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Police investigate after flare thrown in Liverpool’s win over Chelsea
Merseyside Police are investigating after a flare was thrown during Liverpool's win over Chelsea at Anfield
Merseyside Police are investigating after a flare was thrown during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield, resulting in a nine-year-old boy requiring medical treatment.
The object was thrown from the upper tier of the Anfield Road End – above where visiting supporters were sitting – just after Sadio Mane scored the hosts’ opener which paved the way for a victory which returned Jurgen Klopp’s side to return to the top of the Premier League.
“The incident was reported to us at 5.40pm, shortly after LFC scored their first goal, that a flare was thrown from the upper section of the Anfield Stand,” said a Merseyside Police statement.
“Following this, at around 6.20pm, officers received reports that a young Chelsea fan, believed to be nine years old, had been taken to the first aid centre where he was treated by St Johns Ambulance staff after suffering a panic attack as a result of the flare.
“At this stage, it is not clear who threw the flare, however investigations are ongoing and police are urging anyone with information to come forward quoting log 322 of April 14.”
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Citing Threats, US Builds Case — and Military Force — for Confronting Iran
May 16, 2019by Tracy Wilkinson and Nabih Bulos
WASHINGTON — The State Department ordered several hundred U.S. diplomatic personnel to leave Iraq on Wednesday, citing heightened threats from neighboring Iran amid a buildup of U.S. military forces in the volatile region and growing concerns of a potential conflict with Tehran.
The uptick in tensions came nearly two weeks after the White House warned of what it described as potential targeting of U.S. forces, allies and interests by Iranian security forces or their proxies. It provided no details and some military allies and senior members of Congress questioned the administration’s assessments.
So far this month, the Pentagon has sent the Abraham Lincoln carrier task force and Air Force B-52 bombers to the region and dusted off contingency war plans, the Treasury Department has increased sanctions on Iran’s economy, and Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo made a sudden trip to Baghdad to consult with U.S. and Iraqi officials.
Few allies embraced the aggressive U.S. moves and several warned of an accidental clash in Iraq, where U.S. military forces and Iranian-backed militias operate in close proximity, or in the Persian Gulf, where Iranian and U.S. ships sometimes sail at close quarters.
Iran’s leaders sought to ease concerns, saying the Trump administration’s actions and rhetoric were psychological warfare intended to rattle the regime as it pushed back against growing U.S. pressure.
“Neither they, nor we, want war,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Iranian TV at an iftar dinner breaking the Ramadan fast in Tehran late Tuesday.
Trump expressed optimism about his efforts to force Iran back to the negotiating table a year after he unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear disarmament deal and began re-imposing U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil, metals, banking and other core sectors of the economy.
“I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon,” he tweeted Wednesday.
Iran has shown no sign of bending, and has appealed for support from other signatories to the nuclear deal to allow it to continue exporting oil, a crucial source of foreign revenue, after the Trump administration threatened to impose sanctions on countries or companies that import Iranian oil.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani last week said Tehran would stop complying with parts of the 2015 nuclear deal by stockpiling low-enriched uranium, rather than shipping the surplus out of the country, but the moves did not put Iran on the path to a nuclear weapon.
The State Department ordered nonessential personnel to leave the country from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad and a U.S. Consulate in Irbil in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The order affected about 30% of the staff, or several hundred people in all. U.S. diplomats are not allowed to bring families to Iraq because of security concerns.
Germany and the Netherlands put out statements saying their embassies remained open, although both temporarily suspended military training programs in Iraq.
Pompeo met with European counterparts in Brussels on Monday in an effort to rally more support for what the White House calls its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.
Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign affairs official, instead urged “maximum restraint” and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he worried the two countries would stumble accidentally into all-out war.
“We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran,” Pompeo said later. “If American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion.”
Allied doubts were evident Tuesday when a senior British military officer, speaking to Pentagon reporters via a teleconference in Baghdad, seemed to contradict the U.S. warnings.
“There are a substantial number of militia groups in Iraq and Syria, and we don’t see any increased threat from any of them at this stage,” Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, deputy commander of the Iraq-based coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group, told reporters.
The Pentagon quickly put out a statement saying Ghika’s remarks “run counter to identifiable credible threats.”
On Wednesday, the British Ministry of Defense sought to paper over the dispute by noting that Ghika spoke only of the area where he operates, Iraq and Syria.
Though there is broad bipartisan antagonism toward Iran in Congress, several Republican lawmakers questioned whether the White House was overreacting to Iranian threats that have long existed in the region.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-N.C., usually a reliable Trump supporter, said he would demand explanations from State and Defense department officials.
“I have no idea what the threat stream is beyond what I read in the paper,” Graham told reporters Wednesday. “And I think there’re a lot of people in my shoes that are going to support standing up to Iran but we need to understand what we’re doing.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who sometimes has clashed with Trump, said it was “close to inconceivable” that Trump would consider going to war with Iran.
“The president made it clear when he ran for president that one of the worst foreign policy mistakes in American history was the decision to go to war with Iraq,” Romney said.
Veteran diplomats and foreign policy experts also questioned the strategy, and the role of Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, who long advocated regime change in Tehran before he joined the White House.
“Danger signals abound,” Laura Kennedy, a veteran ambassador who served Democratic and Republican administrations, tweeted.
Richard Haass, president of the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations, cautioned against thinking that a U.S. war with Iran would be relatively easy, as Bolton once suggested.
“Would not be quick, easy, or confined to Iranian territory,” he tweeted. “Iran could take war to much of region and even globally with cyber, militias, etc. Oil prices would spike. And rather than weaken regime war could bolster it.”
As tensions rose this week, several Saudi oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates and pumping stations along a major pipeline in Saudi Arabia sustained damage in still-unexplained explosions.
Floating mines reportedly caused the oil tanker explosions, although the source was not clear. Saudi officials blamed the pipeline attack on drone aircraft flown by Iran-backed Houthi rebels who are fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, and struck back with more than a dozen airstrikes against rebel positions in Yemen.
Bulos reported from Beirut. Times staff writer Molly O’Toole contributed from Washington and special correspondent Ramin Mostaghim contributed from Tehran.
©2019 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com
America Is Woefully Unprepared for Cyber Warfare
by America Is Woefully Unprepared for Cyber Warfare
WASHINGTON — War in cyberspace is fully on, and the United States is losing it, according to about two dozen national security experts. The U.S. military is increasingly adept at mounting cyberattacks in places like Russia and Iran, but America’s computers are almost completely defenseless. Without... Read More
Federal Debt on Track to Reach 'Unprecedented' Levels, CBO Says
WASHINGTON - The federal debt is on track to reach unprecedented levels in the next 30 years and will rise to 144 percent of the nation's gross domestic product by 2049 if current laws are maintained, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday. Each year, the nonpartisan... Read More
Trump’s Homeland Security Purge Claims Another Victim
by Trump’s Homeland Security Purge Claims Another Victim
WASHINGTON — The latest head to roll in President Donald Trump’s continued purge of top Homeland Security officials is that of Lee Francis Cissna, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Trump asked for Cissna’s resignation, which he submitted Friday, according to an email Cissna... Read More
Escalating US-Iran Tensions: Sanctions Often Don’t Work in Changing a State’s Behavior
by HJ Mai
The bilateral relationship between the United States and Iran has been strained for decades, but the recent tensions have led to growing concerns over a potential military conflict. The Trump administration this month deployed an aircraft carrier strike group, bombers and Patriot missiles to the Middle... Read More
DC Radio Station Must Register As Russian Agent, Judge Rules
WASHINGTON -- A Washington, D.C. radio station must register as a foreign agent because of its persistent broadcasts of Russian news and information that critics describe as propaganda, a federal judge ruled last week. This week, the Justice Department hailed the ruling for demonstrating how the... Read More
Sen. Lindsey Graham Aims to Advance Border Security Bill in Early June
by Sen. Lindsey Graham Aims to Advance Border Security Bill in Early June
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said he is willing to work with Republicans and Democrats to craft a limited immigration bill in short order that would change asylum laws and expand detention facilities in an attempt to address the surge of migrants... Read More
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HomeReligionHow Christian leaders can help build a new Zimbabwe
How Christian leaders can help build a new Zimbabwe
July 30, 2018 Staff Reporter Religion 0
Voters in Zimbabwe are queuing to cast their ballots in the first general election since the ousting of long-time president Robert Mugabe – and faith has a huge role to play in the future of a largely Christian country, according to Christian Aid’s country manager there.
ReutersA Zimbabwean voter registers to cast her ballot in the country’s general elections in Harare, Zimbabwe, July 30, 2018.
Mugabe, a leader of the struggle against white rule, oversaw decades of political repression and the economic collapse of a once-prosperous country. He was removed from office after one of today’s presidential candidates, Emmerson Mnangagwa, overthrew him with the help of the military.
Mnangagwa heads the ruling Zanu-PF party and held office under Mugabe. His main opponent Nelson Chamisa – a pastor who uses the hashtag #GodIsInIt – leads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The MDC is popular in the cities, while Zanu-PF’s electoral heartland is the countryside.
According to Christian Aid’s country manager Nicholas Shamano: ‘Zimbabwe is largely a Christian country and a large population (about 80 per cent) go to church at least once a month. Faith leaders are really respected and their role is also to help to inform or influence policy direction, and to help to hold leadership to account for their actions and for the decisions being made.
‘At Christian Aid we do believe that there is space and scope for faith leaders to influence society, and they have that pulling power to do so. Faith leaders stand on a high moral ground, so when they call for certain issues that affect people to be addressed, somebody is bound to listen. They are not political opponents in such instances, and they are viewed as objective, so it really helps.’
He said that so far the voting had been ‘largely calm but expectant’, though there were fears about the transparency of the process. ‘The major concern is just around the process being transparent, credible, and people being able to freely exercise their democratic rights, so that whatever comes out of the election is respected: then maybe the country can move forward,’ he said. ‘That’s basically what’s people are looking for in the short term.’
Chamisa has accused his rival Mnanagagwa, who has a slight lead, of vote-rigging.
Shamano said Christian Aid partners like the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) have been ‘influencing the agenda beyond the elections, on issues around national peace and reconciliation, and peacebuilding and addressing the socio-economic situation’.
‘For instance, the economy and infrastructure are big issues for the Zimbabwean context. Unemployment is high, there are cash shortages, and investment is quite low at the moment. We are facing issues relating to corporate governance, basic infrastructure, the capacity of institutions to deliver major services: these are some of the major gaps that people in Zimbabwe would want to see being addressed.’
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Peer power in a costume drama
Alan Macfarlane considers what makes law effective. Is it down to demographics, isolation, independence from politics or a belief in the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
In most societies, people fear and hate the law, or believe it is weak and corrupt. To persuade people to use it as the normal process of settling disputes is enormously difficult and requires immense political skill and good fortune. It happened early in England, but it is still not widespread in many parts of the world. Looking at whether people are prepared to settle disputes through legal processes - the "rule of law" - rather than by force could be one way to index a law or laws as effective.
The "rule of law" could also be taken to mean that all actions and all power are ultimately under the law - that above those who rule there is something higher. Most legal systems develop differently. At first, the rulers may say: "We make the laws and we keep the laws." But after a time, they forget the second half and begin to see themselves as above the law. You can see this in Stalin's Russia, Chairman Mao's China or France in the late 17th century - where there was one law for the powerful and rich and another law for everyone else.
The "rule of law" depends on the uniform application of laws and a common procedure. It means that the legal process should be separated from the political process, that judges and courts should be independent. All of this is difficult to sustain. Powerful forces - economic and political - are constantly pushing to bias the law in their direction. These separations are particularly fragile in times of war, whether during real wars - such as the Second World War - or during invented or ideological wars, such as the "wars" against medieval heretics, "wars" against Satan and his witches, "wars" against communism in the McCarthy purges of the 1950s, and "wars" against terrorism. In each case, civil liberties are eroded and legal independence crushed. We saw this all too clearly in the US and Britain as fear was used to justify suspension of legal rights after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001.
A second index of effectiveness concerns the degree to which people abide by legal decisions. The problem is to persuade people to accept a legal process that takes them out of their ordinary lives, where they may have become entangled in relationships of conflict, and puts them in an arena that is unfamiliar before rearranging their lives. It takes pressure to persuade people to accept a decision they may think is against their interests. To force acceptance, the law can be a dramatic, elaborate process. People dress up in strange costumes, the judge sits high up above the court, long words are used in a strangely formal way. There are often dramatic public punishments, as in the so-called "theatre of Tyburn" where criminals were taken through the streets and executed before the crowds in 18th-century England.
A third sense of effectiveness concerns the degree to which citizens feel protected by their laws. In almost all serious legal cases, you have a confrontation between state and citizen. The state has almost all the power and the single individual is inherently weak. So if the state says you are suspected of an offence, how can you defend yourself? This is why the jury system is so effective. Under this system, your equals decide your guilt or innocence. Members of the jury are not themselves on trial but are observers and arbiters. It is one thing to grind down a single individual already accused of an offence. It is entirely different to be able to persuade 12 free individuals, who have been told, on oath, to judge fairly, without fear or favour. The jury acts as a filter to state power, a protection for the single citizen or subject. It is a key institution in any democracy.
Most countries in Western Europe had juries of a sort 1,000 years ago. The tribes that destroyed the Roman Empire introduced a legal system of trial by peers in front of travelling judges, and this was maintained for half a millennium. Yet almost all had given up the jury system by the 18th century. One reason was social. In the 15th century, jurist Sir John Fortescue noted, when comparing the jury system of England with its absence in France, that juries work only if the countryside is filled with a large class of moderately affluent, educated and independent people who can act as jurymen. England had this class; France did not. Second, most of Europe was recolonised by a form of absolutist Roman law from the 14th to 17th centuries. This was based on an inquisitorial form of justice, where magistrates judged cases without the use of juries. England alone avoided this "reception" of Roman law and maintained its old jury system. However, there are increasing calls for its abolition in some cases, with politicians and reformers citing the delays, expenses and inefficiencies of jury trials. That members of the public will gradually find themselves directly confronted by the state, and no longer protected by their peers, will take time to become obvious.
Magistrates have provided another major protection for the citizen since they are independent of the Government. They ensure that justice is local, that it is decentralised and that ordinary citizens can understand the law.
England would have had a very different history without them. For example, magistrates formed the backbone of the resistance to, and ejecting of, James II in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. More generally, their very presence inhibits the pretensions of the executive. Yet, like juries, they are a threatened species as pressures grow to replace them with stipendiary magistrates - paid and trained lawyers who, inevitably, have a closer association with the state.
The degree to which the public trusts the law is deeply affected by its executors, the police. Until the middle of the 19th century, the English police were untrained, ordinary villagers whose duty it was, turn by turn, to act as constable. They wore no special uniform, carried no special weapons, controlled no police station or local prison. They were part of the local community and were not seen as external, armed enforcers of a central power in the way that the police were almost everywhere else in Europe.
This localised police force made the laws more effective. The police knew their community because they were part of it. Because they were trusted, information came to them. They did not have to be physically present to deter crime or disorder. Martial policing by an "occupying power", without local support, is usually disastrous.
Finally, what makes a law effective is the way in which people feel it runs with their interests and not against them. When it becomes a tool to alter a social structure quickly it can create deep tensions. We can see this in relation to the basic premise of human rights. It is assumed in modern British law that individuals have rights. Men, women, children, disabled people, the unborn foetus and even animals have intrinsic "rights". Few societies in the world share this view. It is usually thought that an individual exists only as part of a group: he or she has rights in relation to others, and these rights are inseparable from responsibilities; there are no intrinsic rights that come with birth. The idea that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are intrinsic and inextinguishable human rights would be regarded by a large part of the world, even today, as an outrageous claim. When the British imported the idea into India in the 19th century it caused immense confusion. A member of a lower caste, a woman, a child, had never been conceived of as having the same intrinsic rights as a high-caste person, a man, a grown-up.
This assumption of individual human rights is a very old feature of British law. It has now spread over the world and become a central doctrine of a new form of mission activity. It has many merits. The protection of the weak against the strong is attractive. The rebalancing of unequal relationships has benefited from the concept of individual human rights that are protected by the state.
However, taken to extremes, and without counterbalancing rights of communities - or the responsibilities that go with these rights - emphasis on individual human rights can be as dangerous as their absence. It throws the law into disrepute. To many, the obsessive attention to human rights currently being fostered through European legislation is having this effect. Legal systems are on a continuum. At one end are those in which the law is imposed by the central absolutist government to keep a reluctant population in sullen submission. At the other extreme, in many simple societies, people run their own legal system through consensus and self-policing. By chance, and through the advantage of being an island, the British have been able to maintain a position towards the self-enforcing end. This has not only given them a stable, moderately fair and trusted legal system, but has also underpinned their religious and economic freedoms. Overblown fears of terrorism, combined with an overly bureaucratic model of government emanating from the European Union, are in danger of pushing the system rapidly along this continuum towards the absolutist end.
Alan Macfarlane is professor of anthropological science at Cambridge University. www.alanmacfarlane.com
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Where space is concerned, America is from Mars and Europe is from Venus, claims UK report
Brussels, 04 Mar 2004
A new report has been published by the UK think tank Demos, which argues that the EU and the US have fundamentally different approaches to space, but that Europe should stick to its unique path.
'If you glance through the glossy brochures produced by ESA [the European Space Agency] and NASA [the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration] you could be forgiven for thinking that Europe and the US have identical approaches to space,' states the report, entitled 'Masters of the Universe'.
'They both feature the same shots of gleaming satellites, astronauts talking to children and images of distant planets. They both repeat the mantra of exploration, education, inspiration, industry and collaboration. But probe a little deeper and the differences become sharper,' the report continues.
The different approaches are described in an interview with ESA Director-General, Jean-Jacques Dordain: 'For the US, space is an instrument of domination - information domination and leadership. But space enables the opposite kind of leadership [...] it is the best way to distribute information, closing the gap between the information-rich North and the information-poor South [...]. Europe should be proposing a different model: space as a public good.'
Echoing the argument of US commentator Robert Kagan, the report's authors, Melissa Mean and James Wilsdon, claim that 'America is from Mars and Europe is from Venus.'
The different approaches to space have been illustrated by the dialogue between the EU and the US over Galileo, the European satellite navigation system, as highlighted in the report. '[T]he spat over Galileo is about more than just the usual jockeying for power between Europe and the US. It also presents a fundamental choice between open and closed models of innovation.' While the US GPS was designed as a closed, military system, Galileo will be a civilian-controlled system, and was designed with civilian users in mind.
The report's authors endorse the European approach, which they identify as being 'distinctively European, grounded in the values of peace, prosperity and freedom, with a strong commitment to international development and environmental protection.
But for Europe to follow a different path to the US, pursuing the development of space for the service of citizens, space budgets will need to be revised, claims the report.
A need to develop a new attitude towards space is also highlighted. While the UK is currently experiencing renewed enthusiasm for space among the younger generation (aged between 16 and 34), the country's space industry is dominated by male scientists approaching retirement age. 'For years they have been making the argument that space science should be valued for its economic and technological benefits. The unintended effect of this cumulative message was to portray space as 'worthy but dull',' reads the report.
The report's authors therefore have much praise for Colin Pillinger, the leader of the team that attempted to land Beagle 2 on Mars. 'Pillinger's stroke of genius was to treat space as an extension of show business,' they declare. 'Despite his status as an elder statesman of British space science, he recognised something that the space establishment had missed: that reaching out to new audiences was an important component of the programme's long-term success.'
Masters of the Universe goes on to explain why the space industry is an important contributor to competitiveness as a source of innovation, and why space science and Earth observation should not be neglected. The authors then conclude that 'For the first time since the end of the Cold War, there is a growing recognition that space matters.' The EU has produced a White Paper on developing a European space policy, the US President has announced a new space strategy, and growth countries such as India and China are investing heavily.
'But there is no consensus yet about how space will matter,' add Ms Mean and Mr Wilsdon. As the EU and the US pursue their very different views of space, this is likely to become clearer. To read the Demos report, please visit: http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/masters _page380.aspx
CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities
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Cleveland Gay Guide - Cleveland 2016 Events Calendar
By Andrew Collins
Getting to Know Cleveland, Ohio
photo by Andrew Collins
Here are quick links to the other pages that make up the Cleveland Gay Guide:
Getting to Cleveland - the Lay of the Land
Cleveland 2016-2017 Events Calendar - Cleveland Gay Travel Resources
Exploring Cleveland - Cool Neighborhoods and Attractions
Cleveland Restaurant Guide
Cleveland Gay Bar Guide
Cleveland Hotel Guide
Welcome to Cleveland
Enough years have passed since Cleveland's darkest days that this energetic city on the southern shore of Lake Erie has begun to earn some legit cachet as a cool place both to visit and live. This isn't to say that Cleveland doesn't receive its share of ribbing for being something less than glamorous, but its portrayal in TV hits like Hot in Cleveland and, earlier, The Drew Carey Show - as well as such movie classics as Christmas Story and the gay '80s coming-of-age flick Edge of Seventeen presented a lovable, unpretentious, and quirky side to the city nicknamed by detractors, lamentably, as "the mistake by the lake" for many years.
Cleveland is riding relatively high these days, having become one of the most-improved cities in the Midwest, and earning considerable praise as a key tourist destination. It also hosted the the 9th Gay Games, which provided the city with a platform for showing off just how much its changed for the better. LGBT residents have played a vital role in the city's comeback, especially in neighborhoods east of downtown, such as Ohio City, Tremont, and Detroit Shoreway.
A century ago Cleveland was a beacon of industrial prosperity, but the Depression rattled the city's financial stability, and following World War II a bevy of local factories closed or relocated in the South. Cleveland's "suburban flight" during the 1950s and '60s was as severe as in any American city - complete with race riots and urban blight. Even preservation-minded gays and lesbians fled for commuter towns on Cleveland's outskirts. By 1975, if you could afford to leave Cleveland, you had.
The abandonment of downtown actually preserved its bounty of Victorian and turn-of-the-century commercial and residential structures. When the preservation and retrofitting of these buildings became fashionable two decades ago, civic leaders and private investors established an ambitious plan to reinvent Cleveland. Since 1980 block after block of downtown has been renovated, attracting corporate ventures and drawing suburban dwellers into the city's trendy dining, sports, arts, and entertainment districts. It's taken longer for downtown to attract full-time residents, but slowly, condos and lofts have begun to open.
When visiting Cleveland, it makes sense to stay downtown, where the bulk of the best hotels are - this also puts you within walking distance of several key attractions, a number of good restaurants, and the esteemed theaters of Playhouse Square. But to take advantage of the city's wealthy of up-and-coming neighborhoods, plan to arrive by or rent a car, and to spend some time exploring the areas east and west of downtown.
Ohio's second-largest city, Cleveland (population 396,000) hugs the south shore of Lake Erie, in the northeastern section of the state. It's situated at the confluence of Interstates 80 and 90, which merge here on their way westward before diverging again in Chicago; Interstate 77 runs south from Cleveland into Appalachian West Virginia, and Interstate 71 runs southwest to Columbus and then Cincinnati. Cleveland has a relatively compact, walkable downtown that's only recently begun to see an increase in residential living; most of the city's residents live in neighborhoods to the west and east along the shoreline, and increasingly to the south. Close-in neighborhoods like Ohio City and Tremont, which only decade or two ago struggled, have lately blossomed into hubs of trendy dining and shopping as well as popular places to live - both have a strong LGBT presence.
Driving distances to Cleveland from major cities and points of interest are:
Boston, MA: 630 miles (11 to 12 hrs)
Buffalo, NY: 190 miles (3 hrs)
Chicago, IL: 345 miles (6 to 6.5 hrs)
Cincinnati: 250 miles (4.5 hrs)
Columbus: 140 miles (2.5 hrs)
Detroit, MI: 170 miles (3 hrs)
Indianapolis, IN: 320 miles (5.5 hrs)
New York, NY: 460 miles (8 to 8.5 hrs)
Pittsburgh: 130 miles (2.5 hrs)
Saugatuck, MI: 335 miles (5.5 hrs)
Toronto, ON: 300 miles (5 to 5.5 hrs)
Washington, DC: 370 miles (6.5 to 7 hrs)
Flying to Cleveland
Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport is 14 miles southwest of downtown and is served by most major airlines, with direct flights throughout the Midwest and Eastern Seaboard (as well to a few international destinations, such as Cancun and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic), plus a handful of direct flights to major West Coast cities.
Here's a calendar of some of the top events in Cleveland throughout 2016 and 2017:
Mid-Feb.: Brite Winter Festival.
Early Apr.: Cleveland International Film Festival (includes a number of films of queer interest).
Early Apr.: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Week.
Last Apr.: Tri-C JazzFest.
Early May: International BeerFest.
Early July: Cain Park Arts Festival in Cleveland Heights.
Mid-July: Taste of Tremont.
Mid-July: Burning River Festival.
Mid-August: Cleveland Gay Pride.
Mid-Sept.: Tremont Art and Cultural Festival.
Late Oct.: Cleveland Beer Week.
Resources for gay travelers to Cleveland
For visitor information on Cleveland, check out the excellent GLBT travel site created by the Cleveland Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city's LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland (6600 Detroit Ave., 216-651-5428), in the up-and-coming Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, is a good go-to for referrals and advice on the local scene.
The Cleveland-based Gay People's Chronicle has coverage on the local gay scene, and the alternative newsweekly, Cleveland Scene is strong on dining, nightlife, the arts, and local issues. Additionally, you'll find further information on the city's gay scene at the Cleveland About.com Gay Resource Page.
Cleveland's renaissance has occurred largely downtown, which is quite walkable. To the north is Lake Erie, fringed by the Memorial Shoreway. University Circle, a district on the east side, contains the top museums, as well as Case Western Reserve University. The gayified suburbs of Lakewood, to the west, and Cleveland Heights, to the east, are at opposite ends of the city.
Downtown, Warehouse District, and the Flats
Downtown Cleveland is home to a number of vintage buildings that date to the time when native son and Standard Oil baron John D. Rockefeller presided over one of America's most formidable business districts. The wealth of early 20th-century buildings, entertainment and shopping districts, and renewed tourist interest has given downtown a new energy, although some blocks are still a bit downcast. The latest development, Horseshoe Casino, is in the heart of downtown, on the south side of iconic Public Square - it has no hotel on-site but is close to several, and visitors to this nearly 100,000-square-foot facility will find more than 2,000 slots, 65 table games, a poker room, and several restaurants.
