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__label__cc	0.699394	0.300606	Mark McCaffrey Climate Science Students Bill of Rights We at the Science League of America and our host institution, the National Center for Science Education, are proud to be among the founders of the Climate Science Students Bill of Rights, which states that: ALL STUDENTS, IN EVERY STATE, HAVE THE RIGHT TO: 1. Receive the highest quality science education as determined by educators, free from ideological or political interference. 2. Explore the causes and consequences of climate change. 3. Learn that meaningful solutions to slowing climate change exist. 4. Examine the data and evidence that leads to the established scientific consensus on climate change in a learning environment that encourages inquiry, questioning and understanding. 5. Understand how climate science informs social, political, and personal decision-making. Why do we and our collaborating organizations—Climate Parents, the Alliance for Climate Education, and the Union of Concerned Scientists—feel there is a need for such a declaration of rights for students to learn about climate change? Simply put, because vested interests are overtly and covertly conspiring to deny young people their right to know the basics about climate science. Despite the efforts of many great teachers and schools to teach climate and related energy issues and infuse them into the curriculum, far too often climate change is skipped, skimmed over, or framed as a scientific controversy when, in reality, the controversies surrounding climate change are not scientific, but ideological and political. Bills of rights have a long and noble history dating back to the Magna Carta in 1215. They enjoyed a burst of popularity in the Age of Enlightenment, with the United States Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the Constitution) perhaps being the most widely known. Today there are dozens, including bills of rights for such groups as patients, teachers, and consumers, as well as numerous human rights declarations, all designed to articulate the rights of people in the face of the wrongs they are enduring. In this history, there’s precedent for bills of rights for students—as early as 1765, Sir William Blackstone called on parents as part of their duty to their children to provide for their maintenance, protection, and education. And there’s precedent for bills of rights for those seeking scientific knowledge—article 27 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to access knowledge and science, and as Americans, we have through deligent efforts spanning the past century acquired legal rights to know about hazards in our food, water, air, and in our communities and workplaces. The Climate Science Students Bill of Rights brings both of these precedents together, in recognition of the fact that when it comes to climate change, we—especially young people who will bear the brunt of climate change—need both the conceptual and the practical knowledge to understand and address the causes, impacts, risks, and possible responses to the massive challenge of climate change. Today, due to neglect, avoidance, and deliberately manufactured doubt by special interests, this vital need to recognize the problem of climate change and learn about potential responses to it has not been met. Even where overt opposition to teaching climate change is absent, many teachers who want to teach about climate and energy topics lack the background or high-quality resources to teach it effectively. A survey in 2011 by Yale University found that fewer than one in five teens say they are “very well informed” about climate and energy issues, and more than two-thirds of students indicate they haven't learned a great deal about climate change in school. Too many students graduate from high school and even college without ever learning the basics of climate and energy, and how—through our energy choices—we can minimize climate impacts and prepare for changes that are already occurring. All students should learn about the essentials of climate and energy, but today, because climate change is rarely taught in a complete, integrated way, most of them have had to rely on bits of sometimes-contradictory information for their understanding of climate change. While the scientific consensus on the magnitude and urgency on climate change has emerged since most adults left high school, so most of us have received no formal instruction on climate. Article 6 of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed twenty years ago by most nations in the world including the United States, called for climate change education and ways to engage the public in developing solutions should be offered. But there have been many—too many—missed opportunities to do so over the past two decades. We can’t afford to let another generation remain ignorant. The good news is there is an emerging panoply of high-quality curricular resources, cutting-edge science standards, and opportunities for teacher professional development that can help revolutionize the teaching of climate and energy topics. The Next Generation Science Standards, which do include current climate science and are meant for all students, are a step in the right direction. But more can and should be done to infuse climate and energy education throughout the curriculum. The bad news is some students are being denied their inherent right to learn the essentials that will allow them to make informed decisions and pursue relevant career paths in the future. Yes, we need to educate ourselves—our colleagues, parents, friends, and classmates—and tell them what’s at stake. We need to push back on misinformation and denial, to speak up at school board and PTA meetings for climate change science and solutions to be an integral part of what the 56 million American students currently in grades K through 12 learn. And all 20 million students currently enrolled in post-secondary education should also master climate knowledge and know-how—both the science behind climate change and the ability to make informed climate and energy decisions in their lives and careers. Support our efforts to empower educators and learners so they can master the essential principles and fundamental concepts of climate and energy. Sign the Climate Science Students Bill of Rights to help us counter doubt and denial, and ensure that climate change is taught—and taught well. Cosmos Wars, Episode IV: No New Hope for Creationists Fungi and the Flood Where Do Creationists Come From? (-) Remove Old-earth creationism filter Old-earth creationism (-) Remove Young-earth creationism filter Young-earth creationism	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8118
__label__wiki	0.86557	0.86557	Home Entertainment Michelle Obama opens up about her miscarriage, going through IVF and Donald... Michelle Obama opens up about her miscarriage, going through IVF and Donald Trump in ABC News prime-time special for new memoir ‘Becoming’ Former first lady Michelle Obama said she felt “lost and alone” after suffering a miscarriage about 20 years ago, during an exclusive interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts. Interested in Michelle Obama? Add Michelle Obama as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Michelle Obama news, video, and analysis from ABC News. “I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were because we don’t talk about them,” Obama said. “We sit in our own pain, thinking that somehow we’re broken.” I think it’s important to talk to young mothers about the fact that miscarriages happen. She added, “That’s one of the reasons why I think it’s important to talk to young mothers about the fact that miscarriages happen.” Roberts’ candid conversation with Obama about her journey to motherhood and more from her memoir, “Becoming,” will air during a prime-time ABC News special, “Becoming Michelle: A First Lady’s Journey with Robin Roberts,” on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 9 p.m. ET. From miscarriage to motherhood Obama, who worked as a lawyer and hospital administrator before becoming first lady, told Roberts that it hit her at ages 34 and 35 that “the biological clock is real” and “egg production is limited.” She revealed to Roberts that she underwent in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in order to conceive her two daughters. “I realized that as I was 34 and 35,” said Obama, now the mother of 17-year-old Sasha and 20-year-old Malia. “We had to do IVF.” The former first lady, known for her advocacy for women and girls around the world, decided to get candid about her miscarriage and her journey to motherhood in “Becoming” to help other women. Chuck Kennedy for ABC Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks to ABC News’ Robin Roberts for a prime-time ABC special on her memoir, “Becoming.” “I think it’s the worst thing that we do to each other as women, not share the truth about our bodies and how they work,” Obama told Roberts. I know too many young couples who struggle and think that somehow there’s something wrong with them. The book, a raw and revealing account of her life, goes where few first lady’s autobiographies have gone. She divulges deeply personal moments and insights that shaped her life — from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her college years at Princeton, to her deep love affair with her husband, whom she met while she was his adviser at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP. Despite an immediate attraction, she insisted they should just be friends — but all that changed one summer night when he kissed her. “As soon as I allowed myself to feel anything for Barack,” she writes, “the feelings came rushing — a toppling blast of lust, gratitude, fulfillment, wonder.” Yet she is also candid about the bleaker periods of her marriage, revealing for the first time that the couple sought counseling when their relationship was under stress. “Marriage counseling for us was one of those ways where we learned how to talk out our differences,” she told Roberts. “I know too many young couples who struggle and think that somehow there’s something wrong with them. And I want them to know that Michelle and Barack Obama, who have a phenomenal marriage and who love each other, we work on our marriage. And we get help with our marriage when we need it.” “This was my pivot point,” she writes. “My moment of self-arrest.” On Donald Trump: ‘I’d never forgive him’ Once Barack announced his run for president in 2007, she threw herself into what would be a bruising campaign. She knew it would be hard, but she wasn’t prepared for critics who attacked her for being unpatriotic and called her an “angry black woman.” “I was female, black and strong, which to certain people … translated only to ‘angry.’ It was another damaging cliché, one that’s been forever used to sweep minority women to the perimeter of every room. … I was now starting to actually feel a bit angry, which then made me feel worse, as if I were fulfilling some prophecy laid out for me by the haters.” But what stung the most, she says, was the continuous, false allegations that her husband was a secret Muslim, born overseas. She writes in the memoir about how Donald Trump and other so-called birthers in 2011 began to openly question whether her husband was an American citizen, describing their actions as “crazy and mean-spirited … its underlying bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed. But it was also dangerous, deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks.” “What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? What if that person went looking for our girls? Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this, I’d never forgive him.” She recalls her reaction when she heard Trump’s “Access Hollywood” video where he brags about assaulting women, saying her “body buzzed with fury after hearing that tape.” She described how Trump seemed to “stalk” Hillary Clinton during an election debate, “trying to diminish her presence with his” and sending the message, “I can hurt you and get away with it.” SLIDESHOW: Michelle Obama through the years And when Trump was elected president, she says she was surprised that so many women would choose a “misogynist” over “an exceptionally qualified female candidate.” Obama says she is just beginning to process all that happened since her husband first began to talk about running for president a dozen years ago. Today, as she looks ahead to a new beginning, one thing seems clear: It’s unlikely that she will ever run for office. “If I’d learned anything from the ugliness of the campaign, from the myriad of ways people had sought to write me off as angry or unbecoming, it was that public judgment sweeps in to fill any void. … I knew that I would never allow myself to get that banged up again.” “I’ve never been a fan of politics, and my experience over the last 10 years has done little to change that. I continue to be put off by the nastiness.” Tune into the prime-time ABC exclusive special “Becoming Michelle: A First Lady’s Journey with Robin Roberts,” on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 9 p.m. ET. Book cover for Michelle Obama’s new memoir, “Becoming.” josh eliott primetime special sam champion Previous article‘This is not how I raised him,’ mother of mail bombing suspect Cesar Sayoc wrote in exclusive letter to ABC News Next articleAP NewsBreak: Michelle Obama rips Trump in new book Ahead of Pompeo trip, Trump threatens Central America with aid cuts over caravan Michael demolishes houses in Florida’s Panhandle, and more destruction is emerging Checking out the latest bicycle gadgets Video ‘Black-ish’ star Marcus Scribner is heading off to college and we feel old Video Once vowing not to record anymore, Elvis Costello is back	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8121
__label__wiki	0.844963	0.844963	Ontario Expands Newborn Screening Program Province Now Leads Canada in Newborn Screening with New Permanent Hearing Loss Risk Test July 3, 2019 11:00 A.M. OTTAWA — Genetic factors and infections are the leading causes of permanent hearing loss for newborns and young children. That's why the Ontario government is putting people and patients first by continuing to deliver on its promise to protect what matters most so that babies across the province can get earlier diagnosis and interventions to improve their health outcomes. Today, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, was joined by Todd Smith, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, and Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues, at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) to announce that the government is expanding Ontario's newborn screening program to include the permanent hearing loss risk test for earlier identification of babies at risk for hearing loss. "Ontario continues to be a leader in newborn screening and we are proud to be the first province in Canada to add the permanent hearing loss risk test for all newborns," said Elliott. "Some children are not born with permanent hearing loss but will develop it in early childhood. Adding this screen for common permanent hearing loss risk factors will enable earlier diagnosis and intervention and, in doing so, improve health outcomes for children across Ontario. Our government is protecting what matters most by ensuring that the smallest patients have access to the appropriate care and treatment at the right time." Newborn screening services are provided through Newborn Screening Ontario and completed by taking a blood sample through a heel prick from each baby between 24 to 48 hours after birth. The added screen for risk of permanent hearing loss will not require collecting additional blood. Ontario also provides universal newborn hearing screening for infants through the Infant Hearing Program. "We want to give the youngest Ontarians the best possible start in life" said Smith. "This collaboration between the Infant Hearing Program and Newborn Screening Ontario will place Ontario at the forefront of early detection and intervention for early childhood permanent hearing loss. We know that the sooner we can act, the better the outcomes will be for the smallest of patients and their families." "We know that undetected hearing loss can cause delays in a baby's ability to develop language and can lead to behavioural and emotional problems later in life," said Dunlop. "Identifying and responding to hearing concerns early leads to better outcomes and more efficient ways of providing services." Expected to be offered as of July 29, 2019, the new permanent hearing loss risk test will identify approximately 100 additional babies per year who are affected by, or at risk of, hearing loss. "Since CHEO was given responsibility for Newborn Screening Ontario in 2006, our dedicated and highly trained physicians and staff have screened almost 2 million babies to help them achieve their best life," said Alex Munter, President and Chief Executive Officer, CHEO. "We are pleased to add to that foundation to also support Ontario's Infant Hearing Program in strengthening hearing screening in our province." Newborn Screening Ontario coordinates a province-wide system that screens all newborns for a range of serious, treatable diseases and conditions, with over 145,000 screens annually. Since Newborn Screening Ontario was created in 2006, it has tested over 1.9 million newborns and identified over 2,500 babies who were subsequently diagnosed with diseases. The Ontario Infant Hearing Program identifies babies who may have or be at risk of developing hearing loss. Since 2001, almost 2.5 million babies have been screened across the province. Ontario’s Infant Hearing Program media.moh@ontario.ca Travis Kann Office of the Deputy Premier & Minister of Health travis.kann@ontario.ca Government Health and Wellness Download Text	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8122
__label__wiki	0.907169	0.907169	BP oil spill caused dolphins' lung disease, deaths: study Kerry Sheridan AFP May 21, 2015 Dolphins swimming in the oil-contaminated waters of the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 BP spill suffered unusual lung lesions and died at high rates because of petroleum pollution, US scientists said Dolphins swimming in the oil-contaminated waters of the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 BP spill suffered unusual lung lesions and died at high rates because of petroleum pollution, US scientists said (AFP Photo/Fethi Belaid) Miami (AFP) - Dolphins swimming in the oil-contaminated waters of the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 BP spill suffered unusual lung lesions and died at high rates because of petroleum pollution, US scientists said Wednesday. The report in the journal PLOS ONE presents the strongest evidence to date that the environmental disaster that was unleashed when the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20, 2010, pouring millions of barrels of oil into the sea, was the reason for an unusually high number of dead or dying bottlenose dolphins washing up on the shores of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Dolphins take big, deep breaths right at the surface of the water, where oil sheens are most concentrated, and "where there is a good chance of inhaling oil itself," said lead author Stephanie Venn-Watson, a veterinary epidemiologist at the National Marine Mammal Foundation. "Dolphins were negatively impacted by exposure to petroleum compounds following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and exposure to these compounds caused life threatening adrenal and lung disease that has contributed to increased dolphin deaths in the northern Gulf of Mexico." The oil spill was the worst in US history. The US government has estimated that about five million barrels gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, while BP’s experts suggested the amount was about three million barrels. A US judge ruled earlier this year that four million gallons were spilled, and ordered BP to pay fines on 3.19 million barrels, after accounting for oil collected following the explosion. - Unusual lesions - Unusual lesions in the lungs and adrenal glands, which regulate hormones and stress response, were a key sign that something was wrong with dolphins in the area of the spill, according to the research which compared autopsies of 46 dolphins that were stranded and died in the spill area from June 2010 to August 2012 to a comparison population of stranded dolphins off the Gulf coast of Florida. "We found that dolphins that died after the oil spill had distinct adrenal gland and lung lesions that were not present in the stranded dolphins from other areas," said Kathleen Colegrove, a veterinary pathologist at the University of Illinois. "These dolphins had some of the most severe lung lesions I have ever seen in wild dolphins from throughout the US." One in three of the stranded dolphins in the spill area had a thinned adrenal gland cortex, a rate that was significantly higher than the reference population of stranded dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, in which one in 10 had such a condition. "The thinning of the adrenal gland cortex was a very unusual abnormality for us, that has not been previously reported in dolphins in the literature," Colegrove told reporters during a conference call to discuss the findings, which are the latest in a series of research papers on dolphin health in the region after the spill. - Bacterial pneumonia - One in five of the oil spill dolphins had bacterial pneumonia, a serious lung disease that was severe enough to cause or contribute to the animals' deaths. By comparison, bacterial pneumonia was found in just one in 50 of the Florida dolphins to which the autopsies were compared. Studies in other animals have shown that inhaling oil can cause adrenal dysfunction, lung disease and bacterial pneumonia, which Venn-Watson described as "one of the most common outcomes of chemical inhalation injury in other animals." Scientists ruled out other diseases known to have killed dolphins in high numbers in the past, such as brucellosis and morbillivirus. They also ruled out cancers, autoimmune diseases, fungal infections and tuberculosis. "No feasible alternative causes remain that can reasonably explain the timing, location and nature of these distinct lesions," said Venn-Watson. A 2013 study on cetaceans in Louisiana's Barataria Bay, found that dolphins were missing teeth, had lung lesions and high prevalence of disease after the worst oil spill in US history. While researchers lacked a baseline study of dolphin health in Barataria Bay before the oil spill, they said the combination of live and dead dolphin analyses, including the latest study, have provided a strong body of evidence. "We feel that this study is a critical link in the chain," said Venn-Watson. More than 1,200 dolphins have washed up in area of the Gulf of Mexico affected by the spill since April 29, 2010. - BP disputes - In response to the study, BP took issue with the scientific findings. "This new paper fails to show that the illnesses observed in some dolphins were caused by exposure to Macondo oil," said Geoff Morell, BP senior vice president for US communications and external affairs. Morell also noted that more than 100 dolphins were stranded from February, two months prior to the spill, until April 20, 2010, according to figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "According to NOAA, the Gulf 'unusual mortality event' (UME) began in February 2010, months before the spill," he added. "Even though the UME may have overlapped in some areas with the oil spill, correlation is not evidence of causation." However, the advocacy group Oceana's vice president for the US, Jacquelyn Savitz, said the study "confirms yet again that the oil spill is linked to major impacts on marine animals in the Gulf, and that the oil was responsible for many of the record number of dolphin deaths." U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil, gas producers begin restarting after Barry A Pause For Thought FX Empire Flesh-eating bacteria: At least two dead and more injured in US as waters warm The Gulf of Mexico Is Becoming So Polluted by River Water That Dolphins Are Dying in Record Numbers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8124
__label__wiki	0.843996	0.843996	<< Back to Top Stories Saudi-led JV to build Bulgaria section of TurkStream 04 April 2019, Week 13, Issue 493 A Saudi-led JV offered the lowest bid in a tender to build a gas pipeline in Bulgaria that will be a spur of Russia’s TurkStream project. Saudi Arabia’s Arkad Engineering, in partnership with an Italy-based JV between Arkad and ABB, bid 1.1 billion euros (US$1.24 billion) to build the 474-km stretch of pipeline by the end of 2020. It also proposed an alternative option that would see it complete the job within eight months – by the end of 2019 – for 1.29 billion euros (US$1.45 billion). Negotiations between the preferred bidder and state-run Bulgartrangaz will proceed from here. The scope of the work has yet to be reported. The two other bids in the tender came from Hungary’s MOL and from a consortium comprising Italy’s Bonatti, Germany’s Max Streicher and a Luxembourg-based unit of Russia’s TMK. Bulgaria wants to create a regional gas hub at Varna near the Black Sea coast. Russia has built TurkStream across the Black Sea and overland across western Turkey to the Bulgarian border. From there, it wants to construct pipelines into Central and Southeast Europe in order to bypass Ukraine as a route for its gas and also to compete with the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). The SGC is due to start pumping gas from Azerbaijan to Europe in 2020. Russia opted for TurkStream in 2014 after the EU rejected its South Stream gas pipeline project because Moscow would not accept EU rules for third-party access. Russia is still insisting that Brussels provide it exemptions before it proceeds with construction, but EU officials have stated that the regulations will continue to apply. Russia has built two strings of the TurkStream system to Turkey, each with a capacity of 15.75 bcm per year. One string will supply Turkey with gas that has until now been routed through Ukraine. Meanwhile, Bulgartransgaz has received around 27 million euros (US$30 million) from the European Commission for the modernisation and expansion of the Bulgarian gas transmission system. The funding is to cover supply, construction and commissioning of two sections of pipeline in northern Bulgaria and also construction supervision activities. The rehabilitation of the pipelines is intended to ensure secure and reliable natural gas transmission in the region. Work will be carried out in Bulgaria’s northern semi-ring system covering a total length of around 81 km. One section connects PF Beglej-VA Dermantsi-VA Batultsi-VA Kalugerova, a distance of around 51 km. The other section runs between PF Valchi Dol-VA Preselka, and stretches around 23 km. In related news, the EC has announced funding of 33 million euros (US$37 million) for the construction of the 182-km Interconnector-Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) project. The pipeline will connect with the SGC and pave the way for Azeri gas to enter Bulgaria and be transmitted onwards to Greece.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8125
__label__wiki	0.619116	0.619116	Bush Signs $162 Billion War Bill President George W. Bush on Monday signed legislation to pay for the war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of his presidency and beyond, hailing the 162 billion dollar plan as a rare product of bipartisan cooperation. “This bill shows the American people that even in an election year, Republicans and Democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families,” Bush said at a White House ceremony. Bush made clear to thank members of both parties in Congress, singling out some sponsors of the long-delayed, compromise measure for praise. His positive comments contrasted with the confrontational tone that has dominated the debate between Congress and his administration over Iraq. The legislation will bring to more than 650 billion dollars the amount Congress has provided for the Iraq war since it began more than five years ago. For operations in Afghanistan, the total is nearly 200 billion dollars, according to congressional officials. “Our nation has no greater responsibility than supporting our men and women in uniform — especially since we’re at war,” Bush said. “This is a responsibility all of us in Washington share, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans.” The package approved by Congress includes a doubling of college benefits for troops and veterans. It also provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits, 2.7 billion dollars in emergency flood relief for the Midwest, and tens of billions of dollars for food aid, anti-drug enforcement, Louisiana levee repairs and many other items. The bill will fund the wars well into next year, when their fate will be in the hands of Bush’s successor. It also gives the next president several months to set Iraq policy after taking office in January — and spares lawmakers the need to cast more war funding votes closer to Nov. 4 Election Day. The Democratic majority in Congress has tried, unsuccessfully, to force troop withdrawals and other limits on Bush’s ability to conduct the war. Bush said the bill will allow troops to prevail in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I appreciate that Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed to provide these vital funds without tying the hands of our commanders and without an artificial timetable of withdrawal from Iraq,” Bush said, flanked by some of his top officials, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Many war opponents in Congress, in fact, have expressed frustration and a sense of resignation at having to yield to the late term lame duck president. No lawmakers attended the ceremony, White House press secretary Dana Perino said, because “they’re all out of town.” Congress is in recess. Read NewsOne, Blogger Casey Gane-McCalla’s, take on the 162 Billion Dollar War Bill Afghanistan , Iraq War	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8126
__label__wiki	0.700713	0.700713	Racism is a Major Factor in Unjust Convictions In the midst of being raped, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino told herself to pay attention to details that would allow her to identify her attacker. She was able to give police in North Carolina a description that led to a sketch of the suspect. Then she identified a man from photographs, picked him out of a lineup and told jurors she was certain he was the rapist. That man, Ronald Cotton, received a life sentence and spent more than 10 years in prison before DNA testing cleared him of the crime. Now victim and the innocent man she helped convict are writing a book together. Thompson-Cannino, who is white, had mistakenly picked out one black man; another was guilty of the crime. “Between the composite sketch and the photo identification, I had messed it up,” she said, recalling the 1984 rape and its aftermath. “By the time I got to the physical lineup, Ron Cotton had become my attacker and that was that.” And as she came to learn, she was not the only one to make a mistake so devastating that it deprived someone else of his freedom. Since 1991, 218 people have been exonerated through DNA testing, and in more than three-quarters of the cases, mistaken eyewitness identifications were crucial in the wrongful convictions, according to The Innocence Project, a legal group that has sought genetic testing and led the charge to free innocent inmates. Of those, nearly half, roughly seven dozen, involved a person of one race wrongly identifying someone of a different color. Even people with training in law enforcement confront the difficulty of accurate identifications. Boston Police Sgt. Gregory Gallagher, who is white, identified Stephan Cowans, who was black, as the man who shot him twice with Gallagher’s own police-issue gun in 1997. Several years later, testing on a sweat shirt, cap and glass that the suspect wore or touched ruled out Cowans as the shooter. His case was also plagued by misidentification of a fingerprint. Cowans was released from prison after serving 5 1/2 years. He was found shot to death in his home last year. The American Bar Association, meeting in New York, is considering whether to recommend that judges use their discretion to make juries aware of the problems that can plague cross-racial identifications. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Utah already employ such instructions in some cases. “The majority race is not as good at identifying minorities as it is its own race. This is hard-wired in some way that we don’t completely understand. But the phenomenon should be presented to the jury,” said Barry Scheck, co-founder of The Innocence Project. Prosecutors, however, do not want judges to raise the issue with juries. “This is not an appropriate area for judges to go into,” said Josh Marquis, district attorney in Astoria, Ore., and a member of the executive committee of the National District Attorneys Association. “Yes, eyewitness ID across races has its issues. But is there a rampant problem to the degree that we need to get judges to start telling juries this is the law? No.” Some criminal justice experts believe that mistakes are so pervasive that nothing short of wholesale reforms in identification procedures will fix the problem. This year, North Carolina became the first state to standardize identification procedures. That includes preventing the police officer who is investigating the crime from conducting photo identifications with witnesses and requiring that lineup photographs be shown one after another rather than in groups of six. New software that was on display at the ABA’s annual meeting allows witnesses to use police laptop computers to identify photos of suspects in programs that do not vary from investigator to investigator or witness to witness. The entire session is recorded and defense lawyers are able to obtain digital copies of the photos and the audio. Defense lawyers have complained in the past that authorities often do not turn over the photos used to identify suspects, leaving them no way to measure if the process was tainted. Thompson-Cannino was 22 when she was raped. She is now the mother of 18-year-old triplets in Winston-Salem, N.C. She was changing the sheets on their beds when she spoke to The Associated Press by telephone recently. Her experience has made her an advocate for criminal justice reform. She and Cotton, who also lives in North Carolina, are at work on a book called “Picking Cotton,” that is to be published next year. “It’s a memoir of our journey through the system, also of forgiveness and redemption,” she said. Police , Racism	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8127
__label__cc	0.608724	0.391276	squamous aspiration Constantly disappointing, and complaining, that’s me. Winter boredom is anathema to one such as myself. The cold and dark, the thirty five pounds of insulation, the constant flux between the dry and cold air of the out of doors contrasted with the high temperature and humidity found within. The constancy of a drippy nose. Bah. It’s always been a bit of a mystery to me why some feel the need to jack the heat up to the mid 80’s inside of structures, knowing full well that inhabitants and visitors will be wearing clothing appropriate for the out of doors. The worst culprit on this front seems to be the subway system, where you’ll step off of a station platform whose atmospheric temperature is commensurate with the freezing of water and suddenly find yourself in a hurtling metal box whose ambient air mass is heated to something approaching that of an afternoon in July. Add in the sniffling, coughing, and dripping orifices of the mob… Well, I’ve often opined that what this City needs is a good plague – and I’m fairly certain that one will eventually start on a Subway in Queens during middle January. Don’t touch that subway pole, if you can help it. Ultimately, one is awaiting a particularly personal moment which occurs every year, when a humble narrator’s boredom grows so intense that he has little choice but to brave the cold and head back outside. At this juncture, however, the moment hasn’t arrived, and one has been spending his time reading about the Second Empire period of French history, Otto Von Bismarck, and researching the chemicals which the seething cauldrons of industry produce that are classified as petroleum or coal distillates. One does a lot of reading during this time of the year. I’ve also read up a bit on Kazakhstan, the Crimean Tartars, and the Deccan Plain on the Indian subcontinent. Briefly, I also looked into the Chicago stock yards and the post civil war meat packing industry as well as the suffragettes of 19th century Brooklyn Heights. I continue to study the rise and fall of the Roman Catholic empire in New York City, which is fascinating. Also reiterated will be the fact that if you enjoy gelatin based desserts – never, ever, inquire too deeply as to what gelatin actually is nor how it is produced for you will never, ever, eat it afterwards. Jello brand gelatin was invented by Peter Cooper in a glue factory on Newtown Creek in the 19th century, which is all you really need to know about it. Isenglass is also soul chilling. Sexy stuff, I know, but the so called “fin de siècle” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries are when the foundations of our modern civilization were laid down and it remains a certain benchmark from a cultural point of view. Labor unions, representative government (both socialist and capitalist), industrial warfare – all of it was imagined up back then. It’s also when the environment surrounding us began to die off due to anthropogenic reasons. The dominoes were lined up, quite unconsciously, back then for the end of our world. “Fin de siècle” is a French expression which gained popularity in the first decade of the 20th century, a part of the run up to the Great War, which indicated that the “end of the cycle” or “end of an age” was apparent. It’s part of a phenomena known as millennial fatalism, wherein a culture believes that the “end of the world” nears. It’s difficult to not think that our culture may have reached its breaking point, given what we see on the nightly news. The fatalism and general horror which the various news organizations pump into our heads is, of course, not accidental. Don’t forget that most of the news gathering and dissemination companies are owned and operated by defense contractors. I’ve always been an optimist, however. What other choice have you got, ultimately? Winter will come and go, and then… flowers and puppies. That’s the way that the wheel of the year spins, after all. Posted in Long Island City, Manhattan, Photowalks, Pickman, Queens, Staten Island Tagged with Manhattan, New York City, photowalk, Pickman, queens, Staten Island « measures appropriate unsupervised circuit » Submitted for your consideration some thoughts on this, your latest missive: ““Fin de siècle” is a French expression which gained popularity in the first decade of the 20th century, a part of the run up to the Great War, which indicated that the “end of the cycle” or “end of an age” was apparent. It’s part of a phenomena known as millennial fatalism, wherein a culture believes that the “end of the world” nears.” There are two aspects of human nature I have always found fascinating: One is our ability to blithely ignore all warnings and misgivings to pursue a course directly into disaster. Not only do we deride and ignore Cassandra but would just about note to ourselves “plan and options considered, this will be catastrophic and epically stupid to pursue aaaaaannnnnnnnd went ahead and did it anyway.” Afterwards, in shock, we say we never saw that comming and explain it all away with a shrug of “fin de siècle”. Uh….shit happens….I guess. The other, a recent late twentieth century innovation that the latest modern generation of Man is really so much smarter than all the previous generations put together. We smugly look back on the past, nitpicking and often amplifying every flaw great or trivial. Scouring the historical record in search of every last mistake not to learn anything from, oh no, but to repeatedly flay those who lived before for being such terrible people such that modern historians resemble little more than tawdry corpse botherers. We don’t look to the past for guidance into the future but rather as a rhetorical platform for our own narcissism and hubris. See how much better we,/i> are than those people! What have we really done that is so great? What new technologies or invention have we created in the last twenty years that wasn’t a derivative of earlier technologies? If only the Monday morning quaterback was as good as the player who was actually on the field. “Labor unions, representative government (both socialist and capitalist), industrial warfare – all of it was imagined up back then.” Both socialist AND capitalist! We have every kind of music here- country AND western! Fabian Socialism and Less Fabian Socialism. Yeah….ok. “It’s also when the environment surrounding us began to die off due to anthropogenic reasons.” Riiiiiiight! Hey just because our planet has survived during its 4 billion or so years of existence has gone through four different atmospheres, five major extinction level events (the worst being the Permian-Triassic 252 mya which might have killed off over 50% of all life on Earth and we whine about causing the extinction of a snail) Siberian and your aforementioned Deccan lava traps, supervolcanic eruptions and large asteroids slamming into the side of the planet doesn’t mean it can’t be done. So along comes a hairless ape about 100,000 years ago with styrofoam cups, adds 3% more per year to a 0.04% atmospheric trace gas (allegedly up to 25% more to go from 0.03% 0.04% in the last 150 years-ooooohh big numbers ya got there, slugger) , emits methane- that unnatural gas that nature could never make and lets petrochemicals seep into the water (its not like petroleum and methane doesn’t seep into the environment naturally, naw, that never happens) and it’s game over, man, game over! Who knew it would be so simple and take so little? ” Don’t forget that most of the news gathering and dissemination companies are owned and operated by defense contractor. “ Ah, yes, of course. That threadbare cliche was old the last time the Jets won the Superbowl and you know you’re getting old when you can’t make up new cliches. Try instead that serviceable old fiend “Demon Rum” a corking good chap of both of our acquaintance. It’s so old and hasn’t been used for so long as to have a musty, vintage coolness to it that hipsters would love and the chicks would dig it having been born of that totes girl power suffragette movement. And who doesn’t love a woman in a corset? Prodesse Cum superiorum privilegio veniaque Don Cavaioli At least we haven’t had a blizzard so far. georgetheatheist . . . Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8129
__label__cc	0.69849	0.30151	Premiere: Spies adjust to change in ‘Watchman’ The band’s new album Constancy is due for release on November 23rd. Premiere: Zaska takes his mum to Tayto Park in video for ‘Cannot Will Not’ Published on 15 November 2018, 15:04 Europe/Dublin Ruth Cronin New Irish Music, Spies are a Dublin based five-piece that have been teasing us with tasters of their upcoming album Constancy for some time now. Earlier this year they told us that during their 2-year hiatus period they evolved their sound by introducing synths and drum machines into the writing process. The fruits of this experimentation can be heard clearly in their new single ‘Watchman‘. Trapped high-hats and textured synth lines blend together to form a sound that is distinctly electro-infused yet retains some of the indie-rock elements that we first heard from Spies on their older material. Namely in the guitar riffs and rousing vocal lines. Lead singer Michael Broderick said of the song: “’Watchman’ is about someone close moving away. A lot of the songs on the record deal with various emotions tied to this theme and out of all of them Watchman is probably the darkest. It deals with the anger and resentment that can often surround losing someone this way.” Check out the documentary about the making of Constancy here: Spies play The Button Factory on December 14th. Tickets at €15+ here.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8132
__label__cc	0.59947	0.40053	← On the second anniversary… Spike Japan? → The BBC’s Mariko Oi on History Education in Japan Posted on March 14, 2013 by defenderland Going to the BBC to read about the new pope, oh wait, what’s that over on the side there? Oh man, here we go again. Selective memory: Why do Japanese children learn almost nothing about the war? Also titled: What Japanese history lessons leave out The article is here, but I’m not going to go into it deeply. I will say that I am unsurprised that she uses the “Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform” as a veritable straw man to represent not just people who want more nationalistic textbooks but all of Japan. She even openly puts him and Prime Minister Abe together with the line, “He, like Fujioka, wants to change how history is taught in Japan…” All this despite the fact that the Society’s own textbook (which by all accounts seems way more balanced than any history text I ever had in middle or even high school) is in only a couple of schools, available to a mere 1300 middle school students (or 0.03% of the country’s middle school students). But if you are interested in a more detailed analysis comparing Japanese history textbooks with those used in the US, China, and South Korea I can recommend this article by a professor at Stanford. Rather, I wish to merely point out that the author of the BBC piece, Mariko Oi really has no idea as to “What Japanese history lessons leave out.” The whole first part of the article is her relating how little WWII history she received at her school in Japan: From Homo erectus to the present day – 300,000 years of history in just one year of lessons. That is how, at the age of 14, I first learned of Japan’s relations with the outside world. For three hours a week – 105 hours over the year – we edged towards the 20th Century. I also remember wondering why we couldn’t go straight to that period if it was so important, instead of wasting time on the Pleistocene epoch. When we did finally get there, it turned out only 19 of the book’s 357 pages dealt with events between 1931 and 1945. First of all, 19 of 357 pages seems fine to me for a book that is apparently covering millions of years of history. Second, it is important for anyone interested in this topic to understand a point that is barely mentioned in the article: students must pass exams in order to attend high school; compulsory education ends after middle school. Therefore school textbooks here tend to be dry, stick to the facts, and cover all areas that might come up on the exams. If a middle school history class spent too much time focusing just on WWII its students would probably fair worse on their entrance exams since they wouldn’t have sufficient knowledge about things like the Pleistocene epoch. But what school was that again that Mariko Oi attended? When I returned recently to my old school, Sacred Heart in Tokyo… Oh right, a private Catholic school. So not really part and parcel of the normal Japanese education system then. But it gets even better: My friends had a chance to choose world history as a subject in Year 11. But by that stage I had left the Japanese schooling system, and was living in Australia. So she was already on the outskirts of the Japanese education system, and then she left it entirely by high school. How can this person possibly be used as an example of what Japanese children do or do not learn in school? This entry was posted in Internet commentary. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Response to The BBC’s Mariko Oi on History Education in Japan kujirakira says: It’s a pity the article itself doesn’t allow for comments. It should be titled the “What The Western Media Leaves Out” It strikes me that there are 3 issues which make it very easy for the Western media to misrepresent this issue for their benefit. 1. The (predominantly unused) textbook, as you referenced. Last I checked, half the schools that did use it were for the mentally disabled; for which it seems logical that they may not need to have all the gritty details presented to them. The rest were a handful (literally) of private schools. 2. The Nanjing massacre. I see the article makes a big deal over Japanese historians’ (factual) statements that all the photos used by China at the memorial are fakes. This is actually proven to be the case. Many of the photos were taken by Japanese news agencies at entirely different locations and had nothing to do with Nanjing. Some of them depicted Chinese-on-Chinese massacres (it’s interesting how the Western Media is willing to downplay the violence of Communism when it suits their needs). Some of them were known to be staged (such as the baby in front of a destroyed train station — the baby was the photographers, which he put there to add drama) But every.single.one.of.them can be documented to a publication predating Nanjing itself. That’s not to say the massacre didn’t happen. In fact, that’s entirely my point. The Western Media wants to take these (factual) statements and try to paint anyone who demonstrates these facts to be the equivalent of a “Holocaust Denier”. Rather, they should maybe do some research and fact-checking themselves to discover such things. It’s amazing to me how the Western Media will treat anything coming from China and Russia about themselves as propaganda nonsense — of course, often it is — but when it comes to China and Russia badmouthing say… Japan… they take it at face value. These 2 countries are infamous for their rewriting of History… and a lot of the information about Nanjing follows that pattern. First it was 60,000… then it was 200,000 (an unbelievable figure on its own but nonetheless cited at the Tribunal) … and now it’s climbed to 300,000. What will it be 50 years from now? 1,000,000 ? I’m just waiting for China to blame Japan for the 45million caused by Mao’s reforms — and for Western Media to actually buy it. On the whole, the massacre of Nanjing is more akin to the Bombing of Dresden. Which oddly gets little more than a footnote in US textbooks either. But what I find more disturbing is that, because the Massacre has taken on this life as evil Japanese wantonly raping and murdering people for no reason… the causes of the Nanjing Massacre aren’t discussed. And we see the same pattern of mistakes and Massacres repeated. Haditha is the most recent example. But it was also common in Vietnam. If the issue was discussed and taught to Military Commanders, perhaps we’d be able to avoid making this mistake ourselves. But instead, I guess it’s easier to just demonize our past enemies and learn nothing. 3. The phoniness of the Tokyo War Crime Tribunals. It’s easy to throw terms like “Class A War Criminal” around, but if you actually look up what that means — it would include many US Presidents; including the 2 most recent ones. If you further use the specious logic that resulted in convicting such people as Hirota, Togo, and Shiramitsu — all 3 bureaucrats who worked very hard avoid war and were subsequently pushed out of government by Imperial Army — only to return in 1944-1945 when they immediately resumed suing for peace and working to bring an end to the war. I can’t fathom in any way how these 3 high-profile bureaucrats were War Criminals. The only connection is that they were in office at the time war was declared; despite their best efforts. If being in office is all the criterion which is required, one could argue that the entirety of US Congress is guilty of War Crimes (and some of them should be executed as Hirota was). That’s just insanity. Even on the military aspect, a General such as Yamashita was executed for the Manila massacre, which was perpetrated by somebody else not under his command in any sense. Yet the perpetrator, Admiral Iwabuchi, had already died. And yet the Tribunal wanted a fall man to execute. Even though Yamashita took every step imaginable to avoid a massacre with the soldiers he did command, he was executed nonetheless. If we applied this standard to current affairs, we’d have to convict General Sanchez as a “Class B War Criminal” for Abu Ghraib and a “Class C War Criminal” for the use of white phosphorous. We would have to execute General Casey for the Haditha Massacre, execute General Sanchez for the Mukaradeeb Massacre, execute General McChrystal for the Maywand Massacre, and execute General Allen for the Kandahar Massacre as per the “Yamashita Standard”. This is all without even entering into the discussion of how Unrestricted Submarine Warfare, Firbombing Civilians, and Nuking Civilians would be classified under an objective War Crimes Tribunal (rather than a kangaroo court setup to dispense victors’ justice). The Dutch Justice at the War Crimes Tribunal said it best… “in Japan we were all aware of the bombings and the burnings of Tokyo and Yokohama and other big cities. It was horrible that we went there for the purpose of vindicating the laws of war, and yet saw every day how the Allies had violated them dreadfully”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8133
__label__cc	0.559734	0.440266	Elevated blood lead levels among unskilled construction workers in Jimma, Ethiopia Higemengist A Gebrie1, Dejene A Tessema1Email author and Argaw Ambelu2 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology20149:12 © Gebrie et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014 Received: 20 September 2012 Accepted: 10 March 2014 No study has been carried out to assess the blood lead levels of workers or the contribution of common workplace practices to lead exposure in Ethiopia. This study was carried out to assess the blood lead levels of female and male laborers in the construction sector in Jimma town, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study on the blood lead levels of 45 construction workers was carried out in the town of Jimma. The t-test, analysis of variance, the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann–Whitney and odds ratio tests were used to compare mean blood lead levels and to investigate the associations between specific job type, use of self-protection device, sex, service years and occurrence of non-specific symptoms with BLLs. The mean blood lead level of the exposed group (40.03 ± 10.41 μg/dL) was found to be significantly greater than that of the unexposed group (29.81 ± 10.21 μg/dL), p = 0.05. Among the exposed group female workers were found to have higher mean blood lead level (42.04 ± 4.11 μg/dL) than their male colleagues (33.99 ± 3.28 μg/dL). Laborers who were regularly using self-protection devices were found to have significantly lower blood lead levels than those who were not using. The blood lead levels of construction workers in Jimma town are considerably high with a range of 20.46 – 70.46 μg/dL and the workers are in danger of imminent lead toxicity. More endangered are female construction workers who are bearers of the future children of the country and the issue requires urgent attention. Non-specific symptoms Self-protection device Lead is a cumulative and persistent toxic substance that poses a serious health risk to humans. In the general population, lead exposure arises from food, drinking water, occupation, hobbies or, to a lesser degree, atmospheric lead contamination [1]. Several investigators have also observed that lifestyles such as smoking cigarettes and alcohol contribute to lead uptake in humans [2–6]. Lead intoxication is dangerous to all people in all sectors but children are more vulnerable due to their lifestyle, rapid growth and still developing systems. Urban children in developing countries are known to be most at risk of lead intoxication and it was estimated in 1994 that over 80% of those between three and five years of age and 100% under two had average blood lead levels (BLLs) exceeding the threshold of 10 mg/dL set by the United States Centre for Disease Control (US-CDC) [3, 5]. Children intoxicated with lead are more likely to have birth defects, mental retardation, or behavioural disorders or to die during the first year of childhood [7]. Once in the body, lead circulates in the blood; while most is excreted, some can remain in the tissues, organs and bones. From the skeleton as a primary storage site, lead gradually reenters the circulation through bone resorption [8]. In pregnant women, lead sequestered in the bone from past exposure or that accumulated in the body from recent exposure can be carried to the unborn baby by mobilization via the placenta. As a result, exposure to lead for women of childbearing age can have adverse effects on their offspring, should they become pregnant [6]. Exposure to lead is characterized by subtle, non-specific symptoms that frequently contribute to misdiagnosis of lead poisoning and the onset of symptoms depend on whether the intoxication was acute or chronic. Signs of chronic lead poisoning include weakness, excessive tiredness, irritability, constipation, anorexia, abdominal discomfort (colic), fine tremors and ‘wrist drop’. Overexposure to lead may also result in damage to the kidneys, anaemia, high blood pressure, impotence, infertility, and reduced sex drive in both sexes [9]. Although the WHO and CDC defined BLLs of 25 μg/dL as toxic in 1991, the scientific consensus is that there is no exposure level below which lead appears to be safe and action is being taken to reduce the international accepted levels of action [10, 11]. Estimates published recently suggest that the theoretical minimum risk may occur at blood lead concentrations as low as 0 – 1 μg/dL [12]. Believing that some of the effects of lead, particularly changes in the levels of certain blood enzymes and in aspects of children’s neurobehavioral development, may occur at blood levels so low as to be essentially without a threshold, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), declined to specify a level of exposure not likely to lead to adverse effects for lead [9]. For lead, therefore, any exposure is of potential concern. Lead poisoning has been identified as an occupational hazard from ancient times. A wide variety of industrial populations such as: people who work in lead smelting and refining industries and those who deal with lead during the manufacturing process, construction workers and people who work in pottery and ceramic industries could all be exposed to high lead levels [13]. In Ethiopia the construction sector is currently employing a huge number of unskilled general labourers, both men and women. Due to the better pay that the construction sector offers, many women who were working as maids in private homes and those who were jobless are joining the sector. They are employed mostly as unskilled labourers and are involved in jobs such as: demolishing, manual scraping, concreting, plastering, painting, etc. Most of these laborers eat their lunch at the work place sitting at any corner in the site under dusty conditions. They have no access to wash their hands before they eat. As lead is most commonly absorbed into the body by inhalation, the workers can absorb lead dust produced when metal is cut or when lead paint is windblown during demolition of old houses that existed on the construction sites or, from the fumes resulting from manual spray painting of metallic doors [14]. Moreover, lead dust can settle on the hands and clothes of the workers when they handle lead containing activities. They can then ingest the lead that has settled on their hands and/or on their food when they eat, drink or smoke without washing their hands. So, really at issue is that they are not aware of the potential dangers and have not had Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training and even if they did, there is little beyond using face masks, which they could do to protect themselves and their families. As a result, the level of lead in construction workers in general can be greater than that of the general population and the level in females may also be greater than the maximum tolerable limit in women of child bearing age. In Ethiopia, no investigation has been carried out on the occupational lead exposure of workers except the cross-sectional study carried out in Addis Ababa on workers in lead acid battery repair units of transport service enterprises, and the study carried out in Jimma on the BLL of auto-garage workers [15, 2]. In addition to this, there are no statistical data that show the number of workers at risk due to lead exposure. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to determine the BLLs of unskilled male and female labourers working in the construction sector in Jimma town and compare their relative workplace exposure to lead. However, since the BLL of the general population is not monitored in Ethiopia, reference ranges of BLLs that can be used by researchers or physicians to determine whether an individual has been exposed to higher levels than are found in the general population are not established. As a result individuals who were not working in the construction sector were included in this study to find out whether the BLLs and associated non-specific symptoms in the construction workers were significantly different from those of the general population. Study area and sample selection Jimma is a small town in South West Ethiopia. There are no major industrial sources of lead emission in the town. There are however, several small scale metal workshops, auto-garages and lead acid battery repair units of transport service enterprises and nearly all are located in the center of the town. The central bus station of the town is also found in the town center and emissions from car fuel exhaust and from other industrial activities are high in this part of the town. Residents of this part of the town are expected to be exposed to ‘high’ amount of atmospheric lead relative to residents living in areas ‘far’ from the center. The current growth in the construction sector in the town has attracted many jobless young male and female residents of the town or from the surrounding rural areas. Three construction sites with relatively large number of workers (50 – 75) were purposively selected for the current study. About two thirds of the laborers in the selected construction sites were females. With the permission of the respective site managers, the workers were approached and requested to participate in the study on a voluntary basis after the purpose of the study was clearly explained to them. Finally, 35 female and 10 male workers (occupationally exposed) were found to fulfill the inclusion criteria (a duration of at least 6 months on the job and, residential place ‘far’ , at least 3 kms, from the town center) and all agreed and participated in the study voluntarily. Oral and written consent was obtained from each participant. Thirty female and fifteen male boarding students of Jimma University who had apparently no history of lead exposure, were non-smokers, non-alcoholics and supposed to be unexposed, were selected from among those who stayed in the University for at least 6 months and asked to participate in the study. Five of the female students and four of the male refused to donate blood samples while twenty five females and eleven males expressed their willingness and donated blood samples. This group served as the control group. The dormitories of the selected students were located about 5 kms North-East of the town center. The study was conducted after obtaining ethical approval from the Ethical and Research Committee of the College of Public Health and Medical Sciences at Jimma University. Reagents and chemicals Analytical standard solutions of lead (Spectro ECON) were prepared by serially diluting a 1000 mg/L stock calibration standard solution. Reagents used included trichloroacetic acid (5%; TCA) and perchloric acid (extra pure, Riedel-de Haen, Germany), K2EDTA and ammonium pyrollidine dithiocarbamates (APDC; Merck (Darmstadt), calcium chloride and methyl iso-butyl ketone (MIBK; Sigma Chemical Co). Blood sample collection and analysis A venous blood sample (about 5 mL) was collected from each study unit by qualified medical laboratory professionals into a labeled heparinized blood collection vacutainer tubes containing 7.2 mg of K2EDTA. Separate sterilized needle and glove was used for each individual. The samples were homogenized by hand shaking and 2 mL from each sample was transferred into separate pyrex test tubes. To this, 4.0 mL of 5% TCA was added to make the Blood:TCA volume ratio 2:1. To this mixture, 1.3 mL of 2 M perchloric acid, 0.8 mL of APDC- surfactant solution, 50 μL 1.5 M CaCl2, and 2.0 mL water saturated MIBK were added successively and shaken for about 20 seconds. The resulting mixtures were centrifuged for 10 minutes at 2000 rpm using PLC-02 Gemmy, Taiwan, centrifuge. The Pb-APDC solution was analyzed in MIBK within 2 hours of extraction. All used needles and gloves were packed in appropriately labelled disposable bags and disposed into the Jimma University Specialized Hospital waste disposal unit. The concentration of lead in the blood samples was determined by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (NovAA 300) at 283.3 nm after optimizing the various analytical parameters. Blood from each study unit was measured in triplicate and averages of triplicate measurements were taken for each experimental unit participant’s sample. Instrument drift was controlled by running standards after the successive analysis of 10 samples. Quantification of lead in blood was done with the use of a standard curve (0–2 ppm) prepared from a commercial lead standard. For quality assurance, due to unavailability of Standard Reference Material (SRM) in our laboratory, validation of the analytical protocol was done by the standard addition method of the metal. Percentage recoveries determined from blood samples fortified with 10 μg of lead per 4.0 mL of blood sample averaged 94.6%. However, no correction for recoveries was performed on the data. The limit of detection for lead was determined from the concentration equivalent of three times the standard deviation of 7 determinations at 0.05 ppm lead. Uniformity of variance was tested by carrying out 7 additional determinations at 0.1 ppm lead solution. The limit of detection determined from the pooled standard deviation was found to be 0.054 mg/L. In addition to blood lead concentration analysis, standardized questionnaires, designed to yield the required information from each participant, consisting of 35 questions for the exposed and 29 for the unexposed were completed during face-to-face interviews privately. Both groups answered the same 29 questions regarding demographic data, socioeconomic status, habits, perceived health, and non-specific symptoms related to elevated BLL. The remaining 6 questions were specific to the exposed group. The questionnaires were prepared in English but translated into the local language for those who did not understand English. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 16.0. Statistical analysis of BLLs and other data obtained through questionnaire was carried out by categorizing the exposed and/or unexposed groups by sex, specific job type, occurrence of non-specific symptoms, alcohol consumption habit and service year. Descriptive statistics was used to cross tabulate factors by study groups. The parametric independent t-test, was used for the comparison of mean BLLs of exposed and unexposed cohorts. Comparisons of skewed categorical data were performed by using the non-parametric Kruskal Wallis and Mann–Whitney U-tests. The Fisher’s Exact Ratio test was used to evaluate the occurrence of non-specific symptoms among the individuals in the exposed group relative to those of unexposed group. The chi-square was used to test the dependence of BLL on service year. Characteristics of study units A total of 45 occupationally exposed (35 females and 10 males) construction workers and 36 unexposed (25 females and 11 males) individuals participated in the study. The ages of the occupationally exposed group ranged between 18 and 45 years while that of the unexposed group ranged between 18 and 30 years. According to the Mann–Whitney U-test (two tailed, p = 0.05) the ages of the two groups did not differ significantly. All the construction workers stay at work for 8 – 10 hours per day for six days in a week. Results of the blood lead concentration analysis are given in Figure 1. According to the t-test, the mean BLL of the exposed cohort, 40.03 μg/dL (95% CI: 36.9 – 43.16, median: 38.89 μg/dL; range: 20.46 – 70.46 μg/dL) was significantly greater than that of the unexposed cohort, 29.82 μg/dL (95% CI: 26.36 – 33.28, median: 30.26 μg/dL; range: 12.43 – 46.65 μg/dL) (p < 0.05). Mean BLLs of the construction workers and non-construction workers. M (male), F (female), CW (construction workers), Cont (controls), Tot (total). The mean BLLs of the females and males in each of the two cohorts was also calculated and, that of female workers in the exposed group (42.04 ± 4.11 μg/dL, range: 21.64 – 58.76 μg/dL), was found to be higher than that of their male colleagues (33.99 ± 3.28 μg/dL, range: 20.46 – 38.12 μg/dL), female members of the unexposed group (27.28 ± 2.76 μg/dL, range: 12.43 – 46.65 μg/dL), and male members of the unexposed group (35.35 ± 4.48 μg/dL, range: 12.78 – 45.84 μg/dL). According to the Kruskal-Wallis test the BLLs of the four groups were found to be significantly different at p = 0.05. The Mann–Whitney U-test performed between pairs of groups has also shown that the BLL of the female workers in the exposed group was significantly greater than that of each of the other groups (p < 0.05). On the other hand, in the unexposed cohort the mean BLL of males was significantly higher than that of the females (p < 0.05). The BLLs in the exposed and unexposed cohorts were categorized into different arbitrary ranges and the number of individuals with BLLs in each of the ranges in the two cohorts was calculated and the results are given in Table 1. The BLLs of all individuals in the exposed workers were greater than 20.46 μg/dL, while 22% of the unexposed group had BLLs of between 10 and 20 μg/dL. The remaining 77.78% of the unexposed group had BLLs in the range 20–50 μg/dL and none of them had a BLL above 50 μg/dL. On the other hand, 26.67% of the exposed group had BLL above 50 μg/dL. One person among the exposed group had higher BLL, 70.46 μg/dL, and specific reasons for the relatively higher BLL of the person were not clear. Number of the exposed and unexposed individuals with BLLs in different concentration ranges № and% of individuals in the exposed group № and% of individuals in the unexposed group BLL range (μg/dL) n (nM, nF) % T (% M, % F) 8 (1, 7) 22 (2.8, 19) 13 (7, 6) 28.89 (15.6, 13)* 15 (4, 11) 41.67 (11, 30.6) 26.7 (4.5, 22) 16.67 (2.8, 13.9) 15.6 (0, 15.6) 13.89 (11, 2.8) 11(0, 11) 5.56 (2.8, 2.8) 8.9 (0, 8.9) n = total number of individuals, nM = number of males, and nF = number of females. % T = % of both males and females, % M = % of males, % F = % of females. Values in bracket indicate the percent share of males and females respectively. Among members of the exposed group, all males had BLLs in the range of 20 and 40 μg/dL and all the higher BLLs were recorded for female members except one, 70.46 μg/dL, that corresponds to male member of the exposed group. In the unexposed group the lower BLL ranges are dominated by females while the higher ranges, specifically 40 – 45 μg/dL, was dominated by males. BLL and age relationship The regression of age on BLL was calculated for both the exposed and unexposed cohorts and the results obtained are depicted in Figure 2. As can be seen clearly from the figure, age and BLL are not correlated in the exposed group while a positive correlation with R2 value of 0.413 was obtained for the unexposed group. Age versus BLL of construction workers (a) and non-construction workers (b). The mean BLLs of the workers in different age categories were calculated and the results are shown in Table 2. As it is indicated in the table, the majority of the workers from both sexes were between 18 – 25 years and the mean BLL of this age group was observed to be lower than that of the higher age groups. The difference however, was not statistically significant. The majority of female members of the exposed group (about 75%) were in the most fertile life stage (18 – 35 years). According to the Mann–Whitney U-test the observed difference in the mean BLLs of these members of female workers (41 μg/dL) and that of the older female members (45 μg/dL) were not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Mean BLL and number of the exposed individuals in different age group Number (%) of workers Mean BLL (Mean ± SD) μg/dL) 17 (48.6)a 6 (60)b 23 (51.1)c 29.3 ± 7.1 4 (11.4)a 5 (11.1)c 4 (8.9)c apercent from female workers, bpercent from male workers, cpercent from total workers. only one person. BLL and specific job type The mean BLLs of the exposed workers involved in different job categories were calculated and the results are given in Table 3. The workers involved in painting had a higher mean BLL (44.55 ± 9.47 μg/dL) than those of the concrete mixers and/or stone carriers (36.65 ± 8.48 μg/dL), and plasterers (39.74 ± 11.79 μg/dL). According to the Kruskal-Wallis test however, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The mean, maximum and minimum BLLs of the construction workers involved in different job categories Labor of division BLL (μg/dL) Mean ± SD 44.55 ± 9.47 Stone carriers/concrete mixers 39.76 ± 11.79 Use of SPD and alcohol drinking habit The number of workers who reported to consume alcohol was only 20% of each of the male and female workers and all of them expressed that they consume alcohol at least four days in a week. The correlation between BLL and the use of SPD and/or alcohol consumption was evaluated from the data collected through questionnaire and the results are depicted in Figure 3. BLLs of groups with different behaviors of using SPD and drinking alcohol. SPD ‘yes’ Alc. ‘no’ = workers using SPD and do not drink alcohol regularly; SPD ‘no’ Alc. ‘no’ = workers who do not use SPD nor drink alcohol regularly; SPD ‘no’ Alc. ‘yes’ = workers who do not use SPD and drink alcohol regularly. As can be seen from the bar graph the mean BLL of members of the exposed group who were using SPD while at work and who were not alcohol consumers, was 29.66 ± 6.15 μg/dL (males 25.99 ± 5.95 μg/dL, n = 4, females 31.76 ± 6.51 μg/dL, n = 7). On the other hand, the mean BLL of the members who were not using SPD while at work and were not alcohol consumers was 41.33 ± 9.36 μg/dL (males 40.59 ± 17.13 μg/dL, n = 5; females 42.74 ± 7.07 μg/dL, n = 21); and that of members who were not using SPD and were alcohol consumers was 47.67 ± 8.26 μg/dL (males 36.66 μg/dL (n = 1), females 49.51 ± 7.32 μg/dL, n = 6). According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, the observed difference between the BLLs of the three groups was significant (p < 0.05). BLL and service year The proportion of individuals with BLLs between 20 to 30, 30 to 40 and or above 40 μg/dL among the construction workers with service years between 0.5 – 1, 1 – 3 and 3 – 10 years are depicted in Figure 4. The figure clearly shows a steady increase in the proportion of individuals with higher BLLs with an increase in service years. Among the workers in the 0.5 – 1 service year group, the relative number of individuals with BLLs between 20 – 30 μg/dL (37%) was greater than that of individuals with BLLs ranging 30 – 40 (32%) and above 40 μg/dL (31%). Proportion of individuals with BLLs between 20–30 μg/dL, 30–40 μg/dL and above 40 μg/dL among the construction workers with service years between 0.5 – 1 year, 1 – 3 years and 3 – 10 years. According to the chi-square test the observed difference was not, however, significant at p = 0.01. On the contrary, the relative number of individuals with BLLs ranging 20 – 30 μg/dL in the 1 – 3 service year group was lower than that of individuals with BLLs between 30 – 40 or greater than 40 μg/dL. Among the workers in the 3 – 10 service year group no worker had a BLL in the 20 – 30 μg/dL range. In the 1 – 3 service year group 39 and 44% of individuals were found to have BLLs between 30 – 40 μg/dL and greater than 40 μg/dL respectively, while among those in the 3 – 10 service year group, those with BLLs between 30 – 40 and greater than 40 μg/dL were 50% each. The chi-square test has revealed that the difference in the number of individuals with BLLs between 20 – 30, 30 – 40 and greater than 40 μg/dL among the workers in 1 – 3 or 3 – 10 service year categories was significant (p = 0.01). The difference in the number of individuals with BLLs between 30 – 40 and greater than 40 μg/dL in both service year groups, however, was not significant (p = 0.01). With an increase in service year, the proportion of individuals with lower BLL was found to decrease while that of individuals with higher BLLs was increasing. This clearly shows the direct relationship between BLL of the construction workers and service year. Lead toxicity symptoms The Odds ratio of the reported non-specific symptoms in the construction workers in relation to the controls group was calculated and the results obtained are shown in Table 4. The results indicate that among the reported non-specific symptoms, the occurrence of memory impairment, headaches, wrist drop, nausea and abdominal discomfort in the construction workers are significantly greater than in the control group. Reported symptoms among the exposed (n = 45) and the unexposed (n = 36) groups and the ratios of their odds № and% of ‘yes’ response for symptom Unexposed 3 (6.67) Sleep disturbance 4 (11.11) 0.12 – 2.7 Concentration difficulty 23 (51.11) Wrist drop 1.1 – 73 Abdominal discomfort OR = Odds Ratio. *Significant relative risk of occurrence in the construction workers at p < 0.05. Since 1980, when the WHO specified a BLL of 40 μg/dL in the general population and 30 μg/dL in women of childbearing age, the so called “safe BLL” in humans has undergone a number of revisions with the advancement of knowledge on the toxicity of lead at lower concentrations. Although no threshold has been determined for the harmful effects of lead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers BLL ≥10 μg/dL to be of health concern for children, and BLLs ≥25 μg/dL for adults [16]. Moreover, a UNEP-UNICEF document advises the beginning of treatment within 48 hours for BLL exceeding 45 μg/dL and a BLL more than 70 μg/dL as presenting a medical emergency [17]. However, a number of recent studies demonstrate that lead inflicts significant damage even at BLLs below 5 μg/dL and recommends that level be kept below 10 μg/dL and, pregnant women or women considering pregnancy should not have a BLL above 5 μg/dL [18–20]. The results of this study have revealed that the BLL of unskilled construction workers ranges between 20.46 μg/dL and 70.46 μg/dL and that of non-construction workers between 12.43 μg/dL and 46.65 μg/dL. The difference between the BLLs of the two groups was significant. The BLL results in this study indicate that, both the general population and the construction workers are exposed to lead but the exposure of the construction workers is significantly higher than that of the general population. Sixteen (35%) of the construction workers and 2 (5.7%) of the unexposed group had BLLs exceeding 45 μg/dL. According to the suggestion given in the UNEP-UNICEF document, these were people who should have begun treatment within 48 hours [17]. The BLL of one person in the exposed group was at the border of the limit considered to present a medical emergency. Other studies on the occupational exposure of different groups have reported similar ranges of BLLs with that of this study. For example, Fatoki and Ayoade assessed the level of lead in blood samples of occcupationally and non-occupationally exposed donors in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and they found a BLL range of 28.75 ± 17.3 μg/dL – 35.5 ± 15 μg/dL in the occupationally exposed cohorts [21]. A cross-sectional study conducted to determine the status of environmental and occupational lead exposure in Nairobi, Kenya, reported a wider BLL range for the occupationally exposed group, 5.8 to 65 μg/dL, with a mean value of 22.6 ± 13.4 μg/dL [22]. Although the mean value in the Nairobi study is much lower, the BLL range of the group studied is similar to that of this specific study in Ethiopia. Aliasgharpour and Hagani determined the BLLs of a group of 31 male non-smoking industrial workers and found BLL ranging between 15.50 μg/dL and 59.99 μg/dL [23]. Rabin and co-workers reported that 63% of 381 registrants in the Massachusetts Occupational Lead Registry with BLLs of 40 μg/dL or higher are construction workers [24]. Their finding was slightly greater than that of this study in which the percent of construction workers with BLLs of 40 μg/dL and above were 53.34%. A study conducted in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 100 industrial workers (exposed) and 100 non-industrial workers (non-exposed) to determine the effect of blood lead on the health of industrial workers reported a mean of BLL of 77.5 ± 42.8 μg/dL in the industrial workers and 19.8 ± 12.3 μg/dL in the non-industrial workers [25]. Following recommendations of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) in 2009, the CDC/NIOSH Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program changed their case definition of elevated BLL from greater than 25 μg/dL to greater than10 μg/dL based on evidence linking lower levels of lead in adults with decreased kidney function, cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment [16]. The BLLs of the unexposed group in this study were all above 10 μg/dL, higher than the current CDC/NIOSH definition of elevated BLL, and 77.78% of them had BLL exceeding 20 μg/dL. A BLL exceeding 20 μg/dL is known to indicate a substantial exposure to lead. The findings of the current study are in accordance with the findings in our previous study [2], which showed a similar high BLL in the general population. This may be a clear indication of the fact that the general population is also exposed to lead from various other sources in the environment. In general, the community is exposed to lead from food, water, and air that may be present in hazardous concentrations. A similar report in which students and individuals working in an open environment with greater exposure to environmental pollution was given by Yakub and Iqbal [26]. The results of this study have also shown that, the mean BLL of the construction workers who were using SPD was significantly lower than that of the construction workers who were not using SPD while at work. Among the female construction workers, only 20% were SPD users while 60% of the male construction workers were using SPD while at work. The female construction workers who were not using SPD were also found to have significantly higher BLL than their female colleagues who were using SPD. These findings suggest that the use of SPD can significantly reduce the level of lead exposure by construction workers. Moreover, among the construction workers who were not using SPD, the BLL of those who were alcohol consumers was significantly higher than that of their colleagues who were not consuming alcohol. This might indicate the possible enhancement of lead accumulation in the blood by alcohol. Similar findings were reported by other researchers [2–6]. In Ethiopia only men were involved in construction related jobs some 10 to 15 years ago. Most uneducated jobless women were employed in private homes as maids. Currently however, due to the better pay that the construction sector offers, many of these women and those who had no job at all, are joining the construction sector and their number is increasing from time to time. All of these women are employed as unskilled labourers and are involved in all job types their male colleagues are involved in: demolishing, manual scraping, concreting, plastering and painting. Among the exposed group, in the current study, the BLL of females was found to be significantly greater than that of males. The findings of this study have also shown that the number of female construction workers who were using SPDs while at work was significantly lower than that of males. Statistical analysis has shown a positive correlation between BLL and not using SPDs. In most Ethiopian families, due to cultural taboo, the routine house hold activities such as food preparation are undertaken by females only. Males are not expected to get into kitchen and prepare food, clean dish or do some other related activities. The females use clay pans for baking ‘injera’ , leavened bread prepared by fermentation of teff (Eragrostis abyssinica Schrad), wheat, barley, maize or sorghum, or from a mixture of these. They also use clay or metallic bowls for the preparation of ‘wot’ , a spiced sauce prepared from legumes, vegetables or meat depending on the income of the family. Therefore, women can be exposed to any lead originating from the materials they handle while carrying out these activities which are not handled by men. This could be a possible confounder in our study. Therefore, we cannot exclusively conclude that lack of using SPDs in the work place is the only reason for the higher BLLs of the female workers than those of males. Another possible reason for the higher BLL in females, reported in the literature, could be sex difference either in uptake or retention of lead. In a comparison between the relative retention of lead by men and premenopausal women, it has been found that, premenopausal women retain lead more avidly or release lead more slowly than do men and pointed out that this distinction is lost for postmenopausal women [8]. This conclusion fits that of our observation since all the women included in our study were premenopausal, according to the responses they gave during interview. The mean BLL of the unexposed group was found to be positively correlated with age while that of the exposed group was not. This might be a relation that would discriminate between occupational and non-occupational lead exposure. Gradual exposure to environmental lead by the non-occupationally exposed group may cause gradual increase in BLL with age. In the exposed group, however, exposure to high level of lead in a relatively shorter period at the work place in addition to the exposure from other environmental sources might cause the workers to accumulate high amount of lead in a shorter duration of stay in the work. Thus the positive correlation between age and BLL in the non-exposed group unlike in that of the exposed group seems to be reasonable. Similar positive correlation between BLL and age by the referent group was reported in the literature [8]. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) advises women of child-bearing age that if their BLL is >10 μg/dL, they are at risk of delivering a child with a BLL >10 μg/dL, which is the level of concern in the pediatric CDC guidelines [27]. Although research findings have been inconsistent, the results of some recent investigations indicate that maternal BLL <10 μg/dL may be related to adverse reproductive outcomes, including preterm birth and spontaneous abortion [28, 29]. The fact that all the female construction workers and non-construction workers who participated in our study had BLLs >10 μg/dL and are in their most fertile age shows that they are parts of these risk groups. The construction workers were found to exhibit significantly higher levels of the non-specific symptoms which included: memory impairment, headaches, wrist drop, nausea, and abdominal discomfort relative to the non-construction workers. Our report on the variations of the non-specific symptoms between the two groups is entirely from what the two groups revealed in the questionnaires and interviews. Although this may be suggestive of the adverse effects of lead on the exposed individuals relative to the unexposed, a close medical investigation is required to affirm that the epidemiologic variations between the two groups are exclusively results of the difference in the BLLs of the groups. Our analysis might have been affected by several potential limitations of our study. Since confounding factors were not identified and controlled results of the various categories of the workers may be biased. In the workplace workers are not stationed to a specific working area. They move from places to place to help each other. Therefore, the BLL data corresponding to specific job types of workers may be biased because of such unrestricted movement. The sample sizes of both the occupationally exposed and unexposed cohorts might not be representative of the construction workers and the general population in Ethiopia. Similarly the female and male compositions in the two groups might not be representative of the two sexes to draw sex based conclusions. We had no records of environmental lead exposure in the proximity of the construction workers because monitoring of lead in air was not enforced in the country in general. As a result, any observed difference in response to occupational and environmental lead exposure may, therefore, be attributed to a degree of exposure to lead or different metabolic responses to lead in the construction workers. The participants in the control group were selected from boarding university students who have come from various rural and urban areas in the country where the exogenous lead exposures are different. As a result, any difference in BLL might not be attributed to the current living environment of the group. Moreover, absence of some epidemiological symptoms in this group might not be exclusively attributed to lower BLL relative to the construction workers. This study has shown that unskilled construction workers are more likely exposed to lead than the general population. The BLLs determined are also high enough to call for an urgent measure. Infact more urgent is the case of females whose exposure is directly related with the health of their future babies. When we consider the literature reports on the association between: prenatal and postnatal blood lead concentrations with higher rates of total arrests and/or arrests for offenses involving violence, childhood lead exposure with region-specific reductions in adult gray matter volume, the inverse association of blood lead concentration in children with IQ, the issue goes beyond mother and child; extends to country level [30–32]. Mentally unhealthy and violent children would definitely harm the socio-economic development of the country and the peaceful life of the society. The higher BLL determined in the unexposed group has also revealed that the general population including children is exposed to lead from different sources in the environment. The society in general, including most educated ones, is not aware about the dangers and routs of lead exposure and there is no BLL monitoring program in the country. As a result people do not protect themselves and their children from exposure to lead. Therefore, we call for a further large-scale screening and regular monitoring of occupationally exposed and unexposed workers to save the community from long term adverse effects of lead exposure. The authors are grateful to Mr. Alexander Hayward for proofreading the manuscript and, to Dr. Nancy L. Pitts for her invaluable professional comments and proofreading the manuscript. 12995_2012_260_MOESM1_ESM.tif Authors’ original file for figure 1 HAG carried out the sampling, analytical work and statistical analysis. AA participated in the design of the study and the statistical analysis. DAT conceived the study, participated in its design, statistical analysis and coordination and, prepared the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia Department of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia Berode M, Wietlisbach V, Rickenbach M, Guillemin MP: Lifestyle and environmental factors as determinants of blood lead levels in a Swiss population. 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__label__wiki	0.872792	0.872792	2019 Religious Freedom Report Rep. Chris Smith Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, welcomed today’s release of the State Department’s annual International Religious Freedom Report. “The State Department’s annual report on religious freedom is critical for the shaping of U.S. policy and priorities,” said Smith, author of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016, which gave the State Department expanded authority and more tools to promote religious freedom as an internationally recognized human right. “I welcome the 2018 report’s release and thank Ambassador Sam Brownback for a comprehensive accounting of what people of faith suffer at the hands of governments around the world. This data should be cited over and over again as we work to push governments to respect the rights of their own people instead of persecuting citizens because of their religious beliefs. “Religious freedom is under attack around the world. There should be no surprise that the worst violators of religious freedom are also the biggest challenges to the United States and democracy,” Smith said. “In our own Constitution, the Bill of Rights lists freedom of religion as the ‘first freedom’ in the First Amendment. Freedom of religion is a tenet of freedom anywhere.” Congressman Smith, who is also the author of the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, signed by the President last year, underscored key findings of the report and reiterated the need to take more direct action on promoting religious freedom and protecting victims in numerous countries, including: In an 87-page section on China, the report states that: “The government continued to exercise control over religion and restrict the activities and personal freedom of religious adherents when the government perceived these as threatening state or Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interests… . There continued to be reports of deaths in custody and that the government tortured, physically abused, arrested, detained, sentenced to prison, or harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups for activities related to their religious beliefs and practices.” Smith said, “In what can only be viewed as a ramped up assault against its Muslim communities, the report states that numerous media and private organizations estimate that over the past two years the Chinese government detained between 800,000 and two million Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and people from other Muslim groups, and subjected them to horrors that include forced disappearance, torture, physical abuse, or lengthy detention without trial. They are targeted solely because of their religious and ethnic background. The report also recounted deaths, detentions, and disappearances of Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, and members of Falun Gong.” Vietnam: The report states that in Vietnam: “Members of religious groups said some local and provincial authorities used the local and national regulatory systems to slow, delegitimize, and suppress religious activities of groups that resisted close government management of their leadership, training programs, assemblies, and other activities… . … reports of severe harassment of religious adherents by authorities.” Smith, noting persecution of Catholics, Protestant, Buddhists, Cao Dai adherents and others, said, “People of faith in Vietnam and their leaders, especially those without official government recognition or registration, reported significant government harassment. The State Department cited physical assaults, arrests, prosecutions, monitoring, travel restrictions, and the taking or destruction of property as depressingly routine events in Communist Vietnam.” Syria: The new report states that in Syria “ISIS required Christians to convert, flee, pay a special tax, or face execution. It destroyed churches, Shia shrines, and other religious heritage sites, and used its own police force, court system, and a revised school curriculum to enforce and spread its interpretation of Islam.” It notes that “Christians reportedly continued to face discrimination and violence, including kidnappings, at the hands of violent extremist groups. Once religiously diverse neighborhoods, towns, and villages were increasingly segregated between majority Sunni neighborhoods and communities that comprised religious minority groups, as displaced members of religious groups relocated seeking greater security and safety by living with coreligionists. There were more than 6.1 million internally displaced Syrians and more than 5.48 million Syrian refugees.” Smith said, “The report states that while ISIS has been forced out of most of the areas it had captured and dominated, it continues to enslave thousands of Yezidi women and girls kidnapped in Iraq and trafficked as commodities to Syria. Tragically, these suffering victims were sold or distributed to ISIS members as ‘spoils of war.’ Though many Yezidi women were freed from their bondage by coalition forces, thousands remain missing. Christians and other religious minorities also suffered greatly.” The 2018 report’s section on Iran stated in part that: “The government continued to harass, interrogate, and arrest Baha’is, Christians (particularly converts), Sunni Muslims, and other religious minorities, and regulated Christian religious practices closely to enforce a prohibition on proselytizing… . According to multiple sources, non-Shia Muslims and those affiliated with a religion other than Islam, especially members of the Baha’i community, continued to face societal discrimination and harassment, and employers experienced social pressures not to hire Baha’is or to dismiss them from their private sector jobs. Baha’is reported there were continued incidents of destruction or vandalism of their cemeteries. Smith said, “Once again, the Iranian government is among the worst offenders in the world, denying its own citizens the basic right to practice their religious beliefs. Human rights groups and Christian organizations report that Iranian authorities arrested Christians, including those worshipping in private homes, on charges of supporting and accepting assistance from ‘enemy’ countries. The report states that authorities subjected many arrested Christians to extreme physical and psychological abuse, included beatings and solitary confinement.