Bradford Dillman, Charles Aidman, Jack Weston
Marco (1973)
directed by Seymour Robbie
featuring Yuka Kamebuchi, Osamu Ohkawa, Desi Arnaz, Jr., Zero Mostel, Jack Weston
We Dive at Dawn (1943)
directed by Anthony Asquith
featuring Eric Portman, John Mills, Reginald Purdell, Louis Bradfield, Niall MacGinnis, Jack Watling, Joan Hopkins, Ronald Millar, Leslie Weston
Yuka Kamebuchi
Yaphet Kotto
William Redfield
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758844
|
__label__wiki
| 0.97925
| 0.97925
|
WSJ: Claiming To Rep Flynn, Late GOPer Sought Clinton Emails From Hackers
Andrew Harrer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
By allegra
In the midst of the 2016 campaign, a veteran GOP opposition researcher who said he had ties to ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn contacted hackers hoping to obtain emails that he believed Russian operatives had hacked from Hillary Clinton’s personal server, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Peter W. Smith reached out to computer security experts in the hopes of gaining access to the email trove and explicitly outlined his connection with Flynn in his recruiting emails, according to the report.
Smith, who died at the age of 81 just 10 days after the Journal interviewed him, told the newspaper that he never explicitly said that Flynn was involved with the project. Flynn and the White House did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment, and a Trump campaign representative said Smith had no involvement in the campaign.
In one recruiting email reviewed by the newspaper, Smith said Flynn’s son, Michael G. Flynn, was helping with the effort. In another, Jonathan Safron, a law student who worked for Smith, included Flynn’s consulting firm, Flynn Intel Group, at the top of a list of websites of people working with the team.
“He said, ‘I’m talking to Michael Flynn about this—if you find anything, can you let me know?’” Eric York, one computer security expert who said he searched hacker forums on Smith’s behalf to try to dig up the emails, told the Journal.
What Smith hoped to unearth were the 33,000 emails that Clinton has said she deleted from her private email server because they were personal in nature, and which Trump infamously urged Russia to find and release during a July 2016 campaign rally.
Trump and his defenders in the media and his administration have referred to the federal investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election as a “witch hunt” intended to hurt his presidency. They insist there is no evidence of collusion between Russian operatives and Trump campaign associates.
Smith acknowledged that the emails, if they existed, would likely have been hacked by Russian operatives. He ultimately received some emails from hacker groups prior to the election, he told the Journal, but urged those groups to pass the emails along to WikiLeaks so he would not have to personally vouch for their authenticity. Those emails have never surfaced, according to the report.
Though the bulk of the 2016 cyberhacking efforts focused on Democratic targets, some Republicans, including Smith himself, were apparently hacked as well.
Smith told the New York Times last December that he was unaware his emails had been hacked and published on the website DCLeaks.com until the newspaper’s reporter informed him.
“I’m not upset at all,” he said in a phone call with the Times. “I try in my communications, quite frankly, not to say anything that would be embarrassing if made public.”
Smith, a Chicago investment banker, has had his hand in previous messy political dealings involving the Clintons. During the 1990s, he helped subsidize a large-scale effort led by conservative donors to procure and publish damaging information about then-President Bill Clinton.
The Texas Observer reported at the time that Smith spent “$80,000 on private detectives and to subsidize American Spectator reporters in a hunt for the black baby that Clinton was rumored to have sired.”
He was a collaborator on what came to be known as the “Arkansas Project,” in addition to multimillionaire Richard Mellon Scaife, its main funder, and David Brock, then a reporter for the Spectator. Brock has since become one of the Clintons’ most ardent public defenders.
More Dc
How Trump Doubled Down On The Crazy Claim He’s Immune From Oversight
5 Takeaways From Oral Arguments On House Subpoena Of Trump’s Accountant
Full Steam Ahead! Why Trump’s Census Cave Isn’t A Cave At All
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758846
|
__label__wiki
| 0.842304
| 0.842304
|
SCOTUS Skeptical Of CA Law Regulating Anti-Abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seems likely to strike down a California law that mainly regulates anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers.
Both conservative and liberal justices voiced skepticism Tuesday about the law that requires the centers to tell clients about the availability of contraception, abortion and pre-natal care, at little or no cost. Centers that are unlicensed also must post a sign that says so.
The centers say they are being singled out and forced to deliver a message with which they disagree. California says the law is needed to let poor women know all their options.
Similar laws also are being challenged in Hawaii and Illinois.
At different points in the arguments, liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor said they were troubled by aspects of the California law.
Kagan said it seemed that the state had “gerrymandered” the law, a term usually used in the context of redistricting, to target the anti-abortion centers. Sotomayor said there was at least one instance dealing with unlicensed centers that seemed “burdensome and wrong.”
Justice Samuel Alito, a likely vote for the centers, said the state’s criteria about which centers are covered by the law seemed to take only “pro-life clinics.”
“When you put all this together, you get a very suspicious pattern,” Alito said.
The outcome also could affect laws in other states that seek to regulate doctors’ speech.
In Louisiana, Texas and Wisconsin, doctors must display a sonogram and describe the fetus to most pregnant women considering an abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. Similar laws have been blocked in Kentucky, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
Doctors’ speech has also been an issue in non-abortion cases. A federal appeals court struck down parts of a 2011 Florida law that sought to prohibit doctors from talking about gun safety with their patients. Under the law, doctors faced fines and the possible loss of their medical licenses for discussing guns with patients.
In another lawsuit over regulating crisis pregnancy centers, a federal appeals court in New York struck down parts of a New York City ordinance, although it upheld the requirement for unlicensed centers to say that they lack a license.
The court has previously upheld requirements that doctors in abortion clinics must tell patients about alternatives to abortion.
“If a pro-life state can tell a doctor you have to tell people about adoption, why can’t a pro-choice state say you have to tell people about an abortion?” Justice Stephen Breyer asked Michael Farris, representing the centers.
Farris replied that the Supreme Court has recognized that doctors must obtain a patient’s informed consent about the risks and alternatives of medical procedures, including abortions.
The abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice California was a prime sponsor of the California law. NARAL contends that the centers mislead women about their options and try to pressure them to forgo abortion. Estimates of the number of crisis pregnancy centers in the U.S. run from 2,500 to more than 4,000, compared with fewer than 1,500 abortion providers, women’s rights groups said in a Supreme Court filing.
California’s law was challenged by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, an organization with ties to 1,500 pregnancy centers nationwide and 140 in California.
Farris said the state is trying to compel the centers “to point the way toward abortion.”
Joshua Klein, California’s deputy solicitor general, said the state is trying to let a poor, pregnant woman who visits a crisis pregnancy center know that “her financial circumstance does not make her unable to access to alternative care.”
The justices suggested they could give a different reception to a law that required all pregnancy-related facilities to post the services they provide and those they don’t.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758847
|
__label__wiki
| 0.681468
| 0.681468
|
Return to Houston
Tar Sands Blockade has been thinking about the recipients on the end on the Keystone XL pipeline quite a lot lately. To that end, we’ve been visiting the Houston neighborhood of Manchester, which is nestled firmly against the toxic Valero refinery to where much of the tar sands to be carried through TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline will flow to be refined and then exported.
Valero Energy Corp’s refinery emits life threatening poisons and pollutants that directly impact Manchester residents. Valero fills the air, water, and land in and around the community with toxic chemicals linked to terrible rates of cancers, asthma, and lung and skin ailments, with the full knowledge that the impacts of its pollutants will disproportionately affect the people of Manchester. With a nearly 90% Latino population, this is an obvious example of environmental racism.
Manchester is completely surrounded by industry. To the north and east is the Valero refinery with the Lyondell-Basell refinery to the southeast, Texas Petro-Chemicals plant to the south, a Rhodia chemical plant and a trash shredding facility to the west, a wastewater treatment facility to the east, a Goodyear Tire plant to the southeast, along with the Interstate 610 overpass bisecting the community and an industrial rail yard forming the community’s southern perimeter.
Valero recorded $2.09 billion in net profits in 2011, while the residents of this community received cancer, asthma, nosebleeds, headaches, and skin rashes. William R. Klesse, CEO of Valero, took in $11,027,067 dollars in 2011 alone, more than the combined average household income of every family in the Manchester community. Corporate enrichment at the expense of community health is yet another glaring indication of the inherently exploitative system that favors profits over people.
On a daily basis there are at least eight identified known human carcinogens in the air. Acrolein, chromium V1, diesel particulates, formaldehyde, benzene, chlorine, 1, 3-butadiene, and hexamethylene diisocyanate are just a few of the dangerous chemicals entering people’s lungs every day.
What’s more, the refinery regularly burns off excess gasses in open flares that produce terrible spikes in the levels of harmful chemicals. These, along with other dramatic and illegal increases in toxic emissions, known colloquially as “incidents,” go unpunished by the governing body tasked with ensuring regulatory compliance, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Children Playing in the Manchester Refinery Community In Houston
Adding insult to injury, the community regularly faces harassment at the hands of Valero’s private security and the Houston Police Department. The psychological effects of living near such a toxic, high-security facility like this can be devastating.
Most Americans are ignorant of this type of behavior by Gulf Coast refineries like Valero, allowing for those who are conveniently out of sight and out of mind to suffer at the hands of a lawless industry and the corrupt regulators that continually look the other way.
All of this adds up to the common perception that the Gulf Coast is America’s energy sacrifice zone.
On Thursday, November 14th, when filming near the Valero refinery in Manchester, TSB organizers were stopped and approached by two officers of the notoriously violent and corrupt Houston Police Department. E.T. Ramirez, badge number 8407, and D. Jimenez, badge number 8105, claimed that it was against the law to film near Valero, but when questioned which law that was, neither officer could name it. Upon further questioning one officer simply stated, “9/11.”
The police continually harassed the organizers demanding that they produce ID’s. One of the organizers refused to cooperate, to which an officer replied, “If you’re not doing anything wrong and you don’t have any warrants or anything then you shouldn’t have any problem giving me your ID.”
This is emblematic of the repression directed at anyone that attempts to speak out against the corporations that are systematically poisoning their neighbors. Valero, their private security, and the Houston Police Department sends a clear message to the community: if you question Valero, they’ll question you.
After continued resistance to their requests to produce identification, the police retreated to their vehicle for a few minutes before coming back to let the TSB crew know they could leave, but not before asking one last time if they were “sure” they didn’t want to show them some ID…
Later that same day, the crew was interviewing a Manchester resident who lives right next to the Valero refinery and who wanted to raise her voice and speak up about Valero’s egregious practices. While filming the interview in a public park –the only park in Manchester– and not five minutes into the process, Valero’s private security approached the scene. The security guard, much like the police, proved once again that Valero will do everything in its power to silence anyone attempting to expose the injustice and abuse it perpetrates daily.
This video documents these interactions with Valero security, which would be comical if it weren’t so tragic for the residents who have to deal with this type of police harassment on a daily basis.
Permanent link to this article: https://tarsandsblockade.org/houston/welcome-to-manchester/
Houston Welcome to Manchester
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758850
|
__label__cc
| 0.625273
| 0.374727
|
Its certainly been a while (12 years in fact), but a new Chris von Sneidern record has just arrived! Literally the White Album of his career, an unflinching exploration into self and a journey though a lifetime lands the listener right back in the present with the artist. Its a record thats sonically adventurous and musically a celebration of free expression. Chris explains what took him so long (a/k/a Confessions Of A Late Bloomer) I had said that the process of making an album that reflected on a period of time in one's life would require completing that arc and therefore...this album was going to take a long time to complete. It did take ages, and some of the time I was working on it, setting it aside, going back, reverting the changes, sometimes not working on it for a year or more. I don't even quite remember the process. It was always almost done. I know that a deadline is a motivator for me. So, I happened to be using some music-related software that was on a trial, that was to run out in 2-3 weeks, so I used that as my time to finish the album. What is it? It's a lot of things, and a lot of ideas, and it takes awhile to listen to. It's not exactly what I thought I was working on, mostly because I didn't really have a plan in the first place; it was too broad an idea. At times I thought it would have the same fate as the Beach Boys' SMiLE. And just as I was finishing it, I doubted the whole thing. I remixed, and moved a couple songs around in the sequence, and then it felt done. It was like getting out of debt with myself. I had spent maybe 12 years working on this, and most of the time the conversation with myself about it was that it wasn't finished. I used to make one album or more every year. I am so happy with the way Emerge turned out. I hope you love it too. We do Chris! We do! GREAT!!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758851
|
__label__wiki
| 0.651187
| 0.651187
|
What Is Courage?
by Heather in Fox Hunting, Mini-story, Team Gamma, The Underground Tags: Ezra, Loki, Morgan
Prompt: put aside fear for courage
Lucas frowned slightly as he listened to Sweetin explain his thought process and what had led him to this point. He looked up at Morgan when the artist had finally wound down.
She sighed softly and shook her head. “It was rather foolish of you to try and handle this alone, Ezra,” she said, reaching out and taking his hands in hers. “What were you thinking?”
“I… guess I was trying to protect you,” Ezra murmured. He laughed, then, and said something that shocked Lucas. “I thought… as it’s me they want, this might be the best way to do that. If I run, they’ll follow me and leave you alone.”
Lucas scowled. Sweetin seemed like such a coward – letting people make decisions for him and doing what the Underground wanted just to keep them from hurting him. He’d listened to them, even when he knew what they wanted him to do was wrong.
At the same time, though… Morgan said he was a confidential informant with the Agency. He’d been reporting on Underground activities for nearly two years. Now, he’d put himself at risk to protect someone who was trained to defend herself. He was foolish, that was true. However, it was a foolishness that Lucas had to respect.
Ezra smiled faintly and said, “I’m rather glad you’re here now, though.” His cheeks darkened and he shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so frightened in all my life.” Lucas couldn’t help but smile at his words.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758855
|
__label__cc
| 0.538206
| 0.461794
|
An Opinionated Introduction to Samo Burja
Going to the moon was not merely a feat of engineering – it was also a feat of power. This achievement was so incredible it led to the word “moonshot” being adopted in our culture. If your ambition is to accomplish a moonshot, you will need to master power.
Look no further than the work of Samo Burja, which provides the best introduction I’ve seen to the theory and practice of power. In this post, I’ll share some of Samo Burja’s biggest ideas and how you can learn more.
Moon Landings and Moonshots
JFK at Rice University, 1962
In September of 1962, John F. Kennedy gave a speech at Rice University, and said “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
What happened in the years between JFK’s speech and Apollo 11’s landing in July of 1969? How did JFK, NASA, and others actually accomplish a lunar landing? And why has it proved so difficult to go back?
The moon landing was an incredible feat of engineering, but it was also a feat of power – and not just JFK’s power. A decades-long alliance between actors like Wernher von Braun, Walt Disney, JFK, NASA, and Congress led to the success of humanity’s first lunar landing.
Wernher von Braun was a rocket scientist for Germany who, at the end of World War II, was moved to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip. Although he was working with the US Navy on rockets, he dreamed of helping mankind reach the stars. In order to accomplish that goal, he partnered with Walt Disney to create documentaries. They produced three documentaries: Man in Space, Man and the Moon, and Man on Mars and Beyond.
Walt Disney and Wernher von Braun
With that vision of space exploration galvanizing the larger culture, Kennedy’s speech did three critical things: it gave NASA a mandate to officially pursue the goal of a lunar landing; it helped NASA to receive funding from congress; and it gave engineering the prestige needed for NASA to recruit the country’s best engineers. In the 1960’s, between the Disney documentaries and the Kennedy speech, working for NASA was like working for Tesla or SpaceX today.
Samo shared this larger history behind NASA’s lunar landing on David Perell’s podcast, The North Star Podcast. Samo is a sociologist and the founder of Bismarck Analysis, a consulting firm that investigates the political and institutional landscape of society. In the podcast, Samo shares the full story behind the lunar landing and even more fascinating details. If you get nothing else from this post, listen to David Perell’s podcast interview with Samo!
The United States is currently trying to go back to the moon by 2020 – whether we succeed or fail will depend on power. It isn’t just space travel that’s at stake. It’s also life on Earth. We’re facing multiple threats that could destroy life on earth, including global warming, nuclear warfare, and artificial intelligence.
The risks are high, but so are the opportunities. Solving these problems could revitalize our economy, as well as our sense of meaning and purpose. But to do so, we will need to master the art of moonshots – and that will require a better understanding of power.
With that, let’s dive into Samo Burja’s big ideas.
Hubble Sees a Bizarre Cosmic Rarity by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Here are three of Samo’s biggest ideas:
Great Founder Theory: exceptional individuals scale their impact by building functional, dynamic institutions that augment their strengths, compensate for their weaknesses, and adapt to their idiosyncrasies. Together, great individuals and the organizations they create are capable of acting in novel and valuable ways, which contributes to the health of the larger society.
Empire Theory: an elegant but powerful description of how power coheres in groups and, in particular, in hierarchical organizations. Introduces a number of clarifying terms around power.
Intellectual Dark Matter: Samo began his intellectual career in physics. He draws on that idea with this metaphor, which says that organizations and civilizations have “intellectual dark matter” whose existence can be inferred but cannot be perceived directly. Much of this has been lost, or is at risk of being lost. Samo introduces this most explicitly in his talk at the Foresight Institute, Civilization: Institutions, Knowledge and the Future.
My Favorite Quotes from Samo Burja
Samo has many excellent ideas, but these two quotes have stuck with me.
On Power and Reality
Power can be used to accomplish a very broad range of goals. As such, many kinds of actors will aim to acquire power in the pursuit of their goals. The more effective they are and the better their understanding of reality is, the likelier they are to seek power.
As a monastic, this quote caught my attention. The goal of our training is to integrate wisdom, love, and power in trustworthy individuals. We claim that these skills can be mutually supportive. Wisdom can be defined as seeing reality as it really is. Samo claims that the more you understand reality, the more likely you are to seek power. I take this as an independent confirmation and encouragement of the work we’re doing – and who better to educate monastics on the theory of power than Samo?
On Competition and Cooperation
The best way to win at adversarial encounters then, is to focus energy on building out cooperative ones. In the long run, acquiring power and empowering others is mutually reinforcing rather than mutually exclusive.
Samo takes a bold stance that over time, cooperation is a stronger, more resilient strategy than, say, vicious, bloody power struggles. This perspective is at the heart of my own work at the monastery. While I’ve seen the value of cooperation borne out repeatedly, Samo’s confirmation solidified my own understanding.
If you want to dive deeper into these ideas and Samo’s mode of thinking, you can read Samo’s paper on Great Founder Theory here, or my progressively summarized notes here. You may also find these resources helpful:
Burja Mapping: In this series, I share a new technique for mapping power, based on Samo’s Empire Theory and the practices developed in Wardley Mapping. Burja Mapping has given me a practical way to apply Empire Theory to real problems.
What Botswana Can Teach Us About Political Stability: Samo was “doing research on how countries transition from poverty and instability to wealth and prosperity” and found that Botswana “defied conventional wisdom of developmental economics.” This article Samo wrote for Palladium Magazine dives deeper into Botswana and lessons we can learn from its political setup.
Eight Books to Read: Samo’s recommended reading on society and power. He recommends a few standards, like Plato and Aristotle, but also a few authors you might not have heard of, like Quigley and Strauss. He also shares his recommendations for how to approach the study of these questions.
Leo Tolstoy in His Study by Ilya Repin
What is Power?: Ben Landau-Taylor is one of Samo’s colleagues at Bismarck Analysis. In this piece, Ben describes power with poetry and precision. Be sure to poke around his website for more in-depth analyses, and follow him on Twitter.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: One of the greatest realist novels, Tolstoy’s masterpiece also contains a treatise on history. Tolstoy argues that “so-called great men have…small significance…in historical events”; instead, he claims that “the causes of the historical events that take place are inaccessible to our intelligence.” If you’re curious to learn more about this, you can read the Sparknotes on this section here. (Forgive me my intellectual trespasses.) I would love to hear Samo’s take on War and Peace and Tolstoy’s thinking more generally.
Why is Clojure So Stable?: In a previous life, I worked briefly as a professional Clojure programmer. I loved Clojure. Steve Klabnik, the author of this post, is most famous for his work on the Rust programming language. In it, he assesses the reasons why Clojure is so stable in terms of the Great Man Theory and other factors.
Larger Conversations
Samo Burja, AI Panel, Davos 2019
It’s no secret that I’d love to facilitate a conversation between Samo and Simon Wardley, the creator of Wardley Mapping. Both Simon and Samo have expressed a willingness to have this conversation, which is exciting! This conversation may happen at some point in the UK, the Bay Area, or online. If you’re interested in that, say so!
I would also love to hear a conversation between Samo and Soryu Forall, my teacher and the founder of the Monastic Academy. I spoke with Soryu about power, existential risks, and other similar topics in the context of our work in this longform interview. Soryu has many interesting things to say about power in the context of humanity and institutions, but one of the main axioms at the heart of his life and work is that humanity is destroying life on earth. I’d love to hear Samo and Soryu compare notes on how power works, about institutions in general and monasteries in particular, and also on the value and risks of humanity as a species on this planet.
You can follow Samo on Twitter and Medium. Recently, he’s also been posting short, accessible videos on a variety of topics on YouTube, which I highly recommend. Finally, if you need an in-depth analysis of how your work is affected by power, you can hire Samo’s company, Bismarck Analysis, to do an in-depth analysis of the landscape.
Evaporating Clouds on Meditation Retreat
Of Probabilistic Thinking and Databases
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758856
|
__label__wiki
| 0.853715
| 0.853715
|
The Digital Fine Print
The recent saga Evernote faced with its privacy policy proves the document's necessity. But did you know there's no single federal law mandating its use?
Written by Ernie Smith on Dec 15, 2016
coppa, evernote, federal government, federal trade commission, hipaa, privacy, privacy policy
Today in Tedium: You know who’s had a bad week? The folks at Evernote. They’ve been raked over the coals by their users over a change to their privacy policy, that document on nearly every webpage that most people don’t really read unless they’re bored. Well … someone read Evernote’s policy and found out that they were going to let engineers have access to user notes in an anonymized fashion. That didn’t go over well, even after a defense by the company’s CEO. The company announced just a little while ago that they’re backing off the changes they were going to make, but think of it this way—at least there was a privacy policy there at all. What if a company made a change like that without telling you? It’d be scary stuff. Today’s Tedium ponders the online privacy policy. — Ernie @ Tedium
“Modern information systems are essential to our economy. They contribute to the comfort and convenience of our lives. But they can be misused to create a dangerously intrusive society. Our challenge is to provide privacy safeguards that respond to these social changes without disrupting the essential flow of information.”
— President Jimmy Carter, speaking on the importance having of a national privacy policy in a 1979 message to Congress. Carter’s comments on the matter, which cited how “personal information on millions of Americans is being flashed across the nation from computer to computer,” were perhaps the most significant comments a president had made on the importance of privacy up to that point. (Which, considering the NSA wiretapping program that existed under future presidents, must frustrate him a tad.) Carter’s focus on privacy issues led to the passage of at least one important piece of legislation, the Privacy Protection Act of 1980, which bars federal authorities from conducting unannounced searches of newsrooms in an attempt to find evidence. He didn’t, however, have his hands on the first notable piece of modern consumer privacy legislation, the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
(Damian Gadal/Flickr)
How the pre-internet era defined internet-era privacy policies
In many ways, the privacy policy has come to define our online experiences, but the concerns that led to its widespread use came not from the web, but everything that came before it.
Data collection—think credit scores and bill collectors—grew increasingly complex in the 1980s and 1990s, and this created an increasingly complex web of information that seemed to go all over the place. A 1991 Time piece breaks down how messy it was even back then:
To get a driver’s license, a mortgage or a credit card, to be admitted to a hospital or to register the warranty on a new purchase, people routinely fill out forms providing a wealth of facts about themselves. Little of it remains confidential. Personal finances, medical history, purchasing habits and more are raked in by data companies. These firms combine the records with information drawn from other sources—for instance, from state governments that sell lists of driver's licenses, or the post office lists of addresses arranged according to ZIP code—to draw a clearer picture of an individual or a household.
The repackaged data—which often include hearsay and inaccuracies—are then sold to government agencies, mortgage lenders, retailers, small businesses, marketers and insurers. When making loan decisions, banks rely on credit-bureau reports about the applicant's bill-paying history. Employers often refer to them in making hiring decisions. Marketers use information about buying habits and income to target their mail-order and telephone pitches. Even government agencies are plugging in to commercial data bases to make decisions about eligibility for health-care benefits and Social Security.
If not handled correctly, there was a lot of potential for the internet to take these already troubling trends and turn them into full-blown disasters.
In the United States, no single law dealt with the concerns raised by this complex privacy trade that was forming as the technology started to allow it. Instead, it was a whole bunch of laws, many of them only covering the issue in pieces—likely due to the complexity of the situation described in the Time piece above.
Perhaps the two best-known examples of these laws came during the Clinton era: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the 1996 law specifically targeting healthcare disclosures, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a 1998 law specifically targeting websites that market to children.
Bits and pieces of other laws also played a role in building this rule-making out—most notably, the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), which represents the kind of comprehensive take on the issue at the state level that the U.S. has never touched—but ultimately, the two factors that played a role in making privacy policies common all over the internet were the Federal Trade Commission, which first proposed the idea in 1995, and efforts by industry groups to self-regulate their own industry before the problems got any worse.
The FTC, which ultimately decided against pushing for new legislation to solve the problem, had a lot of work on its hands. According to a survey the FTC commissioned for a 1998 report to Congress, 85 percent of websites took some form of personal information from consumers, but just 14 percent provide any notice of this transaction, and just 2 percent had a comprehensive privacy policy to explain how the website used the data.
“The development of the online marketplace is at a critical juncture. If growing consumer concerns about online privacy are not addressed, electronic commerce will not reach its full potential,” the report stated.
Electronic commerce definitely did meet its full potential. But ultimately, the mess of regulation was never fully spelled out by a single law, as it was in the European Union.
So as a result, privacy standards are completely spread out among U.S. federal agencies. It mostly works, but it’s messy.
“If you happen to see a posting anywhere on our site that you feel is objectionable, please utilize the emergency e-mail address listed in the Beanie Info section which will direct your message to one of my friends at Ty who will look into the matter as soon as possible.”
— A portion of the privacy policy added to the Ty.com website in 1997, at a time when the standards on privacy policy were still fluid. (Also, how many rare Beanie Babies did Ty have to give to Network Solutions to get that two-letter domain name?) As the New York Times’ Stuart Elliott reported at the time, the move to add the privacy policy came not because of federal regulations, but out of concerns raised by advocacy groups such as the Center for Media Education. It was an early example of the kind of self-regulation that has helped keep away more stringent privacy-policy rules.
(Pexels/Pixabay)
Privacy policy uptake is a mobile problem, too, according to some new new research
As the Evernote saga recently showed, there are quite a few reasons for a privacy policy to exist, and one of those is that it helps the public know when the apps they use are breaking the contract between the company and the end user.
But what if that contract just wasn’t there at all? Turns out that this is a more common situation than you’d think, in part due to lax detection and oversight. Last month, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University cranked up this discussion by analyzing 18,000 Android apps in Google’s Play store, using a natural-language-driven approach that allowed the researchers to dive through all 18,000 apps at a rate of around one every six seconds.
"With a few servers, we should be able to scan all the free apps in the Google Play store every month," noted Norman Sadeh, the computer science professor that led the research.
Nearly as crazy as the research strategy was the results: Roughly half of the apps studied didn’t have privacy policies at all, despite the fact that more than two thirds of apps (71 percent) used some form of personally identifiable information in the part of the user. (Which makes sense: A mapping app is likely to ask for data that identifies you, because of how digital mapping works at a base level.)
California’s CalOPPA obviously mandates that a privacy policy be there, so CMU’s researchers are working with the state’s attorney general’s office to help boost compliance checking.
Sadeh admitted that a second layer of research, this time with human hands, was necessary to check the results.
“Just because the automated system finds a possible privacy requirement inconsistency in an app does not mean that a problem necessarily exists,” he admitted in a news release.
But even if a hand-counting found that the result was slightly off, the stats would still make sense as a whole. Privacy policies are pretty much the most boring, least interesting part of any website. It’s legalese. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Ain’t nobody got time, that is, unless proof of its value stares developers in the face.
Perhaps that’s why the Evernote saga is so useful. It shows that the public actually cares about boilerplate language—whether it’s federally mandated or not.
About a year ago, I spent a couple of days writing up a privacy policy for Tedium.
It’s relatively boilerplate, and probably needs an update at some point, but I tried to write it so that, if you were to stumble upon this page, it would not be the most boring thing on the internet. I also tried to give it to you straight—yes, we advertise, and we do so in a specific way; yes, of course we ask for your email address, this is a newsletter; no, we won’t be able to figure out your credit card number from all this.
It wasn’t hard, but it was different from my normal kind of writing. But I remember that trying to find information on how to put one together was a little confusing, only partly because of the fact that “privacy policy” is a goddamn failure of an SEO keyword. Part of the problem is that, because no firm, singular path was set on the issue way back when, it’s difficult to know exactly what the right way to go is when writing such a document. It doesn’t help that different federal agencies control specific aspects of the digital regulatory infrastructure.
Michelle De Mooy, the acting director of the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Privacy and Data Project, told The Hill this week that the U.S. is a rarity in terms of how complicated its data laws are, with the lack of a comprehensive law on the issue that covers every aspect of life ultimately harming the United States by keeping outdated regulations on the books.
“There are only two countries in the developed world with no baseline privacy standards,” she said. “One is the United States. The other is Turkey.”
The confusion around what a privacy policy is actually supposed to be is just one way that that issue manifests itself on a daily basis. Whether or not it’s a problem that needs fixing? That’s another question entirely.
Gifts For People You Don’t Like
Smaller Airports, Lower Stakes
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758860
|
__label__wiki
| 0.876558
| 0.876558
|
Tag Archives: European Cup
Chapecoense, Manchester United and Grande Torino
Last November 28th the LaMia flight 2933 crashed in Colombia killing 71 of the 77 people on board. Many of those victims (19) were players of the Brazilian club Associação Chapecoense de Futebol which headed towards Medellin to play the first leg of the final of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana against the Colombian team Atlético Nacional.
Shortly after the crash Atlético Nacional expressed their wish that the South American football association, CONMEBOL, declared the club Chapecoense as winner of the competition. That was a very honorable request, fully deserving the “premio del Centenario Conmebol al Fair Play” (Conmebol Centenary prize for Fair Play) as announced in a press release of Conmebol on December 5th.
In that same press release, Conmebol announced that they were declaring Chapecoense as winners of the Copa Sudamericana as had been requested.