Action has always revolved around Public Square, a regal park of fountains and statuary over which looms the focal point of the downtown comeback, City Tower Center. This 52-story complex serves as a hub for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority commuter rail system. Above it are three levels of upscale shops and cafés, and a Ritz-Carlton hotel. It's a short walk from City Tower Center to the handsome Quicken Loans Arena, home to pro basketball's Cleveland Cavaliers, and to the stunning vintage-style Progressive Field, home of baseball's Cleveland Indians.
Stroll east from Public Square to reach the Playhouse Square Theater District, a revived complex of 10 theaters and performance spaces, most of them historic (several offer tours).
Along the shores of Lake Erie, the North Coast District is home to the pyramidal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, designed by I. M. Pei. It offers an invigorating tour of music and pop culture during the past half-century, with such colorful memorabilia as Janis Joplin's psychedelically painted Porsche. Next door is the Great Lakes Science Center, with its touch-friendly exhibits, and just beyond lies the mammoth Cleveland Browns Stadium.
You can walk a short distance north from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum to scenic Voinovich Bicentennial Park, which affords fine views of Lake Erie as well as the downtown Cleveland skyline and is the site of Cleveland Gay Pride celebration each June.
The recovery of the Flats, the district along the Cuyahoga River, has been one of Cleveland's more impressive magic tricks, although the neighborhood has ebbed and flowed a bit in terms of energy over the past couple of decades. This industrial area west of and down a steep slope from downtown was once the domain of grain-processing plants. Some factories still thrive along the river, but the plants and warehouses closest to downtown have largely been converted into rowdy (and straight) nightclubs and restaurants. One of the most impressive developments in the Flats has been the conversion of the old Powerhouse building into Greater Cleveland Aquarium, giving the neighborhood a marquee attraction.
Up the steep hill from the Flats, on the northwest edge of downtown, is the historic Cleveland Warehouse District, which when it emerged as a dining and clubbing destination in the '90s had a significant gay presence. The district is now more the domain of clubs and restaurants catering to straight revelers from the suburbs, but these SoHo-like, cast-iron structures do contain some good restaurants as well as some beautiful loft-style apartments and condos.[]
As gay clubs that had formerly been located in the aforementioned Warehouse District shut down, the city's most popular ones moved just east, across from the Flats district, to the now quite trendy neighborhood of Ohio City, an area rife with hip eateries, fun boutiques, a handful of B&Bs, several gay bars, and the wonderfully atmospheric and historic West Side Market, a trove of vendors set inside a dramatic early-20th-century market building where you can buy fresh produce as well as many ethnic treats for which Cleveland is known: pierogis, sausages, artisan cheeses, Middle Eastern breads and meats, roast coffee, decadent cakes, Cambodian dishes, Asian spices, handmade pastas, and more. Most of the businesses in Ohio City are along West 25th Street, near the junction with Lorain Avenue, which is also lined with several restaurants and shops, and also Fulton Road.
Just southwest of downtown Cleveland, historic Tremont was laid out in the 1830s and prospered through much of the 19th century and early 20th centuries, growing into a popular place to live among the city's many Eastern European immigrants. As Cleveland's fortunes waned after World War II, Tremont lost its luster as well as much of its population, but the neighborhood has undergone a swift and stunning renaissance since the 1990s. This bustling area is anchored by leafy, dignified Lincoln Park (Starkweather Ave. at W. 11th St.). Galleries and acclaimed restaurants are situated around the park and along Professor and Jefferson avenues. The neighborhood is also home to the house featured in the classic movie A Christmas Story; the Christmas Story House, at 3159 W. 11th Street, is now a museum filled with trivia from the movie's filming.
Detroit Shoreway
Home to the city's LGBT Community Center, this formerly hard-luck neighborhood a couple of miles west of Ohio City and southeast of Edgewater is one of Cleveland's fastest transforming neighborhoods. It's situated along Detroit Avenue, between roughly 54th and 70th streets. Along here several notable restaurants and shops have opened, and the historic Cleveland Public Theatre and Capitol Theatre Cinemas lend an arty vibe to the neighborhood.
Lakewood and Edgewater
Many gays and lesbians live on the western edge of Cleveland, in the historic Edgewater neighborhood, and in the suburb immediately west, Lakewood. These neighborhoods, divided at 117th Street, are virtually indistinguishable, although Lakewood has the more stately early 20th-century housing stock (much of it Craftsman-style). The main drags, Clifton Boulevard and Detroit Avenue, have a few gay businesses; Detroit Avenue is the hub of Cleveland's gay nightlife scene. When the weather's cooperative, scads of homos drive a mile east of Lakewood to Cleveland's most popular beach, Edgewater Park. It may not be Waikiki, but it's fun on sunny weekend afternoons.
University Circle
Three miles east of downtown is University Circle, a 500-acre district of turn-of-the-century mansions anchored by grassy Wade Park. Here you'll find prestigious Case Western Reserve University, several of the nation's leading research hospitals, and some first-rate museums, including the immense and recently expanded Cleveland Museum of Art, whose dozens of galleries have earned it international attention. It's best known for its Asian and medieval European collections. Within walking distance is the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Western Reserve Historical Society, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. A short drive away are the New Cleveland African-American Museum and the new Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive winds north from University Circle to I-90; this scenic, leafy drive is lined on both sides by the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, which has plaques and horticultural displays dedicated to different ethnic groups with strong concentrations in Cleveland.
Fringing University Circle to the southeast, and home to the new Museum of Contemporary Art, Uptown Cleveland is a new mixed-use development of condos, apartments, shops, and restaurants - buildings are springing up around the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road.
Coventry Village, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights
Continue east from University Circle, turning right onto Mayfield Road (U.S. 322), and you'll cut through the heart of Little Italy (Mayfield Road at Random Road) to picturesque Cleveland Heights, a racially and economically diverse community with a diverse population, including quite a few gays and lesbians. Within this prosperous and neatly laid-out community, you'll find Coventry Village, whose shopping district, between Mayfield Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, makes for a pleasurable stroll - it's abuzz with offbeat boutiques, coffeehouses, and gay-friendly businesses. You'll find still more upscale shopping and dining a bit farther south, in tony Shaker Heights, another of Cleveland's attractive and historic "streetcar suburbs."
Unflashy but dependable, Cleveland's cuisine has strong Eastern European, Greek, and Italian influences. Steak houses and burger joints, as well as home-style eateries known for their good breakfasts, are prevalent, but sophisticated new restaurants have begun opening downtown.
For such a large a city, Cleveland doesn't have a huge club scene, either. The few mainstays---some of which are spacious and impressively decorated---still fail to drum up major crowds. The best clubs are downtown in Ohio City and in the Lakewood area.
Ohio's second-largest city has a good mix of luxury and mid-priced properties downtown, all within walking distance of the bustling Playhouse Square theater district and several key attractions. There are also a few charming, historic, and gay-friendly B&Bs in near-in neighborhoods like Ohio City and Tremont, plus a smattering of lodging options in the east side (Cleveland Heights, University Circle) and west side (Lakewood) neighborhoods.
Cleveland Ohio Visitors Guide
Meet the Best Coffee Houses in Cleveland
Get to Know the Neighborhoods of Cleveland
Here's How to Use the Cleveland Public Transportation System
Top Movies Filmed in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio
How to Enjoy Cleveland for Free
What Can You Do With Your Kids in Cleveland?
Top 21 Things to Do in Cleveland
Romantic Things to Do in and Around Cleveland
Free Things to Do in Cleveland
The Best Food to Try in Cleveland
Where to Eat the Best Pizza in Cleveland
The Best Time to Visit Cleveland
Cleveland's Ethnic Heritage Forms Its Identity
Your Trip to Cleveland: The Complete Guide
Labor Day Events in Cleveland, Ohio
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Now Reading: Direct Quote: Ghost Busker at the Driskill Hotel
Direct Quote: Ghost Busker at the Driskill Hotel
Jen Reel Aug 16, 2013, 9:30 am CST
By day, Monica Ballard is a marketing and advertising consultant for small businesses, but nights and weekends she leads walking-tour groups through the haunted streets of Austin. She has spent the last year researching local ghost stories and is currently finishing her third book, True Haunted Tales of the Driskill Hotel.
“I auditioned for Austin Ghost Tours one Halloween season about nine years ago because they needed extra help. I looked on it as storytelling and you move around from place to place and that’s pretty much it. But right before I started giving tours, a bunch of us tour guides were having pizza together and someone pulled out a photo and said, ‘oh look what someone snapped on my tour,’ and there was a figure in a window of a building that no one should have been in, listening in on the tour that was taking place out on the porch. It was then that I realized, ‘Wait a second, this is an interactive tour.’ So I took it as a tremendous responsibility and much more seriously. It became no longer the flighty little static storytelling that I thought it was.
“One of my most favorite stories is one of the few sightings we’ve had of Colonel Driskill. One of his favorite rooms in the Driskill overlooks 6th Street & Brazos, and there was a consultant in town who woke up one night to see a gentleman standing in his room, looking out the window about three o’clock in the morning, puffing on a cigar. He sat up in bed and said, ‘hey fella, what the hell are you doing in my room?’ He said the guy looked at him and gave him this look, like, your room? But he didn’t say anything. The consultant leaned over and snapped on the light by the bed and when the light came on there was no one standing by the window, but the curtains were still swaying and there was a cloud of cigar smoke in the air.
“Energy can’t be created or destroyed, science tells us that much. So I think there is more to the science of hauntings than there is superstition. We just don’t understand it yet. I would very much like to visit Gettysburg one day. Austin is so haunted because of its life, because of its party atmosphere, but to have a place where so many were taken from this world quite suddenly, I would like to see what that feels like. I felt something like it when I went to the Titanic exhibit when I was in the room with what they call the ‘big iron piece,’ which is just the big side of the ship. It has to do with the metal holding that vibration. All of these things act as recording devices. For here, it’s recording the celebration. For the Titanic it was recording a tragedy. It’s called the Stone Tape Theory. Science!
“My first real [supernatural] experience was when my husband passed 10 years ago. There was a lot of activity when he first passed. We never said, ‘til death do us part,’ so he kind of took that to heart and stuck around, really kind of bumbling around my household for a good year and a half or so. He would break appliances and then feel bad about it and fix them the next day. He was always kind of an electronics geek, so I think he was just exploring: ‘ooh, what would it be like to do this or that or be inside the car or the tv’ or something like that. We were married for 18 years, but people had a hard time guessing how long we’d been together because we always acted like newlyweds.
“It’s just comforting to me to know that this isn’t all there is, that we do continue in some form. And I think [ghosts] want me to know it’s the amount of life that sometimes draws and holds them here. It doesn’t mean they’re stuck. Maybe they loved it here, they love coming back. They’ll stop by and then go somewhere else to learn something else. But sometimes it’s the amount of life they lived, not how they died.”
Interview has been edited and condensed.
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Jen Reel was an Observer intern before joining the staff in July 2010, first as Web Content Manager, and most recently as Multimedia Editor. She left the Observer in 2017.
Read More: Direct Quote, ghosts, The Driskill Hotel
In San Antonio, a Landmark Art Exhibit Celebrates Gender Identity and Community
One of the United States’ first major exhibits focused on gender identity, Transamerica/n includes the work of more than 50 LGBTQ artists and allies. by Alexia Puente
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by Ben Sargent
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Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Reports First Quarter 2009 Results
FINDLAY, Ohio, May 6, 2009: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today reported a net loss of $21 million, or 36 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2009. Net sales for the period were $571 million, down $108 million from the prior year same quarter. The decreased revenues were driven by volume declines offset by improved pricing and mix.
Results were pressured by decreased volumes and production curtailments as the Company manages inventory to align with demand. Operating profit was favorably impacted by lower raw material costs and improved underlying manufacturing operations, in addition to the improved sales price and mix. Cooper's results during the quarter included pretax restructuring charges of $14 million related to the on-going closure of its facility in Albany, Ga. Additionally the Company recorded $7 million of charges related to the tentative settlement of a previously disclosed retiree medical lawsuit.
Operating profit excluding restructuring charges and the tentative settlement for the first quarter was $5 million compared to $10 million from continuing operations for the same quarter in 2008. The Company had cash of $233 million as of March 31, 2009, and did not draw on available parent company credit lines. This compares to a cash balance of $248 million at December 31, 2008.
North American Tire Operations
North American Tire operations generated sales of $439 million during the first quarter, down from 2008 net sales of $498 million during the same quarter. Sales continued to be affected by soft demand in North America as weakness in the replacement tire market persists. The Cooper brand continued to outpace the industry in the U.S. market when compared to the Rubber Manufacturer Association's reported shipments for the industry. The most significant volume decreases were in the economy and light truck product segments. The private brand distributor channel was also significantly weaker. The segment had success in expanding its market presence in Mexico and Canada.
Operating losses for the first quarter were $4 million, compared to operating profit of $8 million from the same period in 2008. This decline was the net result of several key factors. Raw material cost improvements during the quarter positively affected results by $8 million compared to the prior-year quarter. Price increases and mix improvements contributed $21 million. Lower products liability costs of $7 million also improved profits. Manufacturing operations improved by $7 million as a result of the Company's continued focus on improvement in this area. Volume decreases negatively affected profits by $21 million. The curtailment of production resulted in unabsorbed fixed overhead during the period of $18 million. Restructuring charges amount to $14 million during the quarter.
The Company previously announced it will close its facility in Albany, Ga. The total restructuring charges were most recently estimated to be $120 to $145 million, of which 60 to 70 percent would be non-cash. The shutdown has been continuing on plan and is expected to be completed within the originally announced time frame. To date, including write-downs of assets in the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company has incurred $90 million of related restructuring costs.
In addition to the shutdown of the Albany facility, the Company has undertaken a series of actions to reduce costs and manage liquidity. These include a freeze in the accrual of benefits for salaried employees' pension plans, changes to executive compensation and a variety of cost savings projects that will help the Company deliver even greater value to customers.
International Tire Operations
The Company's International Tire Operations reported sales of $166 million in the quarter, a decrease of $66 million from the first quarter of 2008. The decrease in sales volume was primarily attributable to decreases in exports from the Company's Asian operations as global demand for tires weakened. Volume decreases and pricing adjustments negatively affected operating profit net of improved mix by $9 million. This reduction in demand also drove the Company to manage production levels to align inventory with market conditions. The net impact of production curtailments and higher utility costs was a decline in profit of $8 million. Favorable currency impacts of $5 million and lower raw material cost of $2 million helped to offset the higher costs. The segment's operating profit decreased from $7 million in the first quarter of 2008 to a loss of $3 million in the first quarter of 2009.
Management Commentary and Outlook
Roy Armes, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The tire industry and our business continued to be affected by weak demand for replacement tires during the first quarter of 2009. Raw material spot prices have decreased in recent months, but overcapacity is still a negative pressure on results for the tire industry. We are actively taking steps to address this environment. While our operations continued to improve and we were very pleased with the performance, we recognize there is still much work to be done.
"We continue to focus on improving our global cost structure, profitably increasing our top line, and enhancing our organizational capabilities as targeted in our strategic plan. We are beginning to see some of the benefits from our actions. Unfortunately, much of what we have done is still masked by current market conditions. In light of these market conditions, we have also continued with liquidity and cash management priorities while managing inventory levels to successfully meet customer demands. We were successful at preserving our cash during the quarter by managing our costs, inventory and capital expenditures. We will continue to be prudent in managing our resources as we move forward.
"There have been several recent signs of stabilization in tire demand, but the near-term outlook is still pressured by the macroeconomic environment. Raw materials prices are difficult to forecast, but we do not see a return to the extreme price highs of last year. Commodity prices are likely to stabilize during 2009 and then begin to increase as demand for raw materials increases. I am proud of the way our employees have focused on what is critical, and they are doing an excellent job of executing during a difficult time. The actions we take will continue to reposition Cooper as a stronger company."
Cooper's management team will discuss the financial and operating results for the quarter in a conference call today at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may access the audio portion of that conference call on the investor relations page of the Company's web site at COOPER.
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No end in sight for the semiconductor revolution
Isaac Sudit
Equity investment analyst
Semiconductors are the engines driving many of today's life-changing technologies. Investment analyst Isaac Sudit offers his outlook for this essential industry.
20 years of investment experience
Mike Utley: So, let’s start with your big picture overview of the semiconductor industry. Who are the major players, what drives share prices and, after a fairly difficult 2018, what's your broad outlook for the sector in 2019 and beyond?
Isaac Sudit: When I think of electronics, it's a 50-year-old revolution that we have had, probably since the invention of the integrated circuit. We can go back farther, to the invention of the transistor in the 1950s. And this revolution is comparable in terms of magnitude and scale to the Industrial Revolution —
Mike Utley: Absolutely.
Isaac Sudit: — that started in England and then propagated through the world. So, semiconductors are drivers of this revolutions that has changed the world, has changed the way we live, has improved lives for humanity.
You know, 50, 60 years is a long time, and the industry is maturing. The industry has consolidated quite a bit, both individually and, actually, geographically. In the U.S., we have Intel as probably the name that most people are familiar with [in] semiconductors, and [it’s] still a major player. We have Texas Instruments, which is also one of the founding members of the semiconductor revolution globally. In Asia we have Taiwan Semiconductor, which is the largest manufacturer of semiconductors in the world. In Korea we have Samsung Electronics, which besides being a smartphone supplier is also a major manufacturer of semiconductors. Europe used to be a very large center of semiconductor, both design and manufacturing. It has declined over the last, say, 25 years. But it has several key companies that provide equipment for the manufacture of semiconductors. One of them is ASML —
Mike Utley: Right.
Isaac Sudit: — in Holland. Mainland China is trying to become a major participant in the semiconductor industry. So far, I think that we have not seen a major semiconductor company coming out of China, but I think it's just a matter of time for them to be significant players.
Mike Utley: Can you give us a little bit of your opinion on short term, where you see this market going? And then your long-term, sort of 10-year view?
Isaac Sudit: The industry had been running rather hot for maybe a couple years, and now we're going to just kind of cool down things a little bit. There's been too much capacity added at the end of the cycle — which was last year — and therefore now we're going to enter a downturn.
Now, the magnitude of the downturn is up for controversy and for discussion. And my analysis through, I would say, the last 20 years, is that this downturn is probably going to be milder than most people expect. The industry is in much better health than it has been in a couple of decades, and it's more concentrated. So, I think when I look at the red flags that suggest a cyclical downturn, they're raised but very timidly. So, I don't expect a downturn to either last long or be very deep.
Mike Utley: What's your longer term view? What do you think the catalysts are for growth in the years ahead?
Isaac Sudit: I'm very optimistic about the sustainability of growth in the semiconductor industry, albeit slower growth than we have seen over the last 20 years. Semiconductors are the enablers of many of the other industries that are in everybody's minds. We think of great companies like Facebook, like Google, like Amazon, like Microsoft, like Baidu and Tencent in China. And Alibaba as well. And these are companies that are monetizing our daily lives in different ways than we [are] used to. Some of them are replacing old ways of how our life was being monetized.
And semiconductors are the drivers of that — the equipment that allows these companies to search; to provide advertising; to provide recommendations; to display images, sounds, video; to keep track where we are; to provide information instantaneously. All that is enabled by semiconductors. So, that will continue.
The second thing that I think will be a driver of growth will be penetration of semiconductors in areas that have not had historically such high exposure to the technology as, say, personal computers.
Isaac Sudit: We're seeing that in automotive. But there's quite a bit of room to go in automotive, believe it or not.
Mike Utley: Sure.
Isaac Sudit: Medical is another area where there is a lag between what can be done and what's being done. And of course, that makes sense. It's a fairly regulated industry. It's an industry where failure has tremendous consequences. And automotive, by the way, is another similar industry regulated, where failure has consequences. These industries take longer for semiconductors to penetrate fully. But that is going to happen.
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14 Movies You Must Watch if You Love ‘Juno’
Diksha Sundriyal
‘Juno’ is the story of a high-school girl who becomes pregnant and then has to deal with the responsibilities that come along with it. Starring Ellen Page, in one of her best performances and the one for which she got nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress, this was both critical and commercial success. ‘Juno’ was bright, funny and upbeat. It was also deep and, at times, hard-hitting. From the acting to the background music; from its funny tone to rather serious notes, it was the whole package with a great wrapping! While there have been a lot of coming-of-age movies, there haven’t been many like ‘Juno’. It is the film that deals with the naivetes of teenage, the struggles of growing up and the decision of keeping or letting go of a child and is a landmark in its genre. Here’s the list of movies similar to Juno that are our recommendations. You can stream some of these movies like Juno on Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu.
14. Manny and Lo (1996)
Amanda and Laurel are sisters who are assigned to several foster homes but they always run away from them. They spend their time doing whatever they want and sleeping wherever they want. When Laurel becomes pregnant, they realise that the problem at hand is too big to handle alone. They kidnap a clerk from a store to help them. The three, gradually, form a close relationship of co-dependency.
Read More: Movies Like Harry Potter Films
13. Too Young to Be a Dad (2002)
One thing that I found missing in ‘Juno’ was Paulie’s side of the story. We got to see the struggle that ‘Juno’ faces and the choices she makes, but how did Paulie feel about it? The film didn’t go into much depth about that. Well, ‘Too Young to Be a Dad’ is an answer to that question. Fifteen-year-old Matt Freeman has a one-night fling with his classmate Francesca, after which she becomes pregnant. The film focuses on how this affects Matt’s life and that of everyone around her.
Read More: Movies Like American Beauty
12. To Find a Man (1972)
This film shows the story of a boy and girl who try to find a solution to the girl’s pregnancy problem. They aren’t romantically involved, neither is the boy the father of the child. Their relationship is purely platonic and that’s what makes this film better. With the romantic angle out of the way, this film takes a heart-warming and refreshing tone. A rather uncommon story to tell, ‘To Find a Man’ is very good.
Read More: Movies Like Clueless
11. Blue Denim (1959)
While ‘Juno’ focuses on the decision of keeping the baby after the teenage girl gets unintentionally pregnant, ‘Blue Denim’ focuses on the other side of the coin. Janet and Arthur had been friends for a long time and were a source of comfort for each other. As their relationship progresses, Janet becomes pregnant. Along with their friend, Janet and Arthur find ways to get an abortion, while understanding the meaning of growing up.
Read More: Movies Like Friends With Benefits
10. Mom at Sixteen (2005)
When Jacey Jeffries got pregnant, her mother helped her in keeping it a secret so she could lead a normal life. It was planned to give up the baby for adoption, but Jacey changed her mind at the last moment and decided to keep it. Now, her mother poses as the mother of the baby in front of everyone while Jacey continues her school. But, it’s not so easy to keep a secret forever.
Read More: Movies Like Limitless
9. A Common Thread (2004)
When seventeen-year-old Claire learns that she is pregnant, she decides to keep her baby. Instead of telling her father about it, she decides to go work for an embroider with whom she develops a close relationship. This film is similar to ‘Juno’ in the fact that they both deal with pro-life agendas. But while ‘Juno’ shows adoption as the option, ‘A Common Thread’ shows the difficulties of keeping it to your own.
Read More: Movies Like 10 Things I Hate About You
8. Unexpected (2015)
This light-hearted film tells the story of a high school teacher named Samantha Abbott. When she and one of her students become pregnant at almost the same time, an unlikely friendship develops between them. Each of them has their own problems and situations associated with their pregnancies, and each other’s support helps them to navigate through these things.
Read More: Movies Like Marie Antoinette
7. Stephanie Daley (2006)
This film tells the story of a sixteen-year-old girl who is accused of the crime of killing her new-born baby. Stephanie refuses to accept these charges and says that her baby was a still-born. In order to evaluate her, Lydie Crane, a psychologist is assigned to her. Lydie is pregnant and had once had a stillborn child too. She tries to understand Stephanie’s story while connecting it with her own.
Read More: Movies Like The Color Purple
6. Wish You Were Here (1987)
Set in the 1950s, this film tells the story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Lynda Mansell who is outspoken and a bit foul-mouthed. She shuns the conventional and doesn’t believe in rules. However, when she becomes pregnant after sleeping with one of her father’s friends, her life takes a sharp turn. After her father disowns her, she has to find a way to make it in the world with a baby on the way.
Read More: Movies Like Now You See Me
5. Mom and Dad (1945)
Joan Blake falls for a pilot and has sex with her. Sometime later, she finds out that the pilot has died in a crash and that she is pregnant with his child. Because she is unmarried, the society shuns Joan and her mother whom they blame for her wrong upbringing. Joan has to find a way to survive. The film focuses on the story and also adds an educational reel about pregnancy and birth.
Read More: Movies Like The Prestige
4. Precious (2009)
This Academy Award-nominated film, set in 1987, tells the story of a sixteen-year-old girl, Precious, living in Harlem with her abusive mother. Precious had been sexually abused by her father, who has now left them and underwent two pregnancies. This film tells the story of how Precious deals with her dysfunctional parents, takes care of herself and her children.
Read More: Movies Like Mirror Mirror
3. The Snapper (1993)
Sharon Curley is a twenty-year-old girl who gets pregnant after indulging in a night of heavy drinking. Since she still lives with her parents, she has to ask for the support of her family in helping her bring the baby into the world. When everyone asks her about the identity of the father, she stubbornly refuses to tell. Meanwhile, the rest of the town makes life difficult for her and her family.
Read More: Movies Like Flipped
2. Kotch (1971)
This Academy Award-nominated film tells the story of a retired salesman who helps a teenage through her pregnancy. Joseph Kotcher is retired now and doesn’t want his son to put him in a nursing home. He decides to take a road trip instead of spending the rest of his years in a mundane place. When he meets Erica, he helps her through the process of bringing a new life into the world.
Read More: Movies Like Pitch Perfect
1. The Year My Voice Broke (1987)
This film is set in the 1960s and tells the story of three teenagers who are caught up in a complicated love triangle. Danny and Freya have been best friends since forever, and now that they have grown up, Danny wants to have a relationship with Freya. However, Freya has her heart set on Danny, a high school rugby player. After Trevor and Freya sleep together, he is caught by the police for stealing a car. With Trevor sent to jail, Freya turns to Danny for support, telling him that she is pregnant.
Read More: Movies Like Confessions of a Shopaholic
Lists Sayak Basu
5 TV Shows You Must Watch If You Love Lucifer
5 TV Shows You Must Watch If You Love Better Call Saul
5 TV Shows You Must Watch If You Love American Crime Story
5 TV Shows You Must Watch If You Love The OA
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WHAT'S AN ELEPHANT WORTH?