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8141
__label__cc	0.61907	0.38093	HomeBlogU.S. Organ Transplants, Deceased Donors Set Record in 2016 U.S. Organ Transplants, Deceased Donors Set Record in 2016 Organ transplants performed in the United States in 2016 reached a new record high for the fourth consecutive year, according to preliminary data from United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS serves as the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under federal contract. For the year, 33,606 transplants were reported, representing an 8.5 percent increase over the 2015 total and an increase of 19.8 percent since 2012. “Thousands more men, women and children are receiving a life-saving transplant opportunity each year,” said Stuart Sweet, M.D., Ph.D., President of the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors. “We are deeply grateful to all who have chosen to help others through the life-saving act of organ donation. We are also very conscious that many more people are still anxiously awaiting a transplant, so we must continue to work with our partners in the donation and transplant community to meet the needs of those who continue to wait.” The growth in overall transplants was largely driven by an increase of 9.2 percent in the number of deceased donors from 2015 to 2016, continuing a six-year trend of annual increases. Many deceased donors provide multiple organs for transplantation. Approximately 82 percent (27,628) of the transplants involved organs from deceased donors. The remaining 18 percent (5,978) were performed with organs from living donors. “This increase in organ transplants is partly a realization of an ongoing commitment to improvement at organ procurement organizations, transplant hospitals, and UNOS,” said Brian Shepard, UNOS’ Chief Executive Officer. “Organ transplantation has long been at the forefront of data-driven quality improvement, and OPOs and UNOS are working together on a technology-driven transformation in the way organ donors are identified and recovered.” (See UNOS’ recent public service announcement to promote transplant awareness.) Continue to read full article: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-organ-transplants-deceased-donors-141400881.html Additional articles at: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/09/health/organ-donation-2016/ http://www.crossroadstoday.com/story/34217907/us-organ-transplants-increased-nearly-20-in-five-years https://www.transplantpro.org/news/us-organ-transplants-set-record-in-2016/ Image taken from https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/ Keeping donated livers warm could improve transplants Smithfield Foods donation helps fund development of life-saving technology Push to better track living kidney donors’ long-term health	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8143
__label__cc	0.616734	0.383266	OSM launches mental health campaign to safeguard 11,000 seafarers Learn more about OSMs new Mental Health Campaign targeted towards supporting Seafarer Wellbeing OSM has chosen The Day of the Seafarer to launch a global campaign aimed at safeguarding and improving the mental health of its 11,000 crewmembers. The year long initiative, christened How Healthy is Your Mind: An OSM Seafarers’ Guide to Positive Mental Health, will be pushed out across the 500 plus vessels managed by the business, addressing an increasingly pressing, but often overlooked, industry issue. According to a recent report carried out by Sailors’ Society and Yale University, some 26% of seafarers have regular feelings of being “down, depressed or hopeless”, while studies by the Seafarers’ International Research Centre (SIRC) suggest that some key conditions for good mental health at sea (such as sleep quality/fatigue) appear to be in decline. Global issue “This is a global issue and should be a matter of utmost concern for our industry,” states OSM CEO Geir Sekkesaeter. “Being on-board vessels for long periods of time, separated from family and friends, is difficult enough, and if conditions aren’t optimal then seafarers can be acutely vulnerable to mental health challenges. That’s easy to understand, but can be difficult for the individuals concerned to talk about. As such there’s a tendency to ‘sweep these things under the carpet’ and that only exacerbates the problem. “Here at OSM we want to raise awareness and tackle the issue head on – for our crew, but also for our business and global customers. If our people are happy and healthy they can carry out their duties more effectively. This leads to efficient, safe and optimal operations and performance. And that’s good for everyone.” Improving standards The campaign forms an element of OSM’s commitment to the UN Global Compact (UNGC) initiative, where it reviews operations to achieve the highest standards for the four key UNGC areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environmental Protection, and Anti-Corruption. OSM has selected a number of UN Sustainable Development Goals to focus on in its drive for improvement, with the mental health push falling under ‘goal three’, Good Health and Well-Being. Key messages and information will now be rolled out across multiple channels, including social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) the My OSM app, circulars, on-board posters in communal areas (e.g. mess rooms), the OnBoard magazine, and digital learning tools. Masters will ‘own’ the initiative on vessels, pushing it out to crew, discussing its impact in Shipboard Safety Meetings and encouraging reports of incidents and actions. Areas that will be highlighted include fatigue, being away from home, stress, bullying and sexual harassment, amongst others. Fighting the stigma “We want to remove the stigma attached to discussing issues that impact upon mental health and address any areas where we could improve our performance,” concludes Sekkesaeter. “We actively encourage all crew members to get involved, as well as our diverse range of customers and the industry as a whole. Together we can help effect a change, fostering an environment where safeguarding mental health is always on the shipping radar.” A thorough assessment of the impact of How Healthy is Your Mind: An OSM Seafarers’ Guide to Positive Mental Health will be conducted, with feedback garnered through engagement surveys, the IRIS management system and cloud based learning tools. OSM submitted its first UNGC report earlier this year and is already underway with numerous worldwide initiatives, including work to highlight opportunities for female seafarers (who remain under-represented in maritime) and a feasibility study to re-launch the Mozambican Higher School of Nautical Sciences. OSM provides a comprehensive range of bespoke solutions for its customer base – ranging from complete ship management and all-inclusive arrangements to individual value-added services, such as crewing, procurement, accounting and insurance. OSM’s UNGC report is available here	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8145
__label__cc	0.534904	0.465096	E3 2018, Gaming E3 2018 – Sony Posted by officialosi on September 28, 2018 September 28, 2018 When I initially started watching the show I was thinking “What the fuck is going on.” Why this guy playing some sort of guitar and what does this have to do with anything I have no idea. And then it segmented into The Last of Us Part II! I’ve never owned a PlayStation 3 or 4 so I’ve never actually played the first one or know what the story is about, but nonetheless, the game looks AMAZING and I do look forward to playing that for myself in the future. After that, it went to this weird intermission where they were outside talking on a panel and again I was thinking “What is going on.” During that time though Shawn Layden did explain how the format of the show was going to be, which I think helped because you knew what to expect (focusing on the four major exclusive titles), although I did find the whole thing a bit weirdly put together. I did think the unorthodox approach was more engaging than cramming in as many games as possible because you were able to get an extended version of the games you actually wanted to see/ more interesting, because as much as it’s great indie games have a platform and that… I really don’t care for them and they take up a lot of valuable time, which can be used for something else. Although I know absolutely nothing about The Last of Us it seems to have an emotional and traumatizing story. In the gameplay section, it seems there is a heavy emphasis on stealth with I personally love in games as it really makes you think whilst you’re playing instead of running in gung-ho (though that is still a viable option). The graphics of the game look insane (as you can see by this screenshot), but on a personal note, I would really need to play the first part first so I can really connect with the story and characters in the game. Again this game was introduced with a musicical intro on a flute, which again was boring and unneeded. I know they are trying to create atmosphere and what not, but honestly, NO ONE CARES! and it doesn’t really add anything to the conference because it’s about GAMES! Anyway out of the four main titles this was the worst, but this definitely doesn’t mean it’s bad by any stretch of the imagination. The colours and lighting in the game are amazing and when it comes to that ninja samurai gameplay (I love that type of combat in games honestly as you have the most fun killing people) it seems very precise and implemented down to a tee. Obviously, with the segment shown and not a lot of prior knowledge with the game, there is still a lot to be learned for Ghost of Tsushima. For me, out of all of the games, this is the most anticipated for me. The game visually looks stunning, an absolute visual masterpiece. I’m not going to lie though at first I was just thinking “Is this just about carrying shit around,” but just like any good story something unexpected happens (the invisible creature with the prints of the floor) and I was immediately hooked from then on. It’s still incredibly unclear what you’ll actually be doing in this game, but there are so many questions that you can’t wait to find the answer to; why is carrying that baby, who is the other woman, what is happening in the world, what are those black things in the air, what was that invisible creature etc. I can see it has such a great story and I can’t wait to play it. I’ve been slacking badly with this segment on my page so much so that the Spider-Man game is already out. It kind of makes it pointless to start talking about it, but I’m going to do it briefly anyway lol. Compared to the last Spider-Man I played (Spider-Man 3) this is a hell of a lot better. This lengthy free-flowing battle/chase gameplay showcases the new combination of web skills and combat, which is looking as smooth as ever and what superhero games should be striving to. Other games that were shown that I think should definitely be on your radar were; Days Gone, Twin Mirror, Destiny 2, Control, which reminds me of Quantum Break, Kingdom Hearts 3, which has been shown many times, but this particular trailer was completely different to what we have been shown, which was a breathe of fresh air (by the way the Jack Sparrow pirate gameplay was amazing) and finally Nioh 2 You’re probably thinking why I didn’t talk about Resident Evil 2, and honestly, it’s because I think all of them are terrible (you can fight me on that if you want 😊). Overall though I feel Sony had a very good press conference and really focused on quality over quantity. They know that they’ve already won with this generation of console wars and really took advantage of that by showcasing and focusing on their exclusive titles. On the downside I do think the two press events or whatever it was should never be done again, as it took momentum out of the show and was just really confusing, to be honest. Nevertheless, I would still give Sony’s E3 Press Conference 4.5/5 stars as, despite that little thing and the silly musical intros, it was practically flawless in my opinion. Death StrandingE3GamesGames ReviewGamingGaming ReviewPlaystationReviewSonySpider-ManThe Last of UsVideo GamesWriting Previous Post Photo of the Day Next Post Qwhite Interesting Vol. 5	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8146
__label__wiki	0.650439	0.650439	November> Money, Power, Respect: Removal of Aggregate Donation Caps Empower 2018 candidates With campaign season underway in the state of Maryland, candidates received a gift in the form of more flexible campaign financing. Thanks in part to a 2014 Supreme Court ruling, the cap has been lifted on the total amount donors may contribute to candidates. The case, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Committee, involved plaintiff Shaun McCutcheon, an Alabama businessman, and the Republican National Committee. Mr. McCutcheon had donated approximately $33,000 to 16 candidates for federal office during the 2012 cycle and wished to contribute an additional $1,776 each to 12 more candidates; however, the overall cap for individuals prohibited it. Furthermore, the RNC expressed its wishes to receive contributions above the legal limit established for political committees. The high court ruled that aggregate campaign contribution caps were unconstitutional, infringing upon donors’ rights to free speech. The case drew parallels to the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in which the court eliminated limits on independent campaign spending by unions and corporations. Associate Justice Stephen Breyer sharply criticized the ruling, stating that “if the court in Citizens United opened a door, today’s decision may well open a floodgate.” Currently, donors may only contribute up to $6,000 to a single candidate within the four-year election cycle, but there are no longer restrictions on the maximum amount they may contribute to the collective pool of candidates. Additionally, there is no contribution cap for donations to political action committees. Maryland election officials have already expressed that the $10,000 limit and $24,000 limit from the 2014 and 2018 election cycles respectively will not be enforced. The Supreme Court’s ruling affected just 10 states; however, with Maryland having the lowest aggregate cap in the nation, the effect will be more prominent. There is already evidence that election costs are on the rise. According to the political watchdog group, Common Cause, the 2016 Baltimore City Council races saw a 50 percent increase in cost than the previous election cycle five years prior. On January 1, 2015, several key provisions took effect following the state legislature’s previous overhaul of Maryland’s campaign finance law. The new law established an electronic registration system monitored by the Maryland State Board of Elections, mandating electronic reporting of contributions made by the contractor, in addition to its political action committee, subsidiaries, directors, partners, and officers. Furthermore, politically active nonprofits must register and provide a full disclosure of their donors. Failing to adhere to these requirements would result in penalties for nonprofits that knowingly and intentionally fail to file registration notices or reports. One of the arguments made in support of the removal of aggregate caps is that it empowers the American electorate, removing restrictions that may have otherwise greatly hindered a citizen’s right to participate in the democratic process. However, let’s be realistic — the elimination of such limits benefits the wealthy more than it does a low-income or middle-class citizen. Although we should always encourage civic participation in the election process, it certainly can be and has been a problem when a small, concentrated number of very wealthy individuals can significantly control the direction of our nation’s politics with their checkbooks. Yes, citizens from multiple socioeconomic backgrounds donate to campaigns and political action committees every election cycle; however, the average contributor will never benefit from the removal of aggregate limits. On the flip side, this will assist candidates who aren’t at the top of the ballot in 2018 onward, increasing the ability for a trickling down of campaign funds from gubernatorial and federal office races. The 2018 elections will certainly see an increase in campaign contributions and costs. We’re beginning to look a lot like Christie’s New Jersey Detained: ICE, Immigration and Maryland Maryland GOP Complicit in Disastrous Trump Administration	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8149
__label__wiki	0.541013	0.541013	Officers & Committee 14th Institute – 2018 Attendants Working Group Papers Theology and Ethics Missions and Evangelism 9th Institute – 1992 3rd Institute – 1965 2nd Institute – 1962 1st Institute – 1958 OXFORDnotes The Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies Home » A Brief History The First Oxford Institute of Methodist Studies convened in Oxford, England in 1958, bringing together over 100 scholars and pastors in the Methodist tradition, mostly from Europe and North America, for ten days of presentations and discussion on theological topics. This convocation was the fruition of a vision of two Methodist ministers, Rex Kissack from England and Dow Kirkpatrick from the United States, who met in Oxford in the years immediately following World War II, and saw the need for an international gathering of Methodist scholars at which thinking could be shared. The value of the First Institute led to continued gatherings, under the auspices of the World Methodist Council, at intervals of three to five years in the university city that John Wesley knew. In the earlier years these gatherings tended to deal with general theological topics like the Church, the Finality of Christ, the Living God, and the Holy Spirit—all as seen through Methodist eyes. In more recent times the focus has shifted to current theological concerns that are particularly resonant with the Methodist theological tradition, as developed in the various bodies that are descended from Wesley’s eighteenth-century movement. These have included Sanctification and Liberation; Good News to the Poor; Trinity, Community and Power; and New Creation. The Institute has grown in size since 1958, and now brings together men and women, ordained and lay, from around the world and from many branch churches in the Wesleyan family. Each meeting provides opportunities for specialists in various theological, biblical, historical and ethical disciplines to work together on the selected theme, as well as plenary sessions and opportunities for inter-disciplinary discussion. For a detailed history and analysis of the work of the Institute see: Brian E. Beck. Exploring Methodism’s Heritage: The Story of the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies. Nashville: General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, The United Methodist Church, 2004. [A pdf copy of the book is available here, with permission of the author and publisher.] See as well Beck’s assessment of the contributions and future agenda of the Institute: Brian E. Beck. “World Methodist Theology.” Epworth Review 32.3 (2005): 17–24. Website and contents © Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies. Developed with the generous support of Duke Divinity School.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8150
__label__wiki	0.568197	0.568197	Oxford Research Encyclopedias Encyclopedia of Social Work Addictions and Substance Use Aging and Older Adults Clinical and Direct Practice Couples and Families Health Care and Illness International and Global Issues Macro Practice Mental and Behavioral Health Populations and Practice Settings Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Research and Evidence-Based Practice Social Work Profession From 2013201420152016201720182019 To 2013201420152016201720182019 Addictions and Substance Use (30) Aging and Older Adults (42) Children and Adolescents (89) Couples and Families (54) Criminal Justice (37) Clinical and Direct Practice (148) Ethics and Values (52) Health Care and Illness (82) Human Behavior (74) International and Global Issues (78) Macro Practice (108) Mental and Behavioral Health (100) Policy and Advocacy (147) Populations and Practice Settings (143) Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (93) Research and Evidence-Based Practice (66) Social Justice and Human Rights (123) Social Work Profession (111) You are looking at 81-100 of 864 articles Page:12345678 ... 4344 Bereavement Practice Mary Sormanti Mental and Behavioral Health, Social Work Profession Bereavement, which is the circumstance of having experienced the death of a significant other, is associated with significant emotional, cognitive, spiritual, physical, and social ... More Bereavement, which is the circumstance of having experienced the death of a significant other, is associated with significant emotional, cognitive, spiritual, physical, and social disruption. Given its ubiquitous nature, nearly everyone is affected by bereavement at some point, and opportunities for social work intervention with the bereaved are many and varied. This entry provides a brief summary of our extant knowledge about bereavement including its theoretical underpinnings, psychosocial sequelae, and empirical evidence of related interventions. Berg, Insoo Kim Teri Pichot Insoo Kim Berg, MSW (1934–2007), along with her husband, Steve de Shazer, was a primary developer of solution-focused brief therapy. She was a prolific author as well as a gifted clinician ... More Insoo Kim Berg, MSW (1934–2007), along with her husband, Steve de Shazer, was a primary developer of solution-focused brief therapy. She was a prolific author as well as a gifted clinician who traveled around the world inspiring and training professionals in this unique model. Berry, Margaret Kenneth S. Carpenter Margaret Berry (1915–2002) was Executive Director of the National Conference on Social Welfare from 1972 to 1979. She was actively involved in developing group work activities on an ... More Margaret Berry (1915–2002) was Executive Director of the National Conference on Social Welfare from 1972 to 1979. She was actively involved in developing group work activities on an international basis. Edward J. Mullen, Jennifer L. Bellamy, and Sarah E. Bledsoe Administration and Management, Clinical and Direct Practice This entry describes best practices as these are used in social work. The term best practices originated in the organizational management literature in the context of performance ... More This entry describes best practices as these are used in social work. The term best practices originated in the organizational management literature in the context of performance measurement and quality improvement where best practices are defined as the preferred technique or approach for achieving a valued outcome. Identification of best practices requires measurement, benchmarking, and identification of processes that result in better outcomes. The identification of best practices requires that organizations put in place quality data collection systems, quality improvement processes, and methods for analyzing and benchmarking pooled provider data. Through this process, organizational learning and organizational performance can be improved. Bethune, Mary McLeod Wilma Peebles-Wilkins Mary McLeod Bethune (1875–1955) was a teacher committed to the education and development of Black women. Her role as president of the National Association of Colored Women led to the ... More Mary McLeod Bethune (1875–1955) was a teacher committed to the education and development of Black women. Her role as president of the National Association of Colored Women led to the founding of the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. Beveridge, Lord William James Midgley Lord William Beveridge (1879–1963) was one of the founders of the British welfare state. His report of 1942 formed the basis for the Labour Government's social policies between 1945 and ... More Lord William Beveridge (1879–1963) was one of the founders of the British welfare state. His report of 1942 formed the basis for the Labour Government's social policies between 1945 and 1950 and fostered the creation of Britain's national health services. Larry W. Foster Clinical and Direct Practice, Ethics and Values, Mental and Behavioral Health, Policy and Advocacy, Religion and Spirituality Bioethics and biomedical ethics are defined. Common bioethical concepts, exemplary moral values, fundamental ethical principles, general ethical theories, and approaches to moral reasoning ... More Bioethics and biomedical ethics are defined. Common bioethical concepts, exemplary moral values, fundamental ethical principles, general ethical theories, and approaches to moral reasoning are reviewed. The scope of topics and issues, the nature of practice situations in bioethics, and social work roles on organizational bodies that monitor and respond to bioethical issues are summarized, as are trends in bioethics. Practice contexts, from beginning to end of life, are highlighted with biopsychosocial facts, ethical questions and issues, and implications for social work—a profession uniquely positioned in giving bioethics a social context. Laura S. Abrams Gender and Sexuality, Human Behavior This entry explores past and present social-scientific lenses concerning bisexuality. The author traces the rise of a bisexual movement in the 1970s to present times. The entry concludes ... More This entry explores past and present social-scientific lenses concerning bisexuality. The author traces the rise of a bisexual movement in the 1970s to present times. The entry concludes by addressing social work's limited contributions to understanding bisexuality and proposes trends and directions for future practice and research with diverse groups of bisexuals. Blackey, Eileen Eileen Blackey (1902–1979) was a social worker and consultant who helped establish schools of social work in Hawaii and at Hebrew University in Israel. She was Dean of the School of Social ... More Eileen Blackey (1902–1979) was a social worker and consultant who helped establish schools of social work in Hawaii and at Hebrew University in Israel. She was Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of California, Los Angeles. Blindness and Visual Impairment Adrienne Asch and Nancy R. Mudrick Aging and Older Adults, Disabilities Significant visual impairment affects ~8 million Americans, 1.8 million of whom are blind and must find nonvisual methods of performing life roles. Social workers should not assume that ... More Significant visual impairment affects ~8 million Americans, 1.8 million of whom are blind and must find nonvisual methods of performing life roles. Social workers should not assume that people with visual impairment or blindness are unable to work, have families, or engage in sports or travel, or that vision limitations are necessarily a part of every presenting problem. Key roles for social workers include assisting in access to services and training and advocacy to combat discrimination and exclusion. Bogardus, Emory Frances Feldman and Haluk Soydan Emory Bogardus (1882–1973) established the first Sociology Department in the West in 1915. His study on “social distance” is still used to examine cultural, ethnic, and religious ... More Emory Bogardus (1882–1973) established the first Sociology Department in the West in 1915. His study on “social distance” is still used to examine cultural, ethnic, and religious attitudes. In 1920 he founded Alpha Kappa Delta, the sociology honor society. Gloria Hegge Clinical and Direct Practice, Mental and Behavioral Health The historical development of the borderline concept is traced up through the development of the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Treatments for BPD during the 1970s and ... More The historical development of the borderline concept is traced up through the development of the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Treatments for BPD during the 1970s and 1980s are discussed, including the object relations theories of Margaret Mahler and James Masterson, as well as trauma theory described by Judith Herman. Three evidence-based treatments (EBTs) that have emerged from the 1990s to the present time are described, as well as findings from brain imaging techniques and how new EBTs and neuroimaging have changed the view of this disorder. Böszörményi-Nagy, Ivan Carole Zugazaga Ivan Böszörményi-Nagy (1920–2007) was a Hungarian-American psychiatrist and one of the founders of the field of family therapy. He emigrated from Hungary to the United States in 1950. Brace, Charles Loring Jean K. Quam Charles Loring Brace (1826–1890) was a writer, minister, and social reformer. He worked with homeless children, initiating child welfare services, and was the founder and executive ... More Charles Loring Brace (1826–1890) was a writer, minister, and social reformer. He worked with homeless children, initiating child welfare services, and was the founder and executive director of the Children's Aid Society of New York City. Brager, George Stephen Holloway George Brager (1922–2003) was a social work educator, administrator, and social activist who worked primarily in New York City. He developed innovative community programs which had ... More George Brager (1922–2003) was a social work educator, administrator, and social activist who worked primarily in New York City. He developed innovative community programs which had national impact and was a founding director of Mobilization for Youth. Breckinridge, Sophonisba Preston Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1866–1948) was an educator and social activist, based in Chicago. She taught the first course in public welfare administration and developed a postgraduate ... More Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1866–1948) was an educator and social activist, based in Chicago. She taught the first course in public welfare administration and developed a postgraduate curriculum in social work, introducing the case method as the mode of instruction. Briar, Scott Jennifer Briar-Bonpane and Katharine Briar-Lawson Scott Briar (1926–1998) was a practitioner, researcher, scholar, and leader who championed research-informed practice and helped shape modern casework. He was Dean of Washington School of ... More Scott Briar (1926–1998) was a practitioner, researcher, scholar, and leader who championed research-informed practice and helped shape modern casework. He was Dean of Washington School of Social Work, edited Social Work, and served as a reviewer for NIMH. Brockway, Zebulon Reed Zebulon Reed Brockway (1827–1920) was a prison reformer primarily associated with New York State Reformatory in Elmira. A believer in rehabilitation rather than punishment, he initiated a ... More Zebulon Reed Brockway (1827–1920) was a prison reformer primarily associated with New York State Reformatory in Elmira. A believer in rehabilitation rather than punishment, he initiated a program to prepare prisoners for release. His innovations met with considerable official opposition. Brown, W. Gertrude Sadye L. M. Logan Willie G. Brown, later known as W. Gertrude Brown (1888–1939), was a phenomenal woman and an activist for racial justice and the rights of women and children. Bruno, Frank John Frank John Bruno (1874–1955) was an administrator and educator whose expertise and leadership influenced American social work. Working initially with the Associated Charities, he moved ... More Frank John Bruno (1874–1955) was an administrator and educator whose expertise and leadership influenced American social work. Working initially with the Associated Charities, he moved into academia, becoming president of two different bodies of social workers. PRINTED FROM the Encyclopedia of Social Work, accessed online. (c) National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press USA, 2019. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the applicable license agreement governing use of the Encyclopedia of Social Work accessed online, an authorized individual user may print out a PDF of a single article for personal use, only (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8151
__label__cc	0.681774	0.318226	As First Woman President, Hillary Clinton Would Stink Posted on April 24, 2015 April 23, 2015 by Bob Allen Women should hope that Hillary Clinton is not the first woman President. There is little doubt that—some day—a woman will serve as President of the United States, but if Hillary Clinton is the first it will be a disaster for the nation and the world. She and her husband are two of the most self-serving, power-hungry, morally-challenged political leaders in our history—and that’s saying something. From the New Yorker, The news today about the Clintons all fleshes out, in one way or another, their lack of interest in policing serious conflict-of-interest problems that arise in their overlapping roles: The New York Times has a report about the State Department’s decision to approve the sale of Uranium mines to a Russian company that donated $2.35 million to the Clinton Global Initiative, and that a Russian investment bank promoting the deal paid Bill $500,000 for a speech in Moscow. The Washington Post reports that Bill Clinton has received $26 million in speaking fees from entities that also donated to the Clinton Global Initiative. The Washington Examiner reports, “Twenty-two of the 37 corporations nominated for a prestigious State Department award — and six of the eight ultimate winners — while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State were also donors to the Clinton family foundation.” And Reuters reports, “Hillary Clinton’s family’s charities are refiling at least five annual tax returns after a Reuters review found errors in how they reported donations from governments, and said they may audit other Clinton Foundation returns in case of other errors.” [See also, “Hillary Clinton Money Is Problematic in Several Ways.”] The mere fact she can make a serious bid for the White House speaks volumes as to how far the nation and her people have fallen. Hillary and Bill’s brazen actions connected to their foundation are beyond shady into the realm of evil. When you are a power couple consisting of a former president and a current secretary of State and likely presidential candidate, you have the ability to raise a lot of money for charitable purposes that can do a lot of good. But some of the potential sources of donations will be looking to get something in return for their money other than moral satisfaction or the chance to hobnob with celebrities. Some of them want preferential treatment from the State Department, and others want access to a potential future Clinton administration. Countless foreign entities would undoubtedly love to see her win, because they believe Hillary and Bill would do their bidding from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I don’t know which is worse: Having Hillary carry out their desires, or facing their wrath when she betrays her benefactors, demonstrating that the only thing she worships is her own power. Bottom-line: Hillary may very well be the most dangerous person to seriously seek the office. Our last three Presidents have inflicted critical wounds upon Liberty. Will we elect Hillary to administer the final and fatal blows? Posted in 2016 Election, CorruptionTagged bill and hillary clinton, Bill Clin, Hillary Clinton Immigration to Account for 81% of U.S. Population Growth Denmark Legislature Bans Bestiality 91-75	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8158
__label__cc	0.725242	0.274758	#34 Keep the Ordinances, As I Delivered Them July 11, 2007 (By the way, NEXT week is General Conference. We won’t be meeting at the church building, but rather watching it on TV or going to the Stake building to view it.) 1 Corinthians 11-16 This week’s lesson skips chapters 7-10. My personal opinion is that there are some real gems in these chapters that, especially if you haven’t read 1 Corinthians before and you want a more complete experience, you shouldn’t miss. So, I suggest you include them in your week’s study. In particular, I think noting the various JST changes are important and 1 Cor. 8:6, 9:14, 24-27, 10:12-13 should be highlighted. I believe these verses are some examples of Paul’s spiritual strength and divine direction in his writing. 1 Corinthians Chapter 11: Paul often gets a bad rap as being anti-woman. I think we’re using our 21st Century glasses to view him if this is our opinion. Chapter 11 is all about order, especially the patriarcle order within the church system. Viewing this orderly structure outside the church system is dangerous. Also, remember the historical social setting and don’t try to superimpose this onto our time because it won’t work. v. 1: Why would Paul begin this thought on order this way? What does it teach us about what follows? v. 2: The NET (New English Translation) Bible reads this way: “11:2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you.” The NIV (New International Version) reads this way: “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings just as I passed them on to you.” Compare these to the KJV. What differences do you see and what do you make of them? The Greek word for “ordinances” here is used in the KJV New Testament elsewhere but translated as “traditions.” Why might the translators have chosen to use “ordinances” instead of “traditions” here and not elsewhere? How does the use of the word “custom” at the end of verse 16 play into the above consideration, especially regarding the covering of the head? v. 3-10: There are a lot of various interpretations of these verses, depending on your predisposition. My NIV Study Bible offers these various opinions. Opinions aside, there are some important observations that might help you as your form your own opinion: 1. In v. 4 Paul uses “head” to mean first a covering and second God; 2. A veil or covering gives honor or signifies that something is holy; Paul is specifically speaking about public worship situations where there are men and women in attendance; Paul is specifically speaking about a husband and wife relationship; the NET Bible notes say “Paul does not use a word specifying what type of “covering” is meant (veil, hat, etc.). The Greek word he uses here (ἐξουσία exousia; translated symbol of authority) could be (1) a figure of speech that may substitute the result (the right to participate in worship) for the appropriate appearance that makes it possible (the covered head). Or (2) it refers to the outward symbol (having the head covered) as representing the inward attitude the woman is to possess (deference to male leadership in the church).” Another perspective is offered by friend Cheryle M: “I have been reading Neil Elliott’s LIBERATING PAUL: The justice of God and the politics of the Apostle, and finding it fascinating. For instance, according to Elliott, the instruction regarding head covering in chapter 11 is actually given to the MEN, who have been inappropriately covering their heads (v. 4). Why is this inappropriate? We know that Jewish men covered their heads, but these were not Jews. Again, why is this instruction necessary to the Corinthian men? Elliott writes (p. 209): “Paul also proscribes one of the most widely recognized gestures of Roman piety when he insists that men may not cover their heads in prayer in the Christian ekklesia, as a Roman would normally do when he came before the gods of the city. Paul declares that this ordinary gesture dishonors their “head,” who is Christ (11:2-16)” Elliott argues that to read this passage as concerned with women’s head-coverings makes the passage almost impenetrable: “It has proven just as difficult to explain why Paul, who clearly endorses the women’s right to pray and prophesy in the assembly, should apparently want to subordinate them symbolically to a mascualine hierarchy; or why, for their part, women who had supposedly thrown off such head coverings in an enthusiastic gesture of equality in the Spirit would be persuaded by Paul’s supposed counterarguments about “propriety.” Instead, Elliott says, the whole point of the passage is that 1) the head of every man is Christ and 2) “any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,” that is, Christ (11:4). He further explains: “This gesture on the part of a pious man was common enough, indeed ubiquitous, in Roman religion. Pulling his toga up over his head was “the iconographic mark of a sacrificant presidenting over a specifically Roman ritual,” .. . and several scholars have argued this is the most plausible context of 1 Corinthians 11: 2-16. Elliott writes quite a bit more about this, more than I can probably quote, but finally he says: “The thrust of Paul’s argument is rather that for a man to adopt in the ekklesia a gesture recognized throughout the empire as the sign of pietas, and thus to emulate the emperor’s own virtue, would dishonor the man’s head, since that “head” is Christ – the one whom Caesar’s subordinate in Judea had crucified. . . . Corinthian images of both Augustus and Nero worshiping with their heads covered invited the channeled wealth and power upward to the emperor; even to feel awe and reverence before the sacred trappings of piety in which the imperium was cloaked. Paul declares such reverence incompatible with the headship of Christ.” (211) Further, v. 5 clearly shows that Paul EXPECTS women to pray and prophesy in church, even to lead in this way. ” Try to imagine the occassion that instigated Paul’s writing on this topic. See vs. 16-19 here. What do they tell us is happening in Corinth? Could you imagine a similar scene today in our meetings? Have you ever experienced such a scenerio personally? v. 11-12: These are beautiful verses explaining the relationship between a marital couple. It should encourage you regarding Paul’s views on women and marriage, when otherwise you might think Paul antagonistic toward them both. How do these verses affect you in your own view on marriage, men and women? How does Paul’s writing support or contradict the Proclamation on the Family? v. 20-34: What do you think is happening during church meetings in Corinth? From Jim F.’s notes: “Verses 17-19: Some early Christians celebrated the ordinance of the Sacrament by having a meal together. Evidently this was the practice in Corinth. When Paul speaks of them “coming together” he is speaking of them coming together to share that meal. What is his complaint in verse 17? The words translated “divisions” (verse 18) and “heresies” (verse 19) are synonyms, and “heresies” is not a good translation. “Factions” would be better. How is their problem with the Sacrament related to the problem that Paul addressed in the beginning of the letter? In verse 19, Paul seems to think that there is at least one good thing that comes from these factions. What is it? Verses 20-22: They are coming together and they are eating, but why does Paul say they are neverthless not partaking of the Lord’s Supper (the Sacrament)? Verses 23-25: Why does Paul feel that he needs to tell them how the ordinance of the Sacrament began? What does he mean when he says “I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you” (verse 23)? Verse 26: What does it mean to “shew the Lord’s death”? Is that related to the fact that Paul preaches “the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18)? Why does Paul add “till he come”? Why would the Sacrament no longer be needed after Christ returns? Verse 27: The Greek word translated “unworthily” is the negative form of a word meaning “worthy,” just as is our English word. The Greek word translated “worthy,” originally meant “weighty” or “valuable,” which suggests that to be unworthy is not to be weighty or not to be concerned with weighty things. Given that, how might we understand what it means to take the Sacrament unworthily? How do we take it worthily? If we take it unworthily, why are we “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord”?” v. 1-3: What does Paul not want the Corinthians ignorant of? Note that the JST changes the “say” in v. 3 to “know.” See Moroni 10:3 here. v. 4-11: See also D&C 46 & Moroni 10 here for comparrisions. Which gift is the most important? See v. 31 and Chapter 13. What is the “more excellent way?” v. 12-31: Paul is expert in using the Socratic Method for teaching. Why would he use this method? When else do you see the gospel being taught using this method and by whom? Is this a helpful model for us as we teach? If so, to whom and when? If not, why not? TEACHING IDEA: In our class on Sunday we will have a demonstration by a class member of the Socratic Method of teaching and how Paul used it and how we might follow in his teaching method as we, too, teach others the gospel. From Jim F.’s notes: “This is perhaps the most famous chapter in the New Testament. There are good reasons for that, but one consequence is that we often read it as if on automatic pilot, understanding it through the things we’ve heard said about it rather than directly from itself. So, to understand the chapter itself better, ask yourself why Paul writes this in response to their question about gifts of the Spirit. In other words, how is chapter 13 related to chapter 12, particularly to 12:31: “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”? And how is what he teaches in chapter 13 related to what he says at the beginning of chapter 14: “Follow after [i.e., seek] charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy”? (Don’t forget what Paul said about prophecy in 13:2 and 8.) Another way to ask the same question: why does Paul interrupt his discussion of spiritual gifts (chapters 12 and 14) with this discourse on Christian love?” Step back to the previous chapter for a moment. Are you able to answer the question: What is the best gift? What is the more excellent way of attaining them that Paul is going to show us? Keep both these questions in mind as you read Chapter 13. Why do you think the Corinthians needed this portion of the letter? Do we as a church or individual need this letter today? From Jim F.’s notes: “Verses 4-7: What does it mean to be long-suffering? We use the word “patient,” which means “passive” or “waiting.” What does “long-suffering” connote? (Remember that in King James’ English, “suffering” didn’t necessarily mean that one felt pain; it meant that one endured or allowed something.) What is envy or jealousy and why is it inimical to love? How do we vaunt ourselves (brag)? What is wrong with doing so? Why is it incompatible with love? What is the problem with being puffed up? Does Paul’s teaching about Christian wisdom help us see why bragging and pride are forbidden by love? (Compare 1 Corinthians 1:29-31.) What is unseemly behavior (verse 5)? (See the footnote.) Why would unseemly behavior make one unloving? What does it mean to seek one’s own, i.e., to see one’s own advantage? We could replace “thinketh” in “thinketh no evil” with the word “calculates” and we would improve the translation. When would a person calculate evil? What does it mean to rejoice in iniquity (verse 6)? When do we do that? Here is another translation of verse 7: “It keeps all confidences, maintains all faithfulness, all hope, all steadfastness.” What do you think of saying “keeps all confidences” instead of “bears all things”? Which fits Paul’s teaching better? Another, fairly literal translation, is “covers all things.” What do you think of that translation? If you think that the King James translation makes more sense, can you explain what it means to bear all things? Think about Paul’s teaching and try to make your own “translation” of verse 7.” At this point, can you define CHARITY? In what way does Paul define CHARITY? Is it a helpful exercise to substitute the word CHRIST for charity? What might you learn by so doing? v. 12: The term “glass” can be translated as “mirror.” From the NIV: “Grk “we are seeing through [= using] a mirror by means of a dark image.” Corinth was well known in the ancient world for producing some of the finest bronze mirrors available. Paul’s point in this analogy, then, is not that our current understanding and relationship with God is distorted (as if the mirror reflected poorly), but rather that it is “indirect,” (i.e., the nature of looking in a mirror) compared to the relationship we will enjoy with him in the future when we see him “face to face” (cf. G. D. Fee, First Corinthians [NICNT], 648). The word “indirectly” translates the Greek phrase ἐν αἰνίγματι (ejn ainigmati, “in an obscure image”) which itself may reflect an allusion to Num 12:8 (LXX οὐ δι᾿ αἰνιγμάτων), where God says that he speaks to Moses “mouth to mouth [= face to face]…and not in dark figures [of speech].” Though this allusion to the OT is not explicitly developed here, it probably did not go unnoticed by the Corinthians who were apparently familiar with OT traditions about Moses (cf. 1 Cor 10:2). Indeed, in 2 Cor 3:13-18 Paul had recourse with the Corinthians to contrast Moses’ ministry under the old covenant with the hope afforded through apostolic ministry and the new covenant. Further, it is in this context, specifically in 2 Cor 3:18, that the apostle invokes the use of the mirror analogy again in order to unfold the nature of the Christian’s progressive transformation by the Spirit.” What else can you learn from Paul’s use of the mirror metaphore? TEACHING IDEA: Take a large mirror to class and use it as the object lesson for this section of scripture, allowing students to note the relationship available and denied through viewing another person through a mirror. v. 12: Here is a great homilee: “See that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” What does this teach us about spiritual gifts? v. 20: I like the NET Bible here: “Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” 21: This is a quote from Isa. 28:11-12. v. 34-35: In light of 11:2-16, which gives permission for women to pray or prophesy in the church meetings, the silence commanded here seems not to involve the absolute prohibition of a woman addressing the assembly. Therefore (1) some take be silent to mean not taking an authoritative teaching role as 1 Tim 2 indicates, but (2) the better suggestion is to relate it to the preceding regulations about evaluating the prophets (v. 29). Here Paul would be indicating that the women should not speak up during such an evaluation, since such questioning would be in violation of the submission to male leadership that the OT calls for (the law, e.g., Gen 2:18). The JST helps a lot here! Paul is speaking about order within the church, similar to the beginning of Chapter 11. Note the last verse of this chapter and how this is combined with the seeming confusion that would occur from many people speaking at once in undiscernable tongues.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8160
__label__cc	0.70085	0.29915	1800 945146\|support@phillips-cohen.ie Deceased Account Management Samaritans Academy Estate Calculator Newsbrandingarc2017-10-18T18:38:22+01:00 Phillips & Cohen Associates Launches Major Upgrade to Estate-Serve℠ Digital Solution Melbourne, Australia – June 2019 - Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd. (PCA), the international deceased account management specialist, servicing creditors in the US, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Portugal and Germany, is delighted [...] Phillips & Cohen Announces Major Expansion Plan Manchester, UK – June 2019 - Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd., the international deceased account management specialist, servicing creditors in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand, is delighted to announce [...] Executive Appointment: Phillips & Cohen Adds To Global Executive Leadership Team With A Focus On Data Systems & Analytics Wilmington, DE – February 2019 - Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd., the international deceased account management specialist, servicing creditors in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Spain and New Zealand, reaffirms its commitment to the [...] Phillips & Cohen Executing Global Growth Strategy by Hiring Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Development Wilmington, DE – August 2018 - Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd., the deceased account management specialist servicing creditors in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Spain and New Zealand, has signaled its intentions to enter [...] 5 Year Celebration: Phillips & Cohen Australia Celebrates 5 Years! 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Ireland Headquarters 13 Upper Baggot Street D04 W7K5 email: support@phillips-cohen.ie UK Website US Website Australia Website Canada Website Ireland Website Spain Website CSA Code Phillips & Cohen Associates Launches Major Upgrade to Estate-Serve℠ Digital Solution June 21, 2019 Phillips & Cohen Announces Major Expansion Plan June 10, 2019 Executive Appointment: Phillips & Cohen Adds To Global Executive Leadership Team With A Focus On Data Systems & Analytics February 13, 2019 Phillips & Cohen Executing Global Growth Strategy by Hiring Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Development August 28, 2018 Registered Number 578212 Copyright 2016 Phillips & Cohen Associates (Ireland), Ltd. \| All Rights Reserved \| Powered by WordPress \| Branding Arc	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8167
__label__cc	0.586771	0.413229	We will never return to our homes I have just returned from a trip to northern Iraq, supervising the work of Mission East in addressing the needs of some of the estimated 670,000 internally displaced persons in the north of the country. On June 10th, the Islamic State occupied Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, and the surrounding villages and towns on the Nineveh plain, home to one of the most ancient Christian populations on earth, the Christians of the Syriac Orthodox and other ancient churches. The entire Christian population of around 150,000 have now fled to the regions of Erbil and Dahuk in neighboring Kurdistan in northern Iraq, and are staying in the basements and gardens of churches or with friends and relatives. The world-wide head of the Church, the Patriarch, has called on the United Nations to protect the ancient Christian homeland, but none of the Christians believe they will ever be able to return. They feel betrayed by their Muslim neighbors who reported on them to the Islamic State, and now they do not dare to go back. The Christians have lived in the area since the first centuries of Christianity, but now think they can only survive if they leave their country. Urgently, however, the displaced are in need of assistance with food and clean water, as well as shelter for the winter. Many of them live in tents not fit for winter, and in October night temperatures will sink to zero and in winter the snow can lie up to 1.5 meters. Mission East is mounting a big effort to assist as many of the displaced, Christians, Yezidis and others, as we possibly can. Kim Hartzner, Managing Director A large number of the displaced Christians come from the town of Mosul, home to ancient Christian seminaries and a Christian population that can trace their history back 1,700 years. Today, after Islamic State's occupation in June, there is not a single Christian left in Mosul. Like Nakar Potros to the left, they are now staying in church basements, gardens, with friends and relatives, or outside in unfinished buildings. Nakar Potros tells her story, translated by Father Yusef: "I worked in a bank in Mosul, and five years ago there was a persecution and someone knocked on the door and told my husband they would kill us. At that time we left Mosul and moved to Qaraqosh, east of Mosul, a Christian community. A year ago, my husband hurt his leg after he fell down from a height, and therefore it was not easy for him to move around. On August 6th of this year, the Islamic State took over Qaraqosh, and now I and my children have come here to Erbil. My husband, however, stayed behind in Qaraqosh. He thought things would only take a couple of days to change and told the rest of us to leave, so he stayed behind, and the rest of us are here.....	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8169
__label__wiki	0.689402	0.689402	Page 18 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, February 1, 2019 Chinese delegation visits Everett Educators tour Webster School, Webster Extension and EHS E ducators from the city of Maoming in the Guangdong Province of China visited the Everett Public Schools (EPS) last week as part of a mutually beneficial exchange showcasing the multiple facets of the district’s students, curriculum and programs. The delegation toured the Webster School and the Webster School Extension on Tuesday, and Everett High School (EHS) on Wednesday as part of a productive twoday visit to the city. This marks the second consecutive year that educators from Maoming visited Everett during an extensive professional development journey to the United States. “It’s an honor to meet leaders from other parts of the globe,” said Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “These kinds of interactions are always valuable for the hosts as well as the guests, and I commend the School Department for organizing this successful exchange.” The mayor was especially proud to showcase the new, state-certified Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are now being offered to EHS students, including building construction and machine technology. “Creating the space, and securing the funding, for the CTE curriculum at the high school required tremendous effort from a lot of people,” the mayor said. “The programs and technology now available to our students are something we should all be proud of.” At the Webster Extension, the delegation learned about Everett’s free preschool program and other early education and special education initiatives. Head Teacher Michelle Bosco led a tour of classrooms for preschoolers as well as space dedicated to occupational therapy, speech therapy and guidance counseling. Principal Denise Hanlon led the visit to the Webster School. She talked about how “kindness” is the school’s guiding principle, and she answered a wide range of questions from the enthusiastic visitors. During the tour of classrooms, the teachers from China expressed special interest in Project Read, a language arts program that accommodates a diverse array of learning profiles, and ClassDojo, a comprehensive web application that allows teachers to easily communicate with parents and families. On Wednesday, EHS Principal Erick Naumann hosted the educators for a full morning of activities. First, they gathered in the Crimson Café, where they were treated to a breakfast prepared by the Culinary Arts Department. Naumann talked about the demographics of EHS, CTE programming and the school’s new Academy and Pathway model. Afterwards the educators received a tour of EHS, and they had a chance to interact with students and teachers during a typical day at EHS. Everyone had ample opportunity to ask questions and exchange thoughts, as the flow of information was expertly translated and interpreted by Jany Murphy. The visitors showed their gratitude by presenting EPS administrators with a variety of beautiful and original gifts from China. “I was very impressed with their energy, their interest in our schools and students, and their insights,” said Interim Superintendent Janice Gauthier. The delegation was also in New York and Connecticut, where they visited secondary schools as well as Columbia and Yale Universities. In Greater Boston, they visited Harvard and MIT. “Obviously, Greater Boston has no shortage of great educational institutions, so it’s quite an honor that our colleagues from Maoming once again included Everett on their itinerary,” said Naumann. The EPS would like to extend special thanks to retired Everett teacher Bob Constantine, who helped coordinate the visit to Everett in 2018 and again last week. 1. On Feb. 1, 1913, what opened as the world’s largest train station? 2. What is the spring flower known as Candlemas Bells also known as? 3. Which planet is closest to earth? 4. On Feb. 2, 1893, Thomas Edison’s studio made the first movie close-up, which involved a comedian holding a handkerchief and doing what? 5. In what country is the Parthenon? 6. What quarterback led five consecutive scoring drives in the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history? 7. Which color ski run sign is easier, blue or black? 8. On Feb. 3, 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell was born; what “first” did she accomplish? 9. Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of “The Snow Queen” inspired what movie? 10. Which U.S. city has over 40 buildings with their own ZIP code? 11. In 1970 what senior citizens organization was founded? 12. Who was the NBA’s last player-coach? 13. What European country describes nasty, wet weather with word dreich? 14. What English woman author said, “Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness”? (Hint: initials JA.) 15. What Boston building has been known as the “Cradle of Liberty”? 16. What were British fish and chips originally served in? 17. In what city did Saint Valentine live? 18. On Feb. 7, 1812, what famous English author was born who did factory work after his father ended up in debtor’s prison? 19. In which U.S. state was “The Mighty Ducks” hockey flick filmed? (Hint: starts with M.) 20. In what warm spot is an inglenook? ANSWERS 1. NYC’s Grand Central Terminal 2. Snowdrops 3. Venus 4. Sneezing 5. Greece 6. Tom Brady (Super Bowl LI) 7. Blue 8. First American woman to earn an M.D. degree 9. “Frozen” 10. NYC 11. The Grey Panthers 12. Dave Cowans of the Boston Celtics 13. Scotland 14. Jane Austen 15. Faneuil Hall 16. Old newspaper wrappings 17. Rome 18. Charles Dickens 19. Minnesota 20. Next to a fireplace	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8177
__label__cc	0.532403	0.467597	Tim Murphy & Derek Kilmer Compare the voting records of Tim Murphy and Derek Kilmer in 2017-18. Represented Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. This is his 8th term in the House. Tim Murphy and Derek Kilmer are from different parties and disagreed on 72 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18). But they didn't always disagree. Out of 544 votes in the 115th Congress, they agreed on 162 votes, including 26 major votes. Sept. 14, 2017 — Gohmert of Texas Amendment No. 195	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8178
__label__wiki	0.920168	0.920168	Christopher H. Smith & Kay Granger Compare the voting records of Christopher H. Smith and Kay Granger in 2017-18. Christopher H. Smith Represented New Jersey's 4th Congressional District. This is his 19th term in the House. Kay Granger Christopher H. Smith and Kay Granger are from the same party and agreed on 88 percent of votes in the 115th Congress (2017-18). Nov. 16, 2018 — Manage our Wolves Act Sept. 28, 2018 — Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018 July 11, 2018 — Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act April 25, 2018 — To provide for operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System pursuant to a certain operation plan for a specified period of time, and for other purposes Feb. 15, 2018 — ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 Dec. 20, 2017 — Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Dec. 6, 2017 — Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 Nov. 16, 2017 — Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Oct. 26, 2017 — Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027 May 2, 2017 — Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 March 16, 2017 — VA Accountability First Act March 1, 2017 — Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness” Feb. 16, 2017 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to “Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska” Feb. 7, 2017 — Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior relating to Bureau of Land Management regulations that establish the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 Feb. 1, 2017 — Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule Feb. 1, 2017 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to “Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers” July 18, 2018 — Smith of Missouri Amendment No. 70 July 18, 2018 — Gosar of Arizona Amendment No. 63 July 18, 2018 — Pearce of New Mexico Amendment No. 62 July 18, 2018 — Gallego of Arizona Amendment No. 51 July 18, 2018 — Goodlatte of Virginia Amendment No. 50 July 18, 2018 — Lamborn of Colorado Amendment No. 49 July 18, 2018 — McMorris Rodgers of Washington Amendment No. 46 July 18, 2018 — Mullin of Oklahoma Amendment No. 43 June 7, 2018 — Tsongas of Massachusetts Part B Amendment No. 13 May 18, 2018 — Banks of Indiana Amendment No. 31 May 17, 2018 — Westerman of Arkansas Part C Amendment No. 13 May 17, 2018 — Faso of New York Amendment No. 13 Feb. 15, 2018 — Langevin of Rhode Island Part A Amendment No. 2 On Motion to go to Conference Dec. 4, 2017 — Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Nov. 1, 2017 — O’Halleran of Arizona Amendment No. 3 Oct. 25, 2017 — McEachin of Virginia Part A Amendment No. 4 Oct. 24, 2017 — Conyers of Michigan Part B Amendment No. 6 Sept. 14, 2017 — Huizenga of Michigan Amendment No. 207 Sept. 13, 2017 — Gibbs of Ohio Amendment No. 187 Sept. 13, 2017 — Walberg of Michigan Amendment No. 173 Sept. 13, 2017 — Pocan of Wisconsin Amendment No. 134 Sept. 13, 2017 — Mullin of Oklahoma Amendment No. 73 Sept. 7, 2017 — Goodlatte of Virginia Amendment No. 50 Sept. 7, 2017 — Young of Alaska Amendment No. 43 Sept. 7, 2017 — Ellison of Minnesota Amendment No. 38 Sept. 7, 2017 — Grijalva of Arizona Amendment No. 18 Sept. 7, 2017 — Thompson of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 15 Agreed to by a margin of 2 votes. Sept. 7, 2017 — Grijalva of Arizona Amendment No. 2 July 27, 2017 — Suozzi of New York Part B Amendment No. 10 July 26, 2017 — Takano of California Amendment No. 7 July 13, 2017 — Buck of Colorado Amendment No. 3 July 12, 2017 — DeSaulnier of California Part C Amendment No. 5 June 28, 2017 — Hudson of North Carolina Amendment No. 4 June 7, 2017 — Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico Amendment No. 1 Jan. 5, 2017 — King of Iowa Amendment No. 12 Jan. 5, 2017 — Nadler of New York Amendment No. 9	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8179
__label__cc	0.69763	0.30237	Dissertation/Thesis Abstract Print \| Copy link 1 of 1 documents The Women's Studio Workshop: Inside an all -woman art space by Hallmark, Kara Kelley, Ph.D., The Florida State University, 2007, 272; 3301552 Abstract (Summary) The purpose of this study was to bring to the forefront the lives and experiences of women artists within one context, the Women's Studio Workshop. In order to ensure that women artists have equal inclusion in the canon, we must record their lives and work (Sandell & Collins, 1997; Korzenik, 1990; Nochlin, 1971). In response to the lack of opportunities, U.S. women artists have organized for more than a century (Briggs, 1932; Skiles, 1975; Sturken, 1978). An upsurge of women's artist organizations occurred during the early 1970s feminist art movement as a part of the larger women's liberation movement (Brodsky 1994). Driven by my curiosity about women artist organizations, I located a present day group of women artists to research. The question “What is the nature of one woman centered art space?” guided my inquiry. The Women's Studio Workshop is one example of a women's artist community that provides support, education, exhibition, employment, and empowerment to women artists since the early 1970s. Fully immersed in the environment, I observed daily activities, interviewed staff and visiting artists, and participated in the community on three separate visits over the course of 18 months. The findings revealed a community with connection to history and its surrounding environment. The Women's Studio Workshop is its own miniature art world that is both separate from and working within the art world at large. A grass-roots nonprofit organization, the workshop provides opportunities for women artists to create art in a room of their own. The workshop is a place where artists from several different generations can usually be found, collaborating, sharing, and growing together. Although the workshop does not hold an overtly political agenda, indeed the actions of the workshop are woman-centered, which sets the stage for political activity and dialogue. Women reportedly felt more comfortable in woman-centered environment, free to have intimate conversations and talk without censoring their words. This feminist inspired inquiry was shaped largely by my own personal perspective and feelings, which is explicitly stated throughout the findings and interpretations. For art education this literature will be another example of a women's artist organization that functions as a community arts program by collaborating with local schools and as an example of women artists organizing and making their way in the world as artists despite discriminatory obstacles. For the discipline of women's studies, this paper will serve as another source of feminist praxis, illustrating where and how action reflects and supports feminist theory. Indexing (document details) Commitee: School: The Florida State University School Location: United States -- Florida Source: DAI-A 69/02, Dissertation Abstracts International Source Type: DISSERTATION Subjects: Art education, Womens studies, Gender Keywords: Alternative art space, Art community, Art education, Women artist communities, Women artist organizations, Women artists, Women's Studio Workshop Publication Number: 3301552	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8183
__label__cc	0.520161	0.479839	Source: Why do we do what we do? Many a parent has known the challenge of answering the incessant questions of “why?” asked by their young children as their little ones attempt to learn about the world around them. Some questions are easily answered while others have no easy answer. For Doug Loss, his “why” questions about faith and religion largely went unanswered by the Evangelical and Methodist churches he was a member of for most of his life. Doug did not pay much heed to the tenets of his early religious experiences; they were just there. His curiosity grew as he did, however, and he began to ask the questions that had no easy answers. Questions such as why the churches did what they did, believed what they believed, what did they represent and why, should have uniformly been answered by those whom he asked. But they weren’t. The answers Doug received were as varied as the people he asked. None of their answers were satisfactory. When the Evangelical and Methodist churches merged into one church, Doug attempted to find the answers to his questions in the adult Sunday school class that he participated in. To his chagrin, he discovered that no one else seemed to be as concerned about the “whys” of their faith as he was. Disheartened, he slowly drifted away as the entertainment factor of the church held no sway for him. In 1989, he began to date a Greek woman who took him to Holy Cross Orthodox Church and introduced him to the ancient faith. His curiosity peaked once more and the “why” questions surfaced about Orthodoxy in similar fashion to his former religion. Only this time, he received answers. The answers were serious and understandable and Doug was pleasantly surprised to hear that there were reasons for everything from why hymns were sung to why the Bible was read in the way that it was read to the history and theology behind all of it. Everything in Orthodoxy is directed toward one purpose: the worship of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Nothing folksy or jazzy in the Orthodox Church! Worship is not about entertainment; it’s about worship, plain and simple and this was the answer that Doug wanted to hear. Although he would not convert for a number of years, he continued to ask the hard questions that had no easy answer. Under the guidance of his spiritual father, Father Dan, who patiently answered his questions, Doug eventually was ready to accept and embrace the Orthodox faith. Unlike his former church, which like the impatient parent who has grown tired of the “whys” of the curious child, in the Orthodox Church, Doug found the answers he was looking for. For Orthodox Christians, there can never be too many “whys?” These are questions the faithful are more than happy to answer. Life by Way of Death An Oldie But a Goodie	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8186
__label__wiki	0.747694	0.747694	HomePosts tagged 'Illinois Fighting Illini' Clock Strikes Midnight On Illinois and Nebraska (B1G Tournament Recap Day 3) March 12, 2016 qsaturda 2016 Big Ten Tournament, Hoosiers In The NCAA Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament, day 3 recap, Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana, Indiana Hoosiers, IU, iubb, Maryland, Maryland Terrapins, MD, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ohio State, Ohio State Buckeyes, OSU, PU, Purdue, Purdue Boilermakers, Quinn Saturday So far during the Big Ten Tournament, the main story has been the upsets as both Wednesday winners also won on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals. Sadly, #11 Nebraska and #12 Illinois saw their chances at a magical championship run end on Friday. While Michigan is still in the tournament for everyone wanting to root for an underdog, the Wolverines may get into the NCAA Tournament without winning the Big Ten Tournament, which was not the case for the Cornhuskers or the Illini. #8 Michigan 72, #1 Indiana 69 After playing a mediocre game against Northwestern, Michigan came to play on Friday as a back-and-forth contest (no team led by more than six points) ended with the pendulum swinging in the Wolverines’ favor as a Kameron Chatman corner three-pointer with just 0.2 seconds left gave Michigan a 72-69 win over number one seed Indiana. Michigan had missed all 10 of its second half three-point attempts, but made its last two when the team needed them most. After Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell split a pair of free throws, Zak Irvin drove the basketball and kicked it out to Duncan Robinson who made a three-pointer to tie the game at 69 with 46 seconds remaining. He was 0 for 5 before he hit the game-tying shot from the right corner. Then Michigan was gifted the ball on an OG Anunoby turnover when he tried to drive to the basket with 21 seconds left. It was the only time Anunoby played like a freshman as the rest of the game he did everything to keep Indiana hanging with the Wolverines, finishing with 13 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks. Derrick Walton Jr. again failed to make a field goal but finished with 12 assists, none bigger than his great pass to Chatman in the left corner for the game-winner. Irvin led the Wolverines with 17 points while Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman added 15 points. The Hoosiers were led by Troy Williams who finished with 16 points. Thomas Bryant scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Ferrell added 14 points and eight assists. #4 Purdue 89, #12 Illinois 58 Having lost to them earlier in the season, Purdue did not take Illinois as lightly as Iowa might have done. Add that with a thirst for revenge and the Boilermakers steamrolled the Illini 89-58 to advance to the Big Ten semifinals. The Illini won their first two games of the Big Ten Tournament because of their explosive three-point shooting, but the long ball didn’t fall on Friday as Illinois hit only 4 of 18 from deep. Meanwhile the Purdue pounded the Illini into submission by grabbing 42 rebounds to Illinois’ 24. The Boilkermakers received great contributions from all three of their talented big men. Isaac Haas led the team with 16 points, Caleb Swanigan recorded a double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds) and A.J. Hammons just missed on another double-double (10 points and eight rebounds). The Illini were led by Maverick Morgan (17 points) and Malcolm Hill (16 points). #2 Michigan State 81 #7 Ohio State 54 Unlike their archrivals (Michigan), the Ohio State Buckeyes saw their NCAA Tournament chances end gruesomely as the Michigan State Spartans destroyed them 81-54. Big Ten Player of the Year Denzel Valentine was his usual magnificent self as he fell just short of a triple-double finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. The Buckeyes had a lot of things go wrong but probably the biggest was outside shooting the team went 1 of 11 from deep. They also went to the free throw line 11 times after going there 00 times against Penn State. JaQuan Lyle was the only Buckeye to score in double-figures but only scored 10 points and also had five turnovers. Deyonta Davis had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Spartans as Tom Izzo’s team continues its quest for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. #3 Maryland 97, #11 Nebraska 86 Nebraska’s quest for five wins in five days ended on Friday when the Cornhuskers lost to Maryland 97-86 but not before they made one last charge. Down by as many as 25 points with 15:46 left in the second half, the Cornhuskers cut it to 92-86 with 1:40 remaining but back-to-back fouls let Maryland end a 18-4 run and hold on to advance to the conference semifinals. The Terrapins built a huge lead early thanks to pinpoint three-point shooting. Maryland shot 90.0% (9 of 10) from behind the arc and 71.4% overall in the first half. Jake Layman (who scored a game-high 26 points) made 6 of 9 from deep while Melo Trimble made 4 of 8 from long-range. Trimble finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Diamond Stone also played well, adding 23 points and eight rebounds. For Nebraska, Andrew White III scored 25 points while Shavon Shields poured in 19 points in his last Big Ten game. Saturday’s Games: #8 Michigan vs #4 Purdue – 1pm EST (CBS) #2 Michigan State vs #3 Maryland – 3:30pm (CBS) Former Indiana High Schoolers Shine In Indianapolis (B1G Tournament Recap Day 2) March 11, 2016 qsaturda 2016 Big Ten Tournament Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament, day 2 recap, Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini, Iowa, Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan, Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern, Northwestern Wildcats, NW, Ohio State, Ohio State Buckeyes, OSU, Penn State, Penn State Nittany Lions, PSU, Quinn Saturday, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Badgers Because there are so many good basketball recruits in the state of Indiana, many of the top colleges scout area and thus players are seen playing with teams all around the country. That is especially true of Big Ten schools as their proximity to the state of Indiana makes the player feel like they are never too far away from home. Well quite a few of those players did return home this weekend and have played an important part in their team’s success in the Big Ten Tournament. Whether it was great play during crunch time or the game-winning shot, former Hoosiers definitely felt at home on Thursday. #8 Michigan 72, #9 Northwestern 70 (OT) Even though Michigan was the team fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, Northwestern looked like the more focused team for the majority of the game. Every time it seemed that the Wolverines had seized control of the game, the Wildcats made a run to make it close. Then Michigan would proceed to go on a run to seemingly put the Wildcats away. It was a constant cycle until the Wildcats finally took a 55-54 lead with 3:30 remaining. Michigan would retake the lead when Derrick Walton Jr. scored his only points of the game as his two free throws put the Wolverines up 56-55. Again it seemed Michigan had taken control when senior center Alex Olah (who had 20 points and 13 rebounds) hit his fifth three-pointer of the season to make Michgan’s lead just 59-58. Then Michigan burned its last two timeouts trying to inbound the ball and when the Wolverines finally got it in to Duncan Robinson, Northwestern trapped him in the corner and forced him to travel. Yet to Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins dismay the referees called a foul instead. Robinson, a 92% free throw shooter, proceed to split the pair and an Olah tip-in with 0.1 seconds left sent the game to overtime. Yet again it looked like Michigan had put the game away up 72-70 after Zak Irvin’s clutch pull-up jumper from the elbow with three seconds left in overtime. Yet what should have been a game-ending steal on the Wildcats’ in-bound pass turned into a turnover when Walton Jr. stepped on the baseline with 0.6 seconds left to give Northwestern one more shot. Nathan Taphorn was able to get open but the three-pointer was short as Michigan survived, but the Wolverines won’t survive against Indiana if they play like they did today. #12 Illinois 68, #5 Iowa 66 Iowa’s late-season slump didn’t end when it beat Michigan last weekend, it was merely taking a break. The Iowa team that had lost five of its last seven showed up in full force as the Hawkeyes went one and done in the Big Ten Tournament by losing to Illinois 68-66. The Hawkeyes got major contributions from their stars as Peter Jok scored a game-high 29 points while Jarrod Uthoff added 21 points. It was the rest team that prevented Iowa from winning back-to-back games for the first time since the first week of February. While Uthoff and Jok combined for 50 points on 19/32 (59.4%) shooting, the other seven Hawkeyes to see the court combined for 16 points on 6/30 (20.0%) shooting and were also responsible for 13 of the team’s 18 turnovers. In fact, the Hawkeyes went 22:18 of in-game time between having a Hawkeye other than Jok or Uthoff score a single point. Meanwhile Illinois is starting to play up to the potential many have been waiting to see from this team. Former Indianapolis native Jalen Coleman-Lands led the Illini with 17 points, 14 of which came in the second half. The Illini got a big boost early from Maverick Morgan, who had 12 of his 14 points in the first half. Iowa looked dead with 7:02 left in the second half as the Haweyes trailed 63-52. Yet the pressure to closeout became too much for Illinois as the Illini started playing not to lose instead of trying to win. As a result, Iowa went on a 14-3 run to tie the game at 66 with 1:33 left. A Malcolm Hill 18-footer with 1:15 left proved to be the game-winner as it ended up being the last points of the game. Iowa had multiple chances to tie or take the lead, even getting a jump ball in its favor, but a turnover with four seconds left sealed the Hawkeyes’ fate as they head to the NCAA Tournament having lost six of their last eight. #7 Ohio State 79, #10 Penn State 75 Yet another Indiana High School standout shined in Indianapolis as JaQuan Lyle finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists as Ohio State was able to fend off Penn State 79-75. Marc Loving led the Buckeyes with 24 points, but it was Lyle who helped Ohio State overcome a 37-34 halftime defecit as he scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half. Shep Garner led all scorers with 25 points as the Nittany Lions took a three-point lead into halftime thanks to excellent three-point shooting. Penn State went 7 of 12 from deep in the first half, but faltered in the second half by going just 2 of 10. The Buckeyes also accumulated a massive free throw advantage, taking 39 fouls shots to Penn State’s 21. Ohio State now has a must-win matchup on Friday with the Michigan State Spartans if the Buckeyes want to keep their hopes alive for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. #11 Nebraska 70, #6 Wisconsin 58 I asked during my Big Ten Tournament Preview if a double-digit seed could win multiple games. The answer is yes as Nebraska joined Illinois as a double-digit seed in the quarterfinals. The Cornhuskers advanced after defeating Wisconsin 70-58. Shavon Shields led the way with 20 points and just like against Rutgers he had help from the role players. Glynn Watson Jr. (8.4ppg) scored 16 points while Benny Parker (4.7ppg) added 12 points for the Cornhuskers. They also stifled the Badgers offense limiting them to 30.2% shooting on the game. In addition to shooting a terrible 30.2% overall, Wisconsin only hit 4 of 20 (20.0%) three-point attempts. Vitto Brown carried the Badgers in the first half (13 of the team’s 21 points) but only scored three in the second half. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Ethan Happ led Wisconsin with 17 points (13 in the second half) but also committed a game-high five turnovers. Even the reliable Nigel Hayes had a disastrous game, hitting only 2 of 15 from the floor. Unlike Iowa, this loss by Wisconsin looks more like a fluke than a sign of trouble, especially considering that the Badgers had won 11 of their last 13 games. Still, that doesn’t take away the disappointment of trying to defend their title of reigning Big Ten Tournament Champions. Friday’s Games: #1 Indiana vs #8 Michigan – 12pm EST (ESPN) #4 Purdue vs #12 Illinois – 2:30pm EST (ESPN) #2 Michigan State vs #7 Ohio State – 6:30pm EST (BTN) #3 Maryland vs #11 Nebraska – 9pm EST (BTN) Minnesota And Rutgers End Season On Different Notes (B1G Tournament Day 1 Recap) March 10, 2016 qsaturda 2016 Big Ten Tournament Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament, day 1 recap, Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini, Minnesota, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Nebraska, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Rutgers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights Considering that Rutgers and Minnesota went a combined 3-33 in conference play (with two of those wins coming against each other), it should come as no surprise that the Scarlet Knights and the Golden Gophers were the first two eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament. What is a little surprising is how differently those two teams played in their losses. #12 Illinois 85, #13 Minnesota 52 While Minnesota has been the far more competitive of the two (even earning an upset win over Maryland), the recent injury to Joey King along with the suspensions of Nate Mason, Kevin Dorsey, and Dupree McBrayer has turned the Golden Gophers into a junior varsity team, with the remaining players losing to Rutgers 75-52 to end the regular season. It’s hard to have an uglier performance than losing by 20+ points to Rutgers, but the Golden Gophers somehow pulled it off on Wednesday when Illinois literally ran Minnesota off the floor on the way to an 85-52 Illini win. The 33-point scoring margin was more than twice as much as Illinois’ previous largest win of the season (16-point win over Rutgers). For the Illini it was a great confidence booster for a team that has been mediocre at best this season. What was really encouraging was the three-point shooting as Illinois’ four main perimeter shooters Jalen Coleman-Lands, Malcolm Hill, Kendrick Nunn, and Michael Finke went a combined 12 for 20 (60%) from deep. This isn’t just some fluke either as those four players went a combined 9 for 14 (64.3%) went they upset Purdue 84-70 earlier in the season. If the Illini can continue to have those four players shoot above 50% from behind the arc, they’ll have a legit chance to advance on Thursday when they face a slumping Iowa team that has lost five of its last seven games. #11 Nebraska 89, #14 Rutgers 72 After beating Minnesota to avoid going winless in Big Ten play, Rutgers seemed to have renewed confidence as they gave Nebraska a lot of trouble in the first half. There were 12 lead changes and every time it seemed Nebraska was going to pull away Rutgers had a response. However, Nebraska’s extra possessions just became too much for the Scarlet Knights to overcome. The Cornhuskers forced 17 Rutgers’ turnovers which turned into 27 points. They also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds as Tim Miles’ team ended up with 14 more field goal attempts than Rutgers. While Shavon Shields (20 points) and Andrew White III (16 points) did their usual offensive heavy lifting, the Cornhuskers also received huge contributions from role players Tai Webster (18 points) and Michael Jacobson (14 points). If Nebraska wants to have a shot at upsetting Wisconsin, it will need players like Webster and Jacobson to help Shields and White III on offense. Thursday’s Games: #9 Northwestern vs #8 Michigan – 12pm EST (BTN) #12 Illinois vs #5 Iowa – 2:30pm EST (BTN) #10 Penn State vs #7 Ohio State – 6:30pm EST (ESPN2) #11 Nebraska vs #6 Wisconsin – 9pm EST (ESPN2) The Ten Biggest Storylines Heading Into The Big Ten Tournament March 9, 2016 qsaturda 2016 Big Ten Tournament, Hoosiers In The NCAA Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament, Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana, Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa, Iowa Hawkeyes, IU, iubb, Maryland, Maryland Terrapins, MD, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota, Minnesota Golden Gophers, MSU, NCAA Tournament, Nebraska, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern, Northwestern Wildcats, NW, Ohio State, Ohio State Buckeyes, OSU, Penn State, Penn State Nittany Lions, PSU, PU, Purdue, Purdue Boilermakers, Quinn Saturday, Rutgers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Badgers Originally when I first received my credentials for the Big Ten Tournament, I thought my access was going to be restricted to just the team I cover (being the Indiana Hoosiers). However, after learning that I have access to all 13 games, I decided I may as well cover the tournament as a whole. For the next five days I will be publishing daily recaps of the day’s events and I will also live-tweet all 13 games. You can follow me on Twitter @QTipsForSports for all the fun. So before the fun begins, let’s take a quick look at the ten biggest storylines heading into the Big Ten Tournament: Michigan State Tries To Earn A 1-Seed: During a season of chaos and upsets, Tom Izzo’s squad is as close to a championship contender as any other team in the country. Yet despite having a winning record against the RPI top 25 and 11 wins overall against RPI top 100 teams, the Spartans are far from a lock as a 1-seed. That’s because not only did Michigan State not win the Big Ten, but finished two games behind champion Indiana. A conference championship is really the only thing missing from the resume and the Spartans can still claim the conference tournament championship this week, which should satisfy that last requirement for a 1-seed. Now it’s up to Izzo on whether or not grabbing a 1-seed is worth pursuing. Indiana Tries To Win Its First Big Ten Tournament: Even though the Hoosiers are tied for the most regular season Big Ten titles (22), did you know Indiana has never won a Big Ten Tournament? Granted the Big Ten was one of the last conferences to adopt a postseason tournament ( the first one being in 1998), but it’s still hard to believe the Hoosiers have yet to win one especially since roughly half of them have been in Indianapolis, which is practically a second home for the Hoosiers. After a 15-3 record against the conference this year, you’d think this would be the year they’d have the best chance to get their first. Does A Big Ten Regular Season And Tournament Championship Earn Indiana A 1/2-Seed?: Indiana might also need to win the Big Ten Tournament to grab a 1 or 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament, which in itself is pretty incredible when you realize this team was very much on the bubble at the beginning of February. Four more wins against the RPI top 50 later and the Hoosiers are almost a lock for a top-4 seed. How Tom Crean’s group does this weekend will determine if they move up even more before Selection Sunday. Can Either Maryland Or Iowa End Its Late-Season Slump?: While Indiana has seen its stock rise, both Maryland and Iowa have seen its stock plummet over the last few weeks. The Terrapins have lost four of their last six games while the Hawkeyes have lost five of their last seven games. Both have shown to be very talented teams capable of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, but that would likely require them to play well in the Big Ten Tournament to turn momentum in their favor. If either lose right away in Indianapolis, you’d be smart to avoid picking them when filling out your March Madness brackets. Ohio State And Michigan Both Need Multiple Wins To Help NCAA Chances: Even though Iowa and Maryland have struggled down the stretch, both are locks for the NCAA Tournament. That is not the case for Ohio State and Michigan. The Buckeyes have gone 4-4 in their last eight games while the Wolverines have gone 3-5 in their last eight games. In addition to not finishing the season strong, both have just three wins against the RPI top 100 and a ton of losses (Ohio State has nine vs RPI top 100 while Michigan has 11 vs RPI top 100). With the pool for the at-large bids getting crowded with all of the mid-major conference leaders who lost in their postseason tournaments, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will need to win multiple games during the Big Ten Tournament just to stay on the bubble come Selection Sunday. Will A Double-Digit Seed Win Multiple Games?: Upsets have been the norm in college basketball this season and some of the more surprising ones have happened in the Big Ten. Penn State has wins over both Iowa and Indiana, Illinois has a win over Purdue, Nebraska has a win over Michigan State, and Minnesota has a win over Maryland. All four of those teams are double-digit seeds and would have to beat teams of similar caliber to win multiple games this week. They’ve all done it before so it’s not out of the question it could happen again. How Will Wisconsin Respond To Starting The Big Ten Tournament A Day Earlier Than Usual?: Even though Greg Gard didn’t lead Wisconsin to yet another top four finish in the Big Ten, he’s done a great job taking over for Bo Ryan and deserves to be named the permanent head coach. That being said, after years of having off until Friday, how will the team react having to win one extra game? Will the fans remember to come root for their team on Thursday or will they forget out of habit? All joking aside, if the Badgers get to at least the semifinals they might move up to a 6-seed, which is incredible for a team that had home losses to Western Illinois and Milwaukee to begin the season. Potential Indiana-Purdue Rematch In Indianapolis: There are plenty of great potential matchups in this year’s Big Ten Tournament, but when considering the location of the tournament (Indianapolis) and the likeliness of the matchup (both teams only need to win one game), an Indiana-Purdue rematch becomes the most intriguing. Due to unbalanced schedules caused by league expansion, the in-state rivals are no longer guaranteed to play each other twice a season. Recently both programs haven’t been good at the same time so the lack of a home-and-home likely prevented one team from sweeping the other. That wasn’t the case this year as both are ranked in the AP top 25 and are real threats in the NCAA Tournament which made the fact that they only played once this season a shame. That could be corrected if both win their quarterfinals matchups on Friday. Which Coaches Are Under Pressure To Perform Well?: Even though only one coach has a realistic chance of being fired after this season (that being Rutgers’ Eddie Jordan), there are still many coaches who will feel the pressure to perform at the Big Ten Tournament this weekend for varying reasons. Richard Pitino of Minnesota has been given a pass for this season, but after the recent suspensions and the loss to Rutgers, there’s definitely some pressure to end the season on a positive note. John Groce was just given a vote of confidence that he will return to coach Illinois next year but if the Illini get destroyed by Minnesota on Wednesday it may make his margin for error even less come next season. Missing the NCAA Tournament won’t put coaches like Thad Matta (Ohio State) and John Beilein (Michigan) on the hot seat but both would like to avoid any unnecessary pressure going forward. Lastly both Fran McCaffery (Iowa) and Mark Turgeon (Maryland) carry the burden of high expectations and with both teams stumbling towards the finish line, you can bet both want to avoid being considered underachievers with their talented squads. With The Final On Sunday, Could A Team Realistically Win And Cause An NCAA Selection Shakeup?: Did you know that in the history of the Big Ten Tournament, an eighth, ninth, 10th, and 11th seed have all made the championship game? With the Big Ten so top-heavy this year, if an eighth thru 11th seed made the Big Ten title game that would have huge ramifications for the NCAA Selection Committee. While the committee would probably place the eighth seed (who is Michigan) into the bracket regardless of outcome, ninth thru 11th (Northwestern, Penn State, and Nebraska) are nowhere close to being at-large teams and would cause the selection committee to make two vastly different versions of the final bracket in the case of one of those teams winning the Big Ten Tournament. Of course this is true of any year, but considering what has already happened this season, this possibility should not be ignored.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8188
__label__wiki	0.968538	0.968538	De Niro’s Trump Talk & Other Memorable Moments from the 2018 Tony Awards June 11th, 2018 \| By Lindsey Sullivan The 2018 Tony Awards are officially over! June 10 was a night of emotional speeches, political shoutouts, unforgettable performances and many a trip to the podium for The Band’s Visit. Broadway.com’s Ryan Casey illustrated some of the most memorable moments from the night! Go ahead—enjoy those viewing party leftovers, stay in those sweatpants for as long as possible and relive the 72nd annual Tony Awards! "AND THE TONY GOES TO…THE BAND'S VISIT (AGAIN)!" The Broadway musical The Band's Visit begins and ends with, "Once, not so long ago, a group of musicians came to Israel from Egypt. You probably didn’t hear about it. It wasn’t very important." Well, that certainly changed after Tony night, with the intimate show based on Eran Kolirin's 2007 film sweeping the awards and making first time Tony winners of its creative team and stars Tony Shalhoub, Katrina Link and Ari'el Stachel. ANDREW GARFIELD HAS HIS CAKE, EATS IT & SHARES IT TOO A favorite to win the Best Leading Actor in a Play Award for his powerful performance as Prior Walter in Tony Kushner's landmark play Angels in America, Andrew Garfield didn't disappoint when he took to the podium for his big Tony moment early in the ceremony, setting the woke but warm tone that took over the night: "I dedicate this award to the countless LGBTQ people who have fought and died to protect that spirit to protect that message for the right to live and love as we are created to," Garfield said. "We are all sacred and we all belong. So, let's just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked!" GOOD OLD RELIABLE NATHAN Nathan Lane took home Tony #3 for his searing performance as Donald Trump's mentor and lawyer Roy Cohn in Angels in America, his first trophy for a play. "I needed to scare myself again and challenge myself more because I felt I had more to offer as an actor," he said in his emotional speech. "This award is a lovely vote of confidence that I've been on the right path." Lane's first two Tonys (for The Producers and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) established him as a comedy king. This accolade confirms what we've always known: Mr. Lane can do it all. GLENDA JACKSON'S FIRST TONY WIN Three Tall Women's towering talent Glenda Jackson has received a Tony nomination for every show she's appeared in on Broadway. June 10 marked the two-time Oscar winner's first Tony victory. Even sweeter? Hearing her echo the evening's theme of unity in her speech. "There are people in this audience, in this country, in this city from every other country in the world. And you, as always are welcoming and kind and generous, and America has never needed that more," Jackson said. "But then, America is always great." So too is Glenda Jackson. TONYS SO POLITICAL From Tony Kushner to Glenda Jackson, those who took the podium on Broadway's biggest night certainly used their platform, whether it was to encourage Americans to head to the polls for the midterm elections or simply to remind the audience of the qualities that actually make the United States great. Robert De Niro made a particular political splash. Though those watching at home may not have heard, those at Radio City Music Hall and pretty much anyone who peeked around on Twitter got it loud and clear (twice): "F*ck Trump!" ONCE ON THIS ISLAND'S SURPRISING WIN We even said it in our 2018 Tony predictions roundtable: althought it has many fans, there simply was not a lot of awards buzz about Once On This Island for Best Musical Revival. The big win for the Michael Arden-directed gem playing at the Circle in the Square Theatre was definitely the biggest surprise of the evening—even and especially for the Once On This Island company. Producer Ken Davenport accepted the award, saying, "This is a business where you hear 'No' an awful lot, so this award is dedicated to all the people who said, 'Yes' to this production." The gods certainly heard their prayer! SARA BAREILLES AND JOSH GROBAN'S BROADWAY MAGIC Costume changes, original musical numbers and even conjuring Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tony nominee Jamie Parker from thin air, it's safe to say that the evening's host and Broadway-loving BFFs Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban made Broadway magic as emcees. They sang about losing and dreaming, rocked gold jumpsuits and even swapped costumes from their Broadway roles: Bareilles rocked a beard and specs as Pierre from Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and now, we're just waiting for the announcement that Josh Groban will head to the diner as Jenna in Waitress. LINDSAY MENDEZ'S MESSAGE FOR ARTISTS We've loved Broadway favorite Lindsay Mendez since she was our Fly Girl. How great was it to watch her become a fancy, smancy Tony winner for her gorgeous work in Carousel? Leave it to Wicked's former green girl to shout out individuality in her acceptance speech: "I just want to say, when I moved to New York, I was told to change my last name from Mendez to Matthews or I wouldn't work," she said. "I just want to say how proud I am to be a part of a community that celebrates diversity and individuality. To all of you artists out there, just be your true self and the world will take note." BROADWAY'S BOSS Springsteen on Broadway has been doing gangbusters at the box office and bringing in a whole new type of audience to the Great White Way. Bruce Springsteen received a Special 2018 Tony Award for his hit concert engagement, currently selling out at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The Boss took the stage at Radio City Music Hall to spin a yarn and play a rendition of "My Hometown." Springsteen's stripped down performance may not have had the typical Broadway razzle dazzle, but that is exactly why audiences are leaning in to listen to this American poet. After multiple extensions, we're glad to have the Boss on Broadway. LAURIE METCALF'S COMEBACK Last year, Laurie Metcalf garnered her first Tony for the return of Nora in Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House, Part 2. This year, the performer returned to the podium for her performance in Three Tall Women, beating out the Brits in her stacked category. We noticed Metcalf thanked director Joe Mantello in her acceptance speech and sat right behind fellow winner Nathan Lane. Hopefully that Death of a Salesman revival was a subject over cocktails at the after party! PARKLAND STUDENTS TAKE THE STAGE Easily one of the most emotional moments of the evening was when the Parkland drama club took the stage to perform the Rent tear-jerker "Seasons of Love." Melody Herzfeld, the Stoneman Douglas High School theater teacher who saved the lives of 65 students during the recent tragic shooting in Parkland, FL, was presented with the Tonys' 2018 Excellence in Theatre Education Award. In celebration of Herzfeld’s win, her students, including soloist Kali Clougherty, took to the stage for a performance that left viewers, both at Radio City Music Hall and at home, emotional. This moment was atruly a reminder of theater's power to bring people together to heal.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8189
__label__wiki	0.514028	0.514028	One of the things that binds us as a family is a shared sense of humor. Quote by Ralph Fiennes Topics: Humor Quotes I certainly gained a lot by reading about Shanghai. The film depends on the audience's belief in this relationship. When she was younger, my mother was quite committed to Roman Catholicism. But she got... I respond to a part just intuitively when I read a script. We'd all like to believe that perhaps people could stop killing each other. I went out to Mount Kilimanjaro, which I thought was very beautiful, but there were... You're meant to be playing the distillation of evil, which can be anything. Little moments can have a feeling and a texture that is very real. You have to just dive over the edge. You haven't got time to mess about. Gardeners are good at nurturing, and they have a great quality of patience, they're tender.... I don't feel particularly comfortable about actors using whatever power they may have to push... As an actor, there's a bit of you that's decided you want to be looked... There's a challenge to playing these fantasy figures because they are fantasy figures. You have... I got to read some writings by serial killers, and they got inside my head.... I couldn't get as big as a bodybuilder. I tried to put on as much... I was grateful to have two weeks to shoot this one scene in Harry Potter.... I can't go and shoot people in the back of the head because It's a... I admire the world of the books and the characters that she's created, but I'm... You feel yourself working to show something. I've learned to distrust that feeling. Kenya doesn't have much of an infrastructure for hosting a film.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8190
__label__wiki	0.951183	0.951183	Irish Republican News · October 18, 2014 Budget ‘too little, too late’ for those in need The coalition 26-County government has been accused of using this week’s annual budget announcements as an attempt regain popular support after comprehensively losing two by-elections while 100,000 people marched in Dublin against the hated new water charges. Claiming the era of austerity budgets is over, scores of minor tax and spending changes were announced on Tuesday. Benefits were marginal, but the message was clear: the government is on an election footing. Despite vaulting real estate valuations, particularly in the capital, the public mood remains deeply hostile. Billing is underway for the water charges, which have been described as Ireland’s “poll tax”. Tenants across Ireland have been threatened with eviction if they fail to pay the charge, including tenants of some local councils. Meanwhile, there have been continuing revelations of cronyism and greed at Irish Water, the new semi-state company set up to process the payments, with reports of company officials helping themselves to five-figure “performance-related awards”. Despite the government’s announcement this week of a hundred euro tax credit for water bills and a similar allowance for certain social welfare recipients, the move was described as inadequate by Sinn Fein. Meanwhile, other highly touted tax and spending changes will mainly benefit those on the highest income bracket. Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty accused the government of failing to listen when drafting the Budget. Mr Doherty said it was hoped it would rebuild the economy, renew society and repair communities, but this did not happen. It was a two-tier Budget, he said, with tax cuts for the better-off while the rest were “left to rot”. “The more people hear of economic recovery the more it jars with the reality of their own lives that are not getting any better,” he added. While there was a recovery taking place, it was for the few and not for the many, he said. Mr Doherty said what was needed was 1 billion euro to get to grips with the social housing and homelessness crisis. “That is the kind of urgent response that the housing and homeless crisis needs,” he added. “Once again, it is a case of too little, too late from Fine Gael and Labour.” He said that when the cuts to the household benefit package was added to the cost of water charges, pensioners and people with disability were already hundreds of euro worse off. “The idea that 100 euro would in any way compensate for what you have done to these people is an insult, Minister,” he added. Mr Doherty said there would be almost 200,000 unemployed people on the live register with zero support towards the cost of water. He said that while any increase in child benefit was to be welcomed, the paltry five euro increase did not conceal the fact that there had been cuts in that area. Struggling families would barely notice the increase, he added. The one-week Christmas bonus of a 25% increase in social welfare assistance did not hide the fact that people were struggling all year, he said. Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald was later ordered out of the Dail after clashing with the speaker of the Dail, Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett, during the Budget debate. When Barrett said she should only direct her remarks to the Ceann Comhairle, under the rules of the House, Ms McDonald said his intervention was “biased”. The arcane parliamentary protocol of referring to other TDs only in the third person has declined in recent years, and is normally ignored. When Mr Barrett asked her to withdraw her remarks, she refused to do so. She was ordered from the House and, as she left the chamber, she said the incident was “ridiculous”. MANDATE LOST More seriously for the government were the unprecedented numbers who turned out to oppose the implementation of water charges last weekend. Estimates put the crowd at between 80,000 and 120,000. At the GPO, a Resistance Choir sang ‘Now Is The Time For Rage’. Among the speakers were Audrey Clancy of the Edenmore Says No campaign who advised people not to either fill the ‘water forms’ or pay the bills; and Clare Daly, Independent TD who said: ‘You are not getting any more blood from these stones’; Jimmy Kelly of UNITE and community activist John Bisset. The talented Irish poet Stephen Murphy recited the moving poem, “Was it for this?”. Among the chants were, “Enda in your ivory tower, this is called people power” and “From the rivers to the sea, Irish water will be free”. Meanwhile, the election of a hardline socialist and an anti-establishment independent in two parliamentary by-elections last weekend was also being hailed as a dramatic setback for the coalition. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the results showed that the Dublin government had lost its mandate. “It is clear that the government is detached from the reality of life facing ordinary citizens and struggling families and in denial as to the impact of their policies,” the Louth TD said.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8193
__label__cc	0.735032	0.264968	April 23, 2019 April 23, 2019 / VK5DW Long Island Murray Bridge had never been activated until Pual VK5PAS, Ivan VK5HS, and Danny VK5DW joined forces. Check out Paul’s blog here. vk5pas Today (Tuesday 16th April 2019), me, Ivan VK5HS and Danny VK5DW, activated the Long Island Recreation Park VKFF-1724 on the mighty Murray River, at Murray Bridge. This was the first time that the park had been activated for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program. The park is located about 80 km east of Adelaide. Above:- Map showing the location of the Long Island Recreation Park VKFF-1724. Map courtesy of Protected Planet. The Long Island Recreation Park is 8 hectares (20 acres) in size and encompasses the full extent of Long Island in the Murray River, immediately east of the city of Murray Bridge. According to the Ngarrindjeri aboriginal people, the island represents a lentlin (spear) thrown by Ngurunderi at Ponde (the fish) as it made it’s way to Wellington creating the river. Above:- Aerial shot of the Long Island Recreation Park, looking south east. Image courtesy of google maps	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8197
__label__cc	0.690895	0.309105	Interview by Matt Abud of Radio Australia – 8 July 2010 July 21, 2010 in Interviews \| Comments closed ‘This is the transcript of an interview on Radio Australia, which may be heard on ‘www.youtube.com/rajivawijesinha‘. M A: Just before we get started, am I pronouncing your name correctly, Rajiva Wijesinha? RW: It’s Rajiva. MA: And how should I refer to you? I mean, you used to be I think the Secretary of SCOPP but what should I refer to you as now? RW: Just an ordinary Member of the Parliament. MA: And this is for the Liberal Party. Is that right? RW: Yes. That’s part of the ruling Government allliance. MA: Ok. So it’s part of the coalition? RW: Yes. MA: Ok. So may be just for some background first. There has been a lot of discussion around the Panel that Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has set up to look at alleged war crimes or abuses in the last stages of the war. What’s the government’s response to that? RW: Well, I don’t think it is supposed to be for looking at war crimes, according to Ban Ki-moon at least, as opposed to all the hype. It’s not to look into abuses, it is to advise him on the best way of proceeding with regard to what he claims is his interpretation of the agreement he signed with the President. I think, if you look at it very carefully, you see Ban Ki-moon is in a bit of a bind, because there’s a lot of pressure on him obviously to make some sort of statement about Sri Lanka. And on the whole he’s been quite good about this, about not letting himself be carried away, but with all this pressure mounting he had to find a way of doing this within the legalities of the UN Charter. MA: Sorry, he couldn’t actually set up a panel himself but he can set up an advisory group, that’s what you are saying? RW: Well, he can’t even set up an advisory group which is tantamount to interference in internal affairs of a state, unless he can anchor it in some way on saying, well, he’s got the concurrence of the state, which he definitely doesn’t, but what he did is he claimed – have a look at the terms of reference – that he reached an agreement with the Sri Lanka President last May. There’s a statement, and I don’t know whether you have read it, it’s a joint statement. And the very clear interpretation of that is that there should be accountability, but this is for the Sri Lanka Government to pursue.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8206
__label__cc	0.501105	0.498895	Franchise Offers Add Franchise Delta Planet Mall in Banja Luka Officially Opens By Retail SEE Group / March 22, 2019 Delta Real Estate, a Delta Holding member company, celebrated the official opening of Delta Planet mall in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the 21st of March. The opening ceremony included live performances from popular local bands and musicians, and was attended by Delta Holding’s representatives and government officials, as well as a host of notable personalities from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Igor Radojčić, the Mayor of Banja Luka, expressed his gratitude to Delta Holding for its investment, stating: “Delta Planet Banja Luka is one of the best regional and European shopping centers that will become one of the main sources of employment in Banja Luka.” Delta Planet Banja Luka is an investment of 70 million EUR that will generate 2,000 new jobs after its opening. During the construction phase, the project employed 752 people. At the ceremony, the representatives of Delta Holding announced plans to pursue new projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the construction of a shopping mall in Sarajevo. The company, whose investments span across a wide range of geographies, is also scheduled to open its Delta Planet Varna mall in Bulgaria on the 28th of March. This large project on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is an investment of 120 million EUR. Read more about Delta Planet Varna HERE. About Delta Planet Banja Luka Spreading across 62,500 of space, Delta Planet Banja Luka houses an array of international and local brands, including the first H&M store in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other well-known tenants include Sport Vision, Levi’s, dm drogerie markt, New Yorker, Lacoste, LC Waikiki, Modiana, XYZ, Orsay, Replay, CM and many others. Apart from a large number of new shops, the complex is also home to the largest cinema in the region, with an area of 1,500 sqm and six movie theaters, as well as a supermarket, food court and 1,000 parking spaces. View the full tenant mix of Delta Planet Banja Luka on their official website. To inquire about leasing opportunities in Delta Planet Banja Luka, click HERE. About Delta Real Estate Delta Real Estate is one of the leading real estate companies in the region, with a focus on core regional markets - Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia. Its portfolio encompasses shopping malls, retail parks, hotels, office, retail and residential space in Serbia and the region, as well as a a number of logistics centers, car dealerships and endowment projects. Delta Real Estate is a subsidiary company of Delta Holding, a dynamic group of companies involved in agribusiness, real estate development, food processes, wholesale distribution and the automotive industry. For more information about Delta Real Estate, visit their official website. Delta Planet Banja Luka Primark Expanding to Slovenia in 2019 LPP Group to Open Five Stores in Delta Planet Varna Promenada Novi Sad Opening in Q4 2018 NEW TEZENIS STORE OPENING IN BELGRADE Gregory’s Expanding in Romania A New Leisure Event at MAPIC 2019 Receive weekly retail market news. Retail SEE Group © 2018. All rights reserved	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8208
__label__wiki	0.878613	0.878613	Sanford (Fla.) Waterfront Districts Lakes & ponds Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.) Downtown Sanford in the late 1950s or early 1960s. The present-day Sanford, Florida, area was originally inhabited by the Mayaca and Joroco tribes by the time Europeans arrived. The tribe was decimated by war and disease by 1760 and was replaced by the Seminole tribe. In 1821, the United States acquired Florida from Spain and Americans began to settled in the state. Camp Monroe was established in the mid-1830s to defend the area against Seminoles during the Seminole Wars. Following an attack on February 8, 1837, the camp was renamed Fort Mellon in honor of the battle's only American casualty, Captain Charles Mellon. The Town of Mellonville was founded nearby in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. When Florida became a state three years later, Mellonville became the county seat for Orange County, which was originally a portion of Mosquito County. Citrus was the first cash crop in the area and the first fruit packing plant was constructed in 1869. In 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford purchased over 12,000 acres of land west of Mellonville to form the community of Sanford. which he called "The Gateway City to South Florida." Sanford was incorporated in 1877 and absorbed Mellonville in 1883. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed "The Celery City." In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development. In 2003, Sanford began the redevelopment of the waterfront with the RiverWalk Project to revitalize the city's riverfront. An aerial shot of downtown Sanford in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Original black and white photograph. The Seminole Herald Cara, Jim Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph. Sanford Riverfront Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida. Is Referenced By The Seminole Herald. Sanford: Our First 125 Years. [Sanford, FL]: The Herald, 2002, page 24. 1 black and white photograph Originally published by The Seminole Herald. Copyright to this resource is held by the The Seminole Herald and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only. Cepero, Laura The Seminole Herald. Sanford: Our First 125 Years. [Sanford, FL]: The Herald, 2002. Sanford Historical Society (Fla.). Sanford. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2003. "Sanford: A Brief History." City of Sanford. http://www.sanfordfl.gov/index.aspx?page=48. Still Image Item Type Metadata Sanford Riverfront Collection Cara, Jim; Downtown Sanford; lake; Lake Monroe; riverfront; Sanford; Sanford Riverfront; waterfront “Downtown Sanford.” RICHES of Central Florida accessed July 17, 2019, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/2187.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8211
__label__wiki	0.537318	0.537318	Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve’s 2019 Gala Honor President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton River Journal — July 2, 2019 L-R: Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton; George Gumina, Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve Founder and President; Dr. Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky, Chair New York State Council of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation; President Bill Clinton (Photo Credit: Don Pollard Photography) The Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve presented the inaugural John D. Rockefeller Jr. Park Preservation Award to President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Friends Annual Gala on Saturday, June 22, 2019, at the Rockefeller Estate in Pocantico Hills. Honored for their contributions and countless endeavors, including the Clinton Foundation, the Clintons carry out their longstanding work of safeguarding our natural resources and building a sustainable future. Residents of nearby Chappaqua, the couple can often be seen strolling the Preserve’s charming carriage roads with their dogs and greeting other visitors. The Friends award reflected the extraordinary contributions that John D. Rockefeller Jr. made in the form of financing, maintaining and protecting the land that now comprises the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, a national treasure enjoyed by more than 400,000 visitors each year. For more information on the Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, please visit www.friendsrock.org/our-mission/ Sleepy Hollow First Responders Now Equipped with Special Oxygen Masks for Pets WIHD Dedicates Therapeutic Garden Ossining Second-Grader Appointed Ambassador for Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s Largest Fundraiser Op-Ed: Opposition to Family Separation and Indecent Conditions in Children’s Detention Centers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8212
__label__wiki	0.754541	0.754541	RUSSIAN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL About RIAC General information Co-founders RIAC News Partners Activities Management Individual Members Corporate Members General Meeting Board of Trustees Presidium Scientific Council Vice-presidents Staff News Press Center For Media Calendar Media partnerships Request expert commentary Contacts Sign in for registered users You can also sign in using: TOPICS REGIONS PROJECTS EXPERTS PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY COMMUNITY About RIAC General information Individual Members Corporate Members General Meeting Board of Trustees Presidium Scientific Council Co-founders Vice-presidents Staff Contacts Regions Topics Subjects Reports Working Papers Policy Briefs Books Special Projects News For Media Calendar Media partnerships Request for expert commentary RIAC in brief RIAC Projects in brief Research Projects Educational Projects Internship Contests Projects Geography Completed Projects Analytics and comments: Russia — India Cooperation against the Background of Sanctions: Adverse Effects and New Opportunities EPA/JAGADEESH NV/Vostock… EPA/JAGADEESH NV/Vostock Photo Indian Air Force's Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jet Add Reader Login if you are already registered Print Читать на русском Topic: International security, Economy Region: Russia, North America, South Asia Type: Articles (votes: 3, rating: 5) Alexey Kupriyanov PhD in History, Research fellow, The Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RIAC Expert Short version of the article Full version of the article Before the United States introduced sanctions against the Russian defence sector, military-technical cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi had been progressing steadily. Even though Russia lost a significant share of the Indian defence market after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, it was nevertheless able to partially restore its positions from 2000 onwards. The approval and subsequent adoption of CAATSA put the United States in an ambiguous position. U.S. lawmakers tried to ensure that consistent pressure was exerted on Russia, which meant that they had to create the most hostile environment for Russian companies. However, countries that Washington wants to see as allies were also attacked through this policy, specifically India, Indonesia and Vietnam. These countries have been purchasing Soviet and Russian technology for years and are not in the position to abandon this practice immediately. Indian experts and politicians have tried to explain their predicament to the U.S. authorities — that the country cannot drop its contracts for the supply of Russian weapons immediately even if it wanted to. Not to mention the fact that India has no intention of doing so, as it plans to continue its policy of diversifying its defence imports. The Indian authorities declared that they would continue to purchase weapons from Russia, regardless of the position of the United States. Another source of tension in U.S.–India relations is the restrictions imposed by the United States on the import of a number of commodity items from India. These restrictions mostly affect Indian ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy. In addition, the withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal and the announcement of sanctions against Tehran have jeopardised Indian infrastructure and energy projects in Iran. There is no doubt that the United States is committed to depriving Russia of its access to the Indian market and is prepared to toughen the sanctions regime to achieve this if such actions are needed. New Delhi must thus work out how friendly U.S. policy is towards India, and how willing Washington is to allow India an independent foreign policy. The United States threatens India through financial sanctions to buy American weapons, forcing India to either disarm themselves in front of China or get into debt. This means that New Delhi needs to make a choice that will directly affect the future of the country’s military-technical cooperation with Russia. Before the United States introduced sanctions against the Russian defence sector, military-technical cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi had been progressing steadily. Even though Russia lost a significant share of the Indian defence market after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, it was nevertheless able to partially restore its positions from 2000 onwards. At the BRICS Summit in Goa in October 2016, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin reached an agreement on the delivery of Russian S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft systems to India, the creation of a joint venture to produce Ка-226 helicopters and the construction of four frigates under Project 1135.6 for India. Negotiations were also held in other areas of cooperation. In January 2017, the bill Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), imposing restrictions on banks that carry out operations with individuals and legal entities under sanctions, was introduced in the United States Congress. CAATSA caused concerns in India: according to Indian legislation, domestic banks must allocate funds to guarantee the supply of defence purchases made abroad. Given the strong ties that Indian banks enjoy with the American financial sector, as well as their general involvement in the global financial system, providing such guarantees to Russian enterprises that are under sanctions would lead to restrictive measures being introduced against these banks, and this would significantly complicate their operations. The Indian government while anticipating this problem adopted a decision at the end of May 2017 to introduce a temporary exemption for weaponry deals that had already been concluded with Russia. For such agreements, it is no longer required that Indian banks guarantee funds for the purchases as the sovereign guarantees provided by Russia now suffice. Precisely which contracts were covered by this decision is unclear. However, the Indian authorities did not consider the possible expansion of the sanctions and were unable to protect the country’s banks from punitive measures in time. In April 2018, the sanctions imposed in 2017 were extended to include “Almaz-Antey” (which produces the S-400 systems), the United Shipbuilding Corporation (which is delivering the frigates), “Russian Helicopters” and “Rosoboronexport”, thus placing all military-technical contracts between Russia and India in jeopardy. This lead to Indian banks freezing around $100 billion intended for the contracts with Russia. As a result, the possibility for delays in the delivery of weapons under the contracts that had already been concluded arose, prompting the Indian and Russian sides to set up urgent consultations to find a way out of the situation. Andrey Kortunov: Indo-Pacific or Community of Common Destiny? The approval and subsequent adoption of CAATSA put the United States in an ambiguous position. U.S. lawmakers tried to ensure that consistent pressure was exerted on Russia, which meant that they had to create the most hostile environment for Russian companies. However, countries that Washington wants to see as allies were also attacked through this policy, specifically India, Indonesia and Vietnam. These countries have been purchasing Soviet and Russian technology for years and are not in the position to abandon this practice immediately. The ideal solution for the United States would be to oust Russian manufacturers from these markets altogether and ensure that these countries transition to NATO material. Indian experts and politicians have tried to explain their predicament to the U.S. authorities — that the country cannot drop its contracts for the supply of Russian weapons immediately even if it wanted to. Not to mention the fact that India has no intention of doing so, as it plans to continue its policy of diversifying its defence imports. By forcing India to abandon its contracts, the United States is undermining the country’s defence potential, which runs counter to the declared goal of turning India into a major player in Asia. What is more, the very tone of the U.S. statements aroused the indignation of the Indian media, politicians and the expert community: an external state tried to force its interests on a country that plans to become a great power. At the same time, Russian counter-sanctions do not harm third parties. New Delhi repeatedly stressed that India would follow only the sanctions imposed by the United Nations. The Indian authorities declared that they would continue to purchase weapons from Russia, regardless of the position of the United States. U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis supported New Delhi’s position, having stated at Senate hearings that by forcing India, Vietnam and Indonesia to participate in the sanctions against Russia, Washington was actually “paralysing itself.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also been critical of the policy. They proposed including a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA-19) that releases these countries from the purview of CAATSA. The proposal was shut down by the members of Congress and the Senate. The text of the NDAA-19 was revised during the hearings to include a provision (Paragraph 1236) amending Paragraph 231 of CAATSA. The amendment states that the President of the United States has the right to suspend actions against a given country for 180 days if that country is clearly working to reduce its trade ties with Russia in the military sphere. This clarification did nothing to improve India’s position — the country’s leaders have repeatedly stated that New Delhi seeks a complete lifting of the sanctions and has no intention of ceasing military-technical cooperation with Russia. Final wording of the amendment stipulated that the President could suspend actions against a given country for 180 days if it was in line with American foreign policy priorities. Moreover, as the Pentagon’s Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver said, it does not mean that the waiver will be used for future Indian purchases from Russia, since Washington is interested in ending the strategic partnership between Moscow and New Delhi. One way that Indian financial institutions could avoid sanctions from the United States would be to consider abandoning the U.S. dollar for purchases of Russian weapons and switching to settlements in roubles and rupees. The countries could use Singapore dollars for the transitions. Another option could be to effect payments to Russian companies that are not under the U.S. sanctions (e.g., “Krayinvestbank”, Bank “Rossiysky capital” (PJSC), “Khanty-Mansiyskiy Bank Otkritie”). The first option is preferable, as it would allow the countries to free themselves from their dependency on the U.S. dollar in bilateral trade. Although the bank that carries out financial transactions for the purchase of Russian weapons will nevertheless run the risk of falling under the sanctions. This problem would be eliminated in the second case; however, there is no guarantee that the receiver company will not be included in an updated sanctions list. However, these are all temporary solutions. There is no doubt that the United States is committed to depriving Russia of its access to the Indian market and is prepared to toughen the sanctions regime to achieve this if such actions are needed. New Delhi must thus work out how friendly U.S. policy is towards India, and how willing Washington is to allow India an independent foreign policy. The United States threatens India through financial sanctions to buy American weapons, forcing India to either disarm themselves in front of China or get into debt. This means that New Delhi needs to make a choice that will directly affect the future of the country’s military-technical cooperation with Russia. There are three possible scenarios here. The first involves accepting all the conditions set by the American side, and continue the line of further rapprochement with the United States, with the caveat that the country may become severely dependent on the United States in the military and political sense. In this case, India will become a sub-hegemon of the United States in the region and will rely entirely on the U.S. assistance, thus ending India’s military-technical cooperation with Russia. The second scenario involves the U.S. and Indian leadership furthering their current policy. India will continue along the path to becoming a great power, but this will require the expansion of contacts with Russia as well as further normalization of relations with China, which requires settlement or, at least, freezing of border disputes, defining spheres of influence and respecting of each other's interests in the region, adopting measures aimed at strengthening mutual trust. This scenario will further imply non-expansion or even limitation of military cooperation with the US that could be replaced by closer ties with Russia and third countries in sectors that are now dominated by the US items. Mees van der Werf: A Longstanding Friendship under Threat. Part 1, Part 2 Finally, the third scenario involves a compromise between the United States and India. In exchange for satisfying a number of conditions set by Washington — increasing orders from the U.S. military-industrial complex, signing the Communications Capability and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) allowing India and the United States to exchange geospatial intelligence and receive access to encrypted communications systems, as well as a number of concessions in other areas — India could be temporarily exempted from the purview of the CAATSA. The first scenario would have the worst impact on the cooperation between Russia and India, while the second is the most positive. If the latter scenario comes to pass, the two countries could achieve deeper integration of their military-industrial complexes leading to increased military technology sharing and a qualitatively new level of cooperation. Meanwhile, the third scenario would likely see Russia lose a share of the market but retain a foundation for continuing collaboration. The intermediate scenario appears to be the most likely. It would allow India to promote strategic cooperation with both Russia and the US at the same time normalizing its relations with China, balancing its policy in the military cooperation and developing its own military complex. This would allow India to minimize the arms import in future. At present, both countries are interested in developing military-technical cooperation. India, for example, needs modern fighter jets to replace the obsolete MiG-21 models that are still operated by the Indian Air Force. Russia could thus take part in the MMCRA-2 tender with MiG-35 model and increase deliveries of fighter jets as part of inter-governmental agreements before the tender winner is announced. Additionally, Russian manufacturers of military transport aircraft are willing to expand cooperation, as the need for such equipment is increasing in the face of the poor infrastructural development in the regions under threat. The Indian land forces are in a dire need of light tanks that can be used in mountainous terrain, primarily on the border with China. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has already tested and deployed light tanks that can operate in mountainous conditions, which gives it a clear advantage in an armed border conflict. Russia could offer India 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled tank destroyers, which are classed as light tanks and suitable for use in the mountains and capable of fighting enemy tanks, including with the help of Refleks-M guided missiles. Finally, Russia also has something to offer the Indian Navy — from assistance in creating new aircraft carriers to the supply of Project 1135.6 frigates and other promising projects including Project 11661 guard ships. However, the development of military-technical ties depends directly on which of the possible scenarios of relations with the United States the Indian authorities choose. Obviously, if New Delhi opts to follow the U.S. sanctions policy, then expanded cooperation with Russia will be impossible. Indian authorities need to secure the country’s release from the CAATSA, either through negotiations or by demonstrating the intention to defend its national interests: India could force the U.S. to choose — either loose a potential ally in the region or accept India’s unwillingness to sacrifice strategically important ties with Russia in favor of American arms export. The paper was prepared in the framework of the joint RIAC — Gateway House research project on adverse effect of the anti-Russian sanctions on Russia — India cooperation, first and foremost, in the military and technical area. The paper drafted by the Indian side is published on the Gateway House website. FOLLOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Topic Economy International security Region North America Russia South Asia Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda What Kind of Eurasia will Enter the 22nd Century Part 1. A Longstanding Friendship under Threat On the potential impact of American sanctions on the Russia – India Arms Trade India, Russia, USA, Military-technical cooperation, Sanctions HideShow Endgame of the Long Cold War Can the South Caucasus Conflicts Escalate into a Regional War? A Few Words in Defence of Francis Fukuyama Can Russia Plug Through US Sanctions to Reconstruct Syria? We Are US/Russia Experts From Opposing Sides Finding Common Ground Poll conducted Korean Peninsula Crisis Has no Military Solution. How Can It Be Solved? Demilitarization of the region based on Russia-China "Dual Freeze" proposal Restoring multilateral negotiation process without any preliminary conditions While the situation benefits Kim Jong-un's and Trump's domestic agenda, there will be no solution Armed conflict still cannot be avoided Stonger deterrence on behalf of the U.S. through modernization of military infrastructure in the region Toughening economic sanctions against North Korea TOPICS REGIONS PROJECTS EXPERTS PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY COMMUNITY ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS THEMES © 2017 RIAC \| All rights reserved The opinion of publishing author not always coincides with the opinion of editorial staff. The use of materials of RIAC on electronic resources is permitted only by specifying the name of the author, the status of "RIAC expert" and the presence of active and open for indexing hyperlinks to russiancouncil.ru. 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__label__wiki	0.99068	0.99068	Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts ScholarWorks > Education > Special Ed & Literacy > Reading Horizons > Vol. 4 > Iss. 3 (1964) Manuscript Title Did You See (1964). Did You See. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 4 (3). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol4/iss3/5 All Issues Vol. 58, Iss. 1 Vol. 57, Iss. 3 Vol. 57, Iss. 2 Vol. 57, Iss. 1 Vol. 56, Iss. 4 Vol. 56, Iss. 3 Vol. 56, Iss. 2 Vol. 56, Iss. 1 Vol. 55, Iss. 3 Vol. 55, Iss. 2 Vol. 55, Iss. 1 Vol. 54, Iss. 2 Vol. 54, Iss. 1 Vol. 53, Iss. 4 Vol. 53, Iss. 3 Vol. 53, Iss. 2 Vol. 53, Iss. 1 Vol. 52, Iss. 4 Vol. 52, Iss. 3 Vol. 52, Iss. 2 Vol. 52, Iss. 1 Vol. 51, Iss. 4 Vol. 51, Iss. 3 Vol. 51, Iss. 2 Vol. 51, Iss. 1 Vol. 50, Iss. 4 Vol. 50, Iss. 3 Vol. 50, Iss. 2 Vol. 50, Iss. 1 Vol. 49, Iss. 4 Vol. 49, Iss. 3 Vol. 49, Iss. 2 Vol. 49, Iss. 1 Vol. 48, Iss. 4 Vol. 48, Iss. 3 Vol. 48, Iss. 2 Vol. 48, Iss. 1 Vol. 47, Iss. 4 Vol. 47, Iss. 3 Vol. 47, Iss. 2 Vol. 47, Iss. 1 Vol. 46, Iss. 4 Vol. 46, Iss. 3 Vol. 46, Iss. 2 Vol. 46, Iss. 1 Vol. 45, Iss. 4 Vol. 45, Iss. 3 Vol. 45, Iss. 2 Vol. 45, Iss. 1 Vol. 43, Iss. 3 Vol. 43, Iss. 2 Vol. 43, Iss. 1 Vol. 42, Iss. 4 Vol. 42, Iss. 3 Vol. 42, Iss. 2 Vol. 42, Iss. 1 Vol. 41, Iss. 4 Vol. 41, Iss. 3 Vol. 41, Iss. 2 Vol. 41, Iss. 1 Vol. 40, Iss. 4 Vol. 40, Iss. 3 Vol. 40, Iss. 2 Vol. 40, Iss. 1 Vol. 39, Iss. 4 Vol. 39, Iss. 3 Vol. 39, Iss. 2 Vol. 39, Iss. 1 Vol. 38, Iss. 4 Vol. 38, Iss. 3 Vol. 38, Iss. 2 Vol. 38, Iss. 1 Vol. 37, Iss. 4 Vol. 37, Iss. 3 Vol. 37, Iss. 2 Vol. 37, Iss. 1 Vol. 36, Iss. 5 Vol. 36, Iss. 4 Vol. 36, Iss. 3 Vol. 36, Iss. 2 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 5 Vol. 35, Iss. 4 Vol. 35, Iss. 3 Vol. 35, Iss. 2 Vol. 35, Iss. 1 Vol. 34, Iss. 5 Vol. 34, Iss. 4 Vol. 34, Iss. 3 Vol. 34, Iss. 2 Vol. 34, Iss. 1 Vol. 33, Iss. 5 Vol. 33, Iss. 4 Vol. 33, Iss. 3 Vol. 33, Iss. 2 Vol. 33, Iss. 1 Vol. 32, Iss. 5 Vol. 32, Iss. 4 Vol. 32, Iss. 3 Vol. 32, Iss. 2 Vol. 32, Iss. 1 Vol. 31, Iss. 5 Vol. 31, Iss. 4 Vol. 31, Iss. 3 Vol. 31, Iss. 2 Vol. 31, Iss. 1 Vol. 30, Iss. 4 Vol. 30, Iss. 3 Vol. 30, Iss. 2 Vol. 30, Iss. 1 Vol. 29, Iss. 4 Vol. 29, Iss. 3 Vol. 29, Iss. 2 Vol. 29, Iss. 1 Vol. 28, Iss. 4 Vol. 28, Iss. 3 Vol. 28, Iss. 2 Vol. 28, Iss. 1 Vol. 27, Iss. 4 Vol. 27, Iss. 3 Vol. 27, Iss. 2 Vol. 27, Iss. 1 Vol. 26, Iss. 4 Vol. 26, Iss. 3 Vol. 26, Iss. 2 Vol. 26, Iss. 1 Vol. 25, Iss. 4 Vol. 25, Iss. 3 Vol. 25, Iss. 2 Vol. 25, Iss. 1 Vol. 24, Iss. 4 Vol. 24, Iss. 3 Vol. 24, Iss. 2 Vol. 24, Iss. 1 Vol. 23, Iss. 4 Vol. 23, Iss. 3 Vol. 23, Iss. 2 Vol. 23, Iss. 1 Vol. 22, Iss. 4 Vol. 22, Iss. 3 Vol. 22, Iss. 2 Vol. 22, Iss. 1 Vol. 21, Iss. 4 Vol. 21, Iss. 3 Vol. 21, Iss. 2 Vol. 21, Iss. 1 Vol. 20, Iss. 4 Vol. 20, Iss. 3 Vol. 20, Iss. 2 Vol. 20, Iss. 1 Vol. 19, Iss. 4 Vol. 19, Iss. 3 Vol. 19, Iss. 2 Vol. 19, Iss. 1 Vol. 18, Iss. 4 Vol. 18, Iss. 3 Vol. 18, Iss. 2 Vol. 18, Iss. 1 Vol. 17, Iss. 4 Vol. 17, Iss. 3 Vol. 17, Iss. 2 Vol. 17, Iss. 1 Vol. 16, Iss. 4 Vol. 16, Iss. 3 Vol. 16, Iss. 2 Vol. 16, Iss. 1 Vol. 15, Iss. 4 Vol. 15, Iss. 3 Vol. 15, Iss. 2 Vol. 15, Iss. 1 Vol. 14, Iss. 4 Vol. 14, Iss. 3 Vol. 14, Iss. 2 Vol. 14, Iss. 1 Vol. 13, Iss. 4 Vol. 13, Iss. 3 Vol. 13, Iss. 2 Vol. 13, Iss. 1 Vol. 12, Iss. 4 Vol. 12, Iss. 3 Vol. 12, Iss. 2 Vol. 12, Iss. 1 Vol. 11, Iss. 4 Vol. 11, Iss. 3 Vol. 11, Iss. 2 Vol. 11, Iss. 1 Vol. 10, Iss. 4 Vol. 10, Iss. 3 Vol. 10, Iss. 2 Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Vol. 9, Iss. 4 Vol. 9, Iss. 3 Vol. 9, Iss. 2 Vol. 9, Iss. 1 Vol. 8, Iss. 4 Vol. 8, Iss. 3 Vol. 8, Iss. 2 Vol. 8, Iss. 1 Vol. 7, Iss. 4 Vol. 7, Iss. 3 Vol. 7, Iss. 2 Vol. 7, Iss. 1 Vol. 6, Iss. 4 Vol. 6, Iss. 3 Vol. 6, Iss. 2 Vol. 6, Iss. 1 Vol. 5, Iss. 4 Vol. 5, Iss. 3 Vol. 5, Iss. 2 Vol. 5, Iss. 1 Vol. 4, Iss. 4 Vol. 4, Iss. 3 Vol. 4, Iss. 2 Vol. 4, Iss. 1 Vol. 3, Iss. 4 Vol. 3, Iss. 3 Vol. 3, Iss. 2 Vol. 3, Iss. 1 Vol. 2, Iss. 4 Vol. 2, Iss. 3 Vol. 2, Iss. 2 Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Vol. 1, Iss. 2 Vol. 1, Iss. 1 ISSN: 2642-8857 (Online) 0034-0502 (Print) © 2011 Reading Horizons A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8216
__label__wiki	0.600936	0.600936	Immunotherapy of Tumors with Autologous Tumor-Derived Heat Shock Protein Preparations Yasuaki Tamura, Ping Peng, Kang Liu, Maria Daou, Pramod K. Srivastava† Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases, MC1601, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA. ↵†To whom correspondence should be addressed. Yasuaki Tamura Ping Peng Kang Liu Maria Daou Pramod K. Srivastava Immunotherapy of mice with preexisting cancers with heat shock protein preparations derived from autologous cancer resulted in retarded progression of the primary cancer, a reduced metastatic load, and prolongation of life-span. Treatment with heat shock protein preparations derived from cancers other than the autologous cancer did not provide significant protection. Spontaneous cancers (lung cancer and melanoma), chemically induced cancers (fibrosarcoma and colon carcinoma), and an ultraviolet radiation-induced spindle cell carcinoma were tested, and the results support the efficacy of autologous cancer–derived heat shock protein–peptide complexes in immunotherapy of cancers without the need to identify specific tumor antigenic epitopes. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) GP96, HSP90, and HSP70, when purified from cells, are associated with a broad range of peptides derived from that particular cell, such that the HSPs chaperone the antigenic repertoire of the cells from which they are purified (1). Immunization with HSP-peptide complexes, whether derived endogenously (2-4) or reconstituted in vitro (5, 6), elicits potent T cell responses against the chaperoned peptides and hence against the cells from which the HSPs are purified, as seen in studies with cancers (1, 3, 7-9), viruses (4, 10-12), model antigens (5, 6, 13), and minor histocompatibility antigens (13). We now examine the use of HSP-peptide complexes in the treatment of a variety of established cancers of spontaneous and experimental origin. The 3LL (Lewis lung) carcinoma of C57BL/6 mice (14, 15) is a nonimmunogenic spontaneous cancer. It metastasizes naturally to the lungs if injected subcutaneously or in the footpad. HSP GP96 preparations from D122, a highly metastatic clone of 3LL (16), were tested for the ability to eradicate a preexisting tumor. In a perisurgical protocol (Fig.1A) (11), mice were injected with 105 D122 cells in the footpad, and the tumors were allowed to grow for 11 days, at which time they were visible and palpable. Five weekly treatments with D122-GP96 (20 μg in saline) (Fig. 1B) were begun. Other groups of mice were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), GP96 derived from normal liver, or the nonautologous but syngeneic melanoma B16.F10. Tumors on each mouse were measured and surgically excised once they reached an average diameter of 8 mm. Lungs were isolated, and the number of metastases was counted 18 days after surgery. Mice treated with D122-GP96 averaged ∼20 metastases per lung, whereas mice given PBS had ∼200 metastases per lung [Fig. 1, C (left) and D]. Treatment with only 5 μg of D122-GP96 had little effect. Two of the five mice treated with liver-GP96 or B16.F10-GP96 had a reduced metastatic burden. Treatment with D122-GP96 also reduced the rate of growth of the primary footpad tumor compared with PBS-treated mice (Fig. 1E). Immunotherapy with D122-derived HSPs confers immunological protection against the primary tumor and lung metastases of D122 (26). (A) The protocol used for immunotherapy. (B) Silver-stained SDS–polyacrylamide gels of GP96 (lane 1), ATP affinity–purified HSP70 (lane 2), and ADP affinity–purified HSP70 (lane 3). Lanes 4 to 6 show immunoblots of the samples in lanes 1 to 3 with the relevant antibodies (27). (C) Immunotherapy with D122-GP96 and HSP70 confers protection against the lung metastases. Each circle represents the number of metastases per mouse, treated with 20 μg of GP96 (left) or HSP70 (right) as shown in (C). Among GP96-treated mice, P < 0.001 for the difference between PBS-treated and autologous GP96-treated groups, P< 0.2 for the difference between PBS-treated and liver GP96– or F10 GP96–treated groups, and P < 0.02 for the difference between autologous and heterologous GP96-treated groups. The requirement for effector cells was determined in the GP96-treated mice (center). Mice were injected in the footpad with 1 × 105 D122 cells. Nine days after injection, mice were depleted of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells or NK cells as described (28). Control and depleted mice were treated with D122-GP96, and the number of lung metastases was counted. (D) Photographs of lungs from GP96-treated and control mice. (E) Mice were treated with PBS (▪) or 20 μg of D122-GP96 (•), and the kinetics of growth of the primary tumor was monitored. The average diameter of primary tumors of five mice in each group at each time point is shown. The difference between the groups is statistically significant (P < 0.001). To identify the immune cells mediating the efficacy of GP96, we depleted mice of CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocytes or natural killer (NK) cells by appropriate antibodies, immediately before the first treatment. Depletion of any of the three cell types abrogated the efficacy of immunization with GP96 (Fig. 1C, center). Mock depletion with a control immunoglobulin G (IgG) preparation had no effect. This result is consistent with our previous finding that immunization with GP96 requires CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the effector phase of tumor immunity (8). The requirement for NK cells is in accord with our previous results, which showed that GP96 preparations stimulate release of interleukin-12 and other cytokines by antigen-presenting cells (17). Thus, although antitumor CD8+ T cells were primarily stimulated by immunization with GP96, nonspecific NK effector cells were also recruited for tumor eradication. D122-derived HSP70 preparations were also tested for efficacy of immunization in this protocol (Fig. 1C, right). HSP70 preparations were obtained by adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP), instead of the conventional adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), affinity chromatography, as ADP does not hinder the HSP70-peptide interaction (3, 9) (Fig. 1B). Tumor-bearing mice were treated, four times weekly, with ADP-purified D122-HSP70 or with corresponding ATP-purified, peptide-depleted preparations. ADP-purified liver-HSP70 and D122-GP96 were used as controls. ADP-purified D122-HSP70 was effective in reducing the micrometastatic burden to <10% of that in the untreated group. ADP-purified liver-HSP70 or ATP-purified D122-HSP70 did not protect, indicating that the immunity was elicited by HSP70-chaperoned antigenic peptides (Fig. 1C, right). The efficacy of HSP immunization was tested in another type of therapy protocol that simulates the treatment of minimal residual disease (Fig.2). D122 cells were injected into the footpads of naı̈ve mice, and the tumor grew to 5 mm in diameter. The tumor-bearing footpads were removed, and the animals were apparently disease-free. However, all mice died of metastatic lung disease within <45 days of surgery. Thus, the animals were already carrying a micrometastatic burden at the time of the surgical removal of the primary tumor, as is often seen in humans. When mice were treated after surgery four times at weekly intervals with D122-GP96 (20 μg per immunization), 80% of the immunized mice survived to >250 days after surgery and were free of detectable lesions (Fig. 2). In contrast, mice immunized with liver-GP96 showed little protection. Treatment with D122-GP96 is effective in curing minimal residual disease. (A) Protocol used for postsurgical immunotherapy and treatment with D122-GP96. Mice (10 mice per group) were injected with 1 × 105 D122 cells in the footpad. When the primary tumor reached an average diameter of 5 mm, the tumor-bearing leg was amputated below the knee. (B) Treatment with PBS (○), 20 μg of GP96 derived from liver (▴), D122 metastatic line (•), or a nonmetastatic variant of D122 (⧫) commenced the same day and continued weekly for 4 weeks. Survival was monitored. Mice were killed at day 250 after surgery because of age and were observed, at autopsy, to be disease-free. One of three representative experiments is shown. In one experiment, GP96 was prepared from surgically resected solid D122 tumor tissue instead of cultured cell lines. The GP96 preparations obtained from such preparation were identical to the corresponding preparations from cultured cells in therapeutic activity. As it may often be difficult or impossible to obtain a tumor sample for preparation of GP96 from a patient's primary tumor because of its inoperability, we investigated whether a metastatic lesion, which may differ substantially from the primary tumor, could be used as a source of GP96. A clone of D122 was selected that differs from the original in being nonmetastatic and in its histological appearance. A GP96 preparation derived from this variant was tested for its ability to treat a micrometastatic burden derived from the parental D122, and it was effective in conferring long-lived protection against the parental tumor (Fig. 2). Such efficacy derives, presumably, from the ability of HSPs to chaperone the entire antigenic repertoire of the cells from which they are isolated. The generality of the therapeutic efficacy of HSP vaccination was tested in other tumors of different histological origins (melanoma, spindle cell carcinoma, colon carcinoma, and fibrosarcoma), different methods of induction (spontaneous, ultraviolet (UV) radiation induced, and chemically induced), different haplotypes (C57BL/6, C3H, and BALB/c), different degrees of immunogenicity (very high to undetectable), and different types of behavior (localized intradermally or micrometastatic). Mice bearing the spontaneous, poorly immunogenic melanoma B16.F10 were untreated, treated with B16.F10- GP96, or treated with D122-GP96 as a negative control. Treatment was begun 7 days after injection of the primary tumor, when the tumor was visible and palpable. Treatment with autologous but not heterologous GP96 resulted in a reduced growth rate for the tumor in all mice (Fig. 3A). The tumors in control mice grew to about 20% of their body weight by day 21, at which time the animals were killed. In contrast, the tumors of mice in the group treated with autologous GP96 did not grow to such size until day 45. Similar results were observed in the case of a UV radiation–induced spindle cell carcinoma 6139 (Fig. 3B), in which mice were treated starting at day 3, when the tumor was palpable. The widely used and extremely aggressive fibrosarcoma Meth A was also examined in a therapy model (Fig. 3C). We treated the mice starting at day 6 after tumor injection, when the tumor was visible and palpable. Treatment with Meth A–GP96 slowed the growth of the primary tumor, whereas treatment with irradiated Meth A cells, which are highly effective in prophylaxis (1, 3, 7-9), had no effect in therapy. The survival of Meth A–bearing mice treated with Meth A–GP96 was also significantly greater (∼50%) than that of untreated mice. As a test case for hematogenous metastatic dissemination and a model for another major cancer, therapy of the colon carcinoma CT26 was attempted. Tumor cells (5 × 104) were injected into the retro-orbital sinus and mice were untreated or treated with CT26-GP96 or Meth A–GP96 as a negative control, starting on day 5. Five treatments were done on alternate days. CT26-bearing mice treated with autologous GP96 preparations had significantly longer survival times than the untreated mice or mice treated with heterologous GP96 (Fig. 3D). Whereas the efficacy of immunization with GP96 was consistently significant in all models tested, the extent of the antitumor effect varied. The regimens used were not optimized for dosage, frequency of administration, duration of treatment, site and route of vaccination, and combinations of HSPs and hence represent the minimum rather than optimal efficacy. Immunotherapy with autologous but not heterologous cancer-derived GP96 preparations is effective in therapy of (A) B16.F10 melanoma (C57BL/6) of spontaneous origin (P < 0.01 for untreated versus autologous GP96-treated groups, P < 0.9 for untreated versus heterologous GP96-treated groups, P < 0.01 for autologous versus heterologous GP96-treated groups), (B) UV radiation–induced 6139 spindle cell carcinoma (C3H) (P < 0.02 for untreated versus autologous GP96-treated groups, P< 0.9 for heterologous GP96-treated versus untreated groups,P < 0.02 for autologous versus heterologous GP96-treated groups), (C) methylcholanthrene-induced Meth A fibrosarcoma (BALB/c) (P < 0.1 for untreated versus autologous GP96-treated groups, P < 0.9 for autologous irradiated cells versus untreated mice), and (D) CT26 colon carcinoma (BALB/c). For the difference between untreated and autologous GP96-treated groups, P < 0.01 on days 22 to 25,P < 0.05 on days 25 to 35, and P < 0.2 on day 50. (A to C) Kinetics of growth of the primary tumor. (D) Survival analysis. Treated mice in all groups received 20 μg of GP96 per subcutaneous immunization five times on alternate days. Each line represents a single mouse in (A) to (C), whereas in (D), five mice were treated in each group. The extensive prophylactic immunization experiments with GP96 and HSP70 have uniformly demonstrated specificity in cancer (1, 3,7-9), viral (4, 10-12), and other (5, 6,13) models. This specificity was also seen in the models for treating established tumors that we now report. However, rare instances of cross-reactivity were observed [Figs. 1C (left) and 2B] and may be derived from the ability of HSPs (17, 18) to stimulate antigen-presenting cells to secrete cytokines, which can exert a nonspecific antitumor effect. Immunization with GP96 elicits an inherently nonspecific NK response [this study and (19)]. As the HSPs, like the major histocompatibility complex molecules, chaperone a broad repertoire of peptides, immunization with endogenous HSP-peptide complexes might elicit pathological autoimmune responses. However, in several hundred mice that have been immunized with tumor or normal liver-derived GP96 and monitored for long periods for gross measures such as weight loss, ruffling of fur, life-span, and more specific parameters such as hepatotoxicity, no adverse consequences indicative of autoimmune phenomena have been detected (20). Further, in a recent phase I study, in which patients with progressive malignancies were immunized with autologous cancer-derived GP96 preparations, patients were followed for over a year specifically for signs of autoimmunity. No such signs were detected (19). Regardless of the method of their induction or their lack of intentional induction, cancers are antigenically individually distinct (21, 22). This antigenic repertoire may consist of peptides that are rendered antigenic by the mutations within cancers; because the mutations are random and many, a repertoire becomes a fingerprint, which has little probability of repeating itself (1, 22). Immunization with cancer-derived HSP preparations permits access to the antigenic fingerprint of a cancer without a need for identification of this repertoire for each patient's cancer. Although immunization with defined cytolytic T lymphocyte epitopes that are shared between different cancers is widely perceived as a potential method of generating common cancer vaccines (23,24), immunization with such epitopes may not elicit protective tumor immunity (25). Thus, therapies based on the complex, dynamic, and individually unique repertoire of tumor antigens may have advantages for treatment of cancer (1, 22). P. K. Srivastava , Adv. Cancer Res. 62, 153 (1993). Z. Li, , EMBO J. 12, 3143 (1993). H. Udono, , J. Exp. Med. 178, 1391 (1993). A. Heikema, E. Agsteribbe, J. Wilschut, A. Huckriede , Immunol. Lett. 57, 69 (1997). E. Roman, C. Moreno , Immunology 88, 487 (1996). N. E. Blachere et al., J. Exp. Med., in press. P. K. Srivastava, M. R. Das , Int. J. Cancer 33, 417 (1984); , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 3407 (1986); ; M. A. Palladino, P. K. Srivastava, H. F. Oettgen, A. B. DeLeo, Cancer Res. 47, 5074 (1987); A. M. Feldweg, , Int. J. Cancer 63, 310 (1995). H. Udono, D. Levey, P. K. Srivastava, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91, 3077 (1994). P. Peng, A. Menoret, , J. Immunol. Methods 204, 13 (1997). N. E. Blachere , J. Immunother. 14, 351 (1993). R. Suto, , Science 269, 1585 (1995). T. J. F. Nieland , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93, 6135 (1996). D. Arnold, S. Faath, H.-G. Rammensee, H. Schild , J. Exp. Med. 182, 885 (1995). K. Sugiura, C. C. Stock , Cancer Res. 15, 38 (1955). Y. Tamura and P. K. Srivastava, unpublished data. O. Mandelboim , Nat. Med. 11, 1179 (1995). M. Daou, R. Suto, P. K. Srivastava, in C.R.I. Cancer Vaccines, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), New York, 7 to 9 October (CRI, New York, 1996). M. J. Skeen, T. M. Shinnick, M. A. Miller, H. K. Ziegler , J. Immunol. 156, 1196 (1996). S. Janetzki, D. Polla, V. Roseanhauer, H. Lochs, P. K. Srivastava, in preparation. R. Y. Chandawarkar, M. Wagh, P. K. Srivastava, unpublished data. A. Globerson, M. Feldman , J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 32, 1229 (1964); M. A. Basombrio , Cancer Res. 30, 2458 (1970). , Semin. Immunol. 8, 295 (1996); ___, N. E. Blachere, Z. Li Immunogenetics 39 1994 93 . T. Boon, P. van der Bruggen D. M. Pardoll , Nature 369, 357 (1994). L. Ramarathinam , J. Immunol. 155, 5323 (1995); A. Y. Huang D. E. Speiser All studies involving mice were carried out under protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Fordham University. Antibodies against GP96 (9G10.F8.2) and HSP70 (BRM22) were obtained from NeoMarkers (Fremont, CA). Mice were depleted of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells by intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 250 μl of 1:8 diluted GK1.5 ascites or YTS-169.4 ascites, respectively. Injections were continued biweekly. NK cells were depleted by ip injection of 200 μg of purified monoclonal antibody NK1.1 every week. Mice in the control group were injected with 200 μg of rat or mouse Ig once per week. The efficiency of depletion was confirmed by flow cytometry, and the specific depletion was 90 to 100%. We thank S. Porcino for preparing the figures. Supported by NIH grants CA44786 and CA64394 and through an agreement with Antigenics (New York). You are going to email the following Immunotherapy of Tumors with Autologous Tumor-Derived Heat Shock Protein Preparations By Yasuaki Tamura, Ping Peng, Kang Liu, Maria Daou, Pramod K. Srivastava	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8217
__label__wiki	0.686725	0.686725	Sarolta Laczó I am a Reader in Economics at Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance since September 2017. I am also a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). I got my PhD from the Toulouse School of Economics in October 2009. Lecturer in Economics at the University of Surrey, Aug 2015 - Aug 2017 Senior Economist at the Bank of England and Member of the Centre for Macroeconomics Jan - Jul 2015 Researcher (JAE-DOC Programme) at the Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (IAE-CSIC) and Affiliated Professor at the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, Sep 2012 - Dec 2014 'Social Sciences in Practice' (SSIP) Post-doctoral Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Economics, Sep 2010 - Aug 2012 Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute, Sep 2009 - Aug 2010 Risk sharing, Consumption, Optimal taxation, Dynamic contracts Fields: Macroeconomics, Public Finance School of Economics and Finance London, E1 4NS Email: s.laczo[at]qmul.ac.uk	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8223
__label__wiki	0.775947	0.775947	A Site Selection Web Exclusive, January 2017 A project in Sierra Leone could be a beacon for many more to follow in Africa. Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive, Dangote Industries, Nigeria; Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, United Nations - Sustainable Energy for All, Vienna; Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Abidjan; Cyril M. Ramaphosa, Deputy President of South Africa; and Bronwyn Nielsen, Editor-in-Chief and Executive Director, CNBC Africa, South Africa, discuss the convergence of energy and economic development in Afria at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 17, 2017. Photo copyright by World Economic Forum / Jakob Polacsek The July 2016 edition of The Site Selection Energy Report familiarized readers with lingering misperceptions and emerging opportunities in Africa. It appears that topic is on the minds of world leaders in early 2017 too. At the 47th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting that wraps up today in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, more than 3,000 participants from nearly 100 countries have been addressing topics under the theme "Responsive and Responsible Leadership." A session on the opening day of the conference earlier this week said responding to Africa's at once dire and promising energy gap is one way elected officials and company officials can responsibly pursue greater economic growth on the continent. According to experts, more than 600 million people in Africa lack access to clean, affordable, reliable energy. Private investment will be key, and could mean as much as 30 percent higher economic growth in Africa by 2040. “In the past, we’ve relied on governments to power our countries," said Cyril M. Ramaphosa, deputy president of South Africa, in a WEF summary of the session. "We now need to bring in the private sector to help empower our economies and people." But Aliko Dangote, president and chief executive, Dangote Industries, Nigeria, said financing obstacles remain. “Issues such as high interest rates and unstable currencies make it difficult for private-sector funding to flow,” he said. “The good news is that it is technologically feasible to provide affordable, reliable, clean power to people who haven’t had access to power before,” said Rachel Kyte, special representative of the Secretary-General and CEO, United Nations - Sustainable Energy for All. “We’re tired of seeing Africa in the dark,” said Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB). The AfDB is helping address structural problems involving the lack of base-load power by investing $12 billion on the power sector over five years. In particular, the last mile is a key focus in terms of energy distribution. "We need to learn from what’s working and scale it up," he told the WEF audience. Oil = Power in Sierra Leone Adesina's bank is a partner in one project that may be a model — even if it's not the cleanest power source. In November, a new company set up in long-suffering Sierra Leone by a private-sector joint venture announced its intent to build a US$148-million, 57-MW, oil-fired power plant in Freetown, the country’s capital city with a population of 1 million. The development from CECA SL will benefit from a $25-million loan from the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF). The EAIF explains that Sierra Leone’s economic development was hampered by the Ebola epidemic and creating the conditions for sustained development is of the highest national priority. The country has one of the world’s lowest levels of electrification, with less than 10 percent of its population having power grid access. Over 80 percent of businesses y rely on their own diesel-fueled generators, and business leaders say the lack of reliable power is one of the single biggest constraints on growth. Once complete, the new power plant will increase available electricity generating capacity by an average of 130 percent. “Reliable power is the oxygen of economic development and this project will not only improve business conditions and the lives of families across Freetown, but also help bring new self-confidence and optimism to Sierra Leone,” said Emilio Cattaneo, executive director of EAIF. Plans for the power station predate the Ebola outbreak, and the company remained committed to the project throughout the epidemic. “We greatly value the expertise and tenacity that EAIF and Investec have brought to our venture," said Karim Nasser, director at CECA SL. "They have helped us resolve many complex issues. We now look forward to beginning the construction phase and opening the plant for business.” EAIF is part of the donor-backed Private Infrastructure Development Group, and is funded by the governments of the UK, Switzerland, Sweden and The Netherlands, as well as by private sector banks and development finance organizations. EAIF is managed by Investec Asset Management, one of the largest third-party investors in private equity, credit, public equity and sovereign debt across the African continent. The project also involves building a new substation, work to the grid and a fuel pipeline. Approximately 200 construction workers will build the plant, and an estimated 42 permanent jobs will be created once it's complete. CECA SL Generation Limited is a joint venture company set up by Abu Dhabi-based TCQ Power and Globeleq, an Africa-based developer, owner and operator of electricity generation in Africa. Globeleq has around 2,500 MW of power projects in development across Africa and plans to add significant MW of new power generation during the next 10 years. In tandem with providing debt for a 14-year term, EAIF acted as structuring bank alongside the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) as mandated lead arranger. Other financial partners included the World Bank, the Dutch development bank, FMO, CDC and the African Development Bank (AFDB) The World Bank is providing a political risk guarantee for the project. “EAIF is often a pioneer investor in projects in fragile states recovering from natural disaster or conflict," said Nazmeera Moola, head of EAIF at Investec Asset Management, in November. "Sierra Leone is a country of great economic potential, and the leadership of CECA SL is to be congratulated for its enterprise and vision.” Adam Bruns Managing Editor of Site Selection magazine Adam Bruns has served as managing editor of Site Selection magazine since February 2002. In the course of reporting hundreds of stories for Site Selection, Adam has visited companies and communities around the globe. A St. Louis native who grew up in the Kansas City suburbs, Adam is a 1986 alumnus of Knox College, and resided in Chicago; Midcoast Maine; Savannah, Georgia; and Lexington, Kentucky, before settling in the Greater Atlanta community of Peachtree Corners, where he lives with his wife and daughter. San Bernardino County: Everything You Need Aerospace & Aviation: Pipeline Builders Sustainability Rankings: Top Locations for Sustainable Development The Site Selection Energy Report features exclusive and in-depth reporting and analysis on the most important energy projects and energy policy issues impacting the world of manufacturing and industrial real estate. Topics covered include oil and gas projects, investments into alternative energy installations and R&D, tax credits and financing, electric utility issues and much more. DEPARTMENTS: World Reports (Jun 17, 2019) MOROCCO: Flying High (May 28, 2019) SALT RIVER PROJECT: SRP Focuses on the Future (Apr 1, 2019) AFRICA: MAN United in Advocating for Reforms to Nigeria’s Business Environment (Jul 18, 2018) MCPHERSON, KANSAS: An Electric Atmosphere (Dec 14, 2017) NEWS: Energy Matters (Jan 20, 2017) POWER: New Energy Projects in Africa Highlight Powerful Opportunities (Jul 20, 2016) AFFORDABLE ENERGY: Where Expanding Companies Can Find Affordable Power (May 26, 2016)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8224
__label__cc	0.723642	0.276358	« History of the Zombie Genre (Part 2: King of the Zombies) History of the Zombie Genre (Part 4: Night of the Living Dead) » History of the Zombie Genre (Part 3: Zombies of Mora Tau) Well we’re chugging along in our look back at the Zombie sub-genre, and we’ve come to the golden age of cheese: The 1950’s. What can I say about this decade? It was a time of prosperity after the hard years of depression and WWII. The baby boom was in full swing and audiences were looking to let the good times role. It was all about the American dream and fast, cheap entertainment. The 1950’s also experienced a big boom in the Sci-fi genre, seeing as we had just entered the atomic age. Films heavy in dialogue and atmosphere were out, lasers and aliens were in. The Universal style horror movie, however, was still alive and kicking with huge hits like The Creature From the Black Lagoon. For the most part though, people were watching genre films that had titles like “Attack of” or “Invasion of” and maybe the word “Giant” tossed in there. A standard formula for lot of these movies is as follows: Generic scientist or generic alien creatures do something that makes humans sad. I would note that the zombie genre was around in this decade, but it wasn’t anything like the other monsters of horror (although a few of them were forced to meet Abbot and Costello). While inspecting some of my options for the 1950’s, I noticed a problem: I really hate all of them. Although there wasn’t exactly a lot to choose from, for the most part they are all pretty terrible. Barely qualifying as Zombie flicks themselves, most fall into the realm of Sci-fi that just so happens to have Zombie-like creatures in it. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958) is easily the biggest example of this, but I’m not really interested in discussing an Ed Wood movie. I will at least mention that his film Night of the Ghouls came out in 1959. Check them out if you dare, they are definitely in the so-bad-it’s-good category. Well, Night of the Ghouls is just bad. Anyway, I am running low on further movie options, so I won’t drag this out any more. Today we tackle Zombies of Mora Tau. The film was released in 1957, directed by Edward L. Cahn, and produced by Columbia pictures. The 1950’s saw a lot of Cahn, for that matter. He was the one responsible for: It the Terror From Beyond Space, Invisible Invaders and the absolutely coma-inducing Voodoo Woman. Essentially, he was a director who was charged with making movies as cheaply and as quickly as possible. So here’s the deal with Zombies of Mora Tau: Mora Tau is a far off coast in Africa that is infested with zombies (sort of). I like how they are always hard selling the “Dark Continent” with voodoo and mysticism. This time instead of a spell brought on by some evil mastermind, the dead are basically cursed. It’s a lot like Pirates of the Caribbean, really. A group of sailors mutiny and kill their captain and his loyal men in order to steal a diamond treasure for themselves. Their murder triggers a curse where the Captain and his men rise from the dead and kill the traitors then sink the ship and the treasure. Now every time someone comes to find it; the Zombies rise to stop them. Of course, a crew looking for the diamonds hears this story from a gnarled old woman and don’t listen. Needless to say it’s a mistake they have to deal with through the entire film. It’s easy to see that the classic image of an undead pirate walking along the seafloor could possibly have come from this movie. Not to mention the funny little fight scene with the guy in the divers suit. I don’t know why but it was pretty amusing watching the slow mo, and camera tricks they used to get the effect. An interesting thing I found about this movie is that the zombies’ one weakness seems to be fire. It’s pretty much a way to get them away from you, while bullets seem to have no effect (a lot like in King of the Zombies). All in all, this is a pretty standard film and I can see where it might serve to inspire other filmmakers as time progresses. I will say for any who are interested that this film is hard to come by (I had to use my internet powers to find it). I don’t really recommend it, but I felt compelled to include at least one movie from the 1950’s. Next up we hit the 1960’s where a little independent film changed everything. This entry was posted on May 5, 2011 at 11:54 pm and is filed under Horror Showcase, Updates with tags 1950's, genre, genre films, halloween, horror, horror movie, movie review, scary, splatterpictures, zombie, zombies, zombies of mora tau. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8232
__label__wiki	0.528775	0.528775	Sun 6 Sep, 2015, 10:00 PM (EDT) Benoit Paire vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2015 US Open Pick, Odds, Prediction By: Randy Created: 9/4/15 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Benoit Paire Sunday September 6, 2015, 10:00 PM (EDT) The Line: -- Over/Under: USA TODAY Sports Benoit Paire and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meet in the fourth round of the 2015 US Open. Benoit Paire is coming off a straight sets win over Tommy Robredo and has played 12 sets so far this tournament. Paire is winning at least 75 percent of his first serve points and 56 percent of his second serve points. Paire has combined for 158 winners, 43 aces and 132 unforced errors in his first three matches. Paire has been the surprise so far this tournament with two victories over ranked opponents, which includes a first round defeat of Kei Nishikori. Now it’s just a question of how long Paire’s magical run is going to continue. Paire has never reached the quarterfinals of a grand slam in his career. This fourth round appearance will be a first for Paire at 26 years old. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is coming off a straight sets win over Sergiy Stakhovsky and has played just nine sets this tournament. Tsonga is winning at least 81 percent of his first serve points and 58 percent of his second serve points. Tsonga has combined for 35 aces, 127 winners and 63 unforced errors in his first three matches. Tsonga looks to be in great form, is doing a great job of hitting his spots and is simply dominating with his service game. Tsonga is playing as well as he’s played the past couple of years. Tsonga has reached the quarterfinals of a grand slam three times since 2013. Tsonga has made the quarterfinals of the US Open once in his career. These two have met twice in the past, and Tsonga has won both meetings. The most recent match was in the 2012 Shanghai Masters, a match Tsonga won in straight sets. Paire has never won a set against Tsonga, and this will be the third time they meet on hard court. Paire certainly deserves to be here and has proven he’s more than capable of knocking off some of the big fish. However, this run has to come to an end eventually. Also, Tsonga is playing lights out right now. Look for Tsonga to reach a grand slam quarterfinal for the second time this season. GrabThePoints Randy Chambers has been with Sports Chat Place since 2014 and covers everything from the NFL to WNBA and tennis. Nobody works harder in this business in terms of content produced and amount of sports covered. Formerly a lead college football writer with Bleacher Report and has had his work featured at Fox Sports, CBS Sports and various other outlets.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8233
__label__wiki	0.61223	0.61223	St. Proterius He was ordained priest by St. Cyril, but opposed Dioscorus, his successor, on his patronizing Eutyches, and giving into his errors, notwithstanding his endeavor to gain him to his interest, by making him archpriest, and entrusting him with the care of his church. Dioscorus being condemned and deposed by the council of Chalcedon, Proterius was elected in his room, and was accordingly ordained and installed in 552. The people of Alexandria, famed for riots and tumults, then divided; some demanding the return of Dioscorus, others supporting Proterius. The factious party was headed by two vicious ecclesiastics, Timothy, surnamed Elurus, and Peter Mongus, whom the saint had canonically excommunicated. And so great and frequent were the tumults and seditions they raised against him, that during the whole course of his pontificate he was never out of danger of falling a sacrifice to the schismatical party, regardless both of the imperial orders and decisions of the council of Chalcedon. Martyrs in the Plague of Alexandria A violent pestilence laid waste the greatest part of the Roman empire during twelve years, from 249 to 263. Five thousand persons died of it in one day in Rome, in 262. St. Dionysius of Alexandria relates, that a cruel sedition and civil war had filled that city with murders and tumults; so that it was safer to travel from the eastern to the western parts of the then known world, than to go from one street of Alexandria to another. The pestilence succeeded this first scourge, and with such violence, that there was Dot a single house in that great city which entirely escaped it, or which had not some dead to mourn for.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8241
__label__cc	0.655617	0.344383	507 results in 26 pages Additional Charge for Taxi Journeys on 21st February 1996 Air Navigation (Licensing of Air Services) (Amendment) Regulations 1996 Amendment to Schedule to Civil List and Pension Act Animals and Birds (Quarantine) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 1996 Animals and Birds (Quarantine) (Amendment) Rules 1996 Animals and Birds (Veterinary Fees) (Amendment) Rules 1996 Appointment of Authorised Officers Appointment of Commissioner, Deputry Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners for the Maintenance of Parents Appointment of Deputy Registrar Appointment of Director, Deputy Director and Assistant Directors of Consumer Protection Appointment of Officers Approved Analysts Approved Centre Arms and Explosives (Arms) (Amendment) Rules 1996 Arms and Explosives (Explosives) (Amendment) Rules 1996 Auctioneers’ Licences (Fees) Order 1996 Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (The Public Service Star) Rules 1996 Bintang Temasek (the Star of Temasek) Rules 1996 Building Control (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1996	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8242
__label__cc	0.618541	0.381459	ArcelorMittal to invest $20 million in a research and development centre in Brazil over the next five years The new research centre will focus on steel innovations for the automotive, energy, construction, machinery and white goods industries ArcelorMittal plans to open its 12th global research and development centre (R&D), in Brazil, in 2015. The new centre will open at ArcelorMittal Tubarão, Brazil in April this year, using existing lab facilities in the Vitória unit, Espirito Santo. The investment also includes the purchase of equipment for process simulations, product characterization as well as analytical models to reinforce the currently existing scientific structure. Around 30 researchers and technicians will be hired in Brazil over the next two years. Others may also join from European or American research centres within the Group on temporary assignments. With a planned investment of $20 million over the 5 years, the new research centre aims to meet the demands from both long and flat carbon South America in the following three areas: product development, process development and customer services. The work carried out in Brazil will complement that of existing R&D centres in the Group. The centre plans to focus on innovations for the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, energy (oil pipeline and gas pipeline, off-shore structures, wind towers), construction and household appliances industries. ArcelorMittal’s research and development teams aim to support the three strategic pillars of the ArcelorMittal group: quality, sustainability and safety. “As such, the Brazilian research centre will ensure competitiveness and increasingly aggregating value to our products, speeding up the implementation in Brazil of innovations and solutions from across ArcelorMittal, developing cleaner processes and broadening client services”, comments Charles Martins, research centre manager. “Brazil and other countries in South America are important markets, for which we see growth prospects in the long run”, he completes. In 2014, the group invested US$260 million in research and development, with 57% dedicated for research in products, 37% for processes and 6% for exploratory research. chromium oxide bainite ferrite low alloy steel shielded metal 65Mn steel Inverse optimisation cast steel ferrite factor physical simulation	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8243
__label__cc	0.675245	0.324755	Tag Archives: political commentator Want straight talk on politics? Tune in to Rachel Maddow This chick knows her ish! I usually don’t ‘do’ politricks because (IMO) its all just a farce. We elect figure heads who promise us the moon when they’re campaigning, ignore us for the majority of their term, and come abegging for our votes at the end of their respective terms. Rarely do they keep their campaign promises. Rarely do they exude the steely fire and commitment (in office) that they demonstrated while stumping. Rarely are they the same people they presented themselves to be, before they took office. It’s not surprising, then, that many are disenfranchised and disillusioned after their heros get elected to office, and then turn their backs on their constituency. I’m a registered Democrat, but I’m not some fanatic that supports Democrats just because. Nor do I tow the party line on issues. I generally think that most politicians are liars, not to be trusted. Kamau bigged her up so much I had to watch the show. So it was with great interest that I listened to Rachel Maddow, first on Totally Biased, with W. Kamau Bell show, and then again, last night on The David Letterman show. For those of you unfamiliar with Rachel, she is an American television host, political commentator, and author. Her nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, airs on MSNBC. She also has a syndicated talk radio program which airs on Air America Radio. What I found particularly captivating about Rachel is that she’s just so friggin’ smart! I mean seriously, this chick has something special going on in all that grey matter between her ears. Her perspective about the upcoming presidential election, the respective candidates and their parties, was unquestionably, one of the most concise, objective commentaries I’ve heard in a long time. Even more impressive, was her passion about the subject, and her ease addressing whatever was thrown at her. To be fair, she was talking to two comedians. It’s not like either W. Kamau Bell or Letterman were dropping bombs on her with the questioning. But it was clear from her responses, that she knew what the heck she was talking about, and she wasn’t merely parroting some liberal party line. I’ve never watched the Rachel Maddow show. I was am so disgusted with the state of politricks, that I really don’t care what either side has to say about anything. So it stands to reason that none of these political talking heads (Wolf Blitzer, Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter) have ever really resonated with me. But with Rachel Maddow, I might actually have a reason to tune in and pay attention. Filed under opinion, politics, rant, Smack talking Tagged as Air America Radio, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, comedian, David Letterman, david letterman show, Democrat, Glenn Beck, liberal, MSNBC, political commentator, politics, politricks, presidential election, Rachel Maddow, The Rachel Maddow Show, Totally Biased, W. Kamau Bell, Wolf Blitzer January 5, 2012 · 10:46 am The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. But it will be on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I just finished reading The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Joe Trippi on the Nook app on my iPad. Great read for 21st century political consultants. It was a self-imposed homework assignment, for the work that I’ve been doing with Vincent Morgan, the Democratic candidate for Congress I’ve been working with for the past two years. If you haven’t read it (why would you?) it’s a good read. It was especially informative for me because in it, Joe talks about the various online and social media strategies Howard Dean’s campaign employed to build it’s base, push Dean’s message and raise money. To make a long story short, the Dean campaign was really responsible for the both the use and proliferation of the web and social media by political candidates. Without Howard Dean, there would have been no Obama. Period. What Howard Dean’s campaign did with the internet and social media, completely bucked traditional notions of what online communities meant, how to galvanize supporters and raise money. Trippi’s title, an homage to Gil Scott-Heron’s poem and song of the same title, refers to the fact that TV is no longer the dominant medium, especially as it relates to the manner and methods of running a political campaign. Gil clearly didn't know about iReporting back in the day! Where campaigns used to pour millions of dollars for television spots, in an effort to frame the issues and influence voters, Trippi posits that online forums, blogs, social media and the web generally, will have greater impact in future races. As I sit here, thinking about how to apply Trippi’s strategies to Vince’s campaign, I’m brimming with excitement. Last year, when Vince ran against Rangel, we knew out the gate, that we were in for an uphill battle. For one, Vince was a relative unknown. Rangel’s name carried all the weight in the world – even in the middle of his ethics controversy. Vince had no political experience, save a stint working with Rangel several years prior. The M4C team was pretty inexperienced. It was the first political campaign for most of us. He hadn’t raised a lot of money, which effectively meant that media buys (and virtually anything else that cost money) were out of the question. Even with Rangel’s ethical issues, he was still sitting on a (relative) war-chest. This year, it’s a different story. For one, Vince is no longer an unknown. While he may not evoke the same level of name recognition as Rangel, he is regularly featured in both local and national press. He’s a frequent political commentator on CNBC, having most recently offered is perspective after the GOP Iowa caucus. Although Vince still has no formal political experience, his previous run gave him political credibility and experience running a political campaign. Even though he’s never held formal office, he is being discussed as a viable Democratic candidate, in the same breath as, and alongside other established politicians. Team Morgan is staffed with experience. From his PR agency, Dash PR, to his finance manager, to his interim campaign manager, the team he’s assembled know their respective charges, and are ready, willing and able to execute accordingly. But the most important thing, is the impact that social media and online, are having on the strategies we’re developing. Unlike Charles Rangel, and the rest of the other candidates running (or planning on running) in the next election, Vince is truly technologically savvy. While other candidates have third parties blogging, tweeting, FourSquaring, updating their Facebook status and generally leaving social media to someone else, Vince is actively engaged in the management of his online personae. He actively posts articles, videos and pictures he finds to his website, personal and political profiles, and responds to comments he receives. If you haven't 'Liked" the page, do so now! And he makes it a point to ‘check-in’ with FourSquare, when he visits any of the restaurants, barbershops, cafes, stores and venues in his daily travels, staying engaged virtually with his growing constituency. More importantly, he knows how important it is to get the formula, of online and offline activities, right. As Joe Trippi noted in his book, virtually every political campaign, candidate and politician, has a website, Facebook page, etc. They would be remiss, in the post-Obama era, not to. But having an online presence, and utilizing it effectively, are two drastically different things. Our goal, in 2012, is to master the use of online and social media tools and put Vince in office. That means we’ve got to raise his profile, raise money, get people off their butts and into voting booths on election day. I’m confident that we’re going to do just that. But don’t take my word for it. Check in on the campaign from time to time and see how we’re doing. Filed under branding, opinion, social media, Uncategorized Tagged as app, blogging, campaign, Charles Rangel, comment, Congress, Dash PR, Democratic candidate, Facebook, Foursquare, Gil Scott-Heron, GOP, Howard Dean, internet, iPad, Joe Trippi, MSNBCIowa caucus, Nook, Obama, online communities, political commentator, social media, tech savvy, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, tweet, Twitter, web	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8244
__label__cc	0.537555	0.462445	← Best of the Blog’s First Five Years Becoming an Intouchable → Batman, Dickens, and Resurrection “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” These are the iconic last words we hear from Sydney Carton before he is sacrificially guillotined in Charles Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities — a book which ends up being a rather important inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. [Read no further if you haven’t seen the film!] The Carton quote is repeated in Rises near the end, as are other lines that reference sections of Carton’s last monologue (“I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy…”). The Tale of Two Cities parallels don’t stop there, however. The whole film seems infused with the social upheaval, revolutionary unsettledness, and literary elegance of Dickens’ novel, as well as its themes of death, resurrection, and the desire to rebuild (or reboot, perhaps) from amidst destruction and ashes. There is an uneasy peace at the opening of Rises. One could say (to quote the famous opening line of Tale) that it was “the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Crime is low, Batman is unnecessary, and the wealthy galas go on at Wayne Manor. But as the aristocrats enjoy their comfort, the growing “other half” (or “99%” if you want to go with the Occupy language) is increasingly discontented. An army grows underground–led by a coalition of terrorists (Bane), corrupt billionaires, and involving everyday criminals and malcontents (like the “adaptable” Catwoman). As Selina Kyle (Catwoman) tells Bruce Wayne: “A storm is coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches. Because when it hits, you’re all going to wonder how you thought you could live so large, and leave so little for the rest of us.” This line has been read by some to be the film’s most resonant “Occupy” line, reflecting the growing tension and disparity between the haves and have-nots. And indeed it does reflect that. But the “storm” of class warfare is also an allusion to the French Revolution, the setting of Tale and perhaps western civilization’s most harrowing collision of have and have-nots. The third section of Tale, after all, is called “The Track of a Storm.” It’s a testament to the savvy of Christopher and Jonathan Nolan (the film’s screenwriters, who wrote the script for Rises years before “Occupy” movement became a thing) that they identified Dickens’ Tale as a timeless and yet timely inspiration for the epic conclusion of their trilogy, which has always been as much about classic hero myths as about the specific context (terrorism, media, corporate greed, worrisome surveillance trends, etc.) of our unsettled day-and-age. The Nolans weave references to Tale into their film in various ways. Sequences of sentencing “hearings” at populist tribunals (“exile or execution”) and images of “1%” aristocrats being dragged out of their posh mansions by the mob are clearly nods to the revolutionary tribunals and general chaos of the French Revolution’s “Reign of Terror.” A final “war” scene between the cops and occupiers evokes 18th century battle tactics. The film even gives a nod (perhaps unintended) to the French Revolution by casting a French actress (Marion Cotillard) as one of the most significant new characters. But perhaps the most important theme from Tale that informs Rises is the concept of rebirth or resurrection. [Major spoilers ahead!] We see this even in the film’s title: The Dark Knight Rises. Everything in the film speaks to the belief or desire for rebirth. Just as the French revolutionaries sought to totally destroy the old regime and rebuild a new society, so too do the villains in Rises seek the destruction of Gotham and the birth of a new order. Catwoman seeks a reboot of her own life–where her past is erased and her future is a chance to make something better (and less criminal?) of herself. The very idea of cats and Catwoman–nine lives–implies second (and third and fourth, etc.) chances. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s John Blake also experiences something of a rebirth in his identity and purpose–though I will say absolutely no more about that ;) And then there’s Batman himself, whose arc in the film is a series of “deaths” and “rebirths,” from his start as an out-of-commission recluse to his flashy return as Batman, to his broken-back defeat by Bane and subsequent imprisonment in the prison “pit,” to his rise out of the darkness and defeat of evil, to his final act of sacrifice and, well, that last scene. As dark as the film is, it presents such a faith in resurrection. The light above the pit speaks to the hope which animates one’s purpose even in the midst of despair. In contrast to Bane, who sees hope as a liability that only adds to one’s despair, John Blake and Batman see it as the only thing that can answer fear and evil. When Blake is caring after the orphans and it looks as though Gotham will be soon destroyed by the bomb, he insists on keeping the boys’ spirits up, unwilling to let them die thinking there is no hope. Without hope–without the possibility for redemption and renewal–what would keep any of us going? Hope is what helps any of us deal with the ugly realities of day-to-day life. It’s what we need to move through the horrors and traumas of planes going into buildings, fires destroying our livelihoods, babies dying in the womb, deranged killers opening fire on crowds of moviegoers. Life is such a series of frights, disappointments, failures, imprisonments (physically, emotionally, spiritually). It’d be unlivable without that hope of beginning again, that hope of resurrection and renewal, that Phoenix-like desire to rise out of the shackled prison pit our own fear, despair and brokenness. The impulse toward resurrection is grand motif of human existence: it’s the arc of all creation and everyone within it, groaning and aching for the dawn of better days, when all is put to rights and evil is subdued. The hope of resurrection is the thing Sydney Carton takes refuge in before his own death in A Tale of Two Cities, as he rests in the truth of John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” That’s the hope we have. He rose, and in Him we can all rise. The Dark Knight Rises stirs us so because it taps into that hope, as does Dickens (more directly, perhaps) in A Tale of Two Cities. It’s a hope our world needs. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged A Tale of Two Cities, Batman, Charles Dickens, hope, The Dark Knight Rises, theology. Bookmark the permalink. 9 responses to “Batman, Dickens, and Resurrection” rickleejames \| July 23, 2012 at 9:19 am \| Reply Terrific article. I will be sharing it with many people. Nice work Brett. brian \| July 23, 2012 at 11:35 am \| Reply You forgot the part about the film being an absolute mess. The film makes plenty of references, makes plenty of grand postulations… but they all ring hollow. The film has no cohesiveness, constantly betraying its own rules and values for the immediacy of the present moment… Character motivations and all sense of logic get thrown out in favor of theme, movement, and an unending series of dialog exchanges rendered. The film has no poetry to it whatsoever, with only a few glimpses of cinematic excitement. I appreciate your recognition of the Dickens references. But that’s all the film really knows how to do… reference. It penetrates no deeper than a throw-away line in a series of throw-away-moments. Take away the Hans Zimmer score and the fact that it’s about a beloved hero named Batman, and you’re left with a very boring and nearly unintelligible film. Jeff Skinner \| July 23, 2012 at 11:44 am \| Reply EXCELLENT, Well written article with equally excellent and timely thoughts. Thanks for contextualizing and interpreting well. Ryan Lunde \| July 23, 2012 at 12:03 pm \| Reply Amazing article! Convinced me that I ought to appreciate the movie much more than I did (it’s definitely better the second time around). I still think it falls short of the other two — especially since the previous two villains embodied a fanatic obedience to an ideology, whereas Bane commits intellectual plagiarism off of Ra’s al Ghul which makes the film feel like it’s far too dependent on the franchise rather than having a spirit of its own to contribute to the trilogy. In short, I still love your take on the movie, especially since you connected it to my favorite Dickens’ novel. mrsjsemione \| July 24, 2012 at 2:20 pm \| Reply I just wanted to say I love your post on Batman/Two Cities. I was completely fascinated by what Nolan(s) did with the Dickens motif. My mind is going in so many directions after that movie, many of which are tainted by disappointments. But even if my Batman didn’t finish in the way I would have crafted, the Dickens references serve as a strong and redeeming distraction. My thoughts on this are still underdeveloped, but ongoing. Thank you for some meat to chew on! Pingback: The Batman and I « Trains, Planes & Dogged Ideals Pingback: This Week’s Good Reads \| Pastor Dave Online PWH \| August 25, 2012 at 3:07 am \| Reply I loved the film. People do tend to over analyse / intellectualize in retrospect and talk their way out of those initial feelings of almost childlike acceptance/enjoyment. I also loved your post which offered great insight and only added to the enjoyment and echoed my take on the film. For @TGC I wrote about the excellent podcast #WhiteLies and the temptation to “cancel” the uncomfortable past. thegospelcoalition.org/article/white-… 2 hours ago	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8245
__label__wiki	0.660369	0.660369	Home /Blog/Beto O’Rourke on Third-Trimester Abortions: ‘That Should Be A Decision That the Woman Makes’ Latest newsMarch 19, 2019 Beto O’Rourke on Third-Trimester Abortions: ‘That Should Be A Decision That the Woman Makes’ Beto O’Rourke speaks with supporters in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, March 15, 2019. (Ben Brewer/Reuters) Beto O’Rourke refused to provide a direct answer when asked about the morality of third-trimester abortion during a Monday campaign event, pivoting instead to the issue of abortion generally, which he argued the government should not regulate. “Are you for or against third-trimester abortion?” asked an attendee at O’Rourke’s campaign stop in Cleveland, Ohio. “The question is about abortion and reproductive rights and my answer to you is that should be a decision that the woman makes. I trust her,” O’Rourke said to thunderous applause. The former Texas congressman, who rose to prominence during a failed Senate run against Ted Cruz (R., Texas) last year, co-sponsored in 2017 the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have eliminated nearly all state restrictions on abortion, including so-called right-to-know laws and mandatory waiting periods. O’Rourke’s refusal to engage with the policy debate surrounding third-trimester abortions in particular is broadly reflective of the Democratic presidential field, which comprises lawmakers who maintain a blanket opposition to abortion restrictions regardless of gestational age. Virginia governor Ralph Northam’s apparent endorsement of infanticide galvanized conservative opposition to late-term abortion in January. “This is why decisions such as this should be made by providers, physicians, and the mothers and fathers that are involved,” Northam said when asked about legislation pending in the Virginia state house that would permit abortion for any reason up until the moment of birth. “When we talk about third-trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of obviously the mother, with the consent of the physician — more than one physician, by the way — and it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities. There may be a fetus that’s non-viable.” Northam’s comments prompted Senator Ben Sasse (R., Neb.) to introduce the Born Alive Survivors Protection Act, which would require that doctors care for infants born alive after botched abortion procedures. Senate Democrats — with the exception of Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and Doug Jones of Alabama — voted against the bill, leaving Republicans seven votes short of the 60 required to advance the legislation.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8251
__label__wiki	0.770851	0.770851	What would be the difference between hard and soft Brexit? Theresa May wants to begin the process of leaving the European Union in March this year. That’s when the Prime Minister says she plans formally to tell our EU partners that the UK wants to quit, in line with a process set out in article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. We won’t leave straight away. There will be up to two years of negotiations. But it does mean that the the UK needs to decide what exactly it hopes to achieve from those talks – and what sort of relationship it wants to have with the EU once we are no longer a member. And Mrs May’s self-imposed deadline is now just two months away. Two key issues are likely to be trade and immigration. Will we still be free to trade with the EU without restrictions and tariffs, or not? And will people from EU countries be free to move to the UK, and vice versa, as they are now? The different options are often described as “hard Brexit” and “soft Brexit”. There’s no clear definition for either of these terms. But here’s what they might mean in practice. * Taking the UK entirely out of “freedom of movement”, the current arrangements which allow people from any EU country to move to any other part of the EU. * This is likely to mean leaving the EU single market, which currently allows UK firms to trade across the EU without restrictions. * The UK could sign a new free trade deal with the EU, but EU nations may be reluctant to agree to anything if freedom of movement is not included. * Until a new trade deal is signed, the UK would still be able to trade with the EU under rules set out by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This would probably mean British exporters had to pay a tariff on some goods exported to the EU. * Critics of “hard Brexit” say trading under WTO rules would provide little protection for British firms, because in practice EU countries would be free to discriminate in favour of EU firms when awarding contracts. Watch this video again People of Sunderland talk about Brexit 6 months on from vote Soft Brexit * In principle, the UK could leave the EU but continue to be part of the single market, ensuring British-made goods can be exported to Europe without tariffs. * However, this would probably mean the UK continues to be part of EU freedom of movement arrangements, which Theresa May’s government is unlikely to agree to. * The UK could agree to a limited free movement scheme. For example, it could agree that EU workers who already have a job offer in certain sectors of the economy where the UK suffers from a labour shortage have an automatic right to come and work in the UK. * This could make it easier to agree a deal giving the UK continued access to the single market. * Alternatively, limited freedom of movement could make it easier for the UK to negotiate a new comprehensive trade deal with the EU, similar perhaps to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement which will eliminate nearly all tariffs between the EU and Canada. * The Canada trade deal has taken eight months to negotiate. But a UK deal could be easier as it might be based largely on existing arrangements. * As well as the question of tariffs, there are also what are known as “non-tariff barriers”. These include rules on labelling, testing and safety standards of products imported into the EU. The UK could agree to abide by EU rules on these issues even once it quits, making continued trade easier. « GAC Motor Builds Future of Mobility with Revolutionary New Models Revealed at 2017 NAIAS Clarivate Analytics Names 2016 Top 100 Global Innovators »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8252
__label__cc	0.646001	0.353999	Down's syndrome 150351065 (Talk \| contribs) Down's syndome is disorder caused by having an extra [[Chromosome\|chromosome]] on chromosome 21 (referred to as [[Trisomy 21\|trisomy 21]]), giving a total of 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 in humans.