A few days before I had written a series of tweets expressing my opinion on the subject, which is: I think that decision is a mistake, it is the wrong homage to pay to Chapecoense. But then I am not the one deciding on the matter.
En 1968, diez años después, el Manchester Utd ganó su 1ª Copa de Europa.
Charlton, Foulkes y Busby iban en ese avión en 1958. (7/7) https://t.co/CRnyfgTFEn
— Javier Irastorza (@javierirastorza) November 30, 2016
Manchester United. Munich disaster.
The example I used support my view is that of Manchester United, which suffered a similar tragedy in 1958 in Munich, when it was coming from Belgrade from having qualified to the semifinals of the 3rd edition of the European Cup. That accident took place in February 1958 and it cost the lives of 8 players (one of them at the hospital days later due to the injuries suffered in the crash) and many members of the staff. The other half of the team onboard (9 players plus staff) survived the crash (23 fatal victims out of 44 onboard).
The crash caught Manchester in the middle of the season and they managed to rebuild the club with the youth team plus some players signed at the last months of the competition. Manchester had won the First Division in 1957 and in 1958 they were trying to win the 3rd consecutive title. At the time of the accident they were qualified second to Wolverhampton, 6 points behind with 14 games to go. After the crash the only won 1 match, finishing 9th in a league of 22.
Three months after the accident they played the FA Cup final against Bolton Wanderers, which they lost 2-0. A few days later they played the semi finals of the European Cup against Milan. They won the first leg but were defeated after losing 4-0 in San Siro.
UEFA invited the club Manchester United to play the following edition of the European Cup. A similar recognition to that of Conmebol, though of a lesser degree (1). The English Football Association, the FA, however, denied Manchester United to accept that invitation on the basis that they had not qualified for the competition. It is in this line of thought that my opinion on the subject goes. On the one hand we have the recognition, the homage, tribute and compassion for the victims, on the other is the sport itself, the competition and the rules of the game.
Life found its way to pay homage to those players years later. A rebuilt Manchester, around the figures of Bobby Charlton and Mutt Busby (both survivors of the accident) would go to win the European Cup in 1968, ten years after the crash.
Il Grande Torino.
Unfortunately we have yet another similar case in that of the Torino of the 40s. That club was known as the Grande Torino due to the superb game they played and the successes they collected. They won the league in the ’43, ’46, ’47 and ’48. In that last season they won the league reaching 65 points with a lead of 16 over the second, with goal difference of plus 92 (125 goals scored in 40 games).
Before the crash, on May 4th 1949, Torino led the league with a difference of 4 points over the second, Internazionale, against whom they had just played for a 0-0 in Milan. They were on the way of winning its 4th consecutive title. All those 31 aboard the aircraft which crashed against the Basilica of Superga died.
A couple of days after the crash, Torino were declared champions of the 1948-49 league, with still 4 games to go. The league did not stop. The last 4 games were played, with Torino putting up the reserve team. At the end they had a lead of 5 points over the second, Internazionale. I haven’t found the chronology of those last 4 games of Torino and Inter, but I guess that once the league result had already been decided, those matches may have not been truly competitive.
In all these three cases, the federation organizing the championship, Conmebol, UEFA and the Italian Federation, had a recognition action in the sense of interfering in the competition, in two cases deciding the champion of the competition (2).
Only the English FA decided against the accepting of one such decision in the sense of preserving results has having occurred in the fields.
(1) The accident of the Chapecoense took place just prior to the final. The accident of Manchester United after the semifinal, with three other teams in the competition and two months until the next match was to be played.
(2) In the case of Conmebol, they could have declared winners Atletico Nacional but invite Chapecoense to play next year edition of the competition, as did UEFA with Manchester United.
Filed under Sports
Tagged as 2016 Copa Sudamericana, Atlético Nacional, Bobby Charlton, Chapecoense, Conmebol, European Cup, Grande Torino, LaMia flight 2933, Manchester United, Matt Busby, Munich disaster, Superga, Torino
RT @MarotoReyes: Gracias a todo el equipo de la @eoi, por invitarme a compartir, por segundo año consecutivo, un momento tan especial para… 9 hours ago
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758863
|
__label__cc
| 0.681813
| 0.318187
|
Home News African American United Negro College Fund: 75 Years of Fundraising for HBCUs and Counting
United Negro College Fund: 75 Years of Fundraising for HBCUs and Counting
Sergie Willoughby
Michael Lomax (center), United Negro College Fund President and CEO, poses with HBCU students
Since billionaire Robert F. Smith’s generous move to pay off the debt of Morehouse students during Morehouse’s 2019 commencement ceremony, there has been much talk of the future of HBCUs and their existing budget issues. Nevertheless, they’ve served as shining beacons for black students all over the nation since 1837 when the first HBCU, Cheney University, opened its doors.
Crucial to HBCUs’ success are the organizations that help to keep them in business, such as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund, which fund raise on their behalf and provide scholarships for the students who need it the most.
Just last week, 22 students attending college at UNCF-member colleges across the United States were selected by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In total, 44 students were recognized. According to a press release, “44 students from 34 HBCUs were selected as 2019 HBCU Competitiveness Scholars—the Initiative’s highest student recognition illustrating that HBCUs produce, often against the odds, strong, impressive results and educational, economic, and societal impacts for their students, the communities in which they are located and for our nation.”
“We are very pleased to see UNCF-supported students are being recognized by the White House Initiative on HBCUs. Talented students like these deserve this prestigious honor and demonstrate how much our colleges and universities continue to do for deserving students of color,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO.
With 2019 as the 75th anniversary of UNCF, known as “the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization,” we spoke to Lisa Rollins, Chicago area development director, to learn more about how the organization operates and the future of its work.
TNJ.com: In reflecting on the 75th anniversary of UNCF, how has the organization empowered students to earn college degrees?
Rollins: As we reflect on this tremendous milestone, we look back at our predecessors, the giants on whose shoulders we stand, and continue to pay it forward through the 400 programs and more than 10,000 scholarships we award to students of color each year to advance their education. Through this support, we give students the resources they need to fulfill their potential and work to offer the next generation of leaders—not some of them but all—an education our economy demands and that they deserve.
TNJ.com: Tell me a bit about the year-long celebration of fundraising events being planned across the country.
Rollins: In March, we conducted our national gala, honoring some of the hundreds of thousands of UNCF friends who have had a hand in building what UNCF has done during the last 75 years—more than 450,000 college degrees earned and more than $4.8 billion in contributions raised. It was a moment of pride and celebration, but it was also a time of recommitment.
Culminating with our signature fundraising gala in Atlanta this year on December 21st, we are celebrating and working hard to raise vitally needed funding for deserving students and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) through our trademark events held throughout the United States. We encourage UNCF supporters and education advocates across the country to get involved—attend a gala, volunteer for a walk and give to make a difference in a student’s life.
TNJ.com: Any short to long term goals the organization is working on?
Rollins: Throughout 75 years of service, UNCF’s core mission has remained the same. UNCF has more than doubled the number of minorities attending college. We’re proud to have helped cultivate some of the country’s most brilliant minds for decades, annually supporting more than 60,000 students attending more than 1,100 colleges. Still, for every scholarship UNCF gives a student in need, we must turn away nine other applicants due to a lack of funding. So 75 years from now, UNCF seeks to have (1) doubled the number of students we have been able to get to and through college; (2) created generations of new leaders; and (3) secured a UNCF legislative and appropriations agenda that ensures all African American students will have equal education access.
Why Crowning African American Pageant Winners Still Matters
Historically Black Colleges Locked in Fight for Survival
Johnson Publishing Once Chronicled Black Life in Ebony and Jet. Now it’s Going out of Business.
ELC President and CEO Ronald Parker Talks Global Expansion, Corporate Boards...
Obama declares major disaster for American Samoa
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758870
|
__label__wiki
| 0.705385
| 0.705385
|
Tooele Junior High School
Tooele Junior High
Principal's Message Mission Statement School Profile & History Staff Directory Directions Calendar Outdoor Air Quality
Departments Classes/Homework Counseling Office Support Staff Library Accountability / Performance Reports Office Assistants
Classes/Homework Bell Schedule Student Handbook School Policies Activities
School Calendar ASPIRE Grading (SIS) Newsletter
safeUT Peachjar
New Partnership Creates Better Supports For Schools
Tooele County School District has entered into an agreement with ESS, a national provider of education management and staffing solutions for K-12 schools, to recruit, hire and manage substitute positions.
Tooele County School District is the third school district served by ESS in the state of Utah among its 700 clients nationwide. Recognized with several awards for its entrepreneurial vision and growth, ESS has become a national leader in the educational service space.
“Substitutes are a vital part of Tooele County School District and we are excited to partner with ESS to be able to offer them more support and benefits,” said Dr. Scott Rogers, TCSD superintendent. “We are confident ESS will become an integral part of our schools while maintaining high-quality substitutes to support our students and teachers.”
The partnership calls for ESS to recruit, screen, train, hire, place, and manage applicants looking to become a substitute at TCSD. They will also provide TCSD with a substitute management portal which allows employees to request when a substitute is needed electronically.
The partnership with ESS will provide additional support and benefits for substitutes to include: weekly pay, 401(k), in-person and online training, 24-hour access to open positions, live support 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Appreciation Days, ‘Perks at Work’ discount program, Substitute of the Month recognition, referral program bonuses, ), health, dental, vision and life insurance and monthly incentive drawings, (iPads, gift cards, big-screen TV’s).
ESS has committed to hiring all current District substitutes who are in good standing. They are also seeking additional local staff to fill classrooms with qualified substitutes. Those interested in joining ESS can apply online at ESS.com.
ESS has hired Amy Spivey, a Tooele County resident, to be the local account manager based out of the District office. Regional and national ESS teams support Spivey who will report to the Utah Regional District Manager Joseph Fitzgerald.
“It is great to partner with Tooele County School District to provide excellent guest teachers and support staff. Each one of our employees are important to us to guarantee the success of the students of our partner schools,” said Fitzgerald. “We are committed to ensuring substitutes in Tooele County receive world-class training, support, and advocacy.”
ESS will be conducting orientation sessions July 16-17, to help onboard all existing substitutes as well as others interested in working with TCSD. The orientation sessions will take place at the District office located at 92 Lodestone Way in Tooele: July 16 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., July 17 at 9 a.m., (available until noon to collect paperwork).
About Tooele County School District:
Tooele County School District serves approximately 17,000 students residing in scenic Tooele County making them the 10th largest school district in the state of Utah. The District consists of 15 elementary schools, three junior highs, five high schools, one K-12 school, one K-12 online school, one community learning center, and five pre-schools. With approximately 2,000 employees, TCSD is the largest employer in Tooele County. For more information, please go to www.TooeleSchools.org.
About ESS: Established in 2000, ESS is a leading provider of managed solutions for K-12 education. It recruits, hires, trains, places and supervises qualified substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, and other support staff for over 700 school districts in 27 US states. Each day, the organization fills more than 14,000 daily, long-term, and permanent school assignments, serving over 2.5 million students. For more information, call 877-983-2244 or visit ESS.com.
Tooele Junior High School 411 W Vine St, Tooele, UT 84074 Phone: 435 833 1921 Fax: 435-833-1923
Calendar Parent Portal Homework Direction
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758872
|
__label__wiki
| 0.914222
| 0.914222
|
Landmarks ►
Toowoomba City Hall
Category: Landmarks
The Toowoomba City Hall is the seat of the City Council of Toowoomba, Queensland , Australia. It is located on the 153 Herries Street and on 543 Ruthven Street. The building is the location for the proclamation that Toowoomba was a city and was the first purpose built city hall ever constructed in Queensland.
Tenders were called for the construction of a town hall in 1861. It was built by Frederick Stein in 1862 in James Street. The first City Hall was a timber building, which was demolished and replaced in 1881 by a brick building. The School of Arts in Ruthven Street was destroyed by fire in July 1898. The local Council agreed that new municipal buildings and a Town Hall should be built on the place of the School of Arts which had been destroyed that year, pending the sale of the old Town Hall to the Roman Catholic Church for £ 2,000.
The new building was designed by the Brisbane architect Willoughby Powell. In 1900 was inaugurated the present Town Hall at a cost of £ 10,000. The exterior of the building was restored to its original state in 1997. It now houses a regional art gallery and theatre.
The photo of the city hall above was taken in 1915.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758873
|
__label__wiki
| 0.729154
| 0.729154
|
The inaugural issue of “Gerard Henderson’s Media Watch” was published in April 1988 – over a year before the first edition of the ABC TV Media Watch program went to air. Between November 1997 and October 2015 “Gerard Henderson’s Media Watch” was published as part of The Sydney Institute Quarterly. In March 2009 Gerard Henderson’s Media Watch Dog blog commenced publication.
Stop Press: Liberty Sanger on Breaking the Law; SBS on the Irish in Australia (tomorrow)
Editorial: John Howard’s Centre for Western Civilisation – a Likely Target for a Leftist Takeover?
Can You Bear It? Fran Kelly; Scott Burchill and Paul Bongiorno
Media Watch Exclusive: ABC and Fairfax Media “Out to Lunch” on Child Sexual Abuse in the Uniting Church & the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Media Fool of the Week: Mem Fox stars on Q&A
History Corner: Clarke and Dawe’s “Fake News” About the One-time Left-Wing Legend Bert Evatt
Correspondence: Due to Popular Demand MWD repeats Gerard Henderson’s Correspondence with Mark Scott on the Uniting Church’s Knox Grammar
LIBERTY SANGER’S HISTORICAL FUDGE
What a morale booster to see the sassy Liberty Sanger, of the ambulance chasing left-wing law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, doing the “Newspapers” gig early-in-the-morning on the St Patrick’s Day’s edition of ABC 1’s News Breakfast this morning. Pity about her argument.
Presenters Michael Rowland and Virginia Trioli took a somewhat different stance on the comment by newly elected leftist ACTU secretary Sally McManus that there is not a problem breaking the law if a law is unjust. Mr Rowland took a considered position that citizens of a democracy cannot pick and choose the laws they will follow. La Trioli, on the other hand, was somewhat more Bolshie.
As to Liberty Sanger – you be the judge and jury. Ms Sanger said that, as an officer of the court, she followed the law. But then she threw the switch to fudge with the following comment:
Liberty Sanger: Well I agree with Virginia. She [Sally McManus] was saying it’s okay to break an unjust law. I just, I do think there are just so many examples of this that have led to great achievements for society. And we’re all beneficiaries of that today. I do think it would be a shame if people were sitting here, being a little bit self-righteous about that if they were nonetheless enjoying things. Like, as she [Ms McManus] has indicated – Medicare, safety nets when it comes to Centrelink, health etc. So.
Turn it up. Medibank – the forerunner of Medicare – was introduced by the democratically elected Whitlam Labor government in the early 1970s. It was not achieved as a result of law breaking. Ditto Centrelink. Australia’s social security system goes back at least as far as the Chifley Labor and Menzies Coalition governments of the late 1940s.
In fact, it’s difficult to think of any social change in Australia which was brought about by breaking the law. Perhaps next time News Breakfast should give Ms Sanger a go at predicting the weather. She may do better with the future than the past. Re which see the hugely popular “Can You Bear It” segment today.
ST PATRICK’S DAY & SBS DOCUMENTARY ON THE IRISH IN AUSTRALIA TOMORROW
On rising (very) early this morning, Nancy’s (male) co-owner realised that it was St Patrick’s Day. No doubt due to the open bottle of Guinness beside his bed. So Happy St Patrick’s Day to those who appreciate the occasion.
Which reminds MWD that at 5.30 pm tomorrow (Saturday 18 March), SBS will broadcast Eoin Hahessy’s film Michael, They Have Shot Them which is subtitled “The Rise of Irish Australia”. The documentary, which is very well directed and beautifully shot, covers the impact on Australia of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.
This film is worth viewing if only for the moving and still pictures of Dublin and Melbourne a century ago and rare footage of Archbishop Daniel Mannix (1864-1963) the Irish-born Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, filmed some years before his death.
As is to be expected when a film maker talks primarily to a bunch of academics about history, the documentary occasionally gets it wrong. It is incorrect for Alex McDermott to claim that there was no anti-Catholic sectarianism in Australia before Archbishop Daniel Mannix opposed conscription for overseas service in 1916 and particularly in 1917.
And Alex McDermott is also mistaken for believing that anti-Catholic sectarianism was universal until at least the end of the Second World War. In fact, Joseph Lyons, a practising Catholic, was prime minister of the United Australia Party government from January 1932 until his death in office on Good Friday 1939. This is documented in Anne Henderson’s Joseph Lyons: The People’s Prime Minister (UNSW Press, 2011).
Also various academics are wrong in asserting that the Easter Rising, if successful, could have led to the defeat of Britain in the First World War. The rising never had any chance of succeeding as Gerard Henderson demonstrated in his review of Ruth Dudley Edwards’ The Seven: The Lives and Legacies of the Founding Fathers of the Irish Republic in the most recent issue of The Sydney Institute Review Online – see here. It is also incorrect to assert that Australians lost interest in the Allied cause towards the end of the conflict. After the war, Australia’s war time leader Billy Hughes won elections in May 1917, December 1919 and December 1922.
Any documentary on the Irish in Australia which has Dr Val Noone (for a doctor he is) as an historical consultant is likely to contain exaggerations. Even so, Michael, They Have Shot Them is well worth a viewing. Especially since it will screen at Gin & Tonic time tomorrow.
JOHN HOWARD’S CENTRE FOR WESTERN CIVILISATION PROJECT SHOULD AVOID THE FOLLY OF HIS US STUDIES CENTRE INITIATIVE
How wonderful of the taxpayer subsidised United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the taxpayer subsidised University of Sydney to send MWD a copy of its taxpayer subsidised newsletter for the beginning of the 2017 academic year.
As avid readers will be aware, not one academic at the US[ELESS]SC predicted that Donald J. Trump would defeat Hillary Clinton at the US presidential election last November. Not one. Moreover, as USSC chief executive Simon Jackman told Sky News in the wake of the election, not one of the 30 academics or staff supports President Trump. Not one. One senior USSC staffer (Brendon O’Connor) even wrote before the election that Donald Trump exhibits all the characteristics of the ugly American. Each and every one, allegedly.
As avid readers will also know, Gerard Henderson always opposed John Howard’s decision, when prime minister, to give a grant of $25 million to the United States Studies Centre. Gerard Henderson’s position was that, like virtually all social science departments in Australian universities, the USSC would be taken over by the left.
And so it came to pass – quite quickly, in fact. In 2008, USSC staff and students publicly celebrated Barack Obama’s defeat of the Republican candidate John McCain in the presidential election. In 2016, all USSC academics opposed Donald Trump and most barracked for Hillary Clinton.
In the Weekend Australian on 4-5 March 2017, Paul Kelly reported that the late Paul Ramsay had left a bequest of some $3 billion (yes billion) to establish a Centre for Western Civilisation in Australia. Writing in The Australian last Wednesday, Mr Howard stated:
Sustained through life by his strong Catholic faith, Ramsay was deeply grateful for the opportunities his country had given him. He often reflected on the influences that had shaped Australia. He saw our nation as one of many that had benefited from being part of the long continuum of Western civilisation. He never pretended that Australia did not need to change to meet different circumstances, but he held strongly to the view that we should preserve those parts of our heritage that had made Australia such a special country.
Like many he became concerned that as a people we had begun to lose sight of the collective impact of culture, history, religion, literature and music, comprising Western civilisation, which had been so important in conditioning the modern Australia. Not least of these was the great Western tradition of liberal democracy. So he resolved to establish a centre for the promotion of Western civilisation.
Before his death he asked that I become chairman of the board of the centre.
As is known, a major bequest in Ramsay’s will underpins the Ramsay Foundation, whose prime remit is the funding of many charitable pursuits.
The foundation will be the principal funding source for the Centre for Western Civilisation. Like many in the community, I believe we are losing sight of what is owed to the influence of Western civilisation.
It all sounds fine. Some years ago the Institute of Public Affairs in Melbourne and the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation in Perth set up The Foundations of Western Civilisation Program with a council consisting of – among others – Geoffrey Blainey and Ian Harper. It seems that the Centre for Western Civilisation is a development of this initiative.
The essential problem with John Howard’s United States Studies Centre project is that it was effectively handed over to the University of Sydney. No surprise, then, that it was soon subsumed in the left-liberal ethos which pervades Australia’s tertiary institutions.
MWD understands that John Howard’s Centre for Western Civilisation project will be effectively handed over to the University of New South Wales. If this occurs, it is likely that, as with the United States Studies Centre, a left-liberal ethos will soon pervade the institute and Paul Ramsay’s legacy of $3 billion will be thwarted. It’s possible that, like the USSC, the Centre for Western Civilisation could become a base for the promotion of leftist ethos.
The only way that conservatives can run institutions is to set them up themselves outside of universities and then manage the institution themselves. This reality appears to have been overlooked by Liberal MP Julian Leeser who was advised of the establishment of the foundation.
The author Mervyn Bendle identified the problem in a letter which was published in The Australian on 15 March 2017:
Centre’s leftist threat
Some hard truths must be faced if Paul Ramsay’s dream is to come true (“Gift from a true champion of Western civilisation”, 14/3). John Howard and his board will have to confront the intolerant and irrationalist leftism that is entrenched in Australian universities. They are the ideological HQ for the leftist, postmodernist, progressivist campaign that has been waged against the West for nearly half a century.
They will rush forward opportunistically to take the cash on offer, but once the centre is established it will be quickly targeted and marginalised if it threatens the Left. Alternatively, it could be subverted from within with appointments and curriculums designed to appease and accommodate the Left.
Examples of this include the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, and the US Studies Centre. These have consumed tens of millions of dollars, but they have done nothing to address leftist, anti-Western prejudice — quite the opposite.
Ramsay’s money would be better spent outside the big universities or on a smaller tertiary institution with an unyielding commitment to Western civilisation. Above all, the centre must be staffed with people prepared to get into the trenches in an ideological war that must be won if liberal democracy is to survive.
Mervyn Bendle, Batemans Bay, NSW
The Weekend Australian announced on 3-4 March 2017 that Simon Haines (Professor of English at the Chinese University of Hong Kong) will be the inaugural head of the Centre for Western Civilisation. Now, Professor Haines may have the wisdom of Edmund Burke and the insight of Catherine of Sienna. All MWD can say is that Professor Haines, who was born in 1955, is little known in Australia and appears to have scant experience in running an institution dedicated to protecting Western Civilisation or, indeed, taking on the left.
There is no record of Simon Haines taking a prominent role over the last four decades in any debate involving a contest of ideas between the left intelligentsia and conservative defenders of Western civilisation. According to his own CV, Simon Haines has specialised in romantic and post-romantic literature and poetry. He’s certainly an intellectual but if the leader of a Centre for Western Civilisation is to prevail within the social science department of an Australian university he/she should have some of the skills of a polemicist if not a street-fighter.
Good luck to John Howard’s Western Civilisation ship and all who sail on her. Let’s hope that the good ship Western Civilisation does not suffer the fate of the United States Studies Centre which, a decade after its foundation, finds itself without one supporter of the Republican US president out of a staff of a score and ten.
CAN YOU BEAR IT?
FRAN KELLY AVOIDS THE BIG QUESTIONS
Did anyone hear the interview by Fran (“I’m an activist”) Kelly with South Australian Labor premier Jay Weatherill on Radio National Breakfast last Wednesday?
It was Premier Weatherill who had the you-beaut idea that South Australia should rapidly embrace renewable energy – some solar, lotsa wind – but failed to maintain base-load power (coal, gas) to maintain power when intermittent energy failed due to lack of wind or sun – or whatever.
The result is that South Australia experienced blackouts in late 2016/early 2017 with more likely to occur if the State endures another hot summer.
Talk about a soft interview as one leftist activist asked questions of another green/left activist. In a 12 minute CONVERSATION, Ms Kelly failed to ask Mr Weatherill (i) why South Australia has the least reliable energy supply in Australia or (ii) why South Australia has the highest energy prices in Australia. Can You Bear It?
WHY LEFTIST SCOTT BURCHILL’S NOT SINGING IN THE SHOWER WHEN THE SUN DON’T SHINE
While on the topic of renewable energy and all that stuff – what a stunning performance from MWD’s favourite Deakin University senior lecturer Scott Burchill on News Breakfast last Tuesday.
Dr Burchill (for a doctor he is) told presenters Virginia Trioli and Michael Rowland at the end of the “Newspapers” segment that he was getting no satisfaction from the solar panels he has installed on the roof of his Melbourne abode – presumably to help save the world from what is called dangerous climate change. You see, your man Burchill is neither saving money nor having hot showers at night nor when the sun don’t shine.
Let’s go to the transcript and hear the full story of Dr Burchill’s solar power woes:
Virginia Trioli: Page one…of The Age is looking at this this power bill story and power shortage issue that is now just a national discussion – not just a South Australian one.
Scott Burchill: No. This is ah obviously refers to Victoria’s suggestion that prices will go up for energy prices in Victoria. But, as you say, it’s a problem right across the board. And having installed solar panels on my roof –
Virginia Trioli: Oh yeah, how are you going?
Scott Burchill: Well, I expected things to get cheaper but I still get a bit of a whack – particularly at the end of the summer.
Virginia Trioli: So what what’s the deal – why is that? Because you’re just not generating enough? Did you not put enough panels on?
Scott Burchill: Apparently I have to do everything in sunlight, you know, in case – if I can’t sorta just put the washing on or the air conditioner on at night because obviously unless you’ve got battery power.
Virginia Trioli: It’s the battery issue!
Scott Burchill: Yeah battery
Virginia Trioli: It’s the battery issue
Michael Rowland: Yeah domestic batteries are separate to what Elon Musk was talking about – they are very, very expensive.
Scott Burchill: Yes
Michael Rowland: Although isn’t the theory if you buy these solar panels – the cost of those will eventually be defrayed?
Scott Burchill: Yeah defrayed – but 10 years or so.
Michael Rowland: Yeah, yeah.
Scott Burchill: Which means –
Michael Rowland: But if you are in the right house for 10 years it could be a good thing.
Scott Burchill: It could be. But, I mean that’s just a break-even in 10 years.
Virginia Trioli: Be patient will you. Scott just be patient.
Scott Burchill: Well I’ll be patient. But I’m just hoping that we’ll get some more sunshine before summer completely fades away
Virginia Trioli: Yeah I think I think-
Michael Rowland: Well in Melbourne it’s a very good week this week – lots of lots of sunshine
Scott Burchill: Yes lots of sunshine
Michael Rowland: Lots of showers for you my friend
Scott Burchill : Well, that’s right
Virginia Trioli: In New South Wales I don’t think anyone with a solar power would be too happy-
Scott Burchill: No, no I’m gonna rig-up –
Virginia Trioli: – would be having any good time at all.
Scott Burchill: I’m gonna rig up my exercise bike now to generate my computer.
Michael Rowland: Okay, now we know you’re joking. Yes. Liar.
Virginia Trioli: I love that idea I can see him on it.
Michael Rowland: I can’t –
Virginia Trioli: Scott, always good to see you – thanks so much
Scott Burchill: Thank you
Virginia Trioli: Thank you
Thank you. Talk about the ungracious Sun God. Your man Burchill puts his hand in his pocket to help save the planet by constructing his very own power supply on his very own roof. And then the learned doctor finds that the Sun has not been helpful and that his power bills are not much cheaper and he won’t recoup his investment for at least a decade. Unless he purchases a battery system – in which case his investment will be even more expensive.
And then Scott Burchill bemoaned the fact that the Sun doesn’t shine all day and he can’t have a hot shower at night. Moreover, the air conditioner does not operate on some hot Melbourne nights and the washing machine (using hot water) can only be operated at certain times.
What to do? Your man Burchill elected to go on national telly and tell us all that some days he can no longer shower or wash his clothes. Little wonder that La Trioli and Mr Rowland sat at the far end of the News Breakfast couch on Monday – just in case the Sun did not shine last Monday. Can You Bear It?
[Er, no. Not now that you mention it. By the way, have you seen the kit of News Breakfast’s brand new weather person. He’s a bloke called Nate Byrne and, believe it or not, he dresses so poorly that you would think that Scott Burchill is his dresser. This despite the fact that ABC publicity foreshadowed that your man Byrne would have “a dynamic on-screen presence” Could it be that he also goes to the tip after appearing on News Breakfast and has to dress accordingly? Let’s consider raising a fighting fund to finance a razor blade or two so that Mr Byrne can have a shave before appearing on air next to the neatly shaven Michael Rowland – MWD Editor]
BONGE’S ST PATRICK’S DAY GAS CONSPIRACY
Nothing quite like commencing St Patrick’s Days with a you-beaut conspiracy theory.
Not long after Paul Bongiorno rose this morning, having read Waleed Aly’s leftist rant in Fairfax Media, he sent out the following tweet:
The leftist Bonge knows that there is no energy crisis in Australia. It’s all a conspiratorial ploy to access off-limits gas. President Trump’s tweets are less conspiratorial than those of The Bonge. Can You Bear It?Never mind the row between South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg over the cause of the recent blackouts in South Australia. Never mind the fact that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has supported his minister.
MEDIA WATCH EXCLUSIVE
ABC & FAIRFAX MEDIA “OUT-TO-LUNCH” WHEN ROYAL COMMISSION CONDUCTED PUBLIC HEARINGS INTO THE UNITING CHURCH LAST FRIDAY (AFTER LUNCH)
Here’s some news which the ABC and Fairfax Media do not regard as fit-to-print. Over the past four decades, a child in Australia was much more likely to suffer sexual abuse at a school or institution run by the Uniting Church than at a school or institution run by the Catholic Church.
The ABC and Fairfax Media – along with The Guardian and The Saturday Paper – have given extensive coverage to allegations against the Catholic Church made at the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The ABC’s Samantha Donovan and Philippa McDonald and Louise Milligan along with Fairfax Media’s Rachel Browne and Joanne McCarthy have been perhaps the most outspoken of the journalists regularly reporting the Royal Commission in so far as the crimes of pedophile Catholic priests and brothers have been concerned.
The ABC and Fairfax Media gave considerable coverage to the statement by Counsel Assisting Gail Furness SC on 6 February 2017 that 4445 people alleged instances of child sexual abuse within Catholic schools or institutions up until 2015. Most media focused on the statement by Ms Furness that “7 per cent of priests were alleged perpetrators”.
However, virtually no media attention was given to Ms Furness’s subsequent clarification on 16 February 2017, with reference to the Catholic Church:
Between January 1980 and February 2015, 4,445 people alleged incidents of child sexual abuse in 4,765 claims. The vast majority of claims alleged abuse that started in the period 1950 to 1989 inclusive. The largest proportion of first alleged incidents of child sexual abuse, 29 per cent, occurred in the 1970s.