An elephant’s worth is like everything in life – it is worth more to some than others. There are those who love elephants so much that they could never put a value on them – they believe elephants are priceless. Then there are those who like elephants but have never given much, if any thought, to their value. Then there are those who may not like elephants at all, like those who have had their crops destroyed and livelihood threatened by elephants, and simply wish they were gone.
So how do you value an elephant? Do you see elephants as intrinsically valuable, intelligent and majestic in their own right? Do you base an elephant’s value on how much someone is willing to pay for one? How much someone is willing to pay to see one? To kill one?
There are many ways to value animals, and the value we assign to animals tends to determine how far we are willing to go to protect them. When animal advocates made it clear earlier this year that the current administration wasn’t doing enough to protect elephants, Trump responded by creating the International Wildlife Conservation Commission, established to report on the benefits of hunting wild elephants in certain African countries. Every member of the IWCC is pro-hunting, and nearly all of the members have strong ties to organizations like Safari Club International or the National Rifle Association - one of the members, Peter Horn, even co-owns a private hunting reserve in upstate New York with Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. These groups value animals, and elephants in particular, based on the size of their trophies.
Evidence of this can be found in the group’s most recent meeting transcript, in which the majority of input from IWCC members centered on how to get trophies through border control quickly and easily, and how to convince the public that ending hunting operations in some African countries would be the end of the world for those villages (in the process, openly mocking true animal advocates). Sadly, the Associated Press reported one member, Cameron Hanes, as stating that “hunting allows animals such as elephants to ‘have value,’” indicating that an elephant’s only value is its trophy.
From the beginning, the IWCC has focused only on the monetary value of an elephant hunt, not the value of the elephant itself. The IWCC fails to consider what would happen if true conservation measures, aiming to keep elephants alive, were implemented. It also fails to account for the fact that an elephant can only be killed once, giving it a one-time, finite fiscal worth in terms of hunting. An elephant can be photographed, studied, glimpsed, washed or fed in some sanctuaries, and otherwise enjoyed over and over during its lifetime, but it can only be killed once.
So, assuming the only way to value an elephant is in terms of how much money it will bring to the surrounding community, how do we compare the value of a living elephant to a dead one?
In African countries, elephants are typically allowed to roam, either in the wild, or in national parks, or reserves. They are suffering due to poaching, hunting, and human-elephant conflict. Because wild lands where elephants once roamed free are being taken over by human development, elephants and humans are increasingly at odds with one another. Elephants pose a safety hazard to villagers and can also pose an economic one when they eat or trample crops.
In Zambia, 42 communities have coalesced to allow “consumptive tourism,” meaning hunting, where fees from hunting are split. A large percentage, 50% as of 2002, remits to the national government “through the Department of National Park and Wildlife Services.” That money would then be used for “natural resource management.” The individual community would receive the other 50%. The community’s 50% share would be further split up between the community leader, or “patron;” the Community Resource Board administration; assault protection; and the rest to community development projects. Assuming a hunter would be able to return to the U.S. with a trophy, he or she would pay, in rare cases, up to $100,000. (If the US bans trophy imports, the amount a hunter is willing to pay plummets).
The iWorry campaign by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust estimated that a living elephant brought in almost $1.6 million over its lifetime in ecotourism dollars through places like Kruger National Park in South Africa or Amboseli National Park in Kenya. That’s because, while each photo-snapping tourist may pay fewer dollars to potentially see an elephant than a hunter would to kill an elephant, that income can be repeated as long as the elephant is alive. A hunted elephant, in contrast, means a one-time injection of cash into a community.
Big game hunters, like the ones that make up the IWCC, want us to think that hunting is the best way to save elephants, because of the money that is injected into the communities. The reality is that these communities are often poor, and lack the resources that more developed, tourist-friendly countries have. Compare Zambia and Zimbabwe, which allow hunting, to South Africa and Kenya, who have huge national parks and reputable tourism industries. For example, in Botswana, the president issued a moratorium on elephant hunting and demanded that villages transform into tourist-friendly places instead, but the government failed to provide money with which to make this happen. Of course, his plan failed. But with proper investment, these communities could have seen exponentially more income from their live elephants from tourism, rather than a few one-time payments from elephant hunters. It just takes investment.
In poor communities, the environment is rough, which is exciting for a hunter but uncomfortable and intimidating for a tourist. It takes money for communities to become tourist-friendly, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible or that it’s not worth doing. It should also be noted that many times, the elephants that are hunted are older bull elephants, who are no longer breeding and therefore would not contribute to population growth. That’s what the IWCC said, anyway. I don’t know about you, but I would be thrilled to pay to see a bull elephant roaming in the wild, as many times as I could afford to. So, the argument that hunting an elephant is somehow more understandable just because the lone male elephant is past breeding age, is not convincing. Should all elephants not be valued equally?
Even assuming a hunter pays the highest price to hunt an elephant, $100,000, that still pales in comparison to the $1.6 million a living elephant can bring in over its lifetime.
Elephants in southeast Asian countries like Myanmar and Thailand have a much different story. These countries have both wild and domestic elephant populations, and both are in trouble. In Thailand, there are three times as many elephants in domesticity as in the wild. And domestic elephants need to be cared for by humans, which costs money.
Domestic elephants traditionally had a working relationship with humans until very recently. For example, in Thailand, elephants were historically used as logging animals, until timber logging was outlawed in 1989. As logging animals, they were privately owned and cared for by mahouts. When logging was outlawed, the elephants and mahouts were put out of work, and had to resort to tourism, show business, or begging to make ends meet. This often leads to abusive training practices, poor nutrition and medical care, and overworked elephants. Most of these elephants cannot be returned to the wild, mostly because there is almost no “wild” left for them to inhabit, and because they have been domesticated and therefore need human care.
While caring for elephants used to be a respectable career, passed down from father to son, it is now considered a low-skilled job and it doesn’t pay well. However, these mahouts often aren’t trained to do anything else, and furthermore, they don’t want to abandon their elephants. Thus, the choice is not so much between hunting dollars and eco-tourism dollars, as it is between eco-tourism dollars and abusive and harmful tourism dollars.
This is why funding sanctuaries is so important. While many experts say elephant rides and other instances of elephants working are not inherently evil, the low profits from these activities sometimes lead mahouts and other employers to overwork the elephants to make more money. When the sanctuary’s focus is the proper treatment of and care for the elephants, facilitated by paid mahouts, both the elephant and mahout benefit.
But, as is becoming brutally clear, economic and political instability makes it difficult to establish a healthy tourism industry. This is globally applicable. Consider a hunter, who expects to wade through marshes and experience a little bit of danger on his or her expedition, versus a tourist with a camera, who is likely expecting to feel safe and relatively comfortable on his or her journey. Eco-friendly tourism requires reliable infrastructure, something many of these politically and economically unstable countries don’t have.
Stability, infrastructure, safety – all of these aspects depend on the state of the human population in these places. We can’t make the animals safer unless we invest in the people. In African countries, villagers won’t care about protecting elephants if they can’t feed their families. In Asian countries, mahouts can’t give elephants proper nutrition and medical care if they can’t feed themselves or their families. To protect elephants and other wild animals, we have to invest in the people who interact with them. Not because we have to, but because we want to, and we can’t assume someone else will. The first priority is always people. But where people and elephants live in close proximity, these dueling priorities can form one, shared priority.
That’s why The Elephant Project is the answer, world-wide. Villagers won’t need to rely on hunting dollars or the meat from elephant kills when The Elephant Project invests in every aspect of their lives, building on the five pillars, including Communities/Sanctuaries, Research, Retail, Education, and Collaboration. The Elephant Project values elephants based on how a sustainable elephant population can benefit the people and environment. Sustainability is key, and hunting elephants simply doesn’t compare to lasting, humane economic investment in the land, people, and wildlife in these countries.
Creating a safe haven for elephants, where they are heavily guarded against poachers, where hunting isn’t necessary, and where human-elephant conflict is rare, if not eradicated, elephant families will flourish, exponentially increasing their value to the community. The denser the elephant population in an area, the more tourists are willing to spend for a chance to see them in their natural habitat. The more elephants we can monitor, the more we can learn about them. The faster we can stop poaching. The faster we can make the relationship between elephants and humans a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship. But that comes from investing in the people as much as in the elephants, which is what The Elephant Project is doing. We want, and the world needs, living, breathing, majestic elephants, and we need the IWCC to change its valuation metric to consider the best options rather than putting their hobbies first. A live elephant is more valuable, intrinsically and economically, than a dead one.
By: Laura Beth Jackson, Staff Counsel
Tagged: humane economy, elephants, mahouts, IWCC
Newer PostTHE CHALLENGE TO ELEPHANT PROTECTION IN CHINA
Older PostTHROUGH THE EYES COMES THE VOICE
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Isovel Contracts Ltd (in Administration) V ABB Technologies Ltd
There should be summary judgement against the sub-contractor in respect of the dishonoured cheque for the certified value of the sub-sub-contractor's works notwithstanding its defence of a total or partial failure of consideration or of the certified sum not having become due
The sub-sub-contractor sued on the dishonoured cheque made out in its name by the sub-contractor in respect of two interim payment applications. The sub-sub-contractor brought court proceedings against the sub-contractor and applied for summary judgement. The sub-contractor relied on what it contended were the facts, as revealed by subsequent certificates, that: (1) No money was due as a result of the allegedly defective and incomplete work and (2) Clause 21.4.1.1 of DOM/2 (which was incorporated into the sub-sub-contract) required valuations to be of the total value of work properly executed. Judge Berry held that the sub-sub-contractor should have summary judgement against the sub-contractor for the amount of the cheque. In the instant case (1) There was no question of the sub-contractor having made a mistake in adding up an account or the work done (2) Instead the sub-contractor paid by way of cheque in accordance with the contractual payment scheme (3) The error, if there was an error, was that of the contractor when giving its certificates (rather than that of the sub-contractor) and (4) It was an essential element of the contractual payment scheme that errors in a valuation on which the certificate was founded should be taken account of in subsequent certificates. Whilst the errors might have been quantified in time for them to be taken account of in subsequent certificates and the sub-sub-cotnractor might have been in breach of contract, the position in respect of the interim payments in respect of which the cheque was drawn was that (1) Any claim of the sub-contractor at the time the cheque was issued was unliquidated and unquantified and (2) The mere fact that a subsequent certificate threw up errors in an earlier certificate in time for a cheque in respect of the earlier certificate to be countermanded could not change the fact that the quantification behind the subsequent certificate was only for the purpose of the subsequent certificate, particularly where, as in the instant case, it was unclear whether the defective work was carried out before or after the cheque was drawn. Advice Note This case represents an example of the court's reluctance not to treat a cheque as ?cash? unless the cheque was obtained fraudulently or there was a total (as opposed to a partial) failure of consideration.
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DeRozan outduels Doncic, Spurs' beat Mavs in OT 113-108
DeMar DeRozan had 34 points and nine assists and the San Antonio Spurs withstood a 31-point outburst by Dallas rookie Luka Doncic in a 113-108 overtime victory over the Mavericks on Monday night
DeRozan outduels Doncic, Spurs' beat Mavs in OT 113-108 DeMar DeRozan had 34 points and nine assists and the San Antonio Spurs withstood a 31-point outburst by Dallas rookie Luka Doncic in a 113-108 overtime victory over the Mavericks on Monday night Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/10/29/derozan-outduels-doncic-spurs-beat-mavs-in-ot-113-108/38326397/
AP Published 11:25 p.m. ET Oct. 29, 2018 | Updated 12:46 a.m. ET Oct. 30, 2018
Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)(Photo: The Associated Press)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan picked himself off the court after missing a potential game-winning shot and then lifted the San Antonio Spurs, too.
DeRozan had 34 points and nine assists and San Antonio withstood a 31-point outburst by Dallas rookie Luka Doncic in a 113-108 overtime victory over the Mavericks on Monday night.
"He's a really good player and he loves those moments," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of DeRozan. "He's not afraid of failure. You know, Michael (Jordan) didn't make every shot at the end of the game, but there are very, very few people who want to be in that position all the time and (DeRozan's) one of those people who loves it. It's good to have that."
LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and Rudy Gay had 15 points and 11 rebounds as San Antonio won its second overtime game.
Popovich said Aldridge and Gay were his closers last season, but DeRozan has given the Spurs another option, and they needed it against Doncic.
Dallas' 6-foot-7 wing was 11 for 18 from the field in scoring a season high.
"He's a very good player," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "He certainly doesn't look surprised that this is happening."
DeRozan and Doncic battled in the final minutes of regulation and into overtime in a game that included 10 lead changes and 12 ties.
DeRozan scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, while Doncic had 10 points in the same span.
DeRozan made two free throws to give the Spurs a 102-101 lead with 39.1 seconds left in regulation. Doncic missed a driving layup against Aldridge, and DeRozan missed a jumper in the lane. Dennis Smith Jr. was fouled by DeRozan with 1.6 seconds remaining. The Mavericks' point guard made the first free throw, tying the game at 102-all, and missed the second. DeRozan remained sprawled face-first on the court for a few seconds after missing a jumper inside the 3-point line as regulation expired.
"I was mad at myself that I missed," DeRozan said. "But like I said, if I got the opportunity again, I wasn't going to miss a big shot later in the game, and I didn't."
It was one of the few times DeRozan failed to come through on either offense or defense for the Spurs. DeRozan, who was acquired in the offseason from Toronto for Kawhi Leonard, was 12 for 21 from the field and had six rebounds and three steals.
With about seven minutes remaining in regulation, DeRozan stole the ball from Wes Matthews, sprinted down court and backed up Matthews before hitting a turnaround, fadeaway jumper from 12 feet for an 89-83 lead.
"I think we have a bunch of guys that are competitive and have the same goal, that's to win," Aldridge said. "I feel like that's not something hard to ask. I feel like every guy is trying to do what they can to make wins."
Smith finished with 22 points for Dallas.
Mavericks: Dallas extended its franchise record to 189 straight games with at least five 3-pointers. The streak began March 9, 2016. .... DeAndre Jordan had 18 rebounds, but was held to eight points, marking the first time he has not had a double-double this season.
Spurs: DeRozan has led the Spurs in scoring in all but one game this season. ... San Antonio matched a season low by holding Dallas to 18 points in the opening quarter. The Spurs also held the Lakers to 18 points in the final quarter of Saturday's victory.
SO-SO GOOD
Doncic played 40 minutes, including 23 in the second half and overtime, despite suffering from a strained back that put his status in question.
"So-so, but I'm not going to stop," Doncic said when asked how his back was.
Doncic also tweaked his left ankle on a drive late in overtime, but remained in the game.
The Mavericks flew for the seventh straight night following Monday's loss, their fifth game in seven days. Dallas, which has played three road games since Oct. 22, is 1-4 in that stretch.
"We're in the middle of just a grind week with all this travel," Carlisle said. "To hang in there and play like we did tonight is a real credit to them."
Aldridge was astounded to learn Gay has three consecutive double-doubles for the first time in his career.
"First time in his career," Aldridge shouted with Gay nearby. "What have you been doing all these years?"
Gay chuckled and said it's all about opportunity.
"This year I don't have Dejounte (Murray) and L.A. stealing my rebounds," Gay said. "Now I can get a double-double every night."
Mavericks: At Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
Spurs: At Phoenix on Wednesday.
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Equifax Lobbied to Gut Regulations Right Before Getting Hacked
Trump’s America
Trump Administration Wants Wall Street to “Self-Report” Its Crimes
Wall Street’s 12 Most Salacious Scandals
Populist Hero Mike Pence Casts Tie-Breaking Vote to Protect Banks from Lawsuits
Finally, a victory for the working man.
By Hal Yeager/Getty Images.
As a candidate, one of the planks in Donald Trump's campaign platform involved stopping Wall Street from “getting away with murder” and standing up to the “handful of large corporations and political entities that have robbed the working class.” Shockingly, it now appears that such statements were talking points that the president had no intention of following through on—an about-face exemplified late Tuesday night when populist hero Mike Pence cast a tie-breaking 11th-hour vote to overturn a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that permits class-action lawsuits against banks and credit unions.
After the Senate vote to repeal the rule, which allows consumers to join together to sue banks or credit-card companies rather than be forced into mandatory arbitration, ended in a 50-50 split, Pence triumphantly stepped in to break the tie. The measure now goes to Trump’s desk, where he will most certainly sign it, even as the administration tries to paint the outcome as a win for the little guy. “The rule would harm our community banks and credit unions by opening the door to frivolous lawsuits by special-interest lawyers,“ White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told NBC News. Acting Comptroller of the Currency Keith Noreika, a former Wall Street lawyer whom the White House used a brazen backdoor move to install in May, added in a statement that “The elected representatives acted to stop a rule from going into effect that would have likely increased the cost of credit for hardworking Americans and made it more difficult for small community banks to resolve differences with their customers without achieving the rule’s goal of deterring future financial abuse. The action by Congress is a victory for consumers and small banks across the country.”
Obviously, Democrats believe otherwise. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who helped to create the consumer bureau, called the bill “a giant wet kiss to Wall Street.” Senator Sherrod Brown asked rhetorically, “Who does forced arbitration help? Wall Street banks and other huge corporations that never pay the price for cheating working people.” And Richard Cordray, the head of the bureau, said in a statement that “Tonight’s vote is a giant setback for every consumer in this country. Wall Street won, and ordinary people lost.”
Overturning the class-action rule is just the first in a series of steps the administration and the G.O.P. hope will end in vanquishing the bureau, which Republicans have been decrying since the day it was legislated into existence. House Financial Services chair Jeb Hensarling, who has received millions in campaign contributions from the financial industry and would likely lie down in traffic for Wall Street, has described the C.F.P.B. as a “dictator,” and in May helped pass a bill that would gut the bureau of funding. (The “Choice Act” has not yet made its way to the Senate.)
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‘He asked me why he can’t feel his legs’: Boy, 11, may be paralyzed after struck by stray bullet in New York
June 25, 2019 at 2:10 AM CDT - Updated June 25 at 2:10 AM
NEW YORK (WCBS/CNN) - An 11-year-old boy is struggling to recover from being hit by a stray bullet, fired during a reported gang-related shooting, that could leave him in a wheelchair for life.
The day before 11-year-old Jayden Grant’s fifth grade graduation, he was hit in the chest by a stray bullet while waiting on the sidewalk for his dad to get a haircut.
Jayden Grant, 11, will likely have lifelong health issues after he was hit in the chest by a stray bullet, his grandmother says. (Source: Grant Family/WCBS/CNN)
“He had a nightmare last night. He said, ‘Grandma, grandma, I had a dream that I got shot and I was in the hospital.’ And I said, ‘That’s not a dream, it actually happened,'" said Bessie Watson-Grant, the boy’s grandmother.
Watson-Grant says doctors told her Jayden’s injury could leave him paralyzed from the waist down.
Even if he isn’t paralyzed, she says he will likely have lifelong health issues.
“He asked me why he can’t feel his legs. I said, ‘You will. Think positively: you will. We are going to do a lot of rehab,'" she said.
Watson-Grant says she’s just thankful the 11-year-old is still alive. She and her husband heard loud gunshots Thursday from their home when a man opened fire in the street about a block away.
Knowing Jayden was in the area, they ran over, only to find out he had been hit.
"It was devastating. I was trying to hold it together. She completely lost it. I just wanted to get to the hospital to see how he was doing,” said Leon Grant, the boy’s grandfather.
Another innocent bystander, a 31-year-old man, was hit in the knee with a stray bullet.
Police arrested and charged 27-year-old Angel Eaddy, a known Bloods gang member, with two counts of attempted murder. He’s being held on $500,000 bail.
An 11-year-old boy—an innocent bystander—was critically wounded in a gang-related shooting on a Brooklyn street yesterday. Thanks to the excellent collaborative work by the men and women of the @NYPD77Pct, the man responsible is now in custody. #Enough #EndGunViolence pic.twitter.com/pvBRNeG0Lj
— Chief Dermot F. Shea (@NYPDDetectives) June 21, 2019
Jayden’s grandparents hope his story strikes a chord for change in the city.
The 11-year-old’s school helped the family start a GoFundMe page for his long-term care and will hold a special graduation ceremony for him in his hospital room.
Copyright 2019 WCBS, NYPD, Grant Family, Sal Melendez, GoFundMe via CNN. All rights reserved.
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Controversial anti-abortion film opens in Sudbury today
Special to The Sudbury Star
More from Special to The Sudbury Star
Published on: July 12, 2019 | Last Updated: July 12, 2019 12:18 PM EDT
Actor Ashley Bratcher (right) is shown in a scene from the film Unplanned. A controversial American anti-abortion film is set to hit Canadian theatres, with the distributor bracing for possible protests. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Soli Deo Gloria Releasing
A controversial anti-abortion film will play in Sudbury’s Downtown Movie Lounge despite concerns about its portrayal of abortion.
Unplanned, a U.S. film based on the story of a Planned Parenthood worker turned anti-abortion activist, opened today and across Canada.
The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada calls the film a “dangerous piece of anti-abortion propaganda,” arguing its grisly depiction of the procedure promotes an “absolutist and extreme case against abortion that has nothing to do with reality.”
In Canada, theatres in B.C. and Alberta have already pulled the films after backlash. The Salmar Theatre in Salmon Arm, B.C., claims it cancelled showings of the film after saying it receiving threats.
Cineplex, Canada’s largest theatre chain, said the issue is “complicated” but that it will press ahead with screenings
“I understand and can appreciate the concerns about the film, but it is up to each of us to decide whether or not we want to see it,” Cineplex president Ellis Jacob said in a statement. “In Canada, we have that option and I think it is an important thing to remember.”
Imagine Cinemas owns Sudbury’s Downtown Movie Lounge. It is a small, independently owned chain of cinemas consisting of 14 locations with a total of 90 screens in Ontario and British Columbia, making it the third-largest movie theatre chain in Canada.
The film attracted controversy during its release in the United States, where several states have recently restricted access to abortion.
It was brought to Canada through a campaign of anti-abortion advocates known as Canada Wants Unplanned.
Faytene Grasseschi, an Ontario television host, says there was a public appetite to bring the film north.
“People appreciate that authenticity and transparency. I also think people take a bit of offence to being told what they can’t watch,” she wrote in a statement to Postmedia. “One of the beautiful things about our nation is freedom of expression.”
Farah Shroff, a professor at the University of British Columbia and an expert on global women’s health, says she believes American anti-abortion sentiment is creeping north.
She points to Ontario’s sexual education curriculum, which reverted last year to the 1998 edition that has no mention of non-heterosexual relationships or consent and removes resources about contraception.
“I think we’ve always had a group in Canada that resonates with that anti-abortion element that exists in the United States,” she said.
Shroff works primarily in improving safe access to abortion in developing countries, where she says as many as 15 per cent of maternal deaths occur due to unsafe, unregulated abortions.
She says abortion is part of the “full suite” of contraception and encourages viewers of the film to factor in research like hers.
“I’m a professor. I like people to have an educated, informed opinion with a deep understanding of all the issues,” she said. “I hope if people are curious to see this film … that they would pair that with good science and data.”
Chris Knight, a movie reviewer for Postmedia, wrote the film is awful, saying it “turns what could have been a fascinating philosophical turnaround into a simplistic piece of U.S. religious/political agitprop …
“But none of this matters, because the film is preaching to the choir; no one who disagrees with its central tenet will be watching. And even if presented to a mixed audience, Unplanned is neither smart enough to rally anyone to its cause, nor dumb enough to alienate those who believe its message. As propaganda, therefore, it’s basically useless.
“And as cinema, it’s poorly made. But you have a freedom of choice as to whether or not to see it.”
— with files from Zak Vescera, Postmedia
20th anniversary drag races return to Elliot Lake Rainbow schools getting greener
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Fat Americans look at diet with rose-colored glasses
By - The Washington Times - Thursday, March 2, 2006
Even though two-thirds of the nation is overweight, most Americans are under the impression that their diets are satisfactory. More than two-thirds — 64 percent, in fact — consider themselves “healthy eaters,” according to a new Harris poll released yesterday.
The most popular diet plan?
More than a third of respondents said “Whatever I feel like eating,” followed by 23 percent who reported they followed some variation of the “food pyramid” diet.
Another 12 percent concentrated on meat and potatoes; 10 percent counted carbs; 8 percent watched their fat intake; 9 percent were either unsure or not specific about their diet; and 4 percent were vegetarians.
But we’re sedentary fatties, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — 64 percent of us are either overweight or obese, and 59 percent of us do not exercise.
“Obesity is the terror within,” U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona told a University of South Carolina forum on Wednesday. “Unless we do something about it, the magnitude of the dilemma will dwarf 9/11 or any other terrorist attempt.”
“Where will our soldiers and sailors and airmen come from?” he asked. “Where will our policemen and firemen come from if the youngsters today are on a trajectory that says they will be obese, laden with cardiovascular disease, increased cancers and a host of other diseases when they reach adulthood?”
But Americans assume they are diet-savvy, particularly those older than 55 — the survey found that three-quarters described their eating habits as healthy, more than any other age group.
Still, those habits are inconsistent. Seven out of 10 respondents said they eat healthy at dinner, and 58 percent do the same at breakfast. Things go downhill during lunch and snack time — when just 10 percent to 27 percent felt they were eating responsibly.
The prospect of eating organic foods, however, revealed a sharp divide: 48 percent said they absolutely never sampled the stuff, 50 percent said they sometimes ate organic foods, and 2 percent said they “always” ate such fare.
The poll of 1,040 adults was conducted Jan. 3 to 10.
People don’t fret about their dietary habits elsewhere on the planet, either
Like their American counterparts, two-thirds of Europeans claim they keep a healthy diet, according to a poll of 9,000 adults in 18 countries released March 1 by GFK NOP, a London-based marketing group.
Yet the poll also found that 50 percent of them were obese or overweight and, significantly, that obesity “is not seen as a significant concern by Europeans.” It ranked ninth in a list of 15 common health concerns, according to the survey.
The Europeans were particularly unmotivated. Although 45 percent hoped to slim down, only 14 percent reported they were actually on a weight-loss diet.
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Summer movies: Film critic recommends a movie a week for summer, 2019
It’s official. Summer, 2019, begins on May 17. At least that’s when your tireless film reviewer will be celebrating it, since that’s the release date for what I’m guessing will be my favorite film of the season - “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.”
But it’s going to be one heck of a busy summer, movie-wise. Between mid-May and the end of August, there are 80 films, ranging from big-budget, supposed box office bonanzas to smaller art house offerings, scheduled to open. An attempt to see all of them would mean you’d have to go to the cinema every weekday. That translates into a lot of ticket money and far too much popcorn.