<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">This extra chromosome copy disrupts the normal course of [[Brain\|brain]] and body development, thus affecting both physical development and intellectual ability.<ref>https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/gard/10247/disease/resources/1</ref> Although individuals with Down's syndrome behave and look similar, their intellectual capability varies from mild to moderately low. As sufferers age (often about the age of 50), they may often experience a progressive decline in cognitive function, which can result in an increased risk of </span>[[Alzheimer's\|Alzheimer's]]<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">, a [[Neurodegeneration\|neurodegenerative]] disease that causes </span>[[Dementia\|dementia]]<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">: a gradual loss of memory, motor skills, and judgement. </span> Down's syndome is disorder caused by having an extra [[Chromosome\|chromosome]] on chromosome 21 (referred to as [[Trisomy 21\|trisomy 21]]), giving a total of 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 in humans.<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">This extra chromosome copy disrupts the normal course of [[Brain\|brain]] and body development, thus affecting both physical development and intellectual ability. Although individuals with Down's syndrome behave and look similar, their intellectual capability varies from mild to moderately low. As sufferers age (often about the age of 50), they may often experience a progressive decline in cognitive function, which can result in an increased risk of </span>[[Alzheimer's\|Alzheimer's]]<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">, a [[Neurodegeneration\|neurodegenerative]] disease that causes </span>[[Dementia\|dementia]]<span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13.28px;">: a gradual loss of memory, motor skills, and judgement.<ref>Genetics Home Reference. Down syndrome. Available at: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome (Last accessed 01/12/15)</ref> </span> == '''Types''' == === Trisomy 21 === An error during [[Gamete\|gamete]] formation results in a failure of the chromosomal pair on chromosome 21 to separately properly, which results in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21. This is known as [[Non disjunction\|non-disjunction]]. Most cases of Down's syndrome are a result of a random chromosomal defect during the formation of reproductive cells, especially egg cells. As the [[Embryo\|embryo]] develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. This is the most common form, and accounts for about 95% of cases.  An error during [[Gamete\|gamete]] formation results in a failure of the chromosomal pair on chromosome 21 to separately properly, which results in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21. This is known as [[Non disjunction\|non-disjunction]]. Most cases of Down's syndrome are a result of a random chromosomal defect during the formation of reproductive cells, especially egg cells. As the [[Embryo\|embryo]] develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. This is the most common form, and accounts for about 95% of cases.<ref>NDSS. (n.d.). What causes Down syndrome? Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/ (Last accessed 01/12/15)</ref> <ref>Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). (2012). Down syndrome. Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/QnASelected.aspx?diseaseID=10247</ref> === Mosaic trisomy 21 === Mosaic refers to mixed or a combination. Most cells in the body have 47 chromosomes, whereas some of the cells have 46 chromsomes. Like trisomy 21, this isn't inherited; instead it is caused by random events that occur during cell division in early foetal development. This is the least common form and accounts for about 1% of cases.  Mosaic refers to mixed or a combination. Most cells in the body have 47 chromosomes, whereas some of the cells have 46 chromsomes. Like trisomy 21, this isn't inherited; instead it is caused by random events that occur during cell division in early foetal development. This is the least common form and accounts for about 1% of cases.<ref>NDSS. (n.d.). What causes Down syndrome? Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/</ref>  === Translocation trisomy 21 === Part of chromosome 21 is in the cell, which becomes attached to another chromosome during gametic cells formation or during early [[Foetus\|foetal]] development. This is transferred to other cells as it divides. In some cases, parents unaffected by Down's syndrome may have translocation trisomy 21, which can be inherited by their offspring.  Part of chromosome 21 is in the cell, which becomes attached to another chromosome during gametic cells formation or during early [[Foetus\|foetal]] development. This is transferred to other cells as it divides. In some cases, parents unaffected by Down's syndrome may have translocation trisomy 21, which can be inherited by their offspring.<ref>NDSS. (n.d.). What causes Down syndrome? Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/</ref> <ref>Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). (2012). Down syndrome. Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/QnASelected.aspx?diseaseID=10247</ref> == '''Causes'''<br> == Hearing problems [[Hypothyroidism\|Hypothyroidism]] *[[Hypothyroidism\|Hypothyroidism]]  Young children are more susceptible to developmental delay. This may be a consequence of poor muscle tone, which impacts the ability to stand, balance, and sit normally, so they may reach these milestones slower than other children, Young children are more susceptible to developmental delay. This may be a consequence of poor muscle tone, which impacts the ability to stand, balance, and sit normally, so they may reach these milestones slower than other children. === Intellectual and behavioural<br> === At birth, doctors observe whether or not the newborn has any of the typical characteristics such as: weak muscle tone, upward slanting eyes and flattened facial profiles. However, these traits may also be present in those without Down's syndrome. Therefore it is important to carry out further analysis.  [[Karyotype\|Karyotope]] analysis of newborn - doctors obtain a blood sample from the newborn and examine karyotypes to detect any chromosomal abnormalities.  [[Karyotype\|Karyotope]] analysis - doctors obtain a blood sample from the newborn and examine karyotypes to detect any chromosomal abnormalities.  == '''Treatment ''' == Down's syndome is disorder caused by having an extra chromosome on chromosome 21 (referred to as trisomy 21), giving a total of 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 in humans.This extra chromosome copy disrupts the normal course of brain and body development, thus affecting both physical development and intellectual ability. Although individuals with Down's syndrome behave and look similar, their intellectual capability varies from mild to moderately low. As sufferers age (often about the age of 50), they may often experience a progressive decline in cognitive function, which can result in an increased risk of Alzheimer's, a neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia: a gradual loss of memory, motor skills, and judgement.[1] 1.1 Trisomy 21 1.2 Mosaic trisomy 21 1.3 Translocation trisomy 21 3 Symptoms 3.2 Intellectual and behavioural 4 Screening and diagnosis There are three main types of Down's syndrome. An error during gamete formation results in a failure of the chromosomal pair on chromosome 21 to separately properly, which results in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21. This is known as non-disjunction. Most cases of Down's syndrome are a result of a random chromosomal defect during the formation of reproductive cells, especially egg cells. As the embryo develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. This is the most common form, and accounts for about 95% of cases.[2] [3] Mosaic trisomy 21 Mosaic refers to mixed or a combination. Most cells in the body have 47 chromosomes, whereas some of the cells have 46 chromsomes. Like trisomy 21, this isn't inherited; instead it is caused by random events that occur during cell division in early foetal development. This is the least common form and accounts for about 1% of cases.[4] Translocation trisomy 21 Part of chromosome 21 is in the cell, which becomes attached to another chromosome during gametic cells formation or during early foetal development. This is transferred to other cells as it divides. In some cases, parents unaffected by Down's syndrome may have translocation trisomy 21, which can be inherited by their offspring.[5] [6] To date, the cause of the extra chromosome is still unknown, Increasing maternal age (especially pregnant women aged 35 or over) is a contributory factor towards a higher risk of a baby having Down's syndrome with trisomy 21 or mosaicism. There is no conclusive scientific research to suggest that environmental factors or parental activities before or during preganancy are the causes. Flattened face and nose Small hands and feet Upward slanting eyes with a skin fold from upper eyelid that covers inner corner of the eye Brushfield spots: white spots on coloured part of the eye Abnormally shaped ears Poor muscle tone (hypotonia) Hearing problems Intellectual and behavioural Attention deficiency behavioural disorder Delayed development of speech and language Mental disorders: anxiety, depression Screening and diagnosis Before a clinical diagnosis is made, prenatal screening tests are carried out to predict the probability of the foetus having Down's syndrome. Conversely, diagnostic tests are more accurate in determining whether or not the foetus will have Down's syndrome. Blood (serum screening) tests - measures amount of substances in maternal blood, and along with the mother's age, doctors use this information to estimate the probability of the baby developing Down's syndrome. Ultrasound - often used in conjuction with blood test, this creates a picture of the baby. Doctors observe any fluid behind the baby's neck as this can indicate genetic defects. Chorionic villus sampling - obtain a small sample of material from the placenta (chorionic villus) and test for abnormalities. Amniocentisis - examines amniotic fluid (fluid sac surrounding the baby), and test it for protein levels. Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling - examines blood from the umbilical cord, which is then tested for the extra chromosome. This is the most accurate method, and can be used to confirm CVS and amniocentisis, however, this can only be carried out in the later stages of pregnancy. Diagnosis at birth At birth, doctors observe whether or not the newborn has any of the typical characteristics such as: weak muscle tone, upward slanting eyes and flattened facial profiles. However, these traits may also be present in those without Down's syndrome. Therefore it is important to carry out further analysis. Karyotope analysis - doctors obtain a blood sample from the newborn and examine karyotypes to detect any chromosomal abnormalities. There is not a universal, standardised treatment for those affected by Down's syndrome. However, there are a range of treatments provided according to the individual's physical and mental requirements, which includes but isn't limited to: early intervention programmes, and also speech, physical and occupational therapy. Those with Down's syndrome are more susceptible to other conditions and disorders so it is essential that healthcare professionals provide them with regular medical support. ↑ Genetics Home Reference. Down syndrome. Available at: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome (Last accessed 01/12/15) ↑ NDSS. (n.d.). What causes Down syndrome? Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/ (Last accessed 01/12/15) ↑ Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). (2012). Down syndrome. Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/QnASelected.aspx?diseaseID=10247 ↑ NDSS. (n.d.). What causes Down syndrome? Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/ Retrieved from "https://teaching.ncl.ac.uk/bms/wiki/index.php/Down%27s_syndrome"	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8257
__label__wiki	0.891261	0.891261	The Trumps host the White House Historical Association Dinner By Fox News on May 16, 2019 in News The following video is brought to you courtesy of the Fox News YouTube Channel. Click the video below to watch it now. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump host the White House Historical Association Dinner. Trump delivers brief remarks. #FoxNews FOX News operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Radio, FOX News Headlines 24/7, FOXNews.com and the direct-to-consumer streaming service, FOX Nation. FOX News also produces FOX News Sunday on FOX Broadcasting Company and FOX News Edge. A top five-cable network, FNC has been the most watched news channel in the country for 17 consecutive years. According to a 2018 Research Intelligencer study by Brand Keys, FOX News ranks as the second most trusted television brand in the country. Additionally, a Suffolk University/USA Today survey states Fox News is the most trusted source for television news or commentary in the country, while a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, FOX News is the top-cited outlet. FNC is available in nearly 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape while routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre. Subscribe to Fox News! https://bit.ly/2vBUvAS Watch more Fox News Video: http://video.foxnews.com Watch Fox News Channel Live: http://www.foxnewsgo.com/ Watch full episodes of your favorite shows The Five: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-the-five/ Special Report with Bret Baier: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-special-report/ The Story with Martha Maccallum: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-the-story-with-martha-maccallum/ Tucker Carlson Tonight: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-tucker-carlson-tonight/ Hannity: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-hannity/ The Ingraham Angle: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-the-ingraham-angle/ Fox News @ Night: http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-fox-news-night/ Follow Fox News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/ Follow Fox News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoxNews/ Follow Fox News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxnews/om/ Rod Rosenstein Unleashes BOTH BARRELS on James Comey in Blistering Speech Rep. McClintock: US economy growing at a twice the rate under Obama	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8258
__label__wiki	0.97035	0.97035	Indonesia extends earthquake, tsunami rescue operations International \| Written by : IANS\| Updated: Thu, Oct 11, 2018, 04:41 PM Jakarta, Oct 11 Indonesian authorities on Thursday extended the deadline for the search and rescue operations for a possible 5,000 people missing in the areas worst affected by the earthquake and tsunami which struck Sulawesi island on September 28, killing 2,073 persons. The National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) said that the operations have been extended at the request of members of the communities affected by the disaster, reports Efe news. BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a press conference that search activities for possible survivors will officially end on Friday, a day later than planned. After Friday, a 15-member team will be on call in case there is a request to rescue victims, Yusuf Latif, the spokesperson for the National Search and Rescue Agency in the city of Palu, told Efe. Rescue workers have not found any survivors for more than a week and authorities announced that the most devastated areas will be converted into green zones and parks in memory of the victims. Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola told reporters that the disaster relief period will continue until Oct. 26 in order to rebuild infrastructure and help the more than 82,000 people displaced in the catastrophe. According to the latest data, the official death toll stood at 2,073 while 2,549 people have been seriously injured and 680 remain missing. Most of the deaths took place in Palu, capital of Central Sulawesi province and the city worst affected by the disaster. Local village chiefs have said that around 5,000 people could be missing in the Balaroa neighbourhood in Palu and the Petobo suburb. Both areas suffered soil liquefaction, a phenomenon which occurs when a strong earthquake strikes an area with saturated loose soil, making it sink and producing large amounts of mud. More than half of the victims have been buried in mass graves to prevent the spread of diseases. Sutopo said on Wednesday that the tsunami waves reached a maximum height of 37 feet, and a minimum of 2.2 metres in coastal areas of Donggala, adding that seawater reached up to 468 metres inland. The Sulawesi quake and tsunami were the worst natural disaster to have struck the country since the 2004 tsunami that hit Aceh, in the west of the archipelago, leaving 167,000 people dead.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8264
__label__cc	0.731721	0.268279	Bald spots (hair), Confusion, Cough and Decreased smell WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms bald spots (hair), confusion, cough and decreased smell including Common cold, Bronchitis, and Medication reaction or side-effect. There are 93 conditions associated with bald spots (hair), confusion, cough and decreased smell. The links below will provide you with more detailed information on these medical conditions from the WebMD Symptom Checker and help provide a better understanding of causes and treatment of these related conditions. The common cold is a viral respiratory infection causing sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, headache and more. Bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, causes cough, dark or yellow mucus, chest pain and more. Acute sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, causes sinus pain and tenderness, facial redness and more. Chronic sinusitis, or sinus infections, cause a stuffy or runny nose, tooth pain, fever, sore throat and more. Asthma (teen and adult) Asthma is a lung condition that makes it hard to breathe, an asthma attack can be life threatening. Hay fever, an allergic reaction to outdoor pollens and molds, causes nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and more. Symptoms of heartburn and GERD are a burning feeling in the chest, throat, or mouth, nausea, and more. Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx, or voice box, causing hoarseness and loss of voice. Pneumonia is a lung infection and causes cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, fever, and chills. Viral pharyngitis Viral pharyngitis is a sore throat caused by a virus, and causes throat pain and cold-like symptoms. COPD is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult. Indoor allergens Indoor allergens are the things that cause an allergic reaction: dust, dust mites, mold, pet hair and more. Allergic reaction causes sneezing, runny nose and hives and can lead to anaphylaxis, a whole body reaction. Dust exposure Dust exposure can cause congestion, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and more. Nasal congestion is a stuffy nose, and can be accompanied by blocked ears, sore throat, and more. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) Low blood sugar, or low glucose levels, causes shakiness, anxiety, clammy skin, irritability, hunger, and more. Encephalitis is swelling and inflammation of the brain from an infection causing sleepiness, fever, and more. Esophageal cancer starts in the lining of the esophagus and can cause difficulty swallowing. Interstitial lung disease is a group of lung disorders that cause shortness of breath, a dry cough, and more. Intracranial hematoma An intracranial hematoma occurs after a head injury and causes headache, drowsiness, confusion, and more. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes heart palpitations, confusion, dizziness and more. Croup is a childhood viral respiratory infection causing swelling that can make breathing difficult and noisy. Emphysema Emphysema is a chronic lung condition that causes shortness of breath, a chronic cough, wheezing, and more. People with congestive heart failure can have shortness of breath, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and more. Nasal polyps, sacs of inflamed tissue in the nasal passages, can cause cold symptoms, snoring, and more. Pneumonitis Pneumonitis is any inflammation of the lung and causes trouble breathing, cough, and fever. A pulmonary embolism, a blood clot lodged in the lung, causes shortness of breath, chest pain, and more. Pulmonary fibrosis is a serious chronic lung condition where the lungs become scarred and stiff. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold. Sjogren's syndrome Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that most often causes dry eyes and dry mouth. A stroke occurs when blood and oxygen to the brain are cut off, and causes numbness, confusion, and more. Tuberculosis usually infects the lungs, causing a bad cough with blood, chest pain, fever, chills, and fatigue. Lung cancer (non small cell) Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer and can cause a cough, chest pain, and more. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system causing difficulties with balance, speech, and movement. Insulin reaction (hypoglycemia) An insulin reaction is the result of low blood sugar and causes anxiety, hunger, shaking, dizziness, and more. Radon exposure Breathing in high levels of radon over time can cause lung cancer. Sarcoidosis is a rare disease that can cause swelling and hard lumps in the lymph nodes and organs. Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic mental illness that causes delusional or hallucinogenic thoughts. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include dry mouth, excessive thirst and urination, and more. A drug overdose can be fatal and causes sleepiness, confusion, coma, vomiting, and other symptoms. Exercise-induced asthma causes wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. A thyroid storm, dangerously high levels of thyroid hormone, causes fever, racing heartbeat, sweating, and more Symptoms of a head injury vary but include headache, nausea, dizziness, memory problems, confusion, and more. Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection of the lungs causing muscle aches, fever, chest pain, cough, and more. Dementia in head injury Dementia resulting from a head injury may cause memory problems, difficulty speaking, and personality changes. Dementia with Lewy bodies Dementia with Lewy bodies is a brain disorder that causes problems managing memory and movement. Drug allergy A drug allergy is an allergic reaction to a medication and can cause a rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing. Night terrors are a sleep disorder that cause people to partially wake up confused and terrified. Alopecia, also known as losing hair or going bald, and is marked by a slowly receding hairline and balding. Asbestosis is a serious lung disease, causing shortness of breath, dry cough, chest tightness and more. Benzodiazepine abuse Benzodiazepines are prescription medications that cause drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, and more. Alzheimer's disease is type of dementia that causes memory loss, as well as thinking and behavior problems. Aspirin poisoning Aspirin poisoning is a medical emergency and can cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and more. Barbiturate abuse Barbiturates are a type of prescription sedative in which even a slight overdose can cause coma or death. Bronchial adenoma Bronchial adenomas are cancers of the respiratory tract causing a cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Chemical pneumonia Chemical pneumonia is an irritation of the lungs that can cause a dry cough, headache, chest pain and more. Chronic kidney disease is a condition of the kidneys that can cause high blood pressure, fatigue, and weakness. Cryptococcosis Cryptococcosis is a lung disease causing a wide range of digestive, respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms. Epilepsy (temporal lobe) Epilepsy is a condition marked by seizures. Epilepsy (simple partial seizures) During simple partial epileptic seizures, people remain fully conscious, able to respond to external stimuli. Epilepsy (complex partial seizures) During complex partial seizures, people lose consciousness briefly. Anosmia is complete loss of smell, often caused by aging, head trauma, sinusitis, and respiratory infections. Transient global amnesia Transient global amnesia is a sudden loss of memory. Symptoms usually last for hours and then memory returns. Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include fatigue, pale skin, weakness, sleepiness, numbness, weakness, and more. Lung cancer (small cell) Small cell lung cancer is the least common type of lung cancer and can cause a cough, chest pain, and more. Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) Valley fever is a fungal infection that starts in the lungs and causes mild flu-like symptoms. Viral pneumonia Viral pneumonia is a lung infection caused by viruses, and causes coughing, wheezing, fever, chills, and more. Pleural effusion is buildup of fluid in the pleura and can cause difficulty breathing or chest pain. Acute kidney failure is sudden and can cause swelling, frequent dark urination, fatigue, nausea and more. Swallowed object Symptoms of swallowing an object include coughing, choking, vomiting, throat pain, breathing trouble, and more. Sickle cell disease symptoms include repeated infections, yellow skin, fatigue, dizziness, pain, and more. West Nile virus is an infection spread by mosquitoes, and can cause diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and more. Endocarditis Signs of endocarditis, an infection of the heart, include swelling, rash, sinus congestion, nausea, and more. Hypothyroidism (infant and child) Hypothyroidism in children can cause delayed growth, weight gain, a puffy face, a large tongue, and more. Methanol poisoning The symptoms of methanol poisoning include trouble breathing, blindness, headache, dizziness, and more. Whooping cough, a contagious respiratory infection, causes a runny nose, a mild fever, and a severe cough. Plague is a rare but deadly bacterial infection causing fever, vomiting, seizures, organ failure, and more. Cyanide poisoning The symptoms of cyanide poisoning include headache, weakness, confusion, nausea, and seizures. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness and causes fever, general aches and pains, headache, and weakness. Toxic shock syndrome is a serious bacterial infection and causes fever, low blood pressure, a rash, and more. Legionella (Legionnaires disease) Legionnaires' disease is a severe type of pneumonia and causes headache, chills, high fever, a cough, and more. Radiation sickness is caused by a high dose of radiation, and causes vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, and more. Ricin poisoning Ricin is a dangerous poison in castor beans, and causes trouble breathing, nausea, fever and sweating. Mesenteric lymphadenitis Mesenteric lymphadenitis is an inflammation of abdominal lymph nodes causing pain, diarrhea, fever, and more.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8268
__label__wiki	0.617321	0.617321	Special Report: Syon Abbey Workshop, November 2014 Posted on March 10, 2015 by Laura Saetveit Miles SPECIAL REPORT: “Syon at 600” Project – Syon Abbey Workshop @ Syon House, 7-9 November, 2014 by Sue Powell Dr Eddie Jones of the University of Exeter was the organiser of this Syon workshop, which took place in the impressive, and even numinous (to us, at least) surroundings of Syon House, the seat of the Dukes of Northumberland since the late sixteenth century and in its present state since the mid-eighteenth century. The workshop was the first in a series of three events, partly funded by an AHRC international network grant. 2015 events will be in April at Lisbon, and in July at Dartington Hall, Devon (see the Syon Abbey Society website at https://syonabbeysociety.wordpress.com/ and the University of Exeter website at http://syonat600.exeter.ac.uk). This first meeting (unlike many so-dubbed events) was a genuine workshop – twenty-five participants around one large table in a very pleasant Syon drawing room (the Northumberland Room). The twenty-five were privileged to attend such a meeting of minds, with plentiful discussion, opinions, questions, and valuable information and shared knowledge. Especially good was the mix of professional Syonistas (as one delegate called us), knowledgeable amateur enthusiasts, and postgraduate or recent postgraduate students at perhaps their first Syon conference, not to mention the blend of critics (the academics) and practitioners (the archaeologists). After a welcome by Eddie Jones and Topher Martyn, head gardener (but clearly much more) at Syon Park, the first session of the afternoon was ‘Medieval Syon: Liturgy’, with talks by Ann Hutchison, Tekla Bude, and Delia Sarson (on the Myroure of oure Lady, extant Syon processionals, and the Office of the Guardian Angel, respectively). John Adams gave a spirited account of Thomas Betson’s herbal, which he and Stuart Forbes have transcribed from Betson’s notebook in Cambridge, St John’s College, MS 109 (E6) and which was published 19 November (see www.amicd.co.uk). A wine reception followed, at which we were lucky enough to drink John’s ‘vintage’ (i.e. old) champagne, as well as enjoy wine, canapés, and informed tours of the main Robert Adams rooms led by Topher and his colleague Simon Hadleigh-Sparks. The whole group then adjourned to the Atash Persian restaurant for a very jolly meal, led by Topher through the moonlit conservatory of Syon Park to the dark streets of much more prosaic Brentford. The Saturday morning sessions consisted of ‘Reading and Writing at Syon’ (Veronica O’Mara on the scribal evidence for nuns, and for Syon in particular, and David Harrap on the Musica Ecclesiastica, the Middle English versions of the Imitatio Christi), and ‘Syon People’ (Vincent Gillespie on Thomas Fishbourne and St Alban’s, vigorously responded to by James Clark, and Virginia Bainbridge on what she self-depracatingly called ‘Virginia’s holiday’, a very interesting uncovering of Syon-associated families in the Stanley territories of Cheshire and north Wales. The afternoon started with an introduction by Harvey Sheldon, recently retired from the Museum of London, on ‘Syon and Archaeology’, followed (just as the rain started) by a visit to the small museum below the first floor of the house and the gardens where the Time Team dig and then the more extensive Birkbeck College excavations have taken place since 2003. The afternoon ended with ‘Syon, Print and Protestantism’, when Brandon Alakas spoke on Richard Whitford and the scrupulous conscience and Philippa Earle on echoes of Walter Hilton in Whitford’s Book of Patience. Early on Sunday Topher Martyn traced the development (or destruction) ‘From Syon Abbey to Syon House’, a very lively and informative talk, particularly interesting to me on the evidence for the demolition of the church (certainly by 1557, but, argued Topher, probably by 1549 since it would have spoiled the duke of Somerset’s view of his new triangular garden). Elizabeth Goodman and Victoria van Hyning talked on ‘The wandering years’, when the Syon sisters and priests were shuttled around the Low Countries. Elizabeth spoke on the parallel (and at times convergent) experiences of the Dominican nuns of Dartford, and Victoria on the pro-active role beyond England of Margaret Griggs Clement, the adopted daughter of Thomas More, and her family, particularly her daughter Margaret, first English prioress of the Flemish Augustinian convent of St Ursula. Finally, the conference ended with the period ‘Beyond 1594’, with an overview by Eddie Jones, an introduction by Caroline Bowden to the database of her fascinating project ‘Who were the Nuns?’, a prosopographical study of the English convents in exile 1600-1800 (http://wwtn.history.qmul.ac.uk/index.html), and an insight by Carmen Mangion into her study of nuns, including Birgittines, in the post-1940 period, particularly interesting for its extensive use of oral history. Congratulations must go to Eddie, Topher and the archaeologists, in particular, although every single delegate at this conference deserves congratulations for their enthusiastic and learned participation. However, perhaps the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and the staff of Syon House deserve most thanks, the former for their most generous hospitality in offering free of charge their splendid conference facilities, and the latter for their friendly and helpful assistance in ushering us in and out and round about throughout the conference. Sue Powell S.Powell@salford.ac.uk Emeritus Professor Medieval Texts and Culture (University of Salford) Research Associate (Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York) Visiting Research Fellow (Institute of English Studies, University of London) Syon at 600: New Website, Workshop Announcement The AHRC-funded Syon at 600 project, run by Eddie Jones (principal investigator) and Vincent Gillespie (co-investigator), has an exciting new website: http://syonat600.exeter.ac.uk The project’s second workshop, Syon in Lisbon, is appropriately based in Portugal and coming up soon: 20-22 April. If you are interested in participating please email Eddie Jones (e.jones@exeter.ac.uk). Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about Syon’s history, in the very convent buildings they inhabited in the beautiful medieval city of Lisbon, Portugal! The project is also hosting a ‘Database of Researchers.’ Please enter your details in the online form in order to help develop a strong research network based on a wide range of scholars interested in Syon. We are grateful to Eddie, and Vincent, for working on this important project for the sexcentenary year of Syon Abbey’s foundation! Symposium Announcement: Syon to Agincourt: 1415 and Beyond Syon to Agincourt: 1415 and Beyond Saturday, 25 April 2015, Graduate School, University of Hull, UK This Marvell symposium is the third in an integrated series recently organized under the auspices of the Andrew Marvell Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Hull. The aim of these specialist symposia, ‘Majesty: Constructing Royal Authority in Early Modern England’ (December, 2012); ‘New Directions in Medieval and Early Modern Studies’ (November, 2013); and ‘Syon to Agincourt: 1415 and Beyond’ (April, 2015) is to investigate particular topics from multi-disciplinary and different chronological perspectives that both reflect and complement the research interests of the members of the Centre. The present symposium is focused on a seminal year in English history that saw — inter alia — the foundation of Syon Abbey in England, the condemnation of John Wyclif at the Council of Constance as a heretic, and the victory of Henry V at Agincourt. Such events had momentous consequences for the historic, religious, political, and literary development of the country — consequences that reverberated throughout English history. In intermingled ways these three events do much to reflect the feuding forces at work in England — and Europe — from the beginning of the fifteenth century onwards. In concentrating on the competing agendas of religious controversialists, the quest for military supremacy, and the development of royal reputation, this symposium aims to explore the different ways in which the country was shaped by such events. Registration: £30 full fee; £20 for postgraduates Booking: Please send the attached booking form, with a cheque for the relevant amount made payable to ‘The University of Hull’, to Dr Veronica O’Mara, Department of English, The University of Hull, Hull HU6 7 RX Deadline: 9 March 2015 – please email V.M.OMara@hull.ac.uk regarding late registration Saturday, 25 April 2015, Graduate School, University of Hull 9.45am–10am Registration 10am– 11.30am ORTHODOXY AND HETERODOXY Chair: Veronica O’Mara, University of Hull Bridget Morris, York, ‘The Foundation of Syon in a European Perspective’ Eyal Poleg, Queen Mary, University of London, ‘1415: Constance, Syon, and the Nadir of English Book Production’ Sue Powell, Salford/York/London, ‘“Beleve stedfastly as Holi Chirch techeth”: John Mirk and the Festial’ 11.30am–12pm Coffee 12pm–1pm WAR AND REPUTATION Chair: Lesley Coote, University of Hull Gwilym Dodd, University of Nottingham, ‘Agincourt: England’s Hollow Victory’ Karen Watts, Royal Armouries, Leeds, ‘Agincourt: France’s Failed Tournament’ 1pm–1.45pm Luncheon 1.45pm–3.45pm AFTERMATH AND AFTERLIVES Chair: Amanda Capern, University of Hull Sarah Peverley, University of Liverpool, ‘This noble prynce, pierlesse of regyment: Henry V and Agincourt in Hardyng’s Chronicle’ David Bagchi, University of Hull, ‘ “O Constance, be strong upon my side!” Contesting the Council in the Reformation’ Veronica O’Mara, University of Hull, ‘Syon Returns to Europe’ Janet Clare, University of Hull, ‘ “Then call we this the field of Agincourt”: Elizabethan Memory and Commemoration’ 3.45pm–4.15pm Tea 4.15pm–4.45pm GENERAL DISCUSSION Chair: Elisabeth Salter, University of Hull The Symposium takes place at the Graduate School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX AFFILIATION …………………………………………………………………………. CONTACT ADDRESS ………………………………………………………………… TEL NO ………………………………………….. EMAIL ………………………….. REGISTRATION FEE (this includes morning coffee, luncheon, and afternoon tea) Full price £30 □ tick Postgraduate £20 □ tick I/we require parking facilities YES/NO (please delete as appropriate) SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS (for example, relating to a disability/specialist diet/other) ACCOMMODATION (further information: www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com) On campus University guest-houses (very limited availability so early booking is essential): 19–21 Salmon Grove, Hull, HU5 7RX (en-suite): single room: £39; double room (£61); twin room (£61); 3 Ferens Avenue, Hull HU6 7RX (not en-suite): single room (£29); double room (£47; twin room (£47). Please book directly with the Accommodation Office on (01482) 466042 or visitorsaccom@hull.ac.uk Mercure Royal Hotel Hull, 170 Ferensway, Hull, HU1 3UF (adjacent to the train and bus stations; nos 103, 105 come directly to the University; nos 15 and 115 stop at Cranbrook Avenue, a short walk from the main campus). Please book directly with the hotel on (01482) 325087 or via reservations@hotels-hull.co.uk; for the University rate (below) cite ‘Syon to Agincourt Symposium/O’Mara’: single room (£50); twin room (£82); double room, with single occupancy (£72); double room for two people (£82). Please return your completed form, together with a cheque for the registration fee made payable to ‘The University of Hull’, by 9 March 2015, to Dr Veronica O’Mara, Department of English, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX. Query regarding a “Mistress Daniel from Syon” One of our members, Elizabeth Patton, has a query – if you can help, please email her at epatton@jhu.edu. Elizabeth writes: “I am trying to find information about a “Mistress Daniel from Syon” whose name appears on a list of illegal Catholic imprints confiscated in the Marshalsea prison in about 1586. She was to receive a copy of “resolutions” (later known as Persons’ Christian Directory), and the volume was to be provided “with clasps.” I have not been able to track her name on WWTN; one possibility is that she was among the younger nuns, such as Elizabeth Sander, who were evacuated back to England because of the Calvinist threat in Mechlin, and she may have assumed an alias (or perhaps an alternate family name) while in England. All thoughts are welcome.” Elizabeth Patton Senior Lecturer, Humanities Center Director, Great Books at Hopkins (GB@H) epatton@jhu.edu Latest Birgitta Conference CFP: Devon, England, 21-24 July 2015 Posted on November 24, 2014 by Laura Saetveit Miles Eddie Jones and Claes Gejrot are happy to announce the CFP for the latest in the series of Birgitta conferences, this time on the topic of “Continuity and Change in the Birgittine Order.” See the online CFP here, also pasted below: http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/english/research/conferences/syoncontinuityandchangeinthebirgittineorder/ Continuity and Change in the Birgittine Order (Syon Abbey 1415-2015) Dartington Hall, Devon, 21-24 July 2015 The Birgittine order, over its more than six centuries of existence, has seen many changes: periods of growth and decline, expansion and retrenchment, patronage and persecution; individual houses have been suppressed and restored, declined, revived, relocated, and finally closed; the Birgittine vine has put out new branches, some of which have taken, and some not. And all this against a backdrop of religious, political, and social upheaval and change, that has not always remained safely in the background. Are there any constants? The office, perhaps, or the habit, the rule (or rules?!), the spirit of the saint herself … something intangibly, indefinably Birgittine? Is Birgittine identity about adherence to an essence or ideal, or something that is worked out in practice? Is the idea of charism useful, or an obstacle to historical analysis? Such questions come into focus sharply this year, when England’s house of Birgittines, Syon Abbey, celebrates the six hundredth anniversary of its foundation by King Henry V in 1415. Those six centuries have seen dramatic fluctuations in fortune, and as many as twenty changes of abode, from the abbey’s medieval heyday by the Thames in Middlesex, through suppression under Henry VIII, restoration by Queen Mary, exile in the Low Countries and France, a two-hundred-year sojourn in Portugal, the return to south-west England, late twentieth-century downsizing, and closure of the convent in 2011. Rule and constitutions have been reinterpreted and rewritten; the office has been sung in Latin, abandoned for the Roman breviary, restored in Latin, and translated into English. The community has seen kingdoms rise and fall; lived through war, fire and earthquake, and responded to the councils of Konstanz, Trent and Vatican II. The latest in the series of Birgitta conferences will take place at Dartington Hall in Devon, England, 21-24 July 2015. Proposals for papers of 20 minutes duration will be welcomed by the organisers Eddie Jones and Claes Gejrot by the deadline of 15 January 2015. The language of the conference will be English. We are equally interested in proposals on Syon Abbey, other Birgittine houses, or the order as a whole. Papers need not engage directly with the question of ‘continuity and change’, though this will be an advantage if we are over-subscribed. Recognising that the period has so far been under-explored, we will be particularly pleased to hear proposals that look at Birgittine experience since 1800. Registration for the conference will be available on this site soon. Sexcentenary event at Syon Park, 19 July 2015 We imagine that many delegates will also be interested in attending a commemoration of Syon’s foundation that is being held in the grounds of Syon Park, Isleworth, site of Syon Abbey from 1431 until the dissolution, on Sunday 19 July 2015. (For location, see http://www.syonpark.co.uk/.) Organisation of the event is being led by the church of St Bridget of Sweden and Our Lady of Sorrows, Isleworth. It will feature an ecumenical service led by the archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. We are involved in preparations for the event, and will provide further details as they become available. CFP on Syon for the Canadian Society of Medievalists 2015 Meeting Stephanie Morley and Brandon Alakas send on the following CFP for the Canadian Society of Medievalists meeting, May 30-June 1, 2015. Complete details below. Reflections on the Sexcentenary of Syon Abbey: Reading, Devotion and Reform Founded in 1415 by Henry V, the Brigittine community at Syon Abbey had been since its inception a centre for orthodox reform. During the fifteenth century, Syon served as a model for other religious orders which sought a return to the stricter observance of previous centuries. By the time of the community’s expulsion in 1539, Syon had established its reputation as a prolific and vital source of vernacular devotional texts for religious and lay readers alike. Facilitating Syon’s promotion of orthodoxy, the Additions to the abbey’s rule press on the significance of books for the brothers and sisters of the order and underscore the intellectual and literary character of the institution. Recent scholarship has recognised Syon’s importance both as a source of continental spiritual writing and spirited Catholic reform, and as an early adopter of the printing press as a powerful tool for parochial instruction and the promotion of religious orthodoxy. To mark the sexcentenary of Syon’s foundation, we invite abstracts for papers treating any aspect of the abbey’s participation in the devotional and literate culture of the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Papers may examine individual texts and translations produced by the Syon brothers; consider the shaping of a readership, either religious or lay (or both), of vernacular theology; or survey the abbey’s participation, spiritually and politically, in the fraught years before the Act of Supremacy. Any and all disciplinary and methodological approaches are welcome in what we hope will be a valuable contribution to the myriad conversations about Syon Abbey during 2015. The Canadian Society of Medievalists is an international inter-disciplinary society that holds its annual meeting every year at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, happening this year at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Canada, May 30-June 1, 2015. Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words to the co-organizers by December 15, 2015. Electronic submissions are preferred. Dr Stephanie Morley Saint Mary’s University stephanie.morley@smu.ca Dr Brandon Alakas Department of Fine Arts and Humanities University of Alberta, Augustana alakas@ualberta.ca CFP pdf document: CSM CFP 2015 Reflections on the Sexcentenary of Syon Abbey. Syon Abbey @ Syon House: A Workshop, 7-9 November 2014 Posted on September 22, 2014 by Laura Saetveit Miles Eddie Jones at the University of Exeter is pleased to announce the call of contributors for “Syon Abbey @ Syon House,” a special workshop to be held at Syon Park, 7-9 November 2014. Please read the full call here: http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/english/research/conferences/workshopatsyonpark/#d.en.411456 And copied below: Syon Abbey turns 600 in 2015. We will be beginning our celebrations a little early, with a workshop to be held at Syon House, Syon Park, Isleworth, 7-9 November 2014. This is one of several events being held to mark the sexcentenary of Syon’s foundation. An academic conference will be held in association with the Swedish Birgittastiftelsen in Exeter in July 2015. The principal focus for this initial workshop will be Syon Abbey from its late-medieval foundation to 1594, when the community’s post-dissolution wanderings ended with their arrival in Lisbon; 1594 was also (coincidentally) the year that their former home in Isleworth passed to its current owners, the Dukes of Northumberland, who built the present Syon House. Contributions on the transition from monastery to stately home will also be most welcome. A highlight of the weekend will be the opportunity to ‘Walk about Sion, and go round about her : and tell the towers thereof’ in the company of our keynote speaker Harvey Sheldon, who directed the archaeological investigations here during the 2000s, and Topher Martyn, head gardener at Syon Park. One of the main purposes of the workshop will be to identify themes, questions, sources – and, perhaps, contributors – for a new, multi-authored history of Syon, that I would like to see completed by 2020, the 600th anniversary of the first professions and the beginning of community life proper at the Abbey. Consequently, I am looking not so much for offers of formal research papers, but short reports (15-20 mins) on work in progress (especially from graduate students and other voices new to Syon studies); presentations on untapped or under-explored sources for understanding Syon’s history, or methodologies and disciplinary approaches that have not so far been in the mainstream of work on the Abbey (which has been dominated by historians and literary scholars, most of them medievalists); reviews of relevant historiography (medieval reform, the Dissolution, the Marian restorations, early recusancy, etc). The emphasis throughout will be on roundtable discussion in a seminar-style setting, and numbers may be limited accordingly. Expressions of interest and offers to contribute to the workshop (a few sentences of outline/rationale for what you want to say, plus a brief biography) should be sent to Eddie Jones by 8 October.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8269
__label__wiki	0.659301	0.659301	Taos and Santa Fe Painters The Taos Founders and Cinco Pintores artists of New Mexico. Charles Marion Russell (1864-1926) Charles Marion Russell Museum Collections Charles Marion Russell, Longhorn Steer 1950 Recast Bronze, 6″ x 5″ x 7″ Born Charles Marion Russell in the town of Oak Hill near St. Louis, Missouri, Charlie dreamed of being a cowboy almost from the beginning of his life. As a child he listened to stories told by his grandmother, Lucy Bent Russell, of the adventures of her brothers, the Bent Boys, who were famous frontier adventurers. He also spent a great deal of time down at the docks along the Mississippi River listening for stories from the explorers and fur traders that passed through town. Russell’s childhood was the beginning of an intense interest in art. He was forever drawing and making small figurines out of any materials he could find. Impressed with the skill of this small boy, a family friend gave Charlie a slice of beeswax. From that day on he was known to carry wax which he would pull out of his pocket and create small models for his friends. The Russell’s were a prominent family in the St. Louis area. Charlie’s great grandfather had been Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri Territory. His father was the wealthy owner of Oak Hill Firebrick and Tile Works and had hopes for his son to take over the family business one day. Charlie was bent on discovering his own version of the “wild west” and had no interest in the business of his father or even in his school studies. When he was fourteen he ran away to the wilds of Montana, but was returned home. In the hope that boarding school would change their son’s mind, the family sent him to a military school in New Jersey where he lasted only a semester. Finally his parents realized there was to be no dissuading their son from following his dream, and they sent him to a friend’s ranch in the Judith Basin of Montana to spend the summer. This was a few days before Charlie’s 18th birthday in 1880. He remained in Montana for the next 46 years. Charles Marion Russell, Plains Indian Bust 1950 Recast Bronze, 7″ x 7″ x 2.5″ An important part of his introduction to the West was the year and a half he spent with an experienced hunter named Jake Hoover, who taught him the habits of animals and the secrets of nature in the wild. Russell then worked for cattle ranches for several years as a night herder. That left him time to paint the colorful activities of life on the ranch in the daytime. In February of 1887 the course of Russell’s artistic career made a sharp upward turn. After a particularly hard winter a friend of Charlie’s was trying to describe the condition of the herd to his boss in a letter. To illustrate, Charlie did a small drawing of a half-frozen steer surrounded by wolves. He called it, “Waiting for Chinook.” The ranch owner in Helena, Montana showed the drawing to several of his friends and acquaintances and eventually commissions started rolling in. His first national exposure came from one of his sketches appearing in Harper’s Weekly in 1888. Throughout his life Charlie had a reputation for being a friendly generous person. He often gave his artwork away to his friends and had no concept that it could earn him a living. In 1896 he married Nancy Cooper and within the year they moved to Great Falls with the idea it would be a good place to market Charlie’s work. They didn’t find people interested in cowboy and Indian paintings, so they began to look for commissions back east. Nancy was an excellent business manager of her husband’s art and very soon they were making a very good living from his paintings. All of Charlie’s years as a cowboy enabled him to realistically tell the legends of the West. He was an admirer of the Native Americans and their way of life. In the winter of 1888-1889 he lived with the Blood Indians in Canada. By 1892 Russell was a full-time painter. He had the remarkable ability to recreate on canvas his memories of dress and minute detail of things such as beading patterns on moccasins. In 1911 he had a one-person exhibition in the Folsom Gallery in New York. He once sold a painting to the Prince of Wales which now hangs in the Buckingham Palace. Selling for $10,000 it was the most anyone had ever paid for the work of a living American artist. In 1925 he was honored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. with a special exhibition. Charles Marion Russell, Horse 1950 Recast Bronze, 6″ x 5″x 6″ Besides being a painter Russell was the author of many stories and books including the Rawhide Rawlins Stories and Trails Plowed Under. In 1989 he cast his first bronzes at the Roman Bronze Works foundry in New York. His sculptures are considered by some to be better than his paintings. Many of his cast bronzes are in museums throughout the world. He was the first “western” artist that actually lived most of his life in the West. In 1920 Charlie’s health began to weaken. The Russells now spent their winters in Pasadena to escape the cold in Montana. Charlie died of a heart attack on October 24, 1926 at age 62. On the day of his funeral all the children were released from school in Great Falls to watch the funeral procession. Considered the premier artist of the American West by many, Russell’s works may be found in many collections including the C.M. Russell Museum, The Montana Historical Society, Amon Carter Museum, Gilcrease Institute and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His mural entitled, “Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flathead Indians” hangs in the Montana State Capitol Building in Helena. 1. C.M. Russell Museum 2. The Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West, by Peggy and Harold Samuels 3. Who’s Who in American Art, by Peter Falk Taos Paintings For Sale Taos Artists Biographies Auction Records for Taos Painters Santa Fe Paintings For Sale Santa Fe Artists Biographies Important Western Artist Biographies Auction Records for Santa Fe Painters Santa Fe Art Museums Taos Art Museums Early Western Art Contemporary Western Art Additional Western Art Museums Evaluation of Western Art Medicine Man Gallery Tucson, Arizona Copyright © 2019 Taos and Santa Fe Painters The Taos Founders and Cinco Pintores artists of New Mexico.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8271
__label__wiki	0.753448	0.753448	Dow opens sixth production plant in Thailand Dow Chemical of the United States opened its sixth production plant at Thailand’s Asia Industrial Estate last week to produce polyol, the main ingredient for hard polyurethane foam used in construction, securing Thailand as Dow’s largest manufacturing base in Asia and the Pacific. “This new plant is an important milestone in our expansion in Asia-Pacific, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the country and the region,” said Chatchai Luanpolcharoenchai, president of Dow Thailand. Dow has a total of 16 companies or subsidiaries operating in Thailand, making the Kingdom the firm’s manufacturing hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Dow Thailand had revenues of over $3.5 billion in 2017, an increase of 6 percent over the previous year, and produced 2.13 million tons of chemicals in the Kingdom. Polyol is a raw material for manufacturing rigid polyurethane foam products. Those products improve energy efficiency in a wide range of construction, professional cold chain and appliance applications, such as keeping food fresh for longer periods and preventing home energy losses, thereby increasing energy efficiency. Increasing energy efficiency is a goal the Thai government has included in its national energy policy, which also calls for raising the percentage of energy produced from renewables and alternative sources over the next two decades. Dow’s new plant will be able to produce over 79,000 tons of polyol annually and is intended to strengthen the firm’s upstream integration in Thailand. The company said the new plant was built according to in-house specifications that are designed to minimize the facility’s environmental footprint. “The Rayong facility is an important addition to Dow’s global polyurethanes manufacturing network, further enabling us to deliver industrial products and create lasting social, environmental and economic benefits throughout the entire product lifecycle,” said Jane Palmieri, Dow’s executive overseeing polyurethanes production. She said the Thai plant was part of Dow’s increasing investment in polyurethanes in Asia and the Pacific. The company recently opened polyurethane production facilities in China and India. Chatchai of Dow added that “with this boost in capacity and use of advanced technologies, we are better positioned to meet customer demand.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8273
__label__wiki	0.62019	0.62019	for those who love san diego baseball Fellow Friars. Gwynn Goodies. Photo Rights. Tag Archives: PCL San Diego Padres Padres Pics #11. Posted on December 7, 2017 by duaneharris19 GWYNN. Tony Gwynn is my all-time favorite baseball player and that can’t be a surprise to anyone reading this blog. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance he was your favorite player too. With the exception of never winning a World Series championship, Gwynn had a storybook career in baseball and I don’t think I’m exaggerating by saying this. When I first saw this quote, it brought a smile to my face and warmed my heart. You don’t hear professional athletes say things like this, especially with the money and opportunities that are available via free agency. Sometimes I forget how special his career was and I’m reminded of new ways to appreciate him. Gwynn knew what he was doing by staying in San Diego and by staying, he ended up having a baseball career that kids dream of having. I know that I certainly did. LANE FIELD. I love all photos related to the Pacific Coast League Padres and this photo of Lane Field from 1940 is no exception. I’ve seen countless photos of Lane Field over the years, but this provides a different view that is entirely new to me. I’m not 100% certain, but it looks as if the players warming up may be wearing pinstripes. If this is the case, then assuming that the year is correct, this is not a member of the Padres. The PCL Padres did not wear pinstripes between 1939 and 1952. This would mean that the home dugout at Lane Field was along the first-base side of the field. This leads me to wonder where the home dugout was located in Westgate Park? If it was on the first-base side, then that would mean that both eras of Padres baseball have kept their home dugout on the same side. I’m aware how nerdy it is to even think about this stuff, but hey, this blog is all about the nerdy side of Padres baseball. OROSCO. For a period of time around the late 90s and early 2000s, and especially after Tony Gwynn retired, I didn’t pay much attention to professional baseball. With the exception of looking at standings and stats once in awhile, and attending random A’s games, I just didn’t care too much. I was just too preoccupied with skateboarding and playing music at that time in my life. However, there are some things that I missed from that era that I come across now which leaves me scratching my head. This photo is one of them. Jesse Orosco was one of those guys that every kid my generation was somewhat familiar with. The dude pitched 24 seasons in the big leagues, which lead to him breaking the record for all-time pitching appearances and due to this, I ended up with SO many of his cards over the years. In 2003, his last season in the big leagues, he played for the Padres, Yankees, and Twins. Prior to finding this photo, I had no recollection of Orosco’s time in San Diego, which is kinda odd because 2003 is when I really started paying attention again. It turns out that the 46-year-old Orosco only logged 25 innings with the Padres before getting sent to the Yankees in July. His era at the time of the deal was 7.56, so I think it’s safe to say he was done. Still, I thought it was cool when I discovered that he was a Padre for a short period of time in the twilight of his career. Posted in Uncategorized \| Tagged 1986 World Series, Jack Murphy Stadium, Jesse Orosco, Lane Field, Minnesota Twins, national baseball hall of fame, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Pacific Coast League, Pacific Coast League Padres, Padres Pics, PCL San Diego Padres, Petco Park, San Diego Padres, Tony Gwynn, Westgate Park \| Leave a reply Padres In The Hall Of Fame. Posted on March 29, 2016 by duaneharris19 With Mike Piazza’s recent election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, I’m certain that everyone who loves Padres baseball got a little excited on some level, due to one of “our” guys getting in. I got to thinking that it’d be fun to do a post dedicated to former Padres enshrined in Cooperstown. On top of that, I decided to have some fun with it and add managers, coaches, broadcast members and PCL Padres as well. I’d assume that in the next year or two, I’ll be adding Trevor Hoffman to this list; but outside of Hoffman, there are others who’ve represented the Padres that can still potentially get in one day. Names such as Steve Garvey, Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield, Bruce Bochy, Minnie Minoso, Lefty O’Doul, Ted Leitner and even possibly Alan Trammell or Mark McGwire all deserve consideration. Yes, some of these guys may be long shots, but still, based solely on their San Diego connection, I’ll always be excited that at least some of our guys are in the discussion for baseball immortality. (NOTE: THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED TO REFLECT NEW HOF MEMBERS) Alomar was the Padres second basemen from 1988-1990 and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2011. While he only spent his first 3 seasons in the big leagues with San Diego, those years were solid, as he earned Rookie of the Year votes and was also an All-Star. After being traded to the Blue Jays after the 1990 season, I always followed his career and in my opinion, he was the best defensive second basemen of my lifetime. In fact, he may be responsible for me wanting to learn how to play the infield, after growing up playing outfield for the most part. As much as I loved the Alomar due to the Padres connection, it was always bittersweet to watch him, due to the fact that he was flipped during the Padres fire sale of 1992 & 1993. I’ll always remember my dad telling me to keep an eye on both Roberto and Sandy Alomar. I’ll also always remember my dad’s disdain for Padres ownership during this time; specifically Tom Werner. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he’s still mad about what Werner and that ownership group did to the team. (Image Source: BaseballHall.Org) I’m not sure if it’s still like this, but during my childhood, collecting baseball cards went hand in hand with being a baseball fan. As far as my circle of friends were concerned, you could not just play or watch baseball, you HAD to collect cards as well. If not, you were missing a key component of what it was all about. If you didn’t take part in collecting and trading cards, you were going to be left out of a LOT. You may be curious as to why I bring this up? Well, because when I first discovered baseball, outside of players on the Padres and A’s, there were a handful of individuals in the game that fascinated me for some reason or another and based on his 1987 and 1988 Topps baseball cards, Sparky Anderson was one of these people. I was mesmerized by the white-haired manager of the Tigers. He looked as if he had an aura of baseball wisdom surrounding him and I remember looking at his cards and thinking “THIS is what a manager is supposed to look like!” Years later, I discovered that Sparky was the third base coach for the inaugural 1969 San Diego Padres, which is obviously cool, but what I thought was really cool is that he pretty much looked exactly the same in 1969, as he did in the late 1980s. Honestly, if you watch his Hall of Fame induction in 2000, you can make the claim that he stopped aging in the late 1960s. The Colonel became the voice of the Padres in 1972, and with the exception of his stint as the Padre manager in 1980, he never left the booth. Yes, as he aged, his workload became lighter, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t relevant or contributing. In fact, I loved him even more, as it made his segments and the games he actually did work even that more special. In 2005, he was awarded the Ford C. Frick Award and while that may not make him a “Hall of Famer” by definition, he’s still immortalized for eternity in Cooperstown. While I surely have countless Jerry memories that I could express here, I’ll pull this excerpt from my post on 90 Feet of Perfection, entitled “Goodbye, Jerry Coleman.” I associate Jerry Coleman with my love of the game. I’ve watched and listened to Padres games since I was a kid and Jerry Coleman has always been the one constant in that organization through my entire life. Along with Tony Gwynn, there’s not a person involved in the game of Baseball that’s meant as much to my family and myself and that’s the honest truth. I’ll always associate family with Jerry Coleman and to this day, my dad still quotes Jerry’s trademark “Oh Doctor, You can hang a star on that baby!” If I ever have children, I know that I’ll continue this tradition and while telling them of great (and not so great) Padres of the past, much like my parents and Grandmother did with me. Rest assured, Jerry Coleman will be at the top of that list. In ways, Jerry Coleman was the heart and soul of the San Diego Padres and still continues to be. The Colonel is a Hall of Famer on so many levels and I hope this is not lost on future generations of both Padres fans and baseball fans in general. The man who integrated the American League played for the PCL Padres for a short period of time in 1959. In the twilight of his career, with his baseball skills deteriorating, Doby bounced around a number of teams. During this period of time, the Indians decided to take another chance on their former slugger and reacquired him from the White Sox. Cleveland optioned Doby to the Padres; their AAA affiliate at the time. Unfortunately, Doby only played 9 games with the Padres, due to breaking his ankle in a game against the Sacramento Solons. The injury was essentially the nail in the coffin of Doby’s playing career. In 1998, almost 40 years after his last game as a player in the big leagues, Doby was elected by the Veteran’s Committee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of Larry Doby from his time in San Diego. If anyone ever finds one, let me know and I will update this photo. Bobby Doerr Bobby Doerr will forever be known as a member of the Red Sox, and rightfully so. He spent his entire major league playing career as the second basemen of the Red Sox, later becoming a scout, instructor and then first base coach for the team. Hell, his #1 uniform number is retired with the team and he’s (obviously) wearing a Red Sox cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, where he was inducted in 1986. In fact, with the exception of being the Blue Jays hitting coach from 1977 to 1981, and his years in the Pacific Coast League prior to the big leagues, he’s never not been affiliated with the Red Sox. Doerr broke into professional baseball at the age of 16 with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. He spent his first two seasons in Hollywood and when owner, Bill Lane decided to relocate the team to San Diego and re-brand them as the Padres, Bobby Doerr came to town as the team’s 18-year-old second basemen. In his first and only year with the Padres, he hit .342, with 238 hits over 175 games. Doerr joined the Red Sox the following season and the rest was history. If you watch the documentary, “The First Padres,” there’s some great interview footage with him regarding his time with the Padres and as a teammate of Ted Williams. It’s easily my favorite part of the film. In 2010, Dick Enberg took over as the Padres play-by-play broadcaster and the sportscasting legend quickly dove into the world of San Diego Padres baseball. To anyone listening to Dick, it’s apparent that he’s both passionate and well versed regarding San Diego sports. It was no surprise to anyone that his years in the Padres booth, on top of his years in the Angels booth (1969 to 1981) lead to him being awarded the 2015 Ford C. Frick Award. I think I speak for all Padres fans when I say that Enberg’s time in San Diego has been frustrating at times, as he often shows his age, which leads to him making incorrect calls. However, in the end, I think we all adore him. Honestly, I think some fans (including myself) were initially resistant to him, solely based on the irrational fact that his name isn’t Matt Vasgersian, the fan favorite that he essentially replaced in the booth. Still, with that said, I love seeing him wear a Padres button on his suit and his Padres cap while he’s out on the field or in the dugout. The guy really does love the game of baseball and the San Diego Padres. (Image Source: Sports Illustrated) Rollie Fingers and his famous mustache pitched for the Padres from 1977 to 1980 and during those four seasons, he lead the league in saves twice, earned MVP votes on two different occasions and pitched in the 1978 All-Star Game. Fingers was eventually elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992 and with the rise of advanced stats and sabermetrics, it can be debated if he’s actual Hall of Fame material, but what can’t be debated is that he was an excellent professional baseball player. As a kid, Fingers was one of those San Diego athletes I’d hear stories about from my family members. While I never personally saw Fingers pitch in San Diego, my older brothers did and for one of my older brothers, he got to meet him under interesting circumstances. Some of my details may be off, as I haven’t talked to my brother about it for awhile, but the gist of the story goes like this…When Fingers was in San Diego, my older brother and some of his friends were hired by the Padres star to help him move (I assume this was after the 1980 season). Pretty normal stuff I believe, he probably just hired neighborhood kids to do some packing, lifting, etc. The deal was that they’d help him move for couple days, likely through a weekend, and then Fingers would pay them afterward on a specific day and location. Well, after my brother and the other kids finished, they went to the decided location to collect payment from one of their baseball heroes, and guess what? He left without paying them. That’s right, Rollie Fingers ripped off a bunch of kids. Whether it was intentional or not, or simply a misunderstanding, this is a 100% true story and due to this, anytime Rollie Fingers has been brought up, my older brother always makes sure to include some not so nice words regarding the Hall of Famer. Like Rollie Fingers before him, Rich ‘Goose’ Gossage was also a relief pitcher who played for the Padres for 4 seasons (1984-1987). During his tenure with the Padres, Gossage was an All-Star twice and most certainly lead the National League West in intimidation, as he was mustached closer with a fastball that could hit 100. More importantly, he helped anchor down the bullpen on the 1984 team that won the National League Pennant. I can honestly say that the ’84 team is probably my favorite baseball team ever, which is kind of odd since I was too young to even remember the team. Still, when I think of that team, Gossage is one of the first names that come to mind. Reason being is that Goose Gossage was my late mother’s favorite baseball player and that had to do with his time with the Padres. Like every family member I have, she also loved Tony Gwynn, but she had a thing for Gossage and continued to follow him after he left the Padres. In fact, whenever I’d get Gossage baseball cards, I’d always offer them to her first. She’d always politely say that’s ok and thank me for offering, but you can sure as hell bet that whenever I’d get duplicate Gossage cards, she had to take them. Gossage was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2008, and it’s always been a bit saddening that my mother was not around to witness his induction. What can I say about Tony Gwynn that hasn’t been said before? From 1982 until 2001, he represented the Padres in every way possible. Through thick and thin, he stayed loyal to San Diego; even when larger checks were available elsewhere. As a kid, I pretty much worshiped him and he’s the reason that I still wear #19 on my jersey. It’s safe to say that he’s my favorite baseball player of all-time. Even if he was not a Padre, it’s quite possible that I’d still feel the same way. I can go on forever about the man known as Mr. Padre and his career, which lead to him being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2007, along with Cal Ripken Jr. Instead, I’m just going to leave a link to a post I wrote after his death, entitled “Remembering Tony Gwynn.” (Image Source: SBNation) Much like Tony Gwynn, what can I say about Rickey that hasn’t already been said countless times? The all-time leader in stolen bases and runs scored played for the Padres twice; the first being from 1996-1997 and then again in 2001. While Rickey is obviously wearing an A’s cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, and rightfully so, you can’t deny that Rickey had some pretty unforgettable moments in San Diego. I recently discussed The Man of Steal’s time with the Padres in a post entitled, “Rickey Henderson in San Diego.” Billy Herman Billy Herman is one of those names that I’ve heard of a lot and know was an important figure in the game, but for some reason, I wasn’t quite familiar with for some reason or another. When I initially created this list, I missed Herman as I had NO idea that he had any connection to the Padres. After some research, I discovered that Herman had a 22-year career playing professional baseball, where he played for 4 MLB teams and was a 10-time All-Star. After his playing career, he managed both the Pirates and Red Sox in the ’60s and later was a coach for various teams; including the World Champion 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and Padres from 1978 to 1979. Herman was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1975, along with Earl Averill, Bucky Harris, and Negro League star, Judy Johnson. Bob Lemon Bob Lemon played his entire big league career with the Indians. In fact, he never played for another organization during his playing career and due to this, he spent a short period of time with the PCL Padres in 1958; as the Padres were the AAA affiliate of the Indians at that time. Lemon was at the end of his career as his pitching arm was about spent at that point, but still appeared in 12 games for San Diego, going 2–5 with a 4.34 ERA. In addition to pitching for the Padres, Lemon also appeared in 13 games as an outfielder for Friars; where he held a 1000% fielding (22 putouts in 22 chances). After doing some research, it turns out that Lemon was one of an athlete. He came up as a position player in the minors, started his big league career in 1941 as a utility player and eventually transitioned to a full-time pitcher in 1948. This must have been the right career choice, as it lead to his Hall of Fame induction in 1976; where he entered alongside Robin Roberts, Roger Connor, Freddie Lindstrom, and Negro League star, Oscar Charleston. Mad Dog was a Padre from 2007 to 2008, and while he was past his prime, he was still productive and a lot of fun to watch. It can and is often argued that Maddux is the best pitcher of his generation, so I feel lucky that I was able to see him pitch on two different occasions. Maddux was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014 and while his time in San Diego was brief, he still mentioned his time with the Padres, specifically mentioning both Bud Black and Darren Balsley in his speech. Like Rollie Fingers, there were a number of San Diego athletes I grew up hearing about from family members. Willie McCovey was one of these guys. Even though his time in San Diego was short-lived (1974 to 1976), he was still productive for an aging slugger. 52 home runs in a little under two and half seasons is respectable. McCovey will forever be known as a member of the Giants, but I’ve always thought it was cool that he spent three seasons with my two favorite big league teams (Padres and A’s), before returning to San Francisco, where he finished out his career after the 1980 season. McCovey was a member of the 1986 Hall of Fame class and was the first MLB Padre to be inducted. With that said, the 1986 class also included one-time PCL Padre, Bobby Doerr. My dad told me a story regarding McCovey and his time in San Diego. He said that the Padres held a promotion where if you attended a game that McCovey hit a home run, you could redeem your ticket it at McDonald’s for a free Big Mac hamburger. This makes total sense as Ray Kroc owned the team during this time and Big Mac was McCovey’s nickname. I’m just curious as to how long the promotion lasted? (Image Source: Topps) Tony Perez That’s right, you’re not seeing things; that’s THE Tony Perez from the Big Red Machine. Perez, or “Big Dog” as he was often called, played for the PCL Padres from 1963 to 1964, during the team’s time as the Reds AAA affiliate. Perez was promoted to AAA at the end of the 1963 season and played 8 games with the Padres before wrapping up the season. While it was a small sample size, Perez hit at a .379/.419/.655 clip with 11 hits. He surely gained some attention due to this, but he really made his presence made in 1964, when he hit .309/.374/.597 with 34 home runs over 124 games. As they say, the rest was history for this Cuban baseball legend. Perez was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, along with Carlton Fisk and his former manager from Cincinnati, Sparky Anderson. (Image Source: Beckett) Gaylord Perry The king of doctoring baseballs played for the Padres from 1978 to 1979 and during that time, he pitched pretty damn well. Perry won 21 games 1978, which lead to him winning the National League Cy Young award and in 1979, at age 40, he had another solid campaign and represented the team in the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, that was the end of his time in San Diego, as he demanded a trade after the 1979 season and actually threatened to retire if the trade was not granted. Perry ended up playing until 1983 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991, along with Bill Veeck, Tony Lazzeri, Fergie Jenkins and Rod Carew. (Image Source: NY Daily News) Mike Piazza terrorized National League pitching for years, and while I don’t remember a specific instance off the top of my head, I’m quite certain he did more than his fair share of damage against the Padres. I do know that during his career, he hit 27 home runs against San Diego, which is tied for 5th in teams he hit dingers against during his 16 years in the big leagues. With that said, I still remember the day he signed with the Padres. A buddy of mine sent me a text that simply said “Piazza???” I hopped online and sure enough, Mike Piazza was now a Padre. It was weird, and in retrospect, it still is kinda weird. I liked Piazza as a Padre and he had a pretty good year, as he played in 126 games and hit at a .283/.342/.501 clip with 22 home runs. For a 37-year-old catcher in the twilight of his career, that’s awesome. I have three Piazza memories that stick out from 2006: The home run he crushed on opening day against Jason Schmidt of the Giants. I was sold on him from that point forward. There used to be a video of this online, but unfortunately, I can’t find it anymore. The two home runs he hit against the Mets in his return to Shea Stadium. I remember him almost hitting a third, but the ball caught at the warning track. It was crazy to see the love that Piazza got as a returning player. Now, this is something that I, unfortunately, remember quite vividly. In the 4th inning of Game 1 of the NLDS, Jake Peavy got Albert Pujols to pop up behind the plate at a crucial point of the scoreless game. However, Piazza misread the ball and did not catch it. Pujols made them pay for this mistake and took the next ball deep for a 2 run blast. The Padres never recovered and ended up losing the game 5 to 1. I remember Peavy being pretty frustrated with Piazza afterward. It’s crazy to think that this was 10 years ago and it’s been a decade since the Padres were in the post-season. Later this year, Mike Piazza will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with Ken Griffey Jr.; a player who at one point almost became a Padre, if not for Phil Nevin exercising his no-trade clause. Junior in a Padres uniform would have been AWESOME. If I didn’t know better, based on the praise my father and other family members give Ozzie Smith, you’d think that he played his entire career in San Diego. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as he only spent the first four seasons of his Hall of Fame career (1978 to 1981) as a member of the Padres. I remember when I first started collecting baseball cards and my dad telling me about Ozzie after I got my hands on a card of his. He told me that Ozzie was the Padre shortstop prior to Garry Templeton, the man whom he was traded for. This blew my mind, due to the fact that I thought Tempy was awesome. I mean, he was THE shortstop of the Friars for the majority childhood, so in my eyes, he was a stud. Obviously, as I got a little older, I realized that Tempy was no Ozzie and the Cardinals won the now infamous trade. At least we got THIS during Ozzie’s time in San Diego, which some say is the best defensive play in the history of Major League Baseball. The Wizard of Oz was the sole player elected to the Hall of Fame in 2002. However, Phillies announcer, Harry Kalas received the Ford C. Frick Award and entered Cooperstown with Ozzie. While watching the Hall of Fame induction that year, I vaguely seem to remember a fair amount of fans wearing Padres gear in the crowd during his speech. But then again, there may have been just one or two people and my memory is playing tricks on me. Alan Trammel never played for the Padres. In fact, he never played for anyone but the Tigers during his 20-year career in the big leagues. With that said, Trammel is a San Diego local who found himself as the first base coach of the Padres from 2000 to 2002. Trammel was recently voted into the Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee and will be inducted later this year (2018). Let’s hope that Lou Whitaker is next in line… Dick Williams Dick Williams managed the Padres from 1982 to 1985 and guided the team to their first postseason berth and subsequent World Series appearance. For that in itself, he will forever be accepted, respected and adored by Padres fans. Which is something I believe can be said about all the members of the 1984 team. Williams had a .520 W-L percentage (337-311) during his 4 years in San Diego, and lead the team to the 1984 World Series. Still, I feel his time in San Diego is often overlooked; which is not surprising due to the fact that this is San Diego we’re talking about. Hell, when he passed away in 2011, outside of San Diego media outlets and Padres related social media accounts, his time in the brown and yellow was barely acknowledged due to what he accomplished with the Red Sox and A’s. Oh well. If you follow me on twitter and/or read this blog or 90 Feet of Perfection, you quickly pick up on the fact that I’m a big fan of Ted Williams and the PCL Padres. As a kid, ever since I got my hands on THIS 1992 Upper Deck card, which features the Splendid Splinter in his Padres jersey, I’ve been infatuated with the guy. I had heard about the “original” Padres from family members, but really knew nothing about the history of the team; let alone the fact that the greatest hitter of all time started his professional career with them. Add the fact that shortly after this, Ted Williams took to mentoring Tony Gwynn, and I was forever a fan. I don’t know much else to say about Williams that hasn’t been said before, especially by myself, but I will repeat my favorite fun fact about him: Ted Williams wore #19 in San Diego, just like Tony Gwynn did over 45 years later. For some reason, I think that’s so cool and uncanny, due to the connection and similarities between both players. Ted Williams played for the Padres from 1936 to 1937 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966, along with Manager Casey Stengel via the Veterans Committee. Ted’s Hall of Fame speech in one of the more memorable speeches in the game’s history due to the fact that he acknowledged and called for the induction of Negro League players into the Hall of Fame as well. This is obviously incredible and admirable on so many levels, but along with this, even though it has no social implications, I love the fact that he also mentioned Frank Shellenback in his speech. Who is Frank Shellenback you may ask? Well, he was the first manager of the Pacific Coast League Padres, and Ted’s first manager in professional baseball. (Image Source: San Diego Union-Tribune) It can be argued that Dave Winfield was the MLB Padres first legitimate star. Yes, both Randy Jones and Winfield joined the team the same season, but it was the slugger from Minnesota who bloomed first. Some people outside of San Diego may have a hard time associating Winfield with the Padres due to the fact that he played with various teams, but here are a few refreshers regarding his connection to the Friars: He played in San Diego for 8 seasons (1973 to 1980) and was an All-Star for four of those seasons. He was elected to the team Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2001, his #31 jersey was retired by the Padres. In 2001, he was elected to the Hall of Fame along with Bill Mazeroski, Kirby Puckett and Hilton Smith. In a somewhat controversial move, Winfield choose to wear his Padres cap on his plaque, making him the first Padre to do so. From 2001 to 2013, he worked as the executive vice president/senior advisor (whatever that means) for the Padres, before moving on to work with the Major League Baseball Players Association. What I’m saying is that Dave Winfield is a Padre. Hell, you still see him wearing his Padres cap during the All-Star celebrity softball games. Also, according to Wikipedia (so take it with a grain of salt), this is taking place during the 2016 All-Star Game: “The 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, played at Petco Park in San Diego, is expected to be dedicated to Winfield. He had represented the Padres at the first All-Star Game to be played in San Diego.” Who knows if this is true, but if so, I have no problem with it, as long as other notable Padres from the past get their respect as well. We don’t want another Tony Gwynn debacle to go down. I doubt this will happen, due to the game being held in San Diego…but then again this is MLB and current ownership we’re talking, both which are tone deaf at times. (Image Source: 30-Year Cardboard) Posted in San Diego Padres \| Tagged Alan Trammell, Bill Lane, Bill Mazeroski, Bill Veeck, Billy Herman, Bob Lemon, Bobby Doerr, Bobby Doerr Padres, Brooklyn Dodgers, Bruce Bochy, Bucky Harris, Bud Black, Buddy Black, Cal Hubbard, Cal Ripken Jr., Carlton Fisk, Casey Stengel, Darren Balsley, Dave Winfield, Dick Enberg, Dick Williams, Earl Averill, Fergie Jenkins, Ford C. Frick Award, Frank Shellenback, Freddie Lindstrom, Gary Sheffield, Gaylord Perry, Hilton Smith, Hollywood Stars, Jason Schmidt, Jerry Coleman, Jerry Coleman Padres, Jerry Coleman Padres Manager, Judy Johnson, Lefty O'Doul, Mark McGwire, Matt Vasgersian, Mike Piazza, Minnie Minoso, Mr. Padre, national baseball hall of fame, Negro League Baseball, Oscar Charleston, Ozzie Smith, Ozzie Smith Padres, Pacific Coast League, Pacific Coast League Padres, Padres, PCL Padres, PCL San Diego Padres, Ray Kroc, Rickey Henderson, Roberto Alomar, Robin Roberts, Rod Carew, Roger Connor, Rollie Fingers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Sparky Anderson, Steve Garvey, Ted Leitner, Ted Williams, Ted Williams Padres, Tom Werner, Tony Gwynn, Tony Lazzeri, Tony Perez, Toronto Blue Jays, Trevor Hoffman, Willie McCovey \| Leave a reply Padres Pics #4. Posted on August 6, 2015 by duaneharris19 GWYNN. On July 19th, 1982, the Padres played the Phillies at Jack Murphy Stadium. Batting 5th in the lineup and starting in centerfield was a youngster making his major league debt by the name of Tony Gwynn. In his first major league at-bat, he hit a sacrifice fly against Mike Krukow in the bottom of the first inning. Later in the game, he got his first major league hit with a double to centerfield against Sid Monge in the bottom of the 8th inning. The above photo captures this historic moment. .1969. The San Diego Padres Opening Day lineup for for their first regular season game, which took place on April 8th, 1969. The game took place at Jack Murphy Stadium (then known as San Diego Stadium) and the Friars beat the Astros, 2 to 1. Here’s the who’s featured in the photo (L to R): Rafael Robles, Roberto Pena, Tony Gonzalez, Ollie Brown, Bill Davis, Larry Stahl, Ed Spiezio, Chris Cannizzaro, and starting pitcher Dick Selma and manager Preston Gomez to the right. (Photo Source: The San Diego Union Tribune) A few fun facts about this game and the 1969 team: 1) This first Padre homerun was hit by Ed Spiezio in the bottom of the 5th inning of this game. Spiezio is the father of former big leaguer, Scott Spiezio. 2) Former Padre star and team leader in homeruns for the 1969 team, Nate Colbert did not start the game. He entered as a defensive substitution at first base in the 5th inning and finished the game without an at-bat. 3) The lone All-Star representing the inaugural Padres in 1969 was catcher Chris Cannizzaro. Honestly, how he was an All-Star that season baffles me. In any case, besides being an original member of the MLB Padres, he was also an original member of the Mets back in 1962. Kinda cool. (Photo Source: The San Diego Union Tribune) PEAVY. On June 15th, 2007, Cubs slugger Alfonso Soriano hit a homerun off of Padres starting pitcher, David Wells. Soriano pimped it out the box and actually trotted backwards for a bit down the first baseline. Needless to say, the Padres were not happy with this and Jake Peavy let it be known with the above quote, which I LOVED. I will forever be a fan of Peavy for his days in San Diego and can say he’s still easily my favorite pitcher in the game. The following day, Chris Young hit Cubs first baseman (and former Padre) Derrek Lee in the 4th inning and a brawl ensued. If you’ve never seen the video, I suggest checking it out HERE. The 5’8 Marcus Giles pushing the 6’10 Chris Young out of danger is quite amusing. Posted in Uncategorized \| Tagged 1969 San Diego Padres, Alfonso Soriano, Bill Davis, Chris Cannizzaro, Chris Young, David Wells, Derrek Lee, Dick Selma, Ed Spiezio, Jack Murphy Stadium, Jake Peavy, Larry Stahl, Marcus Giles, Mike Krukow, New York Mets, Ollie Brown, Padres Pics, PCL San Diego Padres, Preston Gomez, Rafael Robles, Roberto Peña, San Diego Padres, San Diego Stadium, Scott Spiezio, Sid Monge, Tony Gonzalez, Tony Gwynn \| 1 Reply Bridging the Gap: The PCL Padres & MLB Padres (Part 2). Posted on July 17, 2015 by duaneharris19 In part two of “Bridging the Gap: The PCL Padres & MLB Padres,” I share those who have a connection to both the PCL and MLB Padres via managing or coaching. This list is solely based on my personal research, so it’s quite possible I could be overlooking someone. Much like part one of this project, I’ll update this post for reference reasons if it turns out this is the case. Whitey Wietelmann Whitey Wietelmann is a name that I hope most Padres fans are somewhat familiar with. In some ways, Wietelmann was “Mr. Padre” prior to Tony Gwynn due his years spent with the team in different capacities and his love for Padres baseball. Wietelmann played parts of nine seasons in the big leagues with both the Boston Braves/Bees and Pirates and after his big league career ended, he found himself in the Pacific Coast League. After one season with the Sacramento Solons, he found himself in San Diego with the PCL Padres in 1949, where he played until 1952. Wietelmann fell in love with the city San Diego and decided to move there. He never left. After his playing days ended, Wietelmann was hired as a coach for the PCL team from 1957 to 1958, then from 1960 to 1965, and again in 1968. After MLB granted San Diego an expansion team in 1969, Wietelmann joined the big league staff as the bullpen coach, where he stayed for an entire decade. Even after 1979, Wietelmann still stayed active in the Padres organization through the early 1990s as an advisor, handyman/assistant equipment manager, and even a clubhouse cook. For this, he was dubbed “Mr. Indispensable,” and was a beloved member of the San Diego Padres. Three fun facts about Whitey: 1) He threw out the ceremonial first pitch of Game 4 of the 1984 NLCS against the Cubs. As you all know, this was the Garvey homerun game. 2) Wietelmann kept a scrapbook collection of every single MLB Padres box score, from their inaugural season of 1969 until 1993. The collection of scrapbooks is now taken care of by the San Diego SABR Baseball Research Center and continues to be updated to this day. 3) Curious as to who Tony Gwynn got his famous #19 from? Search no farther than Whitey Wietelmann. Whitey wore #19 as a coach for both a PCL Padres and MLB Padres. After his days as a uniformed staff member ended, long time Padres equipment Manager Ray Peralta got “permission” from Whitey to assign the number to Gwynn. In fact, before Gwynn’s first major league game in 1982 against the Phillies, it was Whitey who physically brought him his new jersey. According to Tony, Whitey informed him that only a few players had worn #19, so don’t disgrace it. Gwynn said he was just happy that it was lower than #53, his spring training number. Ten years later Tony asked Whitey how was he doing and he responded by saying “Yeah, kid, you’re doing all right.” Larry Bowa I assume most people who read this are familiar with Larry Bowa. He’s still quite involved with baseball and is currently the bench coach for the Phillies. For me though, I’ll always think of him as a Padre due to the fact that he was the Manager of the team when I first became interested in baseball in 1987/1988. In fact, I loved THIS card as a kid and still think of the Padres teams from that era quite fondly. Besides managing the MLB team, Bowa spent a quick minute in San Diego in 1966 as a player, during the team’s time as the AAA affiliate of the Phillies. A cool sidenote: Although I’ve never read it, his book “Bleep: Larry Bowa Manages,” which he wrote with Barry Bloom, features the manager in his Padres uniform. Deacon Jones George William “Deacon” Jones played for the PCL Padres in 1960, during the team’s short time as the AAA affiliate of the White Sox. Although he only played in the big leagues for small parts of three seasons, he spent parts of 11 seasons in the minor leagues, where he was a notable power hitting prospect in the White Sox system, until a shoulder injury derailed his career. Jones came back to San Diego as the hitting coach for the MLB team from 1984 to 1987, serving under Managers Dick Williams, Steve Boros and the above mentioned Larry Bowa. At the age of 81, Jones is still involved in baseball, working in the Sugar Land Skeeters organization, a team in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Dick Sisler Sisler was an outfielder and first basemen for the Padres from 1954 to 1956, during the classic era of the Pacific Coast League. Even though it was near the end of his playing career (he hung up spikes after the 1958 season), his three seasons for the Friars were solid. In fact, he was a pretty solid player in general and was even an All-Star with the Phillies in 1950. Sisler eventually came back to sunny San Diego as a hitting/first base coach for MLB Padres during the 1975 and 1976 seasons, under manager John McNamara. However McNamara is is best known as the manager who essentially blew the 1986 World Series for the Red Sox. Bob Skinner Despite having an impressive career as a player where he was an All-Star, Bob Skinner never actually played for the Padres at any point. However, he did manage the PCL team for two seasons (1967-1968), during their time as the AAA affiliate of the Phillies. He was later hired as the hitting coach/third base coach for the MLB Padres, where he stayed from 1970 to 1973, and joined the team again for the 1977 season. Skinner actually has one win under his belt as a manager for the Padres, where I assume he filled in on an interim basis or during a suspension. Jim Snyder Jim Snyder served as the bench coach for the MLB Padres from 1991 to 1992, serving under both Greg Riddoch and Jim Riggleman. But long before Snyder came to San Diego to coach the MLB team, he played for the PCL team in 1960, during their time as an affiliate of the White Sox. Unfortunately, that’s really all I have on him worth mentioning. Posted in San Diego Padres \| Tagged 1986 Boston Red Sox, 1986 World Series, 1987 San Diego Padres, 1988 San Diego Padres, Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, barry bloom, Bill Swank, Bob Skinner, Boston Bees, Boston Braves, Chicago White Sox, Dick Sisler, Dick Williams, Dick Williams Padres, Echoes from Lane Field–A History of the San Diego Padres 1936-1957, Greg Riddoch, Jack Murphy Stadium, Jim Riggleman, Jim Snyder, Joan Kroc, John McNamara, Lane Field, Larry Bowa, Mr. Padre, Pacific Coast League, Pacific Coast League Padres, PCL San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ray Peralta, Sacramento Solons, San Diego Padres, San Diego Stadium, Steve Boros, Sugar Land Skeeters, Tony Gwynn, Westgate Park, Whitey Wietelmann \| 1 Reply The Curious Case of a PCL Padres Cap. Posted on June 21, 2015 by duaneharris19 While reading up on old Pacific Coast League uniforms a few years ago, I came across the above image in a web store called Rakuten. The sold out item was described as a “San Diego (PCL) Padres Authentic 1940 Game Cap by Ebbets Field Flannel.” If there’s one thing I know well, it’s the PCL Padres and their uniform history, however, this cap was a complete mystery to me. If it didn’t have “1940” in the title, I would’ve disregarded it and assumed it was just a custom Ebbets Field Flannels cap. The fact that 1940 was referenced had to mean something, right? As time passed, my curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to contact both Jerry Cohen & Joe Swide at Ebbets to ask about the cap. Jerry responded and initially informed me that “This was an old cap we did once for a special event.” However, he emailed me shortly after and said he was mistaken and that “It was a regular cap we did.” He also mentioned that “We used the one with the SD because it’s more interesting than a blank cap. That’s all there is to it.” This all makes sense, but my curiosity was still sparked because if this was indeed a legit cap the PCL Padres wore, why had I never seen it in all my photos and books that I’ve collected over the years? Shortly after my emails with Jerry, Joe responded as well and verified that they made the cap. He also informed me that no one wore the cap in the 1940 team photo: However, he gave me a heads up that a player with the last name of Skelley is wearing the cap in the 1941 team photo. Look for him in the middle row, three over from the left: I was no stranger to this team photo but somehow had overlooked this gem. When I proceeded to look up the 1941 team, I couldn’t find anyone with the last name of Skelley, which added to my overall confusion and curiosity. After some sleuthing, I found two players with that last name who played for the PCL Padres. The first being William Skelley, who played 10 games for the Padres back in 1937 and later played for the Hollywood Stars in 1940. I also found Mel Skelley, a local San Diego kid who played American Legion ball with Ted Williams prior to professional baseball. This particular Skelley played for San Diego in 1942, was in the military from 1943 to 1945, and then came back in 1946. He fits the age, frame of time and his photo on the 1942 team photo looks a lot like the same guy in the above 1941 team photo. It’s not that odd that Mel Skelley was featured in the 1941 team photo but never played. It’s possible that he may have joined the team late in the season and didn’t get into any games; but still managed to get into the team photo. That, or the photo was taken in Spring Training and he didn’t make the team out of camp. Either way, Skelley actually spent the 1941 season playing with the Tacoma Tigers of the Western International Team & Salt Lake Bees of the Pioneer League. It’s possible they were affiliated with the Padres as the old PCL teams did have affiliated teams under them at times. Ultimately I didn’t care too much about all this, I just wanted an explanation as to why Skelley is wearing this mysterious cap and no one else is. After my emails with the Ebbets guys, I was flipping through Bill Swank’s “Echoes from Lane Field–A History of the San Diego Padres 1936-1957” (If you don’t own this, get it!) and found this collage of the 1940 team: If you look at Pat Tobin (left side, around the “8:30” position), he’s wearing the same “SD” cap! I did a little research on Tobin and the only similarity between him and Skelley that I found is that they both played in the Pioneer League in the year that each photo was taken; however Tobin played for the Idaho Falls Russets. I doubt there’s a connection, but it’s just worth mentioning. Still, I was left without any backstory on the cap and eventually gave up on trying to figure it out. I just hoped that sooner or later I’d be able to add the Ebbets cap to my personal collection, but wasn’t holding my breath as they were no longer made. Well, after monitoring eBay for a few years to no avail, I recently got the cap. Or should I say a version of it, as mine has a red line that goes down the middle and the one I initially found online did not. I actually like my version more, which is also navy blue, but this photo makes it seem a bit darker than it actually is. Finally owning the cap is what sparked me writing this post, however, I still I have no backstory on it. Maybe it was a throwaway cap that ended up not being used, yet was given to players when nothing else was available? Maybe they were made for a special day? Maybe they were worn by players in the same capacity that college football players wear stars on helmets? Anyone’s guess is as good as mine and regardless of why it existed, it’s gotta be quite insignificant, or it would have been documented better. Something I’m aware of (and Jerry from Ebbets stressed to me), is that it was common for uniforms from this era in the minor leagues to not always entirely conform. A relevant example would be the 1936 team photo, which features 3 players wearing Hollywood Stars uniforms. Still, there’s a documented backstory on that. There’s no backstory to explain why the “SD” cap was made and if anyone else besides Skelley and Tobin wore them? I’d have a hard time believing that only two players ever wore these caps. As of today, this curious case of the PCL Padres cap remains open. When (and if) I ever find more info, I’ll be sure to share here as I can’t be the only person who loves stuff like this. To be continued…I hope. After posting this last week, I decided to contact my friend and San Diego Baseball Historian, Bill Swank. It’s something I should have done ages ago, as he knows more about the PCL Padres than anyone. With that said, Bill was able to shed some light in regards to the caps: The PCL Padres went through several uniform changes in the late 1930s and into the 1940s. Mel Skelley is wearing a 1939 Padres uniform in the 1941 team photo. You’ll notice that several players are wearing the same jersey. They were young men under contract to the Padres who played winter ball in San Diego as the Junior Padres. Mel is also wearing the cap of the Junior Padres. There are several references to “Junior Padres” in “Echoes from Lane Field.” The most memorable is from Earle Brucker, Jr. on page 123. “I’ve got quite a memory of Lane Field. I was standing on second base for the Padre Juniors when they turned on the PA system and said the War had just started. It took away a double, so it was a bad war.” (Detail of Mel Skelley cap from 1941 Padres team photo) Looks like Bill set the record straight on the caps! I’ve read about the Junior team before, but only in reference, so it never crossed my mind. Also, I’ve never noticed that Skelley and four other players are wearing 1939 jerseys in the 1941 team photo, so that’s a cool little gem to be aware of as well. Thanks again for the information, Bill! Posted in San Diego Padres \| Tagged 1940 San Diego Padres, 1941 San Diego Padres, 1942 San DIego Padres, Bill Swank, Earle Brucker Jr., Ebbets Field Flannels, Echoes from Lane Field–A History of the San Diego Padres 1936-1957, Hollywood Stars, Idaho Falls Russets, Mel Skelley, Pat Tobin, PCL, PCL San Diego Padres, Salt Lake Bees, San Diego Padres, Tacoma Tigers, Ted Williams, William Skelley \| 2 Replies Padres Pics #12. January 27, 2018 Padres Quotes #2. January 17, 2018 Padres Pics #11. December 7, 2017 My Favorite Padres Baseball Cards From My Childhood. March 17, 2017 All-Star Game Weekend 2016. March 8, 2017 Follow The 5.5 Hole	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8275
__label__wiki	0.763636	0.763636	Crime Basketball Wives Sundy Carter 'Basketball Wives' Star Sundy Carter Revenge Porn Suspect Arrested Oct 11, 2018 at 8:37 am UTC / Last Updated at Jun 10, 2019 at 22:09 pm UTC By TheBlast Staff The man who "Basketball Wives LA" star Sundy Carter accused of drugging and raping her was arrested by police and charged with revenge porn, and the reality star is set to face the suspect in court. Back in August, Carter filed a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department accusing an acquaintance of drugging, raping her and then posting the video on social media. The incident allegedly went down in Philadelphia, so Carter met also with law enforcement out there and filed an additional report. On September 21, Philly cops arrested Demetrius Green in relation to Carter's allegation. He was charged with unlawful dissemination of an intimate image, possession of any instrument of crime with intent to employ it criminally, and harassment. All charges were misdemeanors. At the time of his arrest, Carter told The Blast, "I never thought I would be apart of the #metoo movement," adding, "No one should ever be taken advantage of, whether it’s revenge porn or someone slipping a substance in your drink. Unfortunately, I experienced this. I’ve pressed charges with hopes that justice will prevail." Sources close to Carter are adamant she was also sexually assaulted by Green, but the D.A. did not feel there was enough evidence to charge him for that. He was given a bail of $2,500 and bonded out later the same day he was arrested. Green will be appearing in court Thursday in Philadelphia on the charges, and Carter has flown out to confront him face to face. TheBlast.