In other words, within the Catholic Church the vast majority of allegations of pedophilia were made with respect to alleged crimes in the period 1950 to 1989 with close to a third of all allegations relating to the decade of the 1970s. That is, most of the allegations relate to instances of close to four decades ago and are historical crimes.
In what was called the “Catholic Wrap”, Royal Commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan devoted 15 entire days to examining the Catholic Church. Hearings were held between 6 February 2017 and 26 February 2017.
On Friday 10 March 2017, the Royal Commission devoted only half a day each to the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Uniting Church of Australia. Yet the evidence suggests that, on a per capita basis, there were more pedophiles in each church combined than in the Catholic Church – especially in the 1990s and subsequent decades.
On the morning of 10 March 2017, Counsel Assisting Angus Stewart SC said that Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Watchtower Australia had produced “case files relating to 1,006 alleged perpetrators of child abuse relating back to 1950”.
Hang on a minute. The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ religion has some 80,000 members all up – which would make it a fraction of the size of the Catholic Church in Australia. Yet it had 1006 alleged perpetrators dating back to 1950. Compared with the considerably larger Catholic Church which had 4,445 alleged perpetrators in the same period.
After completing the “Jehovah’s Witness Wrap” last Friday, the Royal Commission adjourned for lunch. It resumed at 2 pm with Gail Furness SC as Counsel Assisting to do the “Uniting Church Wrap”.
The Uniting Church was inaugurated in June 1977 with the union of the Congregational Union of Australia, the Methodist Church of Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia. In other words, the Uniting Church has been an entity for only four decades.
In her opening comments, Gail Furness SC had this to say:
Analysis of the data by the Royal Commission reveals that in the 40 years since the Church’s inauguration, there has been 2,504 incidents or allegations of child sexual abuse that have been reported as having occurred at an institution or place of worship of the Uniting Church.
The statistics available to the Royal Commission with respect to the Uniting Church cover the period from 1977 to the present. That is, unlike the Catholic Church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the allegations do not relate to a period going back to 1950.
There were 2504 instances or allegations of child sexual abuse made in the Uniting Church in the period 1977 to 2017 compared with 4445 instances in the Catholic Church covering the period 1950 to 2015. Yet the Uniting Church is about a fifth of the size of the Catholic Church. And its data covers four decades whereas the Catholic Church’s data covers over six decades. Moreover, evidence available to the Royal Commission indicates that virtually all offending by Catholic priests took place before 1990. Not so, apparently, with the Uniting Church.
On this evidence, child sexual assaults in the Uniting Church have been more prevalent than in the Catholic Church – especially in the years since 1990. This despite the fact that the Uniting Church has married male priests and female priests. There is no celibacy requirement within the Uniting Church and no sacrament of confession (in which the Royal Commission has taken a special interest concerning the Catholic Church).
Yet you would not be aware of any of this if you followed only the reporting of the Royal Commission by the ABC, Fairfax Media, The Guardian and The Saturday Paper. It seems the likes of Samantha Donovan, Philippa McDonald, Louise Milligan, Joanne McCarthy and Rachel Browne did not come back from lunch on Friday 10 February and simply missed the coverage of sexual child abuse in the Uniting Church in the four decades since 1977.
A Note on Mark Scott and Knox Grammar
This is of special interest since Mark Scott, a one-time editorial director at Fairfax Media’s Sydney Morning Herald and a one-time editor-in-chief at the ABC, joined the board of the Uniting Church’s Knox Grammar in late 2007 and was deputy chairman between mid-2013 and 2016. He resigned from the board last year.
As MWD readers will be aware, in correspondence with Gerard Henderson, Mark Scott has declined to state whether – on joining the Knox Grammar School Council in late 2007 – he called for an audit of past or contemporary instances of pedophilia within the school. This is a standard on which many ABC and Fairfax Media journalists have judged others in positions of authority with respect to children. Neither the ABC nor the Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Mr Scott was on the Knox Grammar board when NSW Police charged some Knox Grammar teachers with the sexual assault of children.
Clearly the ABC and Fairfax Media have scant interest in child sexual assault within the Uniting Church institutions – which, on the available evidence, continued up until as recently as 2010. Their focus has been predominantly on historical cases of pedophilia within the Catholic Church.
The Gerard Henderson/Mark Scott email exchange of 2015 concerning Knox Grammar has been re-published in this week’s “Correspondence” segment.
A Note on Knox Grammar and The Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Justice Peter McClellan has tended to do the reports on high profile cases concerning the Catholic Church. Despite the fact that the Uniting Church’s Knox Grammar in Sydney was one of the worst cases of child sexual abuse in a school, the Report of Case Study No. 23 was written by commissioner Justice Coate and Mr Bob Atkinson. The report documents that child sexual abuse by teachers against students at Knox Grammar continued as late as into the 2000s and that at certain times Knox Grammar authorities destroyed documents.
MEDIA FOOL OF THE WEEK
STEP FORWARD MEM FOX – TOPS FOR INTELLECTUAL SNOBBERY ON Q&A
What a stunning performance by Adelaide-based writer Mem Fox on Q&A last Monday. In his wisdom – or lack of same – Q&A executive producer Peter McEvoy devoted an entire segment on the taxpayer funded public broadcaster’s top-rating reality current affairs to the topic “Mem Fox and Trump”.
Yes indeed. Here’s Donald J. Trump president of the United States and one of the world’s best known individuals. And here’s Adelaide’s very own leftist sandal-wearer Mem Fox. Mem who? Yet Mr McEvoy linked this in a “Mem Fox and Trump” segment. Following what seems like a “Dorothy Dixer” from a member of the overwhelmingly leftist Q&A audience at the Festival of the Arts, the following exchange took place. Let’s go to the transcript:
Tom Ballard : Mem Fox, most people would have heard about your ordeal there. But if people haven’t, if you’d just briefly let us know exactly what happened a few weeks ago when you tried to go to the United States.
Mem Fox : I did go to the United States, and I was let in. Amazingly, I was allowed in. But not until I had been interrogated, and I use the word specifically – interrogated, not interviewed. I was pulled out of line for a very small reason – the digital cameras didn’t work. And I was sent to a real person, and that’s where the trouble started. And the real person found out that I was being paid to give a speech in the States, and said, “You’ve come in on the wrong visa. You need to have more questions asked.”
It was the WAY the questions were asked. It was the WAY they’re trying to protect their borders. It was the insolence. It was the fear that they caused in me. It was the humiliation in a public room in which everything about my finances were shouted out to the entire room. It was the way other people in the room were treated, which made me ashamed of being a human being. It was not only I who was badly treated. It was appalling.
Of course they can keep their borders safe. There are ways of doing it that are polite, that are friendly, that are warm. You know, I hope that Australians who would be in the same situation as those border police would be slightly more polite, slightly warmer. Please don’t ask me to comment on Tony Abbott and our own border protection, because there are not enough expletives in Roget’s Thesaurus.
Tom Ballard: There is a dark irony…
Tom Ballard : ..somewhat of an irony to the timing of this ordeal for you, Mem, as your new book is called I’m Australian Too, which features this verse – “We open doors to strangers/ Yes, everyone’s a friend/ Australia Fair is ours to share/ Where broken hearts can mend.” You wrote a book specifically about a culture of welcome out of a fear that Australia will go the same way as America, with extremists in power, racist hatred, ghastly speech against decent people. Do you think you will ever return to the United States?
Yawn. Yet another leftist rant by an ABC presenter against contemporary America. Ms Fox responded that it “wouldn’t be safe” for her to travel to the US again. Then Fox added that she would “faint with fear” in the queue. Some contradiction here – but never mind.
Tom Ballard and panellist Neil Armfield joined in the chorus protesting at the treatment of the Adelaide scribbler at the hands of the Trump Fascist Dictatorship. Both overlooked the fact that, on her own admission, Ms Fox arrived in the US on an invalid visa. Viewed in this light, she was fortunate not to be sent back direct to Australia.
As to Ms Fox’s comment that she was treated with “insolence” by US passport and custom officials – well, perhaps they reacted to her somewhat precious stance. After all, many employees at US airports are of Hispanic or African American background and most receive relatively modest pay – unlike many of the international travellers who arrive in the US on, er, speaking tours.
This was the reaction towards the end of Q&A where Mem Fox made an intellectually snobbish response to an intellectually snobbish question:
Tom Ballard: Mem Fox, do you think if those border guards had read more of your books, they wouldn’t necessarily be detaining you there? Do you think there’s a disconnect there between the kind of work and creative arts that are out there and people who are really hurting at the moment and are becoming a political force and voting for more extreme political options?
Mem Fox: I don’t know. Because I am so not connect – I am so connected. I cannot put myself in the shoes of the disconnected. I just can’t do it. I just don’t understand…them.
So there is the creative and oh-so-connected Mem Fox. And there are THEM – the disconnected whom the Adelaide leftist does not understand.
How snobbish can you get? Mem Fox – Media Fool of the Week.
CLARKE AND DAWE’S FAKE NEWS ABOUT THE LATE LEFTIST HERO BERT EVATT
Once upon a time comedians were equal opportunity offenders who targeted individuals irrespective of gender, race or age. Not anymore. Contemporary comedians invariably preach a secular faith – not dissimilar in style to that of religious believers of an earlier generation. It’s impossible to imagine an Australian comedian today on, say, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering making fun of eco-catastrophists, feminists, same-sex marriage advocates, atheists and the like.
The Australian comedians John Clarke and Bryan Dawe fit into this category. The long-running Clarke and Dawe skit returned to the ABC recently after an unexplained but no doubt well-earned break. This is what they had to say on 9 March where the pretend interviewer (Dawe) was asking the pretend media magnate (Clarke) about the phenomenon of Fake News:
Bryan Dawe: Now, we hear a lot about Fake News.
John Clarke: We do, yes indeed.
Bryan Dawe: What is Fake News?
John Clarke: Well, as distinct from what Bryan? Compare it.
Bryan Dawe: Real News.
John Clarke: Well, there’s an interesting distinction. Who would decide what Fake News was and what was Real News?
Bryan Dawe: Well, surely you’d do that. I mean, don’t you run Real News?
John Clarke: Actual things that have happened?
Bryan Dawe: Yeah, yeah, things that are actually happening.
John Clarke: Yeah, yeah, Bryan – we’ve got a sports division –
The White-Hat Dawe then told the Black-Hat Clarke the kind of questions which a journalist committed to reporting Real News would ask. Let’s go to the transcript:
Bryan Dawe: Hang on, if you want to ask questions, why not ask questions we can do something about?
John Clarke: Relevance. I like it Bryan. We’ll take them from anywhere – what do you suggest?
Bryan Dawe: Well, how many people are going to die in the current famine in Africa? Should Australia have the lowest foreign aid budget in its history while company taxes are being reduced and politicians are rorting their travel expenses?
John Clarke: Too long Bryan, far too long. It’s got to fit in two lines, that’s not going to fit, Bryan…
Get the drift? Bryan Dawe managed to run a line criticising the Coalition government for not spending enough on foreign aid and for proposing to reduce the level of company tax. That fits the joke book of contemporary comedians’ secular faith.
While on the topic of Fake News, on 21 June 2015, the Sun-Herald published a puff piece by Stephen Dillane on Clarke and Dawe, which seems to have been running on ABC TV since Nice Mr Scott was a student at Knox Grammar.
Like all leftists on the taxpayer funded public broadcaster’s payroll, John Clarke set out to convince the Sun-Herald that neither he nor Bryan Dawe offer a Green/Left interpretation of Australian politics. As Clarke told Dillane:
Occasionally a politician or a journalist might accuse Clarke and Dawe of being a symptom of the ABC’s “left-wing bias”, but Clarke is confident the viewers know “we aren’t partisan, we’re not banging anybody’s drum, we’re not pushing any party barrow. I wouldn’t want to make too bold a claim for what we do. We’re asking questions, I suppose. We’re principally there to amuse an audience with the subject matters that are already concerning the public generally. When people get together, they often have a satirical tone, to amuse each other.”
But the facts speak for themselves. Clarke and Dawe rarely, if ever, target anyone other than conservatives or social democrats. Moreover, the record demonstrates that, when proclaiming leftist causes, Clarke and Dawe are not beyond a bit of Fake News themselves.
Here’s a scene from Clarke and Dawe which aired on 18 June 2015 where the duo was praising the one-time left-wing hero Bert Evatt (1894-1965) who led the Labor Party between 1951 and 1960 – losing elections in 1954, 1955 and 1958. The late Dr Evatt, who was affectionately called “Doc”, was much loved by the left in the 1950s and 1960s for his opposition to Liberal Party prime minister Robert Menzies and anti-communist Catholic activist B.A. (Bob) Santamaria. Clarke and Dawe’s paean of praises for the Doc went as follows:
Bryan Dawe: Wasn’t the UN constitution largely written by an Australian, Doc Evatt?
John Clarke: It was Bryan. In fact, the Human Rights Declaration was brought in by the UN under the presidency of an Australian.
Bryan Dawe: Doc Evatt again.
John Clarke: Indeed.
And now for some Real Facts:
▪ Bert Evatt was never president of the United Nations – no such position has ever existed. Rather, for a year in 1948, he was President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The UN’s inaugural secretary-general (the top position) was Trygve Lie of Norway.
▪ Bert Evatt did not “largely” write the United Nations Constitution. Nor did Dr Evatt write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – this was largely written by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Talk about Fake News – per courtesy of Clarke and Dawe.
This overwhelmingly popular segment of Media Watch Dog usually works like this. Someone or other thinks it would be a you-beaut idea to write to Gerard Henderson about something or other. And Hendo, being a courteous and well-brought up kind of guy, replies. Then, hey presto, the correspondence is published in MWD – much to the delight of its readers.
There are occasions, however, when Nancy’s (male) co-owner decides to write a polite note to someone or other – who, in turn, believes that a reply is in order. Publication in MWD invariably follows. There are, alas, some occasions where Hendo sends a polite missive but does not receive the courtesy of a reply. Nevertheless, publication of this one-sided correspondence still takes place. For the record – and in the public interest, of course.
As MWD readers are aware, The Guardian Australia’s deputy editor Katharine Murphy put out the following tweet on 6 June 2014 at 4.33 pm – when that issue of MWD was “hot off the press”. Here is Ms Murphy’s tweet: “Without in any way wanting to breach anyone’s human rights or free speech – why do people write emails to Gerard Henderson?” It’s a very good question. Thankfully, not everyone follows Katharine Murphy’s wise counsel – not even Ms Murphy herself (See MWD Issue 297).
FLASH BACK: GERARD HENDERSON AND MARK SCOTT IN 2015 re THE UNITING CHURCH’S KNOX GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
In his column in The Weekend Australian on 7-8 March 2015, Gerard Henderson drew attention to the fact that (then) ABC managing director and editor-in-chief Mark Scott had been a member of the Knox Grammar School Council since late 2007.
Knox Grammar in Sydney is controlled by the Uniting Church in Australia. For close to half a century, up to 2010, there was a nest of male pedophile teachers at the school who sexually assaulted students.
As readers of this correspondence will be aware, Mr Scott (who is now head of the NSW Education Department) has declined to respond to the question as to whether – as a Board during the years, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 – he took any initiative to conduct an audit into past or existing child sexual abuse at Knox Grammar.
This despite the fact that, when Mr Scott was ABC editor-in-chief, the public broadcaster’s journalists criticised persons who were in a position to act against pedophilia but, for whatever reason, failed to do so. MWD understands that Mark Scott’s position on the Knox Grammar board from late 2007 until 2016 has not been reported by either Fairfax Media or the ABC – both of which employed him in the past.
Individuals who appear in Who’s Who in Australia are responsible for writing their own entries. Until recently, Mark Scott was described as becoming deputy chairman of Knox College in 2007. He has since corrected this date to 2013. The questions which Gerard Henderson directed to Mark Scott in his role as Knox Grammar deputy chairman apply also to his position as board member of the Knox Grammar School Council from 2007.
Following the Royal Commission’s “Uniting Church Wrap” – see today’s “MWD Exclusive”, MWD has republished the Gerard Henderson/Mark Scott correspondence of March 2015. In the public interest, of course. Here it is:
Gerard Henderson to Mark Scott – 4 March 2015
Dear Mr Scott
As you will be aware in your capacity as ABC editor-in-chief, over recent years ABC presenters, producers and editors have taken a detailed interest in instances of child sexual abuse. This is particularly so with respect to the Catholic Church – but also some government institutions, the Anglican Church, the Salvation Army, sections of the Jewish community and more besides. In all instances ABC personnel have demanded the highest of standards concerning anyone who has or had a duty of care with respect to children who were abused.
As you will be aware, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is currently examining what appears to have been a nest of paedophiles at Knox Grammar School in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and into the 21st Century. Evidence has been given to the Royal Commission that in 2009 or thereabouts, following the arrest of a number of current and former Knox Grammar teachers, contemporaneous records concerning the activities of these teachers, which were in the possession of Knox Grammar, either went missing or were consciously destroyed.
According to your entry in Who’s Who in Australia, you have been deputy chairman of the Knox Grammar School Council since 2007. I assume that the Knox Grammar School Council – along with the Uniting Church – has been involved in discussions concerning sexual abuse at the college.
During your time as ABC managing director, you have signed the ABC up to the Right-to-Know coalition and have advocated transparency across the range of issues.
My questions are these:
٠ Were you present at any meeting of the Knox Grammar School Council when the criminal activities of former Knox teachers were discussed? If so, did you see any reason to take up any such matters with the NSW Police? Moreover, was there any discussion about how to handle files on teachers or the location/destruction of missing files?
As you will be aware, if George Pell had been deputy chairman of a Catholic school where files about paedophile teachers went missing or were destroyed – programs like Four Corners would be calling for full accountability concerning any role he might have played.
I would appreciate a response by the close of business on Wednesday 4 March 2015.
Mark Scott to Gerard Henderson – 4 March 2015
Dear Gerard
Under normal circumstances any discussion about the activities of the Knox School Council would be made by the Chairman of the council. With his endorsement, I can make the following comment.
I do not recall any discussion of matters of child sexual abuse at Knox Council meetings I attended, before the arrest of the teacher, Craig Treloar in 2009.
Knox fully cooperated with the police task force established at that time, including the provision of reports by investigators that were completed several years before my appointment to the Council.
I was never aware of any discussion of the treatment of any relevant files. The council was briefed that some key files appeared to be missing – and this was covered in the evidence given by the former headmaster, Peter Crawley, who was at the school from 1999-2003.
On 2 March 2015 Mr Robert Wannan, a former Chairman of the Knox Council and on 3 March 2015 Mr James Mein, a former Moderator of the Uniting Church, gave evidence that there was no discussion of or direction by any person to destroy records. That has certainly been my experience as a member of the Knox Council. Messrs Wannan and Mein’s evidence was accepted, uncontested.
On 2 March 2015, Mr David Lloyd, Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission, said:
I am more than prepared, in light of the evidence, to say this: in light of the fact that Mr Wannan and Mr Mein have denied on their oaths being involved in the destruction of documents as alleged by Mr Feehely, and in light of there being no evidence of which I am aware in support of the allegation made by Mr Feehely in his email, it would not be my intention to be saying in submissions that there is an available finding that they were involved in giving advice to the school to destroy documents.
On 3 March 2015 the former Headmaster, Dr Ian Paterson gave evidence that he did not in fact keep records of matters relevant to the subject matter of the hearing before the Royal Commission.
I am informed that Knox has extensively and comprehensively searched for relevant records. All relevant documentation found by the school has been made available to the police and to the Royal Commission. The school is continuing to assist the Royal Commission.
I can only echo the remarks of the school headmaster, Mr Weeks, who apologised to former students for the abject failure of Knox to protect all children in its care in the past. I can assure you that the School Council has no greater priority than the safety and well-being of every student at the school.
I note your final paragraph. I am sure you have noted the comprehensive and detailed coverage of the Knox case study at the Royal Commission on ABC platforms.
Dear Mark
Thanks for your reply to my email of 4 March 2015.
Needless to say, I am not accusing you of any impropriety concerning your role as deputy chairman of the Knox Grammar School Council. However, as you will be aware, as ABC editor-in-chief you supported criticisms of George Pell when you were aware that there was no evidence that Cardinal Pell knew of instances of clerical sexual abuse in the Catholic Church which occurred at a time – or place – for which he had direct responsibility.
In response to your email, I made a few points and ask a few questions:
٠ Since the matter of child sexual abuse in schools and institutions was well documented by the time you became deputy chairman of Knox Grammar School Council in 2007, why was there no discussion in the Council about this issue before the arrest of Craig Treloar in 2009?
When George Pell became the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, he set up the Melbourne Response within three months. What did you, or Knox Grammar School Council, do with respect to the handling of possible instances of child sexual abuse before the arrest of Craig Treloar?
٠ Why did Council members not make enquiries about the existence of any files concerning the sexual abuse of students by teachers either (i) before 2009 and/or (ii) during or after 2009? In short, what effort did the Council itself undertake to enquire about what you term “some key files [that] appeared to be missing”?
٠ I accept, on the available evidence, that there was no discussion of, or direction by, any person on the Council to destroy records. However, on the available evidence, there is no evidence that any member of the Knox Grammar School Council ever acknowledged that files concerning sexual assaults on students by some teachers had gone missing before the hearings of the Royal Commission. Why was there no such disclosure to Knox parents and the general community?
٠I accept that, on 3 March 2015, Dr Ian Paterson gave evidence to the Royal Commission that he did not keep records on matters concerning the sexual abuse of children by Knox teachers. My question is this: What did the Council do, during your time as deputy chairman, to ask the former headmaster to account for his behaviour when headmaster at Knox – especially once the prevalence of sexual abuse at the school over several decades became a matter of public record?
٠ I accept that all relevant documentation found at Knox since the issue of child sexual abuse at the college became a matter of public scandal has been made available to NSW Police and to the Royal Commission. Again, the question is what action did the Council take on this issue before the Royal Commission was established in 2013? I believe that you are in a good position to answer this question since you were deputy chairman of the Knox Grammar School Council during the time of the former and current chairman.
٠ I recognise Mr Weeks’ apology. I simply note that ABC journalists did not readily accept apologies by George Pell for crimes which were committed – even though he had no direct responsibility for the crimes.
In conclusion, I accept that there has been coverage of the Knox case on ABC platforms. However, I do not recall any report on the ABC that its managing director has been the deputy chairman of the Knox Grammar School Council since 2007. I doubt that such an oversight would have occurred if the likes of Cardinal George Pell or Archbishop Peter Jensen had been the deputy chairman of a school council when sexual abuse by the school’s employees occurred. All I am pointing out here is a matter of double standards.
Dear Gerard,
Whilst I had the support of the Chairman in clarifying some matters for you in previous correspondence, I do not think it is appropriate I provide further commentary. These matters are being canvassed by the Royal Commission.
I do need to correct you on one matter, however.
I joined the Knox Grammar School council late in 2007, but I did not become deputy Chairman until mid-2013. I took up this position following the resignation of Rob Wannan as Chairman, and the appointment of the former deputy, Peter Roach as Chairman.
Confused by your references to me being deputy chairman from 2007, I have checked the Who’s Who reference and it is wrong on this matter. I will have it corrected for the next edition.
I am pleased to be of assistance in correcting your entry in Who’s Who.
Endorsements of MWD
One of my bête noires is Gerard Henderson. And I try not to let him provoke me. I turn the other cheek – both facial and posterial. But this week he said something which just made me furious.
– Phillip Adams on Late Night Live, 20 September 2016
If Gerard Henderson is on #insiders tomorrow I’m going to start drinking at 9.01 am
– @annalise108 via Twitter, 30 Jul 2016, 6:30 PM
“[Gerard Henderson is a] whining rodent”
– Bruce Haigh, former diplomat and regular ABC panelist
“[Gerard Henderson is a] cretinous turd”
– Rohan Connolly via Twitter – 12 July 2016
“It’s always nice to be mentioned in your pedantic, predictable and self-absorbed Friday web rant”
– Stephen Mayne, via email, Bastille Day, 2016
My oh my. Poor, blithering Gerard “Gollum” Henderson will be incandescent with rage after that Media Watch. The silly prick.
Mike Carlton via Twitter, 15 Feb 2016, 9:44 PM
Gerard: You are hopeless…
– David Marr, 12 February 2016
ABC is a weakened and flawed institution for sure but it is a vital balance to ranting prejudices of Gerard Henderson’s boss@rupertmurdoch
Quentin Dempster via Twitter, 10 Jan 2016, 5:22 PM
Poor mad Gerard is obsessed. I expect he had an unhappy childhood, always the last to be chosen…
Mike Carlton via Twitter, 25 Oct 2015, 3:27 AM
Sometimes I think of Gerard Henderson like a Japanese holdout, lost in the jungles of Borneo, still fighting the war 20 years after it ended
– Erik Jensen,via Twitter, 16 Oct 2015, 4:50 PM
Gérard Henderson brain missing. Small reward
– Phillip Adams, via Twitter, 10 Oct 2015, 11:16 AM
I’ve been shot at by the Viet Cong. I once met Gerard Henderson. I can take any shit thrown at me…
Mike Carlton via Twitter, 9:22 PM – 9 Sep 2015
Gerard. You are an idiot #insiders
Bevan Shields via Twitter, 9:46 AM, 23 August 2015
“[Gerard Henderson is a] professional filing cabinet”
– Leftist scribbler Jeff Sparrow, Crikey, 13 August 2015
Leaving the house to avoid listening to GHenderson on @774melbourne
– Jonathan Green via Twitter, 31 July 2015
“gerard henderson trending on twitter, omg [looks out window, where the sun is eclipsed and the sky blood-red] oh yeah that makes sense”
– Adam Brereton via Twitter, 31 July 2015
Gerard Henderson on @891adelaide right now & I find myself shouting at my radio. What a morning”
– Louise Pascale via Twitter, 31 July 2015
“oh hell why is Gerard Henderson trending? Has boredom become the new black.”
– MNihilon via Twitter, 31 July 2015
Told I made the late Gerard Henderson’s little blog today. Read it. What a rancorous, nauseating, humourless little turd he is.
– Mike Carlton via Twitter during Gin & Tonic Time on 12 June 2015.
“On Sunday before Insiders…I was giving you a rich and full account of what a weird shit I think you are…”
– David Marr to Gerard Henderson, 1 June 2015
To #swf2015 this morning. Sunlit harbour, fabulous crowds radiating civility. And no Gerard Henderson ! It doesn’t get any better.
– Mike Carlton, via Twitter, 1:48 PM – 21 May 2015
Gerard Henderson’s friday self-harm update is here
– Adam Brereton, via Twitter, May 15, 2015
[Gerard Henderson’s Media Watch Dog is] batshit mad.
– Guy Rundle in Crikey, 14 May 2015
I’m in the sort of mood that if I saw Gerard Henderson in the street I’d hit him with his own umbrella
– Ben Pobjie, via Twitter, 8 May 2015
It’s a glorious day when Gerard Henderson has a go at you
– Adam Gartrell, via Twitter, 8 May 2015
Meeting of Gerard Henderson Appreciation Society tonight Sydney Opera House phone booth
– Phillip Adams, via Twitter, 28 April 2015, 1.36 pm (after lunch).
“Gerard’s condescension levels high on #insiders this morning”
– Lenore Taylor, via Twitter, 22 February 2015
“Gerard Henderson and David Marr are on #Insiders this week. Like a political Felix and Oscar.”
– Mark Scott via Twitter 19 February 2015 at 1.10 pm
“I once called Gerard Henderson `a complete f%^wit’. I deeply regret that. I was being much too harsh on f%^wits.”
– Malcolm Farr via Twitter 14 February 2015 at 10:14 am
“Oh Gerard. You total clown.”
– Jonathan (“Proudly the ABC’s Sneerer-in-Chief”) Green on Twitter, Friday 3 October 2014, 4.31 pm [Mr Green must be an obsessive avid reader to respond so soon. – Ed]
“Good morning. All the gooder for being attacked (for thousandth time) by silly Gerard in the Oz”
– Phillip Adams via Twitter, 27 September 2014
“What troubles me most is that he [Gerard Henderson] shows such low journalistic standards, yet he is politically quite influential. He is often on Insiders. It’s hard to see why: he comes across as a crank.”
– Kate Durham as told to Crikey, 16 September 2014
“The unhinged but well spoken Gerard Henderson….”
– Bob Ellis, Table Talk blog, 10 August 2014
“Gerard Henderson and Nancy are awful human beings.”
– Alexander White, Twitter, 25 July 2014
“This is my regularly scheduled “Oh Gerard” tweet for every time he appears on #insiders”
– Josh Taylor, senior journalist for ZDNet, Twitter, 20 July 2014
“…that fu-kwitted Gerard “Gollum” Henderson….”
– Mike (“I’ll pour the gin”) Carlton, via Twitter, 12 July 2014
“[Gerard Henderson is a] silly prick”
– Mike (“I’ll pour the gin”) Carlton – tweeted Saturday 27 June 2014 at 4.15 pm, i.e. after lunch
“If Gerard Henderson had run Beria’s public relations Stalin’s death would have been hidden for a year and Nikita [Khrushchev] and co would have been shot”
– Laurie Ferguson via Twitter – 22 June 2014 [By-line: Mr Ferguson is a member of the House of Representatives who speaks in riddles.]
“[Gerard Henderson] is the Eeyore of Australian public life”
– Mike Seccombe in The [Boring] Saturday Paper – 21 June 2014
“Without in any way wanting to breach anyone’s human rights or free speech – why do people write emails to Gerard Henderson?”
– Katharine Murphy, Twitter, Friday 6 June 2014
“[Gerard Henderson is] an unhinged prick”
– Mike Carlton, Twitter, Thursday 12 June 2014
“There’s no sense that Gerard Henderson has any literary credentials at all.”
– Anonymous comment quoted, highlighted and presumably endorsed by Jason (“I’m a left-leaning luvvie”) Steger, The Age, 31 May 2014
On boyfriend’s insistence, watching the notorious Gerard Henderson/@Kate_McClymont Lateline segment. GH: What an odd, angry gnome of a man.
– Benjamin Law, via Twitter, Thursday 17 Apr 2014, 11:21 pm
Can’t believe I just spent my Thursday evening with a video recap of Gerard Henderson. I’m a f-cking moron.
“[Gerard Henderson is an] unhinged crank”
– Mike Carlton, via Twitter, Saturday 29 March 2014, 4.34 pm
A Personal Journey Into the World of the Brain
Donald Trump and the Trump Phenomenon – An Update
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758874
|
__label__wiki
| 0.62527
| 0.62527
|
Please enable JavaScript for the best experience on this site.