To alleviate that problem, I’ve taken a look at the entire list and separated the ones that, if forced to choose just one a week, I would go for. If you’ve read my past reviews, you have an idea of what I like, and you can probably use this as a handy guide for what you should see ... or avoid.
May 17: “JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM” - That Latin phrase means “prepare for war,” which is what John Wick (Keanu Reeves) was doing at the end of the previous installment. The former marine and hitman is now on the run from the minions that have a contract on him. Part three in the terrific, atmospheric, violent franchise.
May 24: “AD ASTRA” - More Latin, this one translating as “to the stars.” Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) heads for the deep recesses of space with two goals: Find his long-missing father (Tommy Lee Jones) and, of course, save the universe from peril.
May 31: “GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS” - It’s a direct sequel to the 2014 reboot of the fire-breathing lizard story, bringing back some cast members - among them Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins - and introducing a few of Big G’s friends (or are they enemies?) including Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah.
June 7: “X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX” - Shooting back to the “First Class” period of X-Men-dom, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) becomes possessed by something known as Phoenix Force, which sets her on a course for whatever the term is for the X-Men universe’s Dark Side. Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and the rest return. Jessica Chastain adds some intrigue.
June 14: “THE DEAD DON’T DIE” - It’s written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Steve Buscemi, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, and country-rocker Sturgill Simpson. It’s about a zombie attack on a small town. What more do you really need to know?
June 21: “TOY STORY 4” - It’s been almost a decade since “Toy Story 3,” but Woody and Buzz (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) and pals - including Bo Peep (Annie Potts), who was AWOL in “3” - are back. They’re on an extensive road trip, during which new characters are met. One of them, named Duke Caboom, is voiced by - wait for it - Keanu Reeves.
June 28: “YESTERDAY” - And over in the intriguing premise of the year department, we’ve got Danny Boyle directing the story of an unknown and unsuccessful 20-something musician (Himesh Patel) who, after an international power stoppage, turns out to be the only person in the world who’s heard of the Beatles, and knows all of their songs ... and everyone believes he’s written them. What would YOU do?
July 3: “SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME” - Yes, some Avengers characters will continue to be in movies after “Endgame.” Tom Holland returns as Spidey/Peter Parker, as does Laura Harrier as Liz, and Zendaya as MJ. But a carefree European vacation gets complicated by a request for help from Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and new villain Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).
July 12: “THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE” - A wimpy fellow (Jesse Eisenberg), tired of being pushed around, signs up for karate lessons, and meets a beautiful young woman (Imogen Poots) and a mysterious instructor (Alessandro Nivola). But what sets this one apart from similar stories is that the instructor isn’t, let’s say, exactly who he appears to be.
July 19: “THE LION KING” - Disney tries to up the ante again with this GGI-fueled, all-animal, live-action makeover of the studio’s 1994 animated feature. With the voices of Donald Glover (Simba), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa) Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Beyoncé (Nala), Alfre Woodard (Sarabi) and, recreating his role from the original, James Earl Jones (Mufasa).
July 26: “ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD” - Quentin Tarantino’s nod to show biz goes back to 1969, when once-popular TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) try to make the transition to films. Unfortunately, there’s this guy named Charles Manson and his “Family” on the periphery. IMDB lists the film as a “comedy-drama.”
Aug. 2: “FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW” - The first official spinoff from the “Fast & Furious” franchise features lawman Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and outlaw man Owen Shaw (Jason Statham) teaming up to defeat the genetically super-powered villain Brixton (Idris Elba). The action will, of course, be fast and furious.
Aug. 9: “THE KITCHEN” - The title refers to New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, and this ’70s-set crime drama tells of some mobsters who go to jail, and their wives - played by Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elizabeth Moss - who keep the business, and the violence, in running order. Based on the DC comic.
Aug. 16: “WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE” - Mari Semple’s bestselling 2012 novel is about happy mom and wife Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchette) who, just prior to a family vacation with hubby (Billy Crudup) and daughter (Emma Nelson), tells them, by phone, that “something’s come up ...”, then vanishes. Directed by Richard Linklater, it’s a comedy-drama that’s wrapped up in a mystery.
Aug. 23: “ANGEL HAS FALLEN” - The third entry in the “Fallen” series (after both Olympus and London fell) again features Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) as the best protection anyone in the White House has ever had. But this time he’s framed as the perpetrator of an attempted assassination of the president, and must clear major hurdles to clear his name.
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Quick links... Bengals Reds FC Cincinnati College Sports High School Sports
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Sonny Gray withstands injury to help Reds shut out Marlins for third straight victory
Starter leaves early after being hit by comebacker
By: WCPO staff
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
CINCINNATI, OH - APRIL 11: Sonny Gray #54 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being hit by a line drive in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park on April 11, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)<br/>
CINCINNATI — Reds starter Sonny Gray took a comebacker off his leg and had to retire after four scoreless innings, but the bullpen completed a 5-0 shutout of the Marlins Thursday afternoon for the Reds’ third straight win.
Yasiel Puig returned from a two-game suspension to hit a two-run double in a three-run fifth inning.
Eugenio Suarez capped the win with a solo homer in the eighth. He also had an RBI single in the fourth.
"It was a great series for us," Gray said. "We needed to come back home and win some games."
The Reds said Gray suffered a left calf contusion after he was hit by Miguel Rojas’ single leading off the second inning. Gray stayed in the game and retired the next eight batters. All told, the former Yankee allowed just two baserunners on singles and struck out six while lowering his ERA to 2.03.
It's unclear whether Gray will have to miss a start.
Four relievers - Robert Stephenson (1-0), Zach Duke, David Hernandez and Wandy Peralta - held the Marlins to three singles the rest of the way.
Puig had most of the 11,192 fans chanting his name after he ran into the outfield wall unsuccessfully trying to grab a foul in the first inning, and again in the fifth before he got his big hit.
Puig was hitting .125 with just three RBI when he stepped to the plate and said he was anxious to come through after watching the Reds win the first two games of the series without him. Puig was suspended for charging out of the dugout and sparking a bench-clearing confrontation with the Pirates on Sunday.
"I don't want to come back. My team gets better with myself out. I said I need to hit something," Puig said.
After Curt Casali led off the fifth with a single, Jesse Winker drew a two-out walk, Joey Votto knocked in Casali with an opposite-field single and Puig followed with a double to left off Marlins starter Pablo Lopez (1-2).
The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on singles by Winker, Votto and Suarez.
Votto twice beat the Marlins' shift by slicing the ball to left field.
The Reds entered the series with eight straight losses and the worst record in the NL, but they scored 21 runs in the three games, matching their total for the first nine.
"Baseball's crazy," Puig said. "We're losing a lot of games back-to-back, and now we sweep the Marlins."
Reds pitchers gave up just one run in the three-game sweep. The last time the Reds did that at home was in 1926 against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Marlins (3-10) managed only 12 hits in the series. On Thursday, they got only one runner into scoring position.
The Reds (4-8) hit the road for a nine-game trip starting in Monterey, Mexico, against the Cardinals Saturday and Sunday. They play three games in Los Angeles and four in San Diego.
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Home › Learn › Articles › Climate science, projections and interpretation
Submitted by Sukaina Bharwani 25th March 2011 19:17
Climate Projections
The Climate Systems Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town are the lead weADAPT organisation working on climate modelling and climate science. CSAG use a process of empirical downscaling which looks at historical records to derive a relationship between the type of large-scale weather patterns experienced and the resulting climatic conditions (e.g. rainfall and temperature) at local weather stations. This relationship is then applied to model output from global climate models and used to produce station-level climate projections.
The basics of Climate Change
This section was prepared by Mark Tadross, at the Climate Systems Analysis Group, as part of a climate change study done for Mozambique.
Climate change refers to a change in the average weather experienced in a particular region or location. The change may occur over periods ranging from decades to millenia. It may affect one or more seasons (e.g. summer, winter or the whole year) and involves changes in one or more aspects of the weather e.g. rainfall, temperature or winds. Its causes may be natural (e.g. due to periodic changes in the earth's orbit, volcanoes and solar variability) or attributable to human (anthropogenic) activities e.g. increasing emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2, land use change and/or emissions of aerosols. In contemporary society the term "Climate change" often refers to changes due to anthropogenic causes.
How is the climate changing?
It is widely recognized that there has been a detectable rise in global temperature during the last 40 years and that this rise cannot be explained unless human activities are accounted for (IPCC, 2007). The regional distribution of temperature increases is not however uniform and some regions have experienced greater change than others, especially the interior of continental regions such as southern Africa. This is consistent with detected increases in annual temperatures found over southern Africa since 1900 (Hulme et al, 2003). Additionally these changes in temperature are associated with decreases in cold extremes accompanied by increases in hot extremes (New et al, 2006). Furthermore, the global average temperature indicates an increasing rate of change, such that temperature is rising quicker during the latter half of the 20th century. Importantly, this increase in the rate of change is expected to continue, potentially resulting in more rapid changes of climate in the future.
Changes in rainfall are typically harder to detect due to its greater variability, both in time and space. Even so, changing rainfall patterns have been detected for many parts of the globe, including moderate decreases in annual rainfall over southern Africa. Where records are of sufficient length there have been detectable increases in the number of heavy rainfall events (Solomon et al, 2007) and within the southern hemisphere there is evidence for a moistening of the tropics and subtropics (Zhang et al, 2007). This is consistent with regional studies over continental southern Africa which have shown trends for an increasing length of the dry season and increases in average rainfall intensity (New et al, 2006). This has important implications for the seasonality of regional rainfall and together suggests a shorter but more intense rainfall season.
Besides changes in temperature and rainfall, other aspects of global change are notable (IPCC, 2007):
Increases in intensity and spatial extent of droughts since the mid-1970s;
Decreases in northern hemisphere snow cover;
Increases in the duration of heat waves during the latter half of the 20th century;
Shrinking of the Arctic sea ice pack since 1978;
Widespread shrinking of glaciers, especially mountain glaciers in the tropics;
Increases in upper-ocean (0-700m) heat content;
Increases in sea level at a rate of 1.8 mm yr-1 between 1961 and 2003, with a faster rate of 3.1 mm yr-1 between 1993 and 2003.
There is therefore compelling evidence for climate change at the global level, attributable to human activities. However, understanding how global climate change may affect individual countries and small areas within a country is still a matter of research and is inherently linked to issues of uncertainty (see below). So whilst the observed global level changes serve to highlight that climate change is a reality and that we have confidence in continuing and potentially accelerating change, it is necessary to explore how local climates may already be changing as well as how they are expected to change in the future.
What causes climate change?
Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (the main cause of anthropogenic climate change) have increased steadily since the industrial revolution. The rate of emissions, however, have been steadily increasing over time, and computer models of the earth's climate system (including both natural and human causes) are unable to simulate recent warming unless they include anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Computer models of the earth's climate which include only natural forcings (e.g. solar variability due to both internal and orbital variations, volcanic activity etc.) simulate a cooling of the earth after 1960, which is at odds with the observed warming. This has led the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to conclude recently that most of the warming of the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.
Understanding uncertainty
The issue of uncertainty is crucial to understanding past and future climatic change, especially when designing adaptation strategies. Uncertainty does not mean that we have no confidence in our projections of future climate, it just means that the way in which the information is used needs to take appropriate account of this. The IPCC define four sources of uncertainty that currently limit the detail of the regional projections:
1. Natural variability: Due to the limiting factor of observations (both in time and space) we have a limited understanding of natural variability. It is difficult to characterise this variability and the degree to which it may exacerbate or mitigate the expected background change in climate. This variability itself may change due to anthropogenic factors, e.g. increases in the frequency of droughts and floods;
2. Future emissions: Much of future projected change, at least in terms of the magnitude of change, is dependent on how society will change its future activity and emissions of greenhouse gases. Even so, the world is already committed to a certain degree of change based on past emissions (at least another 0.6ºC warming in the global mean temperature). Human responses to managing emissions may result in a projected global mean temperature change of between 1.5º and 5.6ºC;
3. Uncertainty in the science: This is further complicated within Africa because of limited understanding of the regional dynamics of the climate of the continent. There may be aspects of the regional climate system, which could interact with globally forced changes to either exacerbate or mitigate expected change e.g. land-use change. One consequence is the possibility of rapid nonlinear change, with unforeseen and sudden increases in regional impacts;
4. Downscaling: The term used to define the development of regional scale projections of change from the global models (GCMs). Downscaling tools can introduce additional uncertainty e.g. between downscaling using regional climate models and statistical techniques. Usually this uncertainty limits the confidence in the magnitude of the projected change with the pattern and sign of change often interpreted with greater certainty.
IPCC (2007). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK, New York, US, Cambridge University Press.
Hulme, M., R. Doherty, T. Ngara, M. New and D. Lister (2001). African Climate Change: 1900-2100. Climate Research 17(2): 145-168.
New, M., B. Hewitson, D. B. Stephenson, A.Tsiga, A. Kruger, A. Manhique, B. Gomez, C. A. S. Coelho, D. N. Masisi, E. Kululanga, E. Mbambalala, F. Adesina, H. Saleh, J. Kanyanga, J. Adosi, L. Bulane, L. Fortunata, M. L. Mdoka and R. Lajoie (2006). Evidence of trends in daily climate extremes over southern and west Africa. Journal of Geophysical Research 111. D14102, doi:10.1029/2005JD006289
Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, R. B. Alley, T. Berntsen, N. L. Bindoff, Z. C. A. Chidthaisong, J. M. Gregory, G. C. Hegerl, M. Heimann, B. Hewitson, B. J. Hoskins, F. Joos, J. Jouzel, V. Kattsov, U. Lohmann, T. Matsuno, M. Molina, N. Nicholls, J. Overpeck, G. Raga, V. Ramaswamy, J. Ren, M. Rusticucci, R. Somerville, T. F. Stocker, P. Whetton, R. A. Wood and D. Wratt (2007). Technical Summary. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning et al. Cambridge, UK. New York, US, Cambridge University Press
Zhang, X., F. W. Zwiers, G. C. Hegerl, F. H. Lambert, N. P. Gillett, S. Solomon, P. A. Stott and T. Nozawa (2007). Detection of human influence on twentieth-century precipitation trends. Nature 448: 461-465
Climate Science and Interpretation
For an introduction to (or a refresher of) the basics of climate science, we recommend you have a look through these resources:
United States Global Change Research Program: Climate Science Literacy booklet
National Centre for Atmospheric Research and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research: Weather & Climate Basics, Global Warming FAQs and Understanding Climate Change
Oxford University Begbroke Science Park: The Basics of Climate Prediction
IPCC Working Group 1: The Physical Basis of Climate Change FAQ
Dr Tomas Rees: Global Warming FAQ
Also, some notes on basic climatology, summarised from presentations given at an ACCCA Training of Trainers workshop on climate science and risk communication can be found in here. From the same workshop summaries of presentations given by Mark Tadross on climate modelling and the process of downscaling.
The majority of projections of future climate come from Global Circulation Models (GCMs), which vary in the way they model the climate system, and so produce different projections about what will occur in the future. These differences can be highly significant, for example some models may show a region getting wetter, and some would show it getting drier. A fundamental approach of the weADAPT group is to explore this uncertainty and to look at the full range of climate projections when planning adaptation, prioritizing adaptation options that are robust against a wide range of changes rather than relying on output from one model. This is why the climate change explorer uses output from multiple models. Some of the reasons for this model uncertainty are explored here and in notes from a session on uncertainty by Bruce Hewitson.
Guidance on how to interpret output from multiple models can be found here
Useful references include:
Wilby, R. (2007) Decadal climate forecasting techniques for adaptation and development planning: A briefing document on available methods, constraints, risks and opportunities
Stainforth, D. et al Confidence, uncertainty and decision-support relevance in climate predictions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal SocietyA 365: 2145-2161
Stainforth, D. et al 2007 Issues in the interpretation of climate model ensembles to inform decisions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 365: 2163-2177.
Africa Climate science Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change climate change Global warming Atmospheric sciences climatology Global climate model
CSAG
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The US-Iran Scramble for post-Abadi Iraq: How Will Turkey be Affected?
in Homepage Slides, Mideast, Opinion
After two years of stormy relations with Turkey, Haider al-Abadi, the former Prime Minister of Iraq, managed to establish workable relations with Turkey. Had he won the election, he would have continued to work with Turkey on several strategically important issues such as the establishment of a second pipeline for oil export from Iraq to Turkey, and joint efforts in order to eradicate the PKK presence in the Qandil mountains. Both countries were also planning to expand the size of commercial trade.
Adel Abdul Mahdi has been chosen as Iraq’s new prime minister-designate, and Barham Salih as the new president. Now, Turkey needs to be prepared for a post-Abadi era. This piece is about the intensified rivalry taking place between pro-Iranian and pro-American Iraqi political groups, which both seek to form a government, and reflect on how the probable result of this rivalry will affect Turkey-Iraq relations.
U.S. and Iran scramble for the cake
All these depend on the larger scene: What will be Trump’s forthcoming strategy to contain Iran’s expansionist policy in the Middle East? If Trump’s policy is to make Iraq the theater for the first attempt to restrain Iran, as some policy analysts have suggested, then confrontation will be more probable. It is clear that the U.S. and Russia have reached a tacit agreement, agreeing that Syria is in the interest of Russia, and thus leaving the job of containing Iran’s influence in the country to both Tel Aviv and Moscow.
During the last two months, both Brett McGurk, the U.S. Special Envoy on War against Daesh, and Qasim Soleimani, the commander of the Quds revolutionary guard and the person in charge of Iraq’s file, made numerous visits to Baghdad and Erbil to rally support for the groups that they have influence on in order to form the “biggest election bloc” – the largest political alliance in parliament. The U.S. supports the bloc of al-Islah (Reform) headed by Abadi, and Iran favors the bloc of al-Bina (Reconstruction) founded by Nouri-al Maliki. The later has an edge and it has managed to elect Mohammed Halbusi, who is a pro-Iranian Sunni leader, as speaker of Parliament.
Why did Abadi lose his bid for power?
Towards the end of September, many of Abadi’s allies began to desert his camp, and this seriously weakened his chance to be re-elected. Abadi proved too tactless and has been alienated by many in his own camp. On the other hand, al-Maliki has exhibited considerable diplomatic skills and made compromises with both the Sunni Arabs and Kurds. According to unconfirmed reports, he conceded to the Kurds and the right of the Kurdish peshmerga to return to the disputed territories. Abadi has apparently refused to do what forced Masoud Barzani to side with al-Maliki.
In addition, al-Maliki has made deals with Sunni leaders to withdraw popular mobilization forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) from their cities. This irritated Abadi who considered these actions as illegal and being done without his prior knowledge – behind his back. Consequently, he sacked Falih Fayyad, his National Security Advisor, whom he accused of betrayal and inefficiency. The loss of Fayyad, a prominent Dawa leader and the son of a powerful Shiite tribal leader, accompanied by the use of excessive force against demonstrators in Basra, put Abadi’s statesmanship into serious question.
It was probably this state of affairs that convinced Muqtada Sadr, the powerful cleric and leader of the winning Sairoon bloc, to desert Abadi and reconcile with Hadi Ameri, the head of the powerful Badr militia. More, Abadi’s hasty and not so well-calculated statement to implement U.S. sanctions against Iran, has delivered a serious blow to his ability to present himself as a leader of Iraq. A statement in the pro-government daily Erem in Tehran on August 16, 2018, described Abadi as a “governor of Iraq who has been appointed by an Iranian general and who will face the same fate as Saddam.”
However, the final blow to Abad’s bid for a second term came with the statement of Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most influential Shiite cleric in the country, banning those who have been in office before to take the post again.
Turkey’s stand in Iraqi politics
Turkey should take the existing tension between Iran and the U.S. into consideration as it will not diminish and may even end in direct confrontation in Abdul Mehdi’s era. Turkey should also be prepared for a possible inter-Shiite military confrontation in a proxy war. The burning of the Iranian consulate in Basra, and subsequent unknown missile launches on U.S. interests again in Basra and the Green zone in Baghdad, are clear indications that the U.S.-Iranian confrontation in Iraq has entered an alarming stage.
The Iraqi government accused ex-Baathist elements as being behind the events in Basra, and pro-Iranian groups in Iraq attributed the events to the U.S. and its Arab allies in the region. It can be argued that the events were in general spontaneous and triggered by Iran’s decision to cut off power to Basra due to the economic crisis in Iran. The people in Basra have repeatedly taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against the lack of government services, and water contamination that left thousands in hospitals.
Besides, both Soleimani and Ameri have already threatened to attack U.S. interests in Iraq if they were excluded from forming a government. Qais Al-Khazali, the leader of the powerful Asaeb al-Haq militia, made similar threats.
In case of a diplomatic rupture between Iraq and Turkey, Turkey’s national interest and security might be jeopardized. First of all, the PKK can avail itself from the chaos by extending its influence on the KRG. There is a boiling situation in the unsettled province of Kirkuk. The rapture may cause a clash there and the Turkmen may suffer in consequence. Besides, Turkey’s 11 billion worth of trade with Iraq can be seriously affected. Therefore, Turkey needs to develop and put in place contingent plans for such eventuality. Thus, Ankara cannot afford to be a bystander as things take a confrontational posture in the relations between Iran and the U.S. in Iraq.
Since the new prime minister is, to a large extent, a man of compromise between the U.S. and Iran, if he manages to form the government he will most probably try to pursue Abadi’s foreign policy objectives. Although he has stated that he wants a full mandate to form the government, he cannot afford to ignore Muqtada Sadr’s (his main patron) pressure with regard to further distancing Iraq from both Iran and the U.S.
Aware of his close ties with the Kurdish leadership in Iraq, he will probably try to open up to the KRG and come to close terms with them in regards to the sale of oil through the existing oil pipeline in the KRG. This means that he will try to please Barzani and most probably ignore or postpone the second pipeline that Abadi and the Turkish government agreed upon – an agreement to the displeasure of KRG leaders.
Being an economist and supporter of the market economy, Abdul Mehdi will try to expand commercial ties with Turkey and will try to avoid any political tension with Ankara. However, his foreign policy towards Turkey will not be free from Iranian and the U.S. influence. Abdul Mehdi’s anticipated foreign policy will in general be a continuation of the Abadi era, and Turkey-Iraq ties will continue on its current course of commercial growth and normalization.
OTHMAN ALI
TheNewTurkey
Tags: abadiIRANIraqUsa
Is Scottish independence still possible?
ICC on collision course with US over looming Afghan war crimes probe
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Adopting 7 Resolutions, General Assembly Calls for Recorded Vote on Texts Addressing Global Health, Ties with Organization of Islamic Cooperation
GA/12105
Seventy-third Session, 52nd Meeting (AM)
As the General Assembly considered seven draft resolutions today on issues ranging from the return of cultural property to education for democracy, speakers held a contentious debate, resulting in a recorded vote on two texts tackling global health, as well as one on the fortifying of ties between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The General Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation” (document A/73/L.45) by a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 0 against, with 6 abstentions (Armenia, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Israel, Syria).
By the text, the General Assembly urges the United Nations system to cooperate with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in areas of mutual interest. It further invites the United Nations to consider providing increased technical and other forms of assistance to the OIC and its subsidiary organs. It also affirms that both organizations share a common goal of promoting and facilitating the Middle East peace.
The representative of Bangladesh, introducing the draft resolution, said the text reaffirms the shared objectives of the two organizations in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding, mediation and the promotion of a culture of peace, especially with Muslim communities around the world. Protracted and emerging conflicts in the world make United Nations-OIC cooperation strategically important.
However, the representative of Syria — who called for a recorded vote on the text — urged a re-evaluation of OIC working methods after “the comedy that took place when certain States were pressured to suspend its membership”. That pressure, he warned, emanated from OIC’s host country, a State that is also imposing its agenda on the organization. The “host OIC country”, he stressed, is responsible for the creation of terrorist groups linked to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and the famine in Yemen.
The representative of Saudi Arabia, in exercise of the right of reply following the conclusion of all action, responded that he was accustomed to hearing lies in Syria’s statements, adding that the OIC defends the causes of the Arab people, including through support of United Nations resolutions on the Syrian Golan. The Syrian Government used prohibited weapons, including toxic gases, on its citizens, he said, justifying that country’s suspension from the OIC.
Following the vote on that resolution, a number of delegates also disassociated from language in the text that they said unfairly singled out Israel, with that country’s representative stressing that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s programme of action contains biased and untrue information against Israel.
The General Assembly also adopted the draft resolution titled “Global health and foreign policy: a healthier world through better nutrition” (document A/73/L.62) by a recorded vote of 157 in favour to 2 against (Libya, United States), with 1 abstention (Hungary).
By the text, the Assembly calls upon Member States to reinforce actions towards the improvement of nutrition, health conditions and living standards of populations around the globe as a key element of strategies for the eradication of all forms of malnutrition. It further calls upon Member States to consider ratifying or implementing, as appropriate, the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Brazil’s representative, introducing the draft resolution, highlighted that improved health and lifestyles are essential to accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals. “The draft recognizes the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger and malnutrition,” he stated, adding that the text invites Member States to work with international organizations to convene action networks on nutrition.
Hungary’s representative, voicing her opposition to references in “L.62” to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, introduced a draft amendment (document A/73/L.67). That draft text called for the deletion of preambular paragraph 22. The General Assembly rejected the amendment by a recorded vote of 117 against to 4 in favour (Hungary, Israel, Libya, United States), with 27 abstentions.
Still, following the voting, several speakers shared reservations regarding language in the resolution related to migrants, with the representative of Germany, on behalf of 26 European Union member States (with the exception of Austria and Hungary), saying that while she voted in favour of the text, its terms did not extend the rights of migrants beyond already agreed-upon terms in relevant international documents.
Countering those concerns was the representative of South Africa, who said that the international community’s pronouncements of equality are “invalid if it can’t rise above what separates us”, especially in the case of the treatment of migrants. Global health is a pressing issue and a telling indicator of the Sustainable Development Goals, she said.
The General Assembly also adopted without a vote a draft resolution, “Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” (document A/73/L.54). By its terms, the Assembly calls upon all relevant bodies, agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system to continue to address the issue of return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin and to provide appropriate support accordingly.
“The international community shares a common responsibility to protect cultural property,” said the representative of Greece while introducing the draft resolution. Noting that the past few decades were characterized by an increase in the illicit trafficking of such artefacts, she warned that conflict in the Middle East is leading to unprecedented destruction, looting and theft. In that regard, the text highlights the direct link between such illicit trafficking and terrorism.