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8276
__label__wiki	0.805103	0.805103	Issues in campaign finances – ThisDay There is need for independent audits of campaign finances of candidates to ensure they operate within the law At a period in history when the President of the United States of America, regarded globally as the bastion of democracy, says “campaign-finance violations are considered not a big deal”, there is a temptation to dismiss the manner in which the laws governing elections in Nigeria are being cynically violated by our politicians. But the neglect of the relevant campaign financing limits and what candidates do with such donated monies even after elections has deepened the impression that what obtains in Nigeria is a transactional political culture with inbuilt ethos for corruption. At issue is the way some shadowy groups are paying, on behalf of prominent presidential aspirants, the prohibitive nomination costs in both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Section 91 (9) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) states: “No individual or other entity shall donate more than one million naira to any candidate” while prescribing a punishment for those who violate this provision in Section 91 (10) (a) thus: “A candidate who knowingly acts in contravention of this section commits an offence and on convictions shall be liable – (a) in case of presidential election to a maximum fine of N1,000,000.00 or imprisonment of 12 months or both.” Interestingly, while politicians who violate the law would, upon conviction, be given lenient sentences with options of paying some ridiculous out-of-pocket fines, “an accountant who falsifies, conspires or aids a candidate to forge or falsify a document relating to his expenditure at an election or receipt or donation for the election or in any way aids and abets the breach of the provision of this section of this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction for imprisonment for a term of 10 years.” So in typical Nigerian fashion, the responsibility for such crimes has already been shifted from the office seekers concerned to their accountants! The rationale behind the finance campaign laws may be many but two stand out. One, to prevent office seekers from being captured by special interest groups should they win. Sadly, nobody knows the memberships of these shadowy groups, their main objectives and how they came about the money they are donating to these aspirants as well as their own expectations. Two, in a milieu where political godfathers sponsor candidates for executive offices as business investments for which they expect bountiful rewards, a N1 million donation cap was considered a way to reduce the corrupting influence of anonymous money. Unfortunately, the law on campaign finances has always been treated with contempt by practically all our politicians and the big parties in our country. For instance, the electoral act prescribes limits to how much candidates can spend on their elections but there is neither a way to monitor such expenses nor a method to enforce compliance. According to the electoral act, a presidential candidate can spend a maximum amount of N1 billion while the spending limit for a governorship candidate is N200 million. A senatorial candidate can spend only a maximum amount of N40 million while the limit for a House of Representatives candidate is N20 million. For state assembly election, the limit is N10 million; chairmanship, N10 million and councillorship, N1 million. However, not only has the law been observed in the breach with elections more or less a bazaar where stupendous amounts of money are spent, the whole issue of campaign expenses in Nigeria is riddled with unwholesome practices. Besides, in almost all instances where an incumbent president or governor is seeking re-election, it is public money that is used for such purpose. Far more worrisome is what the accumulated funds are most often used for: to buy consumables which are distributed at campaign rallies, pay off some local operatives, procure the services of muscle men, compromise electoral and security officials and then buy votes on election days. To the extent that this anomaly has alienated many Nigerians from participation in politics which looks more like a cult of the wealthy, there needs to be a provision for independent audits of campaign finances to aid accountability. If our democracy is to make any meaning, donations to political campaign organisations by corporate bodies and voluntary organisations should come under the purview of such an audit requirement. In a milieu where political godfathers sponsor candidates for executive offices as business investments for which they expect bountiful rewards, a N1 million donation cap was considered a way to reduce the corrupting influence of anonymous money Previous: Honouring exemplary Nigerians – The Sun Next: Rising epidemic of child theft – Punch	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8280
__label__wiki	0.716485	0.716485	EARLS COURT MOTOR SHOW AUSTIN-HEALEY 100 RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY ‘TAC 787’ – The 1955 Earls Court Motor Show Austin-Healey 100 BN2 (£100,000-140,000). Despite its immaculate outward appearance, this 1955 Austin-Healey 100 BN2 would not have always appeared so at ease on the concours lawn. Originally created as one of the show cars for the 1955 Earls Court Motor Show – in customer-attracting Florida Green over Old English White, with Florida Green interior trim and upholstery – TAC 787 was re-discovered in a pretty sorry state. The owner, Steve Norton of Austin-Healey specialists Cape International, has devoted years to amassing information, researching provenance and restoring the car which will be offered at Bonhams Festival of Speed sale at Goodwood on 30 June. For the first decade of its life, the car’s travels and service history were meticulously documented, and receipts detailing every oil change, engine overhaul and clutch assembly accompany the lot. Images of ‘TAC 787’ at Lake Garda in Italy illustrate that the car enjoyed Continental tours during the early 1960s before being sold, via the classifieds in The Times newspaper, to a gentleman in Woking. TAC 787 on display at the 1955 Earls Court Motor Show in London image supplied by British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. Between 1965 and 1997, TAC 787 is thought to have had three further owners before being discovered by Steve Norton. Norton realised the significance of the motor car – indeed ‘Show Car’ could still be seen written in pencil on some of the fittings - and dedicated subsequent years restoring it to its former glory. In June 2016, ‘TAC 787’ was entered in to the National Concours of the Austin-Healey Club and duly won both the 100 Class and Best of Show. Bonhams estimate this historic Austin-Healey to achieve in excess of £100,000 at their Goodwood sale in June. This beautiful example, one of just a few hundred right hand drive BN2 models is a guaranteed head-turner ready for the season ahead.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8281
__label__wiki	0.986636	0.986636	7 Ways Japanese Baseball Is Different from American Baseball MLB Japan All-Star Series \| © 中岑范姜 / Flickr Christine Bagarino Baseball, the great American pastime, happens to also be the most popular professional sport in Japan. The country boasts a high level of play, winning two out of four World Baseball Classic titles, and has some serious talent that Major League Baseball can’t keep its hands off of. But for all the similarities, there are some major differences between Japan’s pro league Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the MLB. There are only 12 NPB teams compared to the 30 MLB teams. It should be no surprise that Japan — a country roughly the size of the state of California — has fewer baseball teams than America, but one big difference is that it’s more than likely the MLB will expand, adding more teams in the near future, while talks of the same in Japan have run into multiple roadblocks. High school baseball is just as, if not more, popular than the pro league. Every kid’s dream is to play in the National High School Baseball Championship at Koshien Stadium. A nationwide tournament that narrows down high school baseball teams from prefectures all across Japan, the competition culminates in a final round known as the ‘Summer Koshien’. Viewers from all over Japan, even non-baseball fans, tune in to cheer on their regional teams. A high school team from Nagoya at the Koshien opening ceremony © Kentaro IEMOTO / Flickr Japanese players rarely change teams. Unlike American baseball, where fans are ripe with speculation about which players will be traded where, and which team free agents will choose to sign with, Japanese baseball players rarely change the teams for which they play. Two major reasons are that Japanese ball clubs typically view their homegrown players as a part of their organization and rarely trade their players away, and that Japanese fans tend to be greatly disappointed if a favorite player fails to re-sign with their team upon becoming a free agent. Japanese players also tend to feel an intense hometown loyalty toward their teams. One famous example of this is pitcher Hiroki Kuroda who, after seven years playing in the MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, returned to Japan at age 40 to close out his career with his original team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Kuroda pitching for the Yankees in 2012 © kowarski / Flickr Japanese baseball broke the color barrier a decade before American baseball. In 1947, Dodger legend and baseball great Jackie Robinson became the first person of color to play for a Major League team in the modern era. Before Robinson, American baseball was racially segregated, with African-American players forced to play for so-called ‘Negro Leagues’. Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons A largely homogeneous society, Japan itself never had segregated leagues, but Japanese players did play against a visiting team of All-Star Negro League players who were in Japan on a goodwill tour in 1927. And in 1936, a black pitcher from the United States named James Bonner signed with a newly formed pro ball club in Tokyo called ‘Dai Tokyo’, which would eventually go on to become the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. There’s no crying jeering in (Japanese) baseball! While heckling the other team’s players (and their fans) is a huge part of attending a baseball game in America, such behavior is frowned upon in Japan. Stadium seating at Japanese baseball games is segregated by team, and you are not allowed to wear the opposing team’s colors when sitting in a designated fan area. One positive aspect, however, of seating all a team’s supporters together is that it makes it easier for fans to cheer on their team in unison. Japanese baseball fans even have dedicated chants and cheer songs that they sing for every player in the lineup. The stadium atmosphere at a Japanese ballgame can’t be beat. From rally balloons and crazy mascots to uriko (beer girls) who run up and down the stands delivering beers to customers straight from kegs strapped to their backs, there’s no experience quite like a professional Japanese baseball game. Even those who aren’t already baseball fans should catch a game in Japan at least once. Uriko (‘beer girl’) pouring a Kirin for a customer at Tokyo Dome © Chi-Hung Lin / Flickr NBP games can end in a draw. The longest MLB game ever, played between the Brewers and White Sox in 1984, lasted 25 innings and took two days to finish (the game had to be suspended after the 18th inning and resumed the next day). However, Japanese ball games have a 12-inning limit during the regular season and a 15-inning limit during the postseason before a draw is declared. As a wise woman once said, “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8282
__label__wiki	0.893634	0.893634	More than 9 in 10 internet users in Singapore have facebook [photo credit: BET] Singaporeans are the fondest of using Facebook and WhatsApp, a research by GlobalWebIndex (GWI) shows. When it comes to social networking sites, more than nine in 10 Internet users in Singapore have a Facebook account. This is higher than the average of nearly seven in 10 globally. YouTube and Google+ comes in second and third, at 69 percent and 64 percent respectively. Globally, this is 51 percent and 55 percent. About a quarter of respondents in Singapore who have Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts have also “logged in to see what’s happening without posting/commenting on anything myself”. When it comes to mobile messaging application, 55 percent of Singaporeans use WhatsApp, while Facebook Messenger comes in second at 30 percent. Globally, WhatsApp ranks third and fourth in Asia Pacific. This is because users in markets like China, the United States and Japan are keener towards using other chat apps. The most popular mobile messaging application globally and in the Asia Pacific is actually WeChat, primary because it has “a huge active audience in China”. But WeChat comes in at third place in Singapore, with only 18 percent of respondents who use the app. Skype also ranks third in Singapore, followed by Line and Viber. According to GWI, social networking is the second-fastest growing online activity in the world. Its activity has risen 187 percent globally and 242 percent in the Asia Pacific over the last five years. Online dating grew the fastest. Globally, there are four in 10 users who use mobile messaging applications, or a total of 616 million users. This is a slightly higher 46 percent in the Asia Pacific. This has resulted in the number of users who have “messaged a friend in the last month” on Facebook declining globally. In the first quarter of last year, there were 512 million who did so but this has dropped to 313 million in Q3 this year. Conversations are also shifting onto mobile chat apps because these apps are free and quicker than using social networking sites or text messaging. Plus, more and more friends are using these apps. Sources: CNA, TRS Lee Kuan Yew was opposed to Chinese education Despite being a Chinese, Lee made English the main language in Singapore and shut all Chinese and Tamil schools. By Roslan Bistamam There is an interesting posting by Zainuddin Maidin a.k.a. Zam in his blog regarding how one-time Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was opposed to Chinese education and Chinese schools. (READ HERE http://zamkata.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/lee-kuan-yew-saya-saja-boleh-ajar-orang_22.html) Lee was reported to have said that only he is able to teach the Chinese, meaning keep the Chinese in check. This was mentioned in the book “Men in White: The Untold Story of Singapore’s Ruling Political Party”. “After 1965, we had to make a decision on the common language. If we made Chinese the common language then Chinese culture would be dominant and it would have led to a breakup in society,” said Lee. 1965 was when Singapore left Malaysia. The Chinese then demanded that Lee make Chinese the official language of Singapore. Lee, however, made English the main language and all other languages were to be given equal status. Lee then closed down all the Chinese schools, colleges and universities and replaced them with English medium institutions. Lee also closed the Tamil schools. Lee then summoned the Chinese language activists for a meeting and warned them that he would not allow Chinese language to be exploited as a political issue. When the activists persisted, Lee arrested them and deported those who were Malaysian citizens. It is surprising that Malaysian Chinese are quite militant about Chinese schools and Chinese education whereas in a ‘Chinese’ island state like Singapore they cannot get away with half of what they get away with in Malaysia. The Chinese condemn Umno as a racist party for not meeting all their demands while Singapore will not give them an inch and yet Lee Kuan Yew is not regarded as a racist or anti-Chinese. The Chinese lament about why Malaysia can’t be just like Singapore. If Malaysia did become just like Singapore that would be the end of Chinese schools and Chinese education in Malaysia. I suppose the Chinese should be grateful that Umno is not like PAP and Najib Tun Razak is not like Lee Kuan Yew. If not there will be only one type of school in Malaysia. I wonder if they have Chinese schools in Japan or does everyone have to learn Japanese to get an education in Japan? Roslan Bistamam is an FMT columnist Article first published on Free Malaysia Today on Nov 23, 2014. How the PM’s son’s email saga could be a heartening development for Singapore: Gerald Giam By Gerald Giam, on 14 July 2007 Army Second Lieutenant (2LT) Li Hongyi’s June 28 email complaint sent to all the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) head honchos has caused ripples on the Internet for the past two weeks. Much mud has been slung at 2LT Li for his brash act. “Who does he think he is anyway? He thought he could go to Uncle Chee Hean and complain,” said one of my friends. (Teo Chee Hean is Singapore’s Minister for Defence.) A “blatant abuse of family ties,” cried another blogger. As it turns out, the son of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong did end up getting formally charged and was administered a reprimand after a summary trial by the military for not adhering to the chain of command when making his complaint. This incident has also made its way to the international news wires, with Reuters having reported it this morning. Despite all the brickbats that Li Hongyi, Mindef and the “Elite Establishment” are receiving over this incident, I feel that the way this saga has played out is actually quite heartening for Singapore. White Horses not immune from punishment Firstly, the fact that the son of the prime minister got charged for contravening a relatively minor military General Order shows that not even a “white horse” (the son of a VIP) is immune from punishment for wrongdoing. I say “relatively minor” because 2LT Li’s misdemeanour was his overzealousness in reporting an offence. He was not derelict in his duties as a soldier, nor did he cause any injury to anyone. Furthermore, he sent his email only to fellow servicemen within the Mindef Intranet, and not to anyone outside Mindef. Nevertheless, he was wrong to have emailed the Minister for Defence, the Chief of Defence Force, the Chief of Army and so many other servicemen (possibly hundreds, based on the distribution lists in his carbon copy list). There are many more senior officers in the chain of command above his Officer Commanding (OC) that he could have reported this incident to. Public spiritedness Secondly, after reading 2LT Li’s email, one can discern that it wasn’t just some immature rant against the army (like so many of us, myself included, like to write). It was a detailed account of what is wrong with the system of enforcing discipline in his army unit. It demonstrates that this young man was intent on setting things right before he disrupted his service for overseas studies. Our views of government ministers’ children are probably coloured by Wee Shu Min (pictured left), the daughter of a PAP MP who wrote a very haughty blog last year. 2LT Li’s email is different. It shows a degree of public spiritedness that is sorely lacking in most of our young Singaporeans nowadays. Complaint taken seriously by Mindef Thirdly, Mindef took this complaint seriously. The lieutenant that 2LT Li complained about will be court martialled soon and will probably be sentenced to Detention Barracks (DB) for a couple of days. The lieutenant’s superiors were also issued warning letters for not meting out harsh enough punishment when the infraction was first reported to them. Critics would say that Mindef took action only because the son of the PM made this complaint. If this was the case, why didn’t 2LT Li’s OC and Commanding Officer take appropriate action when he first reported it? Mainstream media, New Media Fourthly, 2LT Li’s wrongdoing was not exactly covered up because of his status as the son of the PM. Even before the mainstream media reports came out today, and the chatter on the Net took off a week earlier, the Commanding Officer of 2LT Li’s unit had given a speech to the entire unit the next day (presumably the day after he wrote the letter) about “following the chain of command”. That in many ways amounted to a public, albeit informal rebuke. Today’s mainstream media’s reports about 2LT Li’s punishment (complete with pictures of the young officer) all signal a gradual relaxing of the Singapore media’s unofficial policy of self-censorship to avoid embarrassment to senior government officials. It is unclear whether 2LT Li’s charge was issued before or after the news got leaked on the Net. It appears that his email only got circulated widely on the Net late on Thursday, 12 July. But given that he committed his offence on June 28, and Mindef announced to the press less than two weeks later (on July 12) that he had already been charged at a summary trial, indicates that relative quick action was taken against this offender. Lastly, there is no doubt that the new media helped to highlight this matter to the public. There would be no Straits Times or Channel NewsAsia report, nor would Mindef have issued a statement, if not for the fact that this was already a widely discussed issue on the Net. It is heartening to note that the new media is fast becoming an effective watchdog on the powers-that-be in Singapore. 4 major travel agencies boycotting NATAS fair The boycott was due to disagreements over entrance fees that NATAS charges the public and how the proceeds from the fair were used, sources told TODAY. File photo of Chan Brothers Travel at the NATAS fair. (Photo: TODAY) SINGAPORE: The popular mega travel fair organised by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) has been hit by the boycott of four of the biggest travel agencies here, which are planning to hold a rival fair in March on the same dates as the next NATAS travel fair. TODAY understands that the breakaway arose from disagreements over the entrance fees that NATAS charges the public and how the proceeds from the fair were used. NATAS, which organises two travel fairs each year, has been holding the trade shows since 1987. Each fair attracts tens of thousands of visitors and generates millions in sales. The four agencies, SA Tours, Chan Brothers Travel, Dynasty Travel and CTC Travel, have been participating in the NATAS fair for as long as two decades. The pullout of the agencies – which are considered the Big Four in the industry – could have a significant impact on sales. The most recent NATAS fair, which was held in August, had 165 exhibitors taking up a total of 1,226 booths. The exhibitors comprise travel agents, attractions, hotels, national tourism organisations and other travel-related companies. SEPARATE FAIR AT MARINA BAY SANDS Sources told TODAY the four agencies would organise their own fair next year at Marina Bay Sands and admission would be free. When contacted, the four agencies would say only that a press conference would be held next week and the media would be informed of any developments in due course. It is understood that other travel agencies and participants at previous NATAS fairs – which have been held at Singapore Expo – have been approached to cross over to the rival trade show. However, some participants, such as cruise-ship operator Royal Caribbean International, were in the dark. Nevertheless, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said it would continue to take part in the NATAS fair. Responding to TODAY’s queries, NATAS said: “We are aware that some agents may want to organise another event on dates that coincide with the NATAS fair.” Pointing out that it had “always been committed to providing an equal platform for all members, whether small, medium or large, to reach out to the public”, the association added: “Moving forward, we will continue to strive to cater to the needs of our members and provide them with equal opportunities to make their mark in the local travel and tourism industry.” Citing falling visitor numbers at the NATAS fair, an industry player who is aware of the developments said the four agencies could also have been trying to negotiate a discount on participation fees. The unhappiness could have been accentuated by the fact that NATAS had raised admission fees over the years. The entrance fee for the NATAS fair was increased by a dollar to S$4 in 2010. “When the market is good and people make money, they don’t complain,” he added. He said his travel agency is adopting a wait-and-see attitude, adding that it would hold discussions with NATAS and might consider participating in both fairs. NATAS said its next travel fair would be held from March 27 to 29. The venue has not been finalised. “We will do our best to make it a success,” the association said. –TODAY/cy New citizen: Not all new citizens want to vote for the PAP Dear Native Singaporeans, New Citizens and TRS, It seems apparent to me that there is a preconceived notion about new citizens voting for PAP out of gratuity. It also seems apparent to me that there is definitely a disparity in how the government treats its own citizens and foreigners brought into the different sectors such as education and workplace, even though it may not be an explicit intention of the government. I would like to assure you guys that we new citizens are not all daft about all these. We have eyes and ears to see and hear how the grievances from our fellow native Singaporeans had all went to deaf ears. Please spare me your attention , and before you tick me off the list of “Foreigners” stealing jobs and disrespecting norms and cultures, I would like to say that I am with you in disapproving what the PAP does, and therefore, I am an opposition supporter. To me, it is very simple, I don’t vote PAP just because they are the “hands that feed me” I am not a dog, and I don’t do it out of gratuity, though I can’t speak the same for the rest of the new citizens. But I would like to appeal to fellow new citizens, and citizens-to-be, to open your eyes and ears more, put yourself into the shoes of native Singaporeans, and ask yourself if that is how you would like to be treated back in your home country. From NS full time and reservist obligations, to scholarships given to more foreigners than local students, to a suppressed freedom of speech, to a puppet-controlled media, to a late retirement age depriving our elderly of the privilege to enjoy the later years, and to many many more unending woes, Native Singaporeans have suffered quietly without protests, under the PAP’s pretext of social security. They have lost jobs to us foreigners in the workplace because of their NS obligations, and theirs kids have lost opportunities and access to scholarships that had otherwise been reserved for some of us. Yet despite all the sacrifices native Singaporeans have made, it did not seem that they have a clear priority above foreigners in many aspects. If PAP can do this to them, they can do this to us too. This utmost disregard of its own citizens is unforgivable, and unfathomable. Think about it. If your respective government treats your child this way, if your government treats you this way despite all the sacrifices you have made, how would you feel? When I was still in my native country, I had always known that the politicians here are paid the highest in the world. To be paid highest in any organizations, it means you are DAMN good. It didn’t puzzle me as Singapore was and is still a good country, good economy and good reputation. But when I came here, what I saw and felt completely blew me away. How could the highest paid and presumed best government (based on salary), treat its own citizens this way? Yes, they are very good in making money, but they definitely don’t in caring for their own citizens. And it disgusts me how shameless they can be continue drawing such a high salary, despite doing such a poor job. I came from a country where corruption is rampant, and economy is weak. Although the government sucked in doing their job, and in making our nation better, they still had the citizens’ hearts at its core. Fellow new citizens, if you are truly grateful of being granted citizenship and a new home here, express your gratuity not by voting for PAP, but by supporting native Singaporeans in their desire for a change. In occasions, you may feel on top of the natives in the workplace or in schools because the government here favours you more, but bear in mind, all these are temporary, and we should not gain at the expense of native Singaporeans here. A New Citizen, on TRS Former Singapore PM recovering after cancer surgery: spokesman Former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong is recovering after successfully undergoing cancer surgery at a local hospital, his office said Saturday. Goh, 73, “is expected to make a full recovery as the cancer was localised and detected early,” his press secretary Heng Aik Yeow said in a statement to AFP late Saturday. “(He) underwent a successful surgery for prostate cancer,” Heng said, adding that Goh would remain at Singapore General Hospital for a few more days for observation. Goh served as prime minister from 1990 to 2004, stepping down in favour of current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew. A former civil servant and top executive for Singapore shipping giant Neptune Orient Lines, Goh was drafted by the senior Lee to the People’s Action Party and won a parliamentary seat in 1976 representing the suburban Marine Parade constituency. Within a year, he was named minister of state for finance and later held other positions in the ministries of trade, education, and health. Goh was serving as deputy prime minister when Lee Kuan Yew, now 91, picked him as his successor. Lee served as premier from 1959, when Singapore gained self-rule from colonial ruler Britain, until he stepped down in 1990. -AFP Seriously, what’s the big deal? Singapore police posing in front of spray paint cans after arresting the German vandals who managed to get into our MRT depot and launch graffiti on our trains Image from SMRT Ltd (Feedback)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8284
__label__wiki	0.707369	0.707369	« Some churches take care of the old — Scientology instead works them to death Nora Crest’s powerful new video: Why you can’t be gay in Scientology » CLAIM: ‘Frail’ looking Shelly Miscavige spotted near Scientology compound in California By Tony Ortega \| December 15, 2016 [Shelly Miscavige and the California compound where she’s being held] For a few days, we have been communicating with a woman we’re going to call Rachel. We know Rachel’s real name, and a lot more about her besides. Everything she’s told us about herself and her husband has checked out. But because they fear retaliation for telling us what they know (and they say that it’s already happening, more about that below), we’ve agreed not to use their real names. Rachel and her family live less than two miles from the Church of Spiritual Technology headquarters near Twin Peaks, California — the 33-acre super-secret compound where we believe Scientology leader David Miscavige has kept his wife Shelly stashed away for the last 11 years. The small CST headquarters is in the mountains above Los Angeles and near Lake Arrowhead, California. It’s not to be confused with Scientology’s much larger 500-acre International Base about 50 miles away and near Hemet, where David Miscavige lives and where, in 2004, he created a notorious prison for his top executives that is known as “The Hole.” In the late summer of 2005, eyewitnesses tell us, David Miscavige blew up over some minor changes that his wife Shelly made at Int Base while he was away. A week later, she vanished. Several different lines of evidence have convinced us that at that point she was moved to the CST headquarters, and she’s been living and working there ever since. Shelly was only seen in public one time since then, in the summer of 2007 when she was allowed to go to the funeral of her father in the presence of Scientology “handlers.” [A map showing Scientology’s Los Angeles headquarters known as PAC Base or “Big Blue,” the secretive Int Base near Hemet that is the location of “The Hole,” and the small CST headquarters in the mountains near Lake Arrowhead where we believe Shelly is being held.] Rachel, who has lived her entire life in the area, tells us she was only vaguely aware of the odd CST parcel, and didn’t really know what it was for. “High school kids here like to drive by and flip off the cameras,” she says with a laugh. Then, earlier this year, Rachel had to deal with a medical situation that required her to spend a lot of downtime taking medication. With time on her hands, she began watching a lot of Netflix and YouTube. And that’s how she stumbled on Leah Remini’s appearance on ABC’s 20/20 which had first aired the previous year, in October 2015. In that appearance, Leah was promoting her book, Troublemaker, and 20/20’s Dan Harris asked her about the fateful 2006 wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, when Leah first noticed that Shelly Miscavige was missing. At that point in the program, ABC posted this image of Shelly… It was one of the photos of Shelly taken around the year 1990 by Claudio and Renata Lugli, who were Scientologists and personal tailors to the Miscaviges. In the photo, Shelly is modeling an outfit they had made for her. (We met the Luglis in Italy a few years ago and brought these photos back with us.) Rachel says she was stunned. She called over her husband, and she says at that moment, they were “90 percent sure” that they had seen the woman before, on two different occasions in the nearby town of Crestline. The first incident happened in the first week of December, 2015. Rachel says they were at Lake Drive Hardware, just a few blocks from Lake Gregory, picking up some Christmas trees that had been donated to the place where she works. Rachel’s work involves helping people recovering from alcohol and substance abuse problems, and she says it’s that background which made her take note when a woman walked into the store. “She was a thin, smaller woman, escorted by two men,” Rachel says. “Disheveled. Almost like a drug addict, or like she was homeless.” The woman, whom Rachel now believes was Shelly Miscavige, looked all of her 55 years, had long, stringy graying hair, and appeared “frail.” The two men with her looked younger; Rachel estimates they were in their 30s. “They seemed to be leading her, like you would someone who was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It was awkward.” She apologized for not noticing more about the young men. “My attention was never on them. My attention was on her. This was what I do for a living, work with people who are in that kind of shape. And I had a thought that this woman was not supposed to be there. It was disturbing.” Four months later, around April 2016, the same thing happened. This time, Rachel says she was at Goodwin & Sons Market, a few blocks away from the hardware store, when the same woman came in, again escorted by two younger men. The woman had the same kind of appearance as the previous time, but Rachel didn’t notice if it was the same two young men. When Rachel later saw the 20/20 special while she was convalescing, she realized that the frail looking woman was Shelly Miscavige. She then began researching more about Scientology and who Shelly was. Then, as Leah Remini’s new A&E series began to air recently, Rachel became determined to do something about her sighting, and she reached out to us. By then, she had already made a trip to the CST compound with her husband. They had seen the drone footage we posted of the compound in September and they wanted to find out what they could see of the place from the ground. They took a few photos, including this one… [In this map, the Crestline hardware shop and grocery store are highlighted. The CST headquarters, marked with a red star, is about two miles away.] But as they did so, a truck emerged from behind a fence, and began following them as they made their way back to town. Since then, in the last few days, they have noticed people sitting in cars outside their home. “Yesterday at the grocery store, some guy asked my husband for change and directions, then started asking him personal questions, about how long he had lived in the area, things like that. It was really weird,” she says. We asked her to update us if she continues to see strange activity. In the meantime, we called up Dylan Gill, the only former CST employee who has ever given press interviews, and whose story we first told in 2012. Dylan told us that he’s been positive for years that Shelly Miscavige was being held at the CST headquarters. And when he worked there, he regularly was given time for buying supplies in town. “I think it’s very possible that it was Shelly they saw, and if she had company, it’s because of who Shelly is,” he says. “I was pretty positive that she’s there, and this just confirms what we expected.” In 2013, Leah Remini filed a missing person report about Shelly with the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD closed the case without ever giving Leah a formal response, and told reporters that the case was “unfounded.” On Monday, Leah’s attorney, Douglas Mirell, filed a records request with the LAPD, asking it to explain how it closed the case and what investigation was done to make sure that it had checked on Shelly’s whereabouts. Leah tells us that so far, she’s had no response to her new request. Was it Shelly that Rachel and her husband spotted near the CST headquarters twice in the last year? At this point, we think her report is credible. And if that’s the case, our concern for Shelly Miscavige is even more acute. Frail, disheveled, perhaps disoriented. Is Shelly Miscavige in need of help? And when is the LAPD, or any law enforcement agency, going to take her disappearance more seriously? [Shelly Miscavige and Leah Remini, circa 2004] Chris Shelton on Leah Remini’s A&E series Says Chris about this video: “Leah Remini’s A&E show, Scientology and the Aftermath, is a tour-de-force of truth against the vicious and horrible lies that Scientology tells about its critics and what it does to its own members if they dare to buck its authority. In this episode, I lay out the five reasons that this show is far more important than just ‘another Scientology documentary’ and why everyone should be seeing it.” Go here to start making your plans. Posted by Tony Ortega on December 15, 2016 at 07:00 December 15th, 2016 \| Category: Shelly Miscavige	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8286
__label__cc	0.701035	0.298965	Kuching Wetlands National Park Proboscis Monkeys, Dolphins, and Snorkeling Take a river safari through the mangroves of the Kuching Wetlands National Park. Located just a short distance from Kuching, this trip is one of the easiest ways to spot some of the unusual wildlife in Sarawak. Proboscis monkeys and fireflies dwell in the trees lining the river. Crocodiles and the snub nosed irrawaddy dolphins are commonly spotted along the riverbanks and at the river mouths. Our half day trip to Kuching Wetlands National Park sends you out in the evening for a boat cruise and wildlife spotting adventure. If you follow us for the whole day, we’ll take you on a snorkeling trip to Satang Island before taking you into the wetlands for the wildlife spotting experience. Itinerary - Half Day Itinerary - Full Day You will leave the hustle and bustle of Kuching City and head over to the village of Santubong, some 45 minutes out of town. The village of Santubong lies at the foothills of a mighty mountain of the same name. From the village, you will replace land with water and set out on a boat in search of wildlife. The boat will bring you through the meandering rivers of the Kuching Wetlands National Park, leaving the mountain and the village of Santubong behind. The wetlands are most known for their mangrove forests, which are home to the proboscis monkey and estuarine crocodiles. From the Kuching Wetlands National Park, it’s a short boat ride to the island of Satang. Satang Island is home to some of the best snorkeling spots in Sarawak, with its coral reef just below the waterline. About Kuching Wetlands National Park: The Kuching Wetlands National Park is located at some 20 kilometres from Sarawak’s capital Kuching. The park covers an area of over 6500 hectares of mostly mangrove forest in the delta where the Salak & Sibu Laut rivers meet the South China Sea. The park also has smaller pockets of heath forest, which creates a biodiverse habitat hosting many types of wildlife and fish. The area was originally gazetted as a national park in 2002 as the state government wanted to preserve the remaining mangrove forests near Kuching due to their ecological significance. A few years later, in 2005, the area was gazetted as a RAMSAR site, making the wetlands a national park of international importance. The Kuching Wetlands National Park can only be visited by river, there are no trails or treks in the park. Guests generally visit the park by taking a boat from the Santubong Village. From there the boat enters the park and meanders through the many river channels. About the Wildlife: The Kuching Wetlands National Park has an extensive area of mangrove forest, mixed with some heath forest. This proves to be the ideal ecological setting for various types of wildlife, fish and birds. Over 100 species of birds have been spotted in the wetlands, as well as three types of monkeys. Perhaps one of the most rare inhabitants of the national park is the unusual Irrawaddy Dolphin. Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris): This snub-nosed dolphin is unlike common dolphins. They mainly live near river esturines and river mouths. They can grow up to 2.5 meters long. Listed by IUCN as Endangered. Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis Larvatus): An orange furred monkey with a large nose and round belly. Nicknamed the “Orang Belanda”, or Dutchmen, by the natives for their resembling appearance. There are about 150 individuals in Bako National Park. Listed by IUCN as Endangered. Hairy-nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana): A small otter endemic to South East Asia. This rare hairy-nosed animal is brown of colour with a white belly. Listed by IUCN as Endangered. Silvered Lutong (Trachypithecus cristatus): A monkey from the Old World with a greyish fur and has wide eyes. This arboreal monkey lives in mangroves and in heath forest. They live in large groups of up to 40 individuals. Bornean Bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala): An uncommon small but colourful bird that can only be spotted in Borneo. Lesser Atjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus): A rare and large stork with a bare head and neck. Their prefered habitat is wetlands and mangrove forests. Listed by IUCN as Vulnerable White Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster): A large eagle, commonly found in Australia and South East Asia. The bird of prey can have a wingspan of over 2.2 meters. Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes): A semi-large white egret that is endemic to South East Asia. More than 10% of its total population is believed to live in and around the Kuching Wetlands National Park. Listed by IUCN as Vulnerable. Reptiles: Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus): The saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile found in the world. There are over 500 individuals living in the Kuching Wetlands National Park. Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator): A common sight for some, and an impressive sight for others. This black coloured monitor lizard can be found throughout Borneo. The animal generally grow up to 2 meters in length. Itinerary – Half Day Afternoon and Evening Wildlife River Cruise In the late afternoon, pick up from your hotel in Kuching. Transfer to Santubong Boat Club. Hop aboard a boat and cruise downriver to the mouth of the Santubong River. Keep an eye out for fascinating wildlife that live in this mangrove river delta. Conclude the tour in the darkness by experiencing the flickering fireflies on the mangrove trees. Return to the Santubong Boat Club. Transfer back to the hotel in Kuching. Itinerary – Full Day Satang Island Snorkeling with Afternoon and Evening Wildlife River Cruise Pick up from your hotel in Kuching. After some time on the rivers of the Kuching Wetlands National Park, cross the South China Sea to the island of Satang. Arrive at the island and jump in the water for some relaxed snorkelling. Lunch is served on the beach. Spend some more time relaxing before beading back to Santubong Village. Day Tours in Kuching: Bako National Park Kuching Cooking Class Kuching Cycling Learn More about Kuching Wetlands National Park: The Borneo Post – Kuching Wetlands National Park We build trips just for you. Start planning today.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8287
__label__cc	0.529492	0.470508	Essays A System of Moral Decision Making A System of Moral Decision Making By natural instinct, humans will do what is best for them. A good example of an argument that claims certain characteristics are either part of, or not part of, human nature, is the argument between gay/lesbian community and religious people. A lot of gays and lesbians argue that they can't help who they are because it's been scientifically proven that their sexual preference is wired in their genes. Hedges is not entirely fixed to his thesis that war is a force that gives us meaning because even though he argues that meaning in life depends on experiencing extreme sensations, we can see him suggesting that it's not a war that provides the meaning, and the strength of social connections among the soldiers, but love. He implies that soldiers see themselves in each other and fight not for the honor of their country but for their comrades which are a demonstration of concern and love "but love, in its mystery, has its own power it alone gives us meaning that endures. It alone allows us to embrace and cherish life" (Hedges, 184-5), therefore his true argument is that love is the force that gives and us meaning. However, there is a sharp contrast of Beah experiences of the war in a dream where he avenged the death of his family and was later convinced that it wasn't his fault since he was forced by circumstances to act as he did. Capitalism also plays a major role in designing a system of moral decision making eg The constant unrest in resource-rich countries can be related to capitalism because in order for it to survive there has to be rich and poor countries and upper and lower classes within those countries. The rich western countries tend to feed on the unrest that is happening in the poorer nations. Throughout history, Western industrial countries conquer weaker states that had something of use to them. In order to maintain control and influence over the region, on multiple occasions, the West has placed leaders into positions of power and supported the overthrow of those that were not seen as favorable, just as we saw in Persepolis. As Stanwyck writes "Sierra Leone, Angola and the Ivory Coast are guaranteed to be funded, ensuring continued civil war and unstable government" and just as long as Western economies and powerful corporations such as DeBeers benefit, nothing is going to change. (Stanwyck, 3) In conclusion, we can safely assume that a system of moral decision making depends on 1)what an individual deems to be right in the context of what society teaches and approves an individual makes his decision.2)Circumstances bedeviling a person influence once decisions made eg. Beah concluded with the idea that he would kill the oppressor or the initiator so the war wouldn't continue. Since he believed that hatred and violence consume everything in our society, and he is very concerned about future generations especially children finally capitalism would also influence once the decision in an attempt to get ahead of the pack despite the fact that his decisions may not be morally upright.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8288
__label__cc	0.740159	0.259841	Man stabs friend to death over sewing machine in Bauchi A 20-year old man, Sadique Ahmed, has been arrested by the police for allegedly stabbing his friend to death for taking his sewing machine without permission. It was learnt that Ahmed, a tailor, stabbed his friend and fellow tailor, Babangida Umar, 20, in the neck because the deceased took his sewing machine without his permission. Northern City News gathered that the incident occurred at the Zango area within the Bauchi metropolis. The father of the deceased, Umar Mohammed, told journalists in Bauchi on Sunday, that he was at the market square when one of his children broke the sad news to him. Mohammed said, “I was sitting with my friends at the market after the Sahur prayers on Saturday, when the younger brother to the deceased ran to meet me and told me that I should come home because Sara Suka (political thugs) had killed Babangida. “On my way home, I met some people carrying him to the hospital; so, we stopped a tricycle and we rushed him to the hospital. But I believe at that time he had died. “Honestly, I was not happy at all; I was very sad when I heard the news. My mind was really troubled but I accept it as destiny. “The boy, who committed this act, is my son’s friend until a misunderstanding happened between them.” The mother of the deceased, Fatima, narrated how she had gone to the suspect’s family residence to apologise to him over her late son’s action without knowing that the suspect had already murdered him. She explained that when she met the suspect, “He told me that he had addressed my son to the extent that he would not try what he did again, even if he was asked to do it. “I didn’t know that he had killed my son already. I saw a lady, who witnessed the killing of my son crying, and she told me that my son had been killed.” The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kamal Abubabakar, confirmed the incident to Northern City News, adding that the incident occurred on January 5, 2019. He said three suspects, including the prime suspect, had been arrested in connection with the incident. Others arrested in connection with the crime are Mamman Adamu (25) and Adamu Isa (18). Abubakar said police investigations into the crime were ongoing. Previous articleI wouldn’t have sold Ronaldo for €200m – William Carvalho Next articlePolice arrest 26-year-old for robbing churchgoer 14-year old boy brutally beaten by his uncle for stealing ₦3,000 “That picture ugly” – Woman wanted for murder comments on the photo released by police Few days to the release of her book on domestic violence, lady is killed by her boyfriend Police Place N1m Bounty On Masked Lady (Photo)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8293
__label__cc	0.518483	0.481517	Nepal \| July 17, 2019 The Himalayan Times > Opinion > EDITORIAL: Empower minorities EDITORIAL: Empower minorities Published: April 29, 2019 8:10 am On: Opinion The Himalayan Times It is the constitutional duty of the three tiers of government to protect the language and culture of the marginalised communities The constitution will not come into full operation unless all the constitutional provisions are translated into laws. It has already been four years since the country adopted the federal constitution in 2015. But the Federal Parliament has yet to enact most of the umbrella laws, which pave the way for institutionalising the constitution at all levels. The provincial assemblies and local levels are still waiting for the Federal Parliament to pass the umbrella laws on a number of areas, based on which the sub-national governments will enact their own laws. Even during the third Inter-Province Council meeting held in the capital on April 23, all the chief ministers and chiefs of the local levels asked the council chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to pass the umbrella laws at the earliest so that they could move forward based on them. It is important to have the umbrella laws as the laws to be passed by the sub-national governments must not contradict the federal laws. Against this backdrop, the provincial assemblies have not been able to create special, protected and autonomous regions in their territories, as provisioned in Article 56 (5) of the constitution, in the absence of the federal law that gives the legal basis to the provinces to carry out socio-cultural and economic development. In a public notice issued on April 24, 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs had listed as many as 98 indigenous and marginalised communities, including the Rautes and the Chhantyals, whose population is less than 0.5 per cent of the country’s population. These communities are entitled to special, protected and autonomous rights for their “social, cultural and economic development”. The Balananda Paudel-led Local Level Restructuring Commission, formed on March 16, 2016, also failed to create the three regions at the local levels, citing lack of time. It should have at least suggested the number of such regions that could be formed in a given province and a local level based on the Home Ministry’s list. As per the Local Government Operation Act, the federal government can, in consultation with the provincial government, declare any area of a local level, or district, special, protected or autonomous region. The provincial and local levels can also declare any of the areas inhabited by the indigenous and marginalised communities as “cultural and tourist destinations”. According to the Home Ministry, the Nurang and the Kusunda communities have the least population, numbering just 278 and 273, respectively. These communities are on the verge of extinction. Given their dwindling population, it is the duty of the three tiers of government to increase their population and protect their culture and languages through special initiatives. The language and culture of a community die out when its population declines for various reasons. It will be a huge loss to mankind because when we lose their language and culture, we will also be losing a wealth of human knowledge. The constitution, therefore, has rightly envisioned the need to protect their unique languages and culture with special provisions. At the same time, the provinces and local levels can work out a detailed plan of action in their respective regions even if the umbrella law is not enacted. The local authorities must be commended for acting pronto to demolish the illegal structures built at Khula Manch by encroaching 13.5 ropanis of public land there. All 52 illegal stalls were pulled down on Saturday. Despite the protests by the shopkeepers, the authorities did not budge. The demolition of the illegal structures points to a number of things. First, it is hard to stave off strong public pressure for long. It took less than a week of public outcry to gear the government into action. Second, the PM himself had ordered the demolition, a reason that speeded up the task. Third, if people are willing to pay huge sums to middlemen to secure a stall at Khula Manch, one can well imagine the cost of renting space at nearby New Road or elsewhere. So are the house-owners paying their taxes accordingly? Fourth, if someone has the nerve to encroach public land in the very heart of the city, then a lot of such land must be occupied elsewhere as well. So if the people and the authorities were to work in tandem, we might be able to cure a lot of the ills afflicting society. A version of this article appears in print on April 29, 2019 of The Himalayan Times. Follow The Himalayan Times on Twitter and Facebook Recommended Stories: © 2019 The Himalayan Times	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8297
__label__wiki	0.908523	0.908523	For historical generals, from Alexander the Great of ancient Macedonia to Frederick II of 18th-century Prussia, their armies functioned as the centre of gravity. If the army was destroyed, the commander would be considered a failure. In smaller countries or countries engaged in internal strife, according to Clausewitz’s reasoning, the capital becomes the centre of gravity and should be identified as the Schwerpunkt. Beginning in the 20th century, technological advances such as radio, aircraft, and motorized vehicles allowed a commander to concentrate force at the Schwerpunkt so as to annihilate the opposition and achieve victory. During World War II each blitzkrieg campaign contained a Schwerpunkt that gave it meaning and substance, with doctrines of mobile warfare expounded by British military theorists J.F.C. Fuller and Sir Basil Liddell Hart providing the tactics necessary to translate the theory into action. A separate camp for the Roma, the Zigeunerfamilienlager ("Gypsy family camp"), was set up in the BIIe sector of Auschwitz II-Birkenau in February 1943. For unknown reasons, they were not subject to selection and families were allowed to stay together. The first transport of German Roma arrived at Auschwitz II on 26 February that year. There had been a small number of Romani inmates before that; two Czech Romani prisoners, Ignatz and Frank Denhel, tried to escape in December 1942, the latter successfully, and a Polish Romani woman, Stefania Ciuron, arrived on 12 February 1943 and escaped in April.[144] When the 322nd Rifle Division of the Red Army liberated Auschwitz on 27 January 1945, the soldiers found 7,500 prisoners alive and over 600 corpses.[247][248] Auschwitz II-Birkenau was liberated at around 3:30 p.m., and the main camp (Auschwitz I) two hours later.[249] Items found by the Soviet soldiers included 370,000 men's suits, 837,000 women's garments, and 7.7 tonnes (8.5 short tons) of human hair.[247][248] Primo Levi described seeing the first four Russian soldiers on horseback approach the camp at Monowitz, where he had been in the sick bay. The soldiers threw "strangely embarrassed glances at the sprawling bodies, at the battered huts and at us few still alive ...":[250] The biblical term shoah (Hebrew: שׁוֹאָה), meaning "destruction", became the standard Hebrew term for the murder of the European Jews, first used in a pamphlet in 1940, Sho'at Yehudei Polin ("Sho'ah of Polish Jews"), published by the United Aid Committee for the Jews in Poland.[11] On 3 October 1941 the cover of the magazine The American Hebrew used the phrase "before the Holocaust", apparently to refer to the situation in France,[12] and in May 1943 The New York Times, discussing the Bermuda Conference, referred to the "hundreds of thousands of European Jews still surviving the Nazi Holocaust".[13] In 1968 the Library of Congress created a new category, "Holocaust, Jewish (1939–1945)".[14] The term was popularized in the United States by the NBC mini-series Holocaust (1978), about a fictional family of German Jews,[15] and in November 1978 the President's Commission on the Holocaust was established.[16] As non-Jewish groups began to include themselves as Holocaust victims too, many Jews chose to use the terms Shoah or Churban instead.[12][g] The Nazis used the phrase "Final Solution to the Jewish Question" (German: die Endlösung der Judenfrage).[18] “At this point in the war and in his life, I think Oskar Schindler was absolutely determined to do everything he could to save as many Jews as he could regardless of the cost, either personal or financial,” writes Crowe. “During the last two years of the war, he had undergone a dramatic moral transformation, and, in many ways, he came more and more to associate himself with his Jews than with other Germans.” The first 'bunker', with two sealed rooms, operated from January 1942 to the end of that year. The second, with four air tight rooms, became redundant in the spring of 1943, but remained standing and was used again in the autumn of 1944 when extra 'capacity' was needed for the murder of Hungarian Jews and the liquidation of the ghettos. The second measured about 1.134 square feet. The victims murdered in the 'bunkers' were first obliged to undress in temporary wooden barracks erected nearby. Their bodies were taken out of the gas chambers and pushed to pits where they were burned in the open. Between January 1942 and March 1943, 175,000 Jews were gassed to death here, of whom 105,000 were killed from January to March 1943. I'm 15 years old, and visited Auschwitz and Auschwitz Birkenau about a month ago on a school trip. It was an incredibly moving experience, and something I think everyone should visit at least once i their life. I know for sure that one day I will take my children and even grandchildren, as it is just so important for future generations to learn as much as they can about what happened so that we can be sure it will never, ever happen again. At Auschwitz, after the chambers were filled, the doors were shut and pellets of Zyklon-B were dropped into the chambers through vents,[293] releasing toxic prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide.[294] Those inside died within 20 minutes; the speed of death depended on how close the inmate was standing to a gas vent, according to the commandant Rudolf Höss, who estimated that about one-third of the victims died immediately.[295] Johann Kremer, an SS doctor who oversaw the gassings, testified that: "Shouting and screaming of the victims could be heard through the opening and it was clear that they fought for their lives."[296] The gas was then pumped out, the bodies were removed, gold fillings in their teeth were extracted, and women's hair was cut.[297] The work was done by the Sonderkommando, work groups of mostly Jewish prisoners.[298] At Auschwitz, the bodies were at first buried in deep pits and covered with lime, but between September and November 1942, on the orders of Himmler, they were dug up and burned. In early 1943, new gas chambers and crematoria were built to accommodate the numbers.[299] In 1988, West Germany allocated another $125 million for reparations. Companies such as BMW, Deutsche Bank, Ford, Opel, Siemens, and Volkswagen faced lawsuits for their use of forced labor during the war.[463] In response, Germany set up the "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future" Foundation in 2000, which paid €4.45 billion to former slave laborers (up to €7,670 each).[465] In 2013, Germany agreed to provide €772 million to fund nursing care, social services, and medication for 56,000 Holocaust survivors around the world.[466] The French state-owned railway company, the SNCF, agreed in 2014 to pay $60 million to Jewish-American survivors, around $100,000 each, for its role in the transport of 76,000 Jews from France to extermination camps between 1942 and 1944.[467] As the Red Army drew nearer in July 1944, the SS began closing down the easternmost concentration camps and evacuating the remaining prisoners westward to Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen concentration camp. Göth's personal secretary, Mietek Pemper, alerted Schindler to the Nazis' plans to close all factories not directly involved in the war effort, including Schindler's enamelware facility. Pemper suggested to Schindler that production should be switched from cookware to anti-tank grenades in an effort to save the lives of the Jewish workers. Using bribery and his powers of persuasion, Schindler convinced Göth and the officials in Berlin to allow him to move his factory and his workers to Brünnlitz (Czech: Brněnec), in the Sudetenland, thus sparing them from certain death in the gas chambers. Using names provided by Jewish Ghetto Police officer Marcel Goldberg, Pemper compiled and typed the list of 1,200 Jews—1,000 of Schindler's workers and 200 inmates from Julius Madritsch's textiles factory—who were sent to Brünnlitz in October 1944.[62][63][64][65] Use of armoured forces was crucial for both sides on the Eastern Front. Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, involved a number of breakthroughs and encirclements by motorised forces. Its goal according to Führer Directive 21 (18 December 1940) was "to destroy the Russian forces deployed in the West and to prevent their escape into the wide-open spaces of Russia."[90] The Red Army was to be destroyed west of the Dvina and Dnieper rivers, which were about 500 kilometres (310 mi) east of the Soviet border, to be followed by a mopping-up operation. The surprise attack resulted in the near annihilation of the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily (VVS, Soviet Air Force) by simultaneous attacks on airfields,[91] allowing the Luftwaffe to achieve total air supremacy over all the battlefields within the first week.[92][93] On the ground, four German panzer groups outflanked and encircled disorganised Red Army units, while the marching infantry completed the encirclements and defeated the trapped forces.[94] In late July, after 2nd Panzer Group (commanded by Guderian) captured the watersheds of the Dvina and Dnieper rivers near Smolensk, the panzers had to defend the encirclement, because the marching infantry divisions were still hundreds of kilometres to the west.[91] The SS: The SS was a military-style group of Nazis, founded in 1925, who were like Hitler's personal bodyguards. They were in charge of overseeing the killing of people in the camps. Part of the SS called the Einsatzgruppen were put in charge of killing many people, before the extermination camps were opened to carry this out on a much greater scale. The SS also took control of intelligence, security and the police force. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum defines the Holocaust as the "systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators",[29] distinguishing between the Holocaust and the targeting of other groups during "the era of the Holocaust".[30] According to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial, most historians regard the start of the "Holocaust era" as January 1933, when Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany.[31] Other victims of the Holocaust era include those viewed as inferior, including for reasons of race or ethnicity (such as the Roma, ethnic Poles, Russians, and the disabled); and those targeted because of their beliefs or behavior (such as Jehovah's Witnesses, communists, and homosexuals).[30] Hitler came to see the Jews as "uniquely dangerous to Germany", according to Peter Hayes, "and therefore uniquely destined to disappear completely from the Reich and all territories subordinate to it". The persecution and murder of other groups was much less consistent. For example, he writes, the Nazis regarded the Slavs as "sub-human", but their treatment consisted of "enslavement and gradual attrition", while "some Slavs—Slovaks, Croats, Bulgarians, some Ukrainians—[were] allotted a favored place in Hitler's New Order".[20] Up to this point, Auschwitz accounted for only 11 percent of the victims of the 'Final Solution'. However, in August 1942, planning began for the construction of four large-scale gassing facilities. It appears from the plans that the first two gas chambers were adapted from mortuaries which, with the huge crematoria attached to them, were initially intended to cope with mortalities amongst the slave labor force in the camp, now approaching 100,000 and subject to a horrifying death rate. But from the autumn of 1942, it seems clear that the SS planners and civilian contractors were intending to build a mass-murder plant. To more than 1200 Jews Oscar Schindler was all that stood between them and death at the hands of the Nazis. A man full of flaws like the rest of us - the unlikeliest of all role models who started by earning millions as a war profiteer and ended by spending his last pfennig and risking his life to save his Jews. An ordinary man who even in the worst of circumstances did extraordinary things, matched by no one. He remained true to his Jews, the workers he referred to as my children. In the shadow of Auschwitz he kept the SS out and everyone alive. German military history had been influenced heavily by Carl von Clausewitz, Alfred von Schlieffen and von Moltke the Elder, who were proponents of maneuver, mass, and envelopment. Their concepts were employed in the successful Franco-Prussian War and attempted "knock-out blow" of the Schlieffen Plan. Following the war, these concepts were modified by the Reichswehr. Its Chief of Staff, Hans von Seeckt, moved doctrine away from what he argued was an excessive focus on encirclement towards one based on speed. Speed gives surprise, surprise allows exploitation if decisions can be reached quickly and mobility gives flexibility and speed. Von Seeckt advocated effecting breakthroughs against the enemy's centre when it was more profitable than encirclement or where encirclement was not practical. Under his command a modern update of the doctrinal system called "Bewegungskrieg" and its associated tactical system called " Auftragstaktik" was developed which resulted in the popularly known blitzkrieg effect. He additionally rejected the notion of mass which von Schlieffen and von Moltke had advocated. While reserves had comprised up to four-tenths of German forces in pre-war campaigns, von Seeckt sought the creation of a small, professional (volunteer) military backed by a defense-oriented militia. In modern warfare, he argued, such a force was more capable of offensive action, faster to ready, and less expensive to equip with more modern weapons. The Reichswehr was forced to adopt a small and professional army quite aside from any German plans, for the Treaty of Versailles limited it to 100,000 men. October 16, 1946 - Göring commits suicide two hours before the scheduled execution of the first group of major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg. During his imprisonment, a (now repentant) Hans Frank states, "A thousand years will pass and the guilt of Germany will not be erased." Frank and the others are hanged and the bodies are brought to Dachau and burned (the final use of the crematories there) with the ashes then scattered into a river. As a member of the Nazi Party and the Abwehr intelligence service, Schindler was in danger of being arrested as a war criminal. Bankier, Stern, and several others prepared a statement he could present to the Americans attesting to his role in saving Jewish lives. He was also given a ring, made using gold from dental work taken out of the mouth of Schindlerjude Simon Jeret. The ring was inscribed "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire."[77] To escape being captured by the Russians, Schindler and his wife departed westward in their vehicle, a two-seater Horch, initially with several fleeing German soldiers riding on the running boards. A truck containing Schindler's mistress Marta, several Jewish workers, and a load of black market trade goods followed behind. The Horch was confiscated by Russian troops at the town of Budweis, which had already been captured by Russian troops. The Schindlers were unable to recover a diamond that Oskar had hidden under the seat.[78] They continued by train and on foot until they reached the American lines at the town of Lenora, and then travelled to Passau, where an American Jewish officer arranged for them to travel to Switzerland by train. They moved to Bavaria in Germany in the fall of 1945.[79] In 2017 a Körber Foundation survey found that 40 percent of 14-year-olds in Germany did not know what Auschwitz was.[280][281] The following year a survey organized by the Claims Conference, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and others found that 41 percent of 1,350 American adults surveyed, and 66 percent of millennials, did not know what Auschwitz was, while 22 percent said they had never heard of the Holocaust.[282] A CNN-ComRes poll in 2018 found a similar situation in Europe.[283] Responding with alarm to Hitler’s rise, the Jewish community sought to defend their rights as Germans. For those Jews who felt themselves fully German and who had patriotically fought in World War I, the Nazification of German society was especially painful. Zionist activity intensified. “Wear it with pride,” journalist Robert Weltsch wrote in 1933 of the Jewish identity the Nazis had so stigmatized. Religious philosopher Martin Buber led an effort at Jewish adult education, preparing the community for the long journey ahead. Rabbi Leo Baeck circulated a prayer for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) in 1935 that instructed Jews on how to behave: “We bow down before God; we stand erect before man.” Yet while few, if any, could foresee its eventual outcome, the Jewish condition was increasingly perilous and was expected to worsen. Discussing moral absolutes is effective in a classroom to encourage critical thinking and to help students develop a chosen, rather than an indoctrinated, moral ideology for themselves. Schindler’s List is particularly effective here since it presents readers with two ethical questions that in fact have right and a wrong answers: was it ethically moral for the Nazis to attempt to eliminate ethnic Jewry, and was it ethical for Oskar Schindler to resist this attempt? The lesson here is that there are moral absolutes despite one’s political or religious background. The lesson becomes even more effective when the follow up question: were Goeth and Schindler moral men is asked. "The tanks now rolled in a long column through the line of fortifications and on towards the first houses, which had been set alight by our fire. In the moonlight we could see the men Of 7th Motorcycle Battalion moving forward on foot beside us. Occasionally an enemy machine-gun or anti-tank gun fired, but none of their shots came anywhere near us. Our artillery was dropping heavy harassing fire on villages and the road far ahead of the regiment. Gradually the speed increased. Before long we were 500 -1,000 - 2,000 - 3,000 yards into the fortified zone. Engines roared, tank tracks clanked and clattered. Whether or not the enemy was firing was impossible to tell in the ear-splitting noise. We crossed the railway line a mile or so The French armies were much reduced in strength and the confidence of their commanders shaken. With much of their own armour and heavy equipment lost in Northern France, they lacked the means to fight a mobile war. The Germans followed their initial success with Operation Red, a triple-pronged offensive. The XV Panzer Corps attacked towards Brest, XIV Panzer Corps attacked east of Paris, towards Lyon and the XIX Panzer Corps encircled the Maginot Line. The French were hard pressed to organise any sort of counter-attack and were continually ordered to form new defensive lines and found that German forces had already by-passed them and moved on. An armoured counter-attack organised by Colonel de Gaulle could not be sustained and he had to retreat. Blitzkrieg's widest influence was within the Western Allied leadership of the war, some of whom drew inspiration from the Wehrmacht's approach. United States General George S. Patton emphasized fast pursuit, the use of an armored spearhead to effect a breakthrough, then cut off and disrupt enemy forces prior to their flight. In his comments of the time, he credited Guderian and Rommel's work, notably Infantry Attacks, for this insight. He also put into practice the idea attributed to cavalry leader Nathan Bedford Forrest, "Get there fastest with the mostest." (Get there fastest, with the most forces). During World War I, Fuller had been a staff officer attached to the new tank corps. He developed Plan 1919 for massive, independent tank operations, which he claimed were subsequently studied by the German military. It is variously argued that Fuller's wartime plans and post-war writings were an inspiration or that his readership was low and German experiences during the war received more attention. The German view of themselves as the losers of the war, may be linked to the senior and experienced officers' undertaking a thorough review, studying and rewriting of all their Army doctrine and training manuals.[148] April 11 - August 14 - Eichmann on trial in Jerusalem for crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Found guilty and hanged at Ramleh on May 31, 1962. A fellow Nazi reported Eichmann once said "he would leap laughing into the grave because the feeling that he had five million people on his conscience would be for him a source of extraordinary satisfaction." Ellis, as well as Zaloga in his study of the Polish Campaign in 1939, points to the effective use of other arms such as artillery and aerial firepower as equally important to the success of German (and later, Allied) operations. Panzer operations in Russia failed to provide decisive results; Leningrad never fell despite an entire Panzer Group being assigned to take it, nor did Moscow. In 1942 panzer formations overstretched at Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, and what successes did take place - such as Manstein at Kharkov or Krivoi Rog - were of local significance only. In July 1938, representatives of 32 countries met in the French town of Evian to discuss the refugee and immigration problems created by the Nazis in Germany. Nothing substantial was done or decided at the Evian Conference, and it became apparent to Hitler that no one wanted the Jews and that he would not meet resistance in instituting his Jewish policies. By the autumn of 1941, Europe was in effect sealed to most legal emigration. The Jews were trapped. Whilst carrying out this final evacuation the SS had set about removing evidence of their crimes. Many thousands of documents were set alight. Between 21 and 26 January 1945, the Germans blew up and partially dismantled the gas chambers and crematoria in Birkenau. Kanada II, the warehouse in which property plundered from victims of the gas chambers was stored and sorted, was also looted and set alight. Members of the Wehrmacht joined in the looting. Measuring 270 by 490 metres (890 ft × 1,610 ft), the camp was larger than Auschwitz I. By the end of 1944, it housed 60 barracks measuring 17.5 by 8 metres (57 ft × 26 ft), each with a day room and a sleeping room containing 56 three-tiered wooden bunks.[58] IG Farben paid the SS three or four Reichsmark for nine- to eleven-hour shifts from each worker.[59] In 1943–1944, about 35,000 inmates worked at the plant; 23,000 (32 a day on average) died as a result of malnutrition, disease, and the workload.[60] Deaths and transfers to Birkenau reduced the population by nearly a fifth each month;[61] site managers constantly threatened inmates with the gas chambers.[59] In addition to the Auschwitz inmates, who comprised a third of the work force, IG Auschwitz employed slave laborers from all over Europe.[62] When the camp was liquidated in January 1945, 9,054 out of the 9,792 inmates were Jews.[63] The property is of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes that convey its significance. Potential threats to the integrity of the property include the difficulty in preserving the memory of the events and their significance to humanity. In the physical sphere, significant potential threats include natural decay of the former camps’ fabric; environmental factors, including the risk of flooding and rising groundwater level; changes in the surroundings of the former camps; and intensive visitor traffic. On the evening of November 9, 1938, carefully orchestrated anti-Jewish violence “erupted” throughout the Reich, which since March had included Austria. Over the next 48 hours rioters burned or damaged more than 1,000 synagogues and ransacked and broke the windows of more than 7,500 businesses. Some 30,000 Jewish men between the ages of 16 and 60 were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Police stood by as the violence—often the action of neighbours, not strangers—occurred. Firemen were present not to protect the synagogues but to ensure that the flames did not spread to adjacent “Aryan” property. The pogrom was given a quaint name: Kristallnacht (“Crystal Night,” or “Night of Broken Glass”). In its aftermath, Jews lost the illusion that they had a future in Germany. After those initial German successes, the Allies adopted this form of warfare with great success, beginning with Stalingrad and subsequently used by commanders such as U.S. Gen. George Patton in the European operations of 1944. The Germans’ last successful Kessel campaign was against the British paratroops at Arnhem, Netherlands, an encirclement that came to be known as the Hexenkessel (“witches’ cauldron”). By the end of the war, Germany found itself defeated by the strategic (Schwerpunkt) and tactical (Kesselschlacht) concepts that had initially brought it such success. German armies were destroyed at Falaise in France, the Scheldt in the Netherlands, and the Bulge in Belgium and on the Eastern Front at Cherkasy (in modern Ukraine), Memel (now Klaipėda, Lithuania), and Halbe, Germany. The last great battle of World War II fought using blitzkrieg tactics was the Battle of Berlin (April 1945). By the end of the war, Schindler had spent his entire fortune on bribes and black market purchases of supplies for his workers.[80] Virtually destitute, he moved briefly to Regensburg and later Munich, but did not prosper in postwar Germany. In fact, he was reduced to receiving assistance from Jewish organisations.[39] In 1948 he presented a claim for reimbursement of his wartime expenses to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and received $15,000.[81] He estimated his expenditures at over $1,056,000, including the costs of camp construction, bribes, and expenditures for black market goods, including food.[82] Schindler emigrated to Argentina in 1949, where he tried raising chickens and then nutria, a small animal raised for its fur. When the business went bankrupt in 1958, he left his wife and returned to Germany, where he had a series of unsuccessful business ventures, including a cement factory.[83][84] He declared bankruptcy in 1963 and suffered a heart attack the next year, which led to a month-long stay in hospital.[85] Remaining in contact with many of the Jews he had met during the war, including Stern and Pfefferberg, Schindler survived on donations sent by Schindlerjuden from all over the world.[84][86] He died on 9 October 1974 and is buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, the only member of the Nazi Party to be honoured in this way.[39][84] For his work during the war, on 8 May 1962, Yad Vashem invited Schindler to a ceremony during which a carob tree planted in his honor on the Avenue of the Righteous.[87] He and his wife, Emilie, were named Righteous Among the Nations, an award bestowed by the State of Israel on non-Jews who took an active role to rescue Jews during the Holocaust, on 24 June 1993.[88] Other awards include the German Order of Merit (1966).[89]	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8298
__label__wiki	0.827326	0.827326	After WWII had ended, photographs of the Holocaust stunned the public. Newspapers in the United States had reported on the oppression of the Jews in Germany during the war. In 1942, many newspapers were writing details of the Holocaust, but these stories were short and were not widely read. In 1943, after sources had confirmed the killings of at least two million Jews in concentration camps across Europe a Gallup poll found that less than half of Americans believed these reports to be true; 28% thought they were “just a rumor”. The reports were unconfirmed and sometimes denied by the United States government. Initially Göth's plan was that all the factories, including Schindler's, should be moved inside the camp gates.[52] However, Schindler, with a combination of diplomacy, flattery, and bribery, not only prevented his factory from being moved, but convinced Göth to allow him to build (at Schindler's own expense) a subcamp at Emalia to house his workers plus 450 Jews from other nearby factories. There they were safe from the threat of random execution, were well fed and housed, and were permitted to undertake religious observances.[53][54] Another prisoner, Max Drimmer, devised an escape plan and brought it to Shine. Thanks to the help of a Polish partisan, they managed to break out of Auschwitz and hide on the Pole’s farm for three months. Later, they hid in the home of Marianne’s family. Both men immigrated to the United States and Shine married Marianne. Their story was told in the documentary, “Escape from Auschwitz: Portrait of a Friendship.” The process of selection and murder was carefully planned and organized. When a train stopped at the platform, veteran prisoners received the victims and gathered their belongings in several barracks in an area known as “Kanada.” The arrivals were lined up in two columns – men and boys in one, women and girls in the other – and SS physicians performed a selection. The criterion was the appearance of the prisoners, whose fate, for labor or for death, was determined at will. Before they entered the chamber, they were told that they were about to be disinfected and ordered to undress. The doors of the chamber were locked and the gas was introduced. After the victims were murdered, their gold teeth were extracted and women’s hair was shorn by the Sonderkommando – groups of Jews forced to work in the crematoria. The bodies were hauled to the crematorium furnaces for incineration, the bones were pulverized and the ashes were scattered in the fields. I loved the movie that Steven Spielberg did years ago with Liam Nesson as Schindler and realized I never read the book the movie was based on. And while needless to say books into movies never go well this one did. I really thought the book was well done and not one of those boring old history like texts and actually finished it a weekend because I couldn't put it down. I am glad Keneally wrote about Schindler becasue the world needs to know that while nobody is prefect even the least likely of people can become heros. This book needs to stay in print and maybe even one that is read in schools because people need to learn about the Holecust and the average people that helped save others during a really dark time in human history so that we do not reapeat the same mistakes as our fore fathers. Oscar Schindler and this book gives me hope in humanity. The concepts associated with the term blitzkrieg—deep penetrations by armour, large encirclements, and combined arms attacks—were largely dependent upon terrain and weather conditions. Where the ability for rapid movement across "tank country" was not possible, armoured penetrations often were avoided or resulted in failure. Terrain would ideally be flat, firm, unobstructed by natural barriers or fortifications, and interspersed with roads and railways. If it were instead hilly, wooded, marshy, or urban, armour would be vulnerable to infantry in close-quarters combat and unable to break out at full speed.[citation needed] Additionally, units could be halted by mud (thawing along the Eastern Front regularly slowed both sides) or extreme snow. Operation Barbarossa helped confirm that armour effectiveness and the requisite aerial support were dependent on weather and terrain.[68] It should however be noted that the disadvantages of terrain could be nullified if surprise was achieved over the enemy by an attack through areas considered natural obstacles, as occurred during the Battle of France when the German blitzkrieg-style attack went through the Ardennes.[69] Since the French thought the Ardennes unsuitable for massive troop movement, particularly for tanks, they were left with only light defences which were quickly overrun by the Wehrmacht. The Germans quickly advanced through the forest, knocking down the trees the French thought would impede this tactic.[70] A second roll call took place at seven in the evening after the long day's work.[118] Prisoners might be hanged or flogged in the course of it. If a prisoner was missing, the others had to remain standing until he or she was found or the reason for the absence discovered, even if it took hours. On 6 July 1940, roll call lasted 19 or 20 hours because of the escape of a Polish prisoner, Tadeusz Wiejowski; following another escape in 1941, a group of prisoners was sent to block 11 to be starved to death.[119] After roll call, prisoners were allowed to retire to their blocks for the night and receive their bread rations and water. Curfew was at nine o'clock. Inmates slept in long rows of brick or wooden bunks, lying in and on their clothes and shoes to prevent them from being stolen.[120] The wooden bunks had blankets and paper mattresses filled with wood shavings; in the brick barracks, inmates lay on straw.[121] According to Nyiszli: In January 1945 a trainload of 250 Jews who had been rejected as workers at a mine in Goleschau in Poland arrived at Brünnlitz. The boxcars were frozen shut when they arrived, and Emilie Schindler waited while an engineer from the factory opened the cars using a soldering iron. Twelve people were dead in the cars, and the remainder were too ill and feeble to work. Emilie took the survivors into the factory and cared for them in a makeshift hospital until the end of the war.[74][73] Schindler continued to bribe SS officials to prevent the slaughter of his workers as the Red Army approached.[75] On 7 May 1945 he and his workers gathered on the factory floor to listen to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announce over the radio that Germany had surrendered, and the war in Europe was over.[76] Half of the German divisions available in 1940 were combat ready but less well-equipped than the British and French or the Imperial German Army of 1914. In the spring of 1940, the German army was semi-modern, in which a small number of well-equipped and "elite" divisions were offset by many second and third rate divisions".[135] In 2003, John Mosier wrote that while the French soldiers in 1940 were better trained than German soldiers, as were the Americans later and that the German army was the least mechanised of the major armies, its leadership cadres were larger and better and that the high standard of leadership was the main reason for the successes of the German army in World War II, as it had been in World War I.[136] The battlefront got lost, and with it the illusion that there had ever been a battlefront. For this was no war of occupation, but a war of quick penetration and obliteration—Blitzkrieg, lightning war. Swift columns of tanks and armored trucks had plunged through Poland while bombs raining from the sky heralded their coming. They had sawed off communications, destroyed animal, scattered civilians, spread terror. Working sometimes 30 miles (50 km) ahead of infantry and artillery, they had broken down the Polish defenses before they had time to organize. Then, while the infantry mopped up, they had moved on, to strike again far behind what had been called the front. Following the camp's liberation, the Soviet government issued a statement, on 8 May 1945, that four million people had been killed on the site, a figure based on the capacity of the crematoria and later regarded as too high.[184] Höss told prosecutors at Nuremberg that at least 2,500,000 people had been murdered in Auschwitz by gassing and burning, and that another 500,000 had died of starvation and disease.[185] He testified that the figure of over two million had come from Eichmann.[186][d] In his memoirs, written in custody, he wrote that he regarded this figure as "far too high. Even Auschwitz had limits to its destructive possibilities."[188] Raul Hilberg's 1961 work, The Destruction of the European Jews, estimated that up to 1,000,000 Jews had died in Auschwitz.[189] Some ghettos were initially open, which meant that Jews could leave the area during the daytime but had to be back by a curfew. Later, all ghettos became closed, meaning that Jews were not allowed to leave under any circumstances. Major ghettos were located in the cities of Polish cities of Bialystok, Lodz, and Warsaw. Other ghettos were found in present-day Minsk, Belarus; Riga, Latvia; and Vilna, Lithuania. The largest ghetto was in Warsaw. At its peak in March 1941, some 445,000 were crammed into an area just 1.3 square miles in size. The Holocaust (also called Ha-Shoah in Hebrew) refers to the period from January 30, 1933 - when Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany - to May 8, 1945, when the war in Europe officially ended. During this time, Jews in Europe were subjected to progressively harsher persecution that ultimately led to the murder of 6,000,000 Jews (1.5 million of these being children) and the destruction of 5,000 Jewish communities. These deaths represented two-thirds of European Jewry and one-third of all world Jewry. I visited both Auschwitz 1 and 2 Birkenau in November, it was a cold, grey, miserable day. As I walked around camp 2 I couldn't speak nor could my friend. The full horror and evidence of the past was right in front of me and I still found it difficult to process. Let us never forget all those people regardless of nationality, race or gender who died but let us remember they were all someones relation. Estimates of Jewish participation in partisan units throughout Europe range from 20,000 to 100,000.[323] In the occupied Polish and Soviet territories, thousands of Jews fled into the swamps or forests and joined the partisans,[324] although the partisan movements did not always welcome them.[325] An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 joined the Soviet partisan movement.[326] One of the famous Jewish groups was the Bielski partisans in Belarus, led by the Bielski brothers.[324] Jews also joined Polish forces, including the Home Army. According to Timothy Snyder, "more Jews fought in the Warsaw Uprising of August 1944 than in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of April 1943".[327][r] The core principle behind Blitzkrieg was to concentrate the force on a single point. The German called this penetration or breakthrough, and its purpose was to rupture enemy defenses. The main objective: apply overwhelming force at a weak point in the enemy line to force an opening. This opening functions as the first stage of tactical deep battle in its Blitzkrieg form, and it was so effective that the Germans often referred to it as “the beginning of the end”. In his 1965 essay "Command and Compliance", which originated in his work as an expert witness for the prosecution at the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials, the German historian Hans Buchheim wrote there was no coercion to murder Jews and others, and all who committed such actions did so out of free will. Buchheim wrote that chances to avoid executing criminal orders "were both more numerous and more real than those concerned are generally prepared to admit",[468] and that he found no evidence that SS men who refused to carry out criminal orders were sent to concentration camps or executed.[469] Moreover, SS rules prohibited acts of gratuitous sadism, as Himmler wished for his men to remain "decent"; acts of sadism were carried out on the initiative of those who were either especially cruel or wished to prove themselves ardent National Socialists.[468] Finally, he argued that those of a non-criminal bent who committed crimes did so because they wished to conform to the values of the group they had joined and were afraid of being branded "weak" by their colleagues if they refused.[470] One element that was lacking from the German army in 1914 was the ability to move long distances quickly. Had the German army been mechanised at the outbreak of World War One, it is likely that the outcome of the war would have been very different. As things were then, the German army was unable to defeat its enemies decisively in the war's early battles, and reluctantly settled into trench warfare in late 1914. In early 1942, mass exterminations were moved to two provisional gas chambers (the "red house" and "white house", known as bunkers 1 and 2) in Auschwitz II, while the larger crematoria (II, III, IV, and V) were under construction. Bunker 2 was temporarily reactivated from May to November 1944, when large numbers of Hungarian Jews were gassed.