Patients and Employees: Click the down arrow in the top left corner for secure portal access
The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education was founded in 1976.
Learn about our organization and the people who make it great.
About our Practices
Access the Patient Portal
Clarks Summit Practice
Kingston Practice
Mid Valley Practice
Old River Road Practice
Ryan White Clinic
School-Based Practice
Scranton Counseling Center
Scranton Practice
South Franklin Street Practice
About our Educational Programming
Our Residents and Fellows
Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
Gastroenterology Fellowship
The Wright Center for Community Health School-Based Practice
1401 Fellows Street, Scranton, PA 18504
The mission of The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education is to improve the health and welfare of our community through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.
Access the Portal
Copyright © 2019 The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education
As a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center for Community Health offers comprehensive and affordable healthcare services for children and adults regardless of insured status or inability to pay. Click here to learn more.
The Wright Center for Community Health assists patients in determining if they are eligible for health benefits coverage options, including our sliding fee scale. Eligibility for our sliding fee scale is based on family (or household) income and size and provide discount levels for qualifying patients. Click here to view the sliding fee scale.
All materials contained on this website are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of awards totaling $17,038,990 with 63% percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758877
|
__label__wiki
| 0.658488
| 0.658488
|
From Foster Care to Miss D.C.
NNPA NewsWire
By Micha Green
Cordelia Cranshaw was crowned Miss District of Columbia USA on Dec. 8, yet her road to queen was not easy. Having already worked to empower young people through her own story and growth, Cranshaw is now using her platform to further inspire others.
Cranshaw, is one out of 18 siblings from Alexandria, Va.; however, life was not always one big happy family.
Cordelia Cranshaw, who was in foster care until the age of 21, was crowned Miss D.C. on Dec. 8.
“My mother was sentenced to 10 years in prison when I was 12 and my father was a struggling alcoholic,” Cranshaw, 26, told the AFRO. This resulted in me entering the foster care system and aging out at the age of 21.”
Just five years ago, Cranshaw was in the foster care system, and now she has dedicated her work to helping children who face some of the issues she did as a child. She works as an education specialist at D.C. Child and Family Services and has her own organization that assists youth traditionally considered, “at risk,” by providing them tools to make it beyond their current struggles.
“I am the founder, president and CEO of Acts of Random Kindness (ARK). ARK’s mission is to bridge the gaps in the community by providing programs and resources to children and families facing life challenges that include incarcerated parents, foster care and living in poverty.”
Some of the programs include, “iCan,” a program targeting males of color in Wards 7 and 8, and “iWill,” which will launch in 2019 and focus on young women and co-parenting programming.
The current Miss D.C. moved to the District after graduating from George Washington University. Then she started ARK and obtained a master of social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore Advance Standing Social Work program. After all that hard work and establishing the nation’s capital as her new home, Cranshaw witnessed a lot that led to her current title.
“When I was an assistant director for a nonprofit organization focusing on improving the education outcomes for foster youth, I worked with several youth who were from the District. I saw so much talent in these youth, yet so much pain that was holding them back from success,” she told the AFRO.
Historically defying odds and taking risks despite her personal pain, Cranshaw’s first pageant was in 2009 competing as a teen when she was still in the foster care system. As an adult seeing the needs of the youth, she felt pageantry would be another way to embolden young people. Perseverance has been the name of Cranshaw’s game as it’s been almost ten years since her first pageant when she was in foster care. Now she’s a winning queen.
“I first competed in 2015 for the 2016 title and didn’t place out of 16 beautiful young women. I continued to persevere, competing for the 2017 and 2018 title, where I left placing 4th runner up during both competitions. I didn’t let that outcome deter me from reaching my goal and I am officially now Miss District of Columbia USA 2019, ten years after entering the world of pageantry,” Cranshaw explained to the AFRO.
With the Miss D.C. platform, Cranshaw is hoping to get her message of perseverance out to the masses.
“My first priority is to inspire others to persevere. No matter what life challenges you face, no matter how negative the circumstances are, we can always turn negatives into positives,” she said. “I will travel to the local schools, sharing my experiences and tools for success. I want to instill hope into those who feel hopeless and motivate those who want to turn their dreams into reality. I believe we are all only one resource away from reaching our dreams.”
The persistent pageant queen is living her dream despite difficult life events and has advice for young women hoping to follow in her footsteps.
“Use your circumstances as motivation and do not let your situation determine where you go in life, especially those facing difficult ones,” she said.
“Self-confidence is from within and loving yourself first will give you all the hope you need to accomplish your goals and turn your dreams into reality.”
This article originally appeared in The Afro .
Miss D.C.
Previous articleLate-Game Drama: Trade fiasco unfolds while Grizzlies lose to Miami Heat, 100-97
Next articleEarly hole too deep for Grizzlies to dig out and beat Rockets
‘Unabossed & Unapologetic’ regional summit kicks off for black millennials
LEGACY: Russell Bertrand Sugarmon – civil rights ‘giant’
FedEx Logistics to take up residence in Downtown Memphis
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758884
|
__label__cc
| 0.596487
| 0.403513
|
Tag: Luxury Homes
“This amazing modernist home was designed by Winthrop Faulkner, a name that’ll raise eyebrows at a cocktail party even among people who have no idea who he is. That name just sounds distinguished. It’s the name of a man who wears linen suits and will tell you to your face that you’re not good enough to date his daughter. This house he’s designed (originally for a labor organizer) is a passive solar home, which means that it gets electricity from the sun and that when you ask where it wants to eat, it’ll say “I don’t care,” but then complain about wherever you pick.”
… “This amazing modernist home was designed by Winthrop Faulkner, a name that’ll raise eyebrows at a cocktail party even among people who have no idea who he is. That name just sounds distinguished. It’s the name of a man who wears linen suits and will tell you to your face that you’re not good enough to date his daughter. This house he’s designed (originally for a labor organizer) is a passive solar home, which means that it gets electricity from the sun and that when you ask where it wants to eat, it’ll say “I don’t care,” but then complain about wherever you pick.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758886
|
__label__wiki
| 0.903495
| 0.903495
|
Kander & Ebb’s The Visit Will Record Cast Album
April 23rd, 2015 | By Ryan McPhee
Revenge is a dish best served on iTunes and in stores. John Kander and Fred Ebb’s The Visit will record a cast album. The Broadway Records and Yellow Sound Label album will be released on June 26. The production, which stars Tony winners Chita Rivera and Roger Rees, opens at the Lyceum Theatre on April 23.
John Kander and Fred Ebb’s The Visit is based on the classic Friedrich Dürrenmatt play (adapted by Maurice Valency) and features a book by Terrence McNally, with music by Kander and lyrics by Ebb. Claire Zachanassian is an often-widowed millionairess who pays a visit to her hardship-stricken birthplace. The locals hope she’ll bring them a new lease on life, but little do they know her offer to revitalize the town comes at a dreadful price.
In addition to Rivera and Rees, the production features George Abud, Jason Danieley, Matthew Deming, Diana Dimarzio, David Garrison, Rick Holmes, Tom Nelis, Chris Newcomer, Mary Beth Peil, Aaron Ramey, Elena Shadow, Timothy Shew, John Riddle and Michelle Veintimilla.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758887
|
__label__wiki
| 0.719853
| 0.719853
|
Game Changer: Simon Jacques, Airbus Defence & Space Canada Inc.
Home » Air »
Marcello Sukhdeo Feb 21 2017
As President of Airbus Defence & Space Canada Inc., a division of Airbus Defence Space Inc., Simon Jacques is “responsible for all Airbus Defence and Space programs in Canada” by providing “oversight and direction at all stages, be it before or during an RFP and while executing a contract.”
The Airbus portfolio “is quite expansive” with the likes of the C295W which is perhaps their most recognisable product, but, according to Simon, “satellites and space systems” are also an important part of their business.
Jacques has been instrumental in leading his company and his number one job is to “sell Canada to Airbus.”
Read more to learn how Simon is working in changing the game within the industry.
Tell us how you started out in the industry and what’s brought you to where you are today?
I have always been interested in aviation and aerospace. After six years as a Cadet in Sherbrooke, Eastern Township, I joined the Royal Military College with the hopes of being a pilot, but unfortunately, my eyesight had other plans. That worked out pretty well, as I instead got the opportunity to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Combat System Engineer on Halifax Class frigates, where I learned a lot about defence technologies.
After serving 11 years in the Canadian Forces, I joined a global communication technology company. I spent seven years doing business development activities to sell defence system to DND here in Canada as well as globally.
When I joined Airbus Group in 2009 it brought me full circle, in a sense, to my original passion of aerospace.
What is the one thing that has you most fired up today?
I get to work with an outstanding team every day. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by exceptionally talented people, whose skills and drive are what makes progress for Airbus in Canada. That’s very personally and professionally rewarding.
The team, also means more than just the people I work with in the office. We’re lucky to partner with outstanding Canadian companies that help us create better value and better products, both at home and around the world. Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue is a good example of this, where our Canadian partners (PAL Aerospace, P&WC, CAE and L3 Wescam) are also global ones. We built long-lasting relationships with Canadian companies that helped us to improve the C295 program globally.
What was your aha moment or epiphany that you think will resonate most with our reader, tell us that story?
It took me a while to figure out that my number one job is to sell Canada to Airbus, and not just the other way around. I’m not just the Airbus voice in Canada, but the Canadian voice in Airbus.
There’s a tremendous amount of innovative and exciting work taking place in Canada, and connecting it to what Airbus is doing globally is good for all involved. This is especially true on the space side of our business. Airbus is the second-largest space company in the world. By connecting Canadian space companies, universities and other industries with what Airbus is doing globally, the company benefits and so does Canada.
What is the best advice you received?
The best advice I ever received was about focus. Focus, is the difference between reaching your goals and just thinking about them. Once you’ve figured out what you want, whether it be personal or professional, you have to keep focusing your energy from all angles to get there.
How is your organisation changing the game within your industry sector?
It’s an exciting time to be involved in the aerospace sector in Canada! We’re very excited to begin the process of providing C295Ws to Canada as part of the FWSAR program. When the first aircraft arrives in Canada in a few years, Canada will receive a state of the art aircraft supported by world leading training and support.
We are also always looking to further expand our space presence in Canada. Airbus already supplies satellites, space systems and capabilities to the military, civil and commercial sectors in Canada. Globally, Airbus was the industry leader for commercial communications satellite orders in 2015 and is a leading prime contractor for end-to-end military satellite communication systems.
What are some of the biggest impediments to innovation in your organisation or industry sector?
Innovation doesn’t have a passport, so it’s important that Canada considers solutions from a variety of companies, like Airbus, and not just those in Canada when looking at future projects. Open competition will get the best technology and solutions for Canadians.
The Synthetic Aperture Radar Data Continuity (SAR DC) program is an example of this. It is a radar system that will provide DND with cutting edge satellite capabilities in support of maritime surveillance and sovereignty projection.
It is very early in the program, but even at the mission concept phase, it’s important to take a global look at the technology that’s available. Doing so can allow Canada to leverage greater R&D investment and create opportunities for global companies like Airbus to work with Canadian partners.
What technologies, business models and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years?
New technology is only one part of innovation. Different approaches to how governments acquire own and operate equipment will be important as the government looks to expand and update capabilities.
Airbus Defence and Space has much to offer in this regard. It does more than just build planes and satellites; it also has a unique experience with Public Private Partnerships (PPP) on programs as complex as military communications systems. As the PPP industry partner with the UK on the Skynet system, Airbus owns and operates a hardened constellation of eight satellites and the associated ground network that provide all Beyond Line of Sight communications to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The PPP contract also allows other NATO and allied governments such as members of the Five Eyes countries to use the Skynet system to augment their existing services. This model might be something that Canada considers as it looks to programs to enhance polar satellite communications.
What’s your parting thought?
There’s a lot of Airbus in Canada. Airbus Group has had a major presence in Canada for 30 years. More than 2,000 Canadians work for Airbus, and 570 Canadian companies feed into its supply chain, from which Airbus purchases $1.2 billion in goods and services every year. We are working to see that grow by bringing, even more, Canada to Airbus.
Airbus, PAL team on FWSAR
FWSAR: Narrowing the search
Industry asked for feedback on draft FWSAR RFP
Capability-based SOR for challenging SAR
Airbus C295W for Brazilian Air Force makes maiden flight
@VanguardMag 2019-07-15
Gen Vance, CDS, announced some staff moves and promotions within the @CanadianForces (#CAF) as a result of the resi… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Make your pick for the naming of the CC-295. twitter.com/RCAF_ARC/statu…
Nicole Verkindt writes about the future of #simulation and #training #tech in her latest #TechWatch column for Vang… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Registration for the 2020 C4ISR and Beyond is open! Get your tickets now to take advantage of the Extra Early Bird… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758888
|
__label__wiki
| 0.884725
| 0.884725
|
Drunk History: Season Five Renewal for Comedy Central Series
by Jessica Pena, January 14, 2017
Get ready for another season of sloshed storytelling. This week, Comedy Central renewed Drunk History for a fifth season.
The comedy series features historical reenactments based on a guest’s drunken narration. Previous guests have included Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lauren Lapkus, Jenny Slate, Bob Odenkirk, Paget Brewster, and Natasha Leggero.
Comedy Central has ordered 14 episodes for season five of Drunk History, which are slated to premiere later this year.
From Comedy Central:
PASADENA, CA, January 13, 2017 – Comedy Central has renewed the Emmy(R) Award-winning series “Drunk History” for a fifth season, it was announced today by Kent Alterman, President, Comedy Central. The 14-episode fifth season is scheduled to premiere in 2017.
“More ‘Drunk History?’ Say no more,” Alterman stated.
“So excited and grateful to do a fifth season,” said Waters. “Oh what a ride it’s been! Thank you for driving me home.”
Created for television by Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner, who also split directing duties, “Drunk History” is the liquored-up narration of our nation’s history. Hosted by Waters and featuring an ever-changing cast of actors and comedians, the series presents all the rich tales that the past has to offer. Booze helps bring out the truth. It’s just that sometimes the truth is a little incoherent. “Drunk History” is produced by Gary Sanchez Productions and executive produced by Waters and Konner, along with Gary Sanchez Productions’ Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Owen Burke. Ian Friedman and Daniel Wolfberg are the Executives in Charge of Production for Comedy Central.
Season four of “Drunk History” aired last fall and was highlighted by an episode-long telling of the story of Alexander Hamilton (played by Ali Shawkat) and Aaron Burr (Aubrey Plaza), narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Additional guest stars featured during the season included Louie Anderson, Billie Joe Armstrong, Vanessa Bayer, Josh Charles, John Cho, Kat Dennings, Anthony Edwards, Jenna Fischer, Ben Folds, Dave Grohl, Tony Hale, Colin Hanks, Ed Helms, Thomas Lennon, Jack McBrayer, Michael McKean, Thomas Middleditch, Elizabeth Olsen, Patton Oswalt, Busy Philipps, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Pollak, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Andrew Rannells, Jason Ritter, Taylor Schilling, Liev Schreiber, Gabourey Sidibe, Juno Temple, Allison Tolman, Joe Lo Truglio, David Wain, Michaela Watkins and Bokeem Woodbine, among others.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of Drunk History? Are you glad it’s been renewed?
More about: Comedy Central TV shows: canceled or renewed?, Drunk History, Drunk History: canceled or renewed?
Drunk History: Season Six Viewer Votes
Drunk History: Season Six Ratings
Drunk History on Comedy Central: Cancelled or Renewed for Season Seven?
Drunk History: Cancelled or Renewed for Season Six on Comedy Central?
Drunk History: Season Five Viewer Votes
Drunk History: Season Five Resumes in June 2018 on Comedy Central
Drunk History: Season Six Renewal for Comedy Central TV Show
Drunk History: Comedy Central Series Looks at Star Trek‘s Big Kiss
Drunk History (US)
Drunk History: UK Version Renewed for Season Three (Report)
Drunk History: Comedy Central Releases Extended Season Four Trailer
Drunk History: Season Four Coming in September; Lin-Manuel Miranda to Guest
Drunk History: Season Four Renewal from Comedy Central
Drunk History, Nathan for You: Third Seasons for Comedy Central Series
Drunk History: Picked up for Second Season
Drunk History: Comedy Central Greenlights TV Series
Mona Hickerson
This is one if my favorite shows! Can’t wait tinder season 5
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758889
|
__label__wiki
| 0.858082
| 0.858082
|
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn Welcomes Tesla Model 3 Hype, Calls It “A Good Sign” and “Good Competition For EVs” Worldwide
• April 5, 2016
BusinessCarlos GhosnCompetitionElectric CarNissanTesla Model 3
As the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer by volume to date, you’d think Carlos Ghosn, joint CEO of Japanese automaker Nissan and French automaker Renault, would be more than feeling somewhat threatened by the more than 300,000 people around the world who have stumped up $1,000 each (or their local currency equivalent) to secure themselves a place in the queue to order the recently unveiled Tesla Model 3 electric car. That figure, for the curious, is almost the same number of cars sold by the Renault-Nissan alliance since they started mass-producing electric cars in 2010.
Ghosn: the Tesla Model 3 is good for all electric cars.
When you consider that The Tesla Model 3, with an entry-level price of $35,000 before incentives, is the first electric car from Tesla to enter into the mass-market, affordable car segment, you might be forgiven for thinking that he would be feeling doubly threatened. After all, mass-market, affordable electric cars — as opposed to high-performance, premium-market ones — has been Nissan’s electric car bailiwick all along.
But just as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has historically welcomed any and all competition in the electric car marketplace, Ghosn is keen to welcome the massive hype surrounding the Tesla Model 3 launch, calling the massive interest in Tesla’s latest electric car some “good competition” that will accelerate demand for electric cars.
The Nissan LEAF might be far less tech-filled than the Model 3, but it too will benefit from Tesla’s success.
As AutomotiveNews (subscription required) explains, the comments were made to members of the press by Ghosn this morning during a visit to one of Nissan’s engine plants in Iwaki, Japan. It’s not clear from the report if Mr. Ghosn’s comments were prepared in advance or if they were in response to a question from a member of the assembled press, but they certainly leave no doubt over his reaction to the Model 3.
“The fact that so many people are willing to pay a down payment to get this car which becomes available at the end of 2017 is a good sign,” he said. “Finally, good competition for EVs is picking up.”
Ghosn has placed electric cars at the forefront of Renault-Nissan’s long-term future strategy ever since Nissan unveiled the LEAF hatchback in 2009. Since that time, the Renault-Nissan alliance has spent tens of billions of dollars developing a wide range of electric vehicles, including the Nissan LEAF, Nissan e-NV200, Renault ZOE and Renault Twizy to name a few. By the end of the decade, it will have launched many more, more than doubling the range of Renault-Nissan plug-in vehicles on the market worldwide.
Ghosn has previously paid compliments to Tesla’s Elon Musk over the California automaker’s Model S electric sedan, but has never sought to make Tesla a direct competitor. “We’re happy that other people are going premium — it shows EVs are versatile, and exciting,” he told BBC Top Gear Magazine back in June last year. “[But] Tesla is not our rival — it is an ally.”
It was a sentiment Ghosn repeated at the start of this year during a presentation at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit. Reminding attendees that all-electric car manufacturers are working towards the same goal, Ghosn was asked if he would accept the nickname ‘Mr. Electric Car.’ His response was short and to the point.
“I’m used to many nicknames, but no, I don’t think so. That belongs to someone else you know very well,” he joked.
Ghosn: we’re all in this together.
“We are all part of the same thing,” he continued when questioned about the upcoming 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV — a car which will come to market this fall and offer a claimed 200 miles of range per charge at a similar price point to the Tesla Model 3. The explosion of the electric car market thanks to companies like Tesla, he explained, wouldn’t obliterate other electric cars but actually help them.
Essentially his argument follows some simple logic: the more electric cars there are on the road, the better it is for anyone who builds an electric car.
While not every automotive executive shares his enthusiasm, it’s worth noting that Elon Musk has also spoken enthusiastically about the expanding width and breadth of the electric car market, admitting that while Tesla can certainly play a pivotal part in the electric car revolution it would be impossible for just one company to turn the world from fossil fuels to renewable energy on its own.
Every company, every vehicle, plays its part.
Having covered the electric car industry for many years, we’re pleased to see a level of camaraderie still present between different electric automakers and a shared goal of seeing a transition away from fossil fuels towards electric cars. And while the world has gone Model 3 crazy for now, we think it’s worth reminding ourselves as enthusiasts, owners and advocates that the net effect of that transition far outweighs the badges on the cars making that transition possible.
Official: Tesla Motors Misses Q1 Delivery...
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Demonstrates 20kW...
Nissan LEAF ‘Rapidgate fix’ Software Won’t Come To U.S. Here’s Why Nissan is Wrong
How Hard Is It To Make A Lithium-Ion Battery? This Hard
Transport Evolved 2018 Outtake Show: Electric Cars, Bloopers, And Too Many Beeps
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758893
|
__label__wiki
| 0.794851
| 0.794851
|
How Will Health Care Be Impacted by the 2016 Election?
Health care is an issue at the center of the 2016 presidential election, with cancer among some of the top concerns. Alec Stone, MA, MPA, the health policy director at ONS, discussed the latest on the political and policy scene and valuated the candidates based on how they line up with the ONS health policy legislative and regulatory agenda. Though he cautioned that with this election, “No one knows how this will turn out!”
Stone has spent many years legislating on behalf of ONS and has many a time heard nurses lament, “No one will listen to me, I’m just a nurse.” This is not true, he stressed, noting that nurses are the number one most trusted health advisor. They speak on behalf of the patients rather than on personal and economic factors, and because of that are unbiased arbiters of health care policy.
Because nurses play such an important role in the patient-provider interaction, “Advocacy makes a difference. Even just one email to your Congressional office,” is important, said Stone. He stressed that all politics is local and nurses should let their voice be heard. “Be active in your chapter,” he said.
He began by discussing some of the most important health policies he lobbies for on behalf of ONS.
Access to preventive care
Nursing workforce contributions to safeguard the public (e.g., lobbying for recognition of health hazards for nurses who are subject to risk on the job)
As part of his job, Stone noted, “I spend time explaining to legislators the difference between palliative care and end-of-life care. They think both are a transition to death,” though that’s not the case, Stone said.
One of the biggest healthcare components at the center of this election is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Stone said that “most” U.S. residents have health insurance and mentioned some important aspects of the law.
Immediate access to coverage
No barriers for preexisting conditions
Expanded coverage for dependents until age 26
No lifetime limits on coverage
Public health and prevention (e.g., preventive care and screenings)
Reduction in Medicare Part D coverage gap
Depending on who the next president is, the health law could face some serious hurdles and/or changes. However, Stone said, “More Americans expect some form of health care. Even if [the ACA] is repealed, it will need to be replaced with something [else]. It is going to be very difficult for any politician to put out a plan [for the presidency] that does not include health care.”
In addition to the ACA, cancer is currently at the forefront of health care with Vice President Joe Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative recently underway. Many advances have been made in terms of cancer survival, particularly for lung, prostate, and breast cancers. Although the mortality rates from cancer have decreased since 1991 (down 23%), new cases of cancer remain high, as an estimated 1.6 million new cancer diagnoses are made annually.
Some of the goals of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative include
Targeting federal agencies that can contribute funding and research
Preventative vaccines
Immunotherapy and combination therapy
Pediatric care.
The Moonshot program is “not a new thing, but [it is] the latest thing,” said Mr. Stone, referring to the early 1970s “war on cancer,” spearheaded by former president Richard Nixon. He noted that even the title “moonshot” indicates that its intentions are “almost out of reach.” With just a few months remaining for this administration, the initiative is “not great timing,” said Stone. “[However,] to his credit [Vice President Biden] has moved quickly” since President Barack Obama announced the Moonshot project earlier this year. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is looking to move “real” dollars, Stone mentioned, into cancer research very soon with the purpose of accelerated new detection and treatment developments. Vice President Biden says he is keen on cutting through the bureaucracy that slows down grants and studies for healthcare development.
In addition, Deborah K. Mayer, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, an ONS past president, is the only nurse on the Blue Ribbon Panel, comprised of scientific experts, cancer leaders, and patient advocates that will inform the scientific direction and goals at the NIH for the Moonshot program. Stone said he is “confident that she will make sure nurses are involved,” though he lamented that out of all of the healthcare representatives on the panel, just one represents the nurse’s voice. It appears that the Moonshot program is receiving bipartisan support thus far, according to Stone.
When discussing where the latest candidates stand on health care, Stone gave a brief overview. Senator Bernie Sanders believes health care is a right; however, “He does not really go into how to pay for it,” said Stone. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supports the ACA as is, although she questions the widespread use of opioids in the United States. Stone predicted that she could implement a nationwide crackdown on opioid use, which could negatively affect patients with cancer and survivors who use opioids to manage pain. Donald Trump has noted that he would repeal the ACA and modify the existing law. “His opinions sound a little more Democratic than Republican,” said Stone.
He went on to make some predictions about the election: Donald Trump will become the Republican nominee (he made this prediction but before the other candidates dropped out), if he begins to pivot toward the center after the primaries, he will lose voters in the general election. He predicted that it will be “very tough for him either way to win the presidency.” As for the democratic candidates, Stone noted that Senator Sanders is “losing steam” after laying off nearly one-fourth of his staff just recently before the ONS Congress. Former Secretary of State Clinton has a poor approval rating, he noted, saying, “She can’t win unless she runs against [Donald] Trump.” Predictions aside, Stone concluded, “It will be interesting to see how this plays out. No one knows what’s going to happen.”
Nurse Scientists Are Promoting the Future of Cancer Nursing Research at NINR and NCI
Immunotherapy Opens New Frontiers in Lung Cancer Care
The Power of a Nurse: The Mara Mogensen Flaherty Memorial Lectureship
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758898
|
__label__wiki
| 0.824533
| 0.824533
|
Lil Wayne Pays $14 Million Tax Debt: Report
Marisa Mendez
Ronald Martinez, Getty Images
Lil Wayne is in the clear with Uncle Sam. According to documents obtained by The Blast on Friday (March 29), the Young Money rapper recently shelled out $14 million to settle his outstanding tax debt.
The IRS had accused Wayne of owing a cool $7,341,399.07 for 2011 and $6,853,545.77 for 2012, with the lien officially coming down in 2014. Recently, the New Orleans native revealed Jay-Z had helped him with tax debt in the past, but it's unclear whether he was talking abut this particular debt.
"There's people like Jay-Z—he helped me out when I was really, really, really down. Really, really, really down," Wayne told a Chicago crowd back in December. "Jay don't want me to tell nobody. That man helped me with my taxes. He's a real friend y'all. Shout out my nigga Jay!"
In related Wayne news, the rapper has some pending lawsuits in the air—but none are against him. He's currently suing his former lawyer for $20 million, saying that the attorney had been overcharging him for over a decade. Wayne has also threatened to sue the company Moments in Time, as they have an old rhyme book of his in their possession and have begun auctioning it off for $250,000. The rapper says he's the rightful owner of the book and they don't have permission to sell it, but Moments in Time says if he wants it back, he has to pay up.
See Photos of Lil Wayne's Different Looks Over the Years
Source: Lil Wayne Pays $14 Million Tax Debt: Report
Filed Under: lil wayne
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758902
|
__label__wiki
| 0.713625
| 0.713625
|
The Trouble With Treblinka: German Guilt Is Affirmed By The Improbable, The Impossible, An Ever Shrinking Death Toll & Rising Compensation Bill
Date: December 1, 2018Author: wearswar 17 Comments
“The blood of some quarter of a million people began to flare, and thus burned for a night and a day. The whole camp administration came to look upon this marvel, gazing with satisfaction at the blaze. The blood came up to the surface and burned as if it were fuel.”
This article will examine the credibility of several Jewish survivors of Treblinka.
EYEWITNESSES TO THE TREBLINKA “GAS CHAMBERS”
Traditional Holocaust historians state that Treblinka was a pure extermination camp in which approximately 870,000 Jews were murdered. The number of Jewish survivors of Treblinka is generally thought to have been between 40 and 70, and probably closer to the lower figure.[1] This article will examine the credibility of several Jewish survivors of Treblinka.
Chil Rajchman was a Jewish survivor of Treblinka who was interviewed by the U.S. Office of Special Investigations in 1980. He later traveled to the United States to appear as a witness for the prosecution in the extradition trial of John Demjanjuk. Rajchman also took the witness stand in Jerusalem where Demjanjuk was put on trial for allegedly being a murderous guard at Treblinka.[2] The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that Demjanjuk’s guilt had not been proven, and that the eyewitness testimony of Rajchman and four other witnesses failed to credibly identify Demjanjuk.[3]
Rajchman described the gas chambers at Treblinka in his memoirs:
The Schlauch road is not long. In a few minutes you find yourself in a white structure, on which a Star of David is painted. On the steps of the structure stands a German, who points to the entrance and smiles—Bitte, bitte! The steps lead to a corridor lined with flowers and with long towels hanging on the walls.
The size of the gas chamber is seven by seven meters. In the middle of the chamber there are shower-heads through which the gas is introduced. On one of the walls a thick pipe serves as an exhaust to remove the air. Thick felt around the doors of the chamber renders them airtight.
In this building there are some 10 gas chambers. At a short distance from the main structure there is a smaller one with three gas chambers. By the doors stand several Germans who shove people inside. Their hands do not rest for a moment as they scream fiendishly—Faster, faster, keep moving![4]
Austrian engineer Walter Lüftl and American engineer Friedrich Paul Berg have both documented that exhaust from Diesel engines could not have been used for mass executions at Treblinka. Lüftl concludes in his report that the stories of gas chambers with Diesel engines and gas vans at places such as Treblinka can only be disinformation.[5]
Berg writes:
“However, the story [of mass gassings] becomes even more incredible when one discovers that far better sources of carbon monoxide, better even than gasoline engines, were readily available to the Germans. Those other sources did not require either Diesel fuel or gasoline.”[6]
Rajchman in his memoirs reported the following horrific incident:
It once happened that an oven was brought next to a huge grave, where perhaps a quarter of a million people were buried. As usual the oven was loaded with the proper number of bodies and in the evening it was lit. But a strong wind carried the fire over to the huge grave and engulfed it in flames. The blood of some quarter of a million people began to flare, and thus burned for a night and a day. The whole camp administration came to look upon this marvel, gazing with satisfaction at the blaze. The blood came up to the surface and burned as if it were fuel.[7]
Since blood consists mostly of water and is nonflammable, Rajchman’s story that blood burned as if it were fuel is totally absurd.[8]
Rajchman also reported other instances when the blood from gassed victims rose to the surface:
“I remember that every morning when we went out to work, we would notice that the surfaces of the pits had burst in dozens of places. By day the ground was firmly trodden down, but at night the blood pressed up to the surface…The blood of tens of thousands of victims, unable to rest, thrust itself up to the surface.”[9]
Rajchman’s story that “blood pressed up to the surface” at night but was trodden down during the day is ludicrous. Rajchman’s memoirs about his stay in Treblinka are no more credible than his testimony at the John Demjanjuk trial.