Representatives of States that have seen their cultural property stolen took the floor to urge increased action that would ensure artefacts are returned to countries of origin.
Joining that call, the representative of Libya noted that over the past 500 years, his country has been subjected to plundering of its cultural heritage. Libyan artefacts are on display around the world, including pillars that adorn the garden of a certain European royal family, he pointed out.
By the terms of a draft resolution, “Graduation of countries from the least developed country category” (document A/73/L.40/Rev.1) — adopted without a vote — the General Assembly reaffirms that graduating from the category of least developed countries should not result in a disruption of development plans, programmes and projects. It also invites a number of Member States, following their graduation from the least developed country category, to prepare national smooth-transition strategies.
Egypt’s representative introduced the draft resolution on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China. He said graduation from the category of least-developed country by the States mentioned in the text — Bhutan, Solomon Islands and Sao Tome and Principe — is a clear sign that those countries are on track towards achieving sustainable development. “Graduating countries must be put on a path that minimizes backsliding after graduation,” he added, calling on development partners to provide country-specific support to those States.
Through the terms of another draft on “Education for democracy” (document A/73/L.50) — also adopted without a vote — the General Assembly reaffirms the fundamental link between democratic governance, peace, development and the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The text recognizes that education strengthens the principles of democratic governance, peace, development and human rights, said the representative of Mongolia as he introduced the text.
The General Assembly also adopted — without a vote — a draft resolution and a draft decision linked to its seventy-fourth session, set for September 2019.
By the draft resolution titled “Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on universal health coverage” (document A/73/L.37), the Assembly decides that the one-day high-level meeting shall be held in New York a day before the start of the general debate of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session and that the meeting’s theme will be “Universal health coverage: moving together to build a healthier world”.
The General Assembly, by the terms of a draft decision “High-level meetings of the General Assembly in September 2019” (document A/73/L.38) — as orally revised — decided that the general debate of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly will be held from Tuesday, 24 September, to Saturday, 28 September, and on Monday, 30 September 2019. It also sets out the dates for a series of high-level meetings.
The General Assembly had before it several reports and notes of the Secretary-General, including: “Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” (document A/73/390); “Political declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on antimicrobial resistance” and its corrigendum (documents A/73/393 and A/73/393/Corr.1); and “Improving international coordination and cooperation to address the health needs of the most vulnerable for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals” (document A/73/414).
In other business, the General Assembly decided today to extend the work of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) until Friday, 21 December.
Also speaking today were representatives of Cyprus, United States, Thailand (for the Association of South-East Asian Nations), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Norway, Egypt, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Chile, Tuvalu, Armenia, Canada, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were Turkey, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Syria and Armenia.
The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 December, to consider the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance.
Return or Restitution of Cultural Property to Countries of Origin
MARIA THEOFILI (Greece) introduced the draft resolution, “Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” (document A/73/L.54). She said the past few decades were characterized by an increase in the illicit trafficking of cultural property. Further, conflict in the Middle East is leading to unprecedented destruction, looting and theft of cultural property. “The internet has immensely enlarged the possibilities of the illegal trade,” she warned, adding that the draft highlights the direct link between such illicit trafficking and terrorism. The draft further recognizes the leading role played by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the fight against illicit trafficking. Identifying capacity-building as central to the success of efforts to return cultural property to countries of origin, she underscored that the international community “shares a common responsibility to protect cultural property”.
The representative of Libya, stressing the importance of cultural property to people, emphasized that the return of such property to countries of origin is complicated and requires concerted efforts by the United Nations. He commended UNESCO for its efforts to launch information campaigns and for its keen interest in the matter. “Libya, over the past 500 years, has been subjected to plundering of its cultural heritage,” he pointed out, adding that Libyan artefacts are on display around the world, including pillars that adorn the garden of a certain European royal family. Threats to cultural heritage are on the rise and cultural property is now being used to finance terrorism, he warned, adding that countries that hold cultural artefacts of other States are not adequately implementing relevant Security Council resolutions.
KORNELIOS KORNELIOU (Cyprus) said the protection of cultural property is a priority in Cyprus foreign policy, in part due to the aftermath of the military occupation that has been in place since 1974. Noting that approximately 60,000 objects were stolen from his country, he voiced his endorsement for the adoption of measures against the destruction and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. At a national level, those include the digitization of cultural heritage and stronger, more comprehensive policing and monitoring. At an international level, those efforts include the establishment of the “Group of Friends for the Protection of Cultural Heritage” along with Italy; an initiative in Geneva for the adoption of the resolution of the Council of Human Rights and the Protection of Cultural Heritage; and the adoption of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Offences Relating to Cultural Property. He called on all Member States to become a party to that convention, describing it as an important and unique legal tool for the protection of cultural heritage and the return of cultural property.
The representative of the United States said that the protection of cultural property promotes regional stability and good governance. As such, the United States has supported efforts to protect cultural property in a variety of ways, including recently passed national legislations that protect such property. However, while the United States joins consensus on the resolution, he expressed his hesitation about preambular paragraph 5 and operative paragraph 11 on the jurisdiction of States as it relates to cultural property trafficking, noting that it is a different issue.
The General Assembly then adopted the draft resolution, “Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” (document A/73/L.54) without a vote.
Global Health and Foreign Policy
The representative of Brazil introduced the draft resolution “Global health and foreign policy: a healthier world through better nutrition” (document A/73/L.62). Draft resolutions on health-related matters have been introduced since 2008 to highlight the link between health and foreign policy. This year’s text focuses on nutrition, highlighting how improved health and lifestyles are essential to accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals. “The draft recognizes the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger and malnutrition,” he stated, adding that the text invites Member States to work with international organizations to convene action networks on nutrition. Tackling the root causes of malnutrition is a complex task that demands sustained political leadership, he emphasized, calling on all Member States to support the draft.
The representative of Hungary, introducing an amendment to draft resolution “L.62” (document A/73/L.67), said her country is fully committed to the goals of the draft resolution. “However, we are not able to endorse preambular paragraph 22,” she said, voicing her opposition to references to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Hungary disassociated from the Compact, she noted, calling for the deletion of preambular paragraph 22 from the draft.
The representative of Brazil, in a point of order, expressed regret that the only paragraph relating to migration is being challenged. Great efforts were made to stay as factual as possible — given the sensitivity of the issue — and to accommodate concerns about the issue to find an agreeable balance on preambular paragraph 22. Thus, he called on delegations to vote against the amendment to the resolution.
VITAVAS SRIVIHOK (Thailand), speaking for the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the theme on nutrition is particularly important to his region, as many of its people die prematurely due to diet-related non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and obesity. In addition, many children continue to suffer from malnutrition and undernourishment, which hinders their growth and development, especially in rural areas. The ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda addresses 20 areas of priority in health and their related goals to promote good nutrition and healthy diets. It strives to ensure food safety and security and promotes healthy diets and lifestyles at the country and regional levels to achieve health across ASEAN member States by 2020.
In addition, ASEAN will address social, economic or environmental determinants and ensure greater access to health services in the face of rising morbidity and drug resistance, he said. In so doing, the health sector needs the highest and strongest level of political anchor, sustained investment and engagement from all relevant sectors. Speaking in his national capacity and aligning himself with Brazil, he expressed regret that the only annual health resolution proposed by the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative in the General Assembly will be put to a vote, when the aim of such resolutions is to address health-related challenges affecting all countries. Nonetheless, a unique, like-minded, cross-regional group like the Global Health Initiative will continue to advocate for global health in the international arena, despite countless obstacles it may encounter, as health is a key enabler for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The representative of South Africa said that the international community’s pronouncements of equality are “invalid if it can’t rise above what separates us”, especially in the case of treatment of migrants. Global health is a pressing issue and a telling indicator of the Sustainable Development Goals. The resolution brings together the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition with other topics. In South Africa — where health care is a universal right — the Government promotes healthy diet with taxation of unhealthy foods, food product labelling, and rules against the commercialization of unhealthy foods to children. Her delegation did not anticipate that such earnest efforts at consensus on this topic would erode the essence of diplomacy and mutual respect, she lamented, saying they had witnessed a concerted effort to shut down the issue because it threatens industry. She affirmed her commitment to the effort at hand, adding that she will thwart attempts to shut down dialogue on controversial issues. The role of nutrition cannot be overemphasized, she said, calling for Member States to vote in favour of the resolution.
The representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis said health is a precondition and an outcome of sustainable development. The multidimensional nature of global health can be seen throughout the 2030 Agenda. Her country is witnessing a dietary shift in its population and continues to fight against malnutrition and obesity which contribute to many diseases. Several national measures are addressing child health issues, including promoting breast feeding and working to prevent micronutrient deficiencies. Social protection programs are vital in that regard and the Government is encouraging the beneficiaries of cash transfers to invest in healthy nutrition and lifestyles. However, the advancement of agricultural systems and fisheries, which are crucial for health and food security, are threatened by climate change. As such, Saint Kitts and Nevis is creating disaster preparedness and mitigation plans as a means to protect the population from food insecurity, she said.
DANIEL FERNAN GIMENEZ (Norway), marking the tenth anniversary for the adoption of the Foreign Policy and Global Health resolution, said the backdrop, then and now, is the belief that health is one of the most important yet still broadly neglected foreign policy issues facing the international community. This year’s resolution on nutrition is essential in States’ endeavours to achieve a healthy population. However, he voiced his regret regarding the controversy surrounding some of the discussion on non-communicable diseases in operating paragraph 10, adding that the language in the text today was weaker than what was collectively agreed on in September. In order to achieve nutrition-related Sustainable Development Goals, consumption of healthy food must be ensured, which means avoiding consumption of food high in sugar, salt and saturated fats and trans-fats. The normative work of the World Health Organization shows that there are cost effective ways to achieve this, including taxation and restrictions on marketing to children. Underlining the need for improved nutrition, he stressed that health is the building block of any well-functioning society.
The representative of Egypt noted the high priority afforded to issues of global health and called for policy coherence in the fields of health and nutrition amid the increasing number of people suffering from hunger. “The international community cannot stand by as 150 million children suffer from stunting,” he said, adding that limited financial resources hinder individual ability to pursue healthier lifestyles. The international community must accelerate efforts to combat treatable diseases, he said, calling on all Member States to support the draft and its implementation.
The representative of Bangladesh said health is the foundation of human capital and pointed to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) as key to reaching the targets to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “Moving forward, we must pursue policies that promote universal health coverage,” he said, urging collective action on global health by all relevant stakeholders. He pointed to inequality as a major challenge in the promotion of health initiatives and said his country stands as an example of best practice in promoting good health at low cost. “Bangladesh defies the expert view that economic strength is the key driver of good health,” he asserted, noting that the country’s women’s empowerment strategy has been a main contributor to improving health indicators.
The representative of the United States, in explanation of position before action, said she regretted the need to vote against draft “L.62”. While the topic of nutrition is important, the draft appears to be a collection of general platitudes and extraneous topics, she said, adding it is “loaded with as much unfinished business as possible”. She said she would vote against the draft as a display of respect for drafts that are actionable and responsible, calling for resolutions to be as concise as possible. On preambular paragraph 7, the United States believes all women should have access to reproductive care but said abortion is not a method of family planning. She further voiced support for the dignity and value of human life and condemned attempts to have the term “health services” include abortion. She said references to the Global Compact on Migration represent efforts by the United Nations to circumvent national migration legislation.
The representative of Brazil, in a point of order, said every year the issue of global health and foreign policy is considered by the General Assembly and adopted by consensus. Expressing regret that a vote has been called for, he said the dedication of all stakeholders and negotiating parties to this resolution must be recognized. The resolution negotiations were held in an open and transparent manner and led to the best possible results. The text reaffirms the right of every human being to health, the essential role of food security and the importance of healthy diets in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Recalling several points in the resolution’s text, he stressed that it sets the tone on global health issues. He invited all delegations to vote in favour of the resolution as an indicator of the priority given to the issue.
The General Assembly then turned to the draft resolution, “Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on universal health coverage” (document A/73/L.37), adopting it without a vote.
Next, the Assembly took up the draft resolution, “Global health and foreign policy: a healthier world through better nutrition” (document A/73/L.62) and the related amendment (document A/73/L.67).
Acting on the draft amendment “L.67”, the Assembly rejected that text by a recorded vote of 117 against to 4 in favour (Hungary, Israel, Libya, United States), with 27 abstentions.
The Assembly then acted on the draft “L.62”, as a whole, adopting it by a recorded vote of 157 in favour to 2 against (Libya, United States), with 1 abstention (Hungary).
The representative of Germany, speaking on behalf of 26 European Union member States (with the exception of Austria and Hungary), said, in explanation of position, that she voted in favour of the draft as the text represents a compromise package. The draft did not extend the rights of migrants beyond already agreed-upon terms in relevant international documents.
The representative of Australia, acknowledging that all States have a responsibility to support refugees, said she does not conflate this resolution with the Global Migration Compact. She, therefore, abstained from the vote.
The representative of Austria said his delegation voted in favour of the resolution despite reservations on preambular paragraph 22. Austria decides on migration issues in a strictly national, sovereign manner, he said. As such, their vote cannot be seen as an acceptance of a change in position regarding the rights of migrants.
Switzerland’s delegate, in explanation of vote, expressed regret that the resolution lacked focus on the issue of nutrition. The text includes a variety of subjects not directly related to the topic that should be discussed in the appropriate forums, she said. An example is the issue of access to medicines in preambular paragraph 15. Switzerland takes a holistic approach, including all relevant factors that contribute to access to medical products and, given the many reports in that regard, does not see a reason to single out one reference, she said.
The representative of Chile registered her delegation’s reservations about preambular paragraph 22 of the resolution.
Organization of Work, Adoption of Agenda and Allocation of Items
Acting without a vote the General Assembly then adopted the draft decision, “High-level meetings of the General Assembly in September 2019” (document A/73/L.38), as orally revised.
Report of the Economic and Social Council
The representative of Egypt, speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, introduced the draft resolution, “Graduation of countries from the least developed country category” (document A/73/L.40/Rev.1). Noting that only five countries have ever graduated from the least developed country category, he urged that the graduation of the three countries included in the draft text be celebrated by the entire international community. Graduation from the category is a clear sign that those countries are on track towards achieving sustainable development. “Graduating countries must be put on a path that minimizes backsliding after graduation,” he added, calling on development partners to provide country-specific support to the graduating States.
The General Assembly then adopted the draft resolution, “Graduation of countries from the least developed country category” (document A/73/L.40/Rev.1) without a vote.
The representative of Tuvalu, in explanation of vote, observe that, while graduation from the list of least developed countries is a milestone on the way to development, it can cause fear and regret if countries are not fully ready. The process must be undertaken with caution as a “gradual process rather than a cliff” to protect the development process that led to the graduation in the first place. A slower graduation process is more likely to create sustainable conditions, he continued, pointing out that Pacific countries are subject to unique vulnerabilities and challenges, including economic shocks and natural disasters. As a result, they also struggle to attract financing and investment, he noted, calling on the international community to ensure that graduating countries develop the resilience they need.
Follow-up of United Nations Conferences in Economic, Social, Related Fields
SUKHBOLD SUKHEE (Mongolia), introducing the draft resolution titled “Education for democracy” (document A/73/L.50), reaffirmed the fundamental link between democratic governance, peace, development and the promotion and protection of human rights. The draft text recognizes that education strengthens those principles. Among other terms, the text notes that the Sustainable Development Goals, which are indivisible, call for expanded opportunities for all children. It also recognizes that education for democracy nurtures responsible and active learners. Acknowledging the contributions of civil society, academia and the private sector, he urged that unanimous support be given to the draft.
Acting without a vote, the General Assembly adopted the draft resolution “Education for democracy” (document A/73/L.50).
The representative of the United States, in explanation of position, said education is transformational and creates pathways towards peaceful democratic societies. A new education policy in the United States recognizes the role of civil society and the private sector in providing educational opportunities. While the United States joined consensus, he said it did so with the understanding that the draft is mindful of the governance framework of national education legislation.
Cooperation between United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The representative of Bangladesh introduced the draft resolution, “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation” (document A/73/L.45). The resolution is consistent with the spirit of resolution 3369 (1975) when the United Nations invited the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to be an observer. It reaffirms the shared objectives of the two organizations in conflict prevention and resolution, peacebuilding, mediation and the promotion of a culture of peace, especially with Muslim communities around the world. The draft resolution highlights the desire of the two organizations to work together on a number of shared concerns, including global security, self-determination, decolonization and combating terrorism. In its operative paragraphs, the resolution reaffirms the organizations’ shared common goals of facilitating the Middle East process, combating religious intolerance and preventing violent extremism. The protracted and emerging conflicts in the world make cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation strategically important.
The representative of Austria, on behalf of the European Union, spoke in explanation of position before the vote, expressing general support for the text. However, he noted his reservations about language regarding the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s program of action as it relates to Cyprus. The language is not supported or endorsed by any United Nations documents nor is it consistent with any Security Council or General Assembly resolutions, he said.
The representative of Syria said his country was a founder of OIC and will remain so despite “the comedy that took place when certain States were pressured to suspend its membership”. He noted his country’s friendly relations with most OIC member States and called for a re-evaluation of OIC activities due to the undemocratic suspension. The OIC host country is imposing its agenda on the organization, he said, voicing opposition to references to the situation in his country included in the draft. “We have suffered from terrorism and Syrians have paid a heavy price. Our blood has been spilled and our infrastructure destroyed,” he said.
He warned that certain countries were financing terrorism with the aim of forcing regime change in Syria and that the host OIC country is responsible for the creation of terrorist organizations linked to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and the famine in Yemen. He urged OIC members to conduct a true review of working methods to address the failures that emanate from its host’s actions. He clarified that his position does not reject the work of the OIC; instead it is meant to sound the alarm that will allow the Organization to return to its true path. He then called for a recorded vote on draft resolution “L.45”.
The representative of Bangladesh, in a point of order, expressed disappointment that the delegate of Syria had broken consensus on the resolution by calling for a vote. The language of the resolution was agreed upon and is in line with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation mandate, he said.
The representative of Syria, in response, said that the draft was voted on last year and thus the language cannot be considered agreed on.
The General Assembly then adopted the draft resolution, “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation” (document A/73/L.45), by a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 0 against, with 6 abstentions (Armenia, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Israel, Syria).
The representative of Armenia, in explanation of vote, said his country spares no effort in deepening cordial relations with OIC members. He reiterated the importance of finding peaceful solutions to conflicts within international negotiation formats and called on the OIC to adhere to the language and regulations of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group related to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The representative of Canada disassociated her country from preliminary paragraph 4 of the resolution as it unfairly singles out Israel for criticism and politicizes the issue there, she said.
The representative of the United States disassociated his country from the preambular paragraph of the resolution regarding the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s program of action and its handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it one-sided, political and unproductive.
The representative of Israel said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s program of action contains biased and untrue information against Israel and thus disassociated from preambular paragraph number 4.
The representative of Turkey, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that only a negotiated settlement will be sustainable in Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot community has been recognized by the European Union regardless of the vote to the contrary, he stressed, suggesting that the European Union will not be able to contribute to the conflict solution efforts in an unbiased manner. The program of action under discussion is in line with international law and the Charter of the United Nations and contains some components of a viable solution, he said, urging the European Union to play a facilitating role in that regard.
The representative of Saudi Arabia voiced his rejection of baseless allegations made by the representative of Syria. “We are accustomed to hearing lies in Syria’s statements,” he said, adding that the OIC defends the causes of the Arab people, including through support of United Nations resolutions on the Syrian Golan. “The Syrian Government uses prohibited weapons, including toxic gases, on its citizens,” he said, justifying Syria’s suspension from the OIC. Syria’s attempts to divert attention from its violations of human rights will not succeed.
The representative of Azerbaijan said Armenia’s continued aggression amounts to serious breaches of international law. As a result, the international community is committed to legally putting an end to those violations. The OIC has urged strict implementation of Security Council resolutions on the matter and for the complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijan. “Armenia must realize that peace will be possible only if the consequences of its aggression are removed,” he said.
The representative of Cyprus invited delegates to read the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, specifically Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984) and decide for themselves on the issue. Turkey should contribute to finding a solution by withdrawing its troops and guarantees in Cyprus, she said, adding that occupied areas of Cyprus are a part of the European Union but remain suspended until reunification.
The representative of Syria reiterated that his previous statement pertained to objective matters regarding the method of work of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The delegate of Saudi Arabia made false and unfounded claims that reflect the unbalanced position it holds concerning the crisis in Syria, he said, suggesting that the country was a supporter of terrorist organizations. He called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to conduct a revision of its actions, given the grave danger the Middle East is in.
The representative of Armenia said the representative of Azerbaijan presents an “upside-down reality” and had failed to mention the principle of self-determination. He said the will of the international community related to Nagorno-Karabakh is reflected in OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship proposals.
The representative of Azerbaijan said Armenia’s statements are astonishing as the Security Council has condemned that country’s aggressions. On Armenia’s territorial claims, he said the Council has said Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan.
For information media. Not an official record.
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Home Comics New Teaser for Outcast TV Series Released
New Teaser for Outcast TV Series Released
Brian Papa
You know what’s scarier than zombies or the undead? It’s something that you cannot see but feel… And sometimes it can even take control of you! From The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, comes Outcast, a TV series by Cinemax based on demonic possessions and the paranormal. Take a look at the new teaser trailer!
Outcast is based on the ongoing comic series published by Image Comics. It follows the story of Kyle Barnes (Played by Patrick Fugit). Ever since his childhood, he and his family have been plagued by supernatural possessions that carried with him till the present day.
With the help of Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister), they slowly unravel what lies behind all the manifestations that have been tormenting the protagonist.
Allison, on the other hand was married to Kyle Barnes but after unfortunate circumstances they went their separate ways. In the comics, she said that their life would’ve been perfect if it weren’t for that 10 minutes… What happened in that short span of time, you say? Well, you’ll have to find out!
Quoting Robert Kirkman on the “Outpost” article from the comics…
“Zombies aren’t real… And never will be. And an apocalyptic scenario, we hope, is just as unrealistic”
“The scariest things are REAL. Ever seen JAWS? Or TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE? Or THE EXORCIST?”
I would have to agree with that… Having read the story since the 1st issue, I honestly can’t wait for this series! The panels were scary enough. Now, let’s see if they can recreate that same feeling I felt while browsing through the books!
So what do you guys think? Outcast premiers on June 3, 2016.
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First sneak peek footage and logo for “Wonder Woman” movie released
Glee actress Melissa Benoist cast as Supergirl for CBS TV Series
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Home » Where We Work » Asia » Cambodia » Global Health
Environment and Resilience
Education and Child Protection
The Journey to Self-Reliance: Cambodia Roadmap
Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI)
Language: English | Khmer
USAID helps improve the health of Cambodian children and mothers by improving prenatal care and increasing the number of births in health care facilities.
Since 2000, Cambodia has made remarkable improvements in its health outcomes, from significantly raising life expectancy at birth to over 71 years, to reducing child mortality by more than half -- to fewer than 35 deaths among children under 5 per 1,000 live births. Significant increases in deliveries attended by skilled health workers have contributed to dramatic reductions in maternal mortality. With significant assistance from USAID, the rate of fully immunized children rose from 40 percent to 73 percent. In the poorest communities where USAID focuses its support, over three quarters of infants are being exclusively breastfed for their first six months of life. Malnourishment has also dropped significantly. With USAID support, the national stunting rate dropped from 40 percent in 2010 to 32 percent in 2014. From 2000 to 2014, the proportion of Cambodian households using an improved water source doubled from 32.5 percent to 65 percent.
USAID has contributed to these impressive gains by helping strengthen national policies and systems, expand community outreach, and improve access to quality services. USAID also assisted in the expansion of the Health Equity Fund (HEF) -- a health insurance framework for the poor -- to all health facilities nationwide. This has allowed more than 3 million poor Cambodians to access health services free of charge. As the Royal Government of Cambodia takes on greater governance and financial responsibility for the HEF, USAID is providing technical assistance and capacity building to enable the government to take over monitoring and certifying HEF payments. Underpinning all this work is USAID support to strengthen the public-sector health system, including information and logistics, and to help achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for Cambodia. USAID also supports the development of a system to strengthen health care regulation, in order to ensure a minimum standard of quality of care, with particular attention to the private sector. In connection with this, the government of Cambodia has created a professional council system and a legal framework to regulate health care providers. A significant and core area of investment for USAID is in health financing to help the Royal Government of Cambodia invest more domestic resources in quality health and social health protection programs, address critical issues and increase the sustainability and efficiency of health expenditures. A significant advance toward Universal Health Coverage came in 2017, when the Royal Government of Cambodia established the National Social Protection Policy Framework to harmonize and strengthen the existing array of social protection programs. USAID will provide technical support to help put this policy framework into action, by sharing global best practices and lessons learned, supporting governance arrangements and building capacity of government officials from the multiple ministries engaged in the effort.
USAID is also supporting Cambodia to reach its ambitious goals of eliminating HIV and malaria by 2025. USAID’s programs have helped reduce HIV prevalence from 1.7 percent in 1998 to 0.6 percent in 2015 by improving the quality of HIV services, developing innovative ways of finding the last cases and improving the cost effectiveness of the HIV response. As of June 2017, with USAID and PEPFAR technical assistance, over 58,000 people -- or about 80% of people living with HIV -- are receiving lifesaving treatment. While the number of malaria cases was almost halved between 2004 and 2014, the Cambodia-Thailand border continues to be an epicenter of artemisinin-resistant malaria. Through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI),USAID is strengthening malaria control and prevention and surveillance and monitoring drug resistance. USAID developed a scalable, evidence-based elimination model and will scale up this high quality model for malaria elimination to other districts. USAID infectious disease programs also supported the national TB-control center to reduce TB prevalence and deaths by more than half, while continuing to improve the quality of TB services. USAID helps to improve detection rates of TB cases and maintain treatment success rates of up to 90 percent. To prevent emerging pandemic threats and enhance global health security, USAID is building partnerships and has initiated biological and behavioral surveillance activities targeting animals and humans and activities to strengthen pre-service training of key health and veterinary workers to address the pathways for disease emergence, amplification, and spread.