[161] In summer 1944 the combined capacity of the crematoria and outdoor incineration pits was 20,000 bodies per day.[162] A planned sixth facility—crematorium VI—was never built.[163] Prisoners were transported from all over German-occupied Europe by rail, arriving in daily convoys.[164] By July 1942, the SS were conducting "selections". Incoming Jews were segregated; those deemed able to work were sent to the selection officer's right and admitted into the camp, and those deemed unfit for labor were sent to the left and immediately gassed.[165] The group selected to die, about three-quarters of the total,[c] included almost all children, women with small children, the elderly, and all those who appeared on brief and superficial inspection by an SS doctor not to be fit for work.[167] When a train carrying Jewish prisoners arrived “selections” would be conducted on the railroad platform, or ramp. Newly arrived persons classified by the SS physicians as unfit for labor were sent to the gas chambers: these included the ill, the elderly, pregnant women and children. In most cases, 70-75% of each transport was sent to immediate death. These people were not entered in the camp records; that is, they received no serial numbers and were not registered, and this is why it is possible only to estimate the total number of victims. When the wagons were forced open, a terrible sight was revealed. The Schindlers took charge of the 107 survivors, with terrible frostbite and frightfully emaciated, arranged for medical treatment and gradually nourished them back to life. Schindler also stood up to the Nazi Commandant who wanted to incinerate the corpses that were found frozen in the boxcars, and arranged for their burial with full Jewish religious rites in a plot of land near the Catholic cemetery, which he had especially bought for that purpose. ^ "War nicht der 'Archipel Gulag' ursprünglicher als 'Auschwitz'? War nicht der 'Klassenmord' der Bolschewiki das logische und faktische Prius des 'Rassenmords' der Nationalsozialisten? Sind Hitlers geheimste Handlungen nicht gerade auch dadurch zu erklären, daß er den 'Rattenkäfig' nicht vergessen hatte? Rührte Auschwitz vielleicht in seinen Ursprüngen aus einer Vergangenheit her, die nicht vergehen wollte?"[477] Reality is at once more limited and more complex. On one level, mobile warfare was a faute de mieux improvisation that arose from the restrictions on conventional forces stipulated by the Treaty of Versailles. The German high command in the 1920s and 1930s also sought inspiration for the future in its own past–specifically in the ideas of Helmuth Karl von Moltke and Alfred von Schlieffen. Tanks, aircraft, and motor trucks were regarded as force multipliers facilitating traditional operational approaches. The aim of German military planners in both the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich was to achieve victory by enveloping enemy armies, threatening their lines of supply and communications, and forcing them to fight in an unexpected direction. The anticipated result would be quick, decisive victories for a state that since the days of Frederick the Great had been convinced of its inability to win a drawn-out war of attrition. Eventually, Birkenau held the majority of prisoners in the Auschwitz complex, including Jews, Poles, Germans, and Gypsies. Furthermore, it maintained the most degrading and inhumane conditions–inclusive of the complex’s gas chambers and crematoria. A third section, Auschwitz III, was constructed in nearby Monowitz, and consisted of a forced labor camp called Buna-Monowitz. On 6 January 1942, the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vyacheslav Molotov, sent out diplomatic notes about German atrocities. The notes were based on reports about bodies surfacing from poorly covered graves in pits and quarries, as well as mass graves found in areas the Red Army had liberated, and on witness reports from German-occupied areas.[335] The following month, Szlama Ber Winer escaped from the Chełmno concentration camp in Poland, and passed detailed information about it to the Oneg Shabbat group in the Warsaw Ghetto. His report, known by his pseudonym as the Grojanowski Report, had reached London by June 1942.[288][336] Also in 1942, Jan Karski sent information to the Allies after being smuggled into the Warsaw Ghetto twice.[337][s] On 27 April 1942, Vyacheslav Molotov sent out another note about atrocities.[335] In late July or early August 1942, Polish leaders learned about the mass killings taking place inside Auschwitz. The Polish Interior Ministry prepared a report, Sprawozdanie 6/42,[340] which said at the end: The only person at MCA/Universal who agreed with Spielberg and director of cinematography Janusz Kaminski’s decision to shoot the movie in black and white was Sheinberg. Everyone else lobbied against the idea, saying that it would stylize the Holocaust. Spielberg and Kaminski chose to shoot the film in a grimy, unstylish fashion and format inspired by German Expressionist and Italian Neorealist films. Also, according to Spielberg, “It’s entirely appropriate because I’ve only experienced the Holocaust through other people’s testimonies and through archival footage which is, of course, all in black and white.” Historian Victor Davis Hanson states that Blitzkrieg "played on the myth of German technological superiority and industrial dominance," adding that German successes, particularly that of its Panzer divisions were "instead predicated on the poor preparation and morale of Germany's enemies."[119] Hanson also reports that at a Munich public address in November 1941, Hitler had "disowned" the concept of Blitzkrieg by calling it an "idiotic word."[120] Further, successful Blitzkrieg operations were predicated on superior numbers, air-support, and were only possible for short periods of time without sufficient supply lines.[121] For all intents and purposes, Blitzkrieg ended at the Eastern Front once the German forces gave up Stalingrad, after they faced hundreds of new T-34 tanks, when the Luftwaffe became unable to assure air dominance, and following the stalemate at Kursk—to this end, Hanson concludes that German military success was not accompanied by the adequate provisioning of its troops with food and materiel far from the source of supply, which contributed to its ultimate failures.[122] Despite its later disappointments as German troops extended their lines at too great a distance, the very specter or armored Blitzkrieg forces initially proved victorious against Polish, Dutch, Belgian, and French armies early in the war.[123] ^ The escapees included 396 Polish men and 10 Polish women; 164 men from the Soviet Union (including 50 prisoners of war), and 15 women; 112 Jewish men and three Jewish women; 36 Romani/Sinti men and two women; 22 German men and nine women; 19 Czech men and four women; two Austrians; one Yugoslav woman and one man; and 15 other men and one woman.[216] In June 2016, the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum in the Polish town of Oswiecim re-discovered over 16,000 personal items belonging to victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau that had been lost in 1968. The items were originally discovered in 1967 by archaeologists excavating the concentration camp site, and were placed in 48 cardboard boxes in the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw before being lost due to an anti-Semitic communist regime coming to power in 1968. New arrivals to the Auschwitz camp complex were immediately sorted into two groups, those on the left and those on the right. The few in the right-hand group would be sent to one of the various camps within Auschwitz to become forced labourers. The remaining majority were sent to Birkenau, otherwise known as Auschwitz II, where they were gassed and cremated. Birkenau, the death camp of Auschwitz, was also one of the few places where, historians confirm, music regularly accompanied selections and mass murder. Former inmate Erika Rothschild remembered this macabre accompaniment: The roots of Hitler’s particularly virulent brand of anti-Semitism are unclear. Born in Austria in 1889, he served in the German army during World War I. Like many anti-Semites in Germany, he blamed the Jews for the country’s defeat in 1918. Soon after the war ended, Hitler joined the National German Workers’ Party, which became the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), known to English speakers as the Nazis. While imprisoned for treason for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, Hitler wrote the memoir and propaganda tract “Mein Kampf”(My Struggle), in which he predicted a general European war that would result in “the extermination of the Jewish race in Germany.” By August 1944 there were 105,168 prisoners in Auschwitz whilst another 50,000 Jewish prisoners lived in Auschwitz’s satellite camps. The camp’s population grew constantly, despite the high mortality rate caused by exterminations, starvation, hard labor, and contagious diseases. Upon arrival at the platform in Birkenau, Jews were thrown out of their train cars without their belongings and forced to form two lines, men and women separately. Blitzkrieg (German: "lightning war") is a method of fast-moving, air-and-land warfare first used extensively during World War II. German armies invading Poland in 1939 used tanks, armored trucks, self-propelled guns, and dive bombers to break through opposing forces and penetrate far behind their lines. During the invasion of the Low Countries and France in 1940, the German armored columns again used these tactics to shock and disorganize the defenders. On the Allied side, U.S. general George S. Patton exhibited (1944) particular skill in mobile warfare in Europe. The first gassings at Auschwitz took place in early September 1941, when around 850 inmates—Soviet prisoners of war and sick Polish inmates—were killed with Zyklon B in the basement of block 11 in Auschwitz I. The building proved unsuitable, so gassings were conducted instead in crematorium I, also in at Auschwitz I, which operated until December 1942. There, more than 700 victims could be killed at once.[157] Tens of thousands were killed in crematorium I.[158] To keep the victims calm, they were told they were to undergo disinfection and de-lousing; they were ordered to undress outside, then were locked in the building and gassed. After its decommissioning as a gas chamber, the building was converted to a storage facility and later served as an SS air raid shelter.[159] The gas chamber and crematorium were reconstructed after the war. Dwork and van Pelt write that a chimney was recreated; four openings in the roof were installed to show where the Zyklon B had entered; and two of the three furnaces were rebuilt with the original components.[160] Construction of crematorium I began at Auschwitz I at the end of June or beginning of July 1940.[26] Initially intended not for mass murder but for prisoners who had been executed or had otherwise died in the camps, the crematorium was in operation from August 1940 until July 1943, by which time the crematoria at Auschwitz II had taken over.[27] By May 1942 three ovens had been installed in crematorium I, which together could burn 340 bodies in 24 hours.[28] In addition to this camp, which has been fairly well-documented, the Nazis also briefly maintained a Gypsy (Roma and Sinti) camp. Although both prisoners and Nazis commented upon the musical skill and creativity of these inmates, little documentation exists of their musical production. This is also partially due to their isolation from other inmates, and their extremely harsh treatment by the SS, second only to what was meted out to the Jews in cruelty. Nonetheless, there are several references to an orchestra, as well as to less formal musical groups. On May 19th, 1939, the S.S. St. Louis sailed from Hamburg, Germany to Havana, Cuba with 937 passengers; almost all of them were Jews escaping with their lives. This was one of the last ships that left Germany before the outbreak of World War II. Most of the passengers had applied for U.S. visas and were only planning on staying in Cuba until they could enter into the United States. The U.S. State Department in Washington, the U.S. consulate in Havana, and the owner of the St. Louis were aware that they might not be able to enter Cuba, but the passengers were never told. David M. Crowe’s book Oskar Schindler: The Untold Account of His Life, Wartime Activities and the True Story Behind The List should be considered a classic in investigative and historical research. Based on interviews with dozens of Holocaust survivors saved by Oskar Schindler and with access to documents unavailable to Schindler’s List author Thomas Keneally, Crowe sheds light on one of the most dramatic and important stories to come out of World War II. The film rights to Page’s story were actually first purchased by MGM for $50,000 in the 1960s after Page had similarly ambushed the wife of film producer Marvin Gosch at his leather shop. Mrs. Gosch told the story to her husband, who agreed to produce a film version, even going so far as hiring Casablanca co-screenwriter Howard Koch to write the script. Koch and Gosch began interviewing Schindler Jews in and around the Los Angeles area, and even Schindler himself, before the project stalled, leaving the story unknown to the public at large. Like the network of concentration camps that followed, becoming the killing grounds of the Holocaust, Dachau was under the control of Heinrich Himmler, head of the elite Nazi guard, the Schutzstaffel (SS), and later chief of the German police. By July 1933, German concentration camps (Konzentrationslager in German, or KZ) held some 27,000 people in “protective custody.” Huge Nazi rallies and symbolic acts such as the public burning of books by Jews, Communists, liberals and foreigners helped drive home the desired message of party strength. Germany's last offensive on its Western front, Operation Wacht am Rhein, was an offensive launched towards the vital port of Antwerp in December 1944. Launched in poor weather against a thinly-held Allied sector, it achieved surprise and initial success as Allied air power was stymied by cloud cover. However, stubborn pockets of defence in key locations throughout the Ardennes, the lack of serviceable roads, and poor German logisitics planning caused delays. Allied forces deployed to the flanks of the German penetration, and Allied aircraft were again able to attack motorized columns. However, the stubborn defense of US units and German weakness led to a defeat for the Germans. With the deportations from Hungary, the role of Auschwitz-Birkenau in the German plan to murder the Jews of Europe achieved its highest effectiveness. Between late April and early July 1944, approximately 440,000 Jews were deported from Hungary. Of the nearly 426,000 Hungarian Jews deported to Auschwitz, approximately 320,000 of them were sent directly to the gas chambers in Auschwitz-Birkenau. They deployed approximately 110,000 at forced labor in the Auschwitz camp complex. The SS authorities transferred many of these Hungarian Jewish forced laborers within weeks of their arrival in Auschwitz to other concentration camps in Germany and Austria. Entrance is free, without a ticket, though donations are encouraged. Because of the large numbers of visitors entry to the Auschwitz-I site is exclusively on a guided group basis during the middle part of the day - as of 2019, between 10am and 12pm during December, between 10am and 1pm in November, January, February and March, between 10am and 4pm in April, May, September and October, and between 9am and 5pm in June, July and August. Holocaust, Hebrew Shoʾah (“Catastrophe”), Yiddish and Hebrew Ḥurban (“Destruction”), the systematic state-sponsored killing of six million Jewish men, women, and children and millions of others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. The Germans called this “the final solution to the Jewish question.” Yiddish-speaking Jews and survivors in the years immediately following their liberation called the murder of the Jews the Ḥurban, the word used to describe the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 bce and the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 ce. Shoʾah (“Catastrophe”) is the term preferred by Israelis and the French, most especially after Claude Lanzmann’s masterful 1985 motion picture documentary of that title. It is also preferred by people who speak Hebrew and by those who want to be more particular about the Jewish experience or who are uncomfortable with the religious connotations of the word Holocaust. Less universal and more particular, Shoʾah emphasizes the annihilation of the Jews, not the totality of Nazi victims. More particular terms also were used by Raul Hilberg, who called his pioneering work The Destruction of the European Jews, and Lucy S. Dawidowicz, who entitled her book on the Holocaust The War Against the Jews. In part she showed how Germany fought two wars simultaneously: World War II and the racial war against the Jews. The Allies fought only the World War. The word Holocaust is derived from the Greek holokauston, a translation of the Hebrew word ʿolah, meaning a burnt sacrifice offered whole to God. This word was chosen because in the ultimate manifestation of the Nazi killing program—the extermination camps—the bodies of the victims were consumed whole in crematoria and open fires. Rather than repeating the World War One Schlieffen Plan, the Germans in 1940 advanced with their main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, in order to smash the vulnerable flank of the Allies. As 29 German divisions advanced through the Netherlands and Belgium in the north, 45 further divisions, including about 2,400 tanks in 7 divisions, burst through the Allied right flank and drove towards the English Channel. Jews were forced to move, often to different cities or countries, and live in designated areas, referred to as ghettos. Most of the ghettos were “open” which meant Jews were free to come and go during the daytime. As time past, more and more ghettos became “closed” meaning that Jews were trapped and not allowed to leave. No ghettos were ever established within the borders of Germany and most were only meant as a temporary means of isolating Jews from the German population until they could be moved elsewhere. Subject to harsh conditions—including inadequate shelter and sanitation—given minimal food, and worked to exhaustion, those who could no longer work faced transport back to Birkenau for gassing. German corporations invested heavily in the slave-labour industries adjacent to Auschwitz. In 1942 IG Farben alone invested more than 700 million Reichsmarks in its facilities at Auschwitz III. Recognising that battlefield conditions changed rapidly and that orders often became overtaken by events, the German army encouraged its commanders to make decisions without waiting for orders from above, thus allowing them to take advantage of fleeting opportunities as they arose. Above all else, this doctrine created aggressive and flexible leaders. Inmates at Birkenau numbered around 100,000 at their peak. They were of many different nationalities, but the vast majority of those that entered the camp were unregistered Jews, many of whom were immediately sent to their deaths in the gas chambers. Women and children stood the least chance of survival, and many died even before arriving at Birkenau due to the appalling conditions of the railway journeys. The unloading platform, where the brisk selection process was conducted, remains. Apart from physically fit men (who often perished later from the rigours of the camp) it was often only an accident of birth that merited a possibility of survival. Large numbers of twins survived until liberation as they were objects of interest to the research of Dr. Josef Mengele - a man disliked even by his Nazi peers. Innovators such as Heinz Guderian and Erich von Manstein recognised that the protection given by tanks increased the ability of the German army to manoeuvre in the face of enemy artillery, and that this enhanced speed and mobility. However, the modern technology was merely used to enhance the capabilities that had already been provided, thanks to the army's strategic doctrine. Although effective in quick campaigns against Poland and France, blitzkrieg could not be sustained by Germany in later years. Blitzkrieg strategy has the inherent danger of the attacking force overextending its supply lines, and the strategy as a whole can be defeated by a determined foe who is willing to sacrifice territory for time in which to regroup and rearm, as the Soviets did on the Eastern Front. Tank and vehicle production was a constant problem for Germany; indeed, late in the war many panzer "divisions" had no more than a few dozen tanks. As the end of the war approached, Germany also experienced critical shortages in fuel and ammunition stocks as a result of Anglo-American strategic bombing. Although production of Luftwaffe fighter aircraft continued, they would be unable to fly for lack of fuel. What fuel there was went to panzer divisions, and even then they were not able to operate normally. Of those Tiger tanks lost against the United States Army, nearly half of them were abandoned for lack of fuel. I visited Birkenau a few days ago Well....its horrible place....but not like in movies...i think they should make this camp's more terrible.....coz some people dont believe that it was a place for mass executions And if u wanna visit Birkenau....go there in winter.....coz in summer it look just like old prison So strange to hear from people that they hate Jewish (but they never met Jewish) What about me....i was stressed after these both camps (Birkenau I and II)....dont think i will ever go there again (but for 1 time everybody must visit it)........ P.S. Its really awful when smb take pictures with themselfs in such a place ..... The driver promptly opened the throttle wide and drove straight into the nearest bushes. He had only gone a few yards, however, when the tank slid down a steep slope on the western edge of the wood and finally stopped, canted over on its side, in such a position that the enemy, whose guns were in position about 500 yards away on the edge of the next wood, could not fail to see it. I had been wounded in the right check by a small splinter from the shell which had landed in the periscope. It was not serious though it bled a great deal. Introduced in 2002, the Schindler 700 elevators are for high rise buildings with heights up to 500 meters and speeds of up to 10 meters per second. It contains a large number of technical innovations like the Active Ride Control system ARC, the Ceramic Safety Breaks and the Modular Shaft Information System MoSIS. Nowadays the product line is replaced to the Schindler 7000 (Single-deck & Multi-deck). After its defeat in World War I, Germany was humiliated by the Versailles Treaty, which reduced its prewar territory, drastically reduced its armed forces, demanded the recognition of its guilt for the war, and stipulated it pay reparations to the allied powers. With the German Empire destroyed, a new parliamentary government called the Weimar Republic was formed. The republic suffered from economic instability, which grew worse during the worldwide depression after the New York stock market crash in 1929. Massive inflation followed by very high unemployment heightened existing class and political differences and began to undermine the government. Soon after his marriage, Schindler quit working for his father and took a series of jobs, including a position at Moravian Electrotechnic and the management of a driving school. After an 18-month stint in the Czech army, where he rose to the rank of Lance-Corporal in the Tenth Infantry Regiment of the 31st Army, Schindler returned to Moravian Electrotechnic, which went bankrupt shortly afterwards. His father's farm machinery business closed around the same time, leaving Schindler unemployed for a year. He took a job with Jarslav Simek Bank of Prague in 1931, where he worked until 1938.[4]	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8299
__label__wiki	0.867097	0.867097	I remember the chimneys with dark, thick smoke rising from them; dogs barking all the time. From Auschwitz, they moved us to Birkenau, then to Mauthausen-Gusen. Every morning there were dead bodies along the barbed wire fences around the camp. The electrified fences instantly killed anyone who touched them. Perhaps these were simply acts of suicide. We had a quiet life until the day they took 1,000 Jews away from my village of Czemierniki, a typical Polish village with a big square around which community life took place. My father was a bootmaker, my mother was a seamstress and everyone worked hard. There was always some antisemitism, but it was mainly fairly harmless, consisting of kids at our school who during religious education taunted the five or six Jewish kids in the class with “Jews killed Jesus.” The first gas chamber at Birkenau was in what prisoners called the "little red house" (known as bunker 1 by the SS), a brick cottage that had been converted into a gassing facility. The windows were bricked up and its four rooms converted into two insulated rooms, the doors of which said "Zur Desinfektion" ("to disinfection"). It was operational by March 1942. A second brick cottage, the "little white house" or bunker 2, was converted and operational by June 1942.[45] When Himmler visited the camp on 17 and 18 July 1942, he was given a demonstration of a selection of Dutch Jews, a mass killing in a gas chamber in bunker 2, and a tour of the building site of the new IG Farben plant being constructed at the nearby town of Monowitz.[46] Early camps, usually without proper infrastructure, sprang up everywhere in Germany after Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933: rising "like mushrooms after the rain", Himmler recollected.[51] These early camps, also called "Wild camps" because some were set up with little supervision from higher authorities, were overseen by Nazi paramilitaries, by political-police forces, and sometimes by local police authorities. They utilized any lockable larger space, for example: engine rooms, brewery floors, storage facilities, cellars, etc.[52] The most pressing economic matter the Nazis initially faced was the 30 percent national unemployment rate.[251] Economist Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, President of the Reichsbank and Minister of Economics, created a scheme for deficit financing in May 1933. Capital projects were paid for with the issuance of promissory notes called Mefo bills. When the notes were presented for payment, the Reichsbank printed money. Hitler and his economic team expected that the upcoming territorial expansion would provide the means of repaying the soaring national debt.[252] Schacht's administration achieved a rapid decline in the unemployment rate, the largest of any country during the Great Depression.[251] Economic recovery was uneven, with reduced hours of work and erratic availability of necessities, leading to disenchantment with the regime as early as 1934.[253] As the war continued, it became more difficult to find food for the group in hiding. Bep Voskuijl was nearly arrested bringing food back to the secret annex even though it was only enough food for two days. The German officer who stopped her followed her, forcing her to avoid the Prinsencgracht, which meant that the group in hiding had nothing to eat that day, which became more common as the days wore on. For the man in charge of Auschwitz, the gas chamber was a welcome innovation. “I had always shuddered at the prospect of carrying out executions by shooting,” commandant Rudolf Höss wrote in a lengthy confession while awaiting execution after the war. “Many members of the Einsatzkommandos, unable to endure wading through blood any longer, had committed suicide. Some had even gone mad.” Then we were fitted out. Strange combinations! The younger and thinner men received, for the most part, old uniforms, even officers' coats without insignia. Others received striped prisoners' garb of relatively light material, a shirt, a pair of socks, and a suit of tissue-thin underwear. No vest, no coat. As headgear there were old soldiers' caps without cockades. It goes without saying that it was very difficult to find clothes fitting the various sizes and shapes. We were a sight grotesque as well as sad. During his youth in Austria, Hitler was politically influenced by Austrian Pan-Germanist proponent Georg Ritter von Schönerer, who advocated radical German nationalism, antisemitism, anti-Catholicism, anti-Slavic sentiment and anti-Habsburg views.[77] From von Schönerer and his followers, Hitler adopted for the Nazi movement the Heil greeting, the Führer title and the model of absolute party leadership.[77] Hitler was also impressed by the populist antisemitism and the anti-liberal bourgeois agitation of Karl Lueger, who as the mayor of Vienna during Hitler's time in the city used a rabble-rousing style of oratory that appealed to the wider masses.[78] Unlike von Schönerer, Lueger was not a German nationalist and instead was a pro-Catholic Habsburg supporter and only used German nationalist notions occasionally for his own agenda.[78] Although Hitler praised both Lueger and Schönerer, he criticized the former for not applying a racial doctrine against the Jews and Slavs.[79] Frank soon found the traction to publish Margot, a novel that imagined her sister living the life she once dreamed of, as a midwife in the Galilee. A surreal work that breaks the boundaries between novel and memoir, and leaves ambiguous which of its characters are dead or alive, Margot became wildly popular in Israel. Its English translation allowed Frank to find a small but appreciative audience in the United States. To complete this mission, Hitler ordered the construction of death camps. Unlike concentration camps, which had existed in Germany since 1933 and were detention centers for Jews, political prisoners and other perceived enemies of the Nazi state, death camps existed for the sole purpose of killing Jews and other “undesirables,” in what became known as the Holocaust. I was not even two when we arrived at Auschwitz in 1944. I have no conscious memories of that time, but plenty of subconscious ones. My mother told me later how when they tattooed my arm with a needle, it was so painful that I passed out. The number they gave me and that I still have was A26959. My mother’s ended in 8. I was probably the youngest child to have been tattooed who survived. The gas chambers in the Auschwitz complex constituted the largest and most efficient extermination method employed by the Nazis. Four chambers were in use at Birkenau, each with the potential to kill 6,000 people daily. They were built to look like shower rooms in order to confuse the victims. New arrivals at Birkenau were told that they were being sent to work, but first needed to shower and be disinfected. They would be led into the shower-like chambers, where they were quickly gassed to death with the highly poisonous Zyklon B gas. In January 1923, France occupied the Ruhr industrial region as a result of Germany's failure to meet its reparations payments. This led to economic chaos, the resignation of Wilhelm Cuno's government and an attempt by the German Communist Party (KPD) to stage a revolution. The reaction to these events was an upsurge of nationalist sentiment. Nazi Party membership grew sharply to about 20,000.[65] By November, Hitler had decided that the time was right for an attempt to seize power in Munich, in the hope that the Reichswehr (the post-war German military) would mutiny against the Berlin government and join his revolt. In this, he was influenced by former General Erich Ludendorff, who had become a supporter—though not a member—of the Nazis. The Nazis later issued similar regulations against the Eastern Workers (Ost-Arbeiters), including the imposition of the death penalty if they engaged in sexual relations with German persons.[194] Heydrich issued a decree on 20 February 1942 which declared that sexual intercourse between a German woman and a Russian worker or prisoner of war would result in the Russian man being punished with the death penalty.[195] Another decree issued by Himmler on 7 December 1942 stated that any "unauthorised sexual intercourse" would result in the death penalty.[196] Because the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour did not permit capital punishment for race defilement, special courts were convened in order to allow the death penalty to be imposed in some cases.[197] German women accused of race defilement were marched through the streets with their head shaven and placards detailing their crimes were placed around their necks[198] and those convicted of race defilement were sent to concentration camps.[190] When Himmler reportedly asked Hitler what the punishment should be for German girls and German women who were found guilty of race defilement with prisoners of war (POWs), he ordered that "every POW who has relations with a German girl or a German would be shot" and the German woman should be publicly humiliated by "having her hair shorn and being sent to a concentration camp".[199] Poles were viewed by Nazis as subhuman non-Aryans, and during the German occupation of Poland 2.7 million ethnic Poles were killed.[342] Polish civilians were subject to forced labour in German industry, internment, wholesale expulsions to make way for German colonists, and mass executions. The German authorities engaged in a systematic effort to destroy Polish culture and national identity. During operation AB-Aktion, many university professors and members of the Polish intelligentsia were arrested, transported to concentration camps, or executed. During the war, Poland lost an estimated 39 to 45 percent of its physicians and dentists, 26 to 57 percent of its lawyers, 15 to 30 percent of its teachers, 30 to 40 percent of its scientists and university professors, and 18 to 28 percent of its clergy.[343] The Security Police had held this exclusive authority de facto since 1936. The “legal” instrument of incarceration was either the “protective detention” (Schutzhaft) order or the “preventative detention” (Vorbeugungshaft) order. The Gestapo could issue a “protective detention” order for persons considered a political danger after 1933. The Criminal Police could issue a “preventative detention” order after December 1937 for persons considered to be habitual and professional criminals, or to be engaging in what the regime defined as “asocial” behavior. Neither order was subject to judicial review, or any review by any German agency outside of the German Security Police. The Allies received information about the murders from the Polish government-in-exile and Polish leadership in Warsaw, based mostly on intelligence from the Polish underground.[338][339] German citizens had access to information about what was happening, as soldiers returning from the occupied territories reported on what they had seen and done.[340] Historian Richard J. Evans states that most German citizens disapproved of the genocide.[341][h] The term was in use before the rise of the party as a colloquial and derogatory word for a backward peasant, an awkward and clumsy person. It derived from Ignaz, a shortened version of Ignatius,[20][21] which was a common name in the Nazis' home region of Bavaria. Opponents seized on this, and the long-existing Sozi, to attach a dismissive nickname to the National Socialists.[21][22] From as early as 1934, concentration camp commandants used prisoners as forced laborers for SS construction projects such as the construction or expansion of the camps themselves. By 1938, SS leaders envisioned using the supply of forced laborers incarcerated in the camps for a variety of SS-commissioned construction projects. To mobilize and finance such projects, Himmler revamped and expanded the administrative offices of the SS and created a new SS office for business operations. Both agencies were led by SS Major General Oswald Pohl, who would take over the Inspectorate of Concentration Camps in 1942. What would it mean for a writer not to hide the horror? There is no mystery here, only a lack of interest. To understand what we are missing, consider the work of another young murdered Jewish chronicler of the same moment, Zalmen Gradowski. Like Frank’s, Gradowski’s work was written under duress and discovered only after his death—except that Gradowski’s work was written in Auschwitz, and you have probably never heard of it. In late January 1945, SS and police officials forced 4,000 prisoners to evacuate Blechhammer on foot. Blechhammer was a subcamp of Auschwitz-Monowitz. The SS murdered about 800 prisoners during the march to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp. SS officials also killed as many as 200 prisoners left behind in Blechhammer as a result of illness or unsuccessful attempts to hide. After a brief delay, the SS transported around 3,000 Blechhammer prisoners from Gross-Rosen to the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany. Notable memoirists of the camp include Primo Levi, Elie Wiesel, and Tadeusz Borowski.[196] Levi's If This is a Man, first published in Italy in 1947 as Se questo è un uomo, became a classic of Holocaust literature, an "imperishable masterpiece".[276][h] Wiesel wrote about his imprisonment at Auschwitz in Night (1960) and other works, and became a prominent spokesman against ethnic violence; in 1986, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.[278] Camp survivor Simone Veil was later elected President of the European Parliament, serving from 1979 to 1982.[279] Two Auschwitz victims—Maximilian Kolbe, a priest who volunteered to die by starvation in place of a stranger, and Edith Stein, a Jewish convert to Catholicism—were later named saints of the Catholic Church.[280] Fleeing Germans also torched a couple of dozen of the wooden barracks at Birkenau. Many of the camp buildings that were left largely intact were later taken apart by Poles desperate for shelter. Birkenau remains the starkest, most tangible, most haunting reminder of what Dwork says was the “greatest catastrophe Western civilization permitted, and endured.” On October 7, 1944, several hundred prisoners assigned to Crematorium IV at Auschwitz-Birkenau rebelled after learning that they were going to be killed. During the uprising, the prisoners killed three guards and blew up the crematorium and adjacent gas chamber. The prisoners used explosives smuggled into the camp by Jewish women who had been assigned to forced labor in a nearby armaments factory. The resistance sent out the first oral message about Auschwitz with Dr. Aleksander Wielkopolski, a Polish engineer who was released in October 1940.[202] The following month the Polish underground in Warsaw prepared a report on the basis of that information, The camp in Auschwitz, part of which was published in London in May 1941 in a booklet, The German Occupation of Poland, by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The report said of the Jews in the camp that "scarcely any of them came out alive". According to Fleming, the booklet was "widely circulated amongst British officials". The Polish Fortnightly Review based a story on it, writing that "three crematorium furnaces were insufficient to cope with the bodies being cremated", as did The Scotsman on 8 January 1942, the only British news organization to do so.[203] The twin pairs of gas chambers were numbered II and III, and IV and V. The first opened on March 31, 1943, the last on April 4, 1943. The total area of the gas chambers was 2,255 square meters; the capacity of these crematoria was 4,420 people. Those selected to die were undressed in the undressing room and then pushed into the gas chambers. It took about 20 minutes for all the people to death. In II and III, the killings took place in underground rooms, and the corpses were carried to the five ovens by an electrically operated lift. Before cremation gold teeth and any other valuables, such as rings, were removed from the corpses. In IV and V the gas chambers and ovens were on the same level, but the ovens were so poorly built and the usage was so great that they repeatedly malfunctioned and had to be abandoned. The corpses were finally burned outside, in the open, as in 1943. Jewish sonderkommandos worked the crematoria under SS supervision. After the liquidation of the Polish state and its institutions, the fundamental goal of German policy in occupied Poland was the exploitation of material and labor resources, and the removal of the local Polish population and ethnic minorities. This was done through expulsion and systematic extermination. The Polish lands were to be completely germanized, through German settlement in the depopulated area. Polished boots slightly apart, his thumb resting on his pistol belt, Mengele surveyed his prey with those dead gimlet eyes. Death to the left, life to the right. Four hundred thousand souls - babies, small children, young girls, mothers, fathers, and grandparents - are said to have been casually waved to the lefthand side with a flick of the cane clasped in a gloved hand. What is and what is not well written: It is likely that Frank’s opinions on the subject would have evolved if she had had the opportunity to age. Reading the diary as an adult, one sees the limitations of a teenager’s perspective, and longs for more. In one entry, Frank describes how her father’s business partners—now her family’s protectors—hold a critical corporate meeting in the office below the family’s hiding place. Her father, she and her sister discover that they can hear what is said by lying down with their ears pressed to the floor. In Frank’s telling, the episode is a comic one; she gets so bored that she falls asleep. But adult readers cannot help but ache for her father, a man who clawed his way out of bankruptcy to build a business now stolen from him, reduced to lying face-down on the floor just to overhear what his subordinates might do with his life’s work. When Anne Frank complains about her insufferable middle-aged roommate Fritz Pfeffer (Albert Dussel, per Frank’s pseudonym) taking his time on the toilet, adult readers might empathize with him as the only single adult in the group, permanently separated from his non-Jewish life partner whom he could not marry due to anti-Semitic laws. Readers Frank’s age connect with her budding romance with fellow hidden resident Peter van Pels (renamed Peter van Daan), but adults might wonder how either of the married couples in the hiding place managed their own relationships in confinement with their children. Readers Frank’s age relate to her constant complaints about grown-ups and their pettiness, but adult readers are equipped to appreciate the psychological devastation of Frank’s older subjects, how they endured not only their physical deprivation, but the greater blow of being reduced to a childlike dependence on the whims of others. In “Ravensbrück,” Helm gives a further example of the erratic way the Nazis treated their own regulations, even late in the war. In 1943, Himmler agreed to allow the Red Cross to deliver food parcels to some prisoners in the camps. To send a parcel, however, the Red Cross had to mark it with the name, number, and camp location of the recipient; requests for these details were always refused, so that there was no way to get desperately needed supplies into the camps. Yet when Wanda Hjort, a young Norwegian woman living in Germany, got hold of some prisoners’ names and numbers—thanks to inmates who smuggled the information to her when she visited the camp at Sachsenhausen—she was able to pass them on to the Norwegian Red Cross, whose packages were duly delivered. This game of hide-and-seek with the rules, this combination of hyper-regimentation and anarchy, is what makes Kafka’s “The Trial” seem to foretell the Nazi regime. Fifteen defendants were found guilty, and eight were acquitted. Of the 15, seven were given the death penalty and eight imprisoned. Herta Oberhauser, the doctor who had rubbed crushed glass into the wounds of her subjects, received a 20 year sentence but was released in April 1952 and became a family doctor at Stocksee in Germany. Her license to practice medicine was revoked in 1958. Hitler told a party leader in 1934: "The economic system of our day is the creation of the Jews".[262] Hitler said to Benito Mussolini that capitalism had "run its course".[262] Hitler also said that the business bourgeoisie "know nothing except their profit. 'Fatherland' is only a word for them."[263] Hitler was personally disgusted with the ruling bourgeois elites of Germany during the period of the Weimar Republic, who he referred to as "cowardly shits".[264] The Nazi Party Programme of 1920 guaranteed freedom for all religious denominations which were not hostile to the State and it also endorsed Positive Christianity in order to combat "the Jewish-materialist spirit".[207] Positive Christianity was a modified version of Christianity which emphasized racial purity and nationalism.[208] The Nazis were aided by theologians such as Ernst Bergmann. In his work Die 25 Thesen der Deutschreligion (Twenty-five Points of the German Religion), Bergmann held the view that the Old Testament of the Bible was inaccurate along with portions of the New Testament, claimed that Jesus was not a Jew but was instead of Aryan origin and he also claimed that Adolf Hitler was the new messiah.[208] In May 1943 the SS (Schutzstaffel, "Protective Echelon") announced the removal of all remaining Jews in the Netherlands. In a voluntary call-up on May 25, five hundred Jews voluntarily reported for deportation to Westerbork transit camp. The next day, raids were carried out and 3,000 people were rounded up. Most of these people were sent to the Sobibor extermination camp. About 107,000 Dutch Jews were deported during the war—only about 5,000 returned. Selections for transit were a regular feature at Westerbork. Each Monday evening a train of about 20 cattle wagons would arrive at the camp. A list of one thousand people would be compiled by the Jewish council, which was made up of leaders of the community appointed by the Nazis and forced to carry out the Nazis’ orders. Early on the Tuesday morning those selected would assemble for deportation. After a roll call, they would enter the trains, at least 50 to each wagon, a bucket of water at one end and an empty one for use as a toilet at the other. The doors would close before the train departed for the long journey to the intended destination. Though we tend to think of Hitler’s Germany as a highly regimented dictatorship, in practice Nazi rule was chaotic and improvisatory. Rival power bases in the Party and the German state competed to carry out what they believed to be Hitler’s wishes. This system of “working towards the Fuhrer,” as it was called by Hitler’s biographer Ian Kershaw, was clearly in evidence when it came to the concentration camps. The K.L. system, during its twelve years of existence, included twenty-seven main camps and more than a thousand subcamps. At its peak, in early 1945, it housed more than seven hundred thousand inmates. In addition to being a major penal and economic institution, it was a central symbol of Hitler’s rule. Yet Hitler plays almost no role in Wachsmann’s book, and Wachsmann writes that Hitler was never seen to visit a camp. It was Heinrich Himmler, the head of the S.S., who was in charge of the camp system, and its growth was due in part to his ambition to make the S.S. the most powerful force in Germany. Around the time of the failed offensive against Moscow in December 1941, Hitler resolved that the Jews of Europe were to be exterminated immediately.[332] While the murder of Jewish civilians had been ongoing in the occupied territories of Poland and the Soviet Union, plans for the total eradication of the Jewish population of Europe—eleven million people—were formalised at the Wannsee Conference on 20 January 1942. Some would be worked to death and the rest would be killed in the implementation of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question.[333] Initially the victims were killed by Einsatzgruppen firing squads, then by stationary gas chambers or by gas vans, but these methods proved impractical for an operation of this scale.[334][335] By 1942 extermination camps equipped with gas chambers were established at Auschwitz, Chełmno, Sobibor, Treblinka, and elsewhere.[336] The total number of Jews murdered is estimated at 5.5 to six million,[244] including over a million children.[337] The ideology of Nazism brought together elements of antisemitism, racial hygiene and eugenics, and combined them with pan-Germanism and territorial expansionism with the goal of obtaining more Lebensraum (living space) for the Germanic people.[8] Immediately after the Nazi seizure of power in Germany, boycotts of German Jews and acts of violence against them became ubiquitous,[9] and legislation was passed excluding them from the civil service and certain professions, including the law.[10][a] Harassment and economic pressure were used to encourage them to leave Germany; their businesses were denied access to markets, forbidden to advertise in newspapers, and deprived of government contracts.[11] The Nazis were initially very hostile to Catholics because most Catholics supported the German Centre Party. Catholics opposed the Nazis' promotion of compulsory sterilization of those whom they deemed inferior and the Catholic Church forbade its members to vote for the Nazis. In 1933, extensive Nazi violence occurred against Catholics due to their association with the Centre Party and their opposition to the Nazi regime's sterilization laws.[212] The Nazis demanded that Catholics declare their loyalty to the German state.[213] In their propaganda, the Nazis used elements of Germany's Catholic history, in particular the German Catholic Teutonic Knights and their campaigns in Eastern Europe. The Nazis identified them as "sentinels" in the East against "Slavic chaos", though beyond that symbolism, the influence of the Teutonic Knights on Nazism was limited.[214] Hitler also admitted that the Nazis' night rallies were inspired by the Catholic rituals which he had witnessed during his Catholic upbringing.[215] The Nazis did seek official reconciliation with the Catholic Church and they endorsed the creation of the pro-Nazi Catholic Kreuz und Adler, an organization which advocated a form of national Catholicism that would reconcile the Catholic Church's beliefs with Nazism.[213] On 20 July 1933, a concordat (Reichskonkordat) was signed between Nazi Germany and the Catholic Church, which in exchange for acceptance of the Catholic Church in Germany required German Catholics to be loyal to the German state. The Catholic Church then ended its ban on members supporting the Nazi Party.[213] The Nazis argued that free market capitalism damages nations due to international finance and the worldwide economic dominance of disloyal big business, which they considered to be the product of Jewish influences.[246] Nazi propaganda posters in working class districts emphasised anti-capitalism, such as one that said: "The maintenance of a rotten industrial system has nothing to do with nationalism. I can love Germany and hate capitalism".[261] Officials and lawyers in the Third Reich were also intrigued by anti-miscegenation statutes, because the policing of sex was necessary to cleanse the Aryan race. Hitler, who had been largely asexual during his crucial years as a failing painter in Vienna, was obsessed with sex and blood. The United States at the time was a global leader in banning mixed marriages, going so far as to criminally punish those who defied the law. (Many of these laws were not struck down in the United States until the Supreme Court’s 1967 Loving v. Virginia case.) The Prussian Memorandum explicitly invoked U.S. laws that promoted segregation to maintain racial purity, and the sexual morality of white women in particular. Similarly, the third Nuremburg Law expressly forbid marriages and extra-marital relations between Germans and Jews, and promised hard labor in prison for law-breakers. The more one reads about the American and Nazi fixation on race, the more evident it becomes that at the very core of racist ideology is a primal fear of sexual inadequacy, of pollution, of mixing. Racial nationalism, the ideology of the Nazis, took this idea to its logical end. Hitler had the final say in both domestic legislation and German foreign policy. Nazi foreign policy was guided by the racist belief that Germany was biologically destined to expand eastward by military force and that an enlarged, racially superior German population should establish permanent rule in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Here, women played a vital role. The Third Reich's aggressive population policy encouraged "racially pure" women to bear as many "Aryan" children as possible. Categories: Anne Frank1929 births1945 deaths20th-century Dutch women writers20th-century German historians20th-century German women writersAuschwitz concentration camp prisonersChild writersChildren who died in Nazi concentration campsDeaths from typhusDutch childrenDutch civilians killed in World War IIDutch diaristsDutch historiansDutch Jewish people who died in the HolocaustGerman childrenGerman civilians killed in World War IIGerman diaristsGerman emigrants to the NetherlandsGerman Jewish people who died in the HolocaustGerman women historiansHistorians of fascismJewish emigrants from Nazi GermanyJewish historiansJewish children who died in the HolocaustJewish women writersPeople of the Weimar RepublicPeople who died in Bergen-Belsen concentration campPeople who lost German citizenshipStateless peopleWomen diaristsWomen in World War IIWriters from AmsterdamWriters from Frankfurt In 1963, Otto Frank and his second wife, Elfriede Geiringer-Markovits, set up the Anne Frank Fonds as a charitable foundation, based in Basel, Switzerland. The Fonds raises money to donate to causes "as it sees fit". Upon his death, Otto willed the diary's copyright to the Fonds, on the provision that the first 80,000 Swiss francs in income each year was to be distributed to his heirs. Any income above this figure is to be retained by the Fonds for use on whatever projects its administrators considered worthy. It provides funding for the medical treatment of the Righteous Among the Nations on a yearly basis. The Fonds aims to educate young people against racism, and loaned some of Anne Frank's papers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington for an exhibition in 2003. Its annual report that year outlined its efforts to contribute on a global level, with support for projects in Germany, Israel, India, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[105] After the death of President Hindenburg on 2 August 1934, Hitler merged the offices of party leader, head of state and chief of government in one, taking the title of Führer und Reichskanzler. The Chancellery of the Führer, officially an organisation of the Nazi Party, took over the functions of the Office of the President (a government agency), blurring the distinction between structures of party and state even further. The SS increasingly exerted police functions, a development which was formally documented by the merger of the offices of Reichsführer-SS and Chief of the German Police on 17 June 1936, as the position was held by Heinrich Himmler who derived his authority directly from Hitler.[86] The Sicherheitsdienst (SD, formally the "Security Service of the Reichsführer-SS") that had been created in 1931 as an intraparty intelligence became the de facto intelligence agency of Nazi Germany. It was put under the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) in 1939, which then coordinated SD, Gestapo and criminal police, therefore functioning as a hybrid organisation of state and party structures.[87] The invasion conquered a huge area, including the Baltic states, Belarus, and west Ukraine. After the successful Battle of Smolensk in September 1941, Hitler ordered Army Group Centre to halt its advance to Moscow and temporarily divert its Panzer groups to aid in the encirclement of Leningrad and Kiev.[117] This pause provided the Red Army with an opportunity to mobilise fresh reserves. The Moscow offensive, which resumed in October 1941, ended disastrously in December.[118] On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Four days later, Germany declared war on the United States.[119] I think this should stay on school book lists because some kids these days see the Holocaust as something that happened a long time ago that is meaningless now, without realizing that genocides and racial motivated violence still happens every day. I think it seems to them like just another thing they have to learn about along with The Hundred Years War and the Crusades. The prisoners’ camp routine consisted of many duties. The daily schedule included waking at dawn, straightening one’s sleep area, morning roll call, the trip to work, long hours of hard labor, standing in line for a pitiful meal, the return to camp, block inspection, and evening roll call. During roll call, prisoners were made to stand completely motionless and quiet for hours, in extremely thin clothing, irrespective of the weather. Whoever fell or even stumbled was killed. Prisoners had to focus all their energy merely on surviving the day’s tortures. Following Operation Barbarossa, the Soviet Union was also plundered. In 1943 alone, 9,000,000 tons of cereals, 2,000,000 tonnes (2,000,000 long tons; 2,200,000 short tons) of fodder, 3,000,000 tonnes (3,000,000 long tons; 3,300,000 short tons) of potatoes, and 662,000 tonnes (652,000 long tons; 730,000 short tons) of meats were sent back to Germany. During the course of the German occupation, some 12 million pigs and 13 million sheep were taken. The value of this plunder is estimated at 4 billion Reichsmarks. This relatively low number in comparison to the occupied nations of Western Europe can be attributed to the devastating fighting on the Eastern Front.[297] Food was in short supply in the conquered areas of the Soviet Union and Poland, as the retreating armies had burned the crops in some areas, and much of the remainder was sent back to the Reich.[120] In Germany, rations were cut in 1942. In his role as Plenipotentiary of the Four Year Plan, Hermann Göring demanded increased shipments of grain from France and fish from Norway. The 1942 harvest was good, and food supplies remained adequate in Western Europe.[121] In the decades since its liberation, Auschwitz has become a primary symbol of the Holocaust. Historian Timothy D. Snyder attributes this to the camp's high death toll and "unusual combination of an industrial camp complex and a killing facility", which left behind far more witnesses than single-purpose killing facilities such as Chełmno or Treblinka.[272] In 2005 the United Nations General Assembly designated 27 January, the date of the camp's liberation, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.[273] Helmut Schmidt visited the site in November 1977, the first West German chancellor to do so, followed by his successor, Helmut Kohl, in November 1989.[274] In a written statement on the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation, Kohl described Auschwitz as the "darkest and most horrific chapter of German history".[275] The two largest groups of prisoners in the camps, both numbering in the millions, were the Polish Jews and the Soviet prisoners of war (POWs) held without trial or judicial process. There were also large numbers of Romani people, ethnic Poles, Serbs, political prisoners, homosexuals, people with disabilities, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholic clergy, Eastern European intellectuals and others (including common criminals, as the Nazis declared). In addition, a small number of Western Allied aviators were sent to concentration camps as punishment for spying.[28] Western Allied POWs who were Jews, or who were suspected of being Jews by the Nazis, were usually sent to ordinary POW camps; however, a small number of them were sent to concentration camps because of antisemitic policies.[29]	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8300
__label__wiki	0.998425	0.998425	Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello break Spotify record Buddy Iahn \| June 24, 2019 \| Pop News “Señorita” breaks record for Spotify’s Biggest Male/Female Duet debut GRAMMY nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes and GRAMMY nominated Cuban born multi-platinum singer/songwriter Camila Cabello released their joint single, “Señorita,” Friday, June 21st via Island Records. The song achieved instantaneous success worldwide rocketing to No. 1 on Spotify’s Global chart as the biggest single-day debut of a male/female duet ever. The video garnered 50 million YouTube streams in the first 48 hours of release while trending No. 1 around the globe. Other notable chart No. 1’s include Spotify US Chart, iTunes, Apple Music Pop and Apple Music’s Top Videos. Throughout his career, Mendes has achieved three consecutive No. 1 album debuts, two platinum albums, and eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum singles. Worldwide, he has sold over 16 million albums, 135 million singles, and has amassed over 20 billion song streams and six billion YouTube views. Mendes has completed two sold out world tours with over one million tickets sold, selling out legendary stadiums and arenas including NYC’s Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena in minutes. On his upcoming tour, Shawn Mendes: The Tour, he sold out his first ever stadium show in minutes at Rogers Centre in his hometown of Toronto. The tour began in March 2019, with over 100 dates announced across the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Australia/New Zealand. He topped Billboard’s “21 Under 21” in 2017 and 2018 and has been featured on Forbes “30 Under 30,” Spotify’s “25 Under 25,” and Time Magazine’s “Time 100 Most Influential”. In February 2018, ROI Influencer Media recognized Mendes as the No. 1 Most Influential Artist and No. 1 Most Influential Teen across all social media platforms. Beginning her official solo career after four years in Fifth Harmony, Cabello released her RIAA 9x platinum smash hit “Havana,” in August 2017 where it obtained the No. 1 spot on the pop radio chart, marking her second top 40 No. 1 as a solo artist. Furthermore, “Havana” hit No. 1 on iTunes overall top songs chart, No. 2 on the Spotify Global chart and hit No. 1 in 80 countries around the world. “Havana” is the first song by a female artist to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary, Pop Songs and Rhythmic Songs charts in 22 years, it has earned over 1.1 billion on-demand U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music, and attained the longest run at No. 1 on Pop Songs for any song by a female artist since 2013. “Havana” became the most streamed song of all time by a female artist and was the number one song of 2018 globally. Her triple-platinum single “Never Be The Same,” was released in January 2018 and peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Cabello became the first artist in history to have two multi-format No. 1 singles as the first two singles from their debut album. Cabello had previously earned a chart-topping smash with her recent double platinum-certified hit “Bad Things” with MGK. The track generated over 400 million on-demand streams. As a result of its success, she became the fifth female artist to hit No. 1 on the pop songs chart with and without a group. In November 2018, Cabello was named the new ambassador for Save the Children. Britney Spears announces new Park Theater Las Vegas residency B-52’s gear up for 40th anniversary tour Full list of Record Store Day releases announced Little Big Town teams with Pharrell on ‘Wanderlust’	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8303
__label__wiki	0.647913	0.647913	The Nerve Africa Continental Africa digital news brand providing reporting & analysis on the new economy, access to growth information, connected thinking and innovation in Africa. The Partner Center Angelina Rascouet Tullow to pump first oil from Ghana’s TEN Project early August Jul. 27 2016, 8:39 am Jul. 27 2016, 9:40 am The oil ship Prof John Evans Atta Mills is seen moored off the coast of the port of Takoradi, Ghana, July 14, 2016. REUTERS/Matthew Mpoke Bigg Tullow Oil Plc’s new project off Ghana will produce its first oil early next month after more than three years of development, cementing the company’s footprint in the African country. Production of oil at TEN — also known as the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme project — will start early August, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Output should gradually increase to 80,000 barrels a day by the end of this year, it said. The Africa-focused explorer reported a net income of $30 million in the first half from a net loss of $68 million a year earlier, while net debt rose almost a third to $4.72 billion. “The start of production from the TEN field in early August will be transformational for the group,” Tullow Chief Executive Officer Aidan Heavey said in the statement. The new project will allow the company “to significantly increase our net production and begin the process of deleveraging our balance sheet.” The TEN project adds to Tullow’s flagship Jubilee field, also located off Ghana. Production there dipped to 62,900 barrels a day in the first half following a technical issue on its floating production, storage and offloading vessel, or FPSO. Output from Jubilee averaged 102,600 barrels a day last year, before the issue appeared. The start of TEN comes after oil prices fell by more than half in the past two years amid an oversupply. Brent, the global benchmark, is trading at $44.77 a barrel, compared with more than $115 in June 2014. TEN is the biggest project to start up in Africa so far this year and one of the largest new developments in the world, Martin Kelly, senior analyst for Sub-Saharan Africa for Wood Mackenzie, said by e-mail Monday. Also working on the TEN project with Tullow are Kosmos Energy Ltd. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp., each with a 17 percent interest. Ghana National Petroleum Corp. has a 15 percent stake and South Africa’s PetroSA holds 3.8 percent, according to Tullow’s website. Tullow and its partners have spent about $4.9 billion on the development of TEN. Last month, Tullow cut its West African production guidance for 2016 to 62,000 to 68,000 barrels a day from a previous forecast of 73,000 to 80,000. Output will be lower than expected because of the shut down to address a faulty turret on the Jubilee FPSO. The installation of a new mooring system to resolve the problem will also halt production in the first half of next year, the company said. The total for this year includes an average contribution of 11,000 barrels a day from TEN, the company said. Shares of Tullow gained 20 percent so far this year, making it the third-best performer on the Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas Index. In Empire The Nerve Africa is an Africa focused growth information and digital news service that produces multi-perspective, simplified, engaging and high quality reportage on the new economy for smart African professionals and a global community interested in Africa. <% if ( post.featured_media > 0 ) { %>	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8304
__label__cc	0.706171	0.293829	The Saints' Pub Happy Hour for the Soul Catholic Living Things to Check Out HomePosts tagged 'pope paul vi' Cliffs Notes on ‘Return to Form’ March 15, 2017 March 31, 2017 The Saints' Pub Mass benedict xvi, cliffs notes, extraordinary form, novus ordo, pope paul vi, Summorum Pontificum There is a wonderful essay on First Things by Martin Mosebach, translated from the original German published last December. It discusses the true meaning of “reformation” as in “returning to form” when it comes to the liturgy of the Roman Rite. It then describes the chaos and upheaval that took place in the wake of the Second Vatican Council paired with Bl. Pope Paul VI’s changes to the Mass. It’s long but worth reading. For those who have trouble reading things online longer than 140 characters, I have attempted to shorten it with a TSP Cliffs Notes™ (emphases mine): Return to Form \| Martin Mosebach Great forms are characterized by their ability to outlive the age in which they emerge and to pursue their path through all history’s hiatuses and upheavals. The Greek column with its Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian capitals is such a form, as is the Greek tragedy with its invention of dialogue that still lives on in the silliest soap opera…Among the Greeks, tradition stood under collective protection. The violation of tradition was called tyrannis—tyranny is the act of violence that damages a traditional form that has been handed down. One form that has effortlessly overleaped the constraints of the ages is the Holy Mass of the Roman Church… …For the rite that came from late antique Mediterranean Christianity was not “relevant” in the European Middle Ages, nor in the Baroque era, nor in missionary lands outside Europe. The South American Indians and West Africans must have found it even stranger, if possible, than any twentieth-century European who complained that it was “no longer relevant”—whereas it was precisely among those people that the Roman Rite enjoyed its greatest missionary successes. When the inhabitants of Gaul, England, and Germany became Catholic, they understood no Latin and were illiterate; the question of the correct understanding of the Mass was entirely independent of a capacity to follow its literal expression. The peasant woman who said the rosary during Mass, knowing that she was in the presence of Christ’s sacrifice, understood the rite better than our contemporaries who comprehend every word but fail to engage with such knowledge because the present form of the Mass, drastically altered, no longer allows for its full expression. …The [Second Vatican] council had upheld the Roman Rite for the most part and emphasized the role of Latin as the traditional language of worship, as well as the role of Gregorian chant. But then, by order of Paul VI, liturgical experts in their ivory towers created a new missal that was not warranted by the provisions for renewal set forth by the council fathers. This overreaching caused a breach in the dike. In a short time, the Roman Rite was changed beyond recognition. …When Pope Benedict had the greatness of soul to issue Summorum Pontificum, he not only reintroduced the Roman Rite into the liturgy of the Church but declared that it had never been forbidden, because it could never be forbidden. No pope and no council possess the authority to invalidate, abolish, or forbid a rite that is so deeply rooted in the history of the Church. Not only the liberal and Protestant enemies of the Roman Rite but also its defenders, who in a decades-long struggle had begun to give up hope, could barely contain their astonishment. Everyone still had the strict prohibitions of countless bishops echoing in their ears, threats of excommunication and subtle accusations…Benedict XVI did even more: He explained that there was only a single Roman Rite which possesses two forms, one “ordinary” and the other “extraordinary”—the latter term referring to the traditional rite. In this way, the traditional form was made the standard for the newly revised form… There can be no question that the council fathers regarded the Roman Canon as absolutely binding. The celebration of the liturgy ad orientem, facing eastward to the Lord who is coming again, was also uncontested by the majority of council fathers. Even those who undertook the Pauline reform of the Mass and who swept aside the will of the council fathers didn’t dare touch this ancient and continuous practice. It was the spirit of the 1968 revolution that gained control of the liturgy and removed the worship of God from the center of the Catholic rite, installing in its place a clerical-instructional interaction between the priest and the congregation. The council fathers also desired no change in the tradition of church music. It is with downright incredulity that one reads these and other passages of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, for their plain sense was given exactly the opposite meaning by the enthusiastic defenders of post-conciliar “development.”… While still a cardinal, [Benedict] let it be known that the demand for celebration of the Eucharist versus populum, facing the congregation, is based in error. He endorsed the scholarly work of the theologian Klaus Gamber, who provided proof that never in her history, aside from a very few exceptions, had the Church celebrated the liturgy facing the congregation… One of the most important consequences of the Second Vatican Council has been the destruction of the organizational structure of the Church by the introduction of national bishops’ conferences, something entirely alien to classical canon law. This diminishes the direct relationship of each individual bishop to the pope; every Vatican intervention in local abuses shatters when it hits the concrete wall of the respective bishops’ conference. This is what happened recently when the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship called for a return to the celebration of the Eucharist ad orientem. …the greatest achievement of Pope Benedict, at least in a liturgical sense, will remain Summorum Pontificum. With this instrument he accorded the Roman Rite a secure place in the life of the Church, one protected by canon law. The places where the Tridentine Mass is celebrated today have multiplied. The traditional Roman Rite can now be celebrated in proper churches, which causes many people to forget the cellars and courtyards where those who loved the ancient rite long maintained a fugitive existence. The number of young priests with a love for the Tridentine Mass has increased considerably, as has the number of older priests who have begun to learn it. More and more bishops are prepared to celebrate confirmation and holy orders according to the old rite. The time has come to set aside a widespread assumption in the Catholic Church that the liturgy and religious education are in good hands with the clergy. This encourages passivity among the faithful, who believe that they do not have to concern themselves with these matters. This is not so. The great liturgical crisis following the Second Vatican Council, which was part of a larger crisis of faith and authority, put an end to the illusion that the laity need not be involved. The laity of today differs from the laity of forty years ago. They had precise knowledge of the Roman Rite and took its loss bitterly and contested it. The young people who are turning to the Roman Rite today often did not know it as children. They are not, as Pope Francis erroneously presumes, nostalgically longing for a lost time. On the contrary, they are experiencing the Roman Rite as something new. It opens an entire world to them, the exploration of which promises to be inexhaustibly fascinating. The Catholic religion with its high number of believers has actually become the most unknown religion in the world, especially to its own adherents. While there are many Catholics who feel repelled and offended by the superficiality of the new rite as it is frequently celebrated today, by the odious music, the puritanical kitsch, the trivialization of dogma, and the profane character of new church buildings, the gap that has opened up in the forty years between the traditional rite and the new Mass is very deep, often unbridgeable. Summorum Pontificum makes priests and the laity responsible for the Roman Rite’s future—if it means a lot to them. It is up to them to celebrate it in as many places as possible, to win over for it as many people as possible…The odium of disobedience and defiance against the Holy See has been spared them by Pope Benedict’s promulgation, and they are making use of the right granted them by the Church’s highest legislator, but this right only has substance if it is claimed and used. The law is there. Perhaps it is even good that, despite Summorum Pontificum, the Tridentine Mass is still not promoted by the great majority of bishops. If it is a true treasure without which the Church would not be itself, then it will not be won until it has been fought for. Its loss was a spiritual catastrophe for the Church and had disastrous consequences far beyond the liturgy, and that loss can only be overcome by a widespread spiritual renewal…This is the trial by fire that all reformers worthy of their name had to endure. The Roman Rite will be won back in hundreds of small chapels, in improvised circumstances throughout the whole world, celebrated by young priests with congregations that have many small children, or it will not be won back at all. Recapturing the fullness of the Church’s liturgy is now a matter for the young…The revolution that was to disfigure the Mass cast a long shadow ahead of itself…In many countries, the liturgical architecture of the rite was obscured or even dismantled. There were silent Masses during which a prayer leader incessantly recited prayers in the vernacular that were not always translations of the Latin prayers, and in a number of places Gregorian chant played a subordinate role. Those who are twenty or thirty today have no bad habits of these sorts. They can experience the rite in its new purity, free of the incrustations of the more recent past. The great damage caused by the liturgical revolution after Vatican II consists above all in the way in which the Church lost the conviction with which all Catholics—illiterate goatherds, maids and laborers, Descartes and Pascal—naturally took part in the Church’s sacred worship. Up until then, the rite was among the riches of the poor, who, through it, entered into a world that was otherwise closed to them. They experienced in the old Mass the life to come as well as life in the present, an experience of which only artists and mystics are otherwise capable. This loss of shared transcendence available to the most humble cannot be repaired for generations, and this great loss is what makes the ill-considered reform of the Mass so reprehensible. It is a moral outrage that those who gutted the Roman Rite because of their presumption and delusion were permitted to rob a future generation of their full Catholic inheritance. It has been observed that the Roman Rite has an especially strong effect on converts, indeed, that it has even brought about a considerable number of conversions. Its deep rootedness in history and its alignment with the end of the world create a sacred time antithetical to the present, a present that, with its acquisitive preoccupations, leaves many people unsatisfied…The Catholic religion is, in the words of T. S. Eliot, a “philosophy of disillusionment” that does not suppress hope, but rather teaches us not to direct our hope toward something that the world cannot give. The liturgy of Rome and, naturally, Greek Orthodoxy’s Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom open a window that draws our gaze from time into eternity. Read the rest at First Things. ☩ Teacher’s Note Urging Family Time Over Homework Goes Viral August 23, 2016 October 4, 2017 The Saints' Pub export, Family education, family, pop culture, pope paul vi Making waves on the internet today is a letter a second grade teacher sent home with her new students. She states that she will not be assigning her students any homework for the year asking, rather, the parents do things that are “proven to correlate with student success”. She suggests parents make sure to eat dinner as a family, read with their children, play with them outside and make sure to set a reasonable bed time. I think one of the reasons this letter is resonating are a few things: It’s refreshing when an educator recognizes the importance of parental judgement. This goes against the common narrative that mainstream educators are quick to ignore anything with the whiff of traditional family activity. This expressly fights back against the modern plague of parents who don’t care to do those ‘extra things’ in family life that benefit children so much–in mind, body, and soul. Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators. This role in education is so important that only with difficulty can it be supplied where it is lacking. Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which the well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered. Hence the family is the first school of the social virtues that every society needs. -GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS (10-11), Bl. Pope Paul VI ☩ Cliffs Notes on Humanae Vitae November 26, 2014 April 19, 2016 The Saints' Pub Culture of Life birth control, cliffs notes, encyclical, pope paul vi Human Life. That’s a pretty bold title. It’s what the latin phrase humanae vitae means in English. Humanae Vitae was an important and controversial encyclical when it was released in 1968 by Pope Paul VI even though it was simply making clear a centuries-old Christian teaching. It is even more important and more controversial now. Humanae Vitae (HV) discusses the Church teaching on the regulation of birth. The encyclical was released at the time artificial birth control was first becoming popular in the United States to make sure Catholics knew where the Church stood on the subject. It reiterates that it stands on the side of life and family. Birth rates just a decade earlier were around 3.7 children per woman according to the National Center for Health Statistics. As the popularity and availability of artificial birth control grew, birth rates plummeted to about 1.8 by the time HV was written (the rate just to replace the population is 2.1 children per couple). Since bottoming out at around 1.7, we have yet to rebound above the important 2.1 children-per-couple average (these numbers are children per woman, meaning that children per couple are likely much less). An entire article could be written on the economic problems this drop in birthrate causes. We can look to Europe for a glimpse of our future; there is far less emphasis on (any) religion, birth rates are even lower, and the economy is spiraling out of control. But this blog post isn’t about the dire economic effects artificial birth control has contributed and is contributing to. This post is to point out some of the best parts of HV. HV shows us that the Church isn’t the anti-woman and anti-sex organization the popular media makes it out to be. HV shows us that the Holy Church loves women, sex and life so much that they consider it wrong to only enjoy parts of each. Catholics love and respect sex more than any other group of people in the world! Young married couples (or those planning on ever getting married) should really take a look at some of the following key points even if they don’t have the time or desire to read the entire 15-page paper. I will interject some thoughts below a few passages, others I’ll let speak for itself. All direct quotes from HV will be slightly grey and italicized, any comments I make will be normal black text below the HV passage. We will begin with the first sentence of HV: Section 1, Paragraph 1 The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. We must approach our married life with this on our minds. We are becoming a “co-creator” with the…Creator. ‘Creating’ life is the most sacred thing we can do–we are mimicking what He is when we carry our “likeness” of Him into our actions. Sec 7, Par 1 The question of human procreation, like every other question which touches human life, involves more than the limited aspects specific to such disciplines as biology, psychology, demography or sociology. It is the whole man and the whole mission to which he is called that must be considered: both its natural, earthly aspects and its supernatural, eternal aspects. We all love science (another thing Catholics may love more than any other group, despite the pop culture’s incorrect narrative). It is our way of discovering the order behind the universe. It is our longing to understand how God works. However, when we are dealing with human life, we cannot simply reduce what we are attempting to discover into a sterile experiment. We cannot carelessly push buttons to see what happens. When a human soul is involved we must be particularly careful that we do nothing to disrupt the inherent dignity of life. Cutting a tree in half to study how old it is is different than cutting a human in half to study how food is digested. Obviously that hyperbole is ridiculous. But why is it ridiculous? Because the human spirit is involved. Just as we cannot be careless with a human life, we cannot be careless with the sacred way human life is created. We must be thoughtful with the use of our bodies rather than reducing our bodily actions down to our primal desires. God’s Loving Design …husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives. “I’m gonna make you so perfect tonight.” — “I love it when you talk like that.” Spouses perfect one another. When two people make a marriage covenant between them and The Father, they do more than finish each other’s sentences. They finish each other’s bodies! When each of their bodies becomes perfected by the other, it becomes, well, perfect, it becomes whole, it becomes…one. No, I’m not quoting a Spice Girls song, I’m talking about the ‘one’ being a baby. A new human life. Married Love This love is above all fully human, a compound of sense and spirit. It is not, then, merely a question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will, whose trust is such that it is meant not only to survive the joys and sorrows of daily life, but also to grow, so that husband and wife become in a way one heart and one soul, and together attain their human fulfillment. Whoever really loves his partner loves not only for what he receives, but loves that partner for the partner’s own sake, content to be able to enrich the other with the gift of himself. We must strive to hold nothing back when we love our spouse. Married love is also faithful and exclusive of all other, and this until death. This is how husband and wife understood it on the day on which, fully aware of what they were doing, they freely vowed themselves to one another in marriage. […] The example of countless married couples proves not only that fidelity is in accord with the nature of marriage, but also that it is the source of profound and enduring happiness. The “nature of marriage” comes from natural law. When the unseen laws of nature are obeyed, joy and happiness will follow. Just as pain will follow if you try to break the physical law of gravity by jumping off a building, pain will surely follow if you break natural law and choose the path of infidelity with your spouse. It is not confined wholly to the loving interchange of husband and wife; it also contrives to go beyond this to bring new life into being. “Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents’ welfare.” New couples must understand that there is no marriage without being open to life. Marriage exists for the purpose of being the keystone to a family. It exists for procreation and building civilization. Responsible Parenthood Sec 10, Par 1 Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in the matter of responsible parenthood… With regard to the biological processes, responsible parenthood means an awareness of, and respect for, their proper functions. With regard to man’s innate drives and emotions, responsible parenthood means that man’s reason and will must exert control over them. We are called to control our drives and emotions. If we couldn’t control our desires, we wouldn’t be much better than an animal. We should avoid any man-made pill or medicine that attempts to block the natural outcome of our actions when a human life is involved. We must not desensitize ourselves to the absolute importance of true love and responsible self-giving. Now don’t get me (or Jesus) wrong, we must absolutely, without a doubt, fully enjoy sex with our spouses. We just must make sure it’s an act of complete self-giving. We must know that there’s more to the sex package than a wild and exhausting night with your wife (that’s a lot of it, but not ALL of it)! Just as we should feel free to enjoy eating food, we must realize if we eat ONLY for pleasure, while ignoring its ability to sustain life, we’re going to become fat asses and have physical problems. Full disclosure: I enjoy food too much and am arguably a fat ass. Again, just as we know the outcome when we try to ignore our physical laws, there are negative outcomes when we ignore natural laws. Wow, I just accidentally teed this up perfectly for the encyclical’s next subtitle. Observing the Natural Law It does not, moreover, cease to be legitimate even when, for reasons independent of their will, it is foreseen to be infertile. For its natural adaptation to the expression and strengthening of the union of husband and wife is not thereby suppressed. The fact is, as experience shows, that new life is not the result of each and every act of sexual intercourse. God has wisely ordered laws of nature and the incidence of fertility in such a way that successive births are already naturally spaced through the inherent operation of these laws. Faithfulness to God’s Design But to experience the gift of married love while respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather the minister of the design established by the Creator. Unlawful Birth Control Methods …to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. Equally to be condemned, […], is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary. Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation Hard Choices: the pill lasts all month and subsidized by taxpayers, but the colorful condoms are soooo cute Recourse to Infertile Periods If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have just explained. The Church recognizes there are some situations where spacing births is the responsible thing to do while also understanding the joy and intimacy of sex is important to a healthy spousal relationship apart from its life-giving capabilities. External circumstances might be a dire money situation. People must be very careful with this circumstance because it’s used as one of the main excuses of young people today, “well, I just don’t have that much money saved up yet”. A child keeping you from buying a new riding mower isn’t a good reason. It should only be a reason if another child would pull you below the poverty line in your respective culture (Dr Taylor Marshall writes about it here). Another external circumstance would be social disorder like living in a country with concentration camps, one-child polices and so on. Neither the Church nor her doctrine is inconsistent when she considers it lawful for married people to take advantage of the infertile period but condemns as always unlawful the use of means which directly prevent conception, even when the reasons given for the later practice may appear to be upright and serious. [An] effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection. Does this sound familiar? Men viewing women as objects–objects than can be thrown away at the end of a fun night? Pope Francis would describe this as part of the “throwaway culture” we should avoid. You’d think modern-day feminists would be against something that allows a man to reduce a woman to a simple, soulless instrument of “getting off”. Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. I think this is a very important and real consideration. In America, we’re free to have a family that’s open to life but some countries that’s not so. Other countries have forced sterilizations or one-child polices (social disorder). These methods of man-made family “control” (read: Planned Parenthood) are becoming so commonplace, we’re expected to pay for it by our taxes through things like Obamacare. It is to be anticipated that perhaps not everyone will easily accept this particular teaching. There is too much clamorous outcry against the voice of the Church, and this is intensified by modern means of communication. In preserving intact the whole moral law of marriage, the Church is convinced that she is contributing to the creation of a truly human civilization. She urges man not to betray his personal responsibilities by putting all his faith in technical expedients. In this way she defends the dignity of husband and wife. The right and lawful ordering of birth demands, first of all, that spouses fully recognize and value the true blessings of family life and that they acquire complete mastery over themselves and their emotions. For if with the aid of reason and of free will they are to control their natural drives, there can be no doubt at all of the need for self-denial. Only then will the expression of love, essential to married life, conform to right order. This is especially clear in the practice of periodic continence. Self-discipline of this kind is a shining witness to the chastity of husband and wife and, far from being a hindrance to their love of one another, transforms it by giving it a more truly human character. […] For it brings to family life abundant fruits of tranquility and peace. It helps in solving difficulties of other kinds. It fosters in husband and wife thoughtfulness and loving consideration for one another. It helps them to repel inordinate self-love, which is the opposite of charity. It arouses in them a consciousness of their responsibilities. […] As their children grow up, they develop a right sense of values and achieve a serene and harmonious use of their mental and physical powers. True love is the giving of one’s self, right? To give someone something you must fully own it first, you must be in control and have ownership of yourself. How can you control or own yourself if you’re unable to practice any sort of self-denial. If your life is made up from a series of innate bodily reactions to desires, you have no control over yourself and are in no position to truly love somebody else. Recourse to God Then let them implore the help of God with unremitting prayer and, most of all, let them draw grace and charity from that unfailing fount which is the Eucharist. If, however, sin still exercises its hold over them, they are not to lose heart. Rather must they, humble and persevering, have recourse to the mercy of God, abundantly bestowed in the Sacrament of Penance. In this way, for sure, they will be able to reach that perfection of married life which the Apostle sets out in these words: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. . . Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. […] “let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Sec 29, Par 1, 2, 3 Now it is an outstanding manifestation of charity toward souls to omit nothing from the saving doctrine of Christ; but this must always be joined with tolerance and charity, as Christ Himself showed in His conversations and dealings with men. For when He came, not to judge, but to save the world, was He not bitterly severe toward sin, but patient and abounding in mercy toward sinners? Husbands and wives, therefore, when deeply distressed by reason of the difficulties of their life, must find stamped in the heart and voice of their priest the likeness of the voice and the love of our Redeemer. […]Teach married couples the necessary way of prayer and prepare them to approach more often with great faith the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance. Let them never lose heart because of their weakness. Always persevere, always strive, always evangelize, and “be not afraid!” is what I take from this final section. Men, partake in God’s image as you are called, be open to creation and life. Women, see to it that the man in your life treats you like the dignified soul that you are–you have the ability to carry life and that should be respected rather than avoided. The Catholic Church reveres vessels of life. The ciborium (contains consecrated hosts), the tabernacle, the chalice, and women all are vessels of life. All vessels of life are sacred. We veil what is sacred. This is why the ciborium and tabernacle, which contain Christ’s living body, is always tented or veiled. This is why the chalice of Christ’s living blood is always covered. This is why women (traditionally) would wear veils to Mass. All of these are vessels containing life. All of these are sacred. And all of these should be treated as such. Now go give your spouse a big wet kiss, put the kids to bed early, and open up a can of creation! Remember that to be ‘pro-life’ means more than being against abortion. It means being completely open and in favor to, as St. JPII put it, the ‘Culture of Life’. “Birth Control is a name given to a succession of different expedients by which it is possible to filch the pleasure belonging to a natural process while violently and unnaturally thwarting the process itself.” -GK Chesterton Enter your email address to new posts by email. 