Official estimates are frequently revised down not by a few thousand but by millions. Today’s estimates by various establishment historians range from 700,00 to 860,000. Yet the overall so-called Holocaust figure remains static. As discussed previously, this has created the need for the new “Holocaust By Bullets” story.
Richard Glazar was a Jew sent to Treblinka at the beginning of October 1942. He said he spent 10 months in Treblinka before escaping from the camp.[10] Glazar in his memoirs stated that exhaust gasses from motors were used in the gas chambers at Treblinka:
The gas chambers are the only brick buildings in the entire camp. Actually, they comprise two structures. At first was built—somewhat farther from the entrance—a smaller structure with three gas chambers, each about five by five meters. Sometime in the fall of 1942 the second building, containing 10 gas chambers, was completed. This building is located very close to the Pipeline, at the point where it opens into the second part of the camp. There is a hallway running all the way down the middle of the new building. One enters the gas chambers, five on either side, from this hallway. The new gas chambers measure about seven by seven meters. The motor room is built onto the back wall, where the hallway ends. The exhaust gases from the motors are pumped into the gas chambers through conduits in the ceilings of the chambers. These conduits are disguised as showers.[11]
Glazar made two major errors in his book. First, Glazar wrote that the Germans started to burn the corpses “one overcast November afternoon” in 1942.[12] This statement contradicts the standard Holocaust literature, which claims the incineration of corpses did not start until March/April 1943.[13]
Second, Glazar said that he was part of a camouflage unit that performed forestry work in the vicinity of Treblinka. Glazar wrote:
The camouflage unit is the only one of the old work squads that still has enough real work to do…Several times a day…some part of the 25-man unit has to go out into the forest, climb into the trees, harvest large branches, and carry them back into the camp, where they will be used for repairs. The other part of the unit straightens and firms up the posts, tightens the barbed wire, and weaves the new pine boughs into the fence until there are no longer any gaps in the dense green wall.[14]
Thus, according to Glazar, 25 inmates supplied Treblinka with its greenery for concealment. The “camouflage unit” would have been much larger if wood from the forest had been used to cremate the 870,000 corpses in Treblinka. The camouflage unit would also have chopped down the trees and then cut off the branches rather than engaging in tree-climbing activities. Yet Glazar apparently opines that such tree-felling never occurred during his time at Treblinka. Since historians universally state that there were no crematoria at Treblinka, this rules out the cremation of some 870,000 corpses using firewood.[15]
Air-photo evidence also indicates that the massive deforestation necessary to cremate 870,000 bodies never took place around Treblinka. Thomas Kues writes:
By comparing a detailed 1936 map of the Treblinka area with air photos taken by the Luftwaffe in May and November 1944 we are able to estimate the scope of contemporary deforestation in the area. If 870,000 bodies had really been burned at Treblinka, then the procurement of the required fuel would have denuded the entire wooded area north of the camp site. The air photos show that this is clearly not the case. Rather, the visible possibly deforested areas—amounting to less than 10 hectares—indicate the cremation of at most some ten thousands of bodies.[16]
The argument that only a fraction of the corpses were burned is not valid, since the Soviet and Polish forensic examinations of Treblinka would have discovered hundreds of thousands of corpses. The Allies would have shown these corpses to the world as proof of German genocide.
The only remaining conclusion is that most Jews at Treblinka were sent somewhere else, most likely to German-occupied Soviet territory. Richard Glazar’s memoirs inadvertently confirmed the revisionist thesis that Treblinka was a transit camp.[17]
An estimation of 2.7 million deaths was revised down to 1.6 million for this applauded documentary. “Defenders of the Holocaust story have sometimes used forensic archaeologist Dr. Caroline Sturdy Colls and her limited excavation work at Treblinka to prove that Treblinka was an extermination camp. An analysis of her work shows that she fails to prove that Treblinka was an extermination camp”. From: Nazi’s Defy Laws Of Nature
JANKIEL WIERNIK
Jankiel Wiernik escaped from Treblinka and published a document in May 1944 describing his experiences at Treblinka. Wiernik wrote:
A Jew had been selected by the Germans to function as a supposed “bath attendant.” He stood at the entrance of the building housing the chambers and urged everyone to hurry inside before the water got cold. What irony! Amidst shouts and blows, the people were chased into the chambers.
As I have already indicated, there was not much space in the gas chambers. People were smothered simply by overcrowding. The motor which generated the gas in the new chambers was defective, and so the helpless victims had to suffer for hours on end before they died. Satan himself could not have devised a more fiendish torture. When the chambers were opened again, many of the victims were only half dead and had to be finished off with rifle butts, bullets or powerful kicks.
Often people were kept in the gas chambers overnight with the motor not turned on at all. Overcrowding and lack of air killed many of them in a very painful way. However, many survived the ordeal of such nights; particularly the children showed a remarkable degree of resistance. They were still alive when they were dragged out of the chambers in the morning, but revolvers used by the Germans made short work of them…[18]
So according to Wiernik, the gas chambers at Treblinka were not very efficient. Many victims suffocated or had to be killed with bullets, rifle butts or powerful kicks.
Jankiel Wiernik wrote: “Between 10,000 and 12,000 people were gassed each day.”[19] Wiernik also wrote: “The number of transports grew daily, and there were periods when as many as 30,000 people were gassed in one day…”[20] This is an incredibly large number of people killed by a defective motor that took “hours on end” to kill the victims and which was frequently left off overnight.
Wiernik also wrote that handsome Bulgarian Jews were discriminated against: “These handsome Jews were not permitted an easy death. Only small quantities of gas were let into the chambers, so that their agony lasted through the night.”[21] This would have made the gassing process at Treblinka even more inefficient. I wonder how 870,000 Jews could have been killed by such inefficient methods.
Wiernik described the corpses of the alleged gassing victims: “All were equal. There was no longer any beauty or ugliness, for they were all yellow from the gas.”[22] Actually, victims of carbon-monoxide poisoning exhibit a cherry-red or rosy red coloring.[23] Wiernik’s statement that the victims were “all yellow from the gas” is obviously false.
Image from Katana17: Forensic Medicine: Colour Guide (Edinburgh; New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2003) page 12.
Wiernik wrote in regard to the cremation of corpses:
“It turned out that bodies of women burned more easily than those of men. Accordingly, the bodies of women were used for kindling the fires…When corpses of pregnant women were cremated, their bellies would burst open. The fetus would be exposed and could be seen burning inside the mother’s womb.”[24]
The absurdities promulgated by Wiernik are really beyond description, yet he is probably the most prominent witness to the alleged gassings at Treblinka.[25]
ABRAHAM GOLDFARB
Abraham Goldfarb arrived in Treblinka on August 25, 1942, and escaped from Treblinka during the revolt in 1943.[26] Goldfarb described the gassings at Treblinka:
On the way to the gas chambers Germans with dogs stood along the fence on both sides. The dogs had been trained to attack people; they bit the men’s genitals and the women’s breasts, ripping off pieces of flesh. The Germans hit the people with whips and iron bars to spur them on, so that they would press forward into the “showers” as quickly as possible. The screams of the women could be heard far away, even in the other parts of the camp. The Germans drove the running victims on with shouts of “Faster, faster, the water is getting cold, and others still have to take a shower!” To escape from the blows, the victims ran to the gas chambers as quickly as they could, the stronger ones pushing the weaker ones aside. At the entrance to the gas chambers stood the two Ukrainians, Ivan Demaniuk and Nikolai, one of them armed with an iron bar, the other with a sword. Even they drove the people inside with blows…
As soon as the gas chambers were full, the Ukrainians closed the doors and started the engine. Some 20 to 25 minutes later an SS man or a Ukrainian looked through a window in the door. When he had made sure that everyone had been asphyxiated, the Jewish prisoners had to open the doors and remove the corpses. Because the chambers were overcrowded and the victims had held on to one another, they were all standing upright and were like one single mass of flesh.[27]
Goldfarb stated that dogs at Treblinka attacked the men’s genitals and the women’s breasts while the victims ran to the gas chambers. I wonder why all of the other survivors didn’t report these vicious dog attacks of the gassing victims. Goldfarb’s story is highly suspicious.
Goldfarb’s statement that the victims “were all standing upright and were like one single mass of flesh” is also not credible. Many of the dead victims would have fallen to the floor no matter how crowded the gas chambers. The dead victims would not have been “like one single mass of flesh.”
Another factual documentary with a different death toll.
No documentary or credible material trace exists of the alleged gas chambers at Treblinka. We would know nothing about the Treblinka gas chambers except for the testimony of a small number of eyewitnesses.
A November 15, 1942 report produced by the resistance movement of the Warsaw ghetto originally stated that steam chambers were used to kill Jews at Treblinka. In 1944, Jankiel Wiernik converted the embarrassing “steam chambers,” which characterized the first phase of the Treblinka atrocity propaganda, into “gas chambers.” Official historiography now considers the gas chambers of Treblinka as established historical fact.[28]
However, as discussed in this article, the eyewitness testimony of the Treblinka gas chambers is not credible. Such testimony cannot be used to prove that Germany mass murdered Jews at Treblinka. Germar Rudolf writes:
Thus, if 100 witnesses and 100 confessions state that the moon is made of green cheese or that 870,000 corpses can be burned within a few months without fuel and without leaving traces, both assertions being of a similar intellectual quality, then we have to conclude—in light of all the forensic evidence—that the witnesses and the defendants are wrong. Like it or not![29]
Is it possible to objectively examine the credibility of Jewish survivor stories when so much money and influence might be at risk? Are laws and social pressure required to censor ‘hate’ or factual debate?
Establishment historians characterize National Socialist Germany as a uniquely barbaric, vile and criminal regime that was totally responsible for starting World War II and carrying out some of the most heinous war crimes in world history. Germany’s War by John Wear refutes this characterization of Germany, bringing history into accord with the facts. Discover more about Germany’s War and purchasing options here.
[1] Willenberg, Samuel, Surviving Treblinka, New York: Basil Blackwell Inc., 1989, p. 2.
[2] Kues, Thomas, “Chil Rajchman and His Memoirs,” Inconvenient History, Vol. 2, No. 1, Spring 2010. https://inconvenienthistory.com/2/1/1916.
[3] An excellent account of John Demjanjuk’s trial is provided in Sheftel, Yoram, Defending “Ivan the Terrible”: The Conspiracy to Convict John Demjanjuk, Washington, D.C., Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1996.
[4] Rajchman, Chil, The Last Jew of Treblinka: A Survivor’s Memory 1942-1943, New York: Pegasus Books, 2011, pp. 11-12.
[5] Lüftl, Walter, “The Lüftl Report,” The Journal of Historical Review, Vol. 12, No. 4, Winter 1992-1993, pp. 391-406.
[6] Berg, Friedrich Paul, “The Diesel Gas Chamber: Ideal for Torture—Absurd For Murder,” in Gauss, Ernst (ed.), Dissecting the Holocaust: The Growing Critique of Truth and Memory, Capshaw, AL: Thesis and Dissertations Press, 2000, p. 456.
[8] https://inconvenienthistory.com/2/1/1916.
[10] Glazar, Richard, Trap With a Green Fence: Survival in Treblinka, Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1995, p. VIII.
[13] Mattogno, Carlo and Graf, Jürgen, Treblinka: Extermination Camp or Transit Camp?, Washington, D.C., The Barnes Review, 2010, p. 39.
[14] Glazar, Richard, Trap With a Green Fence: Survival in Treblinka: Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1995, pp. 127-128.
[15] Mattogno, Carlo and Graf, Jürgen, Treblinka: Extermination Camp or Transit Camp?, Washington, D.C., The Barnes Review, 2010, pp. 39-40.
[16] https://inconvenienthistory.com/1/2/1912.
[18] Donat, Alexander (editor), The Death Camp Treblinka: A Documentary, New York: Holocaust Library, 1979, pp. 163-164.
[24] Donat, Alexander (editor), The Death Camp Treblinka: A Documentary, New York: Holocaust Library, 1979, p. 170.
[25] Mattogno, Carlo and Graf, Jürgen, Treblinka: Extermination Camp or Transit Camp?, Washington, D.C., The Barnes Review, 2010, p. 154.
[26] http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/ar/treblinka/treblinkarememberme.html.
[27] Kogon, Eugen, Langbein, Hermann, and Rückerl, Adalbert (editors), Nazi Mass Murder: A Documentary History of the Use of Poison Gas, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1993, pp. 126-127.
[28] Mattogno, Carlo and Graf, Jürgen, Treblinka: Extermination Camp or Transit Camp?, Washington, D.C., The Barnes Review, 2010, pp. 51-62, 299.
HolocaustHolohoaxJewish FictionPropagandaTreblinkaWW2
Previous Previous post: Reinstating The Law Of The Jungle: Distinguished American Hero Lieutenant General Andrew Bruce Explains Why The Nuremberg Trials Were A Dangerous Farce. Quote #44
Next Next post: Using The WWII Narrative To Ethnically Cleanse Axis & Allied Nations: The UN Migration & Refugee Pacts To Be Signed 12/11/18 Are Worse Than You Know!
17 thoughts on “The Trouble With Treblinka: German Guilt Is Affirmed By The Improbable, The Impossible, An Ever Shrinking Death Toll & Rising Compensation Bill”
Tar Baby says:
It’s all a game, between Jews, of “I’ll believe YOUR made-up bullshit if you’ll believe MY made-up bullshit.” It, then, all becomes “historical fact” as regards the Holocaust (TM).
As to the headline above, US agrees to give $38 billion of military aid to Israel: Is there any doubt which self-interested, self-absorbed, special interest group runs the US? The craven, corrupt 2 major political parties are really just 2 cliques of Jews and shabbos goys. The choice in each election is which clique of Jews do you wish to rule over you: the Trotskyite, neocon Zionist war party (aka the Republicans), or the Marxist-Leninist party (aka the Democrats).
Regarding Treblinka, let me add this anecdote from the Internet some years back. There was a site called the Ukrainian Archives (which was taken down by the Canadian authorities back around 2007 or 2008, I think, its web address was ukar.org). The owner of the site used to post very incisive articles debunking both Treblinka and Belzec camps, and the truly fantastic and grotesque claims made about these camps. Most of us are aware of the defamation of the Ukrainians by leading Jewish holocaust figures. (These beast like camp guards from the Ukraine were so terrible.) The Ukrainian website owner called out these Jews by name in his lengthy articles and exposed their lies, and grotesque exaggerations and distortions. In one article on this site, he mocked the alleged death toll of Jews for Treblinka. He said that maybe 870 Jews perished there, or perhaps it was only 87. This is in reference to the oft touted figure (in the late 1990s) of 875,000 Jews killed at Treblinka. It is a shame that he was residing in Canada, as he did not have the free speech protections we still have (for now) here in the US.
The holocaust has been the most monstrous lie in history and one of the largest swindles. Pity, the poor Germans, who have been brainwashed with guilt for crimes that did not occur. The true holocaust, as written about several times here on WearsWar, was what was done to the Germans both during and after the war.
Concerned German says:
“brainwashed with guilt” Thanks for your concern, but since I didn’t commit any crimes, I am not guilty and don’t feel guilt. Nobody I know does. You should try making other German friends.
“Thanks for your concern, but since I didn’t commit any crimes, I am not guilty and don’t feel guilt. Nobody I know does.”
How peculiar stating that you and ‘nobody I know’ didn’t commit any crimes so have no guilt, yet you (plural) are happily coughing up vast sums of taxpayer funds decades later to a parasitic foreign nation in so-called ‘reparations’ without any end date.
If you have no guilt why are you not putting a stop to the leeching scam?
henry hays says:
Read the book “From Yahweh to Zion”.
On Sat, Dec 1, 2018 at 11:00 AM WEARS WAR on the Lies, Liars & WW2 wrote:
> wearswar posted: “”The blood of some quarter of a million people began to > flare, and thus burned for a night and a day. The whole camp administration > came to look upon this marvel, gazing with satisfaction at the blaze. The > blood came up to the surface and burned as if it ” >
700000 people in a year. On average 2000 a day. Feasible with 13 gas chambers, don’t you think so? Oh, the diesel was defective. Could it be that it wasn’t repaired for an entire year? In a German camp, where efficiency is of the utmost importance?
“I wonder why the other survivors failed to report these vicious dog attacks of the gassing victims.“
From Wiernik’s report: “Dogs were set upon them, barking, biting and tearing at them”.
Perhaps Wiernik has false memories or is a lier. Perhaps he is not credible. How about Franz Stangl, is he credible? His defense during his trial was not “it didn’t happen”, but just like Eichmann “I followed orders”. Other Treblinka guards defended themselves with “I helped organize the uprising” or “I like Jews”. Not “it didn’t happen”. What do you think: False memories, lies?
@ Concerned German:
“In a German camp, where efficiency is of the utmost importance?”
You given it away this time. 😉
Yes, given the reputation for industrial efficiency and quality product that Germans possessed, it is incomprehensible that there were millions of “survivors”.
Concerned German,
You write: “Perhaps Wiernik has false memories or is a lier. Perhaps he is not credible. How about Franz Stangl, is he credible? His defense during his trial was not “it didn’t happen”, but just like Eichmann “I followed orders”. Other Treblinka guards defended themselves with “I helped organize the uprising” or “I like Jews”. Not “it didn’t happen”. What do you think: False memories, lies?”
My response: The reality of the so-called Holocaust could not be contested in Israel or Germany. The only possible successful defense was to say “I was following orders” or “I was not involved in the murders.”
Richard Baer, the last commandant of Auschwitz, adamantly refused to confirm the existence of homicidal gas chambers at Auschwitz. Baer died in June 1963 under mysterious circumstances while being held in pre-trial custody. An autopsy performed on Baer at the Frankfurt-am-Main University School of Medicine stated that the ingestion of an odorless, non-corrosive poison could not be ruled out as the cause of his death. The Auschwitz Trial in Frankfurt, Germany began almost immediately after Baer’s death. With Baer’s death the prosecutors at the Auschwitz Trial were able to attain their primary objective—to reinforce the gas chamber myth and establish it as an unassailable historical fact.
So Richaed Baer, who denied the existence of gas chambers at Auschwitz, conveniently died before he could give his testimony. There are also many other witnesses who testified that they did not see gas chambers at Auschwitz/Birkenau.
For example, a credible eyewitness who states that genocide did not take place at Birkenau is the Austrian-born Canadian Maria Van Herwaarden, who was interned at Birkenau from December 2, 1942 to January 1945. Van Herwaarden testified at the 1988 Ernst Zündel trial that she saw nothing at Birkenau that resembled mass murder. The Jewish prisoners she saw at Birkenau were not treated differently from the other prisoners. She also testified that many of the inmates at Birkenau died of diseases, and some inmates committed suicide.
Thies Christophersen was another witness who said the alleged genocide of Jews during the war never happened. Christophersen supervised about 300 workers, many of them Jewish, at Auschwitz from January to December 1944. On a number of occasions during this period he visited Birkenau where allegedly hundreds of thousands of Jews were being gassed to death. In The Auschwitz Lie, a memoir first published in Germany in 1973, Christophersen wrote that during the time he was at Auschwitz he did not notice the slightest evidence of mass gassings. He also successfully answered numerous pointed questions by the prosecuting attorney at the 1988 Ernst Zündel trial about his experiences at Auschwitz.
The prosecutors in the 1985 and 1988 Ernst Zündel trials were not able to find any effective witnesses. In fact, the prosecution witnesses in the 1985 Zündel trial were so bad that the prosecutors did not call any witnesses in the 1988 Zündel trial. Even Sabina Citron, a Jewish Auschwitz survivor who originally filed the criminal complaint against Zündel, did not take the witness stand in either of these two trials.
I thought I had replied already here but either forgot to send it off or perhaps WordPress ate my comment. If it’s a duplicate, sorry.
> The only possible successful defense was to say “I was following orders” or “I was not involved in the murders.”
How about “I have not witnessed anything”? Just by the way, at the time of Stangl’s trial, holocaust denial was not considered a criminal offence, and I am sure Eichmann would have been delighted to get a few years prison for claiming it didn’t happen.
> Richard Baer, the last commandant of Auschwitz, adamantly refused to confirm the existence of homicidal gas chambers at Auschwitz.
While I didn’t talk about Baer (and didn’t know about him; it’s great to learn about my country’s history), let’s see what he did. He was accused at the Auschwitz trial. From what I gather, he adamantly refused to say anything at all. Not yes, not no. He was just silent, as is his right during a trial, of course. So, I am afraid he is not a good witness for you, nor for me.
I am happy with the admissions of Höß, Eichmann, Stangl, Gröning. If you say that survivors who confirm the killings are not credible, let’s settle on not using survivors’ reports.
You write: “I am happy with the admissions of Höß, Eichmann, Stangl, Gröning. If you say that survivors who confirm the killings are not credible, let’s settle on not using survivors’ reports.”
My response: All right. The next step is to look at forensic evidence. You might want to read the following article I wrote for Inconvenient History:
https://inconvenienthistory.com/9/4/5160.
I have no background in chemistry. Neither has Leuchter, who holds a BA in history and made his living as a consultant for improving execution equipment. Personally, I can’t judge whether his report is credible. People with a background in chemistry can, and it turns out that scientists consider it non-scientific.
Specifically, it is not important that traces of cyan compounds were or were not found in the samples that Leuchter brought back from Auschwitz. He didn’t apply scientific practices to obtain the samples in the first place, not taking any precautions against dilution or contamination.
I suggest you stop using the Leuchter report. I am sure you have better material to refute Höß and friends.
You write: “I suggest you stop using the Leuchter report. I am sure you have better material to refute Höß and friends.”
My response: Yes, I have the Rudolf Report, which was written by certified-chemist Germar Rudolf. Rudolf would have a PhD in Chemistry except that he was not allowed to receive his PhD in Chemistry once his report was published.
“Execution equipment” could be rocks, guns, electric chairs, lots of other things, and GAS CHAMBERS, you obfuscating troll. When I was 5 years old, I could tell that the so-called Nazi “gas chambers” were a figment of Jewish imagination. A real gas chamber is AIRTIGHT and the cyanide gas rises UPWARDS because it’s LIGHTER than air. Get a real job as you’re a piss-poor troll and butt-boy to the Jews.
Pingback: The Trouble With Treblinka
Les says:
Article from the Journal of Historical Review on Treblinka – https://codoh.com/library/document/2373/
Concerned German – Why are you happy with the admissions of Rudolf Hoess when he was tortured and his family threatened ? – https://codoh.com/library/document/237/
https://codoh.com/library/document/1968/
Greg Gerdes says:
“Defenders of the Holocaust story have sometimes used forensic archaeologist Dr. Caroline Sturdy Colls and her limited excavation work at Treblinka to prove that Treblinka was an extermination camp. An analysis of her work shows that she fails to prove that Treblinka was an extermination camp.”
Colls “work” is utterly destroyed on – THE HOLOCAUST ARCHAEOLOGY HOAX – website ( http://www.nafcash.com/ )
There are a total of 15 alleged burial sites that can be seen in her three maps (click on the provided links to view them), and there is a total of 15 thousand dollars in reward money offered to anyone who can prove just 1 / 1,000 of 1 % of the buried remains allegations in said “graves.”
Caroline Sturdy Colls is a liar and a coward who has never responded to a single email that I’ve sent her, or dared to answer so-much-as a single question that I’ve asked her. She, and numerous other “archaeologists” involved in this archaeology hoax (at Treblinka and elsewhere), are criminal frauds.
Greg Gerdes
Leave a Reply to Les Cancel reply
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758904
|
__label__cc
| 0.595695
| 0.404305
|
From the desert floor to cloud forests and back again
Biology major Vanessa Beane spent her summer collecting data on and handling reptiles—including rattlesnakes—as a part of an ongoing 40-year study of the herpetofauna present in the Birds of Prey Conservation Area near Boise, Idaho.
This study is a collaboration between the Idaho Army National Guard and the U.S. Geological Survey to research the reptiles in the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area in Southwest Idaho. Since similar surveys were done in the 1970s and 1990s, they will be able to assess the change in the reptile populations due to land use and conditions.
The principal investigator of this project was a BSU graduate student, who was aided by several reptile biological technicians. This reptile survey team, which included Vanessa and three other NNU students, checked traps daily and recorded biological data on captured reptiles.
“The most enjoyable part of this research was my coworkers and being able to be out in the field,” said Vanessa. “My coworkers make the job even more fun, especially because they all have a deep love for these creatures and our environment.”
“The most challenging part was working directly with these wild animals,” Vanessa continued. “It can be easy to forget that they are wild and won’t always appreciate our processes. I’ve been bitten by both snakes and lizards this summer, which at first is shocking but doesn’t hurt too bad.”
Vanessa’s research in the Birds of Prey Conservation Area began after a semester of studying at Southern Nazarene University’s Quetzal Education Research Center (QERC) in Costa Rica. “Studying abroad in Costa Rica for a semester was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” she commented.
Along with a theology and history class, she took varying biology classes that allowed hands-on learning in Costa Rica’s tropical cloud forest. One of her research projects involved using trail cameras to track which mammals, including pumas, coatis and jaguarundi, were active in certain areas throughout the lunar cycle.
“Studying biology in a place where there is so much biodiversity is enthralling,” she added. “A lot of my classes were held outside, and we got to go on hikes while learning the content. This heavily added to my education in that I was able to see in real time what I was learning.”
When asked about the value of her experiences, Vanessa said, “I think it is very significant to have completed research in Idaho and Costa Rica. When studying the sciences, I think it is so important to have these types of experiences, whether out of the country or in your own state. Being able to be out in the field and seeing what it is that biologists do is a great learning experience while still in college and will help to propel you in the future.”
In the fall, Vanessa will embrace more opportunities for experiential learning by assessing the data she helped to gather in the reptile survey this summer and co-authoring a research article on the results. She is also a part of the University Choir and Orchestra and the Biology Department Animal Care Team.
Following graduation, Vanessa plans to continue doing research, likely in marine biology. Wherever she ends up working—ocean, desert, or forest—her varied experiences at NNU will be invaluable.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758905
|
__label__cc
| 0.545859
| 0.454141
|
Volunteer for “I Love My Park Day” on May 6
Representatives from Parks & Trails New York, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and AT&T spoke at a press conference today on the east side of Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park about plans for for “I Love My Park Day” on May 6. Sign up to volunteer at your favorite park and celebrate our great parks system!
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758908
|
__label__wiki
| 0.953061
| 0.953061
|
Fighting Terrorism With Cartoons
WIB politics December 11, 2016 War Is Boring 0
‘Average Mohamed’ capture via YouTube ‘Average Mohamed’ Ahmed is working to counter jihadist propaganda by KEVIN KNODELL “I came to America with ideas in my head,...
‘Average Mohamed’ capture via YouTube
‘Average Mohamed’ Ahmed is working to counter jihadist propaganda
by KEVIN KNODELL
“I came to America with ideas in my head, and I got a chance to fulfill most of those ideas,” Mohamed Ahmed says. A Somali American and proud Minnesotan, he’s talking on the phone from Massachusetts where he’s been giving talks to students.
He’s the creator of the web cartoon series Average Mohamed, which he developed as a counter message to jihadist propaganda that has targeted young Muslims in the west. He has an exhausting workload balancing his regular job while spreading anti-extremism messages in classrooms in the United States and abroad.
Ahmed arrived in the United States in 1995 at the age of 18. He’s also fiercely patriotic and thankful to his new country. “I’m a man with a family now, I work for a corporation … and I’m also an activist. That’s an American story, that’s America for you,” he says.
That’s why like many Americans, Ahmed was alarmed reports of young men from Minnesota attempting to join terrorist groups overseas. As someone who had come from a country torn apart by war, an immigrant to the United States and a faithful Muslim, he was angry and alarmed.
“It pissed me off that some of my community members, Minnesotans, were willing to join Islamic State. It truly pissed me off,” he said.
“It pissed me off because I know they have opportunity, I know they have access to health care, to education, access to become anything they want to become in this country. And they chose to go join people want harm.”
“I thought to myself ‘what can a citizen do?’”
Ahmed addresses students during a school visit. via Facebook
Ahmed decided to fight against the ideology which he said is sneaking its ways into communities. While many worry about infiltration through the movement of people, it’s over the internet that ideology spreads most readily.
The Islamic State has used social media and slickly produced videos to sell directionless youths a life of action and adventure — as well as a sense of purpose and a path to paradise.
“I’d be the perfect, ideal candidate,” he says, reflecting on the way terrorist recruiters think. “International passport, living in the West, practicing Muslim. So why not [me]? Because of the ideology [itself], it holds no appeal for people like me.”
“I live in a community, I don’t just live in it I engage in it,” he continues. “Just look around you, the people are decent. The majority of Americans are just decent people. All they care about is, can we do business? Can you pay your taxes? Can we live in peace, will you not harm me? And that’s it.”
“It doesn’t get better than that.”
Ahmed’s adjustment into American society was relatively seamless. But he also understands how others have struggled. “They don’t think they fit in, they may not believe there’s opportunity,” he says.
Minnesota is a friendly place and many Somalis like Ahmed have become business owners and entrepreneurs. But in other corners, a segment of young Somalis have formed gangs and sparred with white gangs such as the All American Boys.
Ahmed says that some first generation Americans who are confused about their identities can be susceptible to extremist ideology. “Isolation [is part of it], Islamophobia pushes it, mental health can be an issue, misunderstanding their faith … a lot of smart people are trying to figure this out.”
How Americans Became Terrorists in Africa
That was the birth of Average Mohamed. Ahmed works with a team of volunteers to put the short and simple cartoons together. The videos are aimed at young children and teens.
“My background is corporate, so we’re looking for something we can do that is cheap and that we can get the most bang out of,” Ahmed explains. “The cheapest medium we could find was cartoons.”
The videos tackle a number of themes with straightforward, forceful messages delivered by the character “Average Mohamed,” narrated by Ahmed. For instance, he tells kids that suicide bombing isn’t noble and that the intentional killing of civilians will send them to Hell.
He preaches gender equality, the importance of diversity and coexisting with people of other faiths and backgrounds. He defends free speech and says it protects everyone — even those we disagree with.