USAID Launches Key Projects for a Healthier Cambodia
Key Decision Makers Tackle Priority Issues and Actions to Conserve Cambodia’s Forest and Cultural Heritage
U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green on Genocide Convictions in Cambodia
Statement by Spokesperson Clayton M. McCleskey on the Dissolution of the Principal Opposition Party in the Kingdom of Cambodia
New Scholarship and Research Grant Launched at the Royal University of Agriculture
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Home » News and Information » Speeches » U.S. Partnership Yields Zambia's First Utility-Scale Solar Plant
Economic Development, Environment, and Food Security
Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance
The Journey to Self-Reliance: Zambia Roadmap
USAID/Zambia Partners in Development Handbook
U.S. Partnership Yields Zambia's First Utility-Scale Solar Plant
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Daniel L. Foote during the commissioning of the Banguweulu Solar Project, Zambia’s first utility-scale solar farm.
U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Daniel L. Foote delivers remarks during the commissioning of Zambia's first utility-scale solar project, which was financed through USAID/Power Africa and OPIC support.
Photo credit: Chando Mapoma, USAID/Zambia
Your Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia, Honorable Minister of Energy Mathew Nkhuwa, Zambian government officials, Industrial Development Corporation and ZESCO Representatives, First Solar and Neoen Representatives, Fellow members of the diplomatic corps
All other protocols observed.
I certainly love it when a plan comes together. And thanks to a remarkable partnership, we celebrate Zambia’s first utility-scale solar project that will provide affordable power to the country’s households, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
On behalf of the U.S. government, I would like to highlight the support and partnership on this project made possible by our Power Africa initiative, which included $2 million of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development that decreased both the risk and the project’s overall tariffs. The U.S. government’s development finance institution, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, contributed $13 million in long-term financing to this project, and the American firm, First Solar, also contributed funding as well as the American solar panels you see blanketing the landscape today.
What excites me about this project, besides being the first of its kind in Zambia, is the model it represents. Many have expressed this sentiment before, but it bears repeating today. It is not the U.S. government, French government, or the Zambian government that is going to grow our economies, provide jobs, and provide opportunities for our people. It is the private sector. Our governments provide the enabling environment for the private sector to seek out opportunity. And that is what this project signifies today.
This project is not development as usual. It is a partnership. It is an investment, where our governments support a business model that makes sense. Because it makes sense, it is sustainable. It delivers value for the Zambian people and value for the private sector in all of our countries. It does not add directly to Zambia’s external debt, but shifts much of the business risk to industry. In particular, this project demonstrates transparent value because it is delivering some of the most affordable renewable solar power in the region—the envy of Zambia’s neighbors.
Without the vision and persistence of those present today and many who could not join us, this cutting edge endeavor would simply not be possible. Congratulations! Let me conclude by calling for our continued commitment to these types of investments and partnerships between all of our institutions and governments represented here today.
Lusaka, Zambia
Closing remarks by Acting USAID/Southern Africa Regional Economic Growth Office Director at the Structured Trade Seminar
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Inside Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion: 'Vast trove' of lewd photos, a life-size doll and other oddities
Federal agents who searched the East Side mansion of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein turned up a 'vast trove' of lewd photos of young-looking girls.
Inside Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion: 'Vast trove' of lewd photos, a life-size doll and other oddities Federal agents who searched the East Side mansion of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein turned up a 'vast trove' of lewd photos of young-looking girls. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/10/jeffrey-epstein-inside-billionaires-new-york-mansion/1691137001/
Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY Published 10:43 a.m. ET July 10, 2019 | Updated 4:31 p.m. ET July 10, 2019
Jeffrey Epstein has had a long list of friends from high places, including the likes of Stephen Hawking, Bill Clinton and President Trump. But did Epstein leverage these connections? We explain. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Federal agents who searched the East Side Manhattan mansion of wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein turned up a "vast trove of lewd photographs" of young-looking girls, including hundreds of meticulously labeled nude pictures locked in a safe, according to federal court documents.
The description, laid out in a memo by prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, was aimed at convincing a federal judge that Epstein, who was arrested July 6 upon return from Paris on his private jet, should not be freed pending trial on charges of sex trafficking.
Agents used crowbars to force open the front door of the seven-story Upper East Side mansion.
The memo said the search turned up not only evidence supporting its sex trafficking allegations against Esptein but also "hundreds – and perhaps thousands – of sexually suggestive photographs of fully – or partially – nude females."
While investigators were still reviewing the material, the memo said one of the girls, according to her attorney, "was underage at the time the relevant photographs were taken."
This photo shows the Manhattan residence of Jeffrey Epstein on July 8, 2019. (Photo: Bebeto Matthews, AP)
It noted that other photographs were found in a locked safe that included CDs with handwritten labels including the descriptions "“Young [Name] + [Name],” “Misc nudes 1,” and “Girl pics nude.”
In calling for Epstein to remain in jail, the memo noted that he is a registered sex offender after a 2008 conviction in Florida and "is not reformed, he is not chastened, he is not repentant, rather he is a continuing danger to the community and an individual who faces devastating evidence supporting deeply serious charges."
Epstein, 66, has pleaded not guilty to one federal count of sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking conspiracy for allegedly sexually exploiting minor girls at his homes in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Florida, and other locations, according to the federal indictment.
In a report on the mansion, valued at more than $55 million, The New York Times noted that its artwork includes, on the second floor, a commissioned mural of a “photorealistic prison scene that included barbed wire, corrections officers and a guard station, with Mr. Epstein portrayed in the middle.”
This July 25, 2013, image provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows financier Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo: Fla. Dept. of Law Enforcement AP)
The Times quotes R. Couri Hay, a public relations specialist who recently met with Epstein at his home, as saying, “(Epstein) said, ‘That’s me, and I had this painted because there is always the possibility that could be me again.’”
The home also includes such oddities as a hallway covered with artificial eyeballs originally made for wounded soldiers, a life-size female doll hanging from a chandelier, and a chess board with custom figures, many dressed suggestively and modeled after one of Epstein's staffers, The Times reported.
Federal prosecutors said in the indictment that they were moving to seize the mansion as part of the proceedings against Epstein.
Contributing: Kevin Johnson
U.S. v. Jeffrey Epstein by Doug Stanglin on Scribd
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/10/jeffrey-epstein-inside-billionaires-new-york-mansion/1691137001/
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Explore Peel Island (Teerk Roo Ra National Park) near Brisbane
Peel Island is a small, heritage-listed island and national park located in Moreton Bay, just 4km from the mainland at Cleveland. The remote island paradise is enjoyed by many locals and visitors and can be accessed only by boat or watercraft.
Horseshoe Bay on the southern side is the most popular beach on the island, and the only one with sand. It has some spectacular sandstone outcrops to explore. Platypus Bay is also open to visitors and has a large historic shipwreck, but the rest of the 519 ha island is surrounded by mangroves and closed to the public for the preservation of historic remains.
The only facility located on the island is a composting toilet at Horseshoe Bay, so ensure you bring everything you need (hat, sunscreen, first-aid, drinking water, insect repellent) and take your rubbish with you.
How to get to Peel Island
If you don’t own a private boat, join Aria Cruises on a day trip to Peel Island. Expect to spot dolphins and marine life on the cruise over, and enjoy a lunch with a beverage and morning or afternoon tea on board the vessel. Alternatively, you can hire your own boat to cruise over the island for a day.
Peel Island is also popular with kayakers, who will paddle the 4km across Moreton Bay and even pitch a tent overnight. You can rent a sea kayak (and a guide if needed) from Brizyak Kayak Hire.
Exploring the island
Boating and fishing
Teerk Roo Ra is a popular spot for local boaties, but the island is surrounded by Moreton Bay Marine Park so there are some restrictions on fishing and recreational activities in different zones. Take a look at the Marine Park map here.
Swimming and snorkelling
Horseshoe Bay and Platypus Bay are both pristine, calm spots to go swimming. For keen snorkelers, there is a historic shipwreck in Platypus Bay that attracts fish and other marine life. There is also the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef, which was constructed to the north of Peel Island.
Wildlife and marine life
Peel Island is known for its natural beauty, with bird and animal life undisturbed from the pollutions of modern times. Dugongs, turtles, and dolphins frequent the waters around the island. Often there are thousands of jellyfish following the currents, and sharks are known to inhabit these waters. Up to 74 bird species have been identified.
Stay overnight on Peel Island
It is possible to pay a small fee and camp overnight on Peel Island. The island is a popular overnight anchorage for sailors and is considered by many to be Moreton Bay's best shelter from northerly winds. Sea kayakers also use the island for overnight stays. If you plan to camp you need to contact and book with the National Parks website.
Before European settlement, Peel Island was known to the local Quandamooka people as Teerk Roo Ra (Place of Many Shells). The island was primarily used by them for ceremonial purposes.
In the mid-19th century, Peel Island was used as a quarantine station for Brisbane. Incoming ships would stop at the island, disembark passengers for a quarantine period and be fumigated and scrubbed down before heading into Brisbane. At the start of the 20th century it was used as an asylum for vagrants, and then a sisal farm. Inmates would harvest the sisal and make rope.
Between 1907 and 1959 the island was a leper colony. Hundreds of people who contracted the disease were sent to the island for what was essentially a life sentence. As the only intact example of a multiracial lazaret in Australia it is now a protected heritage site. An interesting piece of historical trivia is that after the island was decommissioned as a leper colony, it was discovered the strain of leprosy was non-contagious.
BBC has made a YouTube clip covering this part of history.
In 2007, the island was declared as Teerk Roo Ra National Park and Conservation Park.
Local author and historian Peter Ludlow has written a deeper dive into the history of Peel Island on Secret Brisbane.
Best beaches near Brisbane
Whether you’re after a surf beach, dog beach or quiet spot to lie on a towel in the sun – read on to discover Brisbane’s closest beaches.
35 things to do on Moreton Island
Wondering what there is to do on Moreton? Discover the magic of Brisbane's closest island with these 35 activities.
Get out on the water: boating in Brisbane
Make the most of Brisbane’s 283 sunny days per year and soak up the great outdoors out on the water.
Have a whale of a time – your guide to whale watching in Brisbane's Moreton Bay
Get up close and personal this whale watching season in Brisbane's Moreton Bay.
Best spots to catch a Brisbane sunset
Best spots to catch a sunrise in Brisbane
Where to spot wild native animals around Brisbane
Views for days: lookouts around Brisbane
Eco tours around Brisbane
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Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling team up for a wedding comedy
By nupur sarvaiya 15 April 2019
If you love Indian weddings, this news is going to make your day. Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling are going to be working with Dan Goor on a movie, a comedy based on Indian weddings
Priyanka Chopra is having a good year. Three months after announcing her plans to produce a film on controversial cult leader Osho's personal secretary, Ma Anand Sheela, Chopra has just confirmed that she will be teaming up with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor for a film based on the typical Indian wedding. The announcement comes on the heels of Universal Studio winning the rights to develop the untitled comedy film pitched by the trio.
As per reports, Kaling will star alongside Chopra in the film, and will potentially direct it too. She will also be writing the screenplay with Goor, who is the co-creator and executive producer of American sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The movie will be co-produced by Goor, Kaling International, Chopra's Purple Pebble Pictures, and 3Arts' Howard Klein.
While the exact details about the film haven't been revealed yet, reports say the wedding film's plot "revolves around a big wedding in India and the ensuing culture clashes." Think Crazy Rich Asians meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding, except set between America and India. If you've got a thing for rom-coms, or just loved tracking Priyanka Chopra's own wedding with Nick Jonas last year, a movie like this will be right up your alley.
Celebrating the exciting moment, Chopra took to her Instagram account to share a series of posts with her fans. In the first one, she wrote, "Two women with a passion for telling good stories, just got the green light to THEIR story THEIR way. So proud of this incredible partnership with @mindykaling and @djgoor! We are about to show you what it means to be modern, global, and Indian. See you at the cinema!"
In the second post, she shared a picture with Kaling and Goor and captioned it as "#PROUD @mindykaling @djgoor." The post has already received lots of love and support from fans who can't wait to see the movie. On the Bollywood front, Chopra will soon be seen in Shonali Bose's The Sky Is Pink, which also features Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim in significant roles. The film, based on motivational speaker Aisha Chaudhary, is scheduled to release on October 11, 2019.
Priyanka Chopra to play Ma Anand Sheela in her next Hollywood film
Priyanka Chopra and Sophie Turner star in a new Jonas Brothers video
How to recreate the wedding decor from your favourite movies
BOLLYWOODFARHAN AKHTARHollywoodIndiaInstagram
Did The Queen send hidden messages to Donald Trump during his state visit to the UK?
By Lucie Clark 4 June 2019
Are you a skincare and makeup addict? You need to know about #NoBuy
By Victoria Hall 23 May 2019
Rihanna and her rise to music industry icon status
By Vogue 24 May 2019
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Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce
Annual Awards Dinner
Cedarville University News - March 1
Cedarville Ranked As Most Beautiful Christian College in Ohio
Hundreds of Youth Converge at "Cedarmania"
From Cedarville University Comes the “Bike of the Future”
SSHP Wins Outstanding Professional Development Award
Cedarville University’s campus has been recognized as the most beautiful Christian college campus in Ohio by Christian Universities Online (CUO). The independent online resource ranked Cedarville as the 12th most beautiful campus in the Midwest.
Colleges on CUO’s list were analyzed for continuity of campus, architectural style, signature buildings and natural setting. In its rankings, CUO praised Cedarville’s large rural campus and modern architectural style. It also notes Cedar Lake as the focal point of the campus.
Cedarville has a standard of excellence that extends far beyond the classroom. It has a dedicated physical plant department that consists of grounds, athletic fields, maintenance,
mechanical and custodial teams that work together to keep the campus maintained and beautiful.
“When people walk on campus and see that it is well maintained, they can believe the education is as excellent as Cedarville proclaims,” said Rod Johnson, vice president of operations. “If we couldn’t even keep our grass mowed, how could we deliver high-quality education?”
Cedarville’s grounds are mowed, fertilized and maintained often. All the buildings exhibit a uniform architectural style featuring the signature red brick, and most parking lots are on the outer edge of campus to prevent cars from driving through the center.
More than 800 middle school and high school students from around the country are heading to Cedarville University for CedarMania on Saturday, March 18.
This high energy, action-packed conference offers students small-group Bible studies, crazy games, exciting competitions and worship led by HeartSong, Cedarville’s touring worship team.
CedarMania’s theme this year is “Revive,” and Jeremy Kimble, Ph.D., assistant professor of theological studies and interim director for the center for biblical integration, will serve as keynote speaker. During the two main sessions, Kimble will challenge students to guard their hearts and gaze at Christ.
“God calls us to glorify Him in all things and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength,” explained Kimble. “CedarMania will be a great time to gauge our spiritual pulse as we consider how guarding our hearts and gazing at Christ leads to an ever-increasing love for and satisfaction in God.”
More than 300 Cedarville student volunteers will facilitate games and activities, lead small-group discussions and build relationships with middle school and high school students.
“As a small-group leader at CedarMania, I had the opportunity to point students to Christ,” said Allison Staley, a junior middle childhood education major from Tipp City, Ohio, who volunteered at the event previously. “The day was packed full of fun activities and craziness, but what made the day special to me was the refreshing conversations with students about God's love for them.”
Youth leaders and sponsors can participate in the Youth Leaders Summit during CedarMania. The Summit provides an opportunity to hear from peers, university professors, camp leaders and pastors who share insight, experience and encouragement with one another.
Register online at cedarville.edu/CedarMania until March 10. The cost is $30, which includes a CedarMania T-shirt, Subway boxed lunch and all activities.
Students from Cedarville University’s industrial and innovative design, mechanical engineering and business programs, are working to create a high-end, personal mobility device – a sustainable e-bike. They will roll out their creation during the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) March 10-12 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
E-bikes are a new trend among bicycle riders. An e-bike comes equipped with a battery and motor, which can assist the rider in movement. The bike can function as a normal bike, but it can also be fully or partly operated by the motor.
The three teams are creating a bike with a wooden frame, rather than a metal one, along with Jay Kinsinger, an associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering at Cedarville and a world class wooden bike craftsman. Alex Camacho, associate professor of marketing, and a team of business students, are collaborating with Kinsinger to develop the marketing plan.
The idea for the e-bike project originated with Kinsinger, who has been building award-winning wooden bikes for the past several years. After being elected to an entrepreneurial board last year, Kinsinger saw the opportunity for collaboration between engineering, business, and design students. The bike is the capstone project for six senior engineering students.
“This is the first capstone project with an emphasis in collaboration between majors,” said Kinsinger. “It’s a very open-ended project. There’s no answer in the back of the book for this one.”
“Each of our three programs – engineering, design and business – are interested in innovation and creating 'real-world' projects to enhance the student experience, but each of our disciplines bring something diverse and unique to the process,” said Jim Stevenson, president of the International Center for Creativity (ICC) and supporting instructor of industrial and innovative design for Cedarville students.
Trayton Ojala, industrial designer and project specialist at ICC and a 2014 Cedarville graduate, led the design aspect of the project. “The project teaches the students to lean on the expertise of others and to communicate outside of their own discipline – both of which are extremely important when trying to get a product to market with efficiency,” he said.
ICC students presented the final design concept on October 21, engineering students are preparing to build the bike and business students from are looking for ways to market and sell it. One of the first places this will be tested is NAHBS.
“We’re going to check the demand and interest,” Kinsinger said. “I’m looking for orders.”
Kinsinger explained that e-bikes are huge in Europe and Asia, and he sees a great potential market in the United States. “You still pedal, but the bike helps you,” he said. “The harder you push, the more it helps. In Europe, you see 70 and 80-year-olds cruising along on these.”
The bike going to Salt Lake City will be available for viewing in the Stevens Center on May 5, 2017.
Cedarville University’s Student Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy (SSHP) was one of 25 schools awarded an Outstanding Professional Development Project award during the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cedarville’s SSHP earned the award through its ingenuity and commitment to ASHP’s Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI).
“PAI is a professional-led initiative that empowers pharmacists to take responsibility for providing optimal patient care,” said Charles Snyder, president of Cedarville’s SSHP. “It’s all about pharmacists advancing the practice of pharmacy to better help patients.”
The project included interviewing faculty members and students about their experience in advancing the role of pharmacists in patient care. Then the information was compiled and shared with other pharmacy students.
“Our goal was to make practice advancement more practical for students,” said Trevor Stump, a fourth-year professional pharmacy student who led the initiative. “We wanted to show students how we were already involved in advancing the practice of pharmacy and other ways we can do that moving forward.”
Students have already been developing new programs at hospitals to improve patient care, training pharmacy technicians to better employ their skills and collaborating with other health care students to serve in homeless shelters.
Faculty members have also been involved in utilizing technology to advance the practice, finding innovative ways to meet the needs of patients and working on their certification so they can practice at the top of their license.
“Through this project I learned that the world of health care is constantly evolving, and we are never too young or inexperienced to help shape the profession of pharmacy,” said Stacy Lin, a first-year professional pharmacy student who was in charge of interviewing faculty and staff for the project.
Return on Investment... It Pays To Belong
When a business invests in the Xenia Area Chamber, it forms a partnership with over 400 other investors that leverage time, money, and other assets to create stronger individual businesses and a stronger community.
Join Now! Or Learn More Here
334 W. Market St.
Xenia, OH 45385
admin@xacc.com
The mission of the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce is to provide services and programs that support our member’s successes, promote economic vitality, and advocate local business interests.
© 2019 Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved.
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Clippers tabbed as biggest NBA playoff underdog…
Clippers tabbed as biggest NBA playoff underdog in 30 years
By Mirjam Swanson | mswanson@scng.com |
PUBLISHED: April 13, 2019 at 8:22 pm | UPDATED: April 13, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Los Angeles Clippers’ Danilo Gallinari, center, looks to pass away from Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney (5) and Draymond Green (23) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams, center, shoots between Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green, left, Stephen Curry, and Kevon Looney (5) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green reacts after a scoring against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, right, celebrates a score while guarding Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams (23) in the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr gestures during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams (23) passes away from Golden State Warriors’ Quinn Cook, left, and Andre Iguodala (9) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers gestures during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Golden State Warriors Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Los Angeles Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, right, shoots against Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (35) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
OAKLAND — “I guess all the basketball people are not very smart,” Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari said, referring to prognosticators and pundits who had the Clippers winning between 37.5 games (according to the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas) and 33 (FiveThirtyEight) and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Instead, Gallinari had a new short (“light”) playoff haircut and the Clippers were preparing to begin the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Now, before the series began against the two-time defending Golden State Warriors on Saturday, oddsmakers made the Clippers 100-1 underdogs to win the series. According to SportsOddsHistory.com, that makes them the biggest underdog entering an NBA playoff series in 30 years.
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The Warriors, meanwhile, are -50,000 to beat the Clippers at the SuperBook, which means bettors would need to put $50,000 on Golden State to win $100.
“Golden State is one of the great teams in the history of the game,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “They have three, four, five — I don’t know how many Hall of Famers they have on their team. So I get it. We’re fine with that.
“It doesn’t give me motivation, though. It’s not like I’m gonna go in, ‘They made us 100-1!’ Like, I don’t care. We know who we are, we’re gonna play like who we are and we feel that’s fine, we feel that’s good enough.”
Still, Rivers said he’d understand if some of his players took umbrage.
“Any time you’re overseen or overlooked or whatever, we felt like that this whole time, that we’ve been kind of overlooked — and we’re in the playoffs,” rookie guard Landry Shamet said following the regular-season final against Utah. “We were predicted to have 30-some wins this year and not make the playoffs and all that, so we have that chip.
“So they’re the favorite, but we gotta go in there thinking they gotta play us, too.”
That was the spirit early on too, Gallinari said.
“We know the quality that we had since the beginning,” said Gallinari, who Saturday played his first playoff basketball since 2012, when he was with the Denver Nuggets. “The talent that we had and we had no doubt that we could make it to the playoffs. I guess all the basketball people are not very smart saying that we couldn’t make it to the playoffs. We’re just a little smarter than them.
“That’s the truth. I always talk about the truth.”
ENGAGING CONVERSATION
The Athletic recently polled 127 NBA players on a variety of topics, from where they stood on the great G.O.A.T. debate to this season’s MVP debate and much more.
Patrick Beverley’s name appeared three times in the poll: He was the fourth-most-mentioned defender (with 10.5 percent of the vote), fourth as the “toughest” player, and second — with 15.4 percent of the vote — in response to the question: “Who talks to most trash?”
“He’s pretty good; he engages,” Rivers acknowledged reluctantly. “It’s rare that the guy on the other team doesn’t engage with him, and to do that, you have to have good material… I guess. So I would say he has good material.”
Montebello council approves first 10 marijuana businesses, will they be a cash cow?
Montebello man accused of slaying wife, kidnapping children
los-angeles-clippers
Mirjam Swanson
Mirjam Swanson covers the Clippers and the NBA for the Southern California News Group. Previously, she wrote about LeBron James and the rest of the Dream Team at the 2004 Olympics (where, yes, they took bronze) and Tiger Woods’ last (for now) major championship. Most recently, she’s covered city government, education and the occasional bear in a backyard.
Follow Mirjam Swanson @mirjamswanson
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Unmatched Tradition and Excellence
Wichita Country Club stands as a historic legacy with commitment to quality that's unmatched anywhere in the state of Kansas. For more than 100 years, the Wichita Country Club has served as the hub of Wichita society, offering 18 scenic holes of golf, world-class tennis, fitness and swimming facilities, and one of the most extensive food and beverage menus in the city. Founded by a group of golf enthusiasts and led by the Club's first president, Thomas H. Griffith, The Wichita Country Club has a proud & distinguished place in the history for golf.
Established in 1900, WCC is considered to be the oldest country club west of the Mississippi River to have golf from inception. Wichita Country Club is a club that epitomizes the game at its best, and provides a venue where families gather, where friendships are made, and where camaraderie endures. Since its founding, no other club in the state has produced as many prominent figures in Kansas and United States golf history. From Kansas State Golf Association founder John L. Powell to former USGA president Judy Bell, Wichita Country Club and its members have played a tremendous role in advancing the game of golf, both on a local and national level. No other club in the area can offer you the opportunity to be a part of such a rich tradition and heritage. Throughout the years, Wichita Country Club has been home to many of Wichita's business and community leaders.
The Clubhouse provides a rich array of activities –whether planning a corporate event in our East Room, dinner and dancing in the elegant Living Room, or a regal wedding reception in the historic Main Dining Room, the Club’s professional event and banquet staff provide the highest quality of service while the the Club’s Executive Chef specializes in creative cuisine with menus designed to satisfy members’ individual tastes. From state-of-the-art fitness equipment to an exceptional racquets program, members enjoy a luxurious and healthy lifestyle. Daily exercise classes, specialized instruction from a personal trainer or a wellness inspired massage from our in-house licensed therapists are just a few of the amenities available.
A variety of programs and special events are planned for adults and children throughout the year. Kiddos may find themselves in an instructional game of golf, joining the championship Gator swim team or sharpening skills on the tennis courts. The monthly pop-up dinners, festive events on the front lawn and happy Fridays at the pool are favorite activities of our adult members. With more than 100 years of experience and an elite staff committed to meeting your social and athletic needs on a daily basis, come see how WCC combines a 19th century legacy with 21st century amenities to offer a Country Club experience unlike any other in the state of Kansas. Rooted in tradition, Wichita is a place where every Member feels welcome; where everyone may experience just how wonderful life can be. Membership is by invitation.
Wichita Country Club
North Wichita, KS 67206
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Patoka Sportsman 7-6-19
Patoka Sportsman 7-6 & 7-7-19
Boaters preparing for the Independence Day holiday should be aware that Indiana Conservation Officers will be on high alert for violations of boating-under-the-influence laws as part of national Operation Dry Water. Operation Dry Water (operationdrywater.org), a year-round program, will be in heightened effect July 5-7. Indiana Conservation Officers, in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the U.S. Coast Guard, will focus on educating boaters about safe boating practices, including keeping alcohol off the boat, for both operators and passengers. Officers will be on the lookout for impaired boaters. Boaters will notice an overall increase in patrols, both on the water and at recreational boating checkpoints, to remove dangerous and impaired boaters from the waterways.
Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal on all bodies of water, and can lead to serious injuries and consequences. In Indiana it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08 or higher, the same BOC for land vehicles. Indiana Conservation Officers remind boaters to always boat sober and to wear a life jacket when on the water. (2017 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics)
Representatives of the 4-H Shooting Sports program asked the Dubois County Commissioners on Monday to cover the cost of much needed storage space. They estimate the cost of the new building would be around $45,000. Neither shooting sports or the 4-H council has the money. Equipment used for the program is now stored in five different buildings on the 4-H Fairgrounds property. 4-H Council head Casey Reckelhoff said having one building to keep the equipment would be ideal. The building being proposed would be 40-by-50 feet and about 14 feet tall. It would sit south of the farm bureau’s building, which is on the southwest corner of the fairgrounds’ main lot. The building would be big enough to store all the equipment, as well as the stage owned by Dubois County Tourism, and could used for various community events. In exchange for storing the stage, the 4-H Council is allowed to use the stage free of charge.
The council is willing to contribute $5,000 and the Shooting Sports program will also contribute. The tourism department has said that it doesn’t have any money to contribute. Tim Beck, one of the leaders, said all instructors are certified by the state and the program and has exhisted since 1983. About 30 volunteers work within the program. Between 100 and 120 kids enroll each year. Shooting sports also helpa with the hunter education program, which has just as many students participating.
The commissioners were divided on their support of the project. Commissioners Nick Hostetter and Elmer Brames favored helping with the cost of the storage building. Hostetter said that the program is beneficial to children by giving them proper training and education about firearms. Commissioner Chad Blessinger said that while he sees the need, the lease between the county and the council states that such improvements are to be paid for by the 4-H council. Also, the county must prioritize the various funding requests it receives from different groups.
Brames requested that the council bring back a concrete cost for the building, as well as how much will be contributed by the council and shooting sports. Hostetter said he wants the tourism department to contribute as well. Reckelhoff said he will gather that information and come back to a future commissioners meeting.
There will be a 3-D Broken Arrow Archery shoot Sunday July 14th at Beaver Lake CR 325 E Jasper IN. Sign-in will be from sunrise till noon. A practice range will be available, and concessions will also be sold. There are new lower prices for entry fees. The entry fee is $10 for all adults, $8 for children age 11-17, and free for the cub class (10 and younger) and active military members. From Jasper, take State Road 164 east to County Road 325 East, turn left and follow the road to the clubhouse on the right. For more information , call cliff fleck at (812)630-0454 or karla brames at 812-827-3756.
The 8th Annual Young Life Clay Shoot will be held on July 19 & 20 at Cool Springs. Cost is $400 per a team of 4 shooters. Individual shooters can also participate for $100. There will be 12 stations and 100 sporting clay targets. Ammunition and lunch will be provided. Various sponsorship levels are also available. For more information contact Terri Neukam at 812-631-8834 or email dcylclayshoot@gmail.com.
The Patoka Lake Watershed Steering Committee encourages individuals, families, friends and service groups to save the date for the 13th annual Patoka Lake Clean Up on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at the Patoka Lake Dam. Participants of all ages and abilities can sign up on location at 8 am EDT and will be assigned an area to pick up trash and recycling along the shore.
At 11 am, all volunteers return to the dam to be treated to a fish fry, music, door prizes, goody bags and of course, a free event t-shirt! Service and youth groups are asked to please register in advance! Join in the fun and help rid Patoka Lake Watershed of unsightly, unhealthy trash!
Each year volunteers pick up over 2000 pounds of trash and recycling during this event.
All supplies are provided; volunteers just need to show up! The event takes place at the Patoka Lake Corps of Engineers office at the Patoka Lake Dam at 4512 N. Cuzco Road, Dubois. For information or to register a group in advance, call the Patoka Lake Nature Center
at 812-685-2447 or check the Patoka Lake Watershed Steering Committee Facebook page for updates.
More than 100 people are needed to assist kids around the Fishin' Pond during the 17 days of the Indiana State Fair, which runs Aug. 2-18. Volunteers get free admission to the fair on the day they work, a free Fishin’ Pond T-shirt, and the opportunity to fish with kids for a few hours at the pond. Volunteers can also help sign up kids to fish and help them with a fish coloring activity when they are finished fishing.
It’s that time of year again when turtles are making their precarious journey across the road. If you find a turtle, move it across the road in the direction it was heading. If you see a turtle in your yard, garden, or crossing the road this summer, it may be a nesting female. Do not relocate or take these turtles. When turtles are removed from the wild, they can no longer contribute to the population. It is illegal to take protected species from the wild.
The DNR’S turkey brood survey runs from July 1 to Aug. 31, 2019. While you are out this summer, you are asked that you help them count the number of young wild turkeys (poults) with turkey hens. These surveys provide the DNR with information about turkey poult survival and inform wild turkey management. Create an account and start reporting your observations at on.IN.gov/turkeybrood.
California Proposition 63 was written to force individuals who wish to purchase ammunition to first obtain a four-year permit from the California Department of Justice. The ballot measure requires dealers to check this permit before selling ammunition. California enacted legislation in July 2016 that repealed this provision and instead mandated dealers to check with the Department of Justice to determine if the buyer is authorized to purchase. The background checks requirement will take effect on July 1, 2019.
Proposition 63 also requires individuals and businesses to obtain a one-year license from the California Department of Justice to sell ammunition. Hunters selling 50 rounds or less of ammunition per month for hunting trips were not required to obtain a license. You can read the full text here.
The penalty for buy or selling ammo without a background check or license is a misdemeanor. As a result of this law ammo sales have skyrocketed in California. According to some sources ammo sales are up 300% since the law passed. Will this be a trend that will come to Indiana? We’ll have to wait and see.
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Quick Change artist on the loose; We find out how the scam works
by: Bill Riales
Posted: May 23, 2019 / 01:16 PM CDT / Updated: May 23, 2019 / 10:28 PM CDT
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — We see lots of crime stories, robberies, shootings, and police chases among them. But police recently put out an alert about a crime we never hear about.
It’s called the ‘quick-change,’ or ‘change-raising’ scam. The scam is designed to confuse a store clerk or banker into giving up more change in a transaction. It takes a smooth talker to do it.
“A lot of it is the gift of being able to talk, say the right things–I’m absent-minded today, I’m so sorry, I made a mistake,” says retired police officer Bruce Walstad.
Walstad is an expert on fraud and con games and this is a scam he knows well.
How prevalent is it?
“We don’t know,” he says. “That’s because so much of it is unreported.
That’s because the scammers usually only get a few dollars at a time. If a store clerk or manager discovers the shortage, the may just shrug it off. If they think they’ve been conned and call the police, the scammer simply shrugs it off as a mistake.
But there are cases where the scammer gets away with more than a few dollars.
“We’ve had cases that I’ve personally investigated where it was $150-$180 dollars missing,” said Walstad.
Those good at the scam can hit multiple stores in a day. In fact, police across the country have posted surveillance video where the scams have taken place, including a convenience store where $220 was stolen; and a Walmart in Albuquerque where scammers made off with $2100.
Watch the story, where Bruce Walstad shows us how the scam works.
Plus, there are many other scams he showed us, including these:
The Pigeon Drop
The Coin Roll Scam
The Valuable Coin Scam
by WKRG Staff / Jul 17, 2019
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) -- A Pensacola boy with cerebral palsy has a new way to get around.
Engineering students at the University of West Florida designed a custom "John Deere" mobility vehicle for Jack Carroll.
by Cody Long / Jul 17, 2019
MILTON, Fla. (WKRG) -- A Santa Rosa County jury has found a man guilty of capital sexual battery.
Judge Scott Duncan sentenced Nathan Ray Tiller, 30, of Milton, to serve life in prison and he's been designated a sexual predator.
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Greeting Cards & Christian Markets
By Jean Lauzier
ven though I'm too young to remember them, I've heard tell of the Saturday "serial" movies and how stories were once published in bite sized pieces that kept the reader coming back each week to get the latest installment.
Now, serial stories have reemerged in the twenty-first century for those who love to read but just can't sit down and read for long periods of time.
When I started thinking about what I wanted to put in the August issue of WOW! I knew I had to include this market. Not only does Virtual Tales send your weekly reading installment to your inbox, they need great writers.
I had the privilege to chat with Sheri Gormley, Business Manger, of Virtual Tales.
WOW: Sheri, thanks so much for taking time from your busy schedule. Why not start at the beginning. Tell us about Virtual Tales. How she came to be, what you want to accomplish, how things are going.
Sheri: KeepItComing.net (KIC), the original website for eSerials, went out of business in the fall of 2006, but its Yahoo Group site remained active and many of the authors, artists and customers posted notes, wondering what to do. After going through a long debate about what worked for KIC and what didn't, eventually four felt they had the core skills needed to successfully launch a start-up Internet publishing venture and see it through.
Dave Law (Chairman) has a great deal of publishing-business experience, which has opened many, many doors for us and helped us develop a good business model. I'm a marketing professional, so it was natural for me to serve as the Marketing Director to oversee the branding, marketing and promotional activities for the site. Daniel Repperger (Director of Technology) is a professional web developer who has completely automated delivery of our serials and other services. And June Diehl (Director of Submissions) is a professional editor who orchestrates our story submission and evaluation process, as well as our editorial process.
“...many small press publishers are sprouting up who are willing to publish works that won't make the NY Times Bestseller list...”
I wanted to give a special plug to Daniel and June here, because while Dave and I seem to have the most visibility (as Chairman, Dave is quoted in almost every press release, and because I'm the press contact, my name is all over the place), Daniel and June are the ones who really make our business work. One of main reasons that KIC failed was that it was owned and run by a single person who didn't know how to develop an automated web application that could manage all the orders and deliveries in the background. She had to set up each and every serial issue in an e-mail template and manually send out e-mails to all the customers every day. And she didn't have a team of editors who could work with each author to proofread and polish the stories, so the writing quality was often hit or miss. June and Daniel have enabled Virtual Tales to give our customers polished, professional stories that are delivered on time, week in and week out. It's what sets us apart from all the other e-Literature websites, frankly.
As for what we hope to accomplish, the mainstream, New York based publishing industry has become extremely selective about what it will publish. It's to the point where they aren't willing to take on very many new authors as they are only willing to publish works that have a chance to become bestsellers. In response to this ever-shrinking marketplace, many small press publishers are sprouting up who are willing to publish works that won't make the NY Times Bestseller list but will still find an audience. The Portland/Vancouver metro area is a hotbed for small press publishing right now, and we are positioning Virtual Tales to be one of the best and brightest members of this growing community as we move into the next phase of our product offerings, which will be print books.
“A serial in the classic sense was a novel that was published incrementally in a newspaper or magazine.”
Our business plan calls for us to generate the maximum exposure for each of our stories by offering it in as many forms as possible. So a story starts out as an eSerial, then moves into the eBook format, then goes to print. The next phase, of course, would be to offer it as an audio book, giving each of our titles access to the widest possible audience. Right now, we expect that our very first print book will be available on Amazon.com by August 2007, so we are at stage three of our business plan. Whether you want the convenience of an eSerial, or are hooked on eBooks, or prefer the familiar paperback format, we have lots of great titles for you right now, and more are on the way.
WOW: This sounds so wonderful. I'm definitely going to check out Virtual Tales in detail. But just so we don't get confused, what is a serial and how does it differ from a series?
Sheri: A serial in the classic sense was a novel that was published incrementally in a newspaper or magazine. These serials reached the height of popularity during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were two of the most popular serial authors of this time, and when their serials were complete, they were published as stand-alone novels. A series is number of books that revolve around a single character or place, like the Wizard of Oz books or the Martian Chronicles. Sometimes, you can have a serial that is part of a series, as was the case of the Sherlock Holmes stories. They started out as serials and were published in a series of novels.
“For a serial to be successful, you have got to hook your reader.”
Virtual Tales publishes eSerials, which take advantage of today's technologies to send each issue directly to our customer's e-mail boxes. We charge the same amount for an eSerial as an eBook, and the price is based on the number of words and/or issues in a story. Our stories range in price from $3.95 to $8.95. Even if you don't have an eReader, you can still enjoy the paperless experience on a variety of other gadgets. For example, I still have my old Palm m515 PDA, which I use to carry my calendar and address book. Even with this older piece of technology, I can still carry dozens of eSerials with me wherever I go. Every time I sync up with my computer I can upload all the new issues of the stories I'm following and read them when I'm stuck in a waiting room or just sitting on bench eating lunch during a workday. I've got my Palm in my purse anyway, so why not use it for something fun? And, if you've got one of the Nokia cell phones with Adobe Reader, you can read your issues on your cell phone.
WOW: You've been writing serials for a while now. Just what does it take to make a great serial?
Sheri: For a serial to be successful, you have got to hook your reader. We offer the first four issues of all our serials as a free trial, so if you can't hook the reader in those first four issues, they won't buy the story. As a writer, you've got to make a lot of interesting stuff happen in those first four issues if you want to make a sale.
WOW: What have you found to be the best way to hook the reader? Great characters, a complex plotline, or a combination of both?
Sheri: I think that it's largely a matter of appealing to your audience. Certain genres require more of one and less of another; others require both. For me personally, I am more interested in great characters. I enjoy getting into the minds of each character and finding out what makes them tick. My husband, on the other hand, likes to read stories with tightly formed plotlines; the characters are not as important as the story. So as a writer, I think you just have to trust your instincts and know your genre. Read some Sci-Fi, read some mysteries, see what you like about them and then make sure your story is the best that it can be.
“...we have some of the best covers in the business, hands down.”
WOW: There are so many genres out there. Is there a genre that does better as a serial than the others, is more popular or readers seem to prefer?
Sheri: Our titles run the gamut of popular fiction genres, and our customers buy titles in each and every genre. I think what is most important is the quality of the story. We spend a lot of time working with the author and the editor to pull an exciting bit of story to post on the website as an excerpt, to craft a story synopsis and promo copy that really gives the reader a good feel for what's inside. And we have some of the best covers in the business, hands down. Some of our book covers have been nominated for awards and have even won awards, and our artists are just amazingly talented. I've read some of the reader comments on MobiPocket and other eBook sites where we sell our products, and more than once a customer has posted a comment that they decided to buy the eBook because the cover was so cool. So that's an important marketing tool as well.
“It depends on what they want, really...”
WOW: One thing I love about Virtual Tales is you have something for the reader and the writer. How does Virtual Tales work for the reader? How do they receive their stories?
Sheri: It depends on what they want, really, especially as we are moving our stories into every format imaginable. At this point, all of our works are available as eSerials, which can only be purchased on our website. They are delivered to subscribers twice a week via e-mail
Most titles are also available as eBooks and can be purchased at the Virtual Tales website, as well as at MobiPocket, Fictionwise and other eBook websites. Every vendor has their own delivery methods, but if you buy an eBook at the Virtual Tales website, it will be sent to you via e-mail.
We are also starting to roll the most popular titles out in print now, and these will be available through the Virtual Tales website and Amazon.com.
WOW: And for our readers who might be interested in submitting a story to Virtual Tales. What are you looking for in a serial and could you give our writers some tips that might give them a better chance at having a story accepted by Virtual Tales?
Sheri: It's funny you should ask that! June, our Director of Submissions, just posted a blog entry about this so I'm going to refer you and your readers to that link.
Aim for Successful Submissions
WOW: I know this information is posted on your website but how is the writer paid and how much of the purchase price goes to the author?
Sheri: All of our talent (writers, editors & artists) are paid through PayPal once a quarter. Authors receive 60% of the profits from sales of the eSerial and eBook versions of work; editors receive 20%, artists receive 10% and Virtual Tales keeps the other 10%. The split for print is a little different due to extra overhead and costs, but it's close.
“...we jump at the opportunity to work with someone who writes well and sends us a great story, regardless of whether they've been published or not.”
WOW: There are so many things to love about Virtual Tales I have a hard time deciding my favorite. But one of those things is the fact each author works one on one with an editor. How does this work?
Sheri: Initially all submissions are reviewed by a group of editors, who read the submission and share their recommendations with the Board of Directors. Based on their feedback, the Board will either reject the work or request the full manuscript. When the manuscript is received, it is assigned to a single editor for detailed review. If the editor thinks the work has merit and is willing to take on the assignment, the Board of Directors evaluates it a bit more before deciding to issue a contract. Once the contract is signed, the author will begin working directly with the assigned editor to polish the story for publication.
WOW: How do you feel about working with new writers?
Sheri: Actually, that's one of the reasons we're in business. There are so many talented new authors and fewer and fewer agents and publishers who are willing to take a risk on someone who's unpublished. So while we reject the vast majority of submissions we receive, we jump at the opportunity to work with someone who writes well and sends us a great story, regardless of whether they've been published or not. We can do this because our editorial process ensures that we will produce a polished final work, as our editors are professionals and know how to coach and guide their writers to create great fiction.
WOW: What do you not want to see? (Erotica, lots of foul language, violence?)
Sheri: Virtual Tales uses the ratings guidelines from the MPAA, and we won't publish anything that goes beyond an “R” rating, including works with excessive language, violence or erotica. June covers this in great detail in her recent blog post, so I'll refer you and your readers to that.
(Submission guidelines are here.)
“...every single story on our website is available for a free trial...”
WOW: There are so many stories to choose from. Would you like to recommend any stories for our readers to try?
Sheri: The Virtual Tales stories that have created the most “buzz” so far include EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA, a young adult fantasy by Kim Baccellia, CURIOUS ACCOUNTS OF THE IMAGINARY FRIEND, a horror anthology by P.S. Gifford and CHASING THE WIND, an action-adventure thriller by B.J. Kibble. Irish author Jack Scoltock has given us two amazing pieces, “FIRST COMMUNION” and “GOLDEN WEDDIN' AND THE B.V.M” and frankly, there are so many others that it probably better to just go to our website and take a look for yourself.
Remember that every single story on our website is available for a free trial, so you it costs nothing to try something out. And there's no limit on the number of titles you can sample for free; you can sign up for each and every one if you like. A free trial gives you the first four issues of a serial. If you like it, you can subscribe to the serial or buy the eBook or print version (if available). If not, try something else! It's like going into a bookstore and reading the first four chapters to see if you want to buy a book, except that we send those chapters to you so you don't have to leave home.
WOW: You've given us so much great information. What's coming up soon that we should be on the lookout for?
Sheri: Our books are starting to come out in print and we expect them to show up on Amazon.com by August 2007. We're in the midst of a major site upgrade, and once that's done we'll have our own Forum Boards available on the website, which will enable us to sponsor an amazing free contest for wannabe authors, "Serial Idol."
The specifics are still being worked out, but basically, we're going to let people sign on and post the first four chapters of their novel and then let our visitors vote for the ones they like best. We'll also have a panel of judges that will weigh in, and we'll select the top ten entries to participate in the contest. Each contestant will then have to post a new chapter of their novel once a week, and our visitors and judges will vote for the best ones until we narrow it down to one clear winner, who will get a contract to finish their piece. They'll get an editor to work with, an artist to design their cover and the thrill of being a published author.
It should be a lot of fun, and so we encourage your readers to start planning to participate. At the very least, it will be a great way to get free feedback on your story idea, and could even lead to a publishing contract.
At this point, the start of the contest depends on completion of the site technology upgrade, which we are hoping will be finished this summer. If we can stick with that schedule, then look for the contest to debut this fall. We'll post all the finalized details as the contest gets closer.
WOW: See, another thing I love about Virtual Tales, Serial Idol! Did I miss anything or is there anything you'd like to add?
Sheri: Yes. I'd like to offer a “buy one, get one free” special to your readers. If you go to the Virtual Tales website and buy one of our eSerials or eBooks, send an e-mail to offers@virtualtales.com with your Virtual Tales order confirmation number and mention this offer. Include the name of another story you would like to receive and we will send it to you for free. And it's okay if you sign up for a free trial first, too.
WOW: What a great offer! Thank you so much Sheri. And again, thank you so much for spending time with WOW!
Jean Lauzier is Editor of WOW! Women On Writing.
Email: jean@wow-womenonwriting.com
About WOW! Women on Writing | Ad Rates | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2007 wow-womenonwriting.com All rights reserved.
Graphic Design/Illustration by Mackintosh Multimedia.
Web Design/Programming by Glenn Robnett.
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Investigation Underway After Body Found in Gallia County
by: Lily Bradley
Posted: Nov 5, 2018 / 08:38 PM EST / Updated: Nov 5, 2018 / 08:40 PM EST
GALLIA COUNTY, OH (WOWK) – The Gallia County Sheriffs Office is investigating after a body was found Sunday evening.
The Sheriff’s Office received the call that a body was found in a wooded area in Gallipolis Township around 1 p.m. Sunday evening.
Deputies have yet to release an identity. The investigation is on-going. Detectives are being assisted by agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This is a developing story.
by Merrily McAuliffe / Jul 17, 2019
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) - When adults need help with their smartphone or tech questions, they may turn to a younger person for help, perhaps the same way a younger person may turn to an adult for help with taxes, tying a tie or creating a quilt!
Some things require life experiences before acquiring a skill, but for avid quilters, they say it's a hobby that takes practice and most of all patience.
by Joe Fitzwater / Jul 17, 2019
CHARLESTON, W.Va (WOWK) - The hottest air we've seen in over a year is about to move into West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky on Friday! We'll be seeing high temperatures both Friday and Saturday in the middle 90s, but it's so humid outside, that the combination of heat and humidity will push the heat index into the 100s.
The National Weather Service in Charleston and Jackson have issued an Excessive Heat Watch for most of our area for Friday afternoon and Saturday. This is issued to indicate the presence of extremely hot conditions to be dominating the area during this period. Heatstroke, as well as other heat-related illnesses, will be possible if too much time is spent outdoors and inadequate breaks and hydration are not given.
by WTRF web staff / Jul 17, 2019
WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) - Archbishop William E. Lori, Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, announced today the appointment of a new independent auditor for the Diocese of WheelingCharleston, a decision made in coordination with the Diocesan Finance Council.
The Archbishop announced that the firm, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) LLP— a national financial auditing firm that serves more than 30 dioceses across the country—has been engaged to be the auditing firm of record for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Among the first priorities of the firm will be to conduct a thorough audit of all Diocesan accounts, the results of which will be published in their entirety.
Weather / 7 mins ago
Parents warn of danger after daughter electrocuted in family pool
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Portrait of a casino: Back in the black after 40 years
Posted: 10:24 AM, May 12, 2018
By: WAYNE PARRY , Associated Press
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — When Resorts became the first casino in the United States to open outside Nevada, gamblers overwhelmed it. Cars streamed into Atlantic City on May 26, 1978, and throngs waited in line for blocks on the famous Boardwalk.
People bought tickets for buffets they had no intention of eating, just to sneak inside the casino earlier than the rest. Men relieved themselves into plastic coin cups to avoid losing their spot at the tables. And cash — more than anyone had ever seen and more than management could imagine — flooded into the counting room, taking an entire day to count.
Forty years later , Resorts is a microcosm of the forces that boosted and buffeted the seaside gambling resort: the rapid rise to fabulous riches, the slowdown and struggle as more competitors emerged, and the recovery in a slimmed-down market.
"We were the first one here, and we're going to keep doing what we do best," said Resorts president Mark Giannantonio.
The casino plans to re-create the ceremonial first toss of the dice that came after then-Gov. Brendan Byrne confessed that his father taught him never to bet on anything other than Notre Dame and the New York Yankees.
But as Atlantic City grew, Resorts' market share shrank. As one of the smaller casinos in town, with 942 hotel rooms, it suddenly found itself staring down newcomers with rooms of 2,000 or more.
And when casinos started proliferating in nearby Pennsylvania and New York, Resorts came within hours of handing the keys over to lenders and walking away in Dec. 2009.
Veteran casino executive Dennis Gomes, known for wacky promotions including customers competing against a chicken at tic-tac-toe, bought the casino but died soon afterward. His investment partner, Morris Bailey, kept Resorts afloat by writing checks each month, even as the casino lost money.
A turning point came when Resorts inked a deal to have the Mohegan tribe assume day-to-day management and to affiliate it with other tribal-owned casinos in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. A deal with Jimmy Buffett brought the Margaritaville brand to Resorts, and by 2014, it was back in the black, helped by $110 million of capital investments.
It has succeeded as one of seven casinos in a market that just four years ago had 12. But two of the shuttered casinos are reopening this year.
Some see the opening of the Hard Rock casino next door, in what used to be the Trump Taj Mahal, as a potential boon to Resorts.
"If the place next to Resorts is a home run, there will be overflow," said analyst Lawrence Klatzkin with Rice, Voelker LLC in New York. "Hard Rock could be the best thing that happens to Resorts. There could be good symbiosis there."
Resorts has found its niche, much as downtown Las Vegas casinos have by not trying to match their larger competitors on the Strip, said David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
"Downtown casinos aren't competing by trying to build their own Bellagio lake; they are competing by offering better value and better gaming conditions," he said. "If Resorts can do that, it has a good future ahead of it."
Giannantonio predicts Resorts will have its best summer in a decade or more this year.
"I think we will be around 40 years from now," he said. "Matter of fact, I'd bet on it."
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Activists come together in WNC to give immigrants a voice
by: Tobias Rodriguez
Posted: Feb 18, 2019 / 10:37 PM EST / Updated: Feb 18, 2019 / 10:37 PM EST
Today groups in Western North Carolina came together to give a voice to documented and undocumented immigrants.
Over a week ago federal officials in North Carolina say they arrested hundreds of immigrants in who were in the United States illegally.
On Monday, “A Day Without Immigrants” was held around the country and in Asheville.
Those involved say they see Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a threat.
“This is not the first time or the last time, but the way they’ve come into our communities and created panic again this is the community saying enough,” Bruno Hinojosa said.
Miriam Porras says she’s here today as a mother.
“I cannot imagine and I would not imagine how would I feel if at this very moment I wouldn’t be able to see my kids,” Porras said.
CIMA, Companeros Inmigrantes de las Montanas en Accion, is a non profit in Asheville that advocates for immigrant rights.
Coco Alcazar, CIMA Co-Director, says when people say things like “come to america the right way” they don’t realize just how difficult legal immigration can be for families from poverty and war torn countries.
“When people want to apply for a visa or a permit in their home countries just the process of getting an interview is extremely costly and it’s paid in US Dollars so that’s just first step and it’s extremely difficult”
CIMA says immigrants play an important part in american society and the first step in dissolving the divisiveness around this topic is to realize how important immigrants are.
“Who cuts your vegetables, who cooks for you, who takes care of your family members, who takes care of the people around you, but just to see that and acknowledge that is one,” Hinojosa said.
CIMA website: http://cimawnc.org/
by Raquel Martin / Jul 17, 2019
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HomeInterviewsINTERVIEW: The Twang frontman Phil Etheridge
INTERVIEW: The Twang frontman Phil Etheridge
November 28, 2017 Mark Millar Interviews 0
The Twang IS the ‘Best New Band in Britain’ (NME). Every A&R man in the country has been hot-footing it up the M40 to Birmingham to snare the signatures of this band, and shows across the UK are selling out in record time. A growing army of fans vote with their feet and add to the feeling that we are witnessing one of those rare moments in music.
With Time Out declaring that the band are ‘set to own 2007’ and The Sun identifying them as ‘one of 2007’s rising stars’, they are the only band to have their demo played on daytime Radio 1 prior to signing a deal, Jo Whiley joining in with the moment by declaring: ‘If you like this… (snippet of The Stone Roses) and this… (snippet of Happy Mondays) and this… (snippet of The Charlatans), then you’re going to love this!’ Little wonder that The Twang are already in the award-winning business, picking up NME’s Philip Hall Radar Award (1 March 2007) for Best Newcomers as their debut single, ‘Wide Awake’, crashes into the UK Top 20.
The Twang are about to hit the road on the UK tour to play their debut album ‘Love It When It Feels Like This’ in full. Mark Millar caught up with frontman Phil Etheridge to find out more.
The Twang formed in 2004 in Birmingham, so it was three years until the band went into the studio to record debut album Love It When It Feels Like This. Did you have a lot of songs before you went into the studio?
Yeah, we did. We had a lot of songs before we got signed we locked ourselves away writing. We had a lot of different formations but it all changed for us when Stu our guitarist joined but we had already written some songs from the different lineups by then so we carried them over. Me and Jon had always been in the band so those songs were ours. Our manager was giving out demos to people with about 25 tracks which I was fuming about because they were getting all these tunes and they weren’t ready yet, they were still in demo form but it didn’t do us any harm because we got signed so it was all good.
Did you base the songs on the album on your own experiences and observations or both?
I have always written about what’s going on in my life but obviously I hung about with some funny characters, a lot of my friends were hilarious. I used to write about them and use them as inspiration. It was always things that were happening in our lives at the time. I think everyone subconsciously is writing about themselves.
Does songwriting come easily to you?
I don’t want to sound arrogant but I do feel fortunate that my brain is weird enough to give me some lyrics. For some reason somehow I can pen a song and I’m grateful for having that weird side of my brain.
After releasing the brilliant singles ‘Wide Awake’ and ‘Either Way’ your debut album ‘Love It When I Feel Like This’ was released on 4 June 2007. The record landed on the UK album charts at number 3. You must have been confident that the album was going to do well.
It was a really crazy time for us I try not to look back too much because its bad for the soul to hark back all the time but to sum it up, it was a really exciting beautiful time. We didn’t really know what we were doing and when a big record label gets involved you do lose control a bit so we just enjoyed it, it was out of our hands and we were busy having fun. The album was a moment in time and it got released and it did well. People still talk about the album like it was a big record in their lives. That’s the dream to have done that for someone and be the soundtrack to someone’s summer. It’s an amazing thing to have done. I think it still sounds interesting and fresh now because I have been listening to it recently
What are your standout tracks from the record?
Either Way, changed our life really. It’s the song that connected and got people into us and Wide Awake and Two Lovers.
Even the B-sides were great
We have just released a B-sides album called Subscription and it’s probably my favourite record that we’ve ever done. It sounds so ‘youthful.’ A lot of those tracks that were B-sides were the demos and we put them out there. Those B-sides sound to me like a band in a room going mad. I hadn’t listened to them in ages until we were compiling the record. I’m really proud of it.
What were you listening to at the time that would have influenced the record?
I guess we were always listening to the Happy Mondays although the comparisons made me shy away from mentioning them. I didn’t feel we sounded anything like them but obviously, they were a big influence and we have since gone on to play with Shaun Ryder. We have got a rule not to play certain bands such as the Smiths and the National in the studio it kind of ruins your day because we will never be as good as them. I got into the National about 2006 and they have been a constant band that we have been listening to. The Streets were a big influence and to do a track with Mike Skinner was massive for us. We also really like James and The Verve. There’s loads of stuff we listened to at the time. The 90s and the early noughties was a beautiful time for music. There were always bands coming along like The Strokes or The Libertines that were changing the face of society let alone music. That’s what Oasis did when they first came out Liam Gallagher was the coolest man on the planet.
You’re kind of waiting for that band to come along that changes how you dress and how you look and there hasn’t been one since. Someone has to come along and push things forward.
In 2007 it was hard to escape The Twang. The band were hailed by the NME as “Britain’s Best New Band” and won the Phillip Hall Radar Award at the 2007 NME Awards. It must have been an amazing time.
It was but it was also like a poison chalice and I don’t want to sound negative because it was an amazing time and everyone was saying we were great. But that also can put people of you when you are put in people’s faces. I wasn’t up for being a c**t which is what I think people wanted me to be, that wasn’t what I was about. People were phoning me up looking for a quote and trying to get me to slag off other bands which I wasn’t prepared to do because I still have that same view if you are into it and it makes you happy and gives you a buzz – then who am I to say anything about it. But looking back if I had said a few bands were shit then we would have got a lot more press (Laughs). It was a brilliant time and it was fun.
Are you comfortable the way things are now for The Twang?
I feel that we earned our place and we are a good live band and have made some good records. When you blow up like we did so fast then everything after is kind of a comedown. Our second record (Jewellery Quarter) went into the charts at number 20 and all the people who worked for us at the time weren’t happy but we thought it was amazing!
What have you been up to between 2014 ‘Neon Twang’ album and now?
Just writing and having children, I’ve got three kids now. Me and Jon have been writing one or two days a week. We are going to try and get a batch of songs together in the New Year and see if there is a record there, although times have changed and we might just put some songs out rather than a record.
In November and December, the band will be on the road to celebrate ‘Love It When It Feels Like This’ by playing the whole album in its entirety. Will it be performed in sequence alongside other Twang favourites?
Yes, I think we will be playing Love It When It Feels Like This from start to finish then have a break and come back out and perform a best of live set. It’s going to be really good.
Do you have a record that you always return to?
It would have been something like Neds Atomic Dustbin, The Wonder Stuff, Dinosaur Jnr or Carter USM. My brother was heavily into that indie scene. I remember him listening to the Pixies and thinking it was insanely good. I still think the Pixies are as important as The Smiths.
What have you been listening to recently that you could recommend?
Obviously, I got the new National record although I don’t like it as much as High Violet or Trouble Will Find Me or Alligator, It’s not their best in my opinion. In the last few years I’ve really liked DIIV their 2 records are great. I really like The Drums and Mac De Marco, Jon from the band is obsessed with him so I’ve had to listen to his stuff a lot as well.
Full 2017 tour dates are as follows:
29 Bournemouth The Old Fire Station
30 Leeds O2 Academy
01 Manchester O2 Ritz
02 Glasgow O2 ABC
08 Oxford O2 Academy
09 London O2 Forum Kentish Town
14 Sheffield O2 Academy
15 Newcastle O2 Academy
16 Leicester O2 Academy
21 Bristol O2 Academy
22 Liverpool O2 Academy
23 Birmingham O2 Academy
The Twang:
Phil Etheridge – vocals
Jon Watkin – bass
Saunders – vocals
Stu Hartland – guitar
Ash Sheehan – drums
Phil Etheridge
The Twang
Manchester’s ELBOW release “The Best Of” collection
PAUL DRAPER Announced as special guest support for STEVEN WILSONS 2018 US tour
THE TWANG – Unveil video for comeback track ‘Everytime’ – Watch Now
May 15, 2019 Mark Millar Gigs, New music, News 0
‘Everytime’ is the brilliant first single from THE TWANG’S long-awaited forthcoming album. The single, taken from the band’s upcoming fifth album is a reminiscent throwback to time’s gone by and youthful love in the 1990s. […]
SHED SEVEN Announce 2019 UK tour with special guests THE TWANG
February 26, 2019 Mark Millar Gigs, News 0
Shed Seven have announced their biggest ever UK tour to date for November and December 2019 including a home county show at Leeds First Direct Arena – their first ever headline arena show! The York […]
THE TWANG Announce ‘LOVE IT WHEN I FEEL LIKE THIS’ UK Tour.
May 4, 2017 Mark Millar Gigs, New music, News 0
The Twang IS the ‘Best New Band in Britain’ (NME). Every A&R man in the country has been hot footing it up the M40 to Birmingham to snare the signatures of this band, and shows […]
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Miss Universe Would Find It 'Difficult' to Share Crown, but Favors Harvey's Return as Host
NICOLE PELLETIERE
Good Morning America January 4, 2016
Weeks after pageant host Steve Harvey's colossal mistake crowning the wrong Miss Universe, winner Pia Wurtzbach balked at the idea of sharing the crown with her former opponent, Miss Colombia.
"I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share a crown, but I have high hopes that this will give great opportunities for me and Miss Colombia and the rest of the contestants," Wurtzbach of the Philippines told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Lara Spencer in her first sit-down interview as Miss Universe.
Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez addressed the issue for the first time to a Colombian radio station, calling the incident "a great injustice," adding "it was very humiliating for me" and that she believes the two should share the crown.
Miss Colombia Recalls 'Humiliating' Miss Universe Mix-Up
Wurtzbach, 26, said she "has her theories" on why Harvey accidentally named runner-up Miss Colombia as the winner.
"Maybe the way it was written, it was a little confusing," she said. "I understand. It was his first time to judge a pageant, but it's OK. He's human. People make mistakes."
Wurtzbach said she's "thankful" judges like Perez Hilton were sympathetic toward her after Harvey's mix-up but, regardless, she holds no ill-will toward the comedian.
"It's live television," she said. "People make mistakes and Steve Harvey was very gracious to apologize. I accept his apology and I think it speaks a lot about his character."
And despite Harvey's mishap, Wurtzbach said she believes he should return to host the show.
"Yeah, why not?" "I think he’s a breath of fresh air, he made us feel very relaxed, the contestants. It makes us show our personalities a little bit more. I think that benefits everybody, especially the viewers.”
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'Serious threat' made by Central York High School student, police say
The district had trouble with threats earlier this year.
'Serious threat' made by Central York High School student, police say The district had trouble with threats earlier this year. Check out this story on ydr.com: https://www.ydr.com/story/archives/2018/08/30/serious-threat-made-central-york-high-school-student-friday/1142731002/
Candy Woodall and Ted Czech, York Daily Record Published 1:57 p.m. ET Aug. 30, 2018
Central York High School in Springettsbury Township(Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)Buy Photo
Clarification: This story was updated with a file photo that shows the outside of the school. A previous file photo that showed a banner with the school name included students who were not involved in the threat.
Police charged a male Central York High School student with making a "threat against the safety of the kids" at the school on Friday, according to Springettsbury Township Police Lt. Tony Beam.
District officials say they were notified Monday that a ninth-grade student made a threat in a hallway on Friday.
"We took it as a serious threat," Beam said Tuesday. "We had students come forward and say they heard stuff. They did the right thing."
Beam said he would not comment on whether the student's home was searched and if any evidence had been seized.
Administrators notified the school resource officer, and Springettsbury Township Police investigated the report. After their investigation, police charged the freshman, whose name will not be released because he is charged as a juvenile, not an adult.
The student has been removed from school, according to a district statement.
"The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority," the statement said. "We treat any information we receive regarding a safety concern seriously and act urgently to investigate and bring to resolution such a situation."
Earlier this year, Central York responded to a number of threats in the district. Classes were canceled for three days at one point in February. Police charged a 13-year-old middle school student with terroristic threats as a result.
A bomb threat in March at Central York High School triggered a temporary evacuation, but classes resumed after a thorough search by police.
Beam said last school year's incidents, traumatic as they were, served as testimony that the multi-layered system of response, from students to administrators and faculty to police, is there for a reason and that it works.
"I'm just happy people who heard stuff came forward, and we were able to deal with it before anything further occurred," he said.
More: Central York: Arming teachers, other security issues raised at town hall after threats
More: Prayers given for Central York, other districts after threats
Read or Share this story: https://www.ydr.com/story/archives/2018/08/30/serious-threat-made-central-york-high-school-student-friday/1142731002/
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These men are condemned to die —twice
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Beit Midrash מדורים שיג ושיח
Kedoshim 5779
From Priest to People
Rabbi Jonathan SacksNisan 27 5779
שיג ושיחקדושים
18visibility
Click to dedicate this lesson
Something fundamental happens at the beginning of this parsha and the story is one of the greatest, if rarely acknowledged, contributions of Judaism to the world.
Until now Vayikra has been largely about sacrifices, purity, the Sanctuary, and the Priesthood. It has been, in short, about a holy place, holy offerings, and the elite and holy people – Aaron and his descendants – who minister there. Suddenly, in chapter 19, the text opens up to embrace the whole of the people and the whole of life:
The Lord said to Moses: "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them, ‘Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy.’" (Lev. 19:1–2)
This is the first and only time in Leviticus that so inclusive an address is commanded. The Sages say that it means that the contents of the chapter were proclaimed by Moses to a formal gathering of the entire nation (hak’hel). It is the people as a whole who are commanded to "be holy," not just an elite, the Priests. It is life itself that is to be sanctified, as the chapter goes on to make clear. Holiness is to be made manifest in the way the nation makes its clothes and plants its fields, in the way justice is administered, workers are paid, and business conducted. The vulnerable – the deaf, the blind, the elderly, and the stranger – are to be afforded special protection. The whole society is to be governed by love, without resentments or revenge.
What we witness here, in other words, is the radical democratisation of holiness. All ancient societies had Priests. We have encountered four instances in the Torah thus far of non-Israelite Priests: Malkizedek, Abraham’s contemporary, described as a Priest of God Most High; Potipher, Joseph’s father-in-law; the Egyptian Priests as a whole, whose land Joseph did not nationalise; and Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, a Midianite Priest. The Priesthood was not unique to Israel, and everywhere it was an elite. Here for the first time, we find a code of holiness directed to the people as a whole. We are all called on to be holy.
In a strange way, though, this comes as no surprise. The idea, if not the details, had already been hinted at. The most explicit instance comes in the prelude to the great covenant-making ceremony at Mount Sinai when God tells Moses to say to the people, "Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:5–6), that is, a kingdom all of whose members are to be in some sense Priests, and a nation that is in its entirety holy.
The first intimation is much earlier still, in the first chapter of Genesis, with its monumental assertion, "‘Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness’…. So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:26–27). What is revolutionary in this declaration is not that a human being could be in the image of God. That is precisely how kings of Mesopotamian city states and pharaohs of Egypt were regarded. They were seen as the representatives, the living images, of the gods. That is how they derived their authority. The Torah’s revolution is the statement that not some, but all, humans share this dignity. Regardless of class, colour, culture, or creed, we are all in the image and likeness of God.
Thus was born the cluster of ideas that, though they took many millennia to be realised, led to the distinctive culture of the West: the non-negotiable dignity of the human person, the idea of human rights, and eventually, the political and economic expressions of these ideas: liberal democracy on the one hand, and the free market on the other.
The point is not that these ideas were fully formed in the minds of human beings during the period of biblical history. Manifestly, this is not so. The concept of human rights is a product of the seventeenth century. Democracy was not fully implemented until the twentieth. But already in Genesis 1 the seed was planted. That is what Jefferson meant in his famous words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," and what John F. Kennedy alluded to in his Inaugural Address when he spoke of the "revolutionary belief" that "the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God."
The irony is that these three texts, Genesis 1, Exodus 19:6, and Leviticus 19, are all spoken in the Priestly voice Judaism calls Torat Kohanim. 1 On the face of it, Priests were not egalitarian. They all came from a single tribe, the Levites, and from a single family, that of Aaron, within the tribe. To be sure, the Torah tells us that this was not God’s original intention. Initially, it was to have been the firstborn – those who were saved from the last of the plagues – who were charged with special holiness as the ministers of God. It was only after the sin of the Golden Calf, in which the tribe of Levi did not participate, that the change was made. Even so, the Priesthood would have been an elite, a role reserved specifically for firstborn males. So deep is the concept of equality written into monotheism that it emerges precisely from the Priestly voice, from which we would least expect it.
The reason is this: religion in the ancient world was, not accidentally but essentially, a defence of hierarchy. With the development, first of agriculture, then of cities, what emerged were highly stratified societies with a ruler on top, surrounded by a royal court, beneath which was an administrative elite, and at the bottom, an illiterate mass that was conscripted from time to time either as an army or as a corvée, a labour force used in the construction of monumental buildings.
What kept the structure in place was an elaborate doctrine of a heavenly hierarchy whose origins were told in myth, whose most familiar natural symbol was the sun, and whose architectural representation was the pyramid or ziggurat, a massive building broad at the base and narrow at the top. The gods had fought and established an order of dominance and submission. To rebel against the earthly hierarchy was to challenge reality itself. This belief was universal in the ancient world. Aristotle thought that some were born to rule, others to be ruled. Plato constructed a myth in his The Republic, in which class divisions existed because the gods had made some people with gold, some with silver, and others with bronze. This was the "noble lie" that had to be told if a society was to protect itself against dissent from within.
Monotheism removes the entire mythological basis of hierarchy. There is no order among the gods because there are no gods, there is only the One God, Creator of all. Some form of hierarchy will always exist: armies need commanders, films need directors, and orchestras, conductors. But these are functional, not ontological. They are not a matter of birth. So it is all the more impressive to find the most egalitarian sentiments coming from the world of the Priest, whose religious role was a matter of birth.
The concept of equality we find in the Torah specifically and Judaism generally is not an equality of wealth: Judaism is not communism. Nor is it an equality of power: Judaism is not anarchy. It is fundamentally an equality of dignity. We are all equal citizens in the nation whose sovereign is God. Hence the elaborate political and economic structure set out in Leviticus, organised around the number seven, the sign of the holy. Every seventh day is free time. Every seventh year, the produce of the field belongs to all, Israelite slaves are to be liberated, and debts released. Every fiftieth year, ancestral land was to return to its original owners. Thus the inequalities that are the inevitable result of freedom are mitigated. The logic of all these provisions is the Priestly insight that God, creator of all, is the ultimate owner of all: "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine and you reside in My land as strangers and temporary residents" (Lev. 25:23). God therefore has the right, not just the power, to set limits to inequality. No one should be robbed of dignity by total poverty, endless servitude, or unrelieved indebtedness.
What is truly remarkable, however, is what happened after the biblical era and the destruction of the Second Temple. Faced with the loss of the entire infrastructure of the holy, the Temple, its Priests, and sacrifices, Judaism translated the entire system of avoda, divine service, into the everyday life of ordinary Jews. In prayer, every Jew became a Priest offering a sacrifice. In repentance, he became a High Priest, atoning for his sins and those of his people. Every synagogue, in Israel or elsewhere, became a fragment of the Temple in Jerusalem. Every table became an altar, every act of charity or hospitality, a kind of sacrifice.
Torah study, once the speciality of the Priesthood, became the right and obligation of everyone. Not everyone could wear the crown of Priesthood, but everyone could wear the crown of Torah. A mamzer talmid chacham, a Torah scholar of illegitimate birth, say the Sages, is greater than an am ha’aretz Kohen Gadol, an ignorant High Priest. Out of the devastating tragedy of the loss of the Temple, the Sages created a religious and social order that came closer to the ideal of the people as "a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation" than had ever previously been realised. The seed had been planted long before, in the opening of Leviticus 19: "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them, ‘Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy.’"
Holiness belongs to all of us when we turn our lives into the service of God, and society into a home for the Divine Presence.
-To engage further with Rabbi Sacks’s teachings, or to sign up to his mailing list, please go to www.rabbisacks.org
^ 1.There is, of course, a prophetic call to equality also. We hear, in all the prophets, a critique of the abuse of power and the exploitation of the poor and powerless. What made the Priestly voice so significant is that it is the voice of law, and thus of the legal structures that alleviated poverty and set limits to slavery.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Former Chief Rabbi of the UK, Currently Professor of Judaic Thought at New York University and the Kressel and Ephrat Family University Professor of Jewish Thought at Yeshiva University.
The Crown All Can Wear Tamuz 11 5779
שיג ושיחפנחס
Not Reckoned Among the Nations Tamuz 4 5779
שיג ושיחבלק
Losing Miriam Sivan 27 5779
שיג ושיחחקת
More on this Topic Covenant & Conversation
Evolution or Revolution?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Iyar 11 5779
The Birth of Hope
Leading a Nation of Individuals
Sages and Saints
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Sivan 3 5779
Camp and Congregation
Fear of Freedom
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Sivan 13 5779
Argument for the Sake of Heaven
Losing Miriam
Not Reckoned Among the Nations
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Tamuz 4 5779
The Crown All Can Wear
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Tamuz 11 5779
131 Additional lessons on this Topic Covenant & Conversation
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David Henrie To Welcome First Child
We have some major ‘awwwww’ inducing news. David Henrie, of Wizards of Waverly Place fame, is having a child! The actor took to his social media to share that he is having his first child with his wife, Maria Cahill. He wrote, “After getting married my life started to take on a meaning and importance that's indescribable," he shared on Instagram Stories. "I'd never felt before and made me such a better person." He added, “I cannot wait to see what being a poppa brings I cannot wait!” The 29-year-old also teased a gender reveal party online and then revealed that it’s going to be a girl!
“ITS A GIRL ITS A GIRL ITS A GIRL. Im a Poppa!!!!!!! Im so overwhelmed with joy I had to share this with you guys," he told his followers. "I'm already singing 'I Loved Her First.' That reminds me. Where's my shotgun? I don't have a shotgun. Someone get me a shotgun!" Famous friends of the couple, such as Cameron Fuller and Madison Iseman, could not contain their excitement and took to their social media accounts to give some well wishes to the couple. The couple seems to be very happy and in love since their wedding back in April, which included Henrie’s co-stars Kevin James and Selena Gomez. David told E! News after their wedding, “I knew Maria was special from the moment I saw her. Now, almost three years later, it's almost surreal that we're finally getting married," further adding, “We're so blessed to be surrounded by our family and friends to celebrate this special day and I can't wait to start this next adventure with my best friend and soulmate." Congrats to the happy couple!
-Rubaina Bilgrami
Picture Courtesy – David Henrie Instagram
David Henrie
Tom Holland thanked his fans with a heartfelt post
Boseman's '21 Bridges' to open in India on Sept 27
J.A. Bayona to direct The Lord of the Rings!
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The Industry of Human Happiness
Continuing the Make a Noise in Libraries theme of ‘getting connected’ it seems fitting to look at a novel about the early days of the music recording industry in late Victorian London. After all the first audiobooks would not have been developed without the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison in 1877. Even so, it took almost sixty years until enough storage was developed to accommodate a complete book when Long Playing records (LPs) were brought into production. It still took around 10 LPs to hold an average-sized audiobook such as Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, the first audiobook to be sent out to visually impaired war veterans and civilians in the UK back in 1935.
The Industry of Human Happiness by James Hall (13121) is by turns a fascinating look at a period of history when inventors and businessmen were desperate to come up with a means of bringing recorded music to the masses (and thereby making a fortune), as well as a great whodunit. The story revolves around cousins Mat and Rusty who work out of a Covent Garden basement. Their ambitions are thwarted when an opera singer is murdered, and by a contested legacy which divides the cousins who subsequently become fierce rivals, each launching his own talking machine.
You can read more about the history of audiobooks in a guest post by Matt Rubery on the English and Drama blog on the British Library website. Or you can listen to The Untold Story of the Talking Book (11989), also by Matthew Rubery, which is available from the Calibre Library.
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Armenian Cinema, Armenian Film, Armenian Filmmakers, Christopher Atamian, Film, Փարաջանով, Paradjanov, Parajanov
Critically-Acclaimed Film PARADJANOV to be Screened and Discussed at ZIC
The Zohrab Center goes to the movies next Thursday, October 22 with the screening of Serge Avedikian’s 2013 film PARADJANOV.
Internationally known writer, translator, journalist, critic and filmmaker Christopher Atamian will introduce the film and lead a discussion.
Serge Avedikian also stars in the film, which was a joint Armenian, Ukrainian, French and Georgian collaboration. The film was was co-directed by Olena Fetsova.
Sergey Paradjanov, the brilliant Armenian filmmaker, struggled to pursue his art in the repressive atmosphere of the Soviet Union. Although he was acclaimed internationally by directors such as Fellini, Antonioni, Godard, and Tarkovsky, his non-comformist ways and insistence on the integrity of his art brought him into conflict with the Soviet regime and led to his imprisonment.
While relating Paradjanov’s persecution and his years in forced labor and prison, Avedikian’s film does not narrate Paradjanov’s life as much as portray the artistic soul and energy that animated his thought and work.
The film will be shown in Ukrainian with English subtitles.
Christopher Atamian will speak about Serge Avedikian’s 2013 film Paradjanov at the Zohrab Center on October 22.
Native New Yorker Christopher Atamian returns to the Zohrab Center to introduce the film and to lead a discussion after it has been shown.
The program will take place on Thursday, October 22 in Vartan Hall of the Armenian Diocese, 630 Second Avenue, New York, NY. A light supper will be served at 6:30pm. The 95-minute film will be shown at 7:15pm and a discussion will follow. Admission is $5. Students with ID will be admitted free.
Download a flyer by CLICKING HERE.
For further information contact the Zohrab Center at zohrabcenter@armeniandiocese.org or by phone at (212) 686-0710.
Native New Yorker Christopher Atamian is an internationally known writer, translator, journalist, critic and filmmaker. He writes for publications such as the New York Times Book Review, The Huffington Post, The Beirut Daily Star, the New Criterion, Dance Magazine and is the former dance critic for The New York Press. He produced the OBIE Award-winning play Trouble in Paradise and was included in the 2009 Venice Biennale for his video “Sarafian’s Desire.”He has translated five books and written one novel and is currently at work on seven book projects, three of which are being published in 2016 (one translation, a book of Bedros Keljik stories as editor, and a second novel), as well as producing and directing television, film and theater and a first anthology of poetry, which follows on his being included in the “An Anthology of Armenian Poets.” He is the recipient of numerous grants, awards and fellowships including the Tololyan Literary Prize, a Fulbright Fellowship, a John Harvard Fellowship, the Bronfman Fellowship in Democratic Enterprise at Columbia University, Gulbenkian and AGBU grants, an AFFMA film making grant, and a 2015 Ellis Island Award. His lectures at the Zohrab Institute on film are part of his work “Deconstructing Ararat,” volume on Armenian Cinema which is forthcoming. He is fluent in ten languages and is an alumnus of Harvard University, Columbia Business School and USC Film School.
From → Armenian Filmmakers, Film
« Sex, the Scriptures and St. Gregory of Narek. Presentation by Prof. Roberta Ervine Tuesday, November 3
THIS FRIDAY: Nationally-Acclaimed Musician to Present New CD on Armenians in Aleppo, Syria »
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