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__label__cc	0.587922	0.412078	The South Lawn It's all about the grassroots, y'all. Tag: The News Guild Labor by roqchams Nov 10, 20179:42 am Pay Your Goddamn Writers The last thing I thought to myself this morning after checking my email was, “oh great, another excuse from these fuckers.” In August, I was published by ELLE Magazine, and as of this moment in time I still haven’t been paid by that august publication. Since the article went up, I’ve dedicated a small portion of each day to sending out emails trying to find out why ELLE Magazine, whose editor-in-chief has a net worth is estimated to be around $3 million, has yet to deposit $325 into my bank account. These days, writing is a precarious endeavour. It is made so in my case by non-staff employment, better known as freelancing. This is reflective of the exploitative relationship between writers and the publications they work for. When you are a freelancer, getting paid for the work you do becomes a second job in and of itself; you’re sending countless emails to dozens of people over weeks, months, and (in some cases even) years just to get paid for the labor you did. “This is how it is,” they tell you. And so, you bite your tongue and hope that your bank account doesn’t overdraft, and that your part time job doesn’t cut your hours. The emails do no good, and soon it becomes clear that, despite your cordiality, your demands for updates are being ignored. In talking with, two friends in the same boat as me, I found out they were waiting to be paid some $3,500 in back pay from an outlet that offered us $150 or less for 800+ words. We would all whisper in the background about how enraging and humiliating it was, that not only were we being paid so little but that we had to wait months for the scraps that we got. “If we go public we’ll get blackballed,” we say to each other, and it’s true. There’s an unspoken threat that hangs over this tiring process, one whispered to writers that they shouldn’t make noise about being screwed on their pay, especially not the kind of noise that involves naming the publications that make them wait to get paid. At least, if we ever want to get published again. On top of it, people who aren’t writers think that dragging them on social media with a name and shame will get a publication to immediately stop fucking people like us on their pay. This is ludicrous. If anything, you’d be seen as an inconvenience or nuisance, and it may result in you being offered less work. It’s mind boggling that publications, as big as they come, expect writers to wait for whatever meager pay we manage to fight for while they reap the fruit of our labor. What’s more, these kinds of shitty pay practices only serve to cut off working class writers from media work. People whose families come from money, or have supportive partners with steady employment, then have the luxury to keep pitching to these exploitative publications while those of us who are trying to write for a living lose time for writing to doing other jobs or our bills go unpaid. This is, in part, how the media sorts out working class voices and oversamples those from privileged backgrounds. Websites such as Who Pays Writers highlight not only the number of publications that offer abysmal wages, but just how pervasive late payments, and non-payments are in this industry. What’s horrifying is that writers are not asking for anything even remotely unreasonable. We need to be paid in a reasonable amount of time for the work that these publications build their brands on. And it should go without saying that paying someone for work done months afterward is pretty damn far from reasonable. Despite this occurring as a matter of habit for a lot of publications, it is not acceptable and should be treated as a kind of theft. While things like accounting and responding to invoices are not easy services to provide, any publication that can’t manage to do this isn’t organized enough to deserve to profit from the labor of the writers it publishes. The only way to address this epidemic of wage theft is through collective action, and the way has already been marked out. In September of this year, The Nation magazine and the National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981 signed an agreement about how freelance writers would be treated by The Nation. The agreement included minimum payments, kill fees, and a guarantee that freelancers would be paid within thirty days of an invoice being submitted. As those on staff at publications of the online media continue to organize under the auspices of WGA East and The News Guild, freelancers must take up the fight as well to fight for the basic dignity that the NWU’s agreement with The Nation represents. I should not have to send ELLE Magazine nearly 20 emails in order to get a straight answer out of them as to when I’m going to get $325 for an article that has made them more than that. It’s safe to assume that these same editors wouldn’t accept the type of exploitative relationship writers are so commonly forced into were it their paycheck we’re talking about. The piece I wrote for ELLE came with a deadline, so why can’t they meet my deadline for payment? Pay your goddamn writers. And pay them on fucking time. Continue reading Pay Your Goddamn Writers	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8307
__label__cc	0.537659	0.462341	Meet the man fighting to save Strathclyde’s Pro-Life society ‘The rights of one person can never trump the rights of another’ Ruth Munro This week, Strathclyde University banned a Pro-Life society from setting up an official affiliation with the university, due to a “violation of their safe-space policy”. Jamie McGowan, a law student, has been a member of ‘Strathclyde Students for Life’ for over a year. He’s one of two men in the six strong Pro-Life campaign group, who are currently locked in a bitter dispute with university officials. “Right now we just meet when necessary. In a coffee shop or something, because we’re not allowed to have an actual room to meet.” They are calling for the university to overturn the ban and grant them use of their own space, so they can invite speakers and open up the abortion debate on campus. According to Jamie, since his society isn’t harming or harassing anyone, they are entitled to have their voices heard. When I speak to Jamie, it’s clear he’s been asked these questions time and time again, and his responses are eloquent – if slightly rehearsed. You can’t blame him: when you’re standing against current legal rulings and a majority, there’s no room for inconsistency. Jamie’s views on abortion were shaped by being taken into care at a very young age. “Despite that we all came into the world from horrid familial circumstances, we all live valuable lives”, he tells me. You can read Jamie’s views in full below. Can you tell us a bit more about your personal views on abortion? “We can determine quite concisely that life begins at the moment of conception, where the sperm and egg meet to form a ‘zygote’. This small human organism is ‘living, distinct and whole’. ‘Living’ in how it exists, ‘distinct’ by its DNA – which tells us about its human features, such as hair colour, eye colour, skin tone, gender etc. – and also ‘whole’ in how it grows separately from the mother, rather than being part thereof. “Medically, we can understand this to be a human being. Thus, when it comes to abortion, we are not talking about one body in particular; we are talking about two human beings, or perhaps more. The firm principle is that the rights of one person can never trump the rights of another; no person’s life is more valuable that anyone else’s.” Should a woman not have the right to choose? “Let me clarify; this is not meant to be an assault on women and their liberties or choices. Women are perfectly able to make decisions about their own bodies, but when it could bring harm to another human being, that is where there are problems. We cannot consider this an issue which is only centred on women – there is more scope than that. Taking away the choice thus is not about removing liberties from women, but about protecting human dignity. “The Pro-Life movement is about campaigning to ensure women are offered a better option than abortion. This can be done by helping women in crisis pregnancies, offering them financial help, housing, counselling, clothing, baby toys, nappies – you name it. We are trying to convince society that there is a better option than abortion, by creating a equality-based culture of life which fosters both women and children.” What are your views on abortion in the instance of sexual assault? “For rape, things are unimaginably difficult. But the rhetoric here is generally that a child should not have to pay for its father’s crime. The issue is, of course, that neither should the mothers have to suffer. Yet, the firm principle about human life from conception is brought into play; the child is already conceived. “By no means is life going to be easy for either the mother or the child, but in honesty I think it would be foolish to think abortion would solve the issue either. “If I could give a personal perspective, I grew up in some tragic circumstances and was placed in care. I lived with children who had been conceived in rape. Their circumstances were particularly difficult, but their lives were of no less worth than mine. “It is an extremely difficult situation and we must handle it with extreme care. Nonetheless, I would still say that abortion is still the greater of two evils in this case.” Can you tell us a bit more about your upbringing? “I didn’t come from circumstances which were exactly fortunate. My father wanted nothing to do with me and my mother was an alcoholic. She struggled greatly to take care of me, and indeed this had an adverse effect on me when I was very young. But I’m forever grateful for the love and devotion she showed me, despite her illness. She was a caring woman, and whilst her addiction brought problems, it did not stop her being my mother. “When I was taken into care however, it was easy to see that other children had been through much worse than me; physical or sexual abuse, emotional neglect and even some had been conceived in rape. “Yet, what perhaps sticks with me is that, despite that we all came into the world from horrid familial circumstances, we all live valuable lives. Some of the people I grew up with are living amazing lives now. Some were not so fortunate. Some are not even with us anymore. Yet, all the same, growing up in care forced me to realise that a poor quality of life does not mean that life itself can ever be hopeless or without worth.” What about any foetal complications? “I think disability-based abortions are absurd. They are a form of extermination. I cannot support any kind of abortion that might discriminate against disability, gender or race. However, if we are talking about cases where a mother’s life is in dangerous, the same compassionate attitude has to be taken as I mentioned in the cases of rape. “I cannot think it in any case ethically correct for a human to intervene and voluntarily take the life of another; be it the mother or the child. I suppose it becomes a case of trusting in the course of nature from that regard. “It must also be said that a lot of the time when doctors predict that a mother may not survive the pregnancy, these predictions are found to be incorrect. I am trying to convey this argument with as much logic and reasoned opinion as I can, because I know these issues involve a great measure of compassion. “Greater medical developments must be encouraged to prevent these situations. But what must be recognised is that often fatal foetal abnormalities are often misdiagnosed, and abortion becomes more of a precautionary measure thus.” At a cellular level a zygote is a human being, but it is unknown whether it possesses sentience or not. “Creating memories, emotions and being sentient are not necessarily what make us human. There are human beings who, unfortunately, are unable to create memories or display emotions. Yet nonetheless, they are fully considered to be human beings, despite what you might say about their quality of life. “Human life cannot be assessed by its quality, it’s not a subjective thing. If we are assessing the medical facts of the situation, then yes, I am ascertaining than a one day old zygote is scientifically considered to be a distinct human being, as much as you and I might be. Literally one in a million. “I do not think in any case, it is okay for a human being to take the life of another; the rights of one person cannot trump the rights of another. The idea of utilitarian ethics are scarily taking control of abortion and embryology, and we are hitting a slippery slope of weighing human life by its merits rather than its simple existence.” You have been vocal in the press about Strathclyde’s Students’ Association’s decision not to affiliate with the Pro-Life society. “A university should be the crucible of free thought, and it must be a place where we can address all societal issues in an academic manner. They denied us this opportunity because they want to protect students, which sounds quite honourable, but in reality they are creating a blockade to true academic freedom. “I think there is far more at stake here. When we silence the opinions of others, we risk creating reactionary politics. Democracy must survive on challenge, opposition and reasoned discussion; and this must be reflected in our educational institutions if we are to form people for the real world. That’s actually why I joined the Pro-Life society in particular. Jamie concludes the interview by reflecting on his personal upbringing. “I was lucky enough to be taken into an amazing family and looked after in a loving home – and I am grateful every day for my family for the support and care they give me. I feel like the Pro-Life message applies here. It’s about giving chances.” The Tab will be bringing you more on the Pro-Life debate at Strathclyde in the coming days.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8308
__label__wiki	0.900853	0.900853	Photo courtesy of DYNE Chris Bevans The guy behind the guy Chris Bevans is the go-to design icon behind some of the world’s biggest athletic apparel brands — How come no one has ever heard of him? By Jill Hudson @ESPNStyleWriter The first face to face came in a huge banquet hall in the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. Two legends — one a soft-spoken fashion guy, the other a reclusive “straight outta Oakland, California” sports god — agreed to meet before the Seattle Seahawks’ away game against the Washington Redskins. It was a brisk October day in 2014, and Marshawn Lynch, who was still the Seahawks’ explosive and controversial running back, had agreed to meet Chris Bevans, the freelance designer who is a current Nike consultant, to discuss taking Lynch’s Beast Mode brand to the next level. Bevans and his business partner, Mitch Grossbach, president of MJGFashion, the New York-based fashion brand-building company, took a meeting with Lynch to suss out and fine-tune the million little creative details that were somewhere in the player’s brain. Grossbach recalled the meeting this way: “So, Chris starts asking Marshawn questions, ‘So, tell me what colors do you respond to? When you go to dinner, what you like to wear? What length sleeve do you like? When you work out, how do you like your pants to fit?’ Chris shows him pictures on the laptop — he’s always really prepared for these kinds of meetings — and he’s showing jackets and coats, everything. And all the while, he was honing in on Marshawn’s taste. “Athletes and stars have a lot of style sometimes, but they’re helped by stylists a lot. Or maybe they can’t articulate it in a way to build a brand around it. Chris didn’t try to impose his likes and dislikes on Marshawn; he’s more like an architect asking a client what they want in a custom-built house. He’s asking questions and paying attention to the answers. ‘Do you like your jackets like this? Pharrell likes to wear his jackets just a bit over-sized.’ Chris really has such credibility because the people who have worked with him previously are huge names: Puffy [Sean Combs], LeBron [James], John Legend, Roger Federer. The list goes on and on. He has a certain manner that’s very gentle and humble, and he very quickly became a real design partner with Marshawn.” The banquet hall gods must have been happy with the meeting. Beast Mode apparel was really born that day. “Marshawn is such an entity unto himself,” Bevans said. “It’s exciting to work with him because he’s incredibly open and honest about what he doesn’t want. As long as you keep him in the loop, he’s very appreciative about what you bring to the table. “It’s great to see him in his element in that Beast Mode universe in the store,” he continued. “He’s so faithful to Oakland and his fan base in Seattle. He has fans all around the world that continue to be interested in his story. “Everyone has their own Beast Mode story, whether it’s Instagram moms who are really into working out hard or meatheads or skaters. We all have to get in — and stay in — Beast Mode to make things happen.” On a recent sweltering afternoon, Bevans sits at an industrial-looking table in the The News showroom in Manhattan, New York, that he uses as the East Coast home for his high-tech menswear company, DYNE. Three long racks of colorful samples from the spring 2017 collection hang behind him. He’s in another meeting, this time with another set of business partners, both of whom have recently returned from the company’s gated factory two hours south of Hong Kong. Bevans asks for opinions about the technical challenges of bonding eco-friendly performance textiles on their state-of-the-art machines. Outside of Asia, DYNE is available online and has a cult following among hardcore athletes who admire modern details like weather resistance and near-field connectivity. If Nike and Adidas are the Audi sedans of sports apparel brands, DYNE is a Mercedes Benz G-Class SUV: sleek, expensive, tough and cooler-than-you stylish. The clothes are also fully immersed in wearable (and washable) technology. Jackets, coats and pullovers are all embedded with near-field communication chips, which wearers can scan with a smartphone to take them to a platform that explains everything about the DYNE brand, right down to the music playing in the showroom. DYNE is available online and in specialty outlets such as the luxury department store Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and other cities in China, and Isetan Men’s in Tokyo, where it is sold alongside elite collections like Adidas Y-3, NikeLab, Alexander Wang, adidas Originals White Mountaineering and Acronym. But the 2-year-old DYNE is only one of the journeyman designer’s many, many gigs (“I’m half-Jamaican so I have plenty job, gal,” Bevans said to a reporter.) — many of which are headed by some of the brightest names in U.S. professional sports. Bevans, who is married and has a daughter, also oversees the creative and design direction of several other apparel companies — many of which have big names, big money and (one assumes) very big egos attached to their brands. Bevans is the rare brother in the world of fashion who is broad-gauged like no other. His experience ranges from billion-dollar corporate design rooms at Nike to scrappy urban upstart brands and ghost designing for athletes, retired and current. He is the consummate multitasker whose particular set of skills aren’t restricted to styling clothes for photo shoots and celebrities’ public appearances. Ten good minutes spent with Bevans, and it’s pretty obvious why megastars such as Lynch, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, and artists Kanye West and A$AP Rocky are drawn to the 43-year-old design icon. Bevans knows corporate America, the connected worlds of international sports, fashion and entertainment, and how to harness the power of social media to push a brand toward its fullest potential. “Any brand would be blessed to be able to get someone like Chris,” Grossbach said. “He’s arguably one of the best designers in the world in this performance wear space. Companies such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are keeping an eye on DYNE and pursue him all the time. “Chris is one of the most talented guys in the design world because he knows how to translate someone’s point of view into something tangible and have it be an authentic expression,” Grossbach continued. “I spend a lot of time working with high fashion designers, and they are very good at conceiving a collection and having it walk down the runway. But that’s a very different thing than translating ideas into a brand. He’s a tremendous listener, which most fashion designers are not. They are great at listening to themselves; they’re not necessarily interesting in collaborating with others.” In an era when fashion designers need to be nimble, Bevans has the journeyman work experience that makes him easy to place. DYNE is a niche business that appeals to the avant-garde cognoscenti who appreciate tech-performance gear. Cutting edge designers Rick Owens and Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbourne of Public School have the same rare-air approach to fashion design that transcends typical streetwear. “Every athlete, entertainer and design house wants him, even though he’s too humble to tell you that himself,” Grossbach said. And there are still more side projects: He’s an alum of the Director’s Fellow program at the prestigious MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is active fellow under Joi Ito in the areas of wearable technologies and fabrics; he’s creative director for Everybody Fights, a cross fit-style boxing gym in the Boston area (started by boxer-turned-businessman George “Monk” Foreman III and Anthony Rich) and design director for Spiritual Gangster, a yoga apparel company based in Irvine, California. In an era when fashion designers need to be nimble, Bevans knows how to translate his — and someone else’s — point of view into a tangible brand. Bevans’ family moved from Brooklyn to Rochester, New York, when he was in elementary school. His mother is Jamaican, and his father, who worked for Kodak, is from Belize. Bevans learned to run a sewing machine and cut patterns from his seamstress grandmother and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York after working as an apprentice tailor in high school. His core business early on was making bespoke suits for performers like John Legend, Daryl Hall and The Roots. Bevans moved to Portland, Oregon, to work for Nike, where he was design director for Global Urban Apparel and helped conceive tennis star Roger Federer’s “RF” tennis logo, worked on NBA star LeBron James’ earliest collections and lead the 25th anniversary of Nike’s Air Force 1 campaign. “I’m not sure if [Nike] realized who they’d actually hired because I don’t dress ‘urban’ at all,” Bevans said with a laugh. “I got in there and they were like, ‘Maybe he’s not urban enough.’ But the timing was right because we were looking to do something that was completely different from what people think streetwear apparel is. “ ‘Urban’ means nothing, anyway,” he added. “We all know white kids in the suburbs who know more rap lyrics than any black kid who lives in the city. And I’m not listening to rap music all day.” After his stint at Nike (where he is still a consultant), Bevans could take his pick of any design gig he wanted. He worked for Sean John, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream apparel, Head Tennis and Marc Ecko. Bevans exudes a macho yet nice guy vibe, and displays none of the fashion-y extraness of many high-end designers. He is an avid watcher and player of sports, especially soccer and tennis, the game which spawned his first star crush, the late Arthur Ashe. “I just love his persona, him being a black man in a white man’s game,” Bevans said. “His style of play was so graceful and off the court. He didn’t shy away from talking about difficult social issues of the time, and it just made me fall in love with that person.” There are some designers who are just keeping their head focused on their own brand, but Grossbach said that’s not stimulating enough for Bevans. “DYNE is elegant and chic and high performance and technical and beautifully done, but I think he’d get restless if he only did that one thing,” he said. “But if DYNE didn’t work, which would really surprise me, he’d have more opportunities than he’d know what to do with.” Jill Hudson is the senior style writer for the Undefeated. She is an evolved nerd, a caffeinated shoe fanatic, and a maker of long lists and perfect martinis. This Story Tagged: Chris Bevans Marshawn Lynch NFL Nike Seattle Seahawks Style	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8309
__label__wiki	0.866669	0.866669	How Secretive Money Is Influencing the Judicial System By Alicia Bannon Bannon is Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and author of the report “Who Pays for Judicial Races?: The Politics of Judicial Elections 2015-16.” Federal courts get the most attention, especially during the whirlwind, vetting-abandoning Trump Administration. But there is cause for deep concern about what is happening to the powerful yet less visible state judicial system. In a new report, we found that secretive interests have begun making unprecedented efforts to influence state supreme courts, with worrying implications for judicial independence and integrity. Thirty-eight states elect their supreme courts. Usually the final word on interpreting state law, these courts can make or break major legislation (including, in recent years, striking down tort reform, education funding schemes and the death penalty), condemn businesses to success or failure, protect or harm workers or the environment and, crucially, frame the argument around cases that could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. We give state supreme court justices this power with the understanding that they will sit outside the worst excesses of electoral politics — and endeavor to treat us all as equals in the eyes of the law. That independence is increasingly difficult to maintain. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision empowered outside interests to make congressional races multi-million dollar contests — and many of the same interests have now also flooded state supreme court elections at record levels, and impacted more justices and courts than ever before. In the 2015–‘16 cycle, 27 justices were elected in races that cost more than $1 million. The previous high was 19 justices in 2007–‘08. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania set an all-time national spending record for state supreme courts: the key swing state attracted $21.4 million in 2015, with control of its court up for grabs. The money is mostly going to television advertisements — and unlike ads funded by the candidates themselves, they are strikingly negative in tone. In a disconcerting but hardly anomalous example from Washington state, one group funded an ad criticizing a justice seeking reelection as “enabling child predators.” That accusation referred to his participation in a 5-4 decision that police had not given adequate warning in searching a private home without a warrant. That the search was related to the possession of child pornography had no connection, legal or otherwise, to the justice’s decision. Most voters know next to nothing about individual justices, so these sound bites are often the only piece of information they have when casting a vote — and can manipulate someone into supporting a candidate who has the exact opposite belief as they do. We also scoured — for the first time — state and federal campaign finance databases to identify the donors underlying supreme court election spending — and found a staggering amount of money from secret sources. More than half of all the outside spending in 2015–‘16 supreme court races was “dark money,” cash that comes from groups that conceal their donors. Another 28% was “gray money,” from groups that layer their spending in a way that can conceal their original donors from even the most persistent reporters or advocates. This means that a business with a case before the court, or a national group pursuing an ideological goal out of step with the state’s voters, has a host of concealed spending channels available. This ensures voters will remain in the dark about who is investing in boosting certain candidates while attacking others. When we were able to follow the money trail, we found that spending on supreme court races typically comes, not surprisingly, from those who frequently are subjects of state court cases — sometimes with high-stakes cases before the very judges they are supporting. In Louisiana, for example, a race for a single seat on the state supreme court attracted nearly $5 million in spending. Much of that money came from oil and gas companies and plaintiffs’ lawyers on opposite sides in lawsuits that will determine whether these companies will have to pay for environmental remediation due to past drilling. This arms-race spending gives wealthy interests tremendous power to influence the composition of state courts. And an expanding body of research suggests that while judges are supposed to decide cases based only on their understanding of what the law requires, the pressure to please donors or avoid nasty attack ads can have an impact — whether unconscious or not — on judicial rulings. If the post–Citizens United landscape presents an existential threat to judicial independence, what can be done to stem the tide of money politicizing our courts? First off, states are long overdue to reconsider the use of judicial elections in the first place. Judicial elections were introduced in the nineteenth century as a reform, responding to concerns that judges were too closely tied to the political actors who appointed them. But with the rise of money-drenched judicial races, elected judges are now more, not less, tied up in the rough and tumble of politics. But even within elected systems, more targeted reforms can also yield significant improvements. Strengthening recusal rules so that judges can’t hear cases involving major campaign supporters would reduce potential conflicts of interest. Shoring up disclosure laws would ensure that even if outside interests can’t be stopped from spending millions on attack ads, voters would know who was behind those ads — and what those interests hope to achieve. Public financing can also give judicial candidates the opportunity to run competitive races without needing to fundraise from special interests. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts observed in a 2015 case, “Judges are not politicians, even when they come to the bench by way of the ballot.” It remains to be seen whether that can still be the case in an age of million-dollar judicial elections.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8311
__label__wiki	0.987953	0.987953	These Awards Show Hosts Also Won During the Ceremony They Hosted By Raisa Bruner Updated: January 6, 2019 9:28 PM ET \| Originally published: January 3, 2019 Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg hosted the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 6, taking the reins following Seth Meyers‘ turn in the spotlight last year. As shown during a brief montage during the ceremony, both Oh and Samberg have had success at previous Globes ceremonies: Oh won a prize in 2006 for her performance as Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy, and Samberg took home a trophy in 2014 for his work in the series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And on Sunday night, Oh won a Golden Globe for her role in the critically-acclaimed TV show Killing Eve, in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series: Drama category. When Oh won, she joined a starry but small lineup of entertainers who have snagged prizes during the same evening that they’re responsible for hosting the event itself. At the Golden Globes, bagging trophies as a host is a very rare occurrence: the Globes only made a practice of having hosts at all in the last decade, and only one of those has managed a same-evening win. It’s similarly unusual for Academy Awards hosts. The Emmys, meanwhile, has a better track record for nominated hosts. From Amy Poehler to Candice Bergen, here are the awards show hosts who won awards during the ceremony they hosted. Actress Amy Poehler, winner of Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for "Parks and Recreation", posing at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Frank Trapper—Corbis via Getty Images Amy Poehler and Tina Fey co-hosted the Golden Globes in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Poehler was nominated in 2012, 2013 and 2014 for her work in the beloved series Parks and Recreation — and finally won in 2014, taking home the trophy for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series: Musical or Comedy. (Fey was also nominated for 30 Rock when she was hosting, and although she won three Golden Globes for the show, none of them were awarded during her hosting years.) Actress Candice Bergen attends the 42nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 16, 1990 at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. Ron Galella, Ltd.—WireImage In 1990, Candice Bergen co-hosted the Emmys with Jay Leno and Jane Pauley. She won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Murphy Brown. Actor Bruce Willis attends the 39th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 1987 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. Bruce Willis was the host of the 1987 Emmys, during which he took home the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for Moonlighting. Tom Selleck at the 36th Annual Emmy Awards with his winning trophy. When Tom Selleck hosted the Emmys in 1984, he also won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for Magnum, P.I. Edward Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight holding their Emmy Awards in the press room at the 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on May 17, 1976 at The Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles, California. ABC Photo Archives—ABC via Getty Images Mary Tyler Moore co-hosted the 1976 Emmys with John Denver and won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her self-titled show. Winner of his first Emmy for "I Spy" is Bill Cosby, here being congratulated by his wife Camille at the Americana Hotel. New York Daily News Archive—NY Daily News via Getty Images Bill Cosby and Danny Kaye were co-hosts for the Emmys in 1966, when Cosby also took home the prize for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series, for I Spy. (Last September, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for sexual assault.) Actor Don Knotts with his Emmy trophy at the 15th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. NBC—NBC via Getty Images In 1963, Annette Funicello and Don Knotts co-hosted the Emmys. Knotts won that night for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor, for The Andy Griffith Show. Anchors with awards for The Huntley-Brinkley Report television show (1956-1970). Bettmann—Bettmann Archive One of the 1962 Emmys hosts, David Brinkley, had a self-titled show that won a programming award that year. The three top Emmy winners pose proudly with their trophies. (Left and right) Raymond Burr, Barbara Stanwyck, and Fred Astaire were honored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for outstanding television shows. Emmys host Raymond Burr won Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series in 1959, for Perry Mason. US entertainer Bob Hope shown in photo dated 20 March 1953 kissing the Oscar he received for Special Honors at the Academy Awards show in Hollywood. Joe Rustan—AFP/Getty Images Bob Hope, a frequent Academy Awards host, received a number of honorary awards over the years, including one in 1940 and another in 1959 — which also happened to be years he hosted the Oscars. Actor David Niven holding his Best Actor Oscar for the film 'Separate Tables', at the 31st Academy Awards, Los Angeles, April 6th 1959. Archive Photos—Getty Images One of a group of cohosts at the 1959 Oscars that included Bob Hope, Tony Randall, Mort Sahl, Laurence Olivier and Jerry Lewis, Niven took home the prize for Best Actor for his performance in Separate Tables, besting Sydney Poitier and Paul Newman that year. Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8312
__label__wiki	0.94904	0.94904	Max Verstappen has signed a new contract with Red Bull which keeps him with the team until 2020. The 20-year-old has impressed since moving into Formula One for the 2016 season, and became the youngest grand prix winner with his victory in Spain last year. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: "We are delighted that Max has agreed to extend his contract with Red Bull Racing. "We had a phenomenal start together in Spain last year and Max has only pushed on from there. It was a great moment for the whole team to see him put the frustrations of this season behind him in taking that fantastic victory in Malaysia last month." Verstappen, who claimed his first victory of the season in Malaysia last month, was due to be a free agent at the end of next season. But Red Bull's move to sign the Dutchman up for an additional three years puts an end to the theory that he would move to Mercedes or indeed Ferrari in 2019. "Red Bull has always shown their faith and belief in me with actions," Verstappen said. "They invited me in to the young driver programme as a 16-year-old, then giving me my start in Formula One when I was just 17, and then the opportunity to race with Red Bull Racing where I had such a dream start with this team. "They have always backed me and my ambition and I know we share that ambition. "Their support, from the guys and girls in the factory through to the crew in the garage, no matter what plays out on the race track, has always been 100 per cent. "We've also had some fun times. I'm very happy to commit further to Red Bull Racing and I'm looking forward to working together to enjoy more success in the years to come."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8313
__label__wiki	0.622998	0.622998	Guam's Governor Is Happy With Trump's 'Fire and Fury' Comment @LeahBarkoukis Posted: Aug 10, 2017 11:10 AM While some politicians—Democrat and Republican alike—believed Trump’s “fire and fury” comments regarding North Korea did more to exacerbate tensions with Pyongyang than they did to help, the governor of Guam said he’s glad the president spoke the way he did. "As far as I’m concerned, as an American citizen, I want a president that says that if any nation such as North Korea attacks Guam, attacks Honolulu, attacks the west coast, that they will be met with hell and fury," said Gov. Eddie Calvo during an interview on "Tucker Carlson Tonight." "This is similar to Hawaii," he added. "So it’s important that as we make decisions that those folks that are in a position of leadership that they understand, too, that war is the last option because not only will tens of thousands of American military forces and dependents be affected by a regional war but because the western Pacific has American soil in it, a couple hundred thousand Americans could get caught in the cross hairs." North Korea announced its plans Wednesday to target Guam by launching four intermediate-range missile that would land in the sea around the U.S. territory. “The Hwasong-12 rockets to be launched by the KPA [Korean People’s Army] will cross the sky above Shimani, Hiroshima and Koichi prefectures of Japan,” said a statement attributed to General Kim Rak Gyom, head of North Korea’s strategic forces. “They will fly for 3,356.7 km for 1,065 seconds and hit the waters 30 to 40km away from Guam.” Calvo discussed the defense systems in place in case of an attack and stressed the need “to be strong, but at the same time be calm.” “I’ve had enough briefings with the military, there’s a multilayered defense starting from Korea, Japan as well as in the western pacific as well as our assets here in Guam with the THAAD missile defense system that American communities will be protected," Calvo said.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8315
__label__wiki	0.710093	0.710093	GO ART! members embrace snow for annual show BATAVIA — While weather forecasters are predicting a greener winter than usual, die-hard fans of the white stuff can get their fill at the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council’s annual holiday art show. “Winter Moments,” opens at the GO ART! satellite gallery in the Batavia Senior Center on Friday with a reception as part of the Christmas in the City celebration in downtown Batavia. Visitors can stop in the Bank Street gallery between 5 and 6:30 p.m. to view work by various artists with a winter theme. The show features the work of 7 local artists rendered in acrylics and watercolor, as well as digital images. With titles like “First Snowfall,” “Ice on Branch,” and “Snow Hill, Big-Horned Sheep,” there’s no mistaking that this exhibit is “perfect for the season,” according to Jen Gray, interim director of the arts council. An additional exhibit featuring about 30 works by local artist Denniston K. Wood will be hung in the group’s Main Gallery. Wood, who passed away recently, was an active member of the Batavia Society of Artists. “Dennis’s show is a stand-alone show in essence, while serving as an extension of our Winter Show,” Gray said. A well-known local artist, the as-yet-untitled show is an homage to Wood’s life’s work. “This is more than just an exhibit of paintings, as it highlights Dennis’s work as a designer, teacher, and arts advocate,” Gray said. “We’ll have a lot of memorabilia on display, so the exhibit is more like a visual timeline of everything he’s been a part of.” A separate reception for Wood’s show will be scheduled later in December. “Winter Moments” is open to the public from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Batavia Senior Center, 2 Bank St. The work of Denniston K. Wood can be viewed during regular hours from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at GO ART, 201 E. Main St. For additional information, call (585) 343-9313, or visit www.goart.org.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8319
__label__cc	0.689302	0.310698	Tasmanian Devils Fight Cancer The Tasmanian Devil is today’s largest known marsupial mammal; which is not saying much, barely two feet long aside from tail. Hunted to extinction, these tiny fierce predators remain today on the island of Tasmania. They form extended social networks, fighting, mating, and eating entire carcasses down to the bone–a tidy habit that actually endears them to Tasmanian farmers. Considered an iconic symbol and attractor of tourists to Tasmania, the devil now enjoys the benefits of the Australian government’s Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. Like most charismatic mammals, the devil’s main enemy for survival has long been considered the humans who hunted them to near extinction. But in recent years, devils face an even more horrible foe: transmissible facial tumors, known as devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). First seen in 1996, the tumors disfigure the face in horrible ways that I prefer not to show here, but you can find them all over the internet. What is unusual about these tumors is that the cancerous tissue actually transmits like a pathogen to other animals, typically during fighting, which the little carnivores spend a lot of time doing. Why does the cancer spread? Apparently because the devil populations have such low diversity that their immune systems fail to recognize the tumor cells as foreign. The tumor spreads so fast that most devils get infected and eventually die of organ failure or starvation. Overall the population has declined by 90%. Will the devil go extinct? Surprisingly, the answer appears to be no. A new study by an international research team, including Brendan Epstein and Andrew Storfer from Washington State U, focuses on a few isolated populations of devils that seem to be holding their own (pink disks below). This map (Figure 1) shows the steady advance of the disease across Tasmania, and the sites of surviving populations. The authors of the study reasoned that any devil populations having survived the near-100% fatality rate of DFTD must have undergone selection for specific gene mutations that confer resistance to the tumors. Sure enough, the animals’ sequenced genomes reveal fascinating mutations. In the genomes, seven DNA regions were found that showed high frequency for particular alleles (variant versions of a gene). These regions are “known to science” because they share similarity with the DNA of all mammals, who share a common ancestor. Five of these seven regions encode proteins that are associated with cancer prevention or the immune system, as studies in other mammals. For example, protein CD146 is known as “melanoma adhesion molecule.” This protein functions in normal cell cycle and adhesion (attachment to other cells) as well as regulation of the immune system that prevents cancer. Another protein is known as a “proto-oncogene,” that is, a gene that can mutate to cancer–but ordinarily protects from cancer. Presumably, the mutant version of these proteins somehow protects the individual devils from the tumors that came close to exterminating them. The authors title their work, “Rapid Evolutionary Response to a Transmissible Cancer in Tasmanian Devils.” The case shows an unusually sped up version of the evolutionary arms race that faces all living things; how to out-live that which threatens survival and reproduction. The recent finding is good news for devils–and may also shed light on cancer prevention in related species, including our own. ← Smart as a Duck Nose Snot Antibiotic → Fred Ditmars permalink Thank you, very interesting. Makes me wish I’d had followed a science track like Erick ashen I went to college Hillary Rettig permalink This has always been a really awful story but I’m glad they’re finding pockets of disease resistance. Are there other examples of transmissible cancers? That sounds so horrible. Joan S. permalink* Yes, there are very rare cases in humans, and a long-standing one in dogs. Transmissible cancer usually involves a compromised immune system. What is interesting in the case of the devils is that they actually evolved some changes in the immune system to resist the cancer.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8321
__label__wiki	0.695824	0.695824	Spoiler-Level: Low. There are two ways to approach a viewing of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the impressive new adaptation of John le Carré's 1974 novel about espionage and cold-war paranoia, and one of them is far more rewarding than the other. Previously adapted in a superb 1979 BBC mini-series starring Alec Guinness, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy concerns the hunt for a Soviet double-agent in the highest echelons of the British intelligence service. In this version, expertly directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In), the story opens with Control (John Hurt), the head of the agency MI6 (aka "the Circus"), sending an operative to Budapest as part of a plan to uncover a mole. When the mission goes terribly wrong, Control is forced into retirement, along with his number-two man, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). Some time later, however, Smiley—whose own obsoletion makes him the most trusted man available—is recruited back to the Circus to head up the investigation and discover which of his former colleagues is the traitor Control suspected. The prime suspects are the four senior men in MI6: Alleline (Toby Jones), Haydon (Colin Firth), Esterhase (David Dencik), and Bland (Ciaran Hinds). What follows is an austere, melancholy chess game of subtle moves played for global stakes. The 1979 version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had seven hours to unfold the complicated plot of le Carré's novel: this film has two, and thus the adaptation by Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan necessarily compresses the story in a way that does the novel justice but allows little room for investment in the outcome. (The ultimate resolution of the mystery, for example, is inevitably something of an anti-climax: though the actors playing the various suspects are all wonderful, we are not really provided the time and space to get to know the characters well enough to be emotionally concerned about any one character's ultimate guilt or innocence.) So the least rewarding way to approach Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is as a mystery or thriller: attempting to figure out "whodunit"—let alone trying to follow the investigation down the labyrinthine conversational corridors that lead us to the culprit—is an exercise in headache-inducing frustration and ultimate futility. I'm not saying it can't be done—the story does, in the end, make sense—but the effort of doing so will almost certainly destroy your enjoyment of the film. Forget popping out mid-film to relieve your bladder: I found myself concentrating so feverishly on every word spoken that I was afraid to sneeze lest I become completely lost. (During one critical scene, I missed a few seconds of the film's dialogue—the couple behind me began talking, no doubt asking one another for clarification—at which point I felt I might as well give up on trying to follow the plot altogether.) In the end, of course, the puzzle is not the point, but the fact that the film inspires such furtive attention to detail is tremendously to its credit, because the real goal of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy—at which it succeeds perfectly—is to immerse us in this cold-war milieu of duplicity and paranoia. It is a world in which absolutely no one and nothing can be trusted, but in which everything—every gesture, every object, every fact or event—might have significance. Early in the film, for example, Jim Prideaux (an excellent Mark Strong) is meeting a potential defector in an outdoor cafe in Budapest, and Alfredson achieves almost unbearable tension by putting us in the point of view of the nervous agent. Both Prideaux and Alfredson's camera notice every single thing around the cafe: there is a woman with a baby; a car drives up; there is an old woman looking out a window; some shutters suddenly open on a nearby building; the waiter is sweating. It's a semiotician's nightmare: what matters? What information is vitally important to survival, what is coincidental, and what is just noise? So, while the plot is engaging and smartly constructed, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is best approached as a study of mood, period, and character: it captures—brilliantly—a peculiar era in history and a way of life that is almost unimaginable to most of us. What elevates le Carré above other spy novelists is that he is interested in espionage as a culture, and in what it means to live among people for whom lies, betrayal, and manipulation are simply second nature. This is no glamorous world of tuxedo-clad spies and high-tech gadgets: there are a few gunshots in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but nearly all the important plot developments occur in quiet conversations, and hinge on quick glances and furtive reaction shots. A handsome field operative (Tom Hardy) is the closest thing we have to a James Bond figure, but he is ultimately a pawn in a game he barely understands: the real players are a small group of mistrustful men in rumpled suits, a generation out of step and fighting to hold onto their dwindling power. First among these, of course, is George Smiley. In the novel, le Carré describes Smiley as unassuming to the point of invisibility: "Small, podgy, and at best middle-aged, he was by appearance one of London's meek who do not inherit the earth." Smiley is a brilliant spymaster, in part, because he goes unnoticed among the louder, more aggressively ambitious men around him. A silent watcher and thinker, Smiley is probably the smartest man in any room he's in, and he's all the more effective because he doesn't need other men to know it. Few actors would have been up to the challenge of this role after the indelible performance by Alec Guinness in the 1979 mini-series, but Oldman is a marvel of minimalism: in every scene, we see this incredible mind working behind the polite stare. We see, also, the failures of humanity that make men like Smiley so good at their jobs. Smiley's wife Ann has left him—after having an affair with one of his colleagues—and Oldman's face conveys both the pain of that loss and the recognition of its appropriateness. Ann, throughout the film, is only glimpsed from behind in flashbacks: even in memory she remains elusive, the representation of happiness and human connection that will forever elude men like Smiley, who are somehow incomplete and ill-suited to real human relationships. We see young Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), who plays Watson to Smiley's Holmes, forced to make a choice between his personal life and his job. We see the retired agent Connie Sachs (in a brief but fantastic performance by Kathy Burke), living alone in a boarding house, watching young people in love and longing for the glory days of her youth. ("I don't know about you, George," she says to Smiley, "but I feel seriously under-fucked.") And we see Hardy's young field operative, who is not smart enough to know when he's being used but is smart enough to know he doesn't want to become one of the men who are using him. "I want a family, thank you," he says, late in the film, when he's trying to get out of the Circus. "I do not want to end up like you lot." And—unspoken, but ever-present—there is the question of whether the sacrifices they've made have been worth it. ("Don't you think it's time to recognize that there's as little worth on your side as there is on mine?" one character recalls saying to his Soviet counterpart.) These are old men with schoolboy mentalities, desperately fighting to justify their lives and stay relevant in a game that has largely moved them off the board. This pervading mood of obsolescence is itself justification for this fine remake: when le Carré published the novel in 1974—and even when the 1979 TV adaptation was made—Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was a contemporary exploration of a British intelligence agency caught in the middle of an escalating cold war between the Russians and the Americans. Now, it's a poignant period piece, an impeccably realized recreation of an empire at the moment of decline, and of the white old men left to play against each other when the real game moved elsewhere. I look forward to watching Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy again, and on that second viewing I will not worry so much about keeping up with the details of the plot. Instead, I plan to luxuriate in the perfect, cigarette-stained, polyester-draped atmosphere of the film. (Much credit must go to director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema, who previously lensed Alfredson's Let the Right One In and David O'Russell's The Fighter. Van Hoytema paints Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in a palate of dull office grey and early-'70s green that perfectly suits this oppressive, depressive cold-war era.) And I will revel in the performances, particularly the preternaturally still enigma of Oldman's George Smiley. Gary Oldman has long been recognized as a fine actor, and yet his Smiley is a revelation: he embodies this complicated, decent, world-weary man completely. It is the kind of performance that seldom wins awards because it appears to be doing so little, but every clever machination of Smiley's mind is there in Oldman's eyes, and he wears on his face and body decades of shame, betrayal, and compromise. It's the role of a lifetime for Oldman, and far and away my pick for best male performance of the year. US (2019) GLORIA BELL (2019)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8323
__label__cc	0.737447	0.262553	underwaterweddingsandmore “Identify, Don’t Compare” A sermon preached at the White Plains Presbyterian Church on the Third Sunday Of Lent, March 11, 2012 Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday (on difference, privilege and marginalization) The Rev. Peggy Howland Genesis 16: 1-6 and Genesis 21: 1-21 Let us pray: Open our hearts, O God, to your Word and your will, that we may be taught by your Spirit, and be guided to think and act in ways that honor you. Amen. Have you ever seen your own story in the story of someone else? We call it IDENTIFYING with the other person’s experience. In the church in Yonkers where I was pastor for 20 years, there was a Saturday night Alcoholics Anonymous open meeting, which I occasionally attended. They always had two speakers from a visiting AA group, who told their personal stories. They called it “sharing their experience, strength and hope”. But first the Chairperson of the meeting would always say these words: “Identify, don’t compare.” He (or she) was telling them: Don’t say to yourself, Oh, that’s not ME. I’m better than that. Or, I’m worse than that. Instead, see the places where your own experience is like this person’s experience. See the places that are similar…. So that you can learn something about yourself, or see some possibility for yourself, some direction, or warning, or reminder, or hope…. I always found those stories helpful to me, even though I’ve never been an alcoholic, because I could identify with the humanness, the mistakes, the craziness, the wanting to escape reality, the necessity of asking for help, the opportunity for a second chance, and a changed life with the help of God and of caring people …. That’s how I read the Bible, too. Finding my story in the stories of the sinners and saints, the misfits and the redeemed, the people whose lives were changed by God, or whose lives were touched by Jesus, who followed the leading of God’s Spirit…. IDENTIFY, Don’t compare! Clothe yourself in their skin, walk a mile in their shoes, think what YOU would do – if you were in their situation. And perhaps you will understand the emotions and thoughts that you share with them, the struggles, the fears, the defenses you put up, the despair that paralyzes you, the faith that sustains you, the encounters with God that lift you up and set you on a new path, by God’s grace. NOT EVERYONE READS THE BIBLE OR LISTENS TO OTHER PEOPLE’S STORIES THIS WAY, identifying with the characters… It is very common for people to compare, instead of identify. To compare, as in – I’m not that bad, or – I would never do that! or – She should be ashamed of herself! Judging another, instead of seeking to understand the other, applying rigid rules, instead of compassion, pronouncing God’s condemnation on someone, speaking ill of another, even hating with righteous indignation and superiority. That’s in the Bible, too! Remember the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable? …. who compared himself to the tax collector, when both came to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood proudly and prayed, God, I thank you that I am NOT LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, or even like this tax collector, for I work at being Good and I follow your laws and do what is Right and Charitable. I thank you that I am not like that fellow over there. …. And the tax collector bowed and did not even lift his eyes up to heaven, but smote his breast in repentance, praying, “God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” The Bible says Jesus “told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt.” (Luke 18:9) That’s the secret of how to listen to people’s stories … IDENTIFY, don’t compare. Do we regard the storyteller with respect or with contempt? Do we regard certain classes of people as superior and other groups inferior? You see, the Bible, just like our life today, is full of the stories of people who are DIFFERENT from each other. There are rich and powerful people like Abraham and Sarah, a wealthy herdsman and his wife. There are slaves who are in a position of powerlessness, like Hagar, a slave girl from Egypt who was given to Sarah to be her maid and to be subject to whatever Sarah required of her and however Sarah treated her. But even Sarah, as a woman in a patriarchal society, was in a vulnerable position, especially as a woman who was barren and in her old age felt ashamed and ridiculed and looked down upon because she had still not borne a child and an heir for her family. Where there are differences between groups of people, whether in the Bible or in our society, differences of nationality, ethnicity, gender, age, class, religion, financial standing, political power, education level, marital status, sexuality . . . where there ARE such differences, it becomes possible for one group to use the difference as a means of gaining privileges that the other group doesn’t have. The group with more power, prestige, money or greater numbers may take privileges for themselves and set themselves up as SUPERIOR, and push others to the margins of society, to “marginalize” them, denying rights or benefits to those they consider INFERIOR, and causing the vulnerable population to develop their own sense of inferiority. We know this, of course, from the shameful history of slavery in our own country. And we have seen it in genocidal atrocities like the Nazi slaughter of Jews, and more recent ethnic wars in some European and African countries (among others). What I want us to realize is how the BIBLE itself has been USED to foster such systems of dominance and oppression, as genocidal wars against Native Americans, attacks against Equal Rights for women, South African Apartheid, American racial segregation, anti-Semitism, anti-Catholic bigotry, the fight against lesbian and gay rights–and many other causes, ALWAYS augmented and supported by the dominant groups’ interpretations of the Bible.[1] A favorite method of using the Bible for political oppression is by “SELECTIVE LITERALISM”. That is, selectively choosing proof texts, often pulled out of their context in Scripture, declaring them to be the infallible Word of God, ignoring any human elements of prejudice or cultural blindness which may be in the text. And this method of selective literalism conveniently dismisses or creatively does away with whole portions of the Bible which contradict their chosen verses.[2] This is happening outrageously in the current political discussions of social issues today. But there is another side, the good news of how disadvantaged and vulnerable groups have found their own stories in the Bible. “The Bible has been reclaimed by many marginalized communities as a powerful tool with which to overcome oppression.”[3]They read a Bible story and then discuss what it has to say for their own lives, and develop plans of action. You cannot take the Bible seriously without seeing the teachings of God’s concern for the poor, and Jesus’ compassion and inclusion of women, outcasts and marginalized classes who were considered inferior and undeserving by the political and religious establishment of his day. Political prisoners and farmworkers and Latin American peasants have identified with and been motivated by the Bible to change their lives Nineteenth century African slaves saw in the story of Moses and the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt the inspiration that encouraged their own dreams of freedom. Just so the story of Hagar has given courage to many women today in their struggles for dignity and personhood because they can IDENTIFY WITH HER. They see her caught in bondage, forced to become a second wife to her owner, and a surrogate mother whose child was not to be her own, fleeing from harsh treatment by her jealous mistress, yet still having the mindset of a slave because she had no sense of who she was or where she wanted to go, back again in slavery, then rejected and tossed out to become homeless with no means of providing for herself, grieved to see her son at the point of death for lack of food and water, ultimately being rescued and cared for only by the grace of God. Even Sarah, who was in a somewhat powerful situation in relation to Hagar, was powerless in other ways, a victim of patriarchy and cultural prejudice and subject to stigma and ridicule, despised by “the other woman” she had herself created, as well as put in compromising and dangerous situations twice by her husband to save his own neck. (That’s in the chapters in between today’s two scripture readings.) Their stories call us to identify and understand with compassion the difficulties they faced, and not compare or judge either of them by standards and rules that show no mercy. On this “Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday”, that is how the story of Hagar and Sarah speaks to me. I remember how the modern Women’s Movement of the 60’s and 70’s taught me to TRY not to speak ill of any woman, but to try to understand ALL women, even those who might disagree with me or criticize me. That same church where I was pastor for 20 years, where they had the AA meetings… was a church of working class people, of immigrants from Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. This is my Hagar (holding up a small mahogany wood carving of an African woman)… it belonged to Eunice, whom I loved. She was the granddaughter of a slave, and it reminds me of her. The people of that church, whom I loved, were multi-ethnic and interracial, more dark-skinned than light… I knew their stories, THE INDIGNITIES they suffered in their lives because of prejudice, because of who they were, and what they looked like, and where they were from … I also knew THEIR DEEP FAITH IN GOD, that sustained them, because they knew the love of God in their lives. [1] “Texts of Terror, Texts of Hope: Teaching the Bible as Literature” by Michael J. Mazza, University of Pittsburgh. [2] “Texts of Terror, Texts of Hope: Teaching the Bible as Literature” by Michael J. Mazza. “Doctrine, Shmoctrine…Where’s the Love?” →	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8325
__label__wiki	0.604048	0.604048	Home » The T Here's something that's almost beyond belief: Three of four subway lines causing grief By adamg on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 3:32pm The MBTA says power problems downtown are causing delays of up to 25 minutes on the Green, Blue and Orange lines. The last time something like this happened was in 2009, when a worker accidentally disconnected the second main power line feeding the T while the first line was being repaired. There was actually something similar By Coyote137 on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 3:48pm. last year. T website says 30+ minutes. By DTP on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 4:02pm. Blue Line issues between Airport ant Gov't Ctr. Orange Line issues between DTX and North Station Green Line issues between Copley and North Station. All C and D trains are terminating at Kenmore eastbound. Only B trains are running between Kenmore and Copley. Calling Ed Markey I wish our political leaders in Washington could concentrate on local issues like the MBTA instead of global issues which they can't solve. I think I'm missing something How would a member of the United States Senate be able to help with electrical supply issues, which occur less than yearly, on a local transit system? I mean, other than pushing for increased transit funding, which I am sure he does. I mean, look at all the federal money going to things like the GLX and South Coast Rail. Calling your civics teacher By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 11:35pm. He or she has some leftover work to do. Senators and Representatives to the US Congress are there to represent us in the making of NATIONAL laws and the handling of NATIONAL issues. You need to talk to your state and local reps about local issues. Public transit and many other local issues By anon on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 7:08am. are almost always federally funded. Our U.S. Reps and Senators play a very important role in obtaining federal funding. Their #1 job in D.C. Is absolutely representing their state and district. So the federal government should just throw money at the problem By Waquiot on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 3:28pm. A better idea would be for leaders at the appropriate level of government to figure out what needs to be done, then partner with Marley, Warren, and the rest of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to get the funds. In short, Markey’s job is yet to happen. This thread confuses me By boo_urns on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 5:14pm. In an earlier comment, you answered your own question. Funding from the FTA goes to much more than the GLX and SCR (for example, Wollaston Station's complete renovation, for merely one example). At the federal level, I'm not sure much more can happen aside from providing additional funding through federal grants. I don't know the history of how MA Senators have secured that, but as a matter of fact, that's what US Rep Capuano was doing. As Pressley has replaced him, and as far as I know, is not on the same House commission for transportation and transit, I've yet to see how we've replaced that advocacy. But, to piggyback on your other concern, I'd agree that there are things we could be doing to create new means of funding for initiatives like this at the state and local level, without getting into the specific policy ideas floating around. From what I know, a lot of what's preventing accelerated progress is the lack of staffing to allow oversight of new construction and improvement projects. By Waquiot on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 7:28pm. You answered better than I did. Congress doesn’t provide solutions to problems like this. The provide the money for the solutions. Ah, got it. Not sure if that point got across to me in the original post. The more money we have for the engineering solutions, the better. I hope everyone understands that. Personally, I need to read up on why the MBTA doesn't create its own power anymore, just out of curiousity. This is not beyond belief at By Karen on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 4:18pm. This is not beyond belief at all. This b.s. is par for the course with the T at this point. By Bugs Bunny on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 4:36pm. Let's blame it on the parade......oh wait. The parade actually helped us in this respect By Boston_res on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 9:23pm. We got a good view of how the system will fail once the Mayor's tens of thousands of new homes are complete, and future residents need to get to work. We'll get to witness this again during the July 4th celebrations. Its probably time for an Expansion Moratorium I know it may not be popular but its needed. Warren, Markey, Pressley, Lynch etc. need to hold the MBTA and MassDOT accountable. No more federal funding until they fix what they have. Kinda ironic using "No Big Dig" Reagan for your jab By anon on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 5:07pm. You do realize Reagan called out the Big Dig for being a disaster in the making. In 1987, Ron nearly saved Boston from its 25 Billion disaster. Reagan would have given a thumbs up to a Boston moratorium World class city , Baby!! By Sonicyouth on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 5:59pm. Huge delays on red line now. T-mageddon! By SP123 on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 6:05pm. Red line is down too. Ain’t nobody goin’ nowhere. Why is that beyond belief? By jmeltzer on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 6:06pm. It's totally believable. Medical emergency on the Orange Line at North Station. No issues with Northside commuter rail By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 7:32pm. I wonder if the comfortably full train was because of the delays elsewhere? I left my office at 5:20, train boarded at 5:40 and I got a seat, left on time, no delays to West Medford and I was home with my bike by 6:10. Pretty efficient for once. I also managed to avoid this snafu By Michael on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 9:14pm. ...as I am currently on vacation in the American Southwest. Thoughts and prayers and there but for the grace of God etc etc etc I missed the tuescluster I would have ridden my bike anyway, but I didn't have to go to work because I was riding my bike in South Florida instead. The mbta is like a nuclear bomb By Michael on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 10:38pm. The best way to survive it is to be far, far away Here was the weird thing for me I went from Back Bay to Forest Hills during all of this, and the commute was 10 minutes longer. All in all not that bad, but then again I wasn't heading into the belly of the beast. Signal power problem By Lost at Sea on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 6:18pm. The trains seem to have ample power. The power at several stations appears to be out, with backup emergency lights on and faregates open. Track signals have lost power, causing most of the delays. Serious question. How can a system be designed with a single point of failure that takes down three subway lines? It would seem to be availed of Engineering 101. The question is, "who's cable." By In The Know on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 7:36am. This is clearly a failure of alternating (AC) current feeding a series of points in the central subway system. AC power comes from Eversource in Boston and purchased by the MBTA for use in its stations for the Charlie Gates, a majority of lighting, and powering its signal systems. Was the cable Eversource's or something that the MBTA supports once inside their property jurisdiction? From the sounds of things and TV reports the feeder line was Eversource's so the failure may have been out of the MBTA's hands. Eversource feeds this power to the MBTA in numerous locations throughout its territory, and in those areas where applicable the AC power comes from other companies sych as National Grid, etc. The trains were running fine on direct current (DC) at an average of 600 volts. The delays were caused by the signal failures and the need to have an MBTA person on the platform to relay (and confirm) a train's position and get permissions by the dispatcher via 2-way radio to move to the next station platform. This is not an MBTA choice or policy. They were following federal regulations that define what you do when something like this happens. So before we blame the MBTA, let's consider that they were following the laws that govern transit systems. As to some lights in stations working, that is genius on the part of those who designed the systems in the early 1900s. Those lights are actually operating off the 3rd rail power at 600 Vols DC. Look up; they are clearly marked as such. These lights are a part of a series-parallel DC power circuit that helps to assure that proper voltage and current is maintained along the length of the system. These "bleeders" are as much a part of the circuit as the trains are. The genius is that the designers used the current to provide extra lights. These lights serve other purposes but this is the one that applies to this conversation. So as much as we may love to hate the T, there are other players in this situation that may be at fault and while there were delays they were following the rules set forth by federal regulators. Shouldn't a subway signal By anon on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 12:57am. Shouldn't a subway signal system have a backup generator or batteries? Major beef with "beyond belief": By CopleyScott17 on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 9:11pm. ALWAYS grief. NO relief. MBTA BINGO By Jessica on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 10:47pm. It happens often, multiple lines going down. Commuters play MBTA BINGO. We almost got full coverage today! Time to invest in a car You don't invest in a car By SwirlyGrrl on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 3:23pm. Cars are real property, but are actually consumables. Getting this through my adolescent head when I was taking Personal Finance II in my junior year was one of the more important financial things I have learned in life. If you buy a POS car, then it By anon on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 10:16pm. If you buy a POS car, then it's a consumable Then by that definition By Kaz on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 10:53am. Every car that isn't an original classic is a POS. The only cars that go up in value are museum pieces. If you buy a car as an investment, you're doing it wrong. If you buy it as a consumable, you at least know what you're getting yourself into. You're like a person who buys a boat thinking that the purchase is the only time they have to put out any money. POS cars By SwirlyGrrl on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 12:07pm. POS cars don't decline in value as much as Nice Cars. You buy a new car for $30K and drive it 15K miles in a year, the value will drop $5K. You buy a POS for $3K and drive it 15K miles in a year, the value will drop $500. Need a new one of these : By anon on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 10:40am. Need a new one of these. This will serve you better Theoretically By SwirlyGrrl on Sun, 02/10/2019 - 1:56pm. Just run the numbers before you buy the load. Include insurance, taxes, maintenance, parking costs, fuel, time spent in traffic that you can't work, etc. Those cost a lot more than people think. One of these might be even better yet for large portions of the year. Costs a lot less than a brake job or set of tires for an automobile, or even a gym membership.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8326
__label__wiki	0.729827	0.729827	FOIA and Donald Trump: FRINFORMSUM 11/18/2016 tags: Detroit Police, encryption, iscap, Louis Freeh, SpyCast Transparency and Donald Trump Before and after an appeal filed by BuzzFeed news for records on Donald Trump. In the nine days since Donald Trump won the presidential election reports have surfaced that he considered seeking top secret clearances for his three oldest children, and in some instances their spouses – requests that would be unprecedented if true. Trump also seems to be standing by a plan to place his children in charge of the Trump Organization’s “blind trust,” an arrangement that could be riddled with potential conflicts of interest. The relationship is also cause for concern given previous disclosures that appear to show Trump using government contracts to enrich his children. Documents won three months ago in response to a FOIA appeal show that during Donald Trump’s re-development of the taxpayer-owned Old Post Office building in downtown D.C. into a luxury hotel, Trump “funneled money to his children through separate companies bearing each of the children’s names, and the document indicates that those companies did not invest money. Nevertheless, their stakes could earn the children a big chunk of any profits generated from the taxpayer-owned site.” BuzzFeed further noted when the story was originally reported in August that despite the fact the building is owned by the public, many of the key documents in the deal were heavily redacted, forcing BuzzFeed to file an appeal. Robert Hastings Jr., a George W. Bush political appointee and assistant secretary of defense for public affairs (acting) from 2008 to 2009, urged president elect Trump in a recent Washington Post article not to break with tradition and embrace transparency. In doing so, Hastings calls on Trump to “insist that the agencies he inherits comply quickly with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. To boot, he should enlist the help of the Republican-controlled Congress to support stronger language for FOIA laws.” “Transparency luminaries” Ryan Shapiro and Jeffrey Light are less optimistic Trump will bolster FOIA and have launched a Go Fund Me campaign, “Operation 45,” to ensure the incoming administration is transparent and accountable. The campaign, citing concerns of Trump taking “control of the sprawling national security state” and “Trump’s authoritarian aspirations and overt contempt for the Constitution,” is hoping to raise $25,000 to sue the incoming administration under FOIA. MuckRock’s guide to public records and the Trump transition and transition team can be found here. Philip Eil also has a very good article in the Colombia Journalism Review on how to “make FOIA great again.” If you want to know how to make the most of your FOIA requests and appeals, download the National Security Archive’s free 122-page FOIA guide, “Effective FOIA Requesting for Everyone.” Changes and Resignations Senator Patrick Leahy, a longtime FOIA champion whose work was instrumental in the codification of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, “has chosen to be the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, rather than the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.” Senator Dianne Feinstein will take over as the ranking member for the Judiciary Committee. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper submitted his resignation this week. During a March 12, 2013, Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden asked DNI Clapper if the NSA collected any type of data on millions of Americans. Clapper said: “No, sir…Not wittingly. There are cases where they could inadvertently perhaps collect, but not wittingly.” In a letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee that was released on July 2, 2013, Clapper apologized for his “clearly erroneous” response, saying he issued them because “he was thinking instead of a different aspect of surveillance, the internet content collection of persons NSA believes to be foreigners outside of the United States.” Able Archer 83 Podcast Now Available on iTunes The International Spy Museum Podcast featuring the National Security Archive’s Nate Jones is now available on iTunes. The podcast, which discusses Jones’s new book on Able Archer 83, is hosted by Dr. Vince Houghton, historian and curator at the International Spy Museum. “The Reagan Files” Jason Saltoun-Ebin also recently reviewed Jones’s book. His review, and Jones’s response, can be found here. How Much Has Encryption Debate Changed Since 1997? FBI director Louis J. Freeh testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in July 1997 that robust encryption that does not allow for timely law force access poses a “serious threat to public safety.” This testimony, which underscores how solutions for balancing privacy and public safety in cyberspace remain elusive, is one of the documents recently posted to the National Security Archive’s Cyber Vault. Freeh notes in his testimony that “Law enforcement is already beginning to encounter the harmful effects of conventional encryption in some of our most important investigations: In the Aldrich Ames spy case, where Ames was told by his Soviet handlers to encrypt computer file information to be passed to them. In a child pornography case, where one of the subjects used encryption in transmitting obscene and pornographic images of children over the Internet. In a major drug-trafficking case, where one of the subjects of one of the court-ordered wiretaps used a telephone encryption device which frustrated the surveillance. Some of the anti-Government Militia groups are now advocating the use of encryption as a means of preventing law enforcement from properly investigating them.” Detroit Police and “Destruction of Animals” Journalist C.J. Ciaramella has a worthwhile and troubling article in Reason.com on the rise in police shootings of pets during narcotics raids, a trend that seems to emerge from the increase in dog ownership in the US in the 1970s and 1980s and increasingly aggressive police tactics to carry out the “war on drugs.” The article focuses mainly on Detroit, which has the distinction of employing two police officers who have shot and killed more than 100 dogs. Detroit Police are not alone; Ciaramella notes that police killing of family dogs is “so common that they’ve become known by the grim moniker puppycide… A Justice Department official speculated in a 2012 interview with Police magazine that the number could be as high as 10,000 a year, calling it ‘an epidemic.’… A 2012 study by the National Canine Research Council estimated that half of all intentional police shootings involved dogs.” Ciaramella had a very informative series of Tweets on how he used public records to write the animal destruction story – and the myriad of obstacles he faced doing so. Ciaramella highlights the intense research that was part of his FOIA process, including cross-referencing lawsuits and news reports, noting that FOIA process didn’t end with the release of documents. Ciaramella’s takeaway? “Now I have to file an appeal to find out how many they’re hiding. The final lesson: Always, always appeal. They’re banking on you being lazy” VA Charges FOIA Requester $100 for a Phone Number The Daily Caller recently reported that some offices within the Department of Veterans Affairs were charging inordinate amounts for FOIA requests, including one eye-popping estimated fee of more than $30,000 for documents that staffers admitted were “easy to find.” A Florida VA office also “charged $100 when a requester wanted to know the hospital’s phone numbers. In another example, when an employee sought information on a boss’ selection, he was charged $568, with no explanation.” Echoes of the 1956 Hungarian Revolt in Romania, 60 Years After Sixty years ago, Romanian students were among the first to throw their support behind the popular uprising in neighboring Hungary, prompting a rapid crackdown by the authorities in Bucharest, Timişoara, and other locales across the country, according to Romanian and U.S. documents published today for the first time by the National Security Archive. The documents record the spread of public debates and demonstrations, which soon encompassed worker complaints about wages and other social concerns, including worries about the possible use of the Soviet Red Army to crush the opposition. They also provide details about the actions taken against the opposition by the dreaded Securitate forces, and reveal the fears and uncertainty that drove Communist Party leaders in Bucharest to suppress the protests. #TBT pick – The Transformation of Human Rights into An International Norm Jimmy Carter meets prominent Soviet dissident General Pyotr Grigorenko, September 20, 1978. This week’s #TBT pick is a 2012 posting on previously secret U.S. documents on Soviet dissidents that, matched with reports and letters by the dissidents themselves from the Memorial Society Archives in Moscow, illuminate the landmark turning point during Jimmy Carter’s presidency in the late 1970s when U.S. policy first elevated human rights concerns. The dissidents themselves led the international movement that discredited Soviet claims that attention to such issues was “interference in internal affairs.” The documents in the posting include: The highest-level memoranda to President Carter from his top advisers Zbigniew Brzezinski and Cyrus Vance; CIA assessments of the dissident movement and the Soviet government’s reactions, and U.S. National Security Council discussions of the issue. ← CIA Review Keeps Operational Files Exemption as Broad as Possible: FRINFORMSUM 11/10/16 DEA Releases Two Heavily-Redacted Pages on Two-Decade Surveillance Program → He’s Not Even In Office Yet, But Trump Just Got Caught Sending Tax Dollar To His Kids \| Bluedot Daily	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8327
__label__wiki	0.918121	0.918121	The Surprising Origins of Kotex Pads Posted on November 9, 2018 by Follow @KatEschner Editor’s Note, November 9, 2018: With Veterans Day approaching, we are resurfacing this 2017 story about how a World War I invention led to Kotex pads. What’s in a name? For Kotex, the first-ever brand of sanitary napkins to hit the U.S., everything. The disposable sanitary napkin was a high-tech invention (inspired, incidentally, by military products) that changed the way women dealt with menstruation. It also helped to create modern perceptions of how menstruation should be managed through its advertising, which was both remarkably explicit for its time but also strictly adhered to emerging stereotypes about the “modern” woman of the 1920s should aspire to. Kotex sanitary napkins paved the way for the wide variety of feminine hygiene products on the market today by finding an answer to the crucial question: How to market a product whose function can’t be openly discussed? “Kotex was such a departure because there just wasn’t a product” previously, says communications scholar Roseann Mandziuk. Prior to Kotex’s arrival on the scene, women didn’t have access to disposable sanitary napkins—the “sanitary” part really was a huge step forward for women who could afford these products. But the brand’s creator, Kimberly-Clark, also reinforced through its advertising campaigns that menstruation was something to conceal and a problem for women, rather than a natural bodily function. This early ad for Kotex pads reminds buyers that the item is “on sale at stores and shops that cater to women.” (Wisconsin Historical Society, WHS-7001) In October 1919, the Woolworth’s department store in Chicago sold the first box of Kotex pads in what might have been an embarrassing interaction between a male store clerk and a female customer. It quickly became clear that giving Kotex sanitary napkins name recognition would be vital to selling the product, and the company launched a game-changing advertising campaign that helped to shape how menstruation–and women–were seen in the 1920s. “Ask for them by name” became an important Kotex company slogan, Mandziuk says. Asking for Kotex rather than “sanitary pads” saved women from having to publicly discuss menstruation–particularly with male shop clerks. In 2010, Mandziuk published a study of the 1920s ad campaign promoting Kotex sanitary napkins, focusing on advertisements that appeared in Good Housekeeping. Kotex’s campaign, which began in 1921, was the first time sanitary napkins had ever been advertised on a large scale in nationally distributed women’s magazines, and Mandziuk says they represent a break in how menstruation itself was discussed. By giving women a medically sanctioned “hygienic” product to buy, rather than a made-at-home solution, they established a precedent for how menstruation products were marketed up until the present day. For their time and place, the advertisements are almost shockingly explicit–although, like many modern ads for menstrual products, they never explicitly state their use. “All feature a single woman or a group of women in active, yet decorative poses,” Mandziuk writes in her study. The first ad to run in Good Housekeeping describes Kotex sanitary napkins as the key tool for ensuring “summer comfort” and “poise in the daintiest frocks.” But it also describes details like the size of the pad and how to buy them, although the pads were never actually pictured in the ads. The ads also promised they came “in plain wrapper.” Another ad shows two women in an office environment. “There is nothing on the blue Kotex package except the name,” it promises, adding that the purchase is small enough to fit in a shopping bag. Advertising for Kotex sanitary napkins framed menstruation as something that could–and should–be concealed. “It was really playing off the anxiety of women wanting to fit into this new, confusing modern culture and be a part of it,” Mandziuk says. “And yet, to be a part of it, you had to hide even moreso that you had this secret, or this thing that was disturbing to men.” Though some Kotex sanitary napkin advertisements show women in real working environments, throughout the 1920s, the advertising increasingly moved away from being about the real working women who might benefit most from the product and more into the sphere of an ideal. The woman shown in the ads might be an elegant picnicker, a partygoer or even a traveller, but she represents an ideal “modern” woman, Mandziuk says. This presented women with a catch-22, she says: While Kotex did make the lives of 1920s women who could afford to buy the pads better, its ads framed menstruation as a handicap that required fixing rather than a natural process. Before Kotex sanitary napkins hit the market in 1921, most women relied on homemade cloth pads (although some storemade cloth pads and disposables had been on offer since the late 1880s.) Different women had different ways of dealing with their periods each month and there was little social expectation that all women would deal with menstruation in exactly the same way. At the same time, menstruation was a commonly accepted (if still socially concealed) reason that women might not be in the public eye during their periods. “[Menstruation] still was hidden among the society of men,” says Mandziuk. But between women, particularly women of the same family or who shared a household, it was normal to manage menstrual supplies like handmade pads or rags together. “Practices for making cloth pads varied,” writes historian Lara Freidenfelds in The Modern Period: Menstruation in Twentieth-Century America–but they were all based around reuse of things that already existed. “We used, just, old sheets, old things that you had around the house and things like that,” one woman told her during a series of oral history interviews. Some women threw away their bloody cloths, writes Freidenfelds, but others washed and reused them. Either way, menstruation had the potential to be a messy and inconvenient business, as rags were hard to hold in place and didn’t absorb very much fluid. For women who could afford such things and had access to them, there were options such as the “Hoosier” sanitary belt, which held cloth pads in place, or Lister’s Towels, possibly the first-ever disposable option, but the use of such products was not widespread, Mandziuk says. “Kotex would have obvious appeal when it appeared on the market,” she writes, “given the discomfort and inconvenience of cloth pads, and growing expectations that women would work and attend school with their usual efficiency all month. This ad depicts a nurse tending to a veteran in a wheelchair. The text reads, in part, “Although a woman’s article, it started as Cellucotton–a wonderful sanitary absorbent which science perfected for use of our men and allied soldiers wounded in France.” (Wisconsin Historical Society, WHS-49898) Like a number of other products that first came to market in the 1920s, Kotex sanitary pads originated as a wartime invention. Kimberly-Clark, an American paper products company formed in the 1870s, produced bandages from a material called Cellucotton for World War I. Cellucotton, which was made of wood pulp,, was five times as absorbent as cotton bandages but much less expensive. In 1919, with the war over, Kimberly-Clark executives were looking for ways to use Cellucotton in peacetime. The company got the idea of sanitary pads from the American Fund for the French Wounded, according to historians Thomas Heinrich and Bob Batchelor. The Fund “received letters from Army nurses claiming they used Cellucotton surgical dressings as makeshift sanitary napkins,” the pair write. W. C. Heitmeyer’s “Absorbent Pad,” June 14, 1932. The patent was assigned to International Cellucotton Products Company, the marketing arm for Kimberly-Clark consumer products, which merged with the parent company in 1955. (U.S. Patent No. 1,863,333) Kimberly-Clark employee Walter Luecke, who had been tasked with finding a use for Cellucotton, understood that a product designed to appeal to about half the country’s population could create enough demand to take the place of the wartime demand for bandages. He jumped on the idea. But Luecke ran into problems almost immediately. The firms he approached to manufacture sanitary napkins from Kimberly-Clark’s Cellucotton refused to do so. “They argued that sanitary napkins were “too personal and could never be advertised,” Heinrich and Batchelor write. Similar doubts plagued Kimberly-Clark executives, but Luecke kept pushing and they agreed to try the idea, making the sanitary napkins themselves. The name Kotex came from one employee’s observation that the product had a “cotton-like texture.” “Cot-tex” became the easier-to-say “Kotex,” creating a name that–like another Kimberly-Clark product, Kleenex–would become a colloquial way to refer to the class of product itself. For the firm that Kimberly-Clark hired to do the advertising, their successful ad campaign gave them bragging rights. “I think they kind of patted themselves on the back, that if they could sell this, they could sell anything,” Mandziuk says. For the women who used them, Kotex sanitary napkins changed how they dealt with menstruation. They set a precedent for how nearly all American women would understand menstruation and how they would deal with it up to the present day. « Top 10 Real-Life Grinches Who Did Their Best to Steal Christmas How Photographer Alfred Wertheimer Captured Elvis Presley’s Kiss »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8330
__label__wiki	0.766199	0.766199	Posts tagged ‘Valley Meat’ Too Big To Fact Check? ‘Not Our Job’ Says AP Editor 89 mainstream media outlets picked up the AP’s flawed Valley Meat coverage. Of those pictured above, only one (The Christian Science Monitor) responded to public requests for correction. A series of 18 AP news stories that repeated significant factual errors for a year and a half will not be corrected, according to AP West Editor, Traci Carl. The articles, which Ms. Carl admits were not fact-checked, followed the attempts of a Roswell, NM, abattoir—Valley Meat—to slaughter horses based on the argument that it would diminish horse abuse and neglect. But there was a problem with that premise, which correlated data showing increasing horse abuse and neglect reported by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) with the closure of the last three domestic horse slaughter plants. The AP reporter, Jeri Clausing, misreported the closing dates by a year, however, causing the correlation with the GAO data to turn on its head. Instead of showing that horses suffered abuse and neglect when domestic plants closed, the GAO data instead showed the opposite: that abuse and neglect increased during years in which the plants remained open. But despite being informed of this and other errors, the AP kept repeating them, in most cases, simply cutting and pasting the same false statements—verbatim—into successive articles. These spread virally across Bloomberg News and Reuters; ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News; NPR; the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal and USA Today—and hundreds of other mainstream and smaller news providers. As of this date, only one of them—The Christian Science Monitor—has responded to requests to issue a public and formal correction. The Political Consequences of False Reporting The false claim that banning slaughter increases horse abuse and neglect was a godsend for Valley Meat and other plants looking to produce horse meat in the U.S. The cumulative audience for that message easily reached into the tens of millions, including lawmakers wrestling with whether to ban or welcome horse slaughter plants into their jurisdictions. Last year, Oklahoma lawmakers argued erroneously but effectively in overturning a 50-year ban on horse slaughter that it would alleviate horse abuse. An Open Letter to the Associated Press “For more than a century and a half, men and women of The Associated Press have had the privilege of bringing truth to the world. They have gone to great lengths, overcome great obstacles – and, too often, made great and horrific sacrifices – to ensure that the news was reported quickly, accurately and honestly. Our efforts have been rewarded with trust: More people in more places get their news from the AP than from any other source.” So reads the first paragraph of the AP’s “News Values & Principles” page. It goes on to state: “In the 21st century, that news is transmitted in more ways than ever before – in print, on the air and on the Web, with words, images, graphics, sounds and video. But always and in all media, we insist on the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior when we gather and deliver the news. That means we abhor inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions. It means we will not knowingly introduce false information into material intended for publication or broadcast…” Also heartening to read are the AP’s words on making corrections: “Staffers must notify supervisory editors as soon as possible of errors or potential errors, whether in their work or that of a colleague. Every effort should be made to contact the staffer and his or her supervisor before a correction is moved. When we’re wrong, we must say so as soon as possible. When we make a correction in the current cycle, we point out the error and its fix in the editor’s note. A correction must always be labeled a correction in the editor’s note. We do not use euphemisms such as “recasts,” “fixes,” “clarifies” or “changes” when correcting a factual error. A corrective corrects a mistake from a previous cycle. The AP asks papers or broadcasters that used the erroneous information to use the corrective, too. For corrections on live, online stories, we overwrite the previous version. We send separate corrective stories online as warranted.” And woe to those who fail to apply the rules: “The policies set forth in these pages are central to the AP’s mission; any failure to abide by them is subject to review, and could result in disciplinary action, ranging from admonishment to dismissal, depending on the gravity of the infraction.” This is all a great set-up for the letter I sent this past week to 28 AP executives and editors asking them to correct errors appearing in 18 different articles—errors I started bringing to the AP’s attention back in May of 2013, and which I brought, over a period of months, to the attention of several editors, without a single correction being made and with some rather unfortunate name calling (on their part, not mine). It’s co-signed by six national experts—people who know more about horse slaughter than anyone. Associated Press, meet Paula Bacon, John Holland, Susan Wagner. Meet Ginger Kathrens and Dr. Ann Marini. Meet James McWilliams. Here’s the letter. Let’s hope it gets the kind of response it deserves. Mr. Gary Pruitt 450 West 33rd Street, RE: Corrections Sought for Errors in 18 AP Articles on Valley Meat and Horse Slaughter in the U.S. Dear Mr. Pruitt: The U.S. public is currently facing a pressing food safety, environmental and humane issue: whether or not to allow the slaughter of horses on American soil or their continued export for slaughter in other countries. In order for constituents and their Congressional representatives to make informed choices regarding this matter, it is essential that information presented in the mainstream media be accurate. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. I’m writing to you because of errors repeated in a series of AP articles that misreport pivotal facts about the closure of the last three horse slaughter plants on U.S. soil. These errors come at the very moment when several plants are on the verge of winning approval to slaughter horses once again in rural America. They are not random details. In fact, they have the power to directly shape the outcome of this contested process. In eighteen separate articles on the Valley Meat Company in Roswell, New Mexico, the AP repeatedly misstates the facts on the following issues: the legislation that effectively shuttered the horse slaughter industry, the year that this took effect, and the impact that closed horse slaughter plants have had on horse welfare. (see Appendix I, p. 4-9) Specifically, all the articles erroneously state that it was Congress’ defunding of horse meat inspections in 2006 that effectively shut down the last three operating plants. The articles then correlate this claim with GAO data showing a rise in horse abuse and neglect between 2005-2009. As I will detail below, both claims are not only wrong, they are mistakes that bear directly on a basic assumption shaping how Americans and their representatives think about this issue. To begin with, while Congress did approve defunding horse slaughter inspections in 2005 (to take effect in 2006), the USDA and the three remaining horse slaughter plants (Dallas Crown and Beltex in TX, and Cavel in IL) arranged to self-fund their own inspections, allowing them to continue slaughtering horses until 2007 (over Congress’ objections). In 2007, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a 1949 ban on slaughtering horses in TX (that had previously gone unenforced) applied, thus shutting down Dallas Crown and Beltex in March. Cavel shut down in September, as a result of an IL state ban. Congress’ defunding of slaughter inspections in subsequent agricultural appropriations bills thus kept new plants from opening until the defunding language got removed by three Congressmen in a November, 2011, conference committee session (after it had been approved for FY 2012). Congress’ defunding of inspections therefore never banned slaughter and never shut a single plant, contrary to what the AP has reported 18 times. More important, horse slaughter continued well after the AP reported that it had ceased. (see Appendix II, p. 10-12). This detail is profoundly important: Using the correct date of closure (2007), the related claim—that horse abuse increased with closure—is immediately undermined. The data cited by the AP on rising abuse and neglect, in light of the correct time of plant closure, now correlates with abuse and neglect rising while the plants remained in operation and falling in the years after they shut. That correlation shows the opposite of what the AP’s coverage has been asserting in articles published between June, 2012 and November 4, 2013. These false reports, however, have been picked up by every major news organization both in the U.S. and abroad. They have influenced the general public, lawmakers, and courts attempting to shape policy and effect legislation on horse slaughter. They have allowed proponents of horse slaughter to argue—seemingly with evidence—that it is more humane to slaughter them than to keep them alive. They have also completely failed to highlight one of the most important reasons to not slaughter horses at all: that is, food safety issues specific to banned drugs in the majority of U.S. horses that pose known and serious health risks for the public. These include the commonly administered painkiller and anti-inflammatory, phenylbutazone—a known human carcinogen—as well as 117 other drugs (Appendix III, p. 13-17). Mr. Pruitt, you are receiving this letter because repeated and detailed attempts to correct these errors have been made going back many months to Reporter Jeri Clausing, News Editor Linda Ashton, the AP’s corrections department and West Editor Traci Carl. The information provided to them documenting the AP’s errors has gone ignored. We, the undersigned, request immediate and formal correction for these errors and omissions in all eighteen AP articles—and subsequent articles—to set the record straight. This action would be consistent with the media’s duty to correct false reporting in the name of the public’s right to know the truth—about food safety risks, abuse and neglect and other impacts of concern to the majority of Americans. Your response to this request for correction is eagerly anticipated. Thank you! Kathleen Carroll, Senior Vice President/Executive Editor Mike Oreskes, Vice President/Senior Managing Editor Andrew Oppmann, News Editor, Middle Tennessee State University Paul Colford, Director, Media Relations ASSOCIATED PRESS MEDIA EDITORS Debra Adams Simmons, President, The Plain Dealer Alan D. Miller, Vice President, The Columbus Dispatch Teri Hayt, Secretary, The Repository Laura Sellers-Earl, Journalism Studies Chair, EO Media Group Dennis Anderson, Treasurer, Peoria Journal Star Bill Church, Herald-Tribune Media Group Michael Days, Philadelphia Daily News Alan English, Shreveport Times Kurt Franck, The Blade Gary Graham, The Spokesman-Review Joe Hight, The Gazette Eric Ludgood, Fox 5 News, Atlanta Aminda Marques Gonzalez, Miami Herald Martin G. Reynolds, The Oakland Tribune Monica R. Richardson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Mark Baldwin, Rockford Register Star Chris Cobler, Victoria Advocate Angie Muhs, Portland Press Herald Jim Simon The Seattle Times David Arkin, GateHouse Media Autumn Agar, The Twin Falls Times-News Meg Downey, The Tennessean Thomas Koetting, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel APPENDIX I: Pivotal Errors Repeated Throughout 18 AP Articles on Valley Meat On September 12, 2013, Stephanie Siek of the AP was provided with the following list of excerpts contained in 14 separate articles that repeat wrong dates for the last plant closings, misstate the events that closed them, misrepresent GAO data on horse abuse and neglect and falsely correlate the closings of plants to a decline in horse welfare. These errors have since appeared in four more articles, resulting in a total of 18 repeating the same misinformation. They are listed below in reverse chronological order. Federal appeals court halts horse slaughterhouses http://bigstory.ap.org/article/federal-appeals-court-halts-horse-slaughter By JERI CLAUSING Nov. 4, 2013 10:19 PM EST A vote to end that funding in 2006 had effectively banned horse slaughter until the money was restored in 2011. The debate over a return to domestic horse slaughter has been an emotional one that centers on whether horses are livestock or companion animals and what is the most humane way to deal with the country’s horse overpopulation, particularly in the drought-stricken West. Supporters say it is better to slaughter unwanted horses in regulated domestic plants than to ship them thousands of miles to sometimes inhumane plants in Mexico. US judge clears way for domestic horse slaughter http://bigstory.ap.org/article/temporary-order-against-horse-slaughter-expires By JERI CLAUSING Nov. 1, 2013 7:15 PM EDT But De Los Santos was making plans to get to work, two years after converting his struggling cattle slaughterhouse to take advantage of a shift in Congress that lifted a ban on funding for inspections at horse slaughterhouses. A vote to end that funding in 2006 had effectively banned horse slaughter until the money was restored in 2011. The debate over a return to domestic horse slaughter has been an emotional one that centers on whether horses are livestock or companion animals and what is the most humane way to deal with the country’s horse overpopulation, particularly in the drought-stricken West. Supporters say it is better to slaughter unwanted horses in regulated domestic plants than to ship them to sometimes inhumane plants in Mexico. Navajos agree to end horse roundups for slaughter http://bigstory.ap.org/article/navajos-agree-end-horse-roundups-slaughter By JERI CLAUSING Oct. 8, 2013 4:03 PM EDT Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for plant inspectors in 2006. The ban was lifted in 2011, and Valley Meat Co. has been battling ever since for permission to open its converted cattle slaughterhouse. Supporters of a return to domestic horse slaughter argue that it is a more humane solution than shipping unhealthy and starving animals south of the border to facilities with unregulated and often cruel circumstances. Plaintiffs object to bond in horse slaughter case http://bigstory.ap.org/article/plaintiffs-object-bond-horse-slaughter-case By JERI CLAUSING Aug. 16, 2013 3:26 PM EDT Horses were slaughtered domestically for decades until Congress cut funding for inspections for horse plants in 2006. That funding was restored in late 2011. APNewsBreak: Iowa plant drops horse-slaughter plan http://bigstory.ap.org/article/apnewsbreak-iowa-plant-drops-horse-slaughter-plan By GRANT SCHULTE and JERI CLAUSING Aug. 13, 2013 5:53 PM EDT Supporters of the domestic horse slaughter note that the practice is already occurring. They argue that horse slaughter in federally regulated facilities is better than having the animals starve or shipped to inhumane facilities in Mexico. Horse abuse and abandonment cases have increased since the slaughtering of horses was banned in 2006, and many owners in the West and Great Plains were left with fewer options to care for or euthanize their animals, according to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office. The company slaughtered cattle for more than two decades but decided to convert its operations to horse slaughter after Congress lifted its ban on inspections for horse plants in late 2011, effectively legalizing domestic horse slaughter after the last plants were shuttered in 2007. It fought the USDA for more than a year for its permit, only getting the necessary approval after suing the USDA to force it to conduct the inspections necessary to win a horse slaughtering permit. Grant Schulte reported from Lincoln, Neb. JUDGE ORDERS BOND POSTED IN HORSE SLAUGHTER CASE https://bigstory.ap.org/article/judge-orders-bond-posted-horse-slaughter-case By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN — Aug. 8, 2013 2:54 PM EDT Supporters also say it is better to slaughter the horses in regulated and humane domestic facilities than to let them starve or be shipped to other countries for slaughter. They point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows cases of horse abuse and abandonment on a steady rise since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006. Judge blocks planned horse slaughter at 2 plants http://bigstory.ap.org/article/judge-decide-whether-block-horse-slaughter By JERI CLAUSING — Aug. 2, 2013 8:02 PM EDT FILE – This April 15, 2013 file photo shows Valley Meat Co., which has been sitting idle for more than a year, waiting for the Department of Agriculture to approve its plans to slaughter horses. A federal judge in Albuquerque is expected to decide Friday, Aug. 2, 2013 whether companies in New Mexico and Iowa can begin legally slaughtering horses, for the first time in the country since it was effectively banned in 2006. (AP Photo/Jeri Clausing, File) The move stops what would have been the resumption of horse slaughter for the first time in seven years in the U.S. Groups in federal court to block horse slaughter http://news.yahoo.com/groups-federal-court-block-horse-slaughter-183537424.html By JERI CLAUSING—August 2, 2013 5:08 PM Congress effectively banned horse slaughter in 2006. But the ban was lifted in 2011, renewing an emotional and divisive national debate over whether horses are livestock or domestic companions, and how best to deal with untold thousands of unwanted, abandoned and often starving horses. Judge to decide whether companies may resume slaughtering horses after 2006 ban http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/judge-decide-companies-resume-slaughtering-horses-2006-ban-article-1.1415640 FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2013, 9:02 AM A federal judge in Albuquerque is expected to decide Friday whether companies in New Mexico and Iowa can begin legally slaughtering horses, for the first time in the country since it was effectively banned in 2006. The groups sued the Department of Agriculture in June after it issued permits to the companies, which would be the first to legally slaughter horses in the country since Congress effectively banned the practice in 2006. The ban was lifted in 2011, renewing an emotional and divisive national debate over whether horses are livestock or domestic companions, and how best to deal with untold thousands of unwanted, abandoned and often starving horses. Supporters of domestic slaughter point to a June 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows cases of horse abuse and abandonment on a steady rise since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006. They also cite USDA statistics compiled by the Equine Welfare Alliance that show the number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since domestic horse slaughter ceased, with many of shipped thousands of miles south of the border to unregulated and inhumane facilities. They say it is better to slaughter the horses in regulated and humane domestic facilities than to let them starve or be shipped to Mexico. NM company faces setbacks in horse slaughter plans http://bigstory.ap.org/article/redford-richardson-fight-against-horse-slaughter By JERI CLAUSING Jul. 22, 2013 10:17 PM EDT The denial came the same day that Redford and Richardson joined the fray, announcing formation of an animal protection foundation whose first act was to seek to join a federal lawsuit filed by The Humane Society of the United States and other groups to block the planned Aug. 5 opening of Valley Meat and another recently approved horse slaughterhouse in Iowa. The plants would be the first horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. to operate in more than six years. Fed officials approve horse slaughterhouse in NM http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fed-officials-approve-horse-slaughterhouse-nm By JERI CLAUSING— Jun. 28, 2013 9:00 PM EDT With the action, the Roswell, N.M., company becomes the first operation in the nation licensed to process horses into meat since Congress effectively banned the practice seven years ago. The plant would become the first horse slaughterhouse to operate in the country since Congress banned the practice by eliminating funding for inspections at the plants. Congress reinstated the funding in 2011, but the USDA has been slow in granting permits, citing the need to re-establish an oversight program. Proponents of a return to domestic horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since slaughter was banned in 2006, leaving fewer humane options for horse owners who can’t afford to care for or euthanize their animals. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated facilities than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or sold at auction houses that then ship them to inhumane facilities in Mexico. The number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since 2006, the report says. Many humane groups agree that some of the worst abuse occurs in the slaughter pipeline. Many are pushing for a ban on domestic slaughter and a ban on shipping horses to Mexico and Canada. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Horse slaughterhouse accuses USDA of IRS tactics http://bigstory.ap.org/article/horse-slaughterhouse-accuses-usda-politics By JERI CLAUSING — Jun. 6, 2013 5:51 AM EDT The issue of whether the plant needs the federal permit was first raised by some of the groups opposed to congressional action in 2011 that restored USDA funding for horse slaughter inspections, essentially legalizing the practice that had been banned in 2006 when Congress cut the funding. Proponents of a return to domestic horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since slaughter was banned in 2006. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated facilities than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or shipped to inhumane facilities in Mexico. The number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since 2006. And many humane groups agree that some of the worst abuse occurs in the slaughter pipeline. Many are pushing for a both a ban on domestic slaughter as well as a ban on shipping horses to Mexico and Canada. NM HORSE SLAUGHTER PLANT TO OPEN SOON http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ag-secretary-nm-horse-slaughter-plant-should-open By JERI CLAUSING — Apr. 30, 2013 3:09 PM EDT The Obama Administration opposes horse slaughter. Its recent budget proposal eliminates funding for inspections of horse slaughter houses, which would effectively reinstate a ban on the practice. Congress eliminated that funding in 2006, which forced a shutdown of domestic slaughter facilities. But Congress reinstated the funding in 2011, prompting Valley Meat Co. and a handful of other businesses around the country to seek permission to open plants. At issue is whether horses are livestock or pets, and how best to control the nation’s exploding equine population. Supporters of horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since 2006. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated facilities than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or shipped to inhumane facilities south of the border. The number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since 2006. And many humane groups agree that some of the worst abuse occurs in the slaughter pipeline. LAWYER: INSPECTORS CLEAR NM HORSE SLAUGHTERHOUSE http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nm-slaughterhouse-ground-zero-horse-debate By JERI CLAUSING— Apr. 23, 2013 4:09 PM EDT And Tuesday, it moved one step closer to becoming the first plant in the country in more than six years to slaughter horses, with a successful inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Still others are pushing for a return to domestic slaughter. Proponents include several Native American tribes, the American Quarter Horse Association, some livestock associations and even a few horse rescue groups that believe domestic slaughter would be more humane than shipping the animals elsewhere. They point to a 2011 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office that found horse abuse and abandonment increasing since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for federal inspection programs in 2006. Because rescue groups can’t take care of all of the horses in need, tens of thousands have been shipped to slaughterhouses in Mexico. HORSE SHOOTING HIGHLIGHTS SLAUGHTER DEBATE http://bigstory.ap.org/article/horse-shooting-underscores-slaughter-debate By JERI CLAUSING— Mar. 22, 2013 8:04 PM EDT But others — including some horse rescuers, livestock associations and the American Quarter Horse Association — support the plans. They point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for federal inspection programs in 2006. They say the ban on domestic slaughter has led to tens of thousands of horses being shipped to inhumane slaughterhouses in Mexico. NEW MEXICO COMPANY: FEDS MAY ALLOW HORSE SLAUGHTER http://bigstory.ap.org/article/new-mexico-company-feds-may-allow-horse-slaughter By JERI CLAUSING— Mar. 1, 2013 5:12 PM EST Others, however, including some horse rescues, livestock associations and the American Quarter Horse Association, support a return to domestic horse slaughter. They point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006. MEAT COMPANY SUES FEDS OVER HORSE SLAUGHTERHOUSE http://bigstory.ap.org/article/meat-company-sues-feds-over-horse-slaughterhouse By JERI CLAUSING— Dec. 20, 2012 3:59 PM EST Some others, however, including some horse rescues, livestock associations and the American Quarter Horse Association, support a return to domestic horse slaughter. They point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006. Last year, 68,429 horses were shipped to that country and 64,652 to Canada, according to USDA statistics compiled by the Equine Welfare Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to ending horse slaughter. That compares to total exports of 37,884 of the animals in 2006. PROPOSED HORSE SLAUGHTERHOUSE POLARIZES INDUSTRY http://bigstory.ap.org/article/proposed-horse-slaughterhouse-polarizes-industry By JERI CLAUSING— Jun. 6, 2012 3:10 PM EDT Supporters of horse slaughter point to a June 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows cases of horse abuse and abandonment on a steady rise since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006. In Colorado, the GAO report states, investigations for abuse and neglect increased more than 60 percent after horse slaughter was banned domestically, from 975 in 2005 to 1,588 in 2009. Although national data is lacking, the GAO report says California, Texas and Florida have also reported a rise in the number of abandoned horses since 2007. The number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since domestic horse slaughter ceased. Last year, 68,429 horses were shipped to Mexico and 64,652 to Canada, according to USDA statistics compiled by the Equine Welfare Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to ending horse slaughter. That compares to total exports of 37,884 in 2006. APPENDIX II: Timeline—How and When Slaughter Ended in the U.S. On October 15, 2013, Traci Carl, West Editor for the AP, was provided with the following timeline to corroborate the actual dates of plant closings, as well as what happened in between Congress’ 2005 vote to defund horse slaughter inspectors and the actual court decisions that finally forced the doors of Beltex, Dallas Crown and Cavel shut two years later. This followed several previous emails attempting to explain what the AP had gotten wrong in its coverage. Ms. Carl consistently expressed confusion over the issues being raised, but declined offers to discuss them by phone (instead of email). All requests for correction were refused. Back on November 11, 2005, Congress added a defunding provision to the FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill prohibiting the use of federal funds to pay for salaries and expenses of personnel to inspect horses being slaughtered for human consumption (HR 2744). This followed strong bipartisan floor votes of 269-158 in the House and 69-29 in the Senate, according to news sources. The provision effectively precluded the USDA from inspecting horse slaughter facilities as required by section 603 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and section 903 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement Reform Act (FAIR). At this time, the USDA spent an estimated $5 million annually for oversight and inspection of three foreign-owned, U.S. based horse slaughter plants. The inspections ban should have begun at the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1, 2005), but the budget conference committee (including Herb Kohl, Jack Kingston, Conrad Burns, and Larry Craig) delayed its implementation. On November 23, 2005, horse slaughter plants in Texas and Illinois quietly petitioned the USDA and FSIS behind Congress’ back to pay for their own inspections, allowing them to continue slaughter operations despite a lack of federal funding, by paying USDA inspectors out of their own pockets. On January 13, 2006, an article in the Washington Times explained, “Last year, Congress voted overwhelmingly to include an amendment in the agriculture appropriations bill that would, in the words of Sen. John Ensign, “end the slaughter of America’s horses for human consumption overseas.” Mr. Ensign was a co-sponsor of the bill, as was Sen. Robert Byrd, who said the amendment would “stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption.” In the House, amendment co-sponsor Rep. John Spratt said, “This amendment in simple terms will stop the slaughter for human consumption of horses. So, we learn with surprise that this amendment apparently “does not prevent horse slaughter at all,” according to Department of Agriculture General Counsel James Michael Kelly. All it does, Mr. Kelly wrote in a letter to Congress, is prohibit ‘expenditure of funds provided under the 2006 [appropriations] Act to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to inspect the horses.’ In other words, the only purpose of the amendment is to cut a little grist from the federal budget.” On February 7, 2006, the USDA’s fee-for-service arrangement was announced. As the Washington Times stated in its article, Town Seeks an End to Horse Slaughtering: “Since law has always required such inspections, it [Congress’ ban on funding inspections] seemed to put an end to a growing controversy. Passed by the House and the Senate, the Ensign amendment was considered by its sponsors as an absolute end of U.S. horse slaughter for human consumption. But a concerted campaign by Belgian-owned slaughterhouses soon uncovered a loophole in the congressional edict. Now, nearing the end of a six-month delay, the USDA has announced that the new order (no USDA-paid inspections) actually did not halt horse slaughter and that private companies could simply pick up the tab for inspection costs.” On February 13, 2006, in the United States District Court, District of Columbia, six national humane groups representing over 9.5 million members and several individuals filed a complaint in federal court against Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Barbara Masters, challenging the USDA’s decision to create a fee-for-service inspection system that facilitates the continued transport and slaughter of tens of thousands of American horses for human consumption abroad each year. The lawsuit was unsuccessful. On February 22, 2006, the HSUS filed for a preliminary injunction to prevent the inspections of horsemeat until a pending lawsuit against the USDA prohibiting the fee-for-service inspections could be settled. The Court dismissed two of the three claims filed in that lawsuit on grounds that the plaintiffs lacked standing. Fee-for-service inspections commenced on March 10, 2006. On Tuesday, March 14, a federal judge ruled in favor of the USDA to allow fee-for-service inspections to horsemeat processing plants despite efforts of the HSUS and other animal welfare groups to prevent the inspections and thus close the plants. On January 19, 2007, a panel of judges from the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that slaughtering horses for meat was illegal in Texas. This decision tied up an earlier case dating back to August, 2003, when Texas Attorney General John Cornyn issued an opinion on a long-forgotten piece of legislation (Ag Code 149) that had gone unenforced since it had been passed in 1949. Specifically, Cornyn’s August, 2003 opinion stated that the law applied to both Dallas Crown and Beltex. The two Texas plants responded to an order by the Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney to shut down by filing a suit challenging the law. Their argument? That a ban would violate the Constitution’s commerce clause and federal meat inspection laws. In 2006, a judge ruled in favor of the plants, but this decision was overturned by the New Orleans appellate court. Even though it upheld the Texas ban on slaughtering horses, however, the plants did not shut. They continued slaughtering horses. Within 14 days of the Fifth Circuit Court decision, Dallas Crown & Beltex asked for an enbanc by the Fifth Circuit. In February, 2007, Dallas Crown and Beltex took their case up to the Supreme Court, which rejected their appeal. But the plants continued slaughtering horses. On March 5, 2007, the entire Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an earlier panel decision upholding the Texas state law (Ag Code 149) banning the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. On March 23, 2007, the The Kaufman Herald, reported that Dallas Crown had finally sent its employees home. This left just Cavel, in DeKalb, IL, operating. On March 29, 2007, U.S. Federal District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the Federal District Court in the District of Columbia effectively blocked the USDA from providing horsemeat inspections for a fee. She ruled that the USDA violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to conduct an environmental impact review of its decision to allow the continuation of horse slaughter. Technically,,America’s remaining slaughterhouse could no longer kill horses for human consumption. On May 5, 2007, Cavel, The DeKalb Illinois slaughter plant, which had been forced to close for several weeks, won the latest round in a long battle over the processing of horses, scoring a win in the Federal Appeals Court in Washington that allowed the plant to re-open. The court issued a stay on an order banning USDA inspections. On May 24, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed HB 1711 banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption, making it illegal for Cavel to continue operations. On May 25, the Belgian-owned company filed a lawsuit claiming the new law banning the slaughter of horses intended for human consumption was unconstitutional. On June 1, 2007, U.S. District Court Judge Frederick Kapala granted a temporary restraining order preventing state and DeKalb County officials from enforcing the slaughter ban passed in Illinois while the suit was being considered. Slaughter continued pending a restraining order set to expire after Jun 14. Hearings in the case were scheduled for June 12 and 14. On June 17, Kapala granted a 10-day extension to Cavel while he considered whether to make the order permanent. On June 28, an order keeping the last U.S. horse slaughter plant in DeKalb open was set to expire. A Federal judge refused a request from Cavel to stay open. On July 5, an Illinois law banning horse slaughter was upheld in Federal Court. However, Cavel appealed stating that the ban on horse slaughter for human consumption was unconstitutional. On July 18, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion by Cavel International, allowing the plant to temporarily resume horse slaughter operations. The facility was allowed to operate while the appeal was pending. On September 21, 2007, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in support of a lower court’s earlier decision on the constitutionality of a state law banning the practice of horse slaughter for human consumption. Cavel’s appeal was denied and its temporary injunction was revoked. Cavel became the last horse slaughter house in the U.S. to close. Source: Forbes.com: “Grand Opening of Horse Slaughter Plants Foiled Again” by Vickery Eckhoff (http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2013/11/06/grand-opening-of-horse-slaughter-plants-foiled-again/) APPENDIX III: What’s In Your Horse Burger? Chemicals That Pose a Serious Health Risk http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/03/04/what-s-in-your-horse-burger-chemicals-that-pose-serious-health-risks.html “You sound like a fucking bitch” I have a new post today on Forbes.com: Grand Opening of Horse Slaughter Plants Foiled Again. You can read it here. The topic may seem obscure, but it’s probably my most important writing to date: exposing false reporting by the Associated Press in 16 different articles (as of this writing) that have, for a year and a half, made their way into every mainstream media organization in the U.S., misleading the public on critical facts about horse slaughter just as two and possibly three plants get closer to opening in America’s heartland. I started tracking these errors across the media landscape in June, 2012 as they started appearing in a variety of mainstream news sites. As of yesterday, I picked up these same recurring errors in two new AP stories that have appeared on all the networks, in The Christian Science Monitor, Bloomberg, Huffington Post, Reuters, and countless online news sites. I’ve also picked up false reports in The New York Times, on NPR, and other news organizations that have a high standard of accuracy. The AP’s stamp was on all of them. I approached the AP back in June of 2012, then again in April, and steadily from May onward, inquiring about errors I found and seeking correction. The first person I spoke to was the AP reporter who has become the voice for Valley Meat for the American Press—Jeri Clausing. I called her again 10 months later. Ms. Clausing did not take kindly to my inquiries. On my second call, during which I politely inquired as to her source for figures on horse overpopulation that I knew to be incorrect, she wouldn’t let me get a word in. She kept repeating, “you’re a horse advocate, you’re a horse advocate” despite my having offered my credentials as a journalist who had published extensively on Forbes.com and the Huffington Post (I have since been published in Newsweek), on the topic of horse slaughter. Upon my strong objection to being spoken to in such a rude manner, Ms. Clausing responded: “You sound like a fucking bitch.” So I reached out to Ms. Clausing’s news editor, Linda Ashton. I explained my concerns and she requested I write up my credentials and the errors I found in Ms. Clausing’s articles, along with links proving what was wrong and why. I did so. I spent a month poring over seven articles: Jun. 6, 2012: Proposed Horse Slaughterhouse Polarizes Industry http://bigstory.ap.org/article/proposed-horse-slaughterhouse-polarizes-industry Aug. 1, 2012: Horse Owners Support NM Horse Slaughterhouse http://bigstory.ap.org/article/horse-owners-support-nm-horse-slaughterhouse Dec. 20, 2012: Meat Company Sues Feds Over Horse Slaughterhouse http://bigstory.ap.org/article/meat-company-sues-feds-over-horse-slaughterhouse Mar. 1, 2013: New Mexico Company: Feds May Allow Horse Slaughter http://bigstory.ap.org/article/new-mexico-company-feds-may-allow-horse-slaughter Mar. 22, 2013: Horse Shooting Highlights Slaughter Debate http://bigstory.ap.org/article/horse-shooting-underscores-slaughter-debate Apr. 23, 2013: Lawyer: Inspectors Clear NM Slaughterhouse http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nm-slaughterhouse-ground-zero-horse-debate Apr. 30, 2013: NM Horse Slaughter Plant to Open Soon http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ag-secretary-nm-horse-slaughter-plant-should-open As part of that, I reread each of the articles referenced above, researched Ms. Clausing’s sources in greater depth and reread materials referenced numerous times within her storyline (specifically, the June 2011 GAO Report). What I found confirms my impression of bias throughout the seven articles favoring proponents of Valley Meat and their point of view, along with related errors. Table I shows proponents enjoying a 69.4% share of voice compared to just 12.7% for opponents in the AP’s coverage. The figures were determined by doing word counts for groupings of similar text (talking points, reference materials, editorial commentary, photo captions, etc.). Neutral text (such as legislation and quotes from people without a discernible point of view), accounts for the difference between the two column totals (on the right) and the total word count (on the left). Table II shows proponents and opponents represented in roughly equal numbers with regard to the individuals, organizations and constituencies (ranchers, horse rescues, public officials, livestock associations, etc.) named in the text. Where they diverge is the total number of mentions and talking time they get. Eight individual proponents get mentioned 46 times (5.75 mentions per individual). Six individual opponents get mentioned 18 times (3 mentions per individual). The same holds true for organizations and constituents named in the text. If they’re proponents, they get more frequent mentions and longer quotes. There were five recurring errors I highlighted in my letter to Ms. Ashton. The most egregious appeared in six of the seven articles I reviewed. It stated the following: “A June 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office shows cases of horse abuse and abandonment on a steady rise since Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by cutting funding for USDA inspection programs in 2006.” This quote gives credence to Ms. Clausing’s frequent mentions of “abused,” “abandoned” “neglected,” “starved” and “unwanted” horses (24 mentions in her first article alone) despite a GAO acknowledgement that “national data is lacking.” This admission appears on page two of the 2011 report and is briefly mentioned in Ms. Clausing’s first article, but is otherwise absent, along with any discussion about the lack of national and almost complete lack of state data. A worse problem, however is her getting the events wrong that shut down the slaughter plants and when that occurred. This is the main topic of my Forbes.com article today. In any event, Ms. Ashton repeated that the AP’s reporting was both factual and balanced, and started knocking my professional credentials to request a correction. She said, “I’ve looked at your articles, and I think they’re biased.” Let me address that. It’s a valid point. I don’t quote Rick de los Santos in my articles, though I do mention him in one. I have interviewed him, though, back in March when that video of his employee, Tim Sappington, came out shooting a horse in the head while swearing at animal rights activists. The interview with Mr. De Los Santos was long and uneventful—so much so he gave me his cellphone number and asked me not to share it. The next day, however, his attorney, A. Blair Dunn, sent me the following note: “You are receiving this correspondence because you communicated to a person associated with Valley Meat Company, LLC a degratory, defamatory or threatening statement or aided in deciminating the information necessary to conspire to do the same. As legal counsel for for Valley Meat Company this email shoud serve as notice I do not represent Tim Sappington, nor is he associated with Valley Meat Company in any capacity. Because of the statements you have made it is my reccomendation that you retain your own legal counsel. At this time any communications you made that threaten or harass any person associated with Valley Meat Company will be referred to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security for investigation and prosecution under the Animal Enterprise Terroism Act (SEE BELOW). Neither Valley Meat nor the Law Office of A. Blair Dunn will tolerate threatening or defamatory statements and will contemplate civil action against any individuals or groups that persist in that type of activity. Mr. Dunn’s spelling errors and threats notwithstanding, I reached out to Mr. De Los Santos a second time, and got more harassing notes from Mr. Dunn. I also reached out to several other individuals in Ms. Clausing’s articles to get quotes. None called me back. That’s not a result of bias on my part; it’s a result of bias on theirs. They don’t mind speaking to Ms. Clausing because she seems to take everything they say at face value. That’s not my orientation. But back, again, to my correspondence with Ms. Ashton. Having gotten nowhere with my request for corrections, I decided to take my concerns up the chain at the AP. I next wrote to the AP’s corrections line. I called, too. When I finally got someone on the phone, they wouldn’t direct me to an actual editor and told me to email them again. When I told them I’d done that already, they hung up on me. So I emailed them again. Again, no one got back to me. So I contacted a very attentive editor named Stephanie Siek. She asked me to do a write up on what I found and vowed to send it on to the appropriate editor at the AP. Several weeks later, I was in correspondence with Traci Carl, whose title is West Editor. She oversees 13 different regions for the AP, including Albuquerque, Ms. Clausing’s base. Ms. Carl’s response to my inquiry was pretty much what I expected: “Stephanie Siek brought your concerns to my attention, as I oversee news for 13 Western states, including New Mexico. The Associated Press takes all potential errors seriously, and I’ve reviewed our stories and the facts called into question. At this time, I don’t see a need for a corrective. As you state, and as we reported, Congress cut the funding for inspection programs in 2006. And I reviewed the GAO report and found that it did cite a rise in horse abuse and abandonment, as stated in our article. Thanks again for your concern and interest.” I responded: “Thank you for getting back to me about the errors in Ms. Clausing’s reporting. The point being made isn’t when Congress cut funding (2006), as you suggest. It is about Ms. Clausing stating that the removal of funding effectively shut the plants down in 2006 when that didn’t happen until 2007 (they were kept in operation by fee-for-service inspections, which the court found illegal, shutting the plants down). The closure of plants and the stated correlation with an alleged rise in abuse and abandonment in 2006 are central features of all Ms. Clausing’s coverage. This correlation falls apart given the true date of closing. In fact, that abuse and neglect went up for a year prior to the plants’ closing proves the two are not correlated. That abuse and neglect figures declined after the plants closed also proves that point. The AP’s coverage makes the case that keeping horse slaughter plants open is a more humane option and uses the wrong date of closing to prove that point. Please explain why 14 articles and hundreds of spin-off articles based on a false date and a false correlation do not require correction. I’ve been writing articles on this subject for two years. I’ve been writing letters on this to the AP since May seeking correction. May I please have the courtesy of speaking to you about what is admittedly a very complex topic in person.” Ms. Carl’s next response was more promising: “Again, thank you for your enthusiasm and interest in this story. We do want to get it right. I have to admit that I’ve gone through the story and your emails several times, and I’m still struggling to understand the errors as reported by the AP. The concerns you raise seem like they should be directed at the GAO and their report. Please let me know if I’m not understanding the situation. If you raise a specific error in our reporting, I will vet it and correct it for the record.” So I wrote back with the following: “Thanks for looking at this further and for your assurances that the AP wants to get this right. I appreciate your question about whether you understand this. The answer is no — it’s way more complicated than you or the AP reporter, Jeri Clausing (or most people) understand. So let me lay out what happened in detail, and what Ms. Clausing misstates in 15 different articles, specifically: That Congress defunded inspections in 2006 that this effectively caused the plants to close in 2006 that the GAO report showed a corresponding rise in horse abuse and abandonment” To that, I appended a very long timeline (a feature of today’s Forbes.com post) detailing all the events that occurred between when Congress voted to defund horse slaughter inspections (in 2005) and when the plants actually shut down (on account of state bans in TX and IL) in 2007. Clearly, I expected that this would prove my point. The AP had screwed up the dates as well as which events led to what outcome. What I got back from Ms. Carl showed otherwise: “I’ve reviewed our coverage, and we are clear that the vote to cut funding came in 2005, and that Congress’ intention was to effectively ban horse slaughter with that vote. You are right that we don’t mention efforts by Illinois and Texas to get around that vote, but it doesn’t change Congress’ intent, which was at the heart of the horse slaughter debate. I don’t see a need for correction or clarification on that point. As for the Colorado data, by your own reporting and facts below, cases did rise after funding was pulled in 2006, so I don’t see a need for a correction or clarification on that point. Again, thanks for your passion and interest in this topic.” “I am a bit perplexed by your message. Nowhere in any of the (now) 15 articles does Ms. Clausing state the vote to cut funding came in 2005. I have aggregated all the text for all 15 articles into one word doc and there is only one mention of “2005” in all of them, and it has nothing to do with Congress. Further, I only find three mentions of “intent” and none have to do with Congress. What I find repeatedly—and have pointed out in all my correspondence to you—is Ms. Clausing saying Congress “effectively” banned slaughter in 2006. This is factually and demonstrably incorrect. Congress intent to defund it and Congress actually defunding it did not close the plants and it is the “effective” closing of them that Ms. Clausing is correlating with a “consistent increase and abuse and neglect”. This also did not happen, either, as the data shows abuse going up while plants were still open and going down after they closed. Again, it was state laws that closed the plants in 2007, a full year after Ms. Clausing said they closed. I don’t know how I can be any more clear in proving this point to you. Can you please address these specific errors? Thank you!” The answer to that was: silence. I sent an email asking who I could talk to since she wasn’t willing to take it further. She said: “I’m the person you should talk to at AP, and I believe I’ve addressed your questions.” The AP, as of today, has now put out 17 articles, 16 of which carry the error I described above. The other article has different problems with it. The entire series is riddled with them. Yet I chose the most easy-to-spot error— a false date—to prove the need for a correction. How many meaningless corrections are made to news stories that are date-related (getting a birthdate wrong) while significant errors go uncorrected, simply because a news organization has sunk its credibility into some really unfactual coverage, and doesn’t want to come clean? It’s easy to talk about wanting to get things right. But 17 articles riddled with errors that go uncorrected isn’t “getting things right.” It’s covering your ass. This is having a profound impact on how the public is responding to what could soon be plants opening in New Mexico and possibly Missouri and Iowa. Essentially, the majority of Americans are against horse slaughter, but there are still people making up their minds about whether or not this is a good or bad idea. And a lot of false information from the AP and other generally credible news sources doesn’t help them do that. The news keeps changing: the plants are opening; the plants aren’t opening; restaurants are gearing up to serve horse meat. The news cycle feeds off the crazy factor—none of it with a basis in reality. If this matters to you, here’s what you do: Write to the Associated Press and every news source that’s picked up the AP’s coverage. Tell them your concerns. Give them a link to my Forbes article and ask them for a correction. Keep asking. Then, start demanding. I’ve done my part. I’ve put the story out there. It’s your turn, now to raise hell. But be polite. If anyone speaks to an editor the way that AP reporter spoke to me, your concern will go nowhere. There’s power in your words and most importantly, provable facts. Use them!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8331
__label__cc	0.717161	0.282839	Updated Renderings for Hollywood's Academy Square Proposed development would remake a full city block. August 03, 2016, 10:27PMSteven Sharp Comments The website of real estate firm Kilroy Realty has revealed updated renderings for the Academy, a proposed $300-million mixed-use in Hollywood. The project - slated for a city block bounded by Vine Street, Homewood, Ivar and De Longepre Avenues - would construct a series of high-rise and low-rise buildings featuring 250 apartments, 235,000 square feet of office space and 37,000 square feet of ground-floor shops and restaurants. Architectural plans from the Shimoda Design Group call for a gateway entrance on Vine Street, leading to a pedestrian paseo cutting east-to-west through the 3.5-acre property. The project would be highlighted by a 23-story high-rise tower at the northwest corner of the site. According to city records, the Academy could begin construction in the third quarter of 2016. The Academy (Kilroy Realty) The Academy Archive (Urbanize LA) Acadmey Square Kilroy Realty Shimoda Design Group	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8332
__label__cc	0.6479	0.3521	USTR Robert Lighthizer on the Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce Joint Statement of the Trilateral Meeting of the Trade Ministers of the European Union, Japan and the United States Public Hearing on Negotiating Objectives for U.S.-UK Trade Agreement Statement Regarding the United States Delegation to China Statement on the United States Trade Delegation’s Meetings in Beijing Statements by the United States at the January 11, 2019, DSB Meeting USTR Operating Status USTR Requests First-Ever Environment Consultations Under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) USTR Statement on the EU’s Consultation Request at the WTO Home » About Us » Policy Offices » Press Office » Press Releases » 2019 » January Washington, D.C., 9 January 2019 Mrs. Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade, Mr. Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer, United States Trade Representative, met in Washington, D.C. on 9 January 2019. The Ministers advanced discussions on their shared objective to address non market-oriented policies and practices of third countries that lead to severe overcapacity, create unfair competitive conditions for their workers and businesses, hinder the development and use of innovative technologies, and undermine the proper functioning of international trade, including where existing rules are not effective. They reiterated their concerns, reviewed ongoing work, and agreed to deepen their cooperation in all areas covered by the Ministerial Statements issued in New York and Paris, including nonmarket policies and practices, market-oriented conditions, industrial subsidies and state-owned enterprises, forced technology transfer policies and practices, WTO reform and digital trade and e-commerce. In today's meeting, the Ministers discussed in particular: On concerns with non-market oriented policies and practices, Ministers took stock of the intensification of the exchange of information between them, the identification of additional criteria indicating market-oriented conditions, and confirmed that market-oriented conditions are fundamental to a fair, mutually advantageous global trading system and that their citizens and businesses operate under market-oriented conditions. The Ministers also confirmed their commitment to continue working together to maintain the effectiveness of existing WTO disciplines, including through ongoing WTO disputes. On industrial subsidies, Ministers instructed their staff to finalize trilateral text-based work in this area by spring in order to engage other key WTO Members after that, as appropriate. In the area of forced technology transfers, Ministers confirmed their agreement to cooperate on enforcement, on the development of new rules, on investment review for national security purposes and on export controls and further take stock of this cooperation by spring. On the reform of the WTO, the three partners submitted a joint transparency and notification proposal to the Council for Trade in Goods last November with other co-sponsors, and the Ministers agreed to intensify engagement with other trading partners to advance this proposal. They confirmed their agreement to work towards strengthening the regular committees' activities. They also reiterated their call on advanced WTO Members claiming developing country status to undertake full commitments in ongoing and future WTO negotiations. The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of cooperating in facilitating digital trade and the growth of the digital economy and to enhance business environments through the promotion of data security. The Ministers confirmed their support for the timely initiation of WTO negotiations on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce that seek to achieve a high standard agreement with the participation of as many WTO members as possible. The Ministers look forward to further cooperation for the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Trade and the Digital Economy under the Japanese G20 Presidency.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8334
__label__wiki	0.668823	0.668823	Clint Betts Executive Director, Silicon Slopes Clint Betts is the Executive Director of Silicon Slopes, a non-profit organization empowering Utah’s tech community to learn, connect, and serve. Clint Betts is the executive director and editor-in-chief of Silicon Slopes and Beehive Startups. In 2013, Betts founded Beehive Startups to tell the stories of Utah entrepreneurs and startups. In 2016, Beehive Startups created a new nonprofit organization and joined forces with Silicon Slopes inside of that entity to empower Utah’s tech community to learn, connect, and serve. In addition to his duties as executive director and editor-in-chief, Betts also hosts the Deseret News Silicon Slopes Hour on KSL News Radio every Sunday at 7am; is the publisher of the quarterly Silicon Slopes Magazine; and founded Startup Santa, a state-wide children’s book drive to help eradicate childhood illiteracy. A Utah native, Betts studied journalism and political science at Utah Valley University and resides in the Beehive State with his wife and three kids.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8335
__label__wiki	0.814597	0.814597	Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez President, Utah Valley University Following a rich and storied career in business, philanthropy, and academia, Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez became the seventh president of Utah Valley University in 2018. She is the first woman to serve full-time as UVU president. Raised in the slums of the Philippines, Tuminez rose to become a world leader in the fields of technology and political science, most recently serving as an executive at Microsoft. She is also the former vice dean of Research and assistant dean of Executive Education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8336
__label__cc	0.651173	0.348827	#WeThePeople Standing Up for Freedom The Orwellian Reality Weaponized Incarceration The Media v. The Police noahburger16 Uncategorized May 22, 2019 May 22, 2019 7 Minutes How the Ruling Class Re-Enslaved the Black Community Noah Burger The United States currently incarcerates more people, per capita, than any other nation. Our country’s incarceration rates extend past the worlds next highest jailers, Russia and Rwanda, by nearly seventy-five percent (Sentencing Project, 2017). In countries like Russia and Rwanda, high incarceration rates make sense; in 1994, the Rwandan Genocide claimed over 800,000 lives (Associated Press, 2019). Prior to 1982, incarceration rates in the United States mirrored our NATO allies, however, in the years since, incarceration rates have increased over five-hundred percent (Sentencing Project, 2017). Currently, incarceration rates in the United States vary dramatically from the rest of the world. This paper will analyze how, and why, American incarceration rates have exploded in recent history, through critical analysis of historical events from 1950 to 2001. In the 1950s, the Central Intelligence Agency launched Operation Mockingbird, a “domestic propaganda campaign designed to promote CIA opinions – often presented as facts – within the media”, influencing public opinion (Veterans Today, 2018). In 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke in front of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, exposing a secretive “system which has conscripted vast human and material resources… a highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific, and political operations”, pleading for the press to allow “man to be what he was born to be, free and independent” (JFK Library, n.d.) In 1962, the CIA planned to carry out terrorist attacks against both American military and civilian targets, creating public approval for war with Cuba (Ruppe, n.d). While the operation had been approved by both the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it was ultimately rejected by President Kennedy (Lepore, 2019). Additionally, Kennedy was against war in Vietnam, electing only to allow small numbers of troops to be deployed as “military advisers” (JFK Library, n.d). Less than one year after rejecting Operation Northwoods, and five months after sending a bill to Congress that would later become the Civil Rights Act of 1964, John F. Kennedy, a strong proponent of government transparency and civil rights, was assassinated (JFK Library, n.d.). FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover “hated communists as much as he hated black people (Scheiger, 2017). In the 1960s, the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized false allegations of communist collusion to wiretap and surveil Martin Luther King Jr. No evidence of communist collusion, or any other crime, were discovered (Ruane, 2017). However, the FBI discovered that Martin Luther King Jr had been unfaithful to his wife. In 1964, the FBI delivered a package to King Jr’s wife, containing the evidence of the affair, as well as a letter attempting to persuade Martin Luther King Jr to commit suicide, because the FBI viewed the Civil Rights movement as “threats to the social order” (Ruane, 2017). In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr, the leader of the Civil Rights movement, was assassinated. After Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President. Within months, Johnson employed the Gulf of Tonkin incident – later declassified to be a false-flag attack that implemented the same military, media, and government arms Kennedy had warned about – to escalate US involvement in the Vietnam War (History, 2009). While Johnson took credit for signing Kennedy’s Civil Rights Act into law, it had been well documented that Lyndon B. Johnson was in fact a racist (Serwer, 2014). The assassination of John F. Kennedy had “left American citizens reeling”, leaving Johnson no choice but to “push through key elements of Kennedy’s legislative agenda – in particular, Civil Rights legislation and tax cuts” (History, n.d). Johnson also created various social programs, including subsidized food and housing projects that incentivized regression. It is important to note, that after losing the Civil War, former slaveowners – members of the ruling class – implemented similar programs, historically labeled as “Sharecropping” or “Indentured Servitude”, to maintain dominance over African-Americans (PBS, n.d). In the late 1970s, and early 1980s, the Central Intelligence Agency imported tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States, in exchange for weapons delivered to Nicaraguan rebels (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). The cocaine was then sold to various black street gangs, such as the Bloods and the Crips (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). As a result, cocaine usage – specifically crack-cocaine in black communities – increased (Turner, 2017). President Ronald Reagan officially began the War on Drugs in 1982. Reagan’s “get tough” policies included harsh, mandatory minimum sentences for crack cocaine possession – designed to target the black community. However, the CIA continued importing thousands of kilograms of cocaine through 1985 – selling it to black street gangs – an entire three years after the start of the “War on Drugs” (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). By 1985, the CIA, under the Reagan Administration, had been exposed for its role in the Iran-Contra affair. As a result, the CIA ceased weapon exports to the Contras, and, thus, ceased importing cocaine. With decreasing supply, demand rising, and drug laws posing as “risk premiums”, the price of cocaine skyrocketed. As a result, gang violence, which was already fuming, exploded. However, the increase in gang violence is not the root cause of America’s high incarceration rates; violent crime clearance is notoriously low. Drug crimes, however, have notoriously high clearance rates, especially those that carry mandatory minimums. Over the next twenty years, American incarceration rates saw increases of over five-hundred percent, mostly targeting African-Americans with drug crimes, and dwarfing all other nations on the planet. Without irony, former Confederate States have imprisoned twice as many people per capita than the rest of the United States (Wagner and Sawyer, 2018). In summary, two Civil Rights leaders, JFK and MLK, were assassinated. Both had conflicts with intelligence agencies known internationally for their roles in political assassinations. The CIA, ever since its inception, has implemented forms of mass media manipulation and false-flag terrorist attacks, influencing the thoughts of citizens – and the actions of congress. Less than one year after restricting US-involvement in Vietnam, sending a Civil Rights bill to Congress that the FBI opposed, and rejecting a CIA false-flag terrorist attack that would start a war with Cuba, JFK was assassinated. Less than one year after JFK was assassinated, LBJ and the CIA employed a false-flag terrorist attack, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, to escalate war with Vietnam. LBJ, a well known racist, passed JFK’s Civil Rights Act, yet added “rider” policies that incentivized social regression, rather than prosperity, mirroring the sharecropping tactics of post-slavery days. From the 1970s to 1985, the CIA imported tons of cocaine directly into the black community, only stopping because they had been exposed. Three years before 1985, Ronald Reagan passed radical new drug laws, designed to target black Americans, via mandatory minimum sentences for crack-cocaine. In the decades since, American incarceration rates rose over five-hundred percent, with large numbers of African Americans being jailed for drug crimes. Concurrently, drugs, gang violence, social regression, and prison sentences have created an endless poverty-crime cycle, decimating the black community. Associated Press. (2019, April 5). Macron calls for probe into French role in Rwanda genocide. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.foxnews.com/world/macron-calls-for-probe-into-french-role-in-rwanda-genocide Biography. (2019, January 23). Lyndon B. Johnson. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.biography.com/people/lyndon-b-johnson-9356122 Capps, K. (2018, April 11). Black Homeowners Are Worse Off Today Than They Were 40 Years Ago. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/07/black-homeowners-are-worse-off-today-than-they-were-40-years-ago/374824/ Central Intelligence Agency. (2007, April 25). Introduction: The California Story. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/cocaine/report/intro.html Central Intelligence Agency. (2016, December 22). Drug Smuggling and the Contras. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/document/cia-rdp90-00965r000707110001-8 Dallek, M. (2018, November 16). When presidents lied or misled the nation to go to war – and when they didn’t. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/when-presidents-lied-or-misled-the-nation-to-go-to-war–and-when-they-didnt/2018/11/16/07a19f1c-d22f-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html?utm_term=.55fe5a58da71 Drug Policy Alliance. (n.d.). A Brief History of the Drug War. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/brief-history-drug-war Gage, B. (2014, November 11). What an Uncensored Letter to M.L.K. Reveals. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/magazine/what-an-uncensored-letter-to-mlk-reveals.html Goode, E., & Ben-Yehuda, N. (1994). Retrieved April 6, 2019, from http://www.druglibrary.org/special/goode/drugpanic.htm History. (2009, October 29). Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/gulf-of-tonkin-resolution-1 History. (2017, November 17). Great Society. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/great-society JFK Library. (n.d.). Military Advisors in Vietnam: 1963. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/teachers/curricular-resources/high-school-curricular-resources/military-advisors-in-vietnam-1963 JFK Library. (n.d.). November 22, 1963: Death of the President. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president JFK Library. (n.d.). The President and the Press: Address before the American Newspaper Publishers Association, April 27, 1961. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/american-newspaper-publishers-association-19610427 Lepore, A. (2019, January 17). The Cuban Project: Is the U.S. Willing to Kill Its Citizens? · 71 Republic. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://71republic.com/2019/01/17/cuban-project-government-kill-citizens/ PBS. (n.d.). JFK and Civil Rights. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/jfk-domestic-politics/ PBS. (n.d.). Sharecropping. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/sharecropping/ Ruane, M. E. (2017, December 13). ‘You are done’: A secret letter to Martin Luther King Jr. sheds light on FBI’s malice. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/12/13/an-old-letter-sheds-light-on-fbis-malice-toward-martin-luther-king-jr/?utm_term=.d23b17397c76 Ruppe, D. (n.d.). U.S. Military Wanted to Provoke War With Cuba. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92662&page=1 Schneiger, F. (2017, February 13). J. Edgar Hoover: Racism and Power. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://stjohnsource.com/2017/02/12/j-edgar-hoover-racism-and-power/ Sentencing Project. (2017). Criminal Justice Facts. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.sentencingproject.org/criminal-justice-facts/ Serwer, A. (2014, April 12). Lyndon Johnson was a civil rights hero. But also a racist. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/lyndon-johnson-civil-rights-racism Spartacus Educational. (n.d.). Operation Mockingbird. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://spartacus-educational.com/JFKmockingbird.htm Turner, D. S. (2017, September 04). Crack Epidemic. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/crack-epidemic Veterans Today. (2018, February 17). Archival: Operation Mockingbird, CIA Mind Control. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/02/17/archival-operation-mockingbird-cia-media-mind-control/ Wagner, P., & Sawyer, W. (2018, June). States of Incarceration: The Global Context 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2018.html Published by noahburger16 View all posts by noahburger16 Previous Post The Sixth Amendment Next Post The Orwellian Reality	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8337
__label__wiki	0.749902	0.749902	2015 Louisiana elections Elections in Louisiana Federal government 1806 Territory at-large at-large Sp 5th Sp 3rd Sp 1st Sp 2013 5th Sp State government State elections by year 1830 (special) 1863 (Confederate) 1864 (Union) Lieutenant gubernatorial Ballot measures Amendment 1 New Orleans Mayoral elections New Orleans City Council A general election was held in the U.S. state of Louisiana on October 24, 2015.[1] All of Louisiana's executive officers, and both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature were up for election. Under Louisiana's jungle primary system, all candidates appeared on the same ballot, regardless of party and voters voted for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. Since no candidate received a majority of the vote during the primary election, a runoff election was held on November 21, 2015 between the top two candidates in the primary.[2][1] Louisiana is the only state that has a jungle primary system (California and Washington have a similar "top two primary" system). 1 Governor 2 Lieutenant Governor 3 Attorney General 4 Secretary of State 5 State Treasurer 6 Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry 7 Commissioner of Insurance 7.1 Polling 8 Louisiana State Senate 9 Louisiana House of Representatives 10 References 11 External links Main article: Louisiana gubernatorial election, 2015 Incumbent Republican Governor Bobby Jindal was term-limited and unable to run for re-election to a third term in office. Main article: Louisiana lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015 Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne did not run for re-election to a second full term in office. He instead ran for governor.[3] Main article: Louisiana Attorney General election, 2015 Incumbent Republican Attorney General Buddy Caldwell ran for re-election to a third term in office,[4] but was defeated by Jeff Landry. Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Tom Schedler won re-election to a second full term in office.[5] Chris Tyson, a law professor at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at the Louisiana State University and son of former Judge Ralph E. Tyson of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, ran for the Democrats.[6] Incumbent Republican State Treasurer John Neely Kennedy won re-election to a fifth term in office.[7] Republican Jennifer Treadway, a lawyer from Baton Rouge, challenged him. Had Kennedy not chosen run for re-election, potential Republican candidates included Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives Chuck Kleckley;[8] Dan Kyle, former Louisiana Legislative Auditor, candidate for Louisiana Insurance Commissioner in 2003 and candidate for Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish in 2008; Jude Melville, President and CEO of Business First Bank and nephew of former Governor of Louisiana Buddy Roemer; Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, former state representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002; John Schroder, state representative; and Jim Tucker, former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and candidate for Secretary of State of Louisiana in 2011.[9] Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Michael G. Strain won re-election to a third term in office.[10] Democrat Jamie LaBranche, an arborist and horticulturist who lost in the jungle primary in 2011, ran for the office again. Commissioner of Insurance Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon won re-election to a third full term in office. Poll source administered Margin of Donelon (R) Parker (R) Triumph March 5, 2015 1,655 ± 2.4% 45% 13% 41% Louisiana State Senate All 39 seats in the Louisiana State Senate were up for election. The Republican party currently holds 26 seats, while the Democratic party holds the remaining 13.[11] 7 of the current senators are term limited and could not run for re-election.[12] Louisiana House of Representatives All 105 seats in the Louisiana House of Representatives were up for election. The Republican party currently holds 58 seats and the Democratic party 44 seats. 2 seats are held by independents and the remaining seat is vacant.[13] 14 of the current representatives are term-limited and could not run for re-election.[14] ^ a b "2015 ELECTIONS" (pdf). Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved 1 August 2015. ^ "How are Candidates Elected?". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved 1 August 2015. ^ "Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne 'intends' to run for governor in 2015". The Times-Picayune. March 20, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2014. ^ "Contenders emerge in race for top attorney". St. Charles Herald Guide. July 24, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2014. ^ Michelle Millhollon (March 4, 2014). "Schedler draws competition". The Advocate. Retrieved December 29, 2014. ^ Alex Deiro (February 19, 2014). "Newcomer looks to take on Secretary of State in 2015 election". NBC33. Retrieved December 29, 2014. ^ Julia O'Donoghue (April 9, 2015). "State Treasurer John Kennedy will seek reelection, not run for governor or attorney general". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved April 9, 2015. ^ Julia O'Donoghue (December 31, 2014). "Chuck Kleckley is considering a run for Louisiana State Treasurer". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 31, 2014. ^ Jeremy Alford (December 15, 2014). "State Treasurer Considering Leap to Attorney General". The Independent. Retrieved December 28, 2014. ^ "Ag commissioner Mike Strain says he won't run for Louisiana governor". Shreveport Times. July 1, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2013. ^ "Louisiana State Senate - Senate Membership Statistics". Louisiana State Senate. Retrieved 1 August 2015. ^ "Louisiana State Senate - Term Limits". Louisiana State Senate. Retrieved 1 August 2015. ^ "Members by Party". Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved 1 August 2015. ^ "2012-2016 Term". Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved 1 August 2015. (2014 ←) 2015 United States elections (→ 2016) U.S. House Illinois's 18th district Mississippi's 1st district New York's 11th district Cary, NC Charlotte, NC Chicago, IL Colorado Springs, CO Columbus, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Fort Worth, TX Houston, TX Indianapolis, IN Jacksonville, FL Kansas City, MO Las Vegas, NV Memphis, TN Miami Beach, FL Montgomery, AL Nashville, TN Orlando, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Portland, ME Raleigh, NC Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA South Bend, IN Springfield, MO Tampa, FL Toledo, OH West Palm Beach, FL Wichita, KS New Jersey This page was last edited on 26 December 2018, at 16:45	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8341
__label__wiki	0.600758	0.600758	← Eisa Davis and The Cradle Will Rock — perfect together Speed the Plough joins Bar/None’s July 24 farewell to Maxwell’s → Maxwell’s bowing out with a block party; many details still to be revealed Maxwell’s at 11th and Washington streets in Hoboken, is planning a farewell block party on July 31. (Photo © 2013, Steven P. Marsh) is reporting that Maxwell’s, the restaurant and music club in Hoboken, N.J., will make its farewell with a block party on 11th Street at Washington Street on July 31. It’s clearly an effort by longtime booker and co-owner Todd Abramson to make the 200-capacity club accessible to the masses of people who will want to be a part of the venerated venue’s last day. But a block party with DJ music as its final event? No offense to The Jersey Journal’s reporter Charles Hack, who did the story for NJ.com, but I don’t think he got the whole story. What about the bands “a” and The Bongos, who have made noises about their involvement in that final show? And what about The Individuals, another band with members in common with the other two, that’s been rumored to perform as well? As of a couple of days ago, Abramson was still working out details of the club’s finale. This was one of the irons he had in the fire, though the details were not yet in place. There’s more, much more, to this story: How many people will be able to attend? How will they get in — first-come, first served or tickets? Will there be a charge? If so, how much? What about live music, for which Maxwell’s is famous? Stay tuned! This entry was posted in Music, News, Pop and Rock, Punk, RIP and tagged A, Charles Hack, Hoboken, NJ.com, The Bongos, The Individuals, The Jersey Journal, Todd Abramson. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8343
__label__cc	0.743458	0.256542	Keeping Hope While Locked Out With No Voice By Joy First The voices of the people are not being heard as we are increasingly denied access to our government officials. For many, we have wanted to believe that we live in some kind of representative democracy where we can express our views to those we elect and it will make a difference, but that is not the case. A study published in the academic journal Perspectives on Politics found the majority of the American public has a “minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy” compared to the wealthy. Our first-hand experience confirmed the results of this study when we were locked out of Representative Paul Ryan’s office and then the White House in an action organized by the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (NCNR) as part of the week of actions of Campaign Nonviolence. Campaign Nonviolence is a new, long-term movement to mainstream nonviolence and to foster a culture of peace free from war, poverty, climate crisis, and the epidemic of violence. The action NCNR organized was titled “Sowing Seeds of Hope: From Congress to the White House”. On the morning of September 22, 2015 a group of about 10 people met in the cafeteria of the Longworth House office building. We discussed our plans for the day and then made our way to Representative Paul Ryan’s office. The congressman from Wisconsin is a shining example of what is wrong with Congress today. He has presented a budget proposal that would significantly increase defense spending while cutting costs to necessary services for our brothers and sisters who have the least. In the first part of September, we mailed a letter to Ryan asking for a meeting on September 22 to discuss the issues of war, poverty, and the climate crisis. With a copy of that letter in hand we approached his office and noticed the sign outside the door said, “Welcome. Come In.” This was a metal sign permanently attached on the wall beside the door of every congressperson in the building. However, taped to the door was a temporary sign that read, “Entry restricted to those with an appointment.” We tried to open the door, but it was locked. We were shocked that the door was locked. Ellen Taylor, a member of Code Pink who has been visiting members of Congress for years, said that this was the first time she had ever been locked out of a congressional office. We had posted information about going to Ryan’s office on a number of websites and so they knew we were coming, and obviously they were not interested in meeting with us. After knocking, a young woman opened the door about 6 inches and asked us what we wanted. She was obviously nervous about interacting with us. I was also nervous as I always feel anxious going up against the biggest empire in the history of the world. She told us we couldn’t come in and that they had meetings scheduled all day. We let her know that we had written a letter asking for a meeting on September 22. Her response was that we could call and schedule a meeting for another day, but many of us were there from out of town and this would not be feasible. After going back and forth for several minutes it was clear we would not be granted entry to the office. She accepted a copy of the letter we had sent, along with pictures of drone victims and articles criticizing the Ryan budget. One of the members of our group reminded her that she was young and that participating in a system that shut us out of our government was wrong, and she should think about what she was doing. After she closed the door we taped pictures of drone victims, signs about Ryan, and articles to the door and the wall around the door. We also left packets of seeds with the message that we are attempting to sow seeds of hope to bring about real change. We decided to see what kind of a reception we would get from another Wisconsin representative and so we went to Mark Pocan’s office. When we got there the door to the office was shut, but we opened it and freely walked in. We were greeted by a receptionist and asked what we wanted. We told her what we were doing and gave her a copy of the letter. We were listened to and offered water and chips. It was time to move on and we took public transportation to Edward Murrow Park, a few blocks from the White House. More than 100 people were gathered at the park for a short rally. As those of us risking arrest gathered in a circle to discuss final plans for the action, I was happy to note that we had about 18 people who were going to be risking arrest. It was appropriate to have our rally in Edward Murrow Park. He was a journalist who spoke out against the abuses of our government in the 1950s. After we listened to a few speakers at the park we processed along Pennsylvania Ave. to the White House. At the White House we heard from more speakers. We were inspired as we heard more about the issues that had brought us together. Max summarized the topics in the press release, noting the speakers talked about Islamophobia, nuclear weaponry, fossil fuels, global inequality, corporate control of governments, climate chaos and the attack on polar bears, killer drone strikes and other issues in which our government is complicit. Those risking arrest gathered together again at the White House. We were going to attempt to deliver a letter we had mailed to Obama at the guard gate. This letter outlined our concerns with war, poverty, climate crisis, and structural violence, and requested a meeting on September 22. Eighteen of us walked together to the guard gate. We had decided that if/when the guards refused to grant us a meeting, we would sit down in solidarity with all of those suffering around the world as a result of our government’s policies. We would sit for an hour and then we would reassess the situation. It is important to note that we were not going there to try to get arrested. We were engaging in nonviolent civil resistance. Our government is breaking the law, and we are acting in resistance to that law-breaking. We are not breaking the law by going to members of our government and calling for them to stop breaking the law. We know that we are engaging in something where we may be risking being arrested, but we are not trying to get arrested and we do not believe we are breaking any laws by doing what we are doing. After dialogue with the Secret Service at the gate, it was clear that they were not going to facilitate a meeting with someone in a position of authority. They told us that we needed to ask for a meeting in advance. We reminded them that they we had mailed a letter asking for a meeting, and furthermore, we had sent a similar letter a year ago and have yet to get a response to that letter. What are we supposed to do? How can we meet with someone in a policy-making position? Again, we were being locked out of any kind of dialogue about important issues. As we sat there beside the guard gate there was a constant stream of people going in and out. Many of them were mainstream media people. A French delegation also came to the gate and were allowed access. We asked a woman in the French delegation if she would accept our letter and carry it into the White House and she did. After 45 minutes, it was clear that people simply walked up to the gate, the guards checked their ID and they were allowed entry. Brian suggested that we do the same thing. He suggested we stand in line at the gate and wait our turn to get in. It seems that, as concerned citizens, we should have that right. Once we formed a line at the gate, the Secret Service police told us that we needed to move or we would be arrested, even though we were on a public sidewalk. At that point, around 2:00 pm, the Secret Service police started arresting us. Generally, the National Park Police will arrest us in front of the White House because it is a National Park area. I’m not sure why they didn’t, but they may have been getting ready for the Pope’s visit the next day. It seemed the Secret Service police did not have a lot of experience in making arrests. They conducted extremely intrusive body searches on some of the women in full public display. They removed the eyeglasses of all the men. When I was one of the last of the 15 arrested they wanted to take my eyeglasses. I told them I couldn’t see without my eyeglasses and that no one has ever removed my glasses in all the times I have been arrested and they allowed me to keep my glasses. It took us a long time to be get loaded into the van. We were transported to a DC Metropolitan police station for processing. Those arrested included Don Cunning, Manijeh Saba, Carol Gay, and Mary Ellen Marino all from New Jersey, Kathy Kelly from Illinois, Brian Terrell from Iowa, Phil Runkel and Joy First from Wisconsin, Joe Byrne and Max Obuszewski from Baltimore, Joan Nicholson from Pennsylvania, Malachy Kilbride from Maryland, and Art Laffin, Eve Tetaz and Ellen Taylor from DC. We spent the next several hours in a cell, with the men and women separated, talking and singing while they took us out one-by-one to get fingerprinted and to get a mug shot. When the officer asked me to sign my citation I asked what I was being charged with. She pointed out that the the paper she asked me to sign said “Blocking Passage”. However others later said the charge was “Disorderly Conduct”. It is not clear what the charge was and we were not given actual citations. The DC Metropolitan police finished all the processing, but we were still held for another few hours as we watched, through the windows of our cells while the Secret Service police shuffled papers back and forth. We were finally released at around 9:00 pm. Paul Magno and David Barrows provided wonderful jail support. They were waiting for us with bananas and water. After a closing circle and goodbyes, we all went our separate ways. We have a court date of October 15, but for those of us from out of town, we will send a letter pleading not guilty and saying we want to go to trial. The next day I found out that at the monthly anti-drone vigil at Volk Field in Wisconsin, the gates to the base were locked when the vigilers arrived. Volk Field is a Wisconsin Air National Guard base where they train pilots to operate the Shadow drones, which are used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition. We have been vigiling outside the gates of the base once a month for 3 ½ years and the gates have never been locked. Nine people walked onto the base last month and were arrested. This was the 4th time we have done an action of civil resistance at the base. Apparently, they may be tired of it and want to prevent us from walking onto the base again. It will be interesting to see if they continue to lock the gates when we come next month. About 100-200 cars drive through the gate during the hours we vigil there every month, so in locking the gate they are causing a lot of inconvenience to a lot of people. Our action in DC was about sowing seeds of hope. Where is hope for this country that locks its citizens out and doesn’t listen to them? Where is hope for this country when the government engages in crimes both at home and abroad? I think about my grandchildren and what kind of world I want for them and I realize I have to maintain a place of hope in my heart. We can’t give up hope that things can change and we can make a better world. It is so difficult and stressful to go back to DC and risk arrest over and over. I would rather stay home with my family, but as my friend Malachy said, “Once you know, you can’t not know.” It always feels good to return to my home in the woods in Wisconsin after time in DC. Today I noticed the leaves are starting to change color as fall arrives. It makes me think about the cycles of the seasons, the cycle of life, the cycles in making changes for our world. It reminds me that everything is a circle and from the darkness, the light is born. It gives me hope, but I also know that change won’t occur without real work on our part. As we face the enormous problems of the world today, we can give each other hope as we inspire each other through our actions for change. And so I hold onto hope for a better world. I know it won’t be easy. I know I may not see any changes resulting from my work, but I also know that I must take action and try to effect change in the world. Taking action can help us hold onto our humanity and it is the only option we have. So, onward we go. Joy First, PhD, Mount Horeb, WI, is a long-time peace activist organizing and participating in actions of nonviolent civil resistance against the crimes of our government. She works with the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars and other groups. Joyfirst5@gmail.com Bernie Sanders Gets a Foreign Policy The UN: Pretending to Oppose War for 70 Years Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA. + 3 = four	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8347
__label__cc	0.693829	0.306171	“A woman can go to Heaven, as long as she’s accompanied by a male relative” claims Saudi Imam TOPICS:Imamreligionsaudi arabiawomen's rights The conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is slowly but surely opening to an increased role for women in society, as for the first time in the country’s history, an important religious leader has declared it possible for women to be admitted into Heaven. In a sermon he delivered at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina last Friday, the progressive Imam She‎ikh Salah Al-Budair declared that women can be admitted into heaven, as long as they are accompanied by “Mahram relatives” (male kin, who is not suitable for marriage under Islamic law). “I know that I will shock many people by saying this, but I think that women can indeed be admitted into Heaven. ,” the Imam preached. “ The Prophet said ‘No woman should travel except with a Mahram’. Ascending to heaven is the greatest trip in every good muslim’s existence. I don’t believe that the Prophet meant this trip to be an exception. I think that a woman can get into Heaven, as long as she’s accompanied by a man of her family. This, of course, implies that at least one man in her family needs to be admitted himself…” This surprising declaration is in complete rupture with the country’s traditional hard line, which states that woman can never be admitted into Heaven, under any circumstances. She‎ikh Salah Al-Budair confirmed his position yesterday, during a panel of discussion on the role of women in Islamic society. He declared that he was convinced that “more than a few” Muslim women who were “good wives and good mothers”, have already been admitted into Heaven. A group of conservative scholars and religious leaders from across Saudi Arabia, overseen by the country’s ministry of Islamic Affairs, signed a declaration condemning the Imam’s sermon as a blasphemy, and reaffirming that “only men are worthy of going to Heaven”. “It’s our responsibility to spread the true word of God, and all irresponsible people like Sheikh al-Budair are tarnishing Islam are contrary to the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith.” asserts the declaration. “Women are sinners by nature and, therefore, cannot be admitted in Allah’s kingdom. Of course, they should still live a devout life to help their sons and husbands go to Heaven.” The scholars said that many deviant groups and individuals over the centuries have been responsible for the spreading such false beliefs, which are not part of the teaching of Islam. They advised all Muslims to “keep away from all the rituals and beliefs which are unIslamic”. Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, Sheikh Saleh al-Sheikh told the al-Watan newspaper that Sheikh Al-Budair would be allowed to continue preaching, but will now be closely watched. The simple fact that the progressive Imam wasn’t arrested, suggests that some influential members of the Royal family may have secretly come to his defense. Rumors have already begun to spread, relayed by the Saudi media, that Princess Fahda bint Falah bin Sultan, the King’s second wife and mother of the Crown Prince Mohammed, could have used her influence to keep the religious leader from being arrested. The controversy has drawn reactions from various groups in the region, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, who promised to kill the Imam if he doesn’t withdraw his declaration. She‎ikh Salah Al-Budair is expected to preach again at the Prophet’s Mosque next Friday, and his sermon promises to draw a lot of attention from both the media and the religious authorities. France: 91-year-old Catholic nun auctions her virginity to rebuild Notre-Dame cathedral Saudi man sentenced to 1,000 lashes for performing oral sex on a camel 5 Comments on "“A woman can go to Heaven, as long as she’s accompanied by a male relative” claims Saudi Imam" John Latham \| September 27, 2018 at 2:37 pm \| Reply Women can reproduce themselves…so that puts men where they belong, a waste of space….lol…especially with IVF….he he!! Maffi \| September 23, 2018 at 11:39 am \| Reply What I don’t understand is why do women follow Islam if they are not to reap the benefits of a lifetime of piety. They might just as well go to hell where all the partygoers are. Ravindran \| May 27, 2018 at 11:09 am \| Reply Ladies better don’t go to the heaven where these mullas are there because they will discriminate you in the heaven also. Keep off heaven and opt for hell. Shabka \| June 13, 2017 at 7:42 pm \| Reply Oh, so I’m not going to go to heaven anyway, Well no need for me to be good or chaste or helpful to the overpriviledged men who get to go. Where’s that bottle of wine, it’ll was down nicely with this ham sandwich, before I go out on my date in that daring new miniskirt I just brought on Visa so I could pay interest 🙂 Abidan \| June 12, 2017 at 8:39 pm \| Reply First of All woman is a mans heaven so She need not to go where She already is No One has perished and Jame back from heaven or hell to confirm to the living whats it is like or whom or whats is there beyond the physical The Woman could be Gor for All anyone knows because nothing could exist without her agency Amen So All this Conversation on what a woman Can or Cannot do is Frivolus A Woman is capable of more Than Man put thru lifes test.For Example I have never witness a male conceive a cbild carry it 9 months to term tben deliver tben cbild and live and raise tbat Cbild The Woman is a sacred Vessel who Can not and shall not be regulated to anyones interpretation of there hearafter Or where the are permitted You mean to say a woman Can help birth People into existence but She cant go to heaven?I disagree I say witbin the Woman are the Keys to Heaven	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8349
__label__wiki	0.960803	0.960803	Mystery abounds at Gatesville's Mountain View Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) after an award-winning author recently donated a collection of her books at the request of an offender. The identity of the female offender who wrote the original letter remains unknown. "We still don't know who contacted the author. The offender who wrote a letter to this author may have already been released, we are not sure," says Windham School District (WSD) Special Programs Director Dr. L. Craig. "We are just grateful for this generous gift of great books." The collection of 100 books, which includes a variety of titles, was donated to WSD's Mountain View Unit School library by Debbie Macomber, an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. She is a prolific author, having written more than 220 fiction novels, 10 nonfiction books and contributions to 22 anthologies in collaboration with other writers. Along with the book donation, Macomber also sent a personal email of encouragement to her TDCJ readers, which can be found at the end this article. "Macomber's books are about hope and happiness," says WSD Library Services Supervisor R. Gillen, who oversees 86 school libraries throughout TDCJ. "Her themes and background are very inspirational and offenders can relate to them." Beleaguered by dyslexia and attaining only a high school education, Macomber was determined to be a writer despite learning disadvantages and difficult odds. She developed her first manuscript while sitting in the kitchen with a rented typewriter, all while raising her four children. When she presented her completed work "Heartsong" at a writer's workshop, an editor from Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. recommended that she throw it away. Undaunted, Macomber mailed another copy of the same novel to Harlequin rival Silhouette Books, which immediately bought the manuscript. "Heartsong" would go on to become the first romance novel to be reviewed by Publishers Weekly. "All of Ms. Macomber's books are heartwarming stories full of love, feel-good humor and family values," says offender A. Gandy, a reader on the Mountain View Unit. "They seem to all remind me of Hallmark movies." Ms. Macomber's books are amazing! They are truly captivating," says M. Litchfield, another Mountain View fan. "Her characters are brave women who are full of pain, love and positive values. I have not come across a dull story yet." Actually, six of Macomber's novels have been aired as Hallmark made-for-TV movies and her Cedar Cove series of novels has been adapted into a television series of the same name. The mysterious offender who reached outside prison walls to communicate with Macomber has bestowed a great benefit on her sisters-in-white. One hundred books of various titles, all authored by Macomber, were donated to the Mountain View Unit at the author's request. Certain procedural steps are followed when such a sizable donation is made. This usually includes getting approval from the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Director's Review Committee for the book donations. "After approval was secured, we had to convert Macomber's donated softcover editions into hardcover versions. The books then had to be catalogued and delivered to their destination, which in this case was the Mountain View Unit," Gillen says. In Macomber's novels, the stories focus on women and their friendships. Female characters are multidimensional heroines who face overwhelming odds, suffer great loss, and ultimately discover hope, faith, boundless love and that their lives are purposeful and full of meaning. "My stories are always meant to be positive and are geared towards women — they are filled with hope and inspiration," Macomber tells The ECHO. "They reach the farthest corners of the world, and I am thankful that they also reach women who find themselves behind the walls of correctional facilities." Macomber also published "Any Dream Will Do" in 2017. It is the redemptive story of Shay Benson, whose embezzlement on her brother's behalf sends her to prison for three years, and Pastor Drew Douglas, a widowed father of two. The heroine's struggle for a fresh start parallels the minister's crisis of faith. Inspiration for the book came to Macomber after she spoke at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, and this novel is included in her shipment to the Mountain View Unit. "What I realized is that these women were not all that different from me. They had all made mistakes and they were paying the price," she writes about the book. "We all need second chances. Sometimes even third or fourth chances." Not one to shirk the mountain of fan mail she receives, Macomber tells The ECHO she faithfully reads all letters that come her way. "You probably don't believe this, but I read every piece of fan mail that comes through my mailbox," she says. "I may not have the time to respond to all of them, but I do read them. Hearing from my readers is one of the greatest joys as an author, and I am grateful for the time they take to write." Women, however, are not the only characters depicted in Macomber's stories. Her male protagonists offer deeply stirring portrayals, which resonates powerfully among male readers. "I thoroughly enjoy all of Ms. Macomber's novels because they are fictional representations of real life and have a strong, inspiring moral message," says offender T. Henry of the Wynne Unit. WSD's Mountain View Unit librarians had fun promoting Macomber's books in advance of her donation's arrival. They created displays and "clue contests" challenging patrons to guess the identity of the donating author. The Mountain View Unit should receive the books by May, according to Gillen, who says the identity of the offender who sent the request to Macomber remains unknown. In addition to writing, Macomber volunteers as a mentor for young people and supports women's literacy and medical research. She was the first fan-elected winner of the Quill Award for Romance in 2005 and has been awarded the Romantic Times Magazine Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award. The celebrated author's books remain popular with many readers in TDCJ, and she sends these readers a message: "I want to bring hope to all of my readers, and am glad that my books inspire those behind bars! This is not the end for those of you who are incarcerated, but the beginning of better things ahead of you — if you choose that path." “I want to bring hope to all of my readers, and am glad that my books inspire those behind bars! This is not the end for those of you who are incarcerated, but the beginning of better things ahead of you — if you choose that path.” Author Debbie Macomber	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8350
__label__wiki	0.870775	0.870775	Home » J.J. Green » City of Secrets: Estimated… City of Secrets: Estimated 10,000 people in DC are spies J.J. Green \| @JJGreenWTOP Life in D.C. revolves around secret meetings, information and documents. Woven into that orderly bedlam are sophisticated networks of foreign nationals whose sole purpose is to steal secrets — spies. And there are more of them in the area than you may think. In WTOP’s three-part series “City of Secrets,” WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green talks to some of the best in the espionage game to find how spies have infiltrated Washington, D.C., and what can be done to catch them. Every day, in the predawn hours, long before official Washington, D.C. stirs from its slumber, the quiet rumble of transit begins deep beneath the city, in the streets, on its waterways and in the skies. It grows, hour by hour, to a full-blown symphony of organized chaos, punctuated by voices, horns, sirens and motorcades, as the city of 700,000 swells to more than one million. Waves of civil servants, military and law enforcement officers, business people, students, diplomats and tourists saturate the city. That is the scene on a typical weekday in the world’s most powerful city — whose business revolves around secret meetings, information and documents. Woven into that orderly bedlam are sophisticated networks of foreign nationals whose sole purpose is to steal secrets. They are spies. According to the International Spy Museum in D.C., an educational and historical center of U.S. intelligence documentation and artifacts, there are “more than 10,000 spies in Washington.” While there may be some quibbling about the actual numbers, the FBI agrees with the premise. “It’s unprecedented — the threat from our foreign adversaries, specifically China on the economic espionage and the espionage front,” said Brian Dugan, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Counterintelligence with the FBI’s Washington Field Office. As this unparalleled wave of international espionage, aided by technology, explodes in D.C., the variety of spies has diversified, as well. “A spy is nondescript. A spy is going to be someone that’s going to be a student in school, a visiting professor, your neighbor. It could be a colleague or someone that shares the soccer field with you,” Dugan said. The archetypal international spy in Washington for many years has been undercover diplomats and foreign intelligence agency assets. There are more than 175 foreign embassies, residences, chanceries and diplomatic missions in D.C. Tens of thousands of international students reside in the region. And untold numbers of business people with links to foreign intelligence services flow in and out every day. The training of highly skilled spies, especially those who work in Washington, makes them virtually invisible to ordinary, unsuspecting people. Washington, according to current and former U.S. intelligence sources, is normally the place where most countries send their best spies. SIGN UP TODAY for J.J. Green’s new national security newsletter, “Inside the SCIF.” The weekly email delivers unique insight into the intelligence, national security, military, law enforcement and foreign policy communities. Sergei Tretyakov, perhaps the most celebrated Russian agent to defect to the U.S. in modern times, told WTOP before his sudden death in 2010 that the U.S. was regarded by Moscow as its “main target, thus their best assets would be sent there.” John Sipher, a retired CIA official who worked on its worldwide Russia program, said that the Russian government is believed to have hundreds of spies on American soil. “They have somewhere on the order of 175 to 200 spies in the United States,” Sipher said on WTOP’s Target USA podcast in April 2018. But that relatively small number refers to people who are part of Russia’s official intelligence apparatus. Intelligence sources who spoke to WTOP on the condition of anonymity, said there are dozens if not hundreds of Russians who are not spies in the U.S. who are engaging in espionage activities on behalf of the Russian government. Maria Butina, a 30-year-old Russian woman, who lived in D.C., recently pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Russian Federation. She told the judge during her sentencing, “If I had known to register as a foreign agent, I would have done so without delay. I never lied or held any secrets.” Begging for leniency, she said, “I never injured someone or committed other crimes. I just didn’t register because I didn’t know to. Ignorance of law, however, is not an excuse, in the U.S. or in Russia. And so I humbly request forgiveness.” Judge Tanya Chutkan did not accept her explanation. Neither did a WTOP source with deep knowledge of Russian intelligence. The source, who has close ties to U.S. intelligence said, “In my opinion, Butina is not a spy, not an intelligence operative, but she certainly worked at the behest of the Russian government.” Sipher said, “The Russians are hyper focused on the United States. They see us as their main adversary, the main enemy. All the elements of state power — whether it be their diplomatic service or intelligence services or police services — are focused on the United States.” Robert Baer, who spent decades as a covert operative for the CIA told WTOP that it’s difficult for even the best of the best spy chasers to catch a good spy in Washington. Baer said, “Everybody in the espionage business is working undercover. So if they’re in Washington, they’re either in an embassy or they’re a businessman and you can’t tell them apart because they never acknowledge what they’re doing. And they’re good, so they leave no trace of their communications.” Baer said further, “With the darknet and various private encryption platforms, algorithms and the rest of it, you can operate right here in Washington, D.C., and if you’re good and you’re disciplined and careful, the FBI will never see it.” A key focus of many spies in D.C. is to find Americans willing to break the law to help them. Their chances are better than ever because never in the history of the U.S. have foreign spies had so many people to try to recruit. “There’s a large population in retirement or getting close to retirement. The baby boomers are all leaving and that population is looking for post-government jobs, Dugan said. He pointed out that foreign spies are aware of the historic exodus from the workforce and are using social media and other resources to find people with national security and intelligence backgrounds. “Of course there’s always going to be moments that we’re going to have people decide to cooperate with the enemy. And we’re going to find them, and we’re going to catch them,” Dugan said. Part 1: Estimated 10,000 people in DC are spies Part 2: A real spy is never who you think they are Part 3: The future of spying in Washington toggle audio on and off change volume The Hunt: The problem of stopping extremists from using social media The Hunt: ISIS is still the richest terror organization in the world The Hunt: Are online platforms doing enough to stop terrorist propaganda? J.J. Green Latest News Local News National News National Security News Washington, DC News cia city of spies donald trump espionage j.j. green jj green KGB Russian spies spies	cc/2019-30/en_head_0013.json.gz/line8351

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