Production wise, they’re very different from the extremist videos he’s trying to counter. Ahmed doesn’t have the financial resources that terrorists — backed by shadowy financiers and augmented by black market enterprises — attained at the peak of their power in Iraq and Syria.
“I’d love to make live action videos, but those are so exorbitant … they’re so time consuming and require capital,” Ahmed says.
https://medium.com/media/4cc87abf2227d90718ab1cc990a038dd/href
Outside the videos, Ahmed does lectures at schools and community centers, and does video conferences reaching students abroad. Principally, he wants to counter propaganda that often outlives the jihadists who created it.
Anwar Al Awlaki, an American citizen and Al Qaeda member who died in a controversial drone strike ordered by Pres. Barack Obama has been one of the most effective recruiters despite his death in 2011. His propaganda has played a role in the radicalization of several Western jihadists, including those from Minnesota.
Ahmed, though disdainful of Awlaki’s jihadist message, speaks with a sort of grudging respect for him as an ideological adversary. The English-speaking preacher was readily able to exploit the insecurities of young Muslim men who feel caught between worlds and confused about who they are. Awlaki and other jihadist propagandists present an absolutist Salafi ideology.
Ahmed says that he talked to two youths in Massachusetts who had been watching Awlaki videos. He told the boys that Awlaki was selling them a lie.
“The thinking they are going to is an extreme form, and they become extremist because they want to be ‘pure,’ and that is a false experience,” Ahmed says.
He explains that the notion of a “pure” Islam is impossible. He says that Salafists are putting forth their interpretation of what’s pure, but they can’t truly know what it was like in the early days, and as mere mortals they can’t be the final word on God’s will.
“We can’t go back to the beginning,” Ahmed says.
He points out that there is now 1,400 years of jurisprudence crafted by Islamic clerics and scholars over the centuries. Debate and reform have long been a part of Islamic history, as has adapting to changing circumstances. Ahmed says Salafists want to go back to an imagined “purity” that probably never really existed, and basically want to disregard all of Islamic history.
But that doesn’t mean Ahmed doesn’t think tradition is important. “What we see is not to lose the old culture but to accept the new culture, and the solution is create a hybrid for yourself to survive,” he says.
Being an American isn’t about wearing blue jeans and eating cheeseburgers. As Ahmed sees it, it’s about embracing and participating in democratic institutions, and recognizing the Constitution as the highest law in the land. “Assimilation does not mean losing one’s culture, it simply means expanding one’s culture.”
He points to the rich tradition of Chinatowns and other immigrant enclaves that both celebrate cultural traditions but are very much a part of the fabric of American society. “At the end of the day they are all Americans.”
Ahmed gives a demonstration of his cartoons to a visiting group of Pakistani activists in Minnesota. via Facebook
However, many Americans take a much less celebratory view of America as a multicultural society. In October, the FBI arrested three men in Kansas — members of a group calling themselves “The Crusaders” — for plotting to bomb an apartment complex with a large Somali population. The men allegedly intended to carry out the attack after the election.
The relationship between the FBI and the American Muslim community hasn’t always been perfect. But Ahmed praised the work of the FBI Civil Rights Division and stressed that cooperation is actually strong.
Since 9/11 more jihadist plots have come to the attention of law enforcement from tips by American Muslims concerned about terrorist infiltration of their communities than from U.S. government surveillance programs.
“What happens is basically they are the ones promoting our security,” Ahmed says. “The people are waking up to the fact that if Islamaphobes act, the government will protect them. And it’s the same government that wants help with [Islamist] extremism.”
However, since the election there have been reports of a spike in harassment and hate crimes in the United States. President-elect Donald Trump condemned such crimes when pressed during a post-election interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes. “Don’t do it,” Trump said. “That’s terrible, because I’m going to bring this country together.”
Civil liberties advocates remain suspicious of Trump’s November 2015 pledge to register all Muslims in the United States and give them “special I.D.’s.” He also singled out Minnesota’s Somali community as a threat during a campaign stop in the state.
Trump’s incoming chief of staff Reince Priebus has tried to ease such fears, promising the administration has no plans make a religious registry. Ahmed says he is optimistic.
“We have to give him the benefit of the doubt,” Ahmed says.
He opined that that so far, he believes Trump has made moves to be more presidential and is trying to consult competent experts. “He said that he is the president of all Americans … we are in the same boat with him no matter what happens.”
Ahmed asserts that the best way for Muslims to confront anti-Muslim bigotry is to join in the fight against extremism. “Every time an extremist does these evil actions, it validates the Islamaphobe’s thinking,” Ahmed says. “So, when you’re fighting extremism, you’re fighting Islamophobia. That’s something we learned early on.”
“What we need is concerted effort,” he adds. But he said that American Muslims like him who are trying to promote anti-extremism are “shut out.”
“When I say we are shut out, we apply to foundations for funding to continue our work, and foundations tell us ‘well, you go to your government.’ And when we go to our government all our government has is kind words, they like what we’re doing, love what we’re doing, but in terms of resources we get none.”
American Veterans Stand Up for Syrian Refugees
Ahmed works 50-60 hours per week at his day job, and uses his vacation time to wage his counter-extremism campaign. He wants to do more, and is in touch with activists in Pakistan and other countries who want to set up similar initiatives.
“The exact same thing that I’m doing, and I want to help them,” he said.
But he said he doesn’t have the time or resources.
And that’s a problem, because jihadists aren’t waiting around. “If I joined Al Qaeda today they would call me, interview me, find out what skill set I have,” Ahmed said. “They would put me to use, put me to work.”
“That is a shame, because we have been missing out a lot,” he says. “The best form of defense is a good offense … We are the ones who are doing the offensive work, we are the ones being aggressive here, but the greatest challenge we have is access to resources and more importantly to networks.”
However, he says that he’s confident in Americans. He asserts that any time there is an act of violence in Minnesota, people form all communities come together — whether they be Christians, Muslims or Jews — to show solidarity.
An Imam recently told Ahmed that while the election has brought out the worst in some people, it’s brought out the best in others. “He said ever since the election, [he gets] 50 people coming to pray at the mosque and 150 people who want to come see us pray in the mosque,” Ahmed says.
“So people are rallying together. Like I said, this is America.”
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758909
|
__label__wiki
| 0.514353
| 0.514353
|
Posts Tagged ‘peace’
War is over. If you want it.
Posted: January 2, 2018 in Life, Political musings
Tags: America, blogging, China, civic duty, climate change, democracy, economics, involvement, peace, peace dividend, people, political action, politicians, politics, Russia, social media, war, war is over
As we have wandered Facebook and Instagram and all the rest of it, catching up on friends’ and acquaintances’ (and a few celebrities’) wishes for the New Year, one thing has struck us forcibly.
In the 1980s and 90s it seemed to us, most of the wishes were about health and happiness and wealth – hope the New Year brings you lots of money and the energy to enjoy it, essentially.
In this new century, the world seems a more anxious and thoughtful place. And as we near the end of the second decade of the 21st century, even more so.
It’s easy to see why. The old order is collapsing, or at least seems to be, at least to a degree.
The European experiment, which was always about unity and not just economics, regardless of how it was “sold”, seems mired in intractable problems. Not just the misguided Brexit – an especially self-immolatory act of political lunacy born of lies, anti-immigration sentiment and a generalised angst given something to focus on by weak leadership, especially that of David Cameron – but by the difficulties in keeping Eastern European countries with no strong tradition of liberal democracy signed up to the particular rules demanded of that heavy burden, and the eternal problem of encouraging people to work to a common good rather than a local or regional one.
Those in rich countries or areas are rapidly becoming sick of bailing out poorer areas.
The ultimate failure, of course, is political – as it always is – is in explaining to them why that’s good policy, and a burden worth shouldering. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking Brexit, Greece, Catalonia, Northern Italy or elsewhere. The failure is not economic, it’s political.
The United States, for so long the arbiter of seemingly everything both good and bad in the world, at least from, say 1943 onwards, now seems lost and uncertain of its role.
In part, this is very obviously because economically the country is no longer the source of unending world wealth, but also because Russian and China (in particular) have parlayed their growing economic might into political clout. Rumours of America’s demise have been hugely over-inflated – it is still the world’s biggest economy by far, with the largest armed forces by some distance, and massive diplomatic clout. But increasingly the country looks like a wounded beast thrashing around in its death throes. There is inadequate investment in the technologies of the future which America must lead in order to maintain its competitive advantage, and its political influence is deeply harmed by the perception outside the USA that its political leadership has, essentially, collapsed.
The President looks to all the world, and increasingly to even his own supporters, to be a scary mixture of stupidity and even mental illness, the Congress seems little more than a quacking collection of self-interested ducks, and any level of informed debate which might turn this miasma around seems largely drowned out by a mixture of bread and circuses and mindless partisanship.
Ranged against this, and perhaps most worryingly, significant numbers of young people look to the command economies of America’s greatest rival with some degree of envy. And every excess of bluster (of which the current standoff with Iran and North Korea are only the most obvious) makes the apparent stability of Russia and China look more attractive, and by implication, their systems. In reality, of course, Russia is little more than a dictatorship by kleptocracy, with highly dubious international ambitions and no regard for the freedom of its own people, and China is run by a ruthlessly domineering state apparatus that papers over substantial internal divisions whilst attempting to feed the middle-class ambitions of its people.
There are, of course, great problems with poverty and lack of opportunity in both countries, just as there are in the rust belt states of the USA or the wobbling rural American states trying to make their way in a world where the produce market is increasingly borderless, or in Latin America, but we hear very little of the problems faced by the command economies of China and Russia (and their imitators) because the first thing throttled by their leadership is a free press.
The argument that judiciously managed free trade conducted by democracies is the fastest and most reliable route to the greater good of all – which should be the clarion call of all sides of Western politics – has sadly morphed, driven by localised economic hardship, into rampant protectionism in the USA, which is hardly how to inspire the people to believe in the system long term.
Capitalism’s own internal contradictions gave us the GFC in recent memory. Instead of pinioning it for what it was – a failure of sensible regulation and the inevitable result of uncontrolled greed by a small elite – America has circled the wagons and thinks it can fix the problem by being rude to its friends and neighbours, investing directly in protecting industries that should rightly be exposed to the winds of competition, and continuing to ramp up endless castles of debt, the construction of which mountain will now be enhanced by reducing its tax take.
To those casting about for security and predictability, it looks like madness, and it is.
Pile on top of this the very obvious fact that the weather is getting “worse”. This worrysome trend is becoming patently obvious to anyone with half a brain, and debates about why seem so yesterday when the facts are faced up to. Against a US President who jokes in a snowstorm that some global warming might be helpful is a growing understanding in the population as a whole that something serious is up. The message that global warming really (and immediately) means more (and greater) extreme weather events is hitting home. Bigger and more destructive storms of all kinds, including snowstorms. Habitat change threatening species (and many more than polar bears) and subsistence farming across the planet. Large populated areas of low-lying country threatened with likely inundation. Industrial-scale farming patterns worldwide need adjusting and fast.
And last by by no means least, the entire world seems doomed to engage in a seemingly never-ending asymmetrical war with the forces of extreme violence – now, notably, “Islamic” violence – which represents a tiny fraction of the religion’s worldwide ummah, but which taints it all with sometimes tragic consequences, despite the very obvious fact that many more Muslims are killed by the extremists than are Westerners.
The current paralysis of world political thinking is nowhere better illustrated than by the failure to deal with the philosophical basis of the extremism. The philosophy of extremist Islam is nothing new, but its ability to de-stabilise the world is new. Free availability of arms both large and small, (many supplied from the West), instant digital communication, and a perpetual media spotlight make the menace much greater than it ever has been.
And to even say “Maybe if we stopped bombing towns and villages with enhanced munitions then at least some people might stop becoming radicalised?” is to invite howls of derision and even cat-calls of “Traitor”. As we move into 2018, patriotism has become not just the refuge of scoundrels, but also those who wish to deny palpably obvious realities. The equivalent for Muslims is to say “Maybe we Shia and Sunni should stop killing each other and live in peace?” Even to voice the opinion risks swift retribution.
It is hardly surprising, faced with all this, that worldwide people are retreating into a sort of mutualised depression, for which social media provides one poor outlet, with plaintive appeals to enjoy “A peaceful New Year” replacing “Health, Wealth and Happiness”.
Part of the problem is the seemingly intractable nature of all these problems.
In all these scenarios, the themes seem simply too large, too complex, and too “far away”, for ordinary people to wreak any meaningful change in a positive direction. And it is in this specific context that we propose a return to basics.
We offer you these critical commandments to guide us all in troubling times.
Get out and vote for what you believe in.
Abstention-ism is not a viable option. It is leaving “it” to the elites that has got us into this awful mess.
But don’t just vote. Get involved with the political party of your choice. Ask questions, and demand answers.
Get involved in policy-making. Be a squeaky wheel. If you don’t feel qualified to talk about the niceties of defence planning or international economics, then start with what you do know. Your local school district. Rubbish collection. Parks and gardens. Traffic flow. Take back control over your life.
The resulting empowerment is not just good for society, and good training in how to effect change, it’s good for your own psychological well-being, too.
The demise of party membership is just the first and most obvious example of how we willfully gave away our influence over those that rule us.
This is as true in China and Russia as it is in Australia and America. Governmental systems vary, but the power of the people doesn’t. Ultimately, when exercised, the power of the people always and inevitably wins, because there’s more of “us” than there is of “them”. And their control rests on our acquiescence. (That’s why the elite are more than happy to keep us satiated with sports and hamburgers and alcohol.)
So if you want to win, get in the game. Don’t be a spectator. “Subvert the dominant paradigm”, whoever and wherever you are.
Secondly, if the drift towards climate disaster or world conflict terrifies you, (and it should), then channel that fear into something that makes a difference.
Don’t like climate change? Turn it off. Reduce your energy consumption.
Everyone can do this, even if it simply involves turning a few lights off.
Only use heating or cooling systems when you really need to.
The planet will be grateful, and your hip-pocket will thank you too.
It really is that simple. And spend two minutes more a week recycling properly, and encouraging everyone around you to do the same.
While you’re making this change, eat a little less meat. Meat (which we freely admit we adore) is highly harmful to the environment. If you’re a dedicated carnivore, maybe enjoy just one vegetarian meal a week?
Never was “Think global, act local” more true, yet we seem to be bored with that call already. Familiarity breeds contempt. It’s time to remind everyone that tiny changes, multiplied by millions, really do make a massive difference.
And don’t be silent on violence. Ever.
Silence equals consent. Our silence. Your silence.
It is odd, isn’t it, how we can become deeply involved in the consequences of a mugging death of a grandmother round the corner from where we live, but become inured to images of warplanes bombing civilian areas, often carried out in our name? The grandmother killed in such an event is no different from the grandmother who got mugged. Each grandmother hoped for a quiet and happy retirement, with enough to live on in a simple, life-sustaining way, surrounded by the happy cries of her grandchildren, tending to a few plants, passing the time of day with friends and neighbours in the sunset of their life. And then this dream was cruelly snatched away from them.
How do we decide to be broken-hearted about one, but cold and unmoved by the other?
To reduce and then prevent war, we simply have to – en masse – make it clear to our leaders that violence conducted in our name is not acceptable to us, and we will withdraw our support from those who conduct it.
Sounds simplistic? It is. That’s the beauty of it. It really is simple.
Over-complicate the goal and it becomes un-do-able. So keep it simple. Support candidates who support peace, and don’t support those who don’t. And make your choice known, on social media, to family and friends, and to the politicians themselves.
Want to do more? Start by arguing that our governments should not sell arms (of any kind) to other governments. Over 90% of the deaths in armed conflicts worldwide are from bullets. If we stop making those bullets, many of those people will not die. Better still, shorn of the ease of pulling a trigger to resolve a conflict, many such conflicts will be more likely to result in negotiations.
Continue by demanding that we choose to withdraw career progression from those who ache to create conflict in order to “use” the weapons and service people at their disposal. Bellicose commanders at all levels are progressively replaced by those who know the reality of war, and will do anything to avoid it. We do not do this partially, we do it on all sides.
And then tell those that govern us that we demand that they reduce the reliance on weaponry to “achieve peace”. (In reality, of course, it is not about peace at all, but is used to achieve political influence.)
We demand that armed forces everywhere are pared back to the lowest level concomitant with providing an effective defence posture against all likely events. In countries like Britain, for example, historical nonsenses like the “independent” Trident nuclear weapon system are simply scrapped. The money released by this ratcheting down of defence spending become a “peace dividend” to re-engineer businesses that rely on the military-industrial complex for survival, and to support servicepeople adjusting to civilian life.
Yes, we know we will immediately be accused, of course, of being namby-pamby, of not living in the real world, of misunderstanding how power works, of being naive. You will, too. But we are none of those things.
We have spent a life watching closely (and sometimes intimately) how the people at the top of power structures work. What motivates them. And what motivates them most is the maintenance of their power.
It is not always that they are simply power hungry, although power is unquestionably very attractive and an aphrodisiac, both to the practitioner and those around him or her. But few people get involved in politics in any system merely to aggrandise themselves, merely for career-ism.
Most genuinely believe they are acting in the greater good, and this motivates them to stick with the long hours, the dangers, the disrupted family life, the huge responsibilities, the petty treacheries, and all the rest of it.
Threaten to take that opportunity to “do good” away – the psychological bedrock of their career – is the most powerful thing any of us can do to affect their behaviour.
That is why the consent – or withdrawal of consent – for politicians to simply do as they wish regardless of our opinions rests on every single one of us. Alone, we can achieve little, but building a consensus rests with every single one of us. We can hide under the covers, or we can speak our mind. We can stand up and be counted, and when enough people are counted, politicians and rulers react.
Every single one of us can say “Not that, this.” Some of us will be ignored. Some of us will mocked for doing so. Some will lose friends. Some will even be injured or killed. But every one of us has the capacity and the right to say “Not that, this.” It is the one thing that no one can take away from us. We control our own opinions. Our voice is our own, whatever the cost. And the choice to use it is always ours and ours alone.
And that’s why this is our New Year’s wish. For you, and for the world.
Because war really is over. If you want it. Badly enough.
Here’s a thought. Why not share a link to this blog? That’d be a good start.
PS A number of people have asked why Churchill – a famous war leader – heads this column. The answer is simple. As someone who actually experienced war, Churchill hated it, whilst nevertheless waging it ferociously. His most relevant quotation on the topic is also perhaps his least quoted: “Jaw-jaw is always better than war-war”. That’s why. If Churchill “got it”, anyone can.
Martin McGuinness. IRA Commander and Peacemaker, dead at 66.
Posted: March 21, 2017 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: Britain, IRA, Ireland, Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland, peace
Whatever you think of Martin McGuinness, or of his remarkable journey from senior IRA commander and reputedly Army Council member to Deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland government, one thing is clear.
He was engaged in secret peace discussions with the British Government from 1972 onwards. And there is little doubt that, along with Gerry Adams, McGuinness was instrumental in turning the Republican movement away from continued violence and towards political engagement. He was a man driven in his eyes to violence, who came to reject violence as a political tool.
What is also certain is that without him, in all probability, Ireland and Britain would still be mired in violence over the future of the six counties.
He took huge personal risks for peace. His critics, he said were afraid of change.
“They would love the IRA to go back to war. I’m delighted that we have not fallen into this trap.
“I’m delighted that we have an organisation which understands the political dynamics [of the peace process].
“There is a confidence and assertiveness among nationalists,” he continued.
“We know who we are, we are Irish, we are proud of it.”
His republican credentials remained impeccable to his death. And ultimately, we all owe him respect for playing a fundamental – perhaps the most fundamental – role in stilling the guns.
McGuinness was living proof that we really can – and sometimes do – beat the swords we grasp all too readily into ploughshares.
Ireland is poorer for his passing.
The life and works of A.A. Milne. A true cause to celebrate.
Posted: January 21, 2016 in Humour, Popular Culture et al
Tags: A.A. Milne, Eyeore, House at Pooh Corner, humanism, Hundred Acre Wood, peace, PG Wodehouse, Piglet, Pooh Day, publishing, Punch, Tiggr, war, Winnie the Pooh, wisdom of Pooh, writing
18 January is Pooh Day, celebrating the birthday of A.A. Milne in 1882.
There is no doubt in my mind that Milne tapped into a deep understanding of the human condition with his Pooh stories.
Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work. He served in both World Wars, joining the British Army in World War I, where he was injured on the battle of the Somme, and was a captain of the British Home Guard in World War II. Milne did not speak out much on the subject of religion, although he used religious terms to explain his decision, while remaining a pacifist, to join the Home Guard: “In fighting Hitler”, he wrote, “we are truly fighting the Devil, the Anti-Christ … Hitler was a crusader against God.”
When he was growing up, one of his teachers was H. G. Wells, who in 1889-90 taught at the school owned by Milne’s father, where Milne was educated. What effect that great genius had on the young Milne is not known, but one can speculate that he played his role in fuelling both his imagination and his affection for writing.
After the first war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940’s War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of fellow English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country’s enemy. After the war Wodehouse was investigated and some believe he was lucky not to be hanged. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend (e.g., in The Mating Season) by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne “was probably jealous of all other writers. But I loved his stuff.”
A.A.Milne with his son Christopher Robin Milne and Pooh Bear – photograph: Howard Coster
As discussed, Milne is most famous for his two Pooh books about a boy named Christopher Robin (named after after his son, Christopher Robin Milne), and various characters inspired by his son’s stuffed animals, most notably the bear named Winnie-the-Pooh.
It’s not generally known that Christopher Milne’s stuffed bear, originally named “Edward”, was renamed “Winnie-the-Pooh” after a Canadian black bear named Winnie (after Winnipeg), which was used as a military mascot in World War I, and left to London Zoo during the war.
“The pooh” comes from a swan called “Pooh”.
E. H. Shepard illustrated the original Pooh books, using his own son’s teddy, Growler (“a magnificent bear”), as the model.
The rest of Christopher Robin Milne’s toys, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Tigger, were also incorporated into A. A. Milne’s stories, while two more characters – Rabbit and Owl – were created from Milne’s imagination.
The original toys
Christopher Robin Milne’s own toys are now under glass in New York where 750,000 people visit them every year.
The fictional Hundred Acre Wood of the Pooh stories derives from Five Hundred Acre Wood in Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, South East England, where the Pooh stories were set. Milne lived on the northern edge of the forest at Cotchford Farm, and took his son walking there. E. H. Shepard drew on the landscapes of Ashdown Forest as inspiration for many of the illustrations he provided for the Pooh books. The adult Christopher Robin commented: “Pooh’s Forest and Ashdown Forest are identical”. Popular tourist locations at Ashdown Forest include Galleon’s Lap, The Enchanted Place, the Heffalump Trap and Lone Pine, Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy Place, and the wooden Pooh Bridge where Pooh and Piglet invented “Poohsticks”.
People have wondered why there weren’t more Pooh stories, given their huge success. But the success of his children’s books was to become a source of considerable annoyance to Milne, whose self-avowed aim was to write whatever he pleased and who had, until then, found a ready audience for each change of direction: he had freed pre-war Punch from its ponderous facetiousness; he had made a considerable reputation as a playwright (like his idol J. M. Barrie) on both sides of the Atlantic; he had produced a witty piece of detective writing in The Red House Mystery (although this was severely criticised by Raymond Chandler for the implausibility of its plot). But once Milne had, in his own words, “said goodbye to all that in 70,000 words” (the approximate length of his four principal children’s books), he had no intention of producing any re-workings of Pooh lacking in originality, especially given that one of the sources of inspiration, his son, was growing older.
The Wine the Pooh phenomenon shows little signs of slowing. The rights to A. A. Milne’s Pooh books were left to four beneficiaries: his family, the Royal Literary Fund, Westminster School and the Garrick Club. After Milne’s death in 1956, his widow sold her rights to the Pooh characters to Stephen Slesinger, whose widow sold the rights after Slesinger’s death to the Walt Disney Company, which has made many Pooh cartoon movies, a Disney Channel television show, as well as Pooh-related merchandise.
In 2001, the other beneficiaries sold their interest in the estate to the Disney Corporation for $350m. Previously Disney had been paying twice-yearly royalties to these beneficiaries. The estate of E. H. Shepard also received a sum in the deal.
The copyright on Pooh expires in 2026. In 2008, a collection of original illustrations featuring Winnie-the-Pooh and his animal friends sold for more than £1.2 million at auction in Sotheby’s, London. Forbes magazine ranked Winnie the Pooh the most valuable fictional character in 2002; Winnie the Pooh merchandising products alone had annual sales of more than $5.9 billion. In 2005, Winnie the Pooh generated $6 billion, a figure surpassed by only Mickey Mouse.
The wisdom of Pooh – its sheer, adorable humaneness – is easy to discern when one browses through some of the more famous aphorisms that are scattered throughout the books. Here are our favourites. Which are yours?
“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
“Pooh!” he whispered.
“Yes, Piglet?”
“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.”
― House at Pooh Corner
“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together, there is something you must always remember. You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
― Christopher Robin to Pooh
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
― Winnie the Pooh
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
“Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
“Promise me you’ll never forget me because if I thought you would, I’d never leave.”
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
“I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.”
The last couple are possibly our personal favourites. This:
“One of the advantages of being disorganised is that one is always having surprising discoveries.”
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh.
“What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s the same thing,” he said.”
Milne also clearly understood that not everyone could share his relentlessly sunny view of the world. Or perhaps, that he needed to ventilate his own doubts and fears occasionally.
In this wise, I have always enjoyed Eeyore’s character more than any other in the books. His relentlessly curmudgeonly pessimism is so refreshing, tinged, as it is, with a stoic determination. If you every find us down in the dumps, Dear Reader, perhaps you might kindly remind us of this wonderful passage.
“It’s snowing still,” said Eeyore gloomily.
“So it is.”
“And freezing.”
“Yes,” said Eeyore.
“However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.”
Until the next earthquake, then, people, we celebrate A.A. Milne.
Don’t look away.
Tags: anti-war, cafepress.com/yolly, collateral damage, international relations, peace, peace campaign, pro-peace, stop bombing civilians, Syrian children, t shirts
… this is what bombing children looks like …
Whoever is doing the bombing. And certainly the first piece of film is of a Syrian Army barrel bomb being dropped on a school or hospital. And the genesis of this piece of film is uncertain. It could be IS. It could be the FSA. It could be independent. It could be propaganda by one side or the other, or it could simply be a desperate plea for sanity.
But it doesn’t really matter. This is about the children. Whichever side they’re on. The pictures aren’t fake.
Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Let’s make it stop.
Let’s stop supplying the combatants with arms, while we try and “pick winners”. Let us make our effort to create peace dialogues not war victories. And above all, let’s stop dropping bombs on civilians.Whoever we are.
And the civilians are everywhere.
So: what DO we do about Daesh?
Posted: December 4, 2015 in Political musings
Tags: America, civilian casualties, Collateral Damage Is People, conflict, Daesh, international politics, Iran, Iraq, Middle east, peace, Saudi Arabia, Shia, strategy, Sunni, Syria, theocracy, usa, war
What you find below is an expanded version of a comment we made elsewhere, Dear Reader, and we’d be really interested to know what you think.
Our “Collateral Damage Is People” t shirt is consistently one of our most popular.
As you know, we are profoundly against the current bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria, believing that the cost in innocent civilian casualties will be too high. We have long raged against the sanitisation of civilian casualties being sanitised as “Collateral Damage”. Collateral Damage is people, as the t-shirt says.
But everyone with half a brain supports preventing Daesh from behaving as they do. And people often ask, quite reasonably, “What else can be done besides bombing them?”
Well, there are no neat solutions, but here are some we should surely consider:
Stop selling arms and ammunition to Daesh – and to those who on-supply them to them. If we starve the group of armaments then they will find it harder to terrify their local population, and eventually become much easier to defeat with local forces.
The problem with this solution is we are not entirely sure who IS arming Daesh. Certainly they have some heritage armaments supplied to them by the West when they were fighting Assad and before they morphed into what they are now. These may have been supplied to them directly, or to other rebel groups that they have since defeated or subsumed. They may have been supplied through Saudi Arabia.
The study by the London-based small-arms research organisation Conflict Armament Research documented weapons seized by Kurdish forces from militants in Iraq and Syria over a 10-day period in July. The report said the militants disposed of “significant quantities” of US-made small arms including M16 assault rifles. It also included photos showing the markings “Property of US Govt.”
The report further found that anti-tank rockets used by Daesh in Syria were “identical to M79 rockets transferred by Saudi Arabia to forces operating under the so-called “Free Syrian Army” umbrella in 2013.
Iraqi Army soldiers fleeing Daesh attacks literally dropped most of their weapons. These weapons have now become part of the Daesh arsenal. The largely Shia soldiers were not well trained by US, and this duly led to their wholesale retreat from the rampant Sunni Daesh. Clearly, local forces need to be better trained, and above all armaments must not be allowed to fall into Daesh hands.
Lastly, criminal gangs of armament suppliers are illegally supplying Daesh with weaponry. A much more concerted effort needs to be made to cut off this supply chain and prosecute those involved.
Cut off their financial support.
Daesh receives money from a variety of sources in the Arab world, even from Western allies such as Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This is because these countries see them as a bulwark against Shia influence in the region, specifically Iran. This financial support is not official, but nor is it officially interdicted effectively. Heavily leaning on our “allies” to stop having a bet each way as far as Daesh is concerned is long overdue.
There have been continual allegations that countries such as Turkey are profiting from an illegal trade in Daesh-controlled oil. (Which is why the first UK bombing attack was on an oil field.) It should also be noted Turkey denies these criticisms. But Daesh is selling their oil to someone … and that trade needs to be interdicted urgently.
But the simple fact is that many of the things we find so objectionable about Daesh – the subjugation of women, cruel executions for things we do not consider crimes, and a badly organised and chaotic legal system – are also features of much of the rest of the Arab world. Little wonder they do not seem as distressed about those matters as the West is.
Make the price of our trade and engagement with the Arab world that they take concrete and meaningful steps to sort out their own differences.
The Sunni v Shia conflict is a very old one. It flares up, it flares down. Yet Sunni and Shia Muslims have lived peacefully together for centuries. In many countries it has become common for members of the two sects to intermarry and pray at the same mosques. They share faith in the Quran and the Prophet Mohammed’s sayings and perform similar prayers, although they differ in rituals and interpretation of Islamic law.
As the Council on Foreign relations said:
Islam’s schism, simmering for fourteen centuries, doesn’t explain all the political, economic, and geostrategic factors involved in these conflicts, but it has become one prism through which to understand the underlying tensions. Two countries that compete for the leadership of Islam, Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran, have used the sectarian divide to further their ambitions. How their rivalry is settled will likely shape the political balance between Sunnis and Shias and the future of the region, especially in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Yemen.
The dispute is currently in a “hot” phase, largely driven by the Wahabist philosophy that has held sway in certain parts of the Sunni Middle East since the 19th century, exported by Saudi Arabia.
We need to make it clear that we expect the Aran world to sort it’s own troubles out. That will not happen while we are always half-pregnant as regards military involvement in the region, veering from full-blown invasions to dropping a few bombs from on high.
We also need to make it clear that we will not engage, as if they are the same as our estimation of a state, with any state that places religious belief or theocracy above basic civil rights.
So, for example, we would maintain cool but not aggressive relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia and so on until they internally reform and cease their mutual jaw-boning.
If the Arab world wants to live in a medieval manner and a semi-permanent state of conflict then that’s their business. We will simply wait it out as best we can. Eventually, all conflicts exhaust themselves.
Developing our own energy independence – as the USA has now done – and improving our investment in non-fossil-fuel technologies would be a good start.
What is certain as of today is that Daesh wishes us to bomb them, know that we will slaughter civilians – gay and straight – in the process, and that we could do nothing better to help them recruit and maintain control in their areas. There are other courses of action, even though they might be more complex, more difficult to organise, and slower to take effect.
Nevertheless, they deserve serious consideration.
Please consider these arguments as you see Western bombs raining down on innocent civilians, or witness the next terrorist outrage on Western soil. We are being conned. By Daesh, by the countries of the region, and by our own short-sighted and incompetent political leadership.
Do not weep for the dead.
Posted: November 15, 2015 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al, Religion
Tags: a better world, IS, Paris, Paris victims, peace, philosophy, poem, poetry, religion, Terrorism, war
DO NOT WEEP FOR THE DEAD
Do not weep for the dead,
They do but sleep. See?
See. They float on a river of dreams,
gently rocked by ripples and currents.
Warmed by sun, cooled by zephyrs.
Do not even weep for their lost futures.
For their future is peace. And
when they awake, it will surely be to you.
Weep now for the sisters, leafing sadly through albums.
Touching a face, here and there.
Weep for the mothers, who hold their empty bellies.
Rocking with horror, a life unraveled.
Weep for the fathers, lips bitten through in inchoate rage.
Weep for the brothers, with no one left to tease.
Weep for the grandparents, dreams of second carings shattered.
Weep for the friends, struck suddenly dumb.
Weep for family celebrations with one chair always empty.
Weep for all who are
mesmerised by pictures,
strangled by sirens,
crying in bathrooms,
staring into emptiness,
fearful for the children,
losing perception,
uncomprehending,
casting this way and that,
uncertain,
in case it mattters.
They would not wish it.
Think on them, because
you know it is true.
Weep now for the living.
The left behind.
Bind their wounds.
Listen in silence.
And weep for the world.
Wash it clean. And cleaner, still.
Make that their memorial.
And let it stand forever.
When Dr Who gets very very real.
Posted: November 10, 2015 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Abubakar Shekau, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Ban Ki-moon, Barack Obama, Bashar al-Assad, BBC, Benjamin Netanyahu, David Cameron, Dr Who, Francois Hollande, Hassan Rouhani, Idriss Deby, IS, Jean-Claude Juncker, Jenna Coleman, Justin Trudeau, Karen Gillan, Malcolm Turnbull, Matt Smith, Muhammadu Buhari, peace, Peter Capaldi, Pope Francis, Shinzō Abe, soliloquy, Syria, Vladimir Putin, war, Xi Jinping
We are spending a lot more time than usual thinking about Dr Who in the Wellthisiswhatithink household.
Robert Lloyd and a Tardis made entirely of Lego. It’s a long story.
This is primarily because we have become friendly with a great guy who is deeply obsessed with the series and its history – Robert Lloyd.
And not least because he bears an uncanny resemblance to the tenth doctor, David Tennant, which allows the clever chap to make at least a partial living attending fan conferences as a lookalike host, not to mention producing his own very touching and funny Dr Who shows in Australia and overseas.
“Wait … what?”
Indeed, we are thinking of tracking down the real Mr Tennant simply so we can go up to him and ask “Aren’t you Robert Lloyd?”, because that’s the sort of silly joke that appeals to your indefatigable correspondent when the painkillers for our sore shoulder really kick in, and should you happen to run across the hugely talented Scots actor, Dear Reader, we urge you to do the same.
Anyhow, as we are breathlessly making our way through the new series of Doctor Who hiding behind the couch and peeping out occasionally, we have become inevitably more involved in all things Whovian, which is how we came to read fellow scriber Lee Zachariah’s review of the last episode.
It would be a shame to allow the episode to pass unremarked, as it carried a strong – some would say visceral – anti-war message, delivered by the Doctor to the leaders of the Zygon rebellion and Earth’s “Unit”. (Regular viewers will know what we are on about.) The speech is making news in the Twitter-blogo-internety-sphere thing, and rightly so.
The interesting thing is that this seminal solliloqy was timed to coincide, in the UK, with Remembrance Sunday, which we wrote about yesterday.
Lee’s review, which is well worth a read, contains this trenchant paragraph.
the Doctor delivered a more-than-ten-minute speech (go back and time it if you don’t believe me) about the pointlessness and devastation of war. It’s a sentiment we’ve heard many times before, but not like this. Peter Capaldi delivers the tremendous mostly-monologue brilliantly, and it never ditches the story for the metaphor, or vice-versa.
Which is a good point, well made, in two wises.
Firstly, it would be hard to imagine any television programme – especially one that is “popular” in the sense that it has a hugely wide and generally low-brow demographic appeal – dedicated Whovians will object to that characterisation, but fair play, you aficionados, it is prime time entertainment, you know, not the answer to life, the Universe and everything – that can weave in a ten minute speech to its script on, you know, anything, let alone a passionate and carefully constructed pacifist argument.
We were reminded of the famous attack on the current level of mindless jingoism in America by Jeff Daniels when he was playing news anchor Will McEvoy in the consistently excellent Newsroom, which was cancelled after just three short seasons (disgracefully) and which included one of the finest soliloquies ever delivered in the modern era.
It has been seen literally millions of times, and is constantly being referenced in social media. We would honestly be delighted if it was seen at least once by every American citizen. It’s also a mesmerising performance by Daniels. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favour and watch it now.
The second point to be made is that the speech in this weekend’s episode of Who absolutely required an actor of the staggering intensity and compassion of Peter Capaldi, the latest (and we hope long-lasting) iteration of the Doctor, both to deliver such a speech with any degree of conviction, and to hold the audience’s attention while he does.
Capaldi’s take on Who is a refreshing change from the whimsical boy-child performances of Matt Smith – he is argumentative, sometimes intolerant, excoriatingly witty, and less human.
Just as Smith emphasised the light-hearted whimsicality of a Time Lord who knows everything and nothing – but who exhibited a fine and moving line in pathos, too – and was perfectly balanced by the bubbly effusion of Karen Gillan – so Capaldi is a conviction Who for a modern era. An era that insistently offers us imminent climate change, dozens of very nasty global conflicts, an apparently unstoppable arms trade, a renewed nuclear arms race, newly intense superpower tensions, the horrors of IS and 4 million Syrian refugees.
Capaldi’s version of Who is perfectly nuanced for today. Just as his soon-to-depart companion Jenna Coleman has had a questioning demeanor and fiery temper and is thus appropriately and winningly less likely to fall for standard Time Lord snake oil shlock.
Anyway, back to the speech itself. As Capaldi fixes us with his near-manic gaze, we are commanded to listen carefully, which in turns allows the writers to try and do something serious with all that transfixed attention.
Talking to the Zygon rebel leader who is threatening to destroy humanity, Capaldi rages:
“The only way anyone can live in peace, is if they’re prepared to forgive. And when this was is over, when you have a homeland free from humans, what do think it’s going to be like? Do you know? Have you thought about it? Have you given it any consideration? Because you’re very close to getting what you want.
“What’s it going to be like? Paint me a picture. Are you going to live in houses? Do you want people to go to work? Will there be holidays? Oh! Will there be music? Do you think peole will be allowed to play violins?”
“Well … oh you don’t actually know do you? Because, like every other tantrumming child in history, you don’t actually know what you want.”
“So let me ask you a question about this brave new world of yours. When you’ve killed all the bad guys, and when it’s all perfect, and just and fair, and when you have finally got it, exactly they way you want it, what are you going to do with the people like you? The trouble makers. How are you going to protect your glorious revolution from the next one?
Well maybe you will win. But nobody wins for long. The wheel just keeps turning. So, come on. Break the cycle.”
As he hammers home his points, Capaldi traverses an astonishing range of emotion and meaning in the speech – anger, sarcasm, pleading, fear, intellectual superiority, terror, far-sightedness, urgency.
“Because it’s always the same. When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you don’t know who’s going to die. You don’t know whose children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill until everyone does what they were always going to do from the very beginning. SIT … DOWN … AND … TALK.”
Please. Watch it.
This cultural memorandum is for the attention of David Cameron, Barack Obama, Francois Hollande, Vladimir Putin, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Bashar al-Assad, Hassan Rouhani, Benjamin Netanyahu, Malcolm Turnbull, Jean-Claude Juncker, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Ban Ki-moon, Pope Francis, Xi Jinping, Abubakar Shekau, Idriss Deby, Muhammadu Buhari, Shinzō Abe, Justin Trudeau …
Remembering the dead of two world wars, and all the other wars.
Posted: November 9, 2015 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: Anzac, Cenotaph, creative writing, Pacifism, peace, poem, poetry, Remembrance Day, soldiers, war, writing
Hating war – arguing for a pacifist position, even one that is not utterly purely pacifist – does not mean we cannot weep for and celebrate those who fight wars on our behalf.
With the tragically costly conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Remembrance Sunday – just like Anzac Day in Australia and Memorial Day in the USA – has assumed a new significance, and a new enthusiasm from the young.
From left to right: Distinguished Service Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-18, Victory Medal 1914-18, Medal for Military Valour, Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-1918,
For ourselves, remembering a father who died at 46 worn out by terrifying six years of naval service, a cousin who endured tropical diseases for his entire life after incarceration in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp, a Grandfather who served in the trenches in World War 1 and another Grandfather who received the DSC for trawling up mines dropped by Zeppelins in Portsmouth Harbour, we have always paused for two minutes at the appointed hour, bought our poppy to wear in our lapel, and subscribed to war casualty charities.
In our view, despite that, we are convinced that the very best way to show our respect for those we commemorate is to state, unequivocally, the old an unarguable truth.
“War will continue until men refuse to fight.”
This list of current conflicts, worldwide, makes very depressing reading. Are we really doing the best we can?
Listen to any old soldier, and simultaneously, along with their sadness felt for their injured or fallen comrades, and their quiet pride in “a job well done”, you will almost always hear them explain how the horror of war was worse than anything they could have imagined. How they often felt they had more in common with the foot-soldiers opposing them than they did with their own leaders. And always, how anything must be tried, and done, before humankind responds to a crisis by turning to arms.
Even the most significant war leader in 20th century history, Winston Churchill, who through sheer force of will saved the world from fascism and rescued democracy in its darkest hour, remarked, “Jaw-jaw is always better than war-war.”
From their graves, the dead of countless wars cry out to us for attention. “Don’t do it again! Don’t do it again!”
If you are interested to purchase my collection of poems called Read Me – 71 Poems and 1 Story – just head here.
American Sniper. The blog you never expected us to write.
Posted: February 5, 2015 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: American Sniper, American soldiers, Bradley Cooper, Chad Littlefield, character studies, Chris Kyle, Clint Eastwood, controversy, culture, left wing, movies, peace, right wing, Sienna Miller, war
Over the last couple of weeks a number of people have been pushing us to go and see American Sniper and then to tell everyone what we think.
The film – which enjoyed the largest-grossing weekend for a movie ever when it launched in the USA – has divided opinion. Basically the left intelligentsia and many of those watching the film overseas have condemned it as at best simplistic and at worst American triumphalism, while some on the right have trumpeted it as a return to good ol’ USA values in movie making and a celebration of a folk hero.
We suspect the assumption is that, given our well-understood political preferences, we will immediately lapse into an anti-American rant full of left-wing certainty that the project is little more than an exercise in gung ho Tea Party patriotism and yet another example of director Clint Eastwood’s rightwards drift in his old age, epitomised by his dreadful Republican Convention discussion with an empty chair.
Actually, our reaction was much different.
As both its Oscar-nominated maker and Bradley Cooper have argued, the piece is above all a closely observed discussion of the effect of war on an individual who measures his life by some fairly simple yardsticks – love of country, love of family, and distaste for bullies. Some will be put off from seeing the film because of its subject matter. That would be a mistake.
Chris Kyle and his wife
Christopher Scott “Chris” Kyle was a United States Navy SEAL and the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. Kyle served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat.
Iraqi insurgents dubbed him the “Devil of Ramadi” and placed a series of ever increasing bounties on his head, purported to have eventually reached the low six figures.
Kyle was honourably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2009 and wrote a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, which was published in January 2012. On February 2, 2013, Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas, by a fellow veteran he was seeking to aid, along with friend Chad Littlefield. Their killer is awaiting trial.
We suspect that much of the criticism of the film is based on the shock that it is presented in very spare tones. It is brutal. Elemental. Nowhere to hide from the subject matter. For those who prefer their war neatly packaged on the nightly news and with the blood and guts removed, this movie will be confronting, indeed.
There is no attempt to gloss over the utter nastiness of war for the ordinary soldier. Indeed, quite the opposite. War is not presented as a cheery exercise for America or Americans, or anyone. It is shown in all its bloody reality. When Kyle shoots a young boy carrying a grenade, and then his mother (or sister, it isn’t clear), the horrific nature of the moment is presented with stark realism. The fact that it is his first “kill” is explored in a few simple sentences when he later returns to barracks. His regret at the incident is expressed exactly as a working soldier would express it – he hadn’t wanted his first engagement with the enemy to be like that. His colleague closes down discussion with the ultimate justification. Kyle had saved his colleagues’ lives. That was his job. Job done. Move on.
The film makes no attempt to consider why a young woman and a young boy would be running up a street holding a hand grenade to try and slaughter American soldiers. It neither justifies nor condemns their action. The reason is clear: that’s not what Eastwood is examining. On the other hand, it is also a simple and effective way to encapsulate that the war in Iraq was also about a war with the local population, not just hardened Jihadist fighters.
If this movie is about anything it is about the horror of war and the stoic determination to endure it in support of principles. One can question the principles – one can argue that America should never have been in Iraq, or even that Al-Zarquari and his hoodlum army were justified in fighting the invaders. That is to entirely miss the point. The movie is a character study, and it is engagingly effective in that study. Yes, naturally, it is viewing that study from the American perspective, but it makes no attempt to sanitise the reality of American actions, which were bloody. Because war is.
The movie also unflinchingly reveals the reality of the opposition the Americans faced – at times well organised, determined to the point of fanatical, but also frequently very cruel towards its own population. To reveal one of the film’s more gut wrenching scenes would be an unreasonable spoiler for those who have yet to see it, but it makes grim viewing. That it is likely to be entirely true is merely emphasised by the current barbarity of ISIS burning people alive, beheading, mass murder, raping and kidnapping, reducing populations to slavery and so forth.
Above all, despite lifting Chris Kyle up as a figure to be exemplified, (and the final scene sent everyone in this one Australian cinema out in to the streets in near silence), the film is an anti-war monologue. It would be hard to imagine a more immersive experience that could lead one to understand the reality of being in a fire fight in a dense urban area – in other words, what the fighters on both sides endured day after day for years.
One many occasions in the film one finds oneself gripping the arms of the cinema chair and wondering how any halfway sane person could ever return home and be able to pick up everyday life with any degree of equanimity. In that sense, Kyle’s own story is also an appeal for the United States to improve its treatment of its own vets – a disgraceful number of whom linger with untreated mental illness or languish in jails around the country.
Much has been made of the fact that it is somehow wrong to create a movie celebrating the life of a man who took 160 lives (at least 160 – that’s his “confirmed” total) in his role as a sniper. And to be sure, the publicity surrounding the movie trumpeting his role as the most lethal sniper in American history doesn’t sit at all easily with those who regret the loss of human life in conflicts.
But then again, what do people expect soldiers to do?
Apart from the very obvious fact that Kyle saved many more of his fellow soldier’s lives than he took – a point demonstrated clearly in the film – soldiers are employed to kill the enemy in combat. The operator of a drone or fighter-bomber will frequently “take out” many more people than Kyle did in four tours of duty.
If we don’t want to deal squarely with what we ask men like Kyle to do, then we need to campaign against war, not individuals. Kyle is exemplified as a decent man who did what he felt his duty demanded of him, at great personal risk and cost to his family. He is shown warts and all – a tad simplistic, as capable of reducing the war to a slogan as anyone, an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances – which is a treatment that will be appreciated by all those who have served in a hot war zone. But throughout, his essential decency shines though, which is remarkable given that he is killing people for most of the film. His deep affection for his family is especially moving, and let it be said that Sienna Miller is excellent as his long-suffering and loyal wife.
American Sniper is anything but a recruitment video for the American armed forces, although sadly some will seek to ride its coat-tails and present it as such. In one particularly telling moment, while Stateside, Kyle is called a hero by a younger man. “That’s not a title anyone would want” he mutters in embarrassment, almost inaudibly.
And that, surely, is the real point of this remarkable film.
Other critical reaction
Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “A taut, vivid and sad account of the brief life of the most accomplished marksman in American military annals, American Sniper feels very much like a companion piece — in subject, theme and quality — to The Hurt Locker.” Justin Chang of Variety gave the film a positive review, saying “Hard-wiring the viewer into Kyle’s battle-scarred psyche thanks to an excellent performance from a bulked-up Bradley Cooper, this harrowing and intimate character study offers fairly blunt insights into the physical and psychological toll exacted on the front lines, yet strikes even its familiar notes with a sobering clarity that finds the 84-year-old filmmaker in very fine form.” David Denby of The New Yorker gave the film a positive review, saying “Both a devastating war movie and a devastating antiwar movie, a subdued celebration of a warrior’s skill and a sorrowful lament over his alienation and misery.” Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C+, saying “The film’s just a repetition of context-free combat missions and one-dimensional targets.” Elizabeth Weitzman of New York Daily News gave the film four out of five stars, saying “The best movies are ever-shifting, intelligent and open-hearted enough to expand alongside an audience. American Sniper, Clint Eastwood’s harrowing meditation on war, is built on this foundation of uncommon compassion.” Amy Nicholson of LA Weekly gave the film a C-, saying “Cautiously, Eastwood has chosen to omit Kyle’s self-mythologizing altogether, which is itself a distortion of his character. We’re not watching a biopic.” Kyle Smith of the New York Post gave the film four out of five stars, saying “After 40 years of Hollywood counter-propaganda telling us war is necessarily corrupting and malign, its ablest practitioners thugs, loons or victims,American Sniper nobly presents the case for the other side.”
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying “Bradley Cooper, as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, and director Eastwood salute Kyle’s patriotism best by not denying its toll. Their targets are clearly in sight, and their aim is true.” Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of The A.V. Club gave the film a B, saying “American Sniper is imperfect and at times a little corny, but also ambivalent and complicated in ways that are uniquely Eastwoodian.” James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying “American Sniper lifts director Clint Eastwood out of the doldrums that have plagued his last few films.” Rafer Guzman of Newsday gave the film three out of four stars, saying “Cooper nails the role of an American killing machine in Clint Eastwood’s clear-eyed look at the Iraq War.” Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, saying “Eastwood’s impeccably crafted action sequences so catch us up in the chaos of combat we are almost not aware that we’re watching a film at all.” Claudia Puig of USA Today gave the film three out of four stars, saying “It’s clearly Cooper’s show. Substantially bulked up and affecting a believable Texas drawl, Cooper embodies Kyle’s confidence, intensity and vulnerability.” Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out New York gave the film four out of five stars, saying “Just as only Nixon could go to China, only Clint Eastwood could make a movie about an Iraq War veteran and infuse it with doubts, mission anxiety and ruination.” Inkoo Kang of The Wrap gave the film a negative review, saying “Director Clint Eastwood‘s focus on Kyle is so tight that no other character, including wife Taya (Sienna Miller), comes through as a person, and the scope so narrow that the film engages only superficially with the many moral issues surrounding the Iraq War.”
Eastwood himself has commented that the movie is intended to be anti-war.
Responding to critics that considered the film as excessively violent, as celebrating war, killing, and as jingoistic, Eastwood said that it is a stupid analysis and that the film has nothing to do with political parties. He stated: “I was a child growing up during World War II. That was supposed to be the one to end all wars. And four years later, I was standing at the draft board being drafted during the Korean conflict, and then after that there was Vietnam, and it goes on and on forever … I just wonder … does this ever stop? And no, it doesn’t. So each time we get in these conflicts, it deserves a lot of thought before we go wading in or wading out. Going in or coming out. It needs a better thought process, I think.” Eastwood called American Sniper “the biggest anti-war statement any film can make,” and said that “the fact of what [war] does to the family and the people who have to go back into civilian life like Chris Kyle did” and “what it (war) does to the people left behind.”
Posted: September 16, 2014 in Political musings
Tags: Abbott, air strikes, America, Australia, Australian government, boots on the ground, Britain, Cameron, conflict, conflict resolution, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, international relations, Iran, Iraq, IS, ISIL, ISIS, John McCain, Julie Bishop, Lebanon, Obama, peace, President Obama, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Saudi Arabia, slide to war, Syria, terrorist attack, troops, war
If only he WAS going to be flying one of the jets, Abbott might not be quite so enthusiastic.
In the last couple of weeks, we have watched dismayed as Australia has become perhaps the most gung ho of all the world’s nations waiting to wade in and “stop” IS – the so-called Islamic “State”.
Let there be no mistake – we also think these appalling thugs need expunging from the world, and as soon as practicable.
But we are alarmed and worried by the enthusiasm with which the Australian government – especially Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop – have not just fallen in lock-step with our Western allies. but have been seen to be stoking the fires of conflict with a triumphalist air that amounts to “Look at us, we’re strong leaders, and you want strong leaders, right?”
We are undoubtedly already seeing the first signs of a deeply unpopular government using the conflict to bolster its electoral fortunes – a so-called “khaki election” looms – and given that our bravura chest-beating almost certainly increases the likelihood of a terrorist attack against Australians, that’s a very risky card to play. Nevertheless, for a Prime Minister with a Government that has proven itself both tone-deaf and gaffe-laden, the conflict with IS is the gift that keeps on giving. “Hey! Let’s all stop worrying about Medicare co-payments and go BOMB something, already!”
This rhetorical style has been echoed to a lesser extent by Cameron in the UK and the Republicans in America, especially the surely past-pensionable John McCain, but much less so by a carefully-nuanced President Obama. It’s almost as if Barack phoned Tony and Dave and said “Ramp it up a bit, will ya, cobbers? We’re a bit bruised over here and I have to be a more laid back.” Surely not?
There’s no question that IS are pretty much the worst of the worst going round at the moment, but let us be absolutely clear what their murderous public tactics are designed to achieve. These are people playing a long game, who have no respect or care for their own lives or for others. They are trying to drag the democratic West, against which they have a visceral, systemic hatred, into a seemingly endless conflict in a war zone where the alliances and influences shift weekly, and where the sectarian divisions are about as deep as it is possible to find them. It’s virtually impossible to “pick winners” in this environment, because this week’s ally is last week’s mortal enemy. As even Abbott himself once presciently remarked about Syria, “it’s a choice between baddies and baddies”.
We have already seen America co-operating with Iran and Russia to attack IS – both countries currently under sanctions and blockades from the West. We have seen America calling openly for Iran to aid in the fight against IS, despite the fact that they already are, a call that has been rejected by the top Ayotollah, despite the fact that this is exactly what they are already doing.
We have moved from being a day away from air strikes against Assad in Syria (thankfully averted when it became clear that the gas attacks on the Syrian public were probably carried out by rebels, and perhaps that the White House knew that all along, and even allegedly that the rebels were deliberately encouraged to do so, under Western guidance) to now cautiously needing to support him against IS, which will lead to the partial abandonment of the non-extremist Syrian opposition, or what may be even more bizarre, the joining of Assad with his former enemies to create a newly viable Syrian state to defeat the IS and Al Nusra insurgents.
How anyone is supposed to conduct a sane rational policy in this environment is beyond us. It’s a floating, shifting miasma of shifting lines, and we see no end to it. We are reasonably sure, though, that bellicose trumpeting is the least helpful thing we can do, especially as we have no idea how that plays amongst the general public in the contested regions.
What IS knows is that in this confused environment, mistakes can and will happen. IS and their backers know that the first time a bunker buster hits a school in Mosul there will be a flood of worldwide sympathy from both within the Sunni Muslim community and without it, and there’ll be a fresh rash of recruits flooding to a simpler, less complex view of the world than that offered by democracy. The angst and confusion created by the Israeli bombardment of Gaza will be seen to be just a shadow of what’s going to happen in northern Iraq and parts of Syria. Indeed, the mistakes (and concomitant slaughter of innocent civilians) are already happening, even if they’re not being widely reported in mainstream media.
Is there any question Bishop sees this conflict – and that with Russia in the Ukraine – as her chance to leap Turnbull and become Abbott’s most obvious replacement? We think not. Mind you, if we could win wars just with her “death stare”, we’d be home and hosed. She scares the hell out of us, wonder what she does to IS?
But that’s only the half of it. We cannot deploy hundreds of Australian troops (and thousands of Americans) plus people from all parts of the globe, and not expect some of them to fall into IS hands.
If we see that the road to war has been greased by the appalling executions of journalists and aid workers, not to mention the mass slaughter of civilians, Peshmerga and Iraqi army fighters, then imagine what will happen the first time video is released of a clean-cut Aussie or Yank fighter pilot or special forces hero having his head clumsily sawn off for the camera.
The calls for “boots on the ground” would surely become irresistible, especially if a newly-bolstered Iraqi army makes no discernible progress in recapturing rebel-held areas, or in forming a more broadly based Government capable of yoiking together Sunni and Shia in a workable state.
Having failed once to pacify Iraq, there is little doubt that we are very close to being dragged into the same maelstrom again, with a side serve of Syria and for all we know Lebanon and God knows where else as as well. We do not purport to know what the answer is – although one thing we cannot understand is why the Arab states, who are at least as much at risk from IS as anyone else, especially Saudi Arabia, cannot be prevailed upon to play a much more intrinsic role – perhaps they are so aware of the powder keg many of them sit upon that they dare not risk enraging them by sending ground troops to attack the Sunni IS as 85-90% of Saudis are Sunni – but as a start we could at least begin by not looking so goddamned happy to be heading off to war again.
We are not alone in our caution, which frankly borders on despair. This excellent opinion piece by experienced Middle East hand Paul McGeogh in the Sydney Morning Herald deserves to be widely read. His neat skewering of the lack of Arab co-operation, the unseemly rush to attack and the lack of an exit strategy (yet again) is spot on, and echoes our own concerns.
It seems to us that only those who have actually fought wars show real reluctance to engage in them again. That is rarely politicians, especially those who have spent their entirely career crawling slowly up the political ladder.
Having seen the slaughter of innocents, the gore, the messy incompleteness of most military solutions, military men are almost invariably more cautious before setting off to the trenches once more.
But politicians revel in the limelight. It’s that set jaw, that gleam in the eye, the grimly-expressed determination. Not a hint of doubt, or worry, or regret. Nothing is allowed to ruffle their seeming purposefulness.
The prelude to war always looks to us like people with their egos way out of control about to play roulette with other people’s lives, and right now, it sure as hell looks that way again.
Richard Attenborough. My part in his life.
Posted: August 25, 2014 in Popular Culture et al, Uncategorized
Tags: anti-war, Beaver Lodge, British politics, David Attenborough, Dickie Attenborough, Dr David Owen, film, Liberal-SDP Alliance, Lord Attenborough, Luvvies, movies, Oh what a lovely war, peace, popular culture, Richard Attenborough remembered, Richmond on Thames, Sheila Sim, Sir Richard Attenborough, social justice, The Great Escape, The Liberal Party, The SDP, war, World War I, World War II
Beaver Lodge, then home of the Attenboroughs, where we momentarily shared the high life.
So Dickie Attenborough is dead, at 90.
We knew him. Well, not so much knew him, you understand, as “We met him once”.
Back in 1987, there was an election on. The Liberal Party, for which we campaigned, had entered an uncomfortable “Alliance” with a new political grouping called “The Social Democratic Party”, which was essentially a small group of right wing rebels from a Labour Party that had been temporarily overwhelmed by the irritating forces of the trotskyite Left. The new “SDP” appealed to a sort of vaguely left of centre middle class consensus type – they’d be called “soccer Mums” in America or “doctor’s wives” in Australia.
Anyhow, for some bizarre reason lost in the mists of time deep in the last millenium, the leaders of said Alliance decided to hop on a barge and meander down the River Thames one Sunday afternoon, ending up at Dickie’s pile in Richmond. The vague plan was that there were a string of Liberal-SDP Alliance target seats in a row along the river, and this was a spiffingly good wheeze to make a news impact on all of them in one hit to try and shake loose a few of the seats that had voted Tory since time immemorial in that area. Needless to say, as a photo op it simply made the Alliance leaders look like a bunch of middle class numpties and it was largely ignored.
Attenborough and his equally well-loved younger brother, documentary maker David, share a happy moment.
It is why, though, late on a lovely summer’s afternoon, we came to be standing around in the Attenborough’s charming little pied-a-terre, and standing around very uncomfortably to boot, given that we were unquestionably in the presence of the great and good … a sprinkling of theatre people, some famous politicians, a clutch of local grandees … and as we (and by we, we mean a bunch of local campaigners who had been invited to turn up to rub shoulders with the glitterati who had descended upon us) were dressed almost universally in jeans, odd t-shirts covered in campaign buttons and sporting scraggly beards, we felt somewhat out of place.
Since that time we have become more familiar with the questionable joys of small talk, clinking crystal and nodding with glazed eyes while not really listening. At that stage, however, the art form was unknown to us. So we stood near the front door of what was undoubtedly the grandest room on the planet, exquisitely furnished, and shuffled uncertainly from foot to foot, muttering darkly to one another about how we’d rather be out canvassing for votes on council estates instead of all this wank.
Suddenly, though, Attenborough himself swept through the crowd, making a beeline towards us with a tray of champagnes weaving memorably past the obstacles presented by overweight councillors and gesticulating theatricals. I am reasonably sure there were black-tied waters in attendance too, but for some reason he was doing the honours himself. “You chaps look like you need a drink!” he grinned, and his charm and bonhomie was infectious. We took a glass each and smiled uncertainly. “Yell out if you want another!” he cried, disappearing back into the maw of 200 or so of his closest friends. It was a gentle and kindly act, and perfectly typical of the man, apparently.
Richard Attenborough was one of the most famous and talented actors of his generation, with a string of credits that sound like a potted history of 20th century British and Hollywood cinema. Stolid and honourable in “The Great Escape”. Menacing and psychotic in “Brighton Rock”. Avuncular and deluded in “Jurassic Park”. Pugnacious in “The Angry Silence”. Utterly chilling in “10 Rillington Place”.
As a director, he made some of the more important movies of the era, reflecting his own progressive view of the world, such as the memorable filmed version of “Oh! What a lovely war!” and in the historically accurate and star-filled exposition of the disastrous military adventure of Operation Market Garden in “A Bridge Too Far”, tackling courage against the apartheid regime in South Africa in “Cry Freedom”, and, of course, with “Gandhi”, the triumphal conclusion of 20 years effort, for which he received two Oscars.
Less well-known is that during the Second World War, Lord Attenborough served with the Royal Air Force, and was seconded to the newly-formed RAF film unit at Pinewood Studios after initial pilot training. He appeared in the 1943 propaganda film Journey Together before qualifying as a sergeant and flying on missions all over Europe filming the outcome of Bomber Command sorties. He saw enough of the horrors of war to imbue “Oh! What a lovely war!” with a heart-rending immediacy, as seen so well in the closing sequence of the film, below. As we remember the 100th Anniversary of the First World War, we could do no better to show respect those who fell than to play the whole film on free-to-air TV in all the combattant countries. It is a theatrical tour de force, and deeply moving.
And when they ask us, how dangerous it was,
Oh, we’ll never tell them, no, we’ll never tell them:
We spent our pay in some cafe,
And fought wild women night and day,
‘Twas the cushiest job we ever had.
And when they ask us, and they’re certainly going to ask us,
The reason why we didn’t win the Croix de Guerre,
Oh, we’ll never tell them, oh, we’ll never tell them
There was a front, but damned if we knew where.
As an aside, and notably, Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim, who though stricken with dementia survives him after nearly 70 years of marriage, also co-starred in the original West End production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap in 1952, which has since become the world’s longest-running play.
Anyhow, the afternoon drew on towards evening and the champagne grew warm, and then leader of the SDP, Dr David Owen, who it must be reported had looked grumpy and perfectly bored the entire time – an impression he managed to give for his entire career, to our eyes – decided it was time to leave.
He bustled his way towards the door. Attenborough, seeing his star guest leaving, struggled through the crowd waving to get Owen’s attention, seemingly unsuccessfully. In the end, he called out plaintively “David! David! Call you, darling!” but in vain: he was talking to thin air. Owen was gone.
I caught Dickie’s eye, and he smiled and shrugged. He waggled his hand to indicate “Another glass of bubbles?” but we politely demurred. We were heading down the pub for a proper drink. He smiled again, good naturedly, as if in understanding, and turned back to tending to his other more civilised guests. Momentarily, I considered suggesting he join us for a hand of dominoes and a couple of pints, suspecting he might enjoy himself more, but I didn’t dare.
Richard Attenborough may have been a luvvie, my darling Reader, but he was a ferociously talented and genuinely big-hearted version of that uniquely British theatrical caricature.
And that’s why everyone loved him. A decent bloke: a life well lived. Our condolences to his family and innumerable friends.
In British use, luvvie is a humorously depreciative term for an actor, especially one regarded as effusive or affected. The reference is to a stereotype of thespians habitually addressing people as ‘lovey’. When the OED revised its entry for ‘lovey’ in 2008, this sense, which had by then become established in the variant spelling luvvie, was made a separate entry. The earliest quotation found at the time was from author and actor Stephen Fry, writing in the Guardian in 1988:
Acting in a proper grown-up play, being a lovie, doing the West End, ‘shouting in the evenings’, as the late Patrick Troughton had it.
1988 Stephen Fry in Guardian 2 Apr., p. 17
The off-hand manner in which the term is used here suggests that the word may already have been somewhat established in this sense at the time.
Kindergarnered – the poetry of rage
Tags: #gazaunderattack, #israelunderattack, anti-war, author/editor, campaigning, civilian casualties, collateral damage, Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Israel, Palestine, peace, peace movement, poem, poetry, social awareness, social media, Stephen Yolland, Wellthisiswhatithink
Stephen Yolland is a Melbourne poet and author/editor of Wellthisiswhatithink. You can find his book of poetry here. The book is also available as a download from lulu.com.
He would appreciate it if you could share this poem by linking to this blog post in any way you can.
What is the solution for the Palestinians and Israel?
Tags: civilian casualties, conflict, conflict resolution, Dead in Gaza, Gaza casualties, Hamas, Israel, Israeli offensive in Gaza, Palestinians, peace, pictures of dead civilians in Palestine, politics, war
We don’t know.
We know some of the components. It will involve vision. On both sides. It will involve a rediscovery of goodwill. On both sides. It will require confidence building. And patience. There will be many steps sideways and backwards as well as forwards.
We do not know the answer. What we do know is that this is not it.
It just can’t be this. This is not the answer.
Iraq. Tears of frustration.
Posted: June 13, 2014 in Political musings
Tags: civil war, civilian casualties, conflict resolution, international relations, Iraq, ISIS, peace, Syria, Terrorism, war
A victim of US bombing in Iraq.
We were wildly opposed to the “allied” invasion of Iraq all along.
It was blindly obvious to millions of people around the world that the West had blurred reasons for invading, that the “weapons of mass destruction” argument was almost certainly a nonsense cooked up by Neo-Con influencers in Whitehall and Washington, that oil was probably the real reason for the war (as later confirmed by Australian Foreign Minister Alistair Downer) and the net result would be to de-stabilise the country and the entire region, with hundreds of thousands of likely civilian deaths – as predicted by the Australian Defence Force Chiefs, amongst others – and thousands of Western forces deaths, too.
Do we really have the appetite for this again?
Indeed, we were on 3AW radio with John Howard BEFORE the invasion asking him to justify that coming loss of civilian lives.
He flatly denied it would happen. The host, populist right-winger Neil Mitchell, cut the call before we could challenge the then-Prime Minister’s staggering complacency.
No United Nations approval for the invasion was ever obtained, making Howard, Bush and Blair nothing more nor less than war criminals, in our opinion. But history, of course, is written by the victors. Even when that “victory” was won at such painful cost in terms of our own losses and those of those surrounding our invasion.
For the record, the death toll of civilians in Iraq currently stands at over 500,000. Hardly a family has not been affected.
Now, the entirely predictable southward march of the ultra-extremist ISIS has the West in a flat panic again, and with good reason.
With typical shoot from the hip macho-man thoughtlessness, today the Australian Prime Minister has already signalled that the country might join another invasion of the country. Washington is weighing up “boots on the ground” versus air-strikes, versus doing nothing like a rabbit stuck in headlights.
Perhaps Abbott should remember his unusually pertinent comment on Syria, that “it’s hard to know what to do, because it’s essentially baddies against baddies”. It’s just about the only thing he’s ever said we agreed with. Apparently, he can’t seem to get his head around the fact that Iraq is the same.
The following articles are educatory and very relevant to what the West does next.
How George Bush and Al-Maliki lost Iraq.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/fareed-zakaria-who-lost-iraq-the-iraqis-did-with-an-assist-from-george-w-bush/2014/06/12/35c5a418-f25c-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html
How ‘Iraq’ was never going to be, and Al-Maliki’s failure.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10896711/Iraq-crisis-Rebels-are-fighting-with-a-moral-force-that-the-army-lacks.html
The following facts are certain:
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is currently the world’s most appalling extremist bunch of thugs, and must be opposed. If they were to take over Iraq it would be an utter disaster for local people, and the world. They make the Taliban and even Al-Qaeda look like mild-mannered nuisances.
ISIS at a glance
ISIS is a response to Sunnis being pushed to the margins by the Alawite-led Shia in Syria and the Shia in Iraq. Western meddling in both countries has made the situation uncountably worse.
Saddam Hussein was a brute. So is Hafez Assad. Unfortunately, we now look very much like we are replacing them with something even worse.
ISIS executes prisoners in Syria
Do we know what to do? No, we don’t. We suspect the West’s response will be airstrikes on the insurgents, to uncertain effect strategically, and to the certain effect of enraging Sunni opinion yet further.
What is certain is that whatever happens next will not be a long term solution to the tensions of the Middle East, and the ongoing conflict between Sunnis and Shia in particular.
The only long-term solution will be a political one, involving mutual respect, and effective power-sharing. The recent developments in Iraq have renewed the possibility, much discussed during the war a decade ago, and a possibility that we considered made much sense at the time, that Iraq be divided into three separate regions or even nations – the mostly Shiite section, made up of Baghdad and much of the south and east bordering Iran; a Sunni area, comprised of western Iraq and parts of the north; and a Kurdish zone, also in the north and including the cities of Erbil and Kirkuk, which Saddam tried to populate with Arabs.
ISIS – well organised, well disciplined, utterly fanatical, and extremely dangerous.
As night follows day, the fundamental drive to create such a solution will have to come from the Mid-East’s own Islamic populations.
And given their inability to resolve the issue in the last thousand plus years, we should be prepared for it to take some time yet, perhaps generations. If the population fail to create the peace, it is they that shall be mired in seemingly endless conflict, it is their children, wives, husbands, brothers, uncles, sisters and mothers who will be oppressed and slaughtered.
In the meantime, the rest of the world needs to do this:
stay out of ill-thought out military adventures in the region,
create energy independence for itself,
support those in the Middle East who argue for a secular, peaceful, long-term solution, not merely those who appear to be aligned with our perceived interests, and
STOP the flow of weaponry to the region, which merely fuels the endless conflict. (We need to remember that well over 90% of people killed in conflicts in the world are not killed by bombs, rockets or missiles, but by bullets.)
The devil is in the detail, of course, but the broad brushstrokes are clear to Blind Freddie. If all the think-tanks in the world can’t get Governments to understand, we give up.
Think advertising is boring?
Posted: April 8, 2014 in Business Management, Popular Culture et al
Tags: advertising, advertising effectiveness, calm, communications, love, marketing, peace, powerful advertising, Thai Life
I defy you to watch this without ending up in tears.
Utterly beautiful. Brilliant branding.
They deserve all the good that’s coming to them. If only – if ONLY – all marketing managers, and their ad agencies, understood why this is so powerful.
This is my “Ad of the Year” so far. What do you think?
I very nearly burst into tears when I saw this. I am betting you will too.
Posted: March 7, 2014 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: anti-war, campaigning t shirts, children affected by war, peace, politics, Radical Tees, Stephen Yolland, Syria, t shirts, war children, YouTube
But it needs to be seen.
It needs to be shared widely. That you to Pat L for bringing it to my attention.
And we need to learn this lesson, not just for the country mentioned at the end, but also for EVERY country where conflict is occurring.
Collateral damage is people
We cannot praise the creative brains behind this enough, and the cast, especially the little girl.
If you’d like to walk your disapproval of the death of innocents on your local streets, you could do worse than invest in this t-shirt I designed a few years back. This pic links to one shirt, like most Radical tees it comes in various shapes and sizes. If you can’t find what you want, message me.
The photo is of my daughter, aged 2.
I created the shirt the day I realised the collateral damage they were talking about on the TV was other people’s daughters.
There are some other shirts in the Anti-War section you may like too.
Here’s one:
If we do nothing else to save the children of the world, at least we can say “Not in my name.”
Click and buy now.
And no, we’re not doing it for the money.
We argue that a vet who wanted to hire a KKK hitman to kill his black neighbour should be treated leniently – that’ll confuse some people.
Posted: March 1, 2014 in Political musings
Tags: Aghanistan, Allen Wayne Morgan, American legal system, Iraq, Judge Karon Bowdre, KKK, Klu Klux Klan, law, peace, post traumatic stress disorder, psychology, usa, war
Why? Because the post-traumatic disorder being experienced by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is real. Combat, especially in wars with unclear goals, inadequate planning, lack of resources, and hopeless re-integration back into society, f**** with people’s minds, and it’s not their fault. And we argue it would be counterproductive to jail him because the treatment for such trauma in US prisons is woeful. Tens of thousands of veterans currently languish in American jails, forgotten and unaided.
They didn’t ask to go to war, and many US service people are simply desperate refugees from poverty and unemployment anyway.
In a civilised society, this man should be diverted into intensive psychological care and properly rehabilitated. At least given the opportunity to be rehabilitated. He is clearly suffering from trauma in his current life, not just when serving.
The quality of mercy is measured by how we treat those who think, say or do things we would find unconscionable, but whose responsibility is diminished by their mental state.
When that mental state is directly related to their efforts on behalf of the rest of us, for which they are inadequately rewarded, then we should be doubly careful in how we respond when they go off the rails.
The issues raised in the case apply equally to Australia, the United Kingdom, and many other countries …
From Raw Story:
An Alabama man is asking a judge for mercy after pleading guilty to hiring a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) hitman to murder his black neighbor.
Defense attorneys for Allen Wayne Morgan told U.S. District Judge Karon Bowdre that their client — a veteran of over 175 combat missions in Iraq who struggled with post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and drug addiction — should not spend more than five years in prison. Judge Bowdre referred the matter to a government expert, who will review the report on Morgan’s mental health submitted by the defense.
On August 29, 2013, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Morgan at an Econo Lodge in Oxford, Alabama. He thought he was speaking with the KKK hitman he had hired to kill his neighbor, Clifford Maurice Mosley, a black man he believed had raped his wife.
He allegedly told an undercover agent that “I want this man hung from a tree like he is an animal. I want his penis cut off and I want him cut. You’re a hunting man right? I want him hung from a tree and gutted.”
Morgan is also alleged to have told the agent that he had recently confronted Mosley outside his house, firing several shots in his direction, but that he did not intend to kill him that day because there would be witnesses. He also said that he was certain Mosley had raped his wife, because when confronted, he did not attempt to stand his ground or reason with him.
He planned to check himself into a Veterans Administration hospital in order to provide himself with an alibi.
After being taken into custody, Morgan confessed to having tried to hire the hitman.
The previous year, Morgan had been profiled in a Birmingham News piece on Iraq veterans dealing with post traumatic stress disorder and depression via music.
“During times of my deepest abuse, I would try to cancel myself out chemically,” he said. “But even if we’re just jamming, it’s like time stands still. I’m not saying like all of my problems go away. But for that little bit of a moment, everything is OK. If it can make me feel like that, I know it can make others feel like that.”
He also said that when unexpected people arrive at his house, “I usually pull out a gun and run them off.”
[Image via Flickr, Creative Commons Licensed]
Read more of what we have to say on the appalling treatment of Veterans here: https://wellthisiswhatithink.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/the-country-who-failed-its-vets/
The fight against fascism is the fight of the little people. Lest we forget.
Posted: January 12, 2014 in Political musings, Popular Culture et al
Tags: authoritarian regime, D S Yolland, HMS Clare, Jennifer Lawrence, Lend Lease, Nazis, Nazism, North Korea, peace, service, soldiers, T S Yolland, the fight against fascism, war, Western Approaches Command, World War II
I have been thinking a little, recently, about the unending fight against fascism. Against the authoritarians, the anti-democrats, the oligarchs, power elite, the swine.
HMS Clare, with my father on board, location unknown but leaving or entering port, I think.
This is partly because on an ongoing debate I enjoy with a number of close friends on the legitimate role for the State in our lives, but also, no doubt, because I am currently going to sleep at night listening to the audio book “Dominion” by C J Sanson, a provocative “what if” thriller set in a Britain that had sued for peace with Germany in 1940 and which is now, in the mid-1950s, sliding towards its own Jew-culling fascist nightmare. And also because my daughter has been seized by the Hunger Games Trilogy, which, it could surely be argued, is as effective an anti-fascist series of novels as one could want to read, and in targeting its relatively junior audience, a force for good. Discussion of the literary qualities of the novels can take place elsewhere.
(Incidentally, the Wellthisiswhatithink clan went to see the second movie – Catching Fire – and it was brilliantly done. We recommend seeing the first installment just to “get” the story and definitely the second to marvel at Jennifer Lawrence’s superb acting, supported by a great cast and some amazing cinematography.)
Anyhow, whatever the reason, the terrors of opposing an authoritarian regime – still so relevant to far too many of the world’s people – have been something we have been pondering. What would we have done, for example, if we were “ordinary people” watching the Nazi round up and exportation in appalling conditions of the Jews, if, while we were watching, we were threatened with going with them if we protested? What would we say or do today against active oppression in … Iran, Syria, Egypt … Zimbabwe … would we speak up for gays and other minorities in Russia, the Romany people in Europe … what would we do watching the excesses of the regime in North Korea? What do we do, indeed, to fight against the disgraceful demonisation of asylum seekers in our own back yard, contending, as we would be, with some 90% of the political establishment?
And then, by chance, I came across the photograph (above) of one of the ships my father served on during World War II, and found another (below) online.
I 14 – HMS Clare
The HMS Clare began life as the USS Abel P. Upshur but was decommissioned by the Yanks and transferred in the destroyer-land bases exchange to Great Britain, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, 9 September 1940. It was one of the “topsy-turveys” – one of the “Lend Lease” destroyers given to the British in 1940 to bolster the fight against Hitler – and so nicknamed because of their alarming propensity to turn turtle in heavy weather.
From 1940 to 1944, as HMS Clare, she escorted convoys in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. That was when my father served on her. In the early hours of 21 February 1941 she collided with the motor vessel Petertown and was out of action, undergoing repairs, until October 1941.
During 1942 and 1943 Clare took part in the Invasions of North Africa and Sicily. In May 1944 she became an aircraft target ship in the Western Approaches Command. In August 1945 she was reduced to reserve at Greenock, Scotland, and later berthed at Barrow, England, awaiting disposal. She was scrapped in 1945.
T S Yolland
My father was apparently a cheerful, sometimes boisterous man.
He loved a pint, a cigarette, and a bet. A game of cards.
He was an utterly loyal husband and a doting father. In the middle of his life, when he should have been enjoying financial success and a measure of quiet satisfaction at having survived the Depression intact, married and started a family, he virtually vanished for six years, into the maw of World War II.
I still have his medals. They bear testament to the quiet service he offered … the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Mediterranean. Malta, India, North Africa, and all points West and East. He wasn’t the chap manning the depth charges, the guns, or wrenching the wheel around against the storm’s violence on the bridge. “Two points to larb’d, Yolland! Aye Aye, Sir!”
No, he was a quartermaster. The most unglamorous job imaginable on a destroyer. He looked after the ship’s stores, doled them out, and made sure everyone got what they were due to keep them going, which wasn’t much.
Not that he couldn’t have done all the more Boy’s Own stuff, I am sure, but being in the wholesale fish trade he was used to totting up ledgers and keeping track of stores, and all the rest. When they found that out, the Navy assigned him as a quartermaster, and a quartermaster he stayed.
Whether or not his family thought much of his service is lost in the mists of time. His father, Captain D S Yolland, was a trawlerman who got the DSC (just one step down from a VC) for trawling up mines dropped by Zeppelins in Portsmouth Harbour in the First War. I don’t know if they were all that impressed by Dad’s service, but my Mum was, and I am.
He was, by all accounts, a kind, gentle man, and the strain on him of wallowing around in a metal tub waiting for a torpedo up his arse, day after day – month after month, year after year – told on him. He smoked incessantly to calm his nerves, and drank too much, and duly died very young, tragically young, of a heart attack, at just 46 years old, in 1959.
To my mind, he is as much a victim of the fight against Nazism as those who never came home. It took a special type of deep, abiding courage, and an astonishing sense of duty, for him and his shipmates to keep going back, after each leave, never knowing if they would see home again, or how horrible and lonely their death might be. When I questioned my mother about it, she went very quiet, and simply said “It just had to be done. We couldn’t let them win. It was wrong – Hitler, all of it – it was just wrong.”
“It was just wrong.” Quite so. There were millions like my father. Millions of civilians who endured impossible privation, millions of civilians killed, injured and bereaved, millions of children orphaned, and millions of service people mentally destroyed, hideously injured or snatched from their families forever.
Leaders. They get us into wars. But the little people fight them, and the little people are the ones who get us out of them. I wonder if we remember that enough? I suspect we don’t.
Tags: Daniel Gordis, Emily Hauser, In My Head, Isareli-Palestinian relations, Israel, Israeli government, Judaism, Middle east, Palestine, Palestinian people, peace, Politics of Israel, war, Zionism
WellthisiswhatIthink says: This is a brutally frank and important commentary from a Jewish Zionist on everything that is wrong – and morally wrong – with the current Israeli government’s position on the Palestinian question. It deserves to be read by anyone – anyone – who genuinely wants peace in the Middle East.
Related articles on the Jewish/Palestinian conflict
Jews for Palestinian right of return (mondoweiss.net)
Israeli Settler Terrorism: Settlers spray face of Palestinian child (occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com)
Liberal Jewish Israel Bashers: Foolish or Malevolent? (algemeiner.com)
Why we must defend those who dare to speak about the ideology of Jewish supremacy (alethonews.wordpress.com)
Last week, Daniel Gordis ran an opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post entitled “We Gave Peace a Chance,” consisting largely of a lengthy and pretty accurate list of the many and various ways in which Palestinians have been a disappointment to Israelis.
I cannot and will not argue that the Palestinian leadership has been a paragon of virtue, either in leading its own people or in dealing with mine, nor will I argue that the Palestinian people have taken many steps to reassure my people that they don’t actively despise us. It’s my impression, based in a quarter of a century of observation, that a lot of Palestinians do, in fact, despise Israel. Where Gordis and I differ, I think, is our starting point for dealing with Palestinians in the first place.
In his piece, Gordis relies on and advances the same kind of bush-league dehumanization of the Palestinian people
Israel’s next war
Tags: Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Middle east, peace, Syria, violence, war
I warmly applaud this article by Emily, which I consider to be both timely and wise. The prospect of another war with Israel in the south for tragic little Lebanon, already so pressed by the situation in Syria on their border, is simply too horrible.
We must learn Emily’s core understanding – violence begets violence. When will the leaders in the Mid East remember Churchill’s famous adage “Jaw-jaw is always better than war-war”? We are talking about violence, which could, if it embroils Israel, Iran, Syria and Lebanon – a true regional conflict – cause not just hundreds or thousands of casualties, but cost hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of innocent lives. And as Emily so presciently points out, we seem to be sleep-walking into it.
I know some will accuse me of being naive, but it’s what I believe. http://www.cafepress.com/yolly.431431252
Two hours for Syrian chemical weapons to reach Lebanon. Four armies prepared (warsclerotic.wordpress.com)
Hezbollah having advanced arms intolerable: Israel’s Barak (dailystar.com.lb)
115,000 flee Syria violence (english.ruvr.ru)
US extends sanctions on Hezbollah backers (dawn.com)
EXCLUSIVE: Iran in “open war” with Israel (security.blogs.cnn.com)
We learned on Friday that America and Israel have concluded that the bomber in last week’s bloody attack in the Bulgarian city of Burgas was an operative working with the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, under orders from Iran “to avenge assassinations targeting its nuclear scientists” (such as Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, killed in January when an assassin bombed his car in Tehran).
In the meantime, we’ve also learned that the New York police have found evidence linking Iran or its proxies to nine other plots against Israeli or Jewish targets around the world. According to former Israeli National Security Adviser Uzi Arad, this should not surprise us – and Israel is “to a large extent, the initiators.”
We hit [senior Hezbollah leader] Imad Mughniye [in 2008], and, mainly, we’re leading a struggle against Iran. We’re not a passive side. And the other side is the defending, deterring, and attacking one.
…If Israel will…
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758910
|
__label__wiki
| 0.973106
| 0.973106
|
Home Community Calendar Dick Van Dyke and Lin-Manuel Miranda to be Honored at 16th Annual...
Dick Van Dyke and Lin-Manuel Miranda to be Honored at 16th Annual “Backstage at the Geffen” Fundraiser
The Geffen Playhouse will honor legendary stage and screen performer Dick Van Dyke and award-winning composer, lyricist and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda at its 16th annual Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser. The event recognizes the accomplishments of leaders in the artistic community, supports the theater’s mission to produce original, quality work and raises funds for its award-winning education and community engagement programs, which bring live theater to more than 15,000 disadvantaged youth, seniors and veterans annually.
The Geffen’s star-studded event is an unexpected evening of unscripted, surprise performers and storytellers sharing songs and personal tales of life behind-the-scenes. It will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2018 in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse and hosted for the second time by Aisha Tyler.
“Dick Van Dyke has brought joy and entertainment to the world for more than 60 years, and in the last decade, Lin-Manuel Miranda has inspired millions of people with his work. In addition to their unparalleled contributions to the arts, Dick and Lin-Manuel share a commitment to young people and a belief in the power of live storytelling to inform and inspire audiences around the world,” said Geffen Playhouse Executive Director Gil Cates, Jr., who produces the show alongside board member Kevin Bright. “We are thrilled to bring these brilliant artists and philanthropists to the Geffen stage for another surprising Backstage event.”
Distinction in Theater Award recipient Dick Van Dyke is one of the most beloved performers in show business history, with a decades-long career that has earned him five Emmy Awards, a Tony, Grammy and SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, and most recently, a Britannia Award for Excellence in Television from BAFTA Los Angeles. Though his career began in 1954, it was his 1961 sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show, which solidified his superstar status. Considered one of the most cherished sitcoms of all time, the show garnered three Emmy Awards for Van Dyke for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and four for Outstanding Comedy Series. In 1961, Van Dyke starred in Broadway’s Bye Bye Birdie, for which he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Albert F. Peterson, a role he reprised two years later on film. In 1964, he starred opposite Julie Andrews in Walt Disney’s blockbuster film Mary Poppins, delighting audiences around the world with his performance of the Academy Award®-winning song “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”
Since then, Van Dyke has entertained generations of fans in the classic films Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Comic, Dick Tracy and the Night at the Museum franchise, and on stage in the national tours of The Music Man and Damn Yankees. On television, he introduced the character Dr. Mark Sloan in Jake & The Fatman and starred in its spin off series, Diagnosis: Murder. Recently, he authored two best-selling books, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business and Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Living Well Longer, and joined legendary comedy nonagenarians Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Norman Lear in the HBO documentary If You’re Not In The Obit, Eat Breakfast. Van Dyke will return to the big screen this holiday season in the eagerly-awaited Mary Poppins Returns, alongside Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and can be seen around Los Angeles playing music from his new album, “Step (Back) In Time,” with his six-piece jazz band and acapella quartet, The Vantastix.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, a Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist and actor, will receive the Education Impact Award. Miranda is the creator and original star of Broadway’s Tony Award-winning Hamilton and In the Heights. His additional Broadway credits include Bring It On: The Musical (co-composer/co-lyricist, Tony Award nomination for Best Musical) and West Side Story (2009 revival, Spanish translations). A 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award recipient, Miranda composed songs for Disney’s Moana (2018 Grammy Award; 2017 Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Song). He has actively supported the relief efforts in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in September 2017, creating the benefit single “Almost Like Praying.” He also partnered with Ben Platt on the charity single “Found/Tonight” to benefit the March for Our Lives Initiative. His television and film credits include the forthcoming Mary Poppins Returns (in theaters Christmas Day 2018), Saturday Night Live (2017 Emmy Nomination, Guest Actor), Sesame Street, The Electric Company, House, DuckTales, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 200 Cartas and The Odd Life of Timothy Green.
Backstage at the Geffen brings together artistic, entertainment and business leaders and the Los Angeles region’s most prominent philanthropic organizations to raise funds for the Geffen Playhouse’s artistic endeavors, including new play development, playwright commissions and world premiere productions that inspire thought, evoke conversation, and engage the community in the live arts. Last year, Backstage at the Geffen raised more than $1 million, allowing the Geffen to expand its literacy, high school, veterans and Lights Up programs.
City National Bank continues for the 9th consecutive year as Title Sponsor. Presenting Sponsors are Audi of America in its 13th year and K Period Media returning for its second year.
Honorary Co-Chairs include George Lucas & Mellody Hobson, Barbra Streisand & James Brolin, Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams, Cindy & Alan Horn, Ann & Jim Gianopulos, Kelly & Ron Meyer, Lyn & Norman Lear, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Quincy Jones, Jr., Loretta Everett Kaufman & Victor Kaufman, Barbara & Richard Sherman, Madeline & Bruce Ramer and Fay & Frank Mancuso. Event Co-Chairs are Loretta Everett Kaufman, Adi Greenberg and Linda Bernstein Rubin.
Host committee memberships begin at $7,500. For more information, please visit www.geffenplayhouse.org/backstage or call (310) 208-6500 Ext. 112.
Lin-Manuel
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758913
|
__label__wiki
| 0.657121
| 0.657121
|
Arrivals & Departures New nonstop flight to Canada means faster journey
By Grace Millimaci
Good news for those who want to visit Canada and the US.
Air Canada has launched the only non-stop service between Melbourne and Vancouver.
The airline will initially operate three flights a week from Melbourne — AC038 departs at 9.40am on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
A fourth service will be added in November.
Passengers will travel on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in either its Signature, premium economy or economy classes.
Air Canada’s Australia general manager, Vic Naughton, says the new service “offers not just the only direct link to Canada but also one of the fastest ways for Australians to reach New York and the US east coast”.
He says a key reason is passengers transiting to the US can seamlessly pass through Vancouver International Airport’s US immigration and customs clearance facilities without collecting luggage.
Air Canada has daily non-stop services from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver, but the beauty of the Melbourne option is transferring from domestic to international in the one terminal.
It will also be quicker: total travel time from Melbourne is 20 hours and 50 minutes compared to 22 hours and 35 minutes from Sydney and 23 hours and 5 minutes from Brisbane.
The new service is timed to connect with domestic flights from Perth operated by codeshare partner Virgin Australia.
Top image: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver, Canada.
For more information, visit aircanada.com
Travel Story: Vancouver's Granville Island Markets: A tasty local favourite
12 Apr 2018 Gemma Nisbet
More and more, food is a driver for travel — and all the more so when it’s authentic. And though Granville Island is a major tourist draw in Vancouver, it remains a favourite with locals.
Travel Story: Walk on the wild side in the Canadian Rockies
26 Feb 2018 Gemma Nisbet
The reward for an early morning on the Lakeshore Trail is great views of beautiful Lake Louise in Banff National Park.
Travel Story: High times at Vancouver's Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
One of Vancouver’s longest-running and most popular attractions, the park attracts more than a million visitors each year — none of them, presumably, with a fear of heights.
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0010.json.gz/line